Home Computer Magazine – Vol. 4, No. 2

Source: Home Computer Magazine – Vol. 4, No. 2

The cover states that this magazine is focusing exclusively on Apple, Commodore, IBM and Texas Instruments. While that doesn’t sound all that exclusive, it does leave out one or two other platforms that were popular at the time, including the Atari 8-bit line.

Volume 4, Issue Number 2 of Home Computer Magazine from 1984 includes the following:

Features

  • Sea of States – A type-in educational game for the Commodore 64 and TI-99/4A with a scuba diving theme designed to teach states and capitals.
  • San Francisco Tourist – A type-in racing game for the VIC-20 that works like various games of the ‘Ski’ variety in which you are moving down hill and have to steer to avoid obstacles.
  • Building Your Character: A Graphics Editor for the VIC-20 – A type-in graphics program for the VIC-20 that allows you to create your own character set.
  • Quick Pixel Tricks: A Graphics Editor for the C-64 – A type-in graphics editor for the Commodore 64 designed to allow you to edit characters and sprites.
  • Follow the Bouncing Ball – A tutorial for the Apple II that shows you how to create animated graphics by creating a bouncing ball demo and altering it.
  • 3D-IIE: Apple Graphics in Three Dimensions, Part II – The second part of a 3D graphics tutorial for the Apple II. This part builds on the previous part showing you how to create your own shapes.
  • Double Your Color, Double Your Fun – This tutorial shows you how to increase the number of colors displayed by overlapping sprites and screen graphics on the Commodore 64 and TI-99/4A.
  • Musical Mystery Words – A type-in educational program for the Apple II and PCjr designed to help you to learn to read music.
  • Matrix Muncher – A type-in math utility for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 that will solve linear algebra problems.
  • Elementary Addition and Subtraction – A type-in educational program for the VIC-20 that teaches basic addition and subtraction.
  • IBM Animation: Controlling the Pallet on the PCjr – A tutorial for using colors on the PCjr. The example program uses mode 5 because it allows the use of all 16 colors as well as “high resolution”.
  • Jr. Sounds Off – A tutorial for how to use the PCjr’s sound chip through BASIC. The PCjr was capable of more than just the standard beeps of a typical PC. It used the same sound chip as the TI-99/4A. Of more relevance to the PC world, it was also in the Tandy line of PCs. This same sound chip also found its way into the ColecoVision/ADAM and various arcade games.
  • The Electronic Home Secretary – Type-in programs for the Apple II, Commodore 64, PCjr and TI-99/4A that provides phone book and inventory functionalities including phone directory, dialing, providing a database, etc.

LOGO Times

  • Files in LOGO – How to access data files via LOGO in a similar manner that BASIC can.
  • LOGO Spans the Generation Gap: A Review of Commodore LOGO – A look at Commodore’s implementation of LOGO for the Commodore 64 by both a teenager new to programming and a professional computer programmer.
  • FROGO: LOGO Invades the Arcade – Creating Frogger on the TI-99/4A via LOGO.

Product Reviews

  • Pinball Construction Set – A great game for the Commodore 64 and Apple II that allows to create your own (video) pinball tables.
  • Spritemaster 64 – A sprite generator and editor for the Commodore 64 for all those budding Commodore 64 game developers.
  • Miner 2049’er – The classic platform game reviewed here for the TI-99/4A and also available on the Commodore 64 and Apple II.
  • Mouser – One of the few cartridge games made for the PCjr.
  • Attack of the Mutant Camels – One of Jeff Minter’s famouse arcade style games for the VIC-20.
  • Computer War – A game for the VIC-20 inspired by the movie WarGames.
  • Castle Wolfenstein – The classic World War II themed game for the Commodore 64 and Apple II in which you must find secret plans and escape the castle.
  • Zork – If you have only ever heard of one text adventure/interactive fiction game then this is probably the one. Reviewed here for the Apple II, Commodore 64, IBM PC, and TI-99/4A but essentially all versions are identical anyway.
  • Donkey Kong – The classic arcade game converted to the TI-99/4A.
  • Tag Tom and Fire – A game for preschoolers for the TI-99/4A.
  • Q*Bert – Conversion of the arcade classic by Parker Brothers for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, and VIC-20.
  • TI-Maze – A game for the TI-99/4A that generates random 3D mazes that you must navigate your way out of.
  • Animation Creation – A software project for creating animations on the PCjr. Unfortunately, it isn’t very good.
  • Adventures in Math – An adventure game that teaches math for the PC and PCjr.
  • Spellakazam – An educational game for teaching spelling reviewed here for the Apple II and Commodore 64 and coming soon for the PC and PCjr.
  • Let’s Get Graphic: Reviews of Graphics Code Generator and Graphics Designer – Reviews of both Graphics Designer adn Graphics code Generator for the Ti-99/4A.
  • PowerPad – A touch-tablet device for home computers. It works at least with the Apple II, Commodore 64, VIC-20, PC and PCjr. These are not like the touch devices of today. Instead, this one had an underlying membrane keyboard with a flat surface on top. Then, each application that supported it would provide on overlay providing a variety of functions.
  • A Conversation with Robert Ransom – Robert Ransom is the president of Chalk Board, Inc., maker of the PowerPad reviewed in this issue.

Gameware Buffet

  • Tablut – A type-in game derived from an ancient board game for the PC, PCjr, Commodore 64, TI-99/4A, and Apple II.
  • Cannibals – Avoid the cannibals and man-eating sharks as Dr. Livingston in this type-in game for the PCjr, Commodore 64, TI-99/4A and Apple II.

Departments

  • Inside/Outside – An overview of the contents of this month’s issue of Home Computer Magazine as well as a description of the art on the cover.
  • Letters to the Editor – Topics from readers this month include TI-99/4A coverage, VIC-20 support, more technical questions about the TI-99/4A, a programming tip for the Commodore 64, IBM PCjr coverage, assembly on the TI-99/4A, saving programs to tape, and more.
  • On Screen – What’s to come in the year ahead for the personal computer industry.
  • Group Grapevine – News from various user groups including Newton Apple Kids, Computer Kids International, Fort Wayne Apple Computer Users Group, Crescent City Computer Club, Compucats’ Commodore Computer Club, Kankakee Hackers, Westmoreland Computer Users Group, and more.
  • HCM Product News – New products this month include Tech-Sketch light pens, Cartridge Programming System from Navarone for the TI-99/4A and IBM PCjr, a Commodore 64 version of S.A.M., The People’s Choice productivity package for the Commodore 64, the Alphacom 81 printer, three new Smith-Corona printers, Turbo Pascal Compiler from Borland for the PCjr, Multiplan for the Commodore 64, and more.
  • Home Computer Tech Notes
    • Commodore – Upgrading a single chip in the Commodore 1540 disk drive to upgrade it to a 1541 to be more suited for those that upgrade from a VIC-20 to a Commodore 64.
    • IBM – A routine for deciphering the keyboard buffer to read keypresses on the PCjr.
    • TI – How to accomplish various tasks in BASIC that are taken for granted in Extended BASIC on the TI-99/4A.
    • Apple – How to protect the Hi-Res Screen memory area when using switching between graphics modes.

    …and more!

    Comments

    comments


    One Response to Home Computer Magazine – Vol. 4, No. 2

    1. Pingback:Home Computer Magazine – Vol. 4, No. 2 | Megalextoria | megalextoria