Scorched Earth 2000 – Web

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TLDR

  • Browser-based multiplayer port of Scorched Earth 2000 with live game lobbies, configurable wind/cash/rounds, and up to 8 players per session.

Key Takeaways

  • Active lobby shows ~12 concurrent games; sessions run 800x600 or 1024x768, 3 rounds, $50k starting cash, wind 10.
  • Players join open or in-progress rounds via 6-char hex game codes, with AI bot slots (Cyborg, Killer, Shooter) filling games.
  • No login required; player names are set at session creation and games can be marked private.

Hacker News Comment Review

  • The port was vibe-coded by @meshko, the original game’s anniversary prompted the JS rewrite of an earlier C++ remake.
  • Commenters note Scorched Earth itself is a clone of Tank Wars, not the originator of the artillery genre.
  • Nostalgia runs deep but DOS purists point to archive.org and dos.zone as alternatives preserving the exact original feel.

Notable Comments

  • @rhema: Discovered file-editing as a child by swapping ASCII tank-type strings in saved game files to unlock the shareware-locked ultra tank.
  • @reconnecting: Identified original Scorched Earth author as Wendell Hicken via whicken.com, confirming the “VP of engineering” anecdote.

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