Antic: The Atari Resource, January 1987

Antic was one of the magazines that covered Atari 8-bit computers and was probably second in popularity to ANALOG. It also covered the Atari ST at times including in this issue which had a special ST section. The January 1987 issue of Antic includes:

Features

• Talking Typewriter – A software/hardware project for the Atari 8-bit and Atari ST that lets you add spoken letters and numbers to your own programs.

• For Sale: Atari Voices – An overview of some of the speech synthesis and other sound related products available for Atari computers. Products covered include Covox Voice Master (Atari 8-bit), Soundmouse (Atari 8-bit), Parrot (Atari 8-bit), MathTalk (Atari ST), Speller Bee (Atari ST), KidTalk (Atari ST), First Shapes (Atari ST), Talker (Atari ST), Senor Tutor (Atari ST), and Hippos Sound Digitizer (Atari ST).

• Now Hear This – A history of speech synthesis on computers. I think the movie Wargames made everyone thing computers should talk all the time…

• Door Prize – Basically, this type-in program is a random number generator designed to pick a raffle number. There is optional speech synthesis code that will read the number out loud.

• Atari Fairs ’87 – Atari works with local user groups to host computer fairs or shows featuring Atari computers. At least twelve events were scheduled for 1987 across the country.

• Star NL-10 Printer – A review of this “affordable” dot-matrix printer from Star Micronics. It would cost you $319 plus $60 for the interface required for the Atari.

• First XLEnt Word Processor – This word processor for Atari 8-bit computers gets a good review here and is relatively inexpensive at just under $30.

• Menu Maestro – A type-in BASIC utility that allows you to create complex menu screens for use in your own programs.

Departments

• Education: Math Attack – A type-in educational game that teaches math. It also works with the “Talking Typewriter” program to add speech.

• Starting Out: New Owner’s Column – Part 10 of a series of articles on BASIC programming on the Atari 8-bit. This part includes a lesson on strings.

• Game of the Month: Rebound – A type-in game for Atari 8-bit computers in which you must control the bouncing character “Flip” to rescue the Ogarts.

ST Resource

• ST Flight Simulator – A review of Flight Simulator II for the Atari ST.

• Super Trek in ST BASIC – A GEM Desktop version of the public domain Star Trek game that you can type in.

• MODULA-2: Developers Version – Review of the MODULA-2 based development package for the Atari ST.

• ST Product News – A look at new stuff for the Atari ST including First CADD (computer aided design and drafting system), Arrakis Advantage Series (a series of educational software products), Metacomco BCPC and Make (programming language and Unix like make system), QuikStart (batch processor), OverDrive (RAMdisk), MaxThink (idea processor), K-Minstrel (music composer), K-Switch (keeps two programs in memory), K-Word (word processor), K-MAX (a $2200+ package featuring an Atari ST expansion with up to two T414 Transputers and two 256K blocks of RAM), Smart Watch (real-time clock), Unicalc (spreadsheet), ST Base BBS, World Games (from Epyx), and much more.

• Degas Elite – Review of this popular art and animation package for the Atari ST.

• ST Reviews – Reviews of The Animator (animation package) and Macro Manager (desk accessory).

Departments

• I/O Board – Questions answered about ATASCII, recursion in BASIC, designing a character set, creating a menu driven disk, Atari printer drivers, and more.

• New Products – A look at new Atari 8-bit related products including a 10MB hard drive and interface for $625, a 256K upgrade for the Atari 800XL, 1200XL and 130XE, Pegammon (backgammon game), Spell It! and Word Attack! (educational games), Millionaire (stock market simulation), and more.

• Product Reviews – Reviews of Blazing Paddles (drawing program), Graphics AT (printer interface), and Epyx 500XJ Joystick.

• Tech Tips – Using the extra 16K in Atari XL computers as a RAMdisk, searching strings, using ST Writer or 1st Word to create BASIC listings on the Atari ST, and more tips.

…and more!