• Tag Archives apple
  • MagicSoft (1984)

    https://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/189369752559/retrocgads-usa-1984

    As far as I’m concerned, the Wizardry and Ultima series still represent some of the best Role-Playing Games ever made. The nice thing about computer based RPGs was that you could expand and modify them to some extent, even if that was not officially supported. You could do it the hard way with something like a disk sector editor or you could use third-party tools made for the purpose.

    This particular ad from 1984 is advertising two different tools from a company called MagicSoft. The first is called “Wizard’s Toolkit #1” and allows you to edit Wizardry I, II and III by adding new weapons, monsters and certain other items. These games were available for multiple computers and it isn’t clear which computers may have been supported.

    The second tool is called “Exodus Construction Set” and was made to modify Ultima III: Exodus. From the description, it seems to allow an even more extensive level of editing. However, it apparently was only made for the Apple II version of Ultima III.

    A third tool, Wizard’s Toolkit #2, is mentioned as forthcoming as well though I don’t know if it was ever released. Some developers would eventually release official tools for this kind of editing but in 1984 this was pretty new territory.


  • Crossword Magic (1985)


    USA 1985

    https://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/184619637574/retrocgadsusa-1985

    Today you can find any number of online apps that will let you generate your own crossword puzzles so it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. However, if you wanted to do such a thing in the 1980s you would have had to do it by hand or use a piece of software like this which made it a whole lot easier.

    I remember using a crossword puzzle maker in English class when I was in 8th grade (1988 or 1989) but I can’t remember for sure if it was this one or not. It would have been on an Apple II.

    Anyway, it does all the basic things you would expect to be able to do to make a crossword puzzle. I suppose there is probably a limit in terms of size but unless you are trying to do something crazy it’s probably not a big deal.

    Crossword Magic was released by Mindscape and was available for the Commodore 64, Apple II, DOS and Atari 8-bit computers like the 600XL and 800XL. Other than nostalgia, there’s probably not much reason to seek this out today as there are more convenient ways to generate crossword puzzles. However, this was a neat tool to have back in the day if you wanted to do such a thing.

    The ad above is from circa 1985.



  • Compute!’s Apple (Spring 1986)


    Source: Compute!’s Apple – Volume 2, Number 1 (Issue 3) – Spring 1986



    While Compute! was a multiformat computer magazine, there were also a number of spin-offs that were dedicated to particular machines. Compute!’s Gazette covering Commodore 8-bit computers like the Commodore 64 was the only really successful one. Compute!’s Apple, covering the Apple II and Macintosh, only lasted a few issues. The Spring 1986 issue of Compute!’s Apple includes:

    • Editor’s Notes

    Business Applications

    • ’86 Apple: An Interview with John Sculley
    • Buyer’s Guide to Business Software
    • The Expanding Macintosh

    The Ultimate Apple

    • It’s New II
    • Off the Beaten Software Path
    • MacAdds: More for the Macintosh
    • Apple Users Groups

    Reviews

    • Andrew Tobias’ Managing Your Money
    • Balance of Power
    • Fantavision

    Recreation

    • Lexitron
    • Backgammon
    • New Products
    • Ad Index

    Education

    • Apple Rules the Schools
    • Computers in the Humanities: Liberal Arts Enter the Computer Age
    • Buyer’s Guide to Educational Software

    Utilities and Tutorials

    • Windows
    • MouseCursor
    • Your Personal Ledger
    • Keynote
    • Personal Publishing with Your Macintosh
    • Apple Automatic Proofreader

    …and more!