• Tag Archives Amstrad

  • Amstrad Computer User (January 1990)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source:

    While the Amstrad CPC was virtually unheard of in the U.S., it was a popular computer in the U.K. from the mid 1980s into the early 1990s. While there were several variants, they were all based on a 4 MHz Z80 processor and most commonly had 64KB to 12KB of RAM and a built-in cassette or 3-inch disk drive. Amstrad Computer User was one of the magazines dedicated to these machines. The January 1990 issue includes:

    Regulars

    • Letters – Letters from readers about splitting the screen into two modes, fractal landscapes, typing in programs, building a robot, and more.
    • News – Sexism in software; Darius+; the new Delta 2000 joystick; Page Publisher, a new desktop publishing package released; Verran AC Datalink; and more.
    • Competition – Win several Ghostbusters themed items by answering a few simple questions about the movies.
    • Combat Zone – A look at upcoming arcade games including Exterminator (Gotlieb), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Konami), Special Criminal Investigations (Taito), Mechanized Attack (SNK), and Line of Fire (Sega).
    • 10 Liners – Short type-in programs to create a TV static effect, a robot race, a disk management program, and a morse code converter.
    • Microscope – Capturing and printing out images with the CPC.
    • Gameplan – Reviews of games including Ghouls ‘N’ Ghosts, Dynamite Dux, After the War, Sporting Triangles, Star Wars Trilogy, Mutant Fortress, and Spaceghost.
    • Hints and Tips – Tips, tricks, and cheats for License to Kill, APB, Shinobi, Bards Tale, Archon, Skate or Die, Arctic Fox, Total Eclipse, Dizzy II, and much more.
    • Auntie John – A technique for reducing a 16K image to only 8K.
    • Comms – An introduction to the world of the BBS.

    Features

    • Sprites Alive – A review of a software package that allows you to generate your own sprites.
    • Ledger – A review to an update of General Ledger 6128, a computerized book-keeping program for the Amstrad CPC from SD Microsystems.
    • Fractals – The final part of a three part series on fractals. This part relates to generating landscapes.

    …and more!


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  • Amstrad Computer User (January 1992)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Amstrad Computer User – January 1992

    The Amstrad CPC line of computers was Z80 base and could run AMDOS or CP/M. It was popular in the U.K. and some other parts of Europe. Amstrad Computer User is a magazine that was published in the U.K. dedicated to these machines. 1992 was near end of life for these computers as well as this magazine. The January 1992 issue includes:

    Regulars

    • News – New formula one racing game with Nigel Mansell’s name on it; new Foot Pedal controller; results of a computer fair survey; and more.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about troubleshooting CPC 6128 problems, creating a loading screen, Amstrad related books, CPC production questions, the FD-1 disk drive, and more.
    • 10-Liners – Short type-in programs for making the CPC play Auld Lang Syne, testing your piano skills, converting between hex, decimal and binary, displaying a clock on your screen, and more.
    • PD Scene – A look at some of the latest devolpments in public domain software for the CPC including the fact that some titles now cost money. Also, a look at various libraries of public domain software.
    • Adventure – A look at some of the latest adventure related products available for the CPC including some books on the subject as well as a review for Crispin Crunchy, tips and hints for Scrolls of Wisdom, request for help from readers, and more.
    • Bomb Alley – Reviews of some of the latest games including Space Crusade, Final Fight, Movie Premiere (includes four games: Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, Back to the Future 2, Days of Thunder, and Gremlins 2), Super Sega (a compilation including Shinobi, Crackdown, Golden Axe, E-SWAT, and Super Monaco GP), G-Loc, and Capcom Collection (includes US Squadron, LED Storm, Strider and Strider II). Also, reviews of budget games (usuall re-releases) including Batman, Turrican, Heroes of the Lance, and X-Out.
    • Hairy Hacker – Hacks for various games including Fast Food, Shinobi, R-Type, Combat School, and Elite. These POKEs and short program provide things line infinite lives, infinite credist indestructibility, etc.
    • Easydraw – Additional modules for a continuing series that provides a type-in art program. This month modules for erasing and creating shapes are included.
    • Listing – A type-in Pac-Man clone called, creatively, Paclone.
    • Applications – Advice on transferring data from the CPC to a PC, printer problems, using OCP Art Studio, and more.
    • Comms – A how-to guide for electronic mail on the CPC.

    Features

    • Stick up – Part 2 of a joystick round-up. This part includes a look at the Sureshot Supreme, the Terminator, the Cruiser, the Zipstick Super Pro, the Sureshot Command Module, and the Sureshot Standard.
    • Moving Parts – A guide to using BASIC on the CPC to create animation.
    • Kitting Out – A do-it-yourself guide for building your own joystick.

    …and more!


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  • Amstrad Computer User (May 1990)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Amstrad Computer User – May 1990

    The Amstrad CPC was a European computer of the 1980s (and early 1990s) and not generally available in North America. I was not even aware of its existence until the Internet came along. However, it’s neat to look back at old magazines for these machines. It feels a bit like a 1980s alternate reality.

    The May 1990 issue of Amstrad Computer User includes:

    Regulars

    • Letters – Letters from readers about the “serious side” of computing (meaning non-games), permanently erasing files from disk, a quicker way to load, copying disks, and more.
    • News – The latest Amstrad and Amstrad adjacent news. A game starring Asterix coming soon; Thomas the Tank Engine games coming soon; Virgin Games releasing World Cup Soccer ’90; Atari’s Klax being released simultaneously for arcade and computer; and more.
    • Competition – A Cyberball competition in which you can win NFL shirts.
    • Combat Zone – An overview of the Amusement Trades Show. Some new items on display include Line of Fire (Sega), Beast Busters (SNK), Tetris, Aliens (Konami), Badlands (Atari), Rough Racer (Sega) and more.
    • 10 Liners – Short type-in programs including Rock Dangerous (a game where you avoid the falling rocks), Screen Inverter, Circle (create messages in a circle), Rainbow Scape (graphics demo), The Singer (creates a face with a mouth that moves with your speech), Odd One Out (pick the odd word out of four), and Skulls (a graphics demo featuring skulls).
    • Hairy Hacker – Maps for Kettle, Dizzy III, and Batman.
    • Gameplan – A preview of Cyberball plus reviews of Gazza’s Super Soccer, Rainbow Island, Ikari Warriors, Myth, Tusker, Wild Streets and the budget games Pro Powerboat Simulator, The Race, Fighting Warrior, Solider of Light and Super Tank.
    • Listing – A type-in machine language sound digitizer.
    • Applications Advice – Questions answered about headphones for the CPC, the Home Finance Program, Ramdos with Protext/Promerge+, printer problems, and more.
    • Auntie John – Using subroutines in machine language programs.
    • Comms – A guide to using e-mail on BBS systems specifically as it applies to the Focal Point Bulletin Board System.

    Features

    • Players – Profile and interview with Richard Paul Jones, the young software developer who partnered with Jeff Minter at Llamasoft and went onto Interceptor.
    • Education – The first in a three part series on education software for the Amstrad.

    …and more!


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