29 November-5 December 1984 Te the beat celling wcchly Coleco pulls out COLECO — manufacturers of tured by CBS in the US, and the Adam computer and the marketed in this country by Colecovision video games Ideal Toys. “CBS's involvement machne—haspulled outofthe with Colecovision is not going UK market te continue,” said Philip Gibbs, ‘The news comes after com- director of marketing for elec: ring rumours that the compa- tonics. “We are aware that a lt ay had abandoned ite sales of- of consumers who already own forts forthe Colecovision earl a Colecovision will need sof fer this month (cee Poplular — tware support, and within the Computing Weekly, Novem- next week we will be appoin ber 15). ting a sales agency to handle ‘The machines are manufac- that side of things. “Tho product is stil in the shops, being handled by one distributor, Hyde Park Clothing Company, ‘Hyde Park Clothing Compa: ny is reported to have taken delivery of 160,00 games car- fridges and 40,000 consoles sold as remaindered stock, ‘The company's manager, Mr Spiro, said, “We have bought the stock, but Iwill not divulge how many unis. The figure of After Midnight a Doomdark ‘THE SEQUEL to Lords of Mid- and Tarithel the Fey rust join night, Doomdark’s Revenge, «forces 10 rescue him. now in the shops. ‘Available 20 far only for the Morkin has been kidnapped Spectrum, Doomdark’s Re~ Sinclair confirms portable SINCLAIR has now confirmed that itis working on a new portable micro to be launched in 1988, (see Popular Compu ting Weekly November 8) ‘Main features ofthe portable machine include a single mi- erednive, flat sereon display, and a price of around £300. ‘The design of this new ma chine is based on that of the Spectrum and it will be fully compatible with all current Spectrum software Entirely battery operated, the machine will use C-MOS Ram technology, which uses ACOMPUNET-style commun cations network and database is being planned for Ob owners. ‘The OL network is being planned as a joint Sinclair Prism venture. Prism, which already runs the Micronet 800, Prestel database, will be pr ‘marliy responsible for develo- ing and setting the new sy3- tem up. “Negotiations with Sinclair are still in their very casly stages at the moment,” expla ned Richard Heaso, Prism's managing director. “We are planning something that will be for QLowners only, soit willbe like Compunet in that sense, At the moment, we are looking at the different networks. that ‘could possibly run the system, ‘Prism will aso be the exclu- sive distributors of a QL dedi- cated modem, manufactured bby OE, and due for launch at the Which Compucer? Show in Jamuary. ‘The OE modem willbe avai lable in three separate unit. ‘Q-con is the interface connec- ting with the QU's Serial 2 port by Shareth, Doomdark's venge costs £9.95 relatively litle power, and is | Itcan be purchased separately dopa wu tite esters) therefor ideally suted to the | 30 that an alerative modem z. continued on page 5 continued on page 5. CHRISTMAS SOFT HITS INSIDE _) AMSTRAD DISC DRIVE REVIEWTHE BIG TRREE THREE ESSENTIAL PACKAGES CAN BE YOURS FOR WELL UNDER THREE FIGURES! DATABASE ‘Micro Magpie for the Commodore 64s probably te most advanced database sit sytem avaiable for ay Pomme rivera. With Riera Magoie you con create 3 ‘atabase sytem tallies e@cty to your own Irfomavoa mandling equrerent \With most databese systems, you only oe out “wit you putin, Micro Mage gues you more! Tecan manputste cata bere eres fies Rerform ealcuiguors on numerical data, pt Duk reports. and hardcopy data is graphical fowte Only Micra Magpie can aneyou altrese features + Fully user programmable “database rmanagemene $stemn % Operated ty easyto-use pop-up menus ng just four keys ‘+ 100% machine code progam forspeedand compactness ® Gan perfom complex. clcuiators. on. ‘aurea data + Searches on ary field. wath wid cara and pared matering s+ Works with one OF 19 IAT disk ves ‘+ Honontal or vertical ber graph or scatter g799h output Integral Centrones:uerace for porate printer option. + Protessionaly writen rstucton mana. + Hep ready salable from Hep Dk 2 Fretappication templates: Maling stand Stock Contol (Micro Magpie woud be excellent value i you ‘bought i for the applications alone You can rave a hignyy sopnisecared Maing Ust system lp and running vain mutes. aed you's be ung ony 2 fraction of Nwcro Mago’: potential Once you start tating your oan ‘atom appleations you wall begin to descover ‘ity Commodore User magazine called Mixo Magpie “the software bargain of the ye"T £39.95 incvat ‘The Audlogenic Professional Series represents a) ‘Magpie, Micro Swift, and Micro Wordcraft. the power and Commodore 64 owners! Each of the three products represents the state of the art in its Mer, SPREADSHEET ‘Micro. Swat = the attordable protesiona) Spreadsheet sytem (or the Commodore & Mico Swe wl prove ncspensableinbusiness fr around the home to onstage modes of Income and expenditure, lor caityng out Instant wracit-cacutivons 10 ee How @ Change nove ex moce figures afecs a be biher fques. oF for spenatsed appleations here comples number eunehing s required cro Sot unique 6 that ts operated by popup menus. a sysiem pioneered By Cur agple database program fo longer do you hve to memorse 2 whole Merarchy. of contmaralsandcentrolkeys=ihe menus appa! ‘een you wan er, and asappear whey sent Micro Sent writen totaly in machine code [beware other spreacsheets in Gea for speed and compactness, givng yOu mote Foam 10 Consruct move complex models Acro Sur. grvesyeu these amazing eates... A to.2254 ce matric Variable cel wins Spl screen faclty User detrable Furesical precision and play formating Integr Cention trnertace for parallel printer opton Automatic execution of userprogranined seperces. + Graphical dspay option Opersted by easy-to-use pop-up mens * Free ready programmed applications inewwaed, File storage on disk or cassette & Fallestnicien mania! included (Don be foots by he price! Micro Swi ves you Talis cqual, not superior, 1 Spreadsheets costing many omes more: Mic Swifts nalablecr disk or asset, Micro Swat = Spreadateet pone to the peopel MICRO SWIFT - ON DISK OR CASSETTE £19.95 incvar MICRO. WORBERAFT WORD PROCESSOR Micro. Wordcrelt 5 our new diketased professional word processor It 6 8 direct ‘escencant ofthe high respected Wordkeaft program, which 19 use world-wide on the Targer Commodore macrires, Sius, and 18M PC ete Written 100% mache code, Micro \Werdkrat spells sfordeble office culty word [processing forthe home oF busines user Ieis often sad thet "you get what you pay for”? Dur withthe Andhogenic Professional Senesyou get whor you pay for aid move! Iso Worccrafe gives you al ese acvanced ‘Baltes “+ Fulltextcontyol-dosument wrath up 1099 columns, tabs decimal tbs, justification nd centering sp Fulltext manipulation « on-screen editing, loos move bleckdeleve, sting search and 1» repace, uneerining and emibolcering % Seroling screen spy, uncluttered by onto! characters ene sec cote les can be created anc Inetged ino stardord letters, «Easy merging of standaid paragrapls CCompatoie with Commodore, parallel and S232 printers. {+ Integral Centronics iterate for parale! printer opin, Inetantly seessble Hep scrcers + Comprehensive instruction manual ‘reid ‘The name and adress merging capatuities of Mero Worderat make it area! tol fr smal usnesies, Jibs, socetes oF hobby groups where tere are requ’ maiings of standard letters For home use, Micro Wordcraftcontains Al the fees you could ever eed, at 3 pice ouican easly aford) MICROWORDCRAFT - ONDISKONLY £24.95 incvar price breakthrough for Business-orientated software products. With Micro convenience of the computerised office can be a reality for all particular field. Great care has been taken over the ‘documentation to make sure that you, the user, can quickly make use of the facilities available. Also, a full backup service is provided by the Audiogenic Technical Department, who are only a phone call away if you have any queries about the So, whether It's for your home, business, club or society, make sure you go for the Audiogenlk Professional Series! —————— PROFESSIONAL SERIES AUDIOGENIC LTD, P.O. BOX 88, READING, BERKS., ENGLAND. Tel: (0734) 664646Vi wo machines in two ‘weeks — the QL+ and the Spectrum Portable. If Sinclair carries on hike this we'l be up to our knees in micros by the New Year. What Sinclair is doing is ‘actually very sensible. It has {wo basic design frameworks — one, an ultra-low-cost de- sign based around the 280 chip — the Spectrum. The other a more sophisticated concept ‘using the 32-bit 68000 series of Try processors — the Ol, Howgvor muon you want 10 | News>Elite action>Tony Crowther on 5 spend Sinclarean ole ann. | NOMS EH swor with machines priced at Oe Star Game > Astro-Link — for budding 10 ex betore tne spect Portbie is posable Smear | Shuttle pilots on the CBM 64 tas to make a. findamertal Gecison about display type | Streetlife > John Cook travels to the Land of Youth and Win i datscroon TV sts | talks to Gargoyle Games pibertastepes iterate fal TV technology — the | Hardware Reviews > Amstrad Disc Drives given a 4 Catiode say tbe, Despite the | whiz] > Play it again with the Commodore Music Maker considerable development ef : fon expented io meeduce the | Software Reviews > Latest Ultimate game Knight Lore {nt tube, the reaut is disip- | > Go into overdrive on the Electron potting. The black and whte scoonsre sa wihouys | Christmas Soft Hits > Graham Taylor 9) Sariow viewing angle and the | dons beard and breaks out the reindeer plete tends fhe unstable FortheTVitisanaccepiabie | BBC and Electron > One for video compromise. FortheSpectaun | owners — Indexer for the BBC B by A J Forenivwe tetusiee =| ee {imagine Tasword ona 40- calamn screen fess than two | The QL Page > A QL Rom bug corrected by Andy fnches wide. i hat istt on. | Pennell Sinclair ould certainly push to produce a bigger, bever fat | Dragon > The final helping of machine code routines by Eeroe fie a fondaretakl Eocter. WWalkotl Wy, the conventional TV tbe, hoterkseievedy bentsoas | Commodore > C16 Special Banker — adapted from togre the thsor ofbeisa at | the best-selling book by David Lawrence cr not, ent the answer, ‘Anyone who has seen the | Best of the Rest > Letters 8 > Spectrum 28 > Open Forum 43 > Arcade Avenue Sanyo liquid exystal colour TV | 43 > Microradio 44 > Music Box 46 > Book Ends 60 > Adventure Corner 54 will realise that Sinclair must | Peek & Poke 87 > Readers Chart, Top Ten, Diary 66 > New Releases, This think again. A liquid crystal | Week 67 > Puzzle, Ziggurat, Hackers 70 display isa digital technology its picture is perfectly stable, and it consumes litle power, making it ideal for a battery Operated: device. Not only that but six inch Mule cya en paie ee ce HiRom Lo Romforthe Amstrad...Siel’s low-cost MIDI musickeyboard be presses ee reviewed. .and Dragon Star Game ator D2 Koty News edtorChesia Eko Fares eitorGranam Taya Sonar er Jone Cock Production edtr Lynne Corccbe Ector eeretary Grane Syl Advertisement manoger Dud Like Ansintant advrteoment menayer Assar Nhxstow! Adverisemont execulle Ta Viton Chaos exaculve Dare Dis ‘Adwersiyg production Lucha Use Administraton Theresa Lacy Managing editor Dunexr Sact Publishing rector Jewry Vela Publlshed by Sunshine Pubicatlons id 12-79 Lite Newson Set, London WC2H 7PP. Tl 01-137 543 Teles 290275 ypesa by Toe Arvcrk Group, 55-69 Goswl Rad, Condon EOI, ir assosation wink on Pape Lt Printed Eas Md Lao Perer dl, Oundle Road, Woodsto, PotrborougPE2 90M Oistbuted bySM Dit sion, Londen 4, el 01-274 O64}, tex 26103. © Sunshine Pubheatons Lis 1984, How to submit articles Artcies which are submitted for publication shoul not be more than 2000 words long. The articles, and any accompanying programs, shouldbe orginal. tis breaking the law of copyright to copy programs ‘cut of other magazines and submit thom here — so ploase do not be fomptod. Acutacy Popular Computing ‘Week cannot accept any responsiblity for any erorsn progrems we pubfh,alnough we wil always ty our best (Gansune 1984 ABC). to make sure programs work. Computer Trade Association Magazine of the Year 29NOVEMBER-5 DECEMBER 1964 x4 POPULAR COMPUTING WEEKLY01-437 4343 Only one Seas castle for “This action is only the first of Parker pulls out atniteaacny natenet AMERICAN software compa- © —perhaps atthe 1986 Toy Fair. Atari fully. We hold the licence to a nyParkerBrothorshasannoun- Parker ran inlo problems number of garnes, such a ced itis withdrawing from the because most of its sotware | ATARI Corporation (UK) has Pacman, Donkey Korg, and Software market in this tumover came from tiles for | ‘Arerlogalacionsgainst MRM. Polo Posiion, and itis notin ‘country: the Atari VCS machines. When | sofware over MRM's Castle of Atari's interest to have urlicen- “The product planned for Atari reduced ts software | Cow "ove' pr ine BBG, sodversions ofthese games on Brinn for 19045 as een prices down to £998, Parker | “ia clas that Castle of tho matket. Thre area nn withdrawn,” explained a Continued to charge £29; Tama Ws Weer of Copal iow ok Cocke tant Parker spokesman sales dropped. man have trauthorised versions of “However, don'thinkthiais “Our Spectrum and Commo- a permanent withdrawal, Pale dore 64 releases were on caz- toy, which owns Parker widge and disc, respectively Brothers, feels thatthe market — again expeusive products | “The, dispute is no longer viable. Still if the relying on high profit margins. | With MRM was markettums favourably, think The market share wasrit large | Tesclved out of it will reconsider the decision enough" Parker has also sulle. | cour.” said J —___________ | red because Rom software for | Dean, Atari's Col the Spectrum never took off | UK product loleco ‘and the penetration of disc | Manager. MRM ‘Conia aaa ‘units into the C64 user base is | hastndertaken . the UK is a fracion of the figure | Rot to adver- 40,000 is quite. wrong.” ete Ue tie, sol, up Another Ideal Toys’ spokes- ply. or ist man furtier commented, “The bute any fur: company isto concentrate less ther copies of on electronic goods and more | Express Caste of Germs, ‘ona broad product range, sich ‘our games on release, and if te ise cabnage Parcs Don | transfer ray to Casto of Goms ina ncosary, wo witake toro land Child Guidance series of i compuler magazine review cour.” Scucatoral tore wacnoncty | COQUICKSilva | (ohie tertdentesies, Aucot's omncorvrsont the needs of the market place” | mony Crowther, successful | larity between thetwo games,” Crystal Castles for the BBC is Ateritslaunch, asthestarot | Go auhor or Foty Payeon, | Jon continued. “When we saw due to appear in Decomber a the 1983 summer Consumer | Suede tepress ana Wanted: | the game ourselves, we coun- £3.58 Electronics Show, the 128K | Sony’ Molo, has signed up | ted32distinctsimlartes Such The company is also plan- Adam compuior syatom has | Mommy Molo hes signed NP | similariies between games ning to convert tho game for been plagued by problems, | Tox two releases. could include, forinstanes, the tho Atari @00XL early noxt year, fiat wih ato delivery andithen | Tony leftGremlinGraphics¢ His two games to be marke. | _ This gives Firebird the op- wih the celablty of ts Ngt- | coupio of month ago, and has ted by Quicksilva are Black | tion to convert Elite to the Sore pee Gan cecertly cut | “Pett the intervening time sei- Thunderand Gryphon, bothior | Spectrum, Amstrad CPC 464, ais rice vas recon tt | tingup and expanding Ward the Commodore Ot ISK and the long-awaited En ‘ ending | Development, aBBC hardware "piace Thunder is a evam- | terprise computers. all of io spectlation that it may be iia ken temnenan ped.version of Suicide Express | which use the 220 processor. ee Chee tye dono a of tangas | Probl wil densely be on-screen and altered the | producing a Spectmm version, oe mare aeninte Soa es pauronn | Cameras cae tmoreofa‘finished versionthan | sion” aid Jacqui Lyors of the original release.” said | Marjaca Scripts, agents for QLNetwork ‘ Toy. Elites authors lan Bell and Continued from page 1 Black Thunder should be | David Braben. cari be used if desired. Q-con available in December, with ‘When released, Elite will also contains the built-in sof- Gryphon appearing just after | form part of Firebird's ‘gold’ tware which provides the Pres- Culsmas Bothgamesarepro- | premium range of software. El opecaling syoets Tia sok visionally priced at £798, | Firebird bas already released tware is alse avaliable separe- Lr | games in is ever or budget. coly on Microdrive = Priced series ‘mod, the second par, is | Portable BT bias ‘ito on the Spectrum io ex asimodom, operating at 1200? | Gontinad from page 1 3 pected to comt around £15; and 1200 baud (half duplex) and | portable machine. for rights { planned to be available in 1200/75 baud (full duplex). ‘The flat-screen display for t Eli April-May 1985. ‘Geil, the thied part, gives | the porable is tkely 1 be | to Elite “As yet there aro no frm ‘an auto-dial, auto-answer faci- | based on technology develo- | THE rights to convert Acor- Plans to produce versions ‘for ped for the Sinclair atsexeen | nsoits highly success! tile MSX tv. ‘Ete for machines using the 290 Continuing development | processor were up for sition work onthe display will mean | last woek and Briish Telo- Denice enon Mack ica: | ta Meter Pome | coat tens int foray |. Moxe news ial eau Eoate, Pes: | unlikely tobe lnmchod bufre | ganea he leence for'ante- | on page Z ihr Cumbia, mid 1958, tarda unt 29NOVEMBER-S DECEMBER 1984 5PRESENT A NUMBER 1 [SMASH HIT!/ PRESS RELEASE Mutant Monty This puzzle proves to be positively perplexing and perpetually pleasing to posers, presenting persistantly provoking problems; providing profuse pleasure and producing a palliative or placid panacea to people possessing a propensity for persistance, patience, perspicacity and painstaking propensities. A pleasurable ad sGeaqAcsi-z|4 palpitating parable pantomime with Monty] [2 § : packaging a peculiar participating in a| - e parody with piercing penetrable panoply of|| "Yi 3 passion not paralleled puzzles, parading! Res jin any perimeter. Karl particularly E Jeffery has pleasurable patterns ies painstakingly produced panning paramilitary e this pandemonium of paraphernalia, a pleasurable phenomena performing pulsating) == <7 price £6.95, poised perilous peptic f SY (e24,, [purposely for CBM 64 projectiles in a land Spectrum 48K. perfunctory profusion. e Applethora of 40 polemic screens, pneumatic prismatic power, periphrasis-the perfect performance. Phew ! Phone (0401) 43553 01 - 995 - 2151 artic computing Itd. Head Office: Main Street, Brandesburton, Driffield YO25 8RL London Office: 263 Acton Lane, Chiswick, London W4News Desk 01-437 4343 New machines for Deus Adventures cere ona altogether,” said Mastertronic budget managing director Martin Alper. MASTERTRONIC has laun- “Suan Galloway and Roy cched the first ofanew series of Carell will continue to write @ budget-priced adventure number of adventures for the Games to retail at just £269. Master Adventurer label. ‘The first releases, under the fe setiod on £299 a8 label Master Adventurer, will realistic budget price, because be Se-Kaa of Assiah Black of the relate complexity of Crystaland VoleanicDungeon, adventure programming,” ‘The last two have already Martin continued. “Black Crys- appeared under tho Camell tal, however, will be £3.99, label. Ex-Carnell heads Roy since the package comprises armel ay two castetes. na is to be converted for the us ex Machina on the : : a Commodore 64 and Amstrad Commodore 64 and CPC 464 | “ayarormonc. Manormison. Spectnan. Se React Aesiah iit co should be available at the be- | substantially rewritten, and Commodore 64, and a 64 ver ete erat conversion ie gg of Jauasy, wih bolt | graphics added, for is rere. sion of Black Crystal should be sing dome by Andrew Stagg, versions “ia lease. least feat. wonaaan me ke Black Crystal will be released in the New Ye the Spectrum, Freelance pro- ith Mc: grammer Colin Jones is | Argus teams wi ‘artn The storyline of the game ‘oriang” on the Commodore reams . SY stows tho Rim cu olealy version. ARGUS Press Software is to Footballand the recently laun- and has been. written with ‘We are making the scoring | release a computer game ba. ched Allon (Popular Compu- Paul's help,” said Poter Holme system slightly more acces- | sed on the new Paul McCart ting Weekly, October 4). of Argus. sible forthe new machine, so | ney fim Give my Regards io ‘Them Give my Regards 0 Argus has gained the world that itis easior to finish with a | Broad Sweetin January tocoin- Broad Street is largely the wide rights to the computer ostive score,’ said Mel Crow | cide with the film's reloase in brainchild of Paul McCartney, game of Broad Street, which cher of Automata. Some of the | this country who directed and stars in i, willinitally be released for the screens on the Commodore | “The game will be one of along with wife linda, Tracey Commodore 64 and tho Atari willbe slittty more elaborate, | Argus's new Mind Games se- Ullman, Ringo Starr and Baba- at £5.95. Argus is also conside- but apart from that it will be a | ries, which inchides American ra Bach. ring a Spectrum version. St CHECK THESE PRICES i on r sreomm hp rice sicrmo —PPMICE COMMOUORE ANP PE commooone Sa thes Tae OMETSOCAM —'GS0'S20 GHOSTEUSTERS ‘oo 025. KOROTON WILE SACRCAERS ALUTHATECAMES $95 738 MADOVER BOYLDERDASH soo Daze COADRUMER «$85 738 MOSCOW 895.736 VALAALA muvaurs NAH 788 Sat SUICDEENPRESS 795 625 FACENPATROLI Tang Zbl zowwe fs 21 ORES $83 738 PuAMUNA BRO TUNKWGDOMVALLEY 735 S88 QUOVADIS a 735 THELNTR bawcen mouse anstat 1s) S61 JeTSeTWRLY 738 57a Sree oP iincreony 75 583 FLAK S738. Bae fore oD Jom SPOMSIER? «ESS S21 _WNGCOMMANOER 785 S65 Ly oral 6 521 TRON 185 593 FonTarccALvPse ase 796 YMTEVOGTHARRH 1150. 8.8 ‘hope $21 TOMADOLOWLEVEL $85 420. SPITIREACE 736 SUE 4s 0m vA 521 DELSERMAGHIA 18.00 1100. ZAKON as AUTOR tom re siaroxe 085 308 OANGERMOUSE 750 fos RETANTOEDEN 306 7.8 5a) KNGey 688 08 STMIPPOREA ros POUErOGTION 808 54 Xoo aN wir {30 fivmnacnon $5 ¢38 BRUCELEE ‘bs SEND 30 SUNMENGAMES 1495 1094 ALL TAPES GUARANTEED GENUINE: FIRST CLASS DELIVERY SAME DAY AS ORDER RECEIVED P.&P. INC. IN PRICE UK: 75 PER TAPE EUROPE: £1 PER TAPE ELSEWHERE SEND LARGE SAE FOR FULL LIST (state machine) WHEN ORDERING SEND CHEQUE/P.O. TO: BARGAIN SOFTWARE 10 MELODY COURT, STONE ROAD ESTATE, LONDON W4 3AW TEL: (01) 995 2763mo Left hooks four observation on the size of our CP/M (Popular Computing Weekly Vol 3 No 48) might be tempered by ‘consideration of the following points. ‘AG{K CP/M would not aliow ‘as much space to Basic as does the approach adopted by our disc system, ‘The price of CP/M software {is classicly £280 por module for things like integrated accounts, databases and the like, We offer these (with no loss of function) at £30-50. ‘All the hooks are present in the system design to permit some enterprising soul to de- vviso an MSDOS 812K add-on if they so desire — but then it ‘might not cost £198 and offer dual operating systems and be ‘bundled with Dr Logo, might? William Poe! Amsoft Brentwood House 169Kings Road Brentwood Easox More ways to run than one ve found something interes: ting on the Commodore 64, It you plug a joystick into Port 2, hold inthe fire button and press "Wit displays Load Press Play ‘on Tape, the equivalent of Shit Rarstop. Pau! Valentino ‘87Merniman Road Blackhosth Tendon S23 Version therapy Yi ee see fo rend comments of Graham ‘Taylor in his review of Fighter Pilot in this week's Popular Computing Weekly. His refe- rronces to the “superior facil- ties’ of the 64 must surely be in the context of sprite-oriented. arcade games, For Mr Taylors information, the 6502 processor in the ‘BMS is far inferior to the 280 (Spectrum) when extensive high-speed 16-bit mathematics {s involved, ¢g, 3D co-ordinate geometry, aircraft fight cha- acteristics, etc. Retaining all the features of the Spectrum version deman- ded considerable enhance. ments to the algorithms used, and to achiove euch 2 faithful conversion is a credit to the programmer. With regards to the comments ‘less. improssive” and “disappointing’, this view is not shared by the many distributors. and. customers ‘who have patiently waited for Fighter Pilot 64 DKMarshall Digital Integration Watchmoor Trade Centre WatchmoarRa Camberley ‘Surrey We still fee! that the Spectrum version of Fighter Pilot is 's the proud owner of a ragon 32 computer ‘which haa had more thanite fair share of what I would call ‘non-support, I would like 10 Jnow if you are going to sup- port the Dragon more than you have done in the past low wesks Even though the so-called ‘professional people and some software houses don't Uke it, hundreds of owners do, and ‘would like more of the good information you have publis- hed in the past MPBaker ‘South Closo Bury St amundls Suto ‘You have no need to fear. We ‘will continue to support the green-screen beast aslong as there are enough readers who want us to do so! Checkmate chess test Fas ite ctaenoe or Wyour chess playing rea ers. How good do you think your computer chess program 1s? How many moves cant see ahoad? Can itsolve mate in two moves problems? Perhaps WHE ATES? you'd like to ty it out on this one: give the computer a king, and both reoks. Give yourself a lone ing. Can it checkmate you? John Rundle ‘26 Viestern Road “Aldershot Hants GUN SPL 5 if any reader sends me an SAE plus @20p coin I will send them 12 diagramed chess position problems with solu- tions. Software libraries ‘was surprised to read Phil Roger's comments in Peek 4 Poke, in the October 17 is- sue, with regard to Software Libraries: "must confess that I get a litle mcasy when I see adverts for the software hire companies — if an individual attempted to do this he woule probably be threatened with die punishments.” 1K would seem that to Phi software libraries might verge ‘on the illegal. While apprecia- ting his concern, libraries do ‘provide an excellent opportu: nity for computer owners 10 sample a great variety of pro: grams. How many times has a Superficial two minutes snat ‘hed in a shop prompted you to buy, only to find after an hours play at home that the money was wasted? We find to ‘large extont that after hiring tapes members purchase thom, One other point is that all our Spectrum and Commodore titles are hired only with the supplier's permission and most magazines, including PCW, will only accept adverti- ‘sements from companies who state this. Peter Johnson Direcror Softenk 128 South Circular Road Dublin 8 Eire Thank you Sinclair 14 the liaison officer for PHAB (Physically Handi capped and Able Bodied) in ‘he Derby area Thave recently oen trying to start a computer course for the physically han- dicapped within the Derby area, as I feel that in the near future a large amount of office ‘work could be done from the home, by disabled people, via ‘computer network. In my search for computer ‘equipment I contacted Sinclair Research and would like 10 thank them trough your maga- ‘ine for their kind donation ofa 48K 2X Spectrum. ‘CD Thompson 101Princesst Derby DESENS Spoilt for choice Rerterener siome ‘containing the Amstrad top ten gameslist, compiled by Boots. ‘This indication of the most ‘popular games of the CP454 is totally misleading, as in Bristol at least, of well over 80 games available for the machine, Boots have only ever stocked half a dozen. ‘Three days ago they had Roland on the Ropes, Roland adverticed in the store al- though the Spectrum and Commodore C16 are — the shop had no joysticks, printer, ‘and no plang to stock the disc drive and had “no idea what software, f any, is on order.” 2 Leng 3 Victoria Place Bedminster Bristol POPULAR COMPUTING WEEKLY"THE COMPUTER EDITION OF | ‘MONOPOLY | Recieed ode MetolWacenoena Gomes ‘SMontagu Row, London WIH LAB ~ 29NOVEMBER-4 DECEMBER 1964 8Astro-Link ‘steady hand and nerves of steel are needed to complete the testing task sel for Commodore 64 users by Laurence Beattie ¢ surface of a planet and through an teroid belt, in an artompt to dock with an orbiting mothership. ‘On docking — this isn't easy — youmove toa harder screen with a greater number of asteroids. The quicker you complete your mmission, the more points you will be awarded. ‘The ship is controlled by joysticle, which ‘aceelerales your craft in any direction, and ‘there isa constant gravitational pulltowards the planet that you must overcome, ‘The program is well documented with Ee you must guide your ship off th HEY, LOOK BAS! = VF LL HERES AN ASTRO. LY THEY LL PAY FOR (T, THE CREEPS! (VE SEEN THEM LAUGHING BEHIND MY BACK | (SO THEY THINK, 1M FARANOD, EH? I'LL SHOW EM | ASTERDUS ? I'LL GIVE “EM ASTERODS!| LL. ASTEROID THEM TO.DEATH It (LL BURY THEI WITH ASTEROWS.SO THEY THINK (‘M NOT UPTO THE. JOB, LH? THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ME. THE SLOBS | LL (LL THEM | | alow) WHA THEY'RE UPTO. (“LL COLL THEIR HEADS CFF | I 10 POPULAR COMPUTING WEEKLYvR=8. g0TONTe tha Tene SSSeMTREE PokESa264, PEEK S32 4 i 470 REMeeeTOe + BOTTOM LIMTSeNE 425 YeREEK(S 3263 HA) 426 IFVC RehaeaSeT UP comnDe 47 Porescesn, KE a POKES : 526 POKES i ys URS a 51a 1" 512 526 TeTINE: FRINT*TIME PRINT}, -noTese 700 RENSHACOLLISIONT#46 HEAT" 705 M=PEEK(S3a73) PeNebsrerTe PannTEes P19 TFX=B0R=36"HENKe2 RETURN FENG #9 | LCOLOUS 720 IFK=1S2ANDPEER (S32e )=PEEK (S32 THEMPOKESa263 PEEK (Sa261y+21 COTO7: necnaes 722 POKESM2 73-4 POKESHZ7E, 9 POKESH, NDC: 902, 54276129 HT GRADGE POKESG294,2 FORY™ITOLO0 POREZE4 2047) 204 NEST se PORE 20 FENDA 726 PORES@26, PEEK (S2269)-128 POKES 132. 160 RENAE Pokestore, 122 Garo z4e TEP 2: POKE " 2: PoePOeSEY< command is used? Assuming a system. The drive itself is of . disc is in place, some data is loaded, the inch HitachiPan- a the screen changes colour and the asonic format, using screen notifies that we are fully enclosed discs. In in CP/M. A Dir command will show that ‘operation the drive is " the system dise provides oth fast and quiet, = not only the ‘standard’ util with a good solid = eu ity programs, such as ED, va — MovCPM, Pip, Asm and me _ Dai (these last are an 6080 = assembler and de-bugger re- spectively) but a number of Anstrad addi tional com- ing and ejecting. Connection to the interface is achieved with a ribbon cable complete with a parallel connector for pPhigging in a second drive. Two disc a : ‘There are two restrictions placed on units is the most that the system can command, itis the disc rather than the any CP/M programs you might wish to handle. The interface plugs onto the cassette that responds. Sweam 9 has yum_other than the fact that they need ‘exposed edige connector af the rear of been re-routed and the firmware jumP- 6 he on Sinch disc. As the CPC 484 the CPC 464. This arrangement is not blocksare overwnitten during power-up. firmware uses all of the 280's restarts ‘Particularty stable, (remember the ZXB1 _ Amsdos, as this level of operation iS pur RST 6, this is the only restat that is Ram pack wobble?), but gold-plated called, also adds a number of extension “avaiable to CP/M. DDT, for example, connectors are used. The imerface itself commands to Basic, provided by the jormally uses RST 7: so the Amstrad contains a floppy disc controller chip Tesident systems extensions (RSX) ahd version has to be patched to use 6. Other (QPD768A) and a 16K ‘sideways’ Rom that therefore preceded by a bar symbol. tis pyocrams may also have to be patched to ‘occupies addresses &COOO to &FFFF. Possible to select the default drive, erase se Rais, ‘This puts t in competition with not only and rename files, and switch back to the screen Ram but also the Basic cassette operation, either for reading, _‘The other is the contentious matter of resecies writing, or both. Issuing the commands the size ofthe transient program area — ‘The CPC 464 nme the Rom with the /TAPE: IN and /DISCOUT, for example, how big a program can be rin in Ram? Jowest number as the foreground pro. Wil esultin a Load operation fetching a Mast CP/M systems allow about 56K for ‘gram Basic is Number 1, while the disc Program from tape and a Save putting it programs to tse, but as 16K of the CPC POPULAR COMPUTING WEEKLY “defsmemry sued for screen deplay, itis not surprising that there is only sits ora peopares ten Tek not as serious a drawback as it might seem — the whole point of CPIM is that portions of program and most ofthe data is held on dise and overlayed into Ram when required. Some programs will need to be altered, which, while not a layman's job, should not be a major task. T have seen such items as Microsoft Basic and Wordstar running on the rE ital Amstrad without patching, but these both cost more than the computer so who would want to mm them anyway? Amsoft expect to provide a mamber of, CPIM programs filly compatible and tested with the CPC 464, at affordable prices. The first examples will be Quests ABC accounts package (£99 for the three basic modules, instead of a claimed £750 for other CP/M machines) and the Microscriptpenspread word proces- sing, database and spreadsheet pro- grams at £50 each. It you want anything else, Amsoft will ‘put you in touch with a company that can ‘port’ across any CP/M program at retail prices — Timatic Systems of Newgate Lane, Fareham, Hants, What must not be forgotten is that, ‘even without CPIM, the disc system for the Amstrad CPC 464 would still be a very worthwhile addition — add CP/M and you have much more than just icing on the cake, Jeff Naylor Bass pattern Hardware Commodore Music Ma- ker Micro Commodore 64 Price £29.95 Supplier Commodore. ‘around £20, the Commodore Music Maker is priced low enough to ncourage those who've previcusly been wary of forking out for music periphe- Tals for their 64s to do so. It is also clearly aimed at the user who might be thinking of buying a small Casiotone or similar home organ, ‘The package has been produced for Commodore by Music Sales — a company previously best-known for its vast range of Play-in-a-day songbooks featuring every- body from Abba to ZZ Top. ‘Music Maker comes with its own mint- songbook containing such gems as Chop- sticks, ingle Bells and Sailing arranged for the simple, rather tacky plastic ‘overlay repeat or | a | ded as part of the package, This plastic key- board — in Commo- ‘colours — clips over the computer key- board, allowing you 1 fool a lite bit Ike you're a proper synth ‘while youre actually hitting QWERTY keys. A clover idea, although one that would have ‘benefited from more thoughtful design. ‘The sofware, avallable either on disc or ‘cassette, is not unimpressive. On loading you are right into the program and can ‘immediately tap outa tune on the keyboard. mens offers you the options of selecting ‘one of eight voices, changing octaves — ‘wo octaves are available at any one time, FL CHANGE BASS 2 FS POLY PLAY doro co-ordinated |F5 SELECT VOICE & F? SEQUENCER F2 Fa FS Fa RHYTHM SELECT 1 CHANGE OCTAVE MODIFY VOICE SAVE/LOAD HENU altering voice envelopes and filter charac: tenstics, playing in poly-mode (up to three notes played simuliancously), selecting one of three preset rhythms and altering them by changing or removing the bass pattern and, finally, sequencing (with a Save and ‘Load option). ‘All this. sounds impressive, but the facilities offered are, in fact, small considering the full potential of the 64's SID sound chip, The sequencer, for example, holds a maximum of only 255 notes and does not allow poly-mode or even ‘overdubbing’ (playing one track to the accompanyment ‘of an already sequenced ane) ‘That said, the system does have some nice features — the slide effect, the runing facility and the abilty to tap out different zhythmas for a single sequence particular!y caught my fancy. ‘The inclusion of the simple mechanical music keyboard overlay is only really ‘warranted to give the system more ‘instant appeal, It you don’ need the ilusion of a musie keyboard and are quite content to use the Cé's Qwerty keyboard then T would re- ‘commend in preference Supersoft's Music ‘Master which costs sightly less than £30, or Wavoform’s MusiGalc which costs some: what more. Gary Herman 29NOVEMBER-SDECEMBER 1986