• Tag Archives VIC-20

  • Compute!’s Gazette (November 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: ompute!’s Gazette – Issue Number 17 – November 1984

    Compute!’s Gazette was one of a few popular Commodore 64 magazines that were published in the U.S. Though it covered other 8-bit Commodore computers at times like the VIC-20, Commodore 128 and Plus/4, the bulk of its coverage through the years was for the Commodore 64. The November 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • Bulletin Board Fever – An introduction to BBSing. BBS systems had been around for a while at this point but Commodore specific ones were rapidly gaining in popularity. This article guides you through your first call to a BBS.
    • A Buyer’s Guide to Modems – A comparison of more than 20 different modems ranging in price from $49 (Commodore VICmodem) to $289 (Hayes Smartmodem 300). All are only 300bps.
    • GAZETTE Telecommunications Software, Part 1: C/G Term – A type-in terminal program for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • Inside View: Freefall Associates – An interview with Jon Freeman and Anne Westfall, designers of Archon and Archon II: Adept.

    Reviews

    • EasyDisk – A utility designed to make managing disks (formatting, renaming files, etc.) easier.
    • MusiCalc – A difficult to use but powerful music program for the Commodore 64 and SID.
    • Adventure Creator – A cartridge-based program for the Commodore 64 that allows you to design your own adventure games.
    • Drol And Spare Change for the Commodore 64 – Two arcade style games from Broderbund for the Commodore 64. I’m not familiar with these two games specifically but Broderbund made some outstanding games (like Spelunker and Raid on Bungeling Bay).
    • Also Worth Noting – Briefer reviews of Raid on Bungeling Bay, PuzzlePanic, Gumball, 64-Accounting, Montezuma’s Revenge, and Satan’s Hollow.

    Games

    • Bagdad – This type-in game for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 reminds me a bit of games like Joust.
    • Jump – This type-in game for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 is sort of a cross between Space Invaders and Missile Command.
    • Supertank – In this type-in game for the Commodore 64 you must destroy other tanks before they destroy you.
    • Descent to Kaylon – In this type-in game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20, you must land your ship for resupply while avoiding asteroids and other obstacles.

    Education/Home Applications

    • Computing For Families: A Look At New Books From “Reggie” D’Ignazio – A brief look at various new books including The Commodore 64 Home Companion, Computer FUNdamentals, The Beginner’s Computer Dictionary, The Computer Alphabet Book, The Commodore Puzzle Book: BASIC Brainteasers, At the Heart of the Mountain: A BASIC Adventure for the Commodore 64, and more.
    • Budgeteer – A type-in program for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 that helps you balance your budget.

    Programming

    • BASIC Magic: The Four Most Important BASIC Commands – A look at four commands that can help you get started quickly with BASIC: PRINT, GOTO, FOR-NEXT, and INPUT.
    • Machine Language for Beginners: Getting Started – An introduction to machine language including a type-in assembler.
    • Power BASIC: Slowpoke – A short machine language program that allows you to control the speed of the PRINT command.
    • Hints & Tips – Tips for adding comments to machine language programs, LISTing BASIC programs to a file, and more.
    • Programming Sound and Graphics With The Super Expander 64 – The Super Expander 64 is a cartridge from Commodore for the C64 that adds a variety of powerful graphics and sound commands to BASIC.
    • Function Key – A type-in utility for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 that lets you define the function keys.
    • Disk Auto Load – A type-in utility for the Commodore 64 that lets you modify your programs so that they will automatically run when loaded.

    Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – A commentary on the new Amiga which had just been shown in prototype form at the June CES.
    • Gazette Feedback – Letters from readers on the purpose of DATA statements, reading joystick movements, turning off the disk drive when not in use, implementing cursor control, connecting a printer to the SX-64, and more.
    • Simple Answers To Common Questions – A discussion on troubleshooting modem connections.
    • Horizons: 64 – An in-depth look at the new Commodore Plus/4.
    • VICreations: VIC Mailbag – Letters from readers about adjusting the speed of the 1541 disk drive for the VIC-20, converting BASIC programs from the C64 to VIC-20, using VIC-20 sound with a BMC monitor, using a Commodore 1526 printer with the VIC-20, and more.

    …and more!


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  • Compute!’s Gazette (December 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Compute!’s Gazette – December 1984

    Compute!’s Gazette was the most successful spinoff of the more general Compute! magazine. It covered 8-bit Commodore computers. For most of its life that really meant the Commodore 64 and 128 but in 1984 it was mostly the VIC-20 and Commodore 64. The December 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • What if…? – A feature on simulation games. Games covered here include Ringside Seat (a boxing sim), various Avalon Hill battle simulations, SSI’s Rails West! (puts you in the role of a railroad baron), various chess games, and more.
    • Electronic Trivia – Trivial Pursuit had been released a few years earlier and had become very popular leading greater popularity of computer based trivia games. This article covers some of them including Trivia Arcade, Trivia Fever, Computrivia, Facttactics, Fax, Master Trivia, Trivia Trek, and Trivial Compute.
    • Inside View – An interview with Byron Preiss and Ronald Martinez, software designers for Trillium who create games such as Fahrenheit 451, Rendezvous with Rome, and Dragonworld.
    • Gazette Telecommunications Software Part 2: C/G Bulleting Board System – The second part of a type-in communications package for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. The first part was a terminal program for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 and this part is a BBS system for the Commodore 64.

    Reviews

    • Microfiler – A cartridge based database system for the Commodore 64.
    • NATO Commander – A strategy game from MicroProse for the Commodore 64 that pits NATO forces against Warsaw Pact forces.
    • Road to Moscow – A strategy game for the Commodore 64 that recreates the Russian/German part of World War II.
    • Also Worth Noting – Short reviews of The Castles of Dr. Creep, Dragon’s Keep, Troll’s Tale, Rug Rider, and Impossible Mission.

    Games

    • Cosmic Combat – A type-in Space Invaders style game with versions for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.
    • 3-D Labrynth – A 3D maze game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 in which you must escape the maze (with an optional time limit).

    Education/Home Applications

    • Computing For Families: An Adventure in Telecommunications – A look at SkiWriter II, a combination word processor and telecommunications program.
    • Word Guess – A type-in hangman style game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.
    • Letter Attack – An educational type-in game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 that teaches typing.
    • Programming Commodore’s Magic Voice – A guide to programming the Magic Voice speech synthesizer for the Commodore 64.

    Programming

    • BASIC Magic: A Christmas Assortment – A Christmas themed BASIC tutorial for both the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. Basically a sort of electronic Christmas card with sound.
    • Machine Language for Beginners – This tutorial guides you through creating a customized directory command for the Commodore 64.
    • Hints & Tips – A guide to controlling the keyboard buffer on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • Auto Line – A type-in program that will automatically number the lines in a BASIC program.
    • Power BASIC: Time Clock – A type in program that creates a digital clock on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.
    • Cassette Index – A short type-in program for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 that will create an index of files on a cassette.
    • Disk/Tape Backup – A type-in backup program for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 that will backup files from disk to cassette or from cassette to disk.

    Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – A summary of recent happenings at Commodore as well as a look ahead to the year to come.
    • Gazette Feedback – Letters from readers about reducing disk drive chatter when using copy protected disks, typing in programs on the VIC-20, programming the SID, cooling the 1540 and 1541 disk drives, and more.
    • Simple Answers to Common Questions – Questions answered about converting Atari BASIC programs to the Commodore 64 and transferring files between the Commodore 64 and IBM PC via and RS-232C interface,
    • Horizons 64 – A guide to drawing on the Commodore 64 including a look at programs like Tech Sketch and Peripheral Vision as well as options for controllers including a mouse, light pen and KoalaPad among others.
    • VICreations: Key Memory Locations – A look at various memory locations in the VIC-20 and their uses.
    • News & Products – A look at new products including the Access-M 64-128K memory expansion, Magic BASIC for the VIC-20, PRONTO home information and banking service for the Commodore 64, new peripherals for the VIC-20 and C64 from Maxtron (printer interface, printer, power supply, cassette drive, and speech synthesizer), Versaterm II terminal software for the C64, and more.

    …and more!


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  • Commodore Microcomputers (November/December 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Commodore Microcomputers – Issue Number 32 – November/December 1984

    Commodore had a number of official publications over the years. Well, really there were two, and then one, and they went through a couple of different name changes. In 1984, Commodore Microcomputers was covering at least the Commodore 64, VIC-20, and Plus/4 (which had a very short commercial life). The November/December 1984 issue includes:

    Departments

    • Industry News – A look at the 1984 Summer Consumer Electronics Show. This year was dominated by software and hardware for the Commodore 64.

    Understanding Your Computer

    • Technical Tips – A list of disk and DOS wedge commands for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. Plus a memory map for the Plus/4 and C-16.
    • Telecommunications – All about BBS systems including what they are, who runs them, what you can do on them, and much more.

    Reviews

    • Music Construction Set – An excellent music composition program from Electronic Arts for the Commodore 64.
    • Studio 64 and Add Mus’in – This software package allows you to easily add sound and music to your own BASIC programs.

    Features

    • Physics of Sound: how Computers Make Music – A look into the technical details on how computers are able to generate music.
    • MIDI: A Marriage of Convenience – MIDI, which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, was still relatively new at the time. It is the standard by which instruments can communicate with computers.
    • Ryo Kawasaki: Sonic Innovator – A musician who also developed software for the Commodore 64 including Kawasaki Synthesizer and Kawasaki Rhythm Rocker.
    • The 20th Century One-Man Band – A look at some of the new music software and hardware for the Commodore 64 that lets you be your own one man band.
    • MusiCalc for the Commodore 64 – This software package allows you to compose, transcribe, play, store and print music with your Commodore 64.

    Using your Computer

    • Business – How the Commodore 64 became the star of a cable TV show called The Program Critic Computer Show.
    • Education: Special Supplement – A complete list of the educational software available for the Commodore 64 (no doubt out of date by the time it was printed), contact information for educational software vendors, and much more about the Commodore 64 in the education market.

    …and more!


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