• Tag Archives commodore

  • Compute!’s Gazette (June 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Compute!’s Gazette – Issue Number 12 – June 1984

    Gazette was Compute!’s most successful spin-off magazine. It covered Commodore’s 8-bit computers, primarily the Commodore 64 but also, at times, the VIC-20, C-16/Plus 4, and Commodore 128. The June 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • The Future Of Commodore Games – A look at some of the more mature and complex games coming to the Commodore 64. Some specific titles looked at here include Seven Cities of Gold, B.C.’s Quest For Tires, King’s Quest, Sorcerer, Blade of Blackpool, Infidel, Space Ace, and others.
    • Inside View: The Designers Behind M.U.L.E. – An interview with Dan Bunten, Bill Bunten, Jim Rushing, and Alan Watson, designers of M.U.L.E.

    Games

    • 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe – A type-in 3D Tic-Tac-Toe game for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • Castle Dungeon – A type-in graphics adventure game featuring hidden bombs to find, blind monsters to avoid, and evil wizard, and more. For the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • Revenge of Cyon – A type-in game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 in which you must destroy ships from the Cyon Empire. It’s sort of a cross between Space Invaders and Missile Command.
    • The Frantic Fisherman – A type-in fishing game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 in which you must also avoid shards and thunderstorms.

    Reviews

    • Arcade-Style Games For The VIC-20 – A review of two games for the VIC-20, Skramble! and Gridder. The former seems to be the better game.
    • Easy Script: Word Processor For The 64 – Review of this word processor for the Commodore 64 from Commodore. This was a pretty good word processor for its time.
    • Worms? For The 64 – A one to four player worm training game for the Commodore 64.
    • IFR (Flight Simulator) For The VIC-20 – Given the limitations of the hardware, this was a pretty good flight simulator for the VIC-20.

    Education/Home Applications

    Computing For Families: New Standards In Home Learning, Part 2 – The second in a series of articles on using computers for education at home. It includes discussion of the best computers and software to use, guidelines for parents, and more.

    Therapy – A more advanced version of Eliza to type-in for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.

    Spelling Critter – A type-in educational spelling game for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.

    Shape Match – A type-in shape matching game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.

    Word Scramble – A type-in game for the Commodore 64 in which you must unscramble words.

    Programming

    • The Beginner’s Corner: Planning A Game Program – How to design and implement a game using Tic-Tac-Toe as an example.
    • Inside Random Numbers – A look at how random numbers are generated on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • Power BASIC: One-Touch Keywords – A type-in utility that provides shortcuts for the 52 most common BASIC keywords on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • Machine Language For Beginners: Indirect Addressing – A tutorial on indirect indexing with machine language.
    • File Copier – A type-in utility for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 that will copy files from one disk to another using a single disk drive.
    • Hints & Tips: Appending Sequential Disk Files – A How-To for appending data to sequential files. I once wrote a journaling program on the Commodore 64 that did something like this.
    • Scroll 64 – A type-in machine language routine that lets you control scrolling from within a BASIC program.
    • Tape Data files For VIC and 64 – Examples for setting up, writing to, and reading from tape files from BASIC on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • VIC 5K Emulator – A technique for emulating having only 5K of RAM on the VIC-20 and memory expansion is installed for programs that are incompatible.
    • Tape Protection For VIC An 64 – Techniques for protecting files on tape from being copied on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • All About PRINT For VIC And 64 – A guide to using BASIC PRINT statements on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.

    Departments

    • Editor’s Notes – A look at the growth of Gazette over its first 12 issues (with a circulation of more than 300,000). Plus, a letter on software piracy.
    • Gazette Feedback – Letters from readers about reading joystick input, using PEEK and SYS commands, double sided floppies, and more.
    • Simple Answers To Common Questions – Questions answered about machine language vs. assembly and disk drive commands.
    • Home Telecommunications – A look at using the various services on networks such as Delphi, CompuServe, and others.
    • Horizons 64 – A look at Blue Max, a new game from Synapse; a look at an Apple emulator for the Commodore 64 called the AP Modular Pak; and a comparison of the PCjr and Commodore 64.
    • VICreations – A look at new games and educational programs on the VIC-20 including Kindercomp (Human Engineered Software), Type Attack (Sirius Software), Write Now! (Cardco), Skyblazer (Broderbund), Donkey Kong (Atarisoft), Laser Zone (Human Engineered Software), and Capture the Flag (Sirius Software).
    • News And Products – A look at new products including keyboard overlays for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64, a cassette backup program from Creative Electronics, Seek-Bible for the VIC-20, PET, and Commodore 64, Doodle! graphics program for the Commodore 64, a parallel interface board for the VIC-20, Roadsearch computerized maps, and more.

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Commodore 64 Computer Arcana 📎and tagged

  • The One (November 1989)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: The One – Issue Number 14 – November 1989

    The One was a gaming magazine that was published in the U.K. It covered various systems over the year but it was primarily a 16-bit computer games magazine. In 1989 it was mostly covering the Amiga, Atari ST and PC. The November 1989 issue includes:

    • Disk – The cover disk included with the magazine this month includes an add-on for the Amiga and Atari ST versions of Populous called Final Frontier.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about Deluxe Paint, game construction kits, Power Drift, and more.
    • News – A look an an interesting new game called Atomic Lunch, new games coming for Christmas including Space Harrier II, Scramble Spirits, Liverpool, Saint and Greavsie, Terry’s Big Adventure, and more
    • Work In Progress – An in-depth look at a game still under development, Chase HQ.
    • Reviews – Reviews of Future Wars: Time Traveler for the Amiga, Power Drift for the Amiga, Tintin on the Moon for the Atari ST, Pro Tennis Tour for the Atari ST, Eye of Horus for the PC (DOS), North and South for the Amiga, Interphase for the Amiga, and Batman for the Amiga.
    • Play Guide – A strategy guide for Xenon II.
    • Tips – Tips and tricks for Paperboy, Dragon’s Lair, Continental Circus, Dynamite Dux, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The New Zealand Story, Rick Dangerous, and Robocop.

    • Demos – A look at various demos for the Amiga and Atari ST as well as where to get them.
    • Showcase – Budding programmers, graphic artists, and musicians submit their work for consideration.
    • Graphics – Creating 64-color art on 16-color displays with EA’s Fusion.
    • Arcades – A look at new and upcoming arcade games including Big Run (Jaleco), U.N. Squadron
    • (Capcom), Sky Adventure (SNK), and Omega Mission (UPL/American Sammy).

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Amiga Atari ST Computer Arcana DOS Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • The One (June 1992)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: The One – June 1992

    The One was a U.K. published magazine that covered 16-bit computer and video games. The specific systems covered varied over the years it was published. By 1992 it was pretty much exclusively an Amiga magazine. The June 1992 issue includes:

    • The Disks – This magazine came with cover disks for your Amiga with all kinds of goodies. This month’s disks included Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (demo), Galaxians (public domain), Formula One Grand Prix Cheats, Pushover, and more.
    • News – Virgin to distribute Cannon Fodder, Gamemaster TV show to return, Bart Versus the World to be converted for Amiga, Hook conversion coming for the Amiga, Titus working on Crazy Cars III, and more.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about Jimmy White’s Whirlwind Snooker, making games from old movies, adult games, and more.
    • Team 17 Interview – An interview with members of the then one year old Team 17. Alien Breed was probably their biggest hit at that time.

    • Work In Progress – A look at games under development including Premiere, Zool, Galactic, and Rookies.
    • A600 – A look at the new Amiga 600. It was basically an Amiga 500 in a newer (and smaller) form factor.
    • Reviews – Reviews of Sensible Soccer (Renegade), Legend (Mindscape), Jim Power (Loricel), Hostile Breed (Palace), Jaguar XJ220 (Core Design), Ork (Psygnosis), Ashes of Empire (Mirage), Dune (Virgin), Floor 13 (Virgin), The Addams Family (Ocean), Colin Curly’s Pushover (Ocean), G-Loc (US Gold), and Wizkid (Ocean).
    • Kill Zone – Tips and tricks for Titus The Fox (Titus), Shadowlands (Domark), Harlequin (Gremlin), F1 Grand Prix (Microprose), The Blues Brothers (Titus), Final Fight (US Gold), Supercars 2, and more.

    • Win a Dune(?) – Win prizes with a Dune theme including the movie, the book, the game, or a poster.
    • Cheapos – A look at currently available bargain priced games including Anarchy, Pro Tennis Tour, International 3D Tennis, The Shoot-‘Em-Up Construction Kit, Steg, Dizzy’s Excellent Adventures, and more.
    • Win A Hard Drive – A competition to win a GVP hard drive for the Amiga 500.
    • PD Zone – A look at the latest public domain titles and collections.
    • Previews – Previews of soon to be released games including Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge (US Gold/Lucasfilm), Risky Woods (Electronic Arts), Red Zone (Psygnosis), Silly Putty (System 3), Rampart (Domark), and Aquaventura (Psygnosis).

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Amiga Computer Arcana Retro Games 📎and tagged