• Category Archives Commodore 64

  • The best selling computer model of all time

  • Computer Arcana » Commodore 64

  • Compute! (February 1985)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Compute! – Issue Number 57 – February 1985

    Compute! was a great magazine for those with home computer in the 1980s, at least if you had one that it covered. In 1985 that meant the Commodore 64, VIC-20, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, and IBM PC. Many computer magazines were more technically oriented this one but if you were just looking for more typical articles and reviews then it was very solid. It still had type-in programs which was a great way to get software for almost free (minus the cost of the magazine and your time of course). The February 1985 issue includes:

    Features

    • The New Atari: Q & A With Sigmund Hartmann – An interview with Sigmund Hartmann, President of Atari Software, about Atari’s future. On the immediate horizon were new machines including two new Atari 8-bit computers (the Atari 65XE and Atari 130XE) as well as their new 16-bit Atari ST.

    • Fame Games – A look at games using the names of famous authors and stars. Some of these include Amazon (Michael Crichton), Fahrenheit 451, Rendezvous With Rama, Ghostbusters, and many others.

    • Michael Crichton: Reflections Of A New Designer – Michael Crichton discusses the creation of his adventure game Amazon.

    • Birth Of A Computer Game – Game designers Chris Crawford, Jon Freeman, Bill Budge, Bruce Carver, and Dan Bunten discuss their creation process.

    Reviews

    • Dinosaurs – An educational game for preschoolers featuring dinosaurs for the Apple II and Commodore 64.

    • The Syn Series For Atari – A look at SynCalc, SynTrend, and SynFile+ for the Atari 8-bit. SynCalc is a spreadsheet program, SynTrend is a statistics and graphing program, and SynFile+ is a database program.

    • PC-Write Word Processors For PC & PCjr – A low cost shareware word processor capable of running in only 64K on the PC/PCjr.

    Columns And Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – Reflections on the attributes of the perfect computer.

    • Readers’ Feedback – Readers write in about DOS, the need for two disk drives, memory on the Atari 800XL, transferring/translating BASIC programs between Sinclair computers, POKE and PEEK (or the lack thereof) in TI BASIC, and more.

    • The Beginner’s Page – Conditional logic and IF-THEN statements.

    • Programming The TI: Programming Without A Math Background – Knowing a little math is, of course, useful when programming but an advanced degree in mathematics should hardly be a pre-requisite.

    • Machine Language: Multiplication, Part 2 – The second part in a series on multiplying numbers in machine language.

    • Computers And Society – Word processors and their effect on writing.

    • IBM Personal Computing: Inside King’s Quest – A look at how King’s Quest was made. Incidentally, this game was created as a result of IBM asking Sierra to develop a game that would show off the color graphics of the PCjr.

    • INSIGHT: Atari – A BASIC benchmark for the Atari.

    • Telecomputing Today – Using a “lap computer” with a modem while traveling for business and pleasure, the latest updates on information services including CompuServe, Dow Jones News/Retrieval, and The Source, as well as a look at two new services, People/Link and Play/Net.

    The Journal

    • Acrobat – A type-in game for the Atari, Commodore 64 and VIC-20 in which you must use various acrobatic moves to make your way through various environments and obstacles.

    • Plus/Term For VIC & 64 – A type-in terminal program for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 with 1200bps support.

    • Adding Sound Effects To Atari – Five short type-in programs for generating various sounds on the Atari.

    • How TurboTape Works – TurboTape is a program that speeds up loading programs from tape that was published in the previous issue. This article explains how it works.

    • IBM Rebound: All Machine Language Game For PC & PCjr – A type-in game for the IBM PC and PCjr that is similar to breakout.

    • Apple Bowling Champ – A type-in bowling game for the Apple II for up to four players.

    • Advanced Sound Effects On The 64 – Includes a type-in program for experimenting with different sounds without programming.

    • News & Products – New printers including the Riteman LQ and Riteman Plus; Work Force II home applications package for the Apple II; new games for Atari and Commodore including Market Forces, Break Street, and more; memory expansion for the Atari 600XL; and more.

    …and more!


    Apple ][ Atari 8-bit Commodore 64 Computer Arcana DOS 📎and tagged

  • Commodore User (September 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Commodore User – Issue Number 12 – September 1984

    Commodore User was a magazine dedicated to Commodore computer users that was published in the U.K. In 1984 that mostly meant the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 which was already fading away. The September 1984 issue includes:

    • Control your home with a Vic or 64 – Long, long before Alexa came along, you could use computers, even 8-bit computers like the VIC-20 and Commodore 64, to control things in your home. This is the first in a series of articles on doing this. The most common standard for such things back in the day was X10.
    • The Forth dimension – part one: a do-it-yourself language – Part one in a series on the Forth programming language. Forth seemed to be immensely popular for about 5 minutes (ok, maybe a couple of years).
    • Word processing round-up: Home Office reviewed – A review of Home Office, a package that came on cassette for the Commodore 64 (originally developed for the VIC-20) that included a word processor and database program.
    • Screen scene for Vic – Reviews of games including Max, Brain Pain, Micro-Antics, Astro Fighters, Starship Escape, Martian Raider, Time Destroyers, Shark Attack, and Moons of Jupiter.
    • Fred on sound: what’s a synthesizer – An introduction to sound synthesis on the Commodore 64. The first article in a series.

    • A superior database: Superbase reviewed – A review of Superbase for the Commodore 64. I actually had this database program but never used it that much.
    • Screen Scene for 64 – Reviews of games for the Commodore 64 including Banana Drama, Cavelon, Cuthbert Goes Walkabout, Fire Ant, Jammin, Moon Buggy, Renaissance, and Slurpy.
    • Wedges and 64 Function keys – A program listing that goes with an article in a previous issue.
    • A barn for Bubble Bus – An interview with the people behind the games software company, Bubble Bus.
    • Bigger Baisc – looking at arrays – A beginners guide to using arrays in BASIC.
    • Tommy’s Tips – Questions answered about troubleshooting system freezes, problems with a 24k VIC expansion, transferring data from the VIC-20 to Commodore 64, and more.

    …and more!


    Commodore 64 Computer Arcana 📎and tagged

  • Zaxxon (Commodore 64)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    https://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/714307029832007680

    Zaxxon was originally released as an arcade game by Sega in early 1982. It was ultimately ported to a variety of home systems, including a version for the Commodore 64 by Synapse in 1984. Zaxxon was a unique sci-fi themed game in which you piloted a spaceship against various enemies using an isometric perspective.

    In Zaxxon, you are in control of a space fighter flying through an enemy fortress. Your goal is to survive increasingly difficult runs through enemy space stations while destroying gun turrets, fuel tanks, and various enemies. The game scrolls diagonally from the bottom-left to the top-right, which provides and isometric perspective which was unique at the time. It give a pseudo 3D appearance.

    While the isometric view point was impressive at the time, it was also somewhat difficult to get used to. There is a small shadow beneath your fighter that helps indicate height, but it could still be difficult to line up your height correctly to avoid crashing into walls and to hit targets. Another challenging aspect is fuel management. You are required to collect fuel along the way or you will run out in which case you obviously will lose your fighter.

    Reviews are somewhat mixed on the Commodore 64 version. However, I think it did a good job with graphics and sound and in presenting the isometric viewpoint. There isn’t quite as much animation and the colors are somewhat more muted than the arcade version. It isn’t perfect, but for an 8-bit version of an arcade game it is pretty good.

    The Commodore 64 has the SID chip for sound so there’s never really any doubt about its ability to create great sound, it just depends on the effort the developers put into it. In this case, sound effects are a little sparse but they are good and you won’t miss much from the arcade version.

    There is definitely a learning curve with Zaxxon and the Commodore 64 version is no exception. If anything, it’s a little bit harder than the arcade version just because it is a little more difficult to discern your height as compared to other objects and enemies. However, it does become a bit easier once you are used to the controls.

    Like most early arcade games, this one is all about score. As you progress through each level, obstacles and enemies become more numerous and of course the game gets harder. The farther you make it, the more enemies you destroy, and the higher your score will be.

    These days, it’s easy to emulate the arcade version of the game so it’s hard to recommend any other version. Having said that, if you are a Commodore 64 fan, this is a decent enough port. Though not one of my all time favorites or anything, I did enjoy playing it from time to time on my C64. It is somewhat interesting to note that it was available as a cartridge, on cassette and on disk for the Commodore 64. I’m not aware of any differences and would recommend that if you are looking for an original copy, that you chose the cartridge version. It’s likely to be a little more durable than a 40 year old floppy disk or cassette though probably also more expensive.


    Commodore 64 Computer Arcana Retro Games 📎and tagged