Need Help With Random Number Generation

[Peter G]

One of the tricks I picked up while coding in C++ was putting "monitors" on the screen (my term). They simply showed the value a variable held, making it easier to see what the program logic was doing behind the scenes. So you can guess how thrilled I was to find out the score display could be used to do just that.

 

I'm at a point where I'm trying to incorporate random number generation to determine if the NPC on the screen is friend or foe. In the global declaration area, I put:

 

dim rand16 = z

 

Inside the main loop, I put:

 

score = rand

 

When I run the game, the score ALWAYS says 74. It never changes. So I'm clearly doing something wrong. How do I make it select a random number every time the program gets to where it assigns the value? What am I missing?

[+Random Terrain]

Don't use score = rand, use this instead:

 

http://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#testvariables

 

Then use temp4 = rand.