PIC up the battle rope without the brute force!

Many electronic handheld games are intended for only one player who pits his wits against the computer, thus giving the player little opportunity for social interaction and producing what many psychologists fear could become a generation of social misfits!

This simple Tug-of-War game, although it is built around a PIC microcontroller, must be played by two people, providing, as they say, “fun for all the family”. Unlike the real game, however, it does not require a rope or a large space such as a field or village green, or large quantities of beer(?). Nor does it rely on brute strength so that a large number of rugby types are also superfluous and, as the winner is clearly indicated, there should be no need for any “physical” interaction either during or after the game!

Instead, speed of reaction is important and the two players are equipped with pushbuttons which they must press as quickly as possible after a light emitting diode (l.e.d.) is lit to “pull” their opponent over the line. The software program is written to ensure that the delay before the l.e.d. lights is random, so the players cannot accurately predict when it will light.

To prevent any cheating, a player who presses his or her button before the "pull" l.e.d. has lit is penalized by the cancellation of one of his or her earlier successful attempts.