fo} ffl [sie DRAGON GETS ‘ed U.S. WARNING A [Tose tof = 110M PE spencer SE cee aace the majox Tandy’s Colour Computer costs 299 dollars for the 16k ‘model, 399 doliars for 16K with exten ‘and $49 dollars for a BASIC. " The Dragon is abou £170in the UK, without shipping costs this converts to about 249 doles, But Algray's Graham Help us to Heywood said: “People h get out tmbccaumethey age outor the There are some reddish faces at] “We have found that Algray Softvare—aneasyaden-| be alittle too ard ford ture game turned out 10 be not | though it was easy — aut so simple had three. yeas’ experienc turns ou that what we think fa 7.9seasetefor| introductory game is no} b “ Nowa sealed e yelope will be nd has to work up through | some hints. Here area couple o the castle to destroy the wiz Lips for the 200 people who have the op lou, atcaly baie Porat of Ev | For details please ring 051-236 6849 laved by fear for 300years. | Continued on page 3MONSTERS IN HELL 1 it wasn't actually @ nightmare, then it certainly seemed like one... trapped in Hell with the all Consuming flames below me being chased by vampire monsters through a mad maze of ladders and platiorms But T had Holy’ Power on my side, and a hammer which could magically create holes ~ the only way to kill these crazy monsters seemed to be to make them fall toa lover lovell But just then, the Mad Monk sent hls Ghouls after me... Any 2X Spectrum MILLIPEDE Milli the Milipede seemed indestructables as soon as 1 shot a part of her, the res! just Kept on coming: But Iwas faster, she wouldn't get to me... just then Sid the Spider appeated causing me to swerve and lose my aim. And what's this!?? Scorpi the Scorpion dive bombing me with her indestractable fleas which leave more of those blasted mushrocm= to spoil my aim! Quite the most delectable version of the arcade favourite for any ZX Spectrum. cosmic SWARM OK, 1 accept that wae warned against entering the Proxima Centauri Sector without attercert. ‘And now I'm in the midst of a svarm of elien eggrline forms, collision sewing imminent fire, they break open Fevenling strange allen types which fly wildly. around I fire again as if my life depended. upon ‘it = them two of the forme fuse into a single mutant which chases me! One of the most original shoot-em-up space. games to appear. Any 2X Spectrum ALL GAMES £5.95 SOFTWARE Dragons Lair and Joust MONSTERS IN HELL JUST THREE OF THE AMAZING NEW MACHINE CODE GAMES FROM SOFTEK FOR THE ZX SPECTRUM Joust Its taken America by storm ~ now its available for your 2X Spectrum! In this amazing new arcade game you ride an ostrich and Joust with the Dark yrds" on their buzzards in a fantasy land. where thing can happen = and it weually does. You trol Your mounts wing-flap and diecction of flight in this fast and furious game of wits, Any 2X Speetrum = Available very soon! Dragons Lair 1 thought it would be easy... explore the Dragon's Lair, find the legendary Crystal of power and’be gone before he knew of what was happening. More fool 1, for he was there all right waiting for me and that imp which followed me everywhere with fo other seeming purpose than to steal my compass Without which {was well and truely loot? oP The ultimate Maze-Adventure gahe for the 48K Spectrum. FIREBIRDS They ewoop, they dive. they turn figures of eight. The most amazing Hi-Res shoot-em-up arcade type game to come out in ages! Can you survive? Any Ex’ Spectrum. SOFSYS We're not only famous for our games... Write for Details of Sofsys, consisting of s User Definable Key program, cur Solemn Coupler, ur Saleem Didatsembler” our Sofsem Arsembler and our unique Sofkite 114 2 utility and graphics kite. You'l amazed, they sre inovative and eacily the best available 329 CROXTED ROAD LONDON Page 2 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983CONTENTS BUY THIS SPACE rgd Ro ea Lene Ra ne 01-437 1002 NOW! Continued from front page read the book of spells and use the ‘word on the mesh, But watch out for the giant rat. Algray has also brought out a really simple adventure game for bewinners, Labyrinth of Feary costing £7.95. Mr Heywood said: “The hardest partis thinking up names. We were originally going to call it The Deep because you keep falling dowathrough different levels, But we found the name was already being used.” Algray, which also imports Tandy software, is planning 10 launch programs for the Dragon Algray Software, 33 Bradbury Sireei, Barsby, South Yorks S7 4Q Join Genie club, says Lowe ‘As part of acampaign to boost the Colour Genie, importers Lowe Computers started the National Colour Genie Users’ Group on Saturday, along with a club ‘magazine called Chewing GUI ‘The initials stand for Genie Users! Magazine. Lowe Computers, Chesterfield Road, Bentley Bridge, Matlock Derby DE4 SLE Glare-free TV screens Glarego, a new anti-glare kit at £7.95, is claimed to provide a lasting non-reflective surface for TV screens Marketed by Vision Pro- duets, the kits two aerosol sprays — ome to clean the screen and another to apply the anti-glare sur face — A screen mask 10 stop the sprays spreading and a special int- free cloth. Vision Products, Unit 10, Wessex Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 sDw coon ini ee BS 5 U.S. Scene. OneMan’sView ............ Letters . 2X81 programming GOTO — your flexible friend Softwarereviews ...... “More forthe price of one Atari software reviews . . . Software from the States Spectrumprogram ..... Find a way out of the Amazing Maze S Software reviews .. . Put on your thinking cap BECprogram .............. Take a tip with Nightdrive Vie-20 program ‘Can you beat the computer at Pontoon? Softwarereviews .......... ‘Clear the decks for some action games Profile:Hilderbay............37 ‘A.small company that means business Get ready for the Tare Classified ads starton ....... aa Acting aor: ‘Adverthement Manage: Prat Lips Cokes Fins Asst Assan Advertisement Manager: Gna iy Bingham Ron Hani Bdge Sherber ‘Manageg Director: im Coll ‘Argus Specialise Publications Lid, 145 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H OBE. 01-437 1002 iHome Computing Weekly published on Toredays. Disibuion by Argan Pre Saics and Ditbuton Lt 2-14 Paul Stet, London EC2A 413, Printed by Alatate Paste & Sor Lid, of London and Maldsone, Kent Desig an ‘rgitationby MM Desgh and Pi, 148 Charing CossRdLondonWC2HOFE FREE CATALOGUE Parra sincere ZX81. Quote this advert- nent and call 24 hours. Cer Ria SANs world at your fingers Several months of research went into writing World Info, a £5 program for the 48K Spectrum, says software house Wimsot The result isa store of infor mation on all the countries of the world, including facts on popula- tion, area, head of government ‘and military alliances. ‘And two more files on the same tape give details on human rights, wars...and disturbances whieh may break out in the future, says Wimsott. Updated frequently, itis said to be useful for’ sixth= formers, teachers, journalists and fohers who nesd to have a background to the news. As the facts change, the data be updated. The program is a datafile ‘whic runs on Campbell Systems’ £15 database program Masterfie Wimsoft has also. brought ‘out a program called Phones Which it says will share out the costs of telephone calls among several users and keep track of a single user’s cals. It costs £4.50 and runs on both models of the ‘Spectrum. There is also a version for the 16K ZX8I. files Wimsoft, 20 Brookside Road, Wimbourne Minster, Dorset BH2I 2BL Campbell. Systems, 15 Rous Road, Buckhurst Hill, Essex 1G9 OBL Kit ‘cures the wobbles’ Wobbly computer RAM packs ‘ean be cured, says Adapt Elec tronics, with a £7.50 kt called the RAMlock ‘Adapt says the kit, costing £8, by post, is suitable for the 2X80 and ZXB1 and all popular RAM packs and can be fitted with a soldering iron, but not eutting or diiling, ‘A Spectrum version would be available soon. ‘Adapt Electronics, 20 Star! ‘ng Close, Buckhurst Hill, Essex IG95IN. HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 Page 3It's the high speed computer phone link you have been waiting for: Transmits/recelves at 600 Baud: Twice the speed of most other acoustic modems ((ncluding professionals), Economic to use: Communicates data direct between ‘compatible users. Typically 50K bits per two minutes of telephone time, (Cheaper than a first class letter.) ‘Simple to operate: Connects directly to your cassete inpuvoutput sockets. x Use your home computer like an on line terminal. Link up. with your friends by telephone or cable. The Micro-Myte 60, in its sturdy moulded plastic housing, complements your home computer equipment. Stop press! Micro-Myto 60 will operate with ail makes of home computer - software available soon, Only £39.60 complete, inclusive of VAT, post and packaging in the UK only. No fuss, no hidden extras no rental costs Each kit comprises an acoustic modem, ZX81 and Spectrum software on cassette, connection cable and, operating instructions, together with a twelve month guarantee. Micro-Myte Communications Ltd Polo House 27 Prince St. Bristol 1 Telephone (0272) 299373, Callers welcome Page 4. HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 4 1am aZxB1/Specium user (speciy 1 Please send me... Micro-Myte 60 modem(s) at £39.60 each, 1 Lenciose cheque'postal order, payable 10 1 Mecro-Myte Communications Lt name Telephone " Address iHNEWS Continued from front pase Kong company, never achieved much success with its Model 1 ‘which was similar.” He also pointed out the df: ferences between the Uk and US home computer markets. In ‘America small home micros were sold in chain stores, discount houses and department stores and not in computer shops. because “there's no money in it.” The specialist computer shops sold machines ike Apples and the [BM Personal Computer. Both men said they knew nothing of rumours that Tandy was planning to g0to law over the similarities between the Colour Computer and the Dragon 3 Both machines use Microsoft's ex- tended colour BASIC and the same Motorola chips. Mr Wadman said: “This is a rumour which has been floating around for a fair while, The com= ppany’s view is that there isnothing (on which to take action ‘We have unofficially spoken to Tandy and they don’t know anything about i “Electronically they are similar because they have to be, MICROMAX — SPECTRUM PER LINE LEIGHTON BUZZARD but the design and layout of the board bears no resemblance to the Colour Computer. Apart from the common chip set there is nothing to take action on. ‘And Mr Shirley no knowledge of that Mr Gary Pi Radio Shacks's legal department, said: “I think you ean appreciate that any time you are cor anything with legal action we can not comment. These arenot things to be discussed in the public do- Dragon Data, Kenji Industrial Estate, Margan, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan SA13 2PE Tandy Corporation (UK), Tameway Tower, Bridge Street, Walsal, West Midlands —< Dragon 32 Computer P| CompUropia At last — a printer for every Pocket! SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER ONLY £69 + VAT SPEED SELECTABLE SERIAL OR PARALLEL INTERFACES AND CABLES AVAILABLE FOR: SINCLAIR 2X 81 VIC... DRAGON ETC... UP TO 24 STANDARD OR ENHANCED CHARACTERS please for details to 30 Lake Street Beds Tel 0525 376600 My pick of the crop in America More new product announcements this week. For the Commodore 64, Provecio Enterprises sells the following items (and more) direct from the facotry. Isoffersa word ‘processing package, a database package, and an electronic Spreadsheet package for $69 each. Protecto offers a programmer's helper package Jor $59, a ‘personal and business accounting package for $49, a programming reference guide for $18.95, and e BASIC tutor and typing tutor for] $519.95 each. Additionally, the some firm markets an 80 column board. 1 will ell the word processor, data base, and spreadsheet ‘packages together with the 80 colurnn board for $275. They offer a TOuday free trial on their products, will send a fre catalogue upon request, offer over 300 programs for ihe 64, and claim 10 [ove their You can get in contact with them by writing or caling: Protecio Enterprises, P.O. Box 550, Barrington iMfinois 60010, (312) 382-5244, =. Ifyou own a VIC-20 and need some improvement on your typing sails, try Typing Package, three programs on a cassette — one for warmup, one for dil, ancl third for testing, Reasonably priced it ‘comes from MEJ Electro Enterprises, Kanata, Ontario, K2K 1X3 (Canada. Contact them for costs. tt SS Two new games for the ZX-81 have just been announced. Vault of| the Centaurs lines you up against the Centaur Warriors whom you musi overcome 10 obiain fuel for your spaceship. You then fly your ship through space, reach the gamed Vault, all the while avoiding intersieller obstacies, compute the entrance position, avoid the guard, obtain the treasure, ond steal your way home avoiding all the same obstacles. U costs $19.95 on cassette for 16K machines. ‘Mega-Mind puts you against the computer. The object: six shapes are placed in four positions shar maust be decoded 10 form a pater, You must decode the comptuer's pattern before it decodes our. Available rom Orbyte Software, P.O. Box 2686, Waterbury [CT 05720, Sz Tired of having your VIC-20 asa sent partner? Plugin a voice symitesizer based on Vorrax and go. This will allow you (0 program wordsand sentences, and enable youto adjust oturie ad timbre. Offering features normally found on devices costing more ‘than $400, this one costs only $79.00. An optional voice editor (89.95) s available to make programming easier. This company ‘offers a 1S day trial on this produce. Proveeto Enverprses, P.O. Box 350, Barrington, Minois 60010, (312) 382-5244 That's all for this week. See you here newt Tuesday. HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 Page 5ONE MAN'S VIEW Invisible program A Spectrum version of Invisible Man, designed to help children ag- ed seven-13 to learn about co- ordinates and compass points, has bbeen brought out by Chiksoft ‘The £5.95 program, original~ ly written for the BBC micro and the VIC-20, draws a cartoon man and hides iin a 10by 1S grid. The child has to enter co-ordinates to find i ‘Chalksoft says the next three programs for the Spectrum will be Inkosi, Metrics and Angle. Ithas just also re-worked five ‘VIC-20 tapes so that they can be used with any RAM pack fitted, from 3K to 16K, but not the Super Expander. A sixth program for the VIC-20, called Decimals, is due ‘out in June. Chalksoft, Lowmoor Cottage, Tonedale, Wellington, Somersei TA2I OAL Top Twenty programs for the Spectrum 1 Penetrator Melbourne House (2), 2 Transylvanian Tower Richard Shepherd (10) 3 Flight Simulation Psion (12) 4 Hungry Horace Psion/M. House (16) 5 Planetoids Psion (9), 6 Galaxians Artic (4) 7 Cruising Sunshine (19) 8 lind Alley Sunshine (—) 9 Horace Goes Skiing __Psion/M House (—) 10° Arcadia Imagine (5) 1 Mined-Out Quicksilva (~) 12 VU3D Psion (—) 13 Planet of Death Artic (=) 4 Ground Attack Silversoft (12) 15 Chess Psion (11) 16 VUCale Psion (—] 17 30 Tanx dk Tronics ( 18 Space Raiders Psion (17) 19. Spectral Invaders Bug Byte (—) 20 Centipede AK Tronics (—) ‘Compiled by W. H, Smith. week's positions Figures in brackets are fast Crossword winner ‘The winner of the crosword competition in issue No.5 of Home| Computing Weekly is Kenneth John Amos, of 112 Great Brays, Harlow, Essex. He will be receiving a £10 cheque. This his entry Page 6 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 Crude... in both senses of the word After last weeks exclusive disclosure by Home Computing Weekly that “adult” video games were being imported by Silverfox Communications, « storm of oulrage and concern as sw trough the computer games world. Unfortunately, a1 theeye othe storm, there doesn't appear to be vers uc of substance At the time of going to press, a promotional rape made by sitverfox reached us. What follows is an impresion of the [games bosed on this detailed recording ‘Knighton he Town. The basiceais to build abridge acrassariver to *rescue™ and be rewarded by « damsel. This i achieved by Steering your knight, naked save for a hele, backwards ch | forwards with the bridge sections. In doing so, you have to avoid Dird droppings, snopping alligators and other crawling bie. the speed, variety and occurrence ofthe obstacles increases with each successful bridge crossing. The graphics are hardly above cartoon level and movements tend to be crude in the unsophisticated rather than the obscene sense. To avoid accusations of sexism, another version of the same game's avaiable n which the male/female roles are reversed. THis is Lady in Waiting. Burning Desire. The player controls a helicopier, from which dangles a naked rescuer, who then has 10 save another naked ‘wonian from the top ofthe building Other figures hurl missiles from the sidelines. A successful rescue brings up another display. sowie ashy mare dete biewof te iv figures, There appears to beno other reason for this Screen other than latin. 1fit works on you, then T would send |.for the optician. The rle-reversed gore is called Jungle Fever. Gigolo. The game play of this cartridge still eludes me even after several viewings of the tape. I! pers to consis of slering woman into different oceuped houses for the (by now) ust Tie male version is Cathouse Blues and both seem to besiower versions of Pac-man Bachelor Party, and its doppelganger Bachelorette Party, are simpler forms of Breakout, where the object is to break through a wall of bricks. The wail in this case is made up of naked males or females according tothe game. Last, but not necessriy worst, ore Wesoward Ho and General Retreat, modified versions of the infamous Custers Last Stand ‘which caused so much trouble in the Slates that shops had 10 remove it from their shelves. Rape is no ionger the name ofthe game asthe lady in question for generel for tht matter) i not ted 10 a ake. ‘Ando it went on... and on... and on. Te graphics in all the ‘cases were unifornily uninteresting, on the level of lavatory wall zeal. ‘AI inal, not an inspiring collection. Someone, somewhere ‘thought at one time: “Hey, that’s a good idea. I bet they'll sell.” or al the wrong reasons, they might. Siverfox’s good marketing ploy of making two games available on each cartridge should be copied for other games. But the standard of graphics and | the lvatora sense of hurtour vil pall very quickly Qiris Sheldon Which Video? magazine 46 Tis spaces for yout sound off about te mieo sen, o present our Sowauctsor burt your rch. share your sic ty sedi them o Pa Uiptret.Opiion, Home Computing Weekly. 1&5 Charing Cross Road, London WC3H GEE.4th LONDON COMPUTER FAIR Catch up on what you missed at the fair There's little razamatazz at shows held by computer clubs. But they do offer enthusiasm and value. Paul Liptrot went to the latest London fair Shows held by London's com: puter clubs have managed to re fain the flavour of enthusiasm, ‘And the more they look like church hall jumble sales, the ‘more hobbyisis enjoy them. Tt was the same atthe fourth ‘and latest annual show, now moved from its home at North London Poly to the more spacious Central Hall, Westminster [tthe same time, other halls in the building housed an exhibi- tion on the treasures of imperial India and a meeting of women ‘opposed to nuclear weapons. Barry Goddard, organiser of the show forthe Association of London Computer Clubs, said: “We were able to transfer the special club flavour from the pol and maintain the atmosphere Seven of the London clubs hhad standsand there wastheever- popular Computer Junk Shop — sort of bring and buy for com= puter users Hereis aselection of thenew products atthe show James Hutchby, 23, has written a new type of chess program for Oxford Computer Publishing. It is based around acharacter called The Turk, said to bea mysterious. 18th century traveller who journeyed around Europe with a magical automaton which couldn't be beaten, Mr Hutehby admitted: “I'm not a particularly good player — ‘but machines don’t play chess in the same way that humans do.” ‘Chess — The Turkis for the 48K Spectrum and costs £8.95. Managing director Bill Richard son said 15,000 copies had been sold already. Four new programs for the Com- modore 64 — three games and one educational —werelaunched by ASN. Brain Strain, Squares and Light Bike cost £5.95 each land Necked, at £6.95, isa version of Hangman in French, German, Italian and Spanish with more languages to follow. Managing director Chris Lee said: “By the end of the ‘month we'll have four more pro- ‘grams for the 64 and we hope to bring out four a month after that.” ASN js also planning utility ROMS for the 64 which will add more features, Novasoft launched three| utilities for the VIC-20 at £5.98. Juggernaut moves the contents} ‘of memory from one location to} another and allows access to an| additional 8K block of memory usually reserved for ROM car idges. Buccaneer is designed to make back-up copies of soft: ware. Novasoft sell both with a] warning that copying commer: cial software is illegal Mirage reconfigures the VIC-20 to either a 3.5K oF 6.5K machine to avoid the need 10} keep swopping RAM packs. Colin Chatfield, head of Micro- Aid, said: I don't se the com- puter as a toy only — I see it as 1001 to be used.” So his company has pro- duced a £9.15 version of| Hangman for the BBC Micro model Bin four languages, French, German, Italian and Spanish, plus English antonyms and synonyms and a spare Each was written by Mr Chat- field, using dietionaries, and hhas 150 words. Beebpen is a new word pro- cessor on EPROM for the BBC Micro from Braintech. Among its features is a display of 18 lines of 80 characters, single character commands an patibility with 1.0 and 1.2 operating systems. Beebpen costs £39.10 until June 1 and £44.85 afterwards. Kempston brought out a new game for the Spectrum called Android One and costing £5.95 land showed its newly-launched Centroniestype interface for the Spectrum, at £45. Steve Maltz, of Shards Soft- ware, said his firm was laun- ching a new range of Family Programs for the Dragon. Each cassette tape would have several programs for £3.95 plus a voucher for S0p off the next buy. The first two are Quiz Pack and Action Pack and the range will include educational programs and utilities. Fly your own World War One plane, says Opus Supplies, which showed its new Dogfight game, at £6.95, for the BBC ‘model B micro with joysticks ‘Opus also has a new board for the BBC Micro to add 16K of RAM and 64K of ROM. It costs 34.44, plus the price of the chips —16K-worth cost about £31. ‘Add-on company Fuller Micro Systems showed Printerface, a £30 S232 interface for the Spectrum, and a voice syn: thesiser called Orator, costing £39.95, also for the Spectrum A new name in software, Rain- bow, brought out its new Mini Language Aid. You type in English or foreign words and ter displays them at random for translation. Rain: ow says it is useful for exam revision. The program costs £4 for the VIC-20, BBC, ZX81] and Personal Software Services gave a first public showing to Tai, a two-sereen 3D adventure costing £4.95 for the 16K ZX81. ‘Abbex. was showing a new release with a familiar-sounding. name — ETX, which costs £5.95 and runs on the Spec~ Citadel Products’ managing director Vie Cedar says its new 32K RAM pack kit for the Spec- ‘yum, at £24, was designed by aan ex-Sinclair engineer, takes 10 ‘minutes 10 build and is better value than the competition Haven Hardware showed a Spectrum Soundbooster costing £3.95 as a kit or £5.95 ready built. Speakers have to be add- ed Two games for the NewBrain, Space Trader and Miner, were announced at £8,50 by Com- Putasolve, along with a drawing program for the BBC Micro, called Draftmate and costing £9.99. See) Oxford Com is ee Ree eee ran ee 1804 bedford Road ee Ree ee rm ee eee Smee Mi rnin Abbex, 20 Ashley Court, Great Northway, Hendon NW eer on one tier oe ae ea ne ron antares ‘omputesotve, 8 Central ART yee HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 Page 7Push your Sinclair tothe limit UTILITIES NEW LOW PRICE = Nina poverty row functions for IN z, | sovENTURe your 281 (inclusing enur tines ont, osu, program mere, 2X81/SPECTRUM ARCADE GAMES INVASION FORCE (16/484) en easy teneacng”” | ecm ee | & ONY £5.95 for 2X81 NE Bree iret vo | BENE am actscymismente | ant dy lo SPECT AUM Suleldal, Full colour, Soundand hi-res graphics, £4.95 SPECINVADERS (1404) new SPEC COBBLEMAN 1584) These exciting high. INCA CURSE cscronr zeus Radin’ machine code tool anccisassembler foryour 2x1. £6.98 Improve your machine code programs with this ‘speed classe games Gan youreach the dontral rocm and tee incorporate hiresolution granhice and Yyourgett? Or wil thy got you ret? neues scundiobring you the beserace new 48K Spectrum | Wasateserranta oe Assembler finiocraieonanaree nas ane lees control and tana, Gan you survive and escape withthe sana ‘logon seer? PLANET OF DEATH (ssionivw 4 16/48K You tinayourgtt traded onan inhaditos alien planet Gan youreach yout ship ana etlocns pg new ots! Bar and features OTe + Word processor text ecto. + High speed, versatile two pase memonc s5serble wth abe’ and dataled sre. ing. Wil assembe fo SPEC FROG SiSHOWDOWN ) New fre pesos ne cancerous (saa aolding ie wht or, oe then lorries. Go back to the wid wost ors gunon batteamavost acund wagohe' Peeters nice weuinieaiieine nari nalens (2x81) AYN Bich speee, auiex action WENN sate same with our = — separate groups of attackers. Ba = oT {sor manuals and keyboa'a overiay. 2X Forth Combines the stp icity of baste mith the Speed otmachinecose now. £14.95) "we wuivar aoveNTUE Fon THE ‘SPECTRUM 2181 fr nly £9.98, SPECTRUM MICRO CHESS OR SPECTRUM’ “germ 2X CHESS! Very popularmacninocode rogram. witn sic lovesof pay anaan snails option Avaliable fora 05 ZXCHESS I [Knewimprovedversion withatasteresponse {ime seven eveloot Daj onaysisopion nin cat onarseommenced morseption. £9.98 ZeaK CHESS __—_ Aninctedtlegame 75 featured OD in'icforoniytags AS 1eatCS 2e°F VOICECHESS SPECTRUM GALAXIANS locaton The Pree money imipreasn why A opr tt athe he rch You cou win DON'T MISS giintanane\tinyourmanonte seven trem YOUR CHANCE TO WIN "Meu elu: Sound and ie gaoce THAR wowonty £4.95, ALWAYS AHEAD WITH ZX81/SPECTRUM SOFTWARE 1 Retetseananeoatronn ttre sen mseAc ens anrcucee ae MS gE ATIC ARTIC COMPUTING LTD. ! yt 5a Se =i =e GU) LO Y TCR Pa AY iat 0) oa Page 8 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 Apri 1983HANOVER SHOW Judging by the new computers at the Hanover show, the future is going 0 be smaller, protable — and probably Japanese. Among the companies with new micros in the four vast exhibition halls was Commodore and, leading the Japanese invasion, Panasonic, Sharp Casio and Fujitsu, Few details were available, except that all are on their way 10 the UK soot ‘Sharp's neat MZ-700 offers 64K of RAM, 6K of ROM and 2K video RAM for an expected UK price of around £300. And there is an optional on-board micro- cassette player and plug-in four- pen plotter. Powered by the same 280A processor as the Spectrum and ‘ther popular home micros, the MZ-700 has a typewriter-tyle QWERTY keyboard and five function keys and a screen display of 25 lines of 40 characters, Al this is packed into. a stylish case measuring 13% in by 12in by 14 ‘Sharp also showed two new monitors — a 12in model with green screen and a I4in colour model With rubberlike keys and single-key entry of commands, there can be no mistaking that Panasonic's Alphaisaimed at the (Orie and Spectrum market, It has its own graphics set and 32K of, RAM. ls smaller brother, the R100, has fewer keys but was shown with an expansion board fitted underneath. The future is looking small for micro users Several new micros were given their first public airing at the Hanover Messe (Show) '83. Henry Budgett trekked around the vast exhibition to bring you this report Micro 7 from Fujitsu — a full set of keys: Casio, best known for its sophisticated calculators, was showing two new machines, ‘The FP-200 comes with 16K of RAM, full keyboard, liquid erysial display with peripherals available including @ four-pen plotter and numeric keypad. Casio doseribes its FX-702P, ithas QWERTY Keyboard, plus numeric keypad, and built-in printer, liquid crystal display and micro-cassette player From Fujitsu came the Fujitsu Micro 7 with a full typewriter-style keyboard — along with 10 function keys and numeric keypad, cursor and editing keys, The new portable DX-64 is bas: ed on the big-selling Com- modore 65 with added half- height $14in dise drives and a Sin colour or black and white monitor and a detachable full Keyboard, plus four function keys, built into the lid. It is expecied co retail at around £800 and to be made at the company’s plant now being, conitucted at Corby, Nor- thant. The keyboard of the DX-64 will be slightly different from the Commodore 64 to take account of the narrower width, And there will be wo models to choose from — the 8050 with 1 megabyte of dise storage and the 8250 with 2 megabytes. It is expected also that the ‘American standard | NTSC ‘monitors will be changed to the PAL system for UK sale. If everything goes well, the DX-64 should make its UK debut at the PET show in June ‘and became available here in the autumn, SPECTRUM/ORIC SOUND BOOSTER ‘Tekesound 8 outputs the computer sound dies through your unmodified TV set Sound effets then ean be convolld from a whisper toa reat. Thre easy shap-on connestions eliminate soldering, Telesound 84 measures 2/532 cm and cequzes no separate poner sup This unique devie (patent pending) ses someo the very test ura miniature ‘components and costs ony £9.98 inclusive of post, poking, et. Fall insrction wth connection diagrams sre sipled so that the unit ca be fied in minutes without ary previous experince ‘Cheques/PO 10 COMPUSOUND 32 Langley Close Redditch, Wores. B98 OET Please tae your computer when ordering HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 Page 9LETTERS Send your letters to Letters, Home Computing Weekly, 145 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H OEE. Don't forget to name your computer — the best letter could win £5 worth of software. Queries cannot be answered on this page Oric program pointer. [feel it my duty to write and ine form you of a few necessary alterations in your program for the Orie-1 in issue 3. Lines 1345, 1360 and 2005 should be changed to: 1345 FI = 1:GOSUB 2005 1360 NEXT 2005 V = (X¥(2,1)=35) 416 + (XY 1) = 35) 932 [ Found that the program didn’t actually assign your new character to the location in memory occupied by the ‘character you wished to replace with your new one, To correct this, add the following line: 1385 POKE T+1-1,-V Experienced programmers would have seen through this and added a similar line, but 1 think many newcomers would be bewildered! Steve Casson, Norhampton And one for the 2x81 I'd like to let readers know that I've spotted a bug in my DOMAC program, published in Home Computing Weekly number 3, page 22. Line 4075 should read LET A 16,16=A 19,12. Fortunately, as this line is in the New Year-routine, it shouldn't have caused any pro- blems yet! George Baldwin, Weybridge, Surrey Not just fun from games I read with some interest the One Man's View column by Aldo G. Rabaiotti in issue 5 of Home Computing Weekly. It quickly became apparent that the lever re-emphasised some basic misunderstandings about the games/miero market. We are moving into an age when every home and every job will make substantial use of computers. It is important that people should become computer experienced, and in this role the micro as a games machine is playing a vital part. The information which get back from my members indicates that the games whichare being played the most (not the most purchased games) are those which make specific use of the micro as a computer. The adventure type ‘gamesand simulation gamesarea £2004 illustration of this. The strong and progressive {games market is also producing a generation of programmers who are fully aware of ‘human/ computer’ interaction are are writing programs for people 10 use, not experts, This is essential if we are to move into the high technology society where we make full use of the computer in ‘our daily life. We need programs in industry, commerce and the domestic environment which ean be used by anyone. Many of such Programming techniques have arisen directly from games sofiware, especially the error checking and data validation systems which are now so essential, since you cannot resume that the person using your program is trained, Far from killing the micro market, games programming will produce the drive to push it into the 2ist eentury. So long as we can maintain a leading games/ hobby software development ndlustry we can expand into a hi- tech society. Anything whi endangers that and the training of young. programmers endangers the future and prosperity of this country. Nigel Backhurst, General Secretary, General’ Secretary, Computer Trade Association, 108 Margaret Street, Coalville, Leics LE6 2X Ship of Doom hits the rocks We'd like to draw your readers? aitention 10 a problem that has arisen with out Ship of Doom? ‘Adventure C game, now being sold through Sinclair. Page 10 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 ‘One of Sinctaie’s batches of tapes has been corrupted, and contains a bug which will cause the program to crash when certain commands are entered. If you’ buy one of these tapes, it should be returned either to the shop you bought it from or to Sinclair Research at Stanhope Road, Camberley, Surrey — don’t send it back 10 Our apologies to anyone who's bought one of these tapes for the inconvenience caused. ‘Secondly, Artic customers should note that we now pro- Vide hint sheets for our adven- ture games. So if you're stuck, Just send us a stamped address- ed envelope, and we'll send one off to you. Richard Turner, Artic Com- Puting, 396 James Reckitt Avenue, Hull HU8 OFA Joys oF Extended Basic ‘Some interesting programming advice for TI-99/4A owners has been featured in your pages recently. However 1 would strongly recommend that serious pro: ‘grammers should purchase the Extended Basic module. Ex. tended Basie is a very powerful language and it sa pity that it is not built machine as standard ‘An example of its power is shown in the short routine below, which recreates the lengthy # program for display- ing large versions of the leiters ‘A to Z published in your issue of April S-11. It is not necessary to define the characters of the large let: ters in data statements as line 120 does the same job. In fact, the whole routine could be fit: ted on to one program line! ‘The use of full name 0 the unexpanded:| variables should make the routine self-explanatory 100 REM Routine to display large letters on the screen MO CALL CLEAR 120 CALL MAGNIFY@) 130 COLOUR = 16 140 ROW = 100 150 COLUMN = 100 160 FOR LETTER =65 TO 90 170 CALL SPRITE (#1, LETTER, COLOUR, ROW, COLUMN) 180 FOR DELAY =| TO 300 NEXT DELAY 190 NEXT LETTER In addition the letter can be set moving by adding wo extra parameters to line 170, Note the ease with which sprites may be created, com: pared with the pain of calling up the equivalent player-missile graphics on the Atari or the sprites of the CMD 64. Extend. ed Basic has many other features that make it both use friendly and very powerful. Pat on the back for Atari T have an Atari 400, and on reading Home Computing Weekly I've noticed that alot of the letters are criticisms of other computers. Well, I haven't got criticism — am writing to tell you how helpful Atari have been, ‘About a month after receiving my computer the cassette recorder failed to work, 50 we {00k it back to the shop where we got it from. After two weeks my father desided to pphone Atari to see what was go- ing on, and they said that they ‘would Send us another one, Sure enough, it came the next day by overnight express but it still wouldn't work, so we sent my compter off with the cassette recorder and a few days later it came back perfect. So what I'd like to Say is that not all. computer com Panies are to be criticised, because Atari have been so fast and helpful. Everyone who is thinking of buying a computer should remember that itis best to buy them from proper com- puter shops, not small electrical shops G:RR.J. Fox, Loughor, West Glamorgan<= Rid the world of the Transylvanian Terrorf before he introduces you to the dark world of the living dead in... A spectacular 3-D maze adventure for the 48K Spectrum only £6.50 “Enthralling and addictive”... Popular Computing Weekly “Addictive”... Sinclair user Phone 0628 21107 for instant credit card orders Richard Shepherd Software, Freepost, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 5BY.2X81 PROGRAMMING How to make up for the 2X81's drawbacks Take the advice of Russell MacDonald and use the Zx81's GOTO command as a flexi friend ‘When Uncle Clive first produced the ZX81, many people said th way in which the GOTO facility ‘was used was estravagant and un: For example, GOTO 30 could also be expressed as GOTO CODE "2", GOTO VAL "30", GOTO X, GOTO Sx42 45 (12+5), GOTO 24X+(¥), GOTO AG.2) and an infinite number of other expressions. This isalsotrue for GOSUB routines. Ars sight thisseems slight ly excessive. In faci tisis one of Sinclair's methods of supplying a flexible command to make up for limitations, Most other micros provide theuseful ON. .. GOTO: .. com: mand which allows a destination tobe chosen under acertain condi Inthe second example, if the | 30LET YEAR =365 falls(¢he day having arisen from a tion, Hereisan example: value of X is greater than five, less | 40GOTO40+104MONTH | previousprogram): than one or if it is not a whole | SOLET YEAR =YEAR—28 100 ON —_X GOTO | number (e.g. 1.75) then the pro- | 6OLET YEAR = YEAR — 31 10 DAY = 10 THEN LET. 100,210,350,470,580 gram will jump to line $80, JOLETYEAR=YEAR-30 | DAY = 11 For those with only 1K of | ete 20 GOSUB DAY #2 Ii'means that if X equals one | memory, itis also possible to use 21STOP then go to 100, if X equals two | the CODE values of single | Where the number of lines | 62PRINT" JANUARY" then £0 10 210 and so on. I he | characters as cestinatons, provig- | permits aisaleo poletostuc | 63 RETURN ‘alle of Xs greater than sx then | ed none of them is greater than | ture whole propa to alow an | 118 PRINT “FEBRUARY” theinstructon ignore, 355. AS would only need to have | INPUT to deeraune the dean | HI9RETURN Unfortunately, the ZX81 | as many characters as there ae | ton for 2 GOSUB or GOTO. | !S0PRINT’MARCH* does not have this command, But | destinations. ‘The instruction | Hereisanexample IBIRETURN due to the fexbilty of the GOTO ee command, ON... GOTO... can 1OPRINT "INPUTCHOICE besimulatedinjustewolines: | 29 GOTO CODE ASX) 20INPUTC ‘Thevariable DAY musi this S0GOSUBC 100 case be multiplied by two to ensure JOLET AS=*100210350470500 Itis often possible to write a | 40GOTO 10 room for the RETURNS — so 20 GOTO VAL AS(X3)-2 | program so that an INPUT canbe | 100SUBROUTINE | there can never be the case of TOX yd) used to directly control a destina- | 200SUBROUTINE2 YEAR =31.5 Ifthishad not been tion, 300SUBROUTINE3 done wemight havedone: Irthere is the possibility of X | "Take a program to calculate | ete being greater than five, then the | how many days have passed since 31 PRINT "JANUARY following linecould beaded: | the beginning of the year. The | It is sometimes possible to | 32RETURN result is achieved by subtracting | base the calculation of a GOTO 1SIEX>SORX<1 THENLET | the number of daysin the remain. | destination on figures arising dur- with the result that Xs ing months from 365 Ganore eap | ing. the course of a program, | nothing would be printed for day years): though thiswilloften meanusinga | 32. or: - ‘ery irregular setof inenumbes ‘Thiscan be applied whenever JOPRINTAT*.*:“NUMBEROF | "inthe foliowing example, the | the action to be taken by the pro- dram varies predictably according 15 IF X>S_OR X<1 OR] THIS MONTH?’ aim is t0 calculate the month X< > INT(X) THENLETX=5 20INPUT MONTH whieh a particular day of the year | tothe valueofa known variable yee 12 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983THE NEW AND UNIQUE C.A.D. PROGRAM FOR THE BBC MICRO (32K) * COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN (Available on Cassette or Disc) AT A VERY AFFORDABLE PRICE ideo for teachers, designers, arate, technical drawing ang ‘humerous other applications including your own form and Stationery design otc This programm must be seen to be appreciated — your imagination is the only factor to limit is incvidual © Modes 0,1,2.4,5 (can be changed when program is lultiple display of arrays enables infinite complexity, FUNCTIONS: Line. rectangla. triangle, circle. text luppar tnd lower ease) and colour pallet (B colours and Mashing! © DRAWING AIDS: Alignment orc free memory. purge memory variable © ‘Shapes can be filed or outined Ino need for Fill Routines). fave and load to tape in about 20 seconds, orto else In 2 (© SPECIAL FACILITY — Rubber band mode ~ A very texible ‘Variable line drawing facility ~ must be seen, Free “redraw” routine to enabie the pictures created to be fisplayed in your own programs ©’ The cise version allows serean soves, which toke epprox. 3 jecommended by BEC Micro User. © Future developments will include processing packs which {rill provice additional features such as arcs, elses, sie-prush, printer dump and many more. Cassette users may purchase an additional cassette containing these features, but i users will be able to return their diee which wil be iporaded to the latest specification, and the user wil Only be charged the cifference between the two versions ‘GRAFSTIK (joystick cassette version) £7.98 © GRAFKEY (keyboard cassette version) £7.95 ‘© GRAFDISC (combines both on one disc) £12.95, The examples shown or all unretouched off-screen, photographs of some of the program's capabilites). Sets ett cam? ee: Sear ater a Tee OLA SYNTHESISER PACKAGE | !309./Telnah diae ates “8 CASSETTE LEADS FOR BBC (32K) eC" ———$—$—$—__——_————_ (with Motor Control) pant 1 7 pit OIN 3 pin O1N Boot us i) 16 enna ote ReMore 1235 del tid coved wang vot Fon DIN 2 <3 bmi Jacks Sepnetcate vat enty 0 vse Fabmm JAC E205 Sera aac serene he te snvetoves in Far 2. Joysticks | TOUS pant 2 Pair of fully : Tip poke bapa a aria repertonal ian, et you ay 3. ip wrope MONITOR LEADS henty sire BRE MONS Become tho Rik Waker of se £17.98 Eero age i a PRINTER LEADS (BBC) THIS SUPER PACKAGE COSTS: ‘SERIAL (5 pin DOMINO ~ 25 way. Hi Cassone £7.98 so SII4 oie e10'88 | ai oy ead PROGRAMMERS ieee Dopt. HCW, Providence House, 1 programs Why 222 Townfield Road, Winsford, Cheshire CW7 4AX. Tod stondord You neve gst sain to Tel: 06065 51374 ny 20" een aN HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 Page 13SOFTWARE REVIEWS More for the price of one I oo: 06 tie screen, and have to Games Pack 4 shoot at an enemy ship in the bot= Dragon £6.91 Looking for variety? Our tom right comer. To do this, you testers give their ratings on | sic (hs Sreton and veloc of Gon Sofware, Unit D; The! the latest multi-game packages | random plancis half Maltings, Station Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hers and advise whether quality —_[ beated!y block your way;and ihe holds up against quantity | Sin Thspanonsousnn This package takes @ couple of is not rubbed out, soif your next rnintes (olad fron eset and chs coins (wo games Sea Shot hits the path, Bt On the Harrier and. Sub Chase, The fnemy & presumed, Ht just is hag, voiding the torpedoes wort play Instructions for fot panes were | aes voiding the orostoes | Gennes PEICK 1 | vor lane ‘adequate and both are played] ship Like Sea Harrier, ths ane | DRAGON £6.91 From outer space to deepest singh keyboard ach had four | SM. Lik Sea Harr, his game ig countryside, you contol a dor tees ofaffeuty. ee eee Santee eels nea "nex Hae your objstve| Sat ota Sum cece | Gem Sottare, Unit D, The | in Shepeg Good Bap, bt isto land on an erat carr 25 ba Maltings, Sawbridgeworth, | the sun rather sow and the aout iting too many duds | cg MOURN, Esme ced | Ger deny nee coca The clouds can be dispersed using | they would Keep the youngsters doesn’t respond well to tombe but you run the nat of a oul Hep the YOUNES | 5 acy, sheepdog, | te consol ke. damaging your ship if you hit it. Torpedo and Snake are the four Anda. thoisendskesanee found that by flying atthe 80% | BASIC games in this com-| ynder the sea in Torpedo, you are top of the screen you can destroy see | pend, eens lee theeloudst your lesure bul was Foe Aa tr et a conceret | (Eanes apa ed Kae 2 still difficult to land successfully ) vaiye for money ‘75% | Snake is the only game that’s | your sights. Good graphics give a gee : challenging enough to have much | realistic impression of looking ub Chas, your ak sto etpeafeegal Waaexsieal | Ste ee ee ee Saviuenes |e have to eat randomly-placed | instructions 65% wy | been substandard since loading | blocks. Control is by joystick or | playability OWI SE TWAREN | scarica and Mremind was | HOSS Comal by vse or payablty some MD TUISTERS | scite Hoss, tee] rslaton gaps ESS Be FUND. games Idd manage to run were |“ 'As te there... in Space x Well writen with adequate | auackyousreathetopletant ‘graphics. Connect 4 played a par- tieularly good game, even though Se ie Games Pack I eee es straight- reser was an odd one. You ward dash between two are presented with he nanters1| DRAGON £6.91 twising banks, picking up points to 9 and you take turns t0 take| Gem Software, Unit D, The | %* hitting orange markers. Con- ruber. The wine is he is | Stating, Sawbridgewarth, | SUSE Ko WA pcs bar fr player to reach a total of 15 wth | py? change. three of his numbers. 1 found it ‘The game of Batleship isan easy to draw with the computer, | Four ems on this encsett old favouriteasisted hereby some ut items on this eassette, PFO- | propriate sraphic subroutines Pimp ga vinggoo ie men | zee BaP abe, feral ea vee ede Fist comes Landing, aflight | (912 eae “pontoon” rules. I did fel thet | imubston rosa that a | YOu, Soore a hit, you see what sega weet wel but | pat mew rey unin | YOWNE BL OH sel Nome in youcan'texpect much inan unes-| trrequirestwojossticks —one for | ‘OMS 2rEet, panded VIC. ing | thf0tle control and the other for | ames itn | expect hush from & Assuming that Mastermind games pack but the quality of two Mind Twisters | «up tothe same sandard, this | He eet sre nang | bas the fight landing simula- Wie-20 £9.99 _| i: 2 sonable colicin of old] ‘ftme. theapproach,landingand | 0% and. battleships, was very favourites. VIC owners who are| topping allrequiring «high evel | {MPFESWveand well worth having fed up with Space invaders could | SOPPInE: all 72a ‘All the necessary instructions do worse than consider this come on screen and loading is ihe first part is done by | straightforward. An enjoyable Romik Software, 24 Church St, : ‘Slough, SL1 1PT. package which is good value for | reading instruments which then, if the price, AW. | Siccesstul, give way to tome | Seketionforallthefamily. M.P. This is a compendium of four : sraphic sequences, It takes two to = games, three wellknown-onealie. | instructions ee ree Remo instructions 100% te more original Mastermind | Bavablity Bore | eae. aineweny | playaity oon (alias Dec graphics 10% sraphics 80% (alias Deipher), Conneet 4 (alias | SPM fore | ___.The second item is a good | SPN on Four Thought), Blackjack and version of Hangman with a selec- Teaser. tion of about 150 words. Always a ‘The review tape could have | i Eg fun way to learn spelling, ee es Page 14 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983ET 48K Spectrum SOFTWARE REVIEWS not visible—butthescientstis.as| _ G@QUMeS OF Hexal$ can only be played on Hredvanco the lla Model andl popes version Sage thee anole ronning| — ROQGUC CMM | Os Sins ae, Hades around ghosts and pumpkins (well cunning digits (09, A-E) have to be re it is Halloween) to get home — pursued by the mad scientist once Macronics, 26 Spiers Close, Kno: wle, Solihull, W. Midlands B93 | #22" SES Stage four is totaly irrelevant and boring. You move a spaceship from side to side atthe top of the screen to avoid meteors coming up towards you. They move soslowly and apathetically that unless you fall asleep itis well-nigh impossible How do they get away with ie? Anyone else so much as uttering the initials E.T. gets jumped on from an extreme height by you- Know-who, Anyway, assuming Macronics remain suitably uunjumped-upon, E.T. isa worthy little game, or collection of games. It is in five sections, the first of ‘which és an instruction program, using rather an endearing little figure to “bubble-speak"” each screenful. This i clever the fist time you see it, cute the second time. . and boring thereafter. In the fist stage of the game to get hit! proper, you move the E.1. figure } instructions not willy excking to play. ae ‘round a wooded maze collecting | playability ‘The aim of Reverse is to re- mo phone parts, while avoiding the in- | graphics arrange a row of letters in the least eer evitable mad scientist out to kill | valueformoney ‘umber of moves. This game has | | XIE RE IR? ou, Once through that stage wo ‘00d araphics and is compulsive caste is similar, expt that the maze is Stages 1-3 are playable and good entertainmen repetitive. The only tactic needed {sto draw the scientist into a dead | time; end, so that you can carry on col= lecting whatever bits you have 10 collet in peace. You have the option of play ing each stage individually, or | P40 ‘combining all four into one long ‘game. Good value. kK Kk , if somewhat Hevals are beter to play. BBC £9.70 Golem, 77 Qualitas, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 40G. Five different games of logic and ‘cunning designed for useby young They are Auc- tion, Flip, Reverse, Telepathy, and HexalS and they vary widely inquality, interest and playability. T doubt whether Flip and Telepathy would hold the interest ‘of children for more than a short Reverse and In Auction, you try to buy antiques at auction by outbidding fellow bidders. There are two either to bid against the ‘computer, or bid against another player. itis a challenge to try and aod beat the computer, but thegameis ‘Auction, arranged in order on a square grid containing one blank square. Tax ing, even for adults! This collection is varied in both quality and typeof game, but isalittle over-priced, PC. instructions 80% playabil 7000 sraphies 80%, valueformoney 65%, NO. 1 FOR THE DRAGON DRAGONWARE Whenever the Dungeon Master reads of competitors’ amazement thal the Dragon 32 is soling so well “despite. the lack of software”, he rol around. the Oungeon floor, overcome by hysterical laughter Sena for our 30-page Dragonsolt Catalogue anc find out wy. ‘The Dungeon vaults are ‘airy bulging with the rush of Dragon software and we now ‘offer the widest selection avatabie in he UX Latest Games: ‘Donkey King’ £8, ‘ater piler Attack" £8, “Colorpede. 8, ‘Laser Cycles’ £6.50, “Talking Android Attack’ £8 ‘Cosmic Zap °8, "Galactic Ambush’ $8. atest Books: ‘Advanced BASIC for the Dragon’ (starts where the manual finishes) 96.95, "Making the mos! of your Dragon £5.95, “The Dragon Companion’ (new printed ediion) £495, Latest Utlities: 51 x 24 Screen Car ridge (including graphics “sprites") £25.30, Assembler Carage, £10.95. ‘Telewmier WP System £49.95, ‘Dragon Doodles and Demos’ £5 Coming shox — Soundbox for monitor users (connect up to your HiFi) DRAGON STICKS! —— 4 ‘o Top quality double potentiometer joysticks for the Dragon owner who demands arcade action Ultra-sensitive, but tough and reliable, Dragon Sticks will keep on zapping when others fail! £19.95 per pair inclusive VAT and postage. é. DRAGON CLUB ‘The Dragan Owners Club at the Dungeon is row the largest in the UK (er, since cur members range through Europe to the Gut ‘and’ Alrica, should we say' the world?) Members receive copies ofthe monthly Club Magazine “Dragon's Teeth, which includes ews, reviews and advice, plus monthly Ofer: and compeitions. Win a Year's Free Software or Use the Advice Series of members’ Tree adverising. Baoges and Bomber Jackets for extrovert Dragon: bashers. “The April edition of ‘Dragon's Testh’ is packed with information and, together with the new magazine ‘Dragon’ User, makes estential reading for any serious’ Dragon ‘Annual membership (including ‘Dragon's Teeth) £6 (£8 overseas) oF sicmonth tal subscription £3.25 (£425 overseas) THE DRAGON DUNGEON PO BOX 4, ASHBOURNE, DERBYSHIRE DEG 1AQ. TEL: ASHBOURNE 44626, HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983, Page 15Galactic Chase 16K £16 Softcell Computers A close copy of the arcade game Galaxians. The aliens swoop down in small groups, first bombing your ship,’ then attempting to ram it Bonuspointsare awarded for shooting down the command ships, and an extra base isreceived a 7,000points, This copy evenhas the galaxians that ‘loop the i atthe bottom of the sereen, loop" ‘An option for two players is ‘included, and an option to start at athigher level. The sound effects are sufficient for this type of it-ifit-moves game, and invaders themselves. are colourful Having seen the car zap: the ridge Galaxians now available, | would sill choose this very cheap but very good copy. instructions playability saraphis value Preppie 16K £19.95 ‘Adventure International 73% 80% 80% 755% Next to Siar Raiders, Preppie is without doubt the best game ever produced for the Atari. The game instead of a frog, there Preppie, or Prep School Stu to the non-American. based on Frogger, except that ident, He is being forced to collect golf balls off the Nasty ‘course. Among the hazards dodged are lawnmowers, Nine tobe olf carts, logs, canoes and puddles, ‘As you progress up the ten screens, bulldozers, alligators sand even a giant frog put in an appearance. ‘The action is smooth, with unbelievable background music, and the game uses 28 colours on screen at once. Reaching level ten is a real achievement. Altogether an excellent game. instructions playability graphics value 0% 95% 99% 95% ATARI SOFTWARE REVIEWS Software from the States for eo ee | Marc Freebury casts a critical eye over a selection of Atari software from across the Atlantic Its a fact that though the Aad is anexcellent machine, Atari donot back it up themselves with much software, particulary inthe games field. They have left this to an ever-increasing number of software houses Mos of these are American, Galactic Empire 32K £16.50 ‘Adventure International From the same stable as Preppic, this game does not reach the same heights. I is a tactician’s game, with the objective of conquering the twenty planets in the galaxy You begin with ownership of ‘one. By building fleets and taxing your people, you must build lets Strong enough to overcome the ‘opposition, who vary in technological ability ‘The game has very limited graphies, which do little to enhance a very. slow-moving game, Particularly annoying is that each time you move your fleet, the shipboard computer prepares a report which takes up toa minute to complete. If you have a week to spare, and the patience to go with it this ‘game is for you. instructions. 75% playability araphics value Poge 16 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 but a few British companies are slowly adding tothe number. This ‘means that most Atari software ‘must be bought through mail order. For suppliers, contact Atari (UK) at Atari House, Railway Terrace, Slough SL2 5BZ. Tet: Slough 3334. Arcade Plus AAS the title suggests, this is a version of the now world-famous Pacman, ‘The Ghost Hunter ofthe title is supposedly meant to be ridding ‘@ mansion of said ghosts, but in ‘my opinion it should be'retitled Hunter Ghosts — since they do most ofthe ch ‘The game has 16 mazes, although you mayonly useone per game — definitely annoying. ‘There are four brightly coloured ghosts, which seem to have the Same tendencies as Pacman ghosts in using different tactics to catch you. There are four power-pill, and when eaten the ghosts careen across the sereen back to the central cave. This version also has a two- player option, with another ‘option allowing two players to play simultaneously — although ‘why you would want to do that is ‘beyond me. Reasonable copy of the arcade game although it misses Ea GALACTIC sins GHOST HUNTER To Ta | ey £ u a Ape ae verare caer FRAT a re some features and adds a lot of superfluous ones. instructions 739% playability 0% araphics 65% value 65%.A NEW SERIES FOR FIRST TIME USER “Learning to Use” is a new series of books which introduces newcomers to the most widely used micros in the marketplace. The books assume absolutely no knowledge about computers and the reader is shown even the most fundamental operations such as “switching on” and “loading a program”. The books lead the reader through simple programming and then on to graphics, with several programs Which show how to achieve pictures and even animation! The user-friendly approach is consistent throughout the text— not only are program listings clearly shown, but in many cases, a photograph is included to show what the program looks like when actually loaded and run! All books in the series are £5.95 (incl. postage). —— eee eee ee eee ee e 1 Order Form to: READ-OUT BOOKS.AND SOFTWARE NEWTECH PUBLISHING LIMITED, 8 FORGE COURT, ! READING ROAD, YATELEY, Nr, CAMBERLEY, SURREY. I ‘24Hour Answering Service. Telephone 0252 5103312 Namen tS . To be published : Address April-June 1983 1 iii asessaie to Newch Publishing ts onciose my cheque foré — A signee Gower Learning to Use the Orie 1 ' Computer (April) I Learning to Use the Commodore [NOWAVALABLE 64 Computer (May) esesendme....copyies Clarbgi terre (ewig ibe C2Conatr Learning to Use the Lynx [states 5 000 {C Leengieebebbononte: (Lig I amp 1 1 ! crema ee oor pacing [CleeigietsetsZXSpeeoe Laing atedapn Computer (June) Seca ata Cllerstlsebesopetie —_Cileenigte Ute ia Tesarve for mo, and send to me on publication my copys of [caning set (Dewrigt sete Leanne Corde HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983 Page 17HAVEN HARDWARE ZX PRODUCTS & JUPITER ACE SAE for dais. 4 Asby Road, Asby. Werkington, Cumbria CATA ARR. ices inclode VAT and #8 5. ‘Some of the products ae ice avslsbie fem the folowing agerts ‘THE BUFFER SHOP_S744 STREATHAM HIGH ROBO, LONDON SWi16 MicnowaAne. 5 ST PETER'S LANE, LEICESTER. PHILLIP COPLEY Hi 7 CLIFFARD COURT. OSEETT. WEST YORKSHIRE. ‘TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME 2X80 & ZC8) HARDWARE Repeoting Key Module KIT'C3.98 SULT £5.95 (ke reviewed by Popuiar Comping Weetly Inverse Video Medute KIT £2.95, QUILT £4.50 (as revewed by Poauler Compring Weeki Keyboard Baoper Module iT £6.95 BUILT £8.50 Keyboard Entry Module KIT £2.95 BUILT £4.98 InpuvOurputPon KIT £10.95 BUILT £14.05, {Cane vted with TOK RANI and puinier witout mother Programmable Character Generator KIT £17.95 BUILT £24.95 3K Memory Expansion BUILT for only £12.00 ‘The most ‘alable memory expansion avadable Fell Sie Keyooord with Ropest Kay Tho fet of kind Buleverson'puge im KIPEI0°9S GUILT Ede 98 2X Edge Connector 25: Wey Long gold plated pine £2.95 2X Spectrum version £3.50 2X SPECTRUM SOFTWARE CASSETTES Frit Machine Clow graphic representations of ruts, Inching HOLD and GaMBtE. €4.08 Solitsre Aha Numeric move entry. £4.95 Patlance The popule ead game (chest proof, Mancala The Chinese Logie Gam. eremn cae erccane, TESS RSUE Cio ea OF arona: earacrone ero ‘cee Card Orders Accepted FEY Aigose sae ee (24 hr, ANSAPHONE) STOP pressi| | Sere 2 pram reste cl vous sige ee SiSaa seco aS Peat OE coe PROGRAMS FOR THE DRAGON 32 SULTANS MAZE by Christopher Hunt Exare db Meran tenn fess ont Stbevate. yur iorgh tray auto yur come aceite minh a Gondor A ath ity gave wth fantasti apes 980 Sour. a6 EDUGUIZ | by Peter Chase [ree a easton ao bamte Bat onno msn lyoucroceans dea wore Eagar mates larnnghat On ns ope rape searcon ge Gooyany rane Sd har Pontos See Wo kere ot ieee a rent Ba : ‘as EDUQUIZI by Poor Chase Tirms rere subject he Cave eos. TH an Fp aun ab Wires, Pontes and Moses sae FUNMATHS I by Peer Chase hopow You tae wo you ay Nee fe pea games! inter as ‘iro Alt Mase a questions you Work Yor way erga es maze. Chemitisagameolralos. where you nit chemical iyingnuts Betbownp Oran Gt ar oh cxsenang cordate = ys Rove onde Gragon nena ut Laat be nowene oon setae tous your memory or ews enous roms, 3 GEMPACK.V oy WE MacGowan rmustland you pane on he avera caren set Siscreingtns osc oh homen Son nis Cheney mest Gaps Ferm pack winoot bong eunk Bein wth @ nao Day Roe Sea Ninvaec ess ALIEN BLITZ by Peter Chase eur eras avg on eta yout an Yu have ue ys amb fo clearaepdee smonget re sata Sona cats 4 Svoats mutes Son pave ie rage wane copee foun srapnce ‘e788 F LYNX PROGRAMS GEM SOFTWARE UNIT 0, THE MALTINGS, SAWBRIDGEWORTH, HERTS. Telephone: (0278) 723567 Hew ‘TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOWE — PLEASE RING FOR DEALER Pack Page 18 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 25 April 1983, TRS80 LY.2 — ZX SPECTRUM — ZX81 SOFTWARE LIBRARY TAPE at, Hanan history & spot, ‘paling, Diary, Reais Fle and Tre Wan. ‘We only have rom here to uly describe cne programme, pease don't estate however, io phone or wre fo ful datas of al he programmes HOUSEBREAK:— You have ester house a night an atemp or of ‘Maney and any Galland Siver tems you ca find ti very dark and Your ‘must avo fumping into the fue. Aer a pio of time an lar wll sound and soon afer ths thighs wile tuned on Avisos dog an eae ‘ed. You have ows al your kl and cunning to aiid geting tena he dg ‘huss you around te hous; ay injury case bythe dog wil dow down your (scape, The panei lave in real ne” and as exalt ages. A cet fuse i gee each Une ie games paved, \ ee ee TESTS ann res, x SPARTAN SOFTWARE EFT) oo = Cotswold Terrace, Closing Novi, Ono. ee NLS a SCA SOFTWARE PROGRAMS FOR THE VIC 20 (UNEXPANDED) WARRIOR ourlates arcade tye game. Guide your light yc, tring anim Penarable wall of ight in your wake 1 out-anoevte the robot ror EX tended sereen technique with super 3D graphics for maximumefest. £5.00 BOMBER Plot yourairraft bomb the ities latin order ‘ond. Dificuty inreaerafter each succesful landing. Super high re. Graphics & explosive ‘oun! One of our most popular games. 4.50 INVASION shoot the aliens as they descend from the mothership (0 ivade {Our eth ferent sk eves, high score dsplay, hey o ostick contol for fastsction, 450 ‘OTHELLO Can you beat VICat thie fascinating board game? Features of 2 players, legal moves rejected, full board display with excelent colour graphics & sound. Beware: VIC play amean game! £4.50 ‘TANK BATTLE Watch out for theminefelsas you yt outgun heey in this exciting tank baie, S levels of play. Esended seeen displ with high 1s. graphics sound. Very addiived £5.00 MASTERMIND & CONNECT 4"Two more popular games fo he family (Can you break the mastermind S colour code? Connect 4. Has | ot 2 player ‘option. Both gamesincude fll ize raphe dla & sound, 430. IRAPHIX Design your own high es. characters. Draw upto 4 lifeent charaser simultaneous. Enables fll use of the powerflVIC graphics, -Modesinsude: DRAW; ERASE; SET & UNSET. “64.00 {All dhe above prices include post & packing. Trade enquiries welcome, (SEA SOFTWARE 56 Whitchurch Ave Exeter EX? SNT-Get lost, easily, in the especially on the harder options — in my Amazing Maze program, for the 16K Spectrum. ‘The progam genes «| Middle of a maze . Sasnteaecipama| 12 three-dimensional view to middle. A three-dimensional| help you find your way out. picture is then drawn of what you feoue toncamneewss,| game for the 16K Spectrum tum left or right, ask for help of uit. Your task isto find the exit (which is always in the top left ms hhand comer) and escape ___ First the program prints ais es : of options and asks you to choose 2 BEST : 000 fone. You are then asked if you See ‘want to know in which direction ft PERSET Toy youare facing shown by anarrow underneath the word DIRECTION in the main maze display). This seemingly futile indicator can be very useful. ‘After the maze has been ‘generated, which takes about 30] [— seconds, the three dimensional view is drawn, and the message, E,L,R,QorM?"isprinted atthe bottom of the screen, You must aS ‘ype in your command and then press ENTER. The commands F moves you one step forward tums you tothe left turns you tothe right uit. Hard luck, your score won't count for the high score! Help: prints the map, which clears itself after 10 seconds and 10 moves are added to your score. The number of moves you hhave taken so far is displayed in the top right hand comer of the screen and the best number of moves below it. These are the ‘number of actual steps you take, so this is a game of strategy not & realtime game, ‘When you have escaped or uit — shameful person — thelist Cf options is printed again. Now you can have another go with the ‘same ora different option orinput ¥q? to quit ‘The program fits into 16K, ‘but only just, which explains the absence of REM statements and the long mult-statement lines ‘There should be no. problems One Amazing Maze Suddenly you're landed in the - but there's Matthew Taylor wrote his fo MOVES: 007 Le at MOVES: 2@5 BEST 000 DIRECTION ES MAZE ‘encountered when typing in the | If you have @ 48K Spectrum program asiong as youdonotadd | you might like 10 add some ‘anything if you are using a 16K | features which I would have liked Spectrum: just type in the| to add, but didn’t have the program and SAVE it with | memory, like monsters, treasure, SAVE"MAZE”LINES. Just in| an cakendoor and anaxeto break case, here is an explanation of | it down, different levels, stairs, . some of the lines: 20 There are 10 spaces inside | How it works the quotes 6000. There are 9spacesinsidethe | $ sets high score to quotes 2610) 6030. ‘There are 22 spaces inside | 1070 options the quotes 100-116 setup sereen HOME COMPUTING 120195 set up variables for ‘maze generation 200-230 realises options 240-280 generate “arrow” 285-390 set up variable for play 395 re-initialises variables for ‘graphics each turn 3%6 prints direction arrow if required 307 traces route if required 400-500 draw graphic display 505-506 update moves 510-560. INPUT, process and act on’ commands, error checking. 570 clears graphic display 5000-5100 print map of maze, see hints on 6000-4010 clear map area (6020-6050 clear graphic display 7000-7020 check forward move {s valid and check for escape 90009110 opening display, INPUT options 9800-9940 finishing messages, update high score Main variables ‘option option ‘moves number of moves| taken so far best high score arrow if direction arrow is required XY position in the maze, ‘both during random. generation and play m@Q1,21) maze a direction: 1 up, 2 right, 3down, 4 ef xy table of displacements using, above ac, table of distances: used in drawing, ‘graphic view 34,44) table of displace- ‘ments to find square in m@Q1,21) co right jN(4) as above but for left XM4yl4 positions of four! corners when| drawing graphic display « character number (CODE =c+ 128) of| WEEKLY 26 April 1983 Page 19sraphic to be printed | INPUT. always. us when printing map, | bottom line. You will ha ses the ve to be seefigure land Hints | careful where you put your ‘on conversion INPUTS on the screen, ‘Hints on conversion INPUT. ..""; LINE aS is PLOT OVER 1; means| no different to INPUT‘ inplot” in my program. just prevents the Sp ‘The graphic resolution on a | Printing annoying quotes Spectrum is 256 x 176. The | your INPUT. "aS invert point”, but is’ used as] on other computers. The LINE jectrum around square area for the three} aS(1) means the first dimensional display uses 0-175 in | character in a§ i.e. LEFTS(25,1) ‘both X and ¥ directions. PRINT’ means print DRAW X,Y means draw | line asin ATOM Basic. down a from current ‘position to a] Lines S010 to $060 print the Position X,Y away i.e. X,Y are | maze in double resolution relative displacements rather than | maze locations. to a. ch = four haracter absolute co-ordinates. square. Therefore, the character 5 LET besi-0 18_RENDOMIZE : RESTORE ; PAPER 7:_INK 2: BORDER 2; CLS is Go Sus Soae. 28 POR i=9° TO 22: PRINT ar ; PABER 3; NEXT 9@ PRINT AT 1,29: "Moves: deo" 40 PRINT AT S155) ~BeST Gow T 3, (93-LEN’ (sTA$ bes tii; best 45 IF Srrow=2 THEN PRINT AT 293 “DIRECT ION™ $@ GO SUB Seae: so sus sese 3m s. zoe PRINT AT 10,25; INK OM A 78 PRINT AT 2.2; FLASH 1;" GEN ERATING MAZE 200 LET x=: LET y=@. DIM mei, Ere Ti0 LET a=2 215 DATA @,2,2,0.0,-2,-2,0 246 Dim x (4): br g<43 "FoR TO 4; READ x tid uci): NEXT i 138 FOR j=2 70 Sa e 385 IF RND¢.5 THEN LET ¢=INT ND #4) $2 wR 438 CET x=x+x(d): LET yout to) 440 IF x<2 THEN LET x=x¢2 450 if X}49 THEN LET x=x-2 Tee If S62 THEN LET y=uee 156 Tr O339 THEN Cer ysu-2 260 LET a {x,y)=2: LET mtx-x t 2,9-4 ig) ver ad i8@ NEXT J 495 LET x =INT_(RNBs10145 INT {RND$10)+5: IF @ (xu LOT a77eysed, (U7-xi 28516 Stusd, (i7-xi 244128: “OUER oO B20 iF aption=3 OR optic N PAUSE 5G0: "Go sue 6000 230 60 SUB_saze B40 DATA i6/56.64,146,15,15, ‘se Dara Bea BATA 3 B50 DATA 0/16,68/64/288,6455: ‘282 Fo @ TO S12: READ a: PI USR “ansiva: NEXT i BOS DATA “3/0.071,1,¢,0,-1 286 FOR i=a°Td 4: REARS x Cio, SO NEXT $20. LET moves=@; LET d=INT ¢ wale. $50°co sus ev2e $40 Bara 6.40,20., 35q bIM gt?) : Fo pedti): NEXT a 389 DATA 9,2,1.0.0 378 DATA @,-1,7270 Page 20. HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983, are as, 2 2 KE BG RN tobe printed has to becalculated. | Consider each character ‘This is quite easy on a Spectrum | square divided into four smaller because Uncle Clive has | squares, each smaller square conveniently ordered the graphic | numbered as in Figure 1. To find characters in the Specirum | the code of the character required, character set. all that is needed is o add up the ‘numbers in the small squares which are to be printed and add 128 (code for a space). (For example, to find the code of CODE = (Q+2+8)+ 128= 139 (check this oon figure 1). I these characters are not so conveniently ordered on your ‘computer then you will probably need to set up a string array of these 16 characters 980 DIM (4); DIM F425 FoR i = 4: READ €(i))6 (i): NEXT = S80 brn gcc) | Em Acar TQ_4) READ 9(2) sp): Bes" Ler x1: ter 2 PAPER 2, INK 7ICHRS (1esed) 987 IF option=1 THEN OVER i:. PL OT i77susd- (I17-x) #4027: PLOT 275 sued, (12s 34439: “POT 17 75y48, 0 d2=xs 44410; PLOT 176sus4, (iP-x5 = 4418: “GUER o 420 FOR j=1 TO 7. 405 TF wx eC) 2) ax tod gue (Cin2 (d}})=@ THEN GOTO 506 sestink GT 409 IF xt (41) =2 AND y+ Gen sud INK ?, 430 iF 65> 23 $x tg) Us rtadetes 28 THEN PLOT x 2,92! J2: PLOT 3.9 3: SDRAL : 420. iF w2ex tdi ghidr+ Cos THEN PLOT Pores PLOT x,y 470 LET x2axoedej3 > LET ye-y2td % ASO LET xécxded(Jd: LET yarus—d i 490 NEXT 5 Sa PLOT ¥2,ye. DRAU A75-x2-xe @: DRA 0,176-x2-x2,0: DRA — (I> Six2-x21,0: DRAW a, ~(475-xa-x2) ‘S02 INK'G S05 Ler moves =moyes+i S@6 PRINT AT 1, (S52-LEN (STRS mo ves));moves ‘S10 INPUT "i @.@.8 or NE as. S28 IF ag="" THEN co To sie ERO ZF a8t2) 70 {7 Of asta) re 7 HEN LET. x=x+x (a): LET 66 SUB 70087 Go Sus see? go To 535) gil Sse IF ag(ay="t" OR agcii= tT HEN LET 3 S4@ IF 384) ="r~ sca) p HEN LET S=a+216K SPECTRUM PROGRAM OR aga) BND option>2 T aos out (dd Gea x22 AND y=2 THEN Go TO s $820 RETURN 9832 PRINT © INK 2; 9040 PRINT ""1...Di b OPTIONS: " lau maze an @ trace route $50 PRINT * ty. throusnou 3 ughout game play maze on Bla B ie BBY Sie: tay maze an alas c-a .|S8c0"eRIRT mas HEN Det e=fsa (| tocagion eginnins oF Bias i THEN Ler c= | game." 9870 PRINT °“4...Disptay aaze on S50 rr wtaea,ya2 THEN LeT coc+ | EY at beginnings of 33 SQGQ,PRINT AT 1148/2, 224b/2;cHRs, [96 PRINT “"S...No help at att. (es225) S090 NEXT b: NEXT 3 9100 INPUT “OPTION 7 “joption Bese CuER 2: BLOF les 79: pror=a | 3408 IF’ op ton <® OR options THE 83,27) PLOT 186,707 PLOT 168077 6S To Shoo BuEr oO $296 INPUT "ARROW (yn) 27s. Book IF oR tion=2 THEN ovER a: pL [ET arrow=tas="y" ORS RET OF az77eusa, (17-x) £4447: PLOT 175 Sued, 22exs $2435: “plat a55ou.27¢ | 3680 PRINT AT 20,5; 27x e442; “PLOT i?stuea. (ie-xi+ | B {SHOU 2328: “OUER'o 9601 BEEP 1,-20 5100 RETUEN S805 Pause S00 5 20: PRINT AT S820 Goro 2a NEST § 3800 PRINT BT 16,2; FLASH 1; “CON GRATULAT ZONS” a2 S32 PREAT AT 2e,2; “You've escap 993s ror i-1 To 4: BEEP .1,50: N ‘The Cheapest Known Ram Packs In The World’ @ 16K RAMPACK £19.75 @ e 64k RAMPACK £44.75 e Fully compatible with ZX81 and all accessories. Simply plug straight into user port at rear of computer. * LOW COST — EXCEPTIONAL ELECTRONICS * FULL CASED TESTED AND GUARANTEED. * GOLD PLATED EDGE CONNECTOR COATED FOR EXTRA LONG LIFE * SECURE NO WOBBLE DESIGN ¢ SAME SLEEK CASE SIZE FOR BOTH VERSIONS PRICE INCLUDES VAT and P&P. Delivery normally 14 days. Send Cheque/P.O: Payable to:— CHEETAH Marketing Lid. 359 The Strand, London WC2 Telephone: 01-240 7030 =‘ Telex: 8954958 HOME COMPUTING WEEKLY 26 April 1983. Page 21 16K Z x 81 RAM Packs now available at larger branches of John Menzies.The Chess Player 48k Spectrum £6.95 Quicksilva, 92, Northam Road, Southampion, SO2 OPB. ‘One of many Spectrum chess programs on the market, ‘Quicksilva’s version adds a new twist to the game with an impressive piece of synthisised speech and a personality, in the’ form of the Chess Player. This evil being has decided that the Earth's fate is to be decided by ‘a game of chess between him ‘and a human challenger. ‘The game opens with the Chess Player announcing hhimsel? very clearly through the Spectrum's beeper. You are then asked whether you are using a black and white or col- ‘our television, s0 that the most suitable colours for each ean be set ‘There are six levels of play, ‘each with varying reply times ‘The Chess Player plays quite a respectable game on the lowest level, although perhaps not as strong as some other chess ‘games on the market. ‘Throughout the game the Chess Player displays his per- sonality with such tactful remarks as “That was @ pathetic move" or “Do you know what you're doing?”’, and ‘occasionally admits that “This is harder than 1 thought”, “This is a good game" or “That was a good move” Sometimes, though, his com: ments do not tie up with your actions. Quicksilva has built isel? a good reputation for high quality software and The Chess Player does not let them down. ‘The synthisised speech impressive. andthe grapk pleasant, making this a very nice game indeed. Lo. instructions 80% playability 85% graphics 809% vvalue for money 80% ek ke It’s time to put on your thinking cap If you're the reflective rather an the active type, then games of strategy are for you. But which to choose? Our reviewers jud the latest offerings Page 22, HOME COMPUTING WEEK Dictator 48K Spectrum £4.95 ‘dk'tronies, 23 Sussex Road, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth ‘One for the would-be world rulers. Run fictitious country en: tirely as you wish, but watch out for assassination attempts, army ‘coups and revolting peasants (in both senses! A text-only format allows ‘mass of information to be thrown on to the sereen and provides you with plenty of decisions to make —and to get wrong. ‘Your popularity rating with ‘each sector of the population is displayed and if it falls too low in cone year, the farms will yield you just somuch food — but i'you get to feel bogged down you can always raise an army and go beat up your neighbours! ‘Great fun in its own way and will probably teach you. thing or two about youself that you didn’t really want to know! About the ‘only sure way to win isto ill Off ‘any opposition andrun your spen- ing close to the limits. Build up hesecret police but watch out for the army if it gets toe strong! “The instructions need to be better explained, and longer. Supplying an unlabelled cassette may be cheaper, but itis a recipe for disgruntled customers, should tapes getmixedupathome. RH. instructions 50% playability 65% ‘praphis a value for money ore 48K Spectrum Quicksitva, 92 Northam Road, Southampton $02 OPB. Mined Out is a thinking game. Your aim is to cross various ‘minefields safely, gaining extra points along the way by rescuing the odd damsel in distress Should you remain intact through eight progressively more difficult minefields, the Final testis to rescue Bill the Worm from a fate worse than death! Although there is no time limit, you do get bonus points for a faster completion of each course You are told if one, two or three mines are adjacent to your present position, and it is up to you to interpret this formation land stay alive, At higher levels a ‘mobile bomb, slow but deter ‘mined is set on your track! This is @ very easy game 10 understand but surprisingly di colt to get beyond level five excellent fun to play and it really ‘does bring home the point that ina minefield you must not lose ‘centration for a moment con- Instructions are easily ‘understood and provided withthe cassette is a Keyboard overlay, ‘clearly indicating which keys trol direction After each level (win or lose) there is the option of an action replay of your moves through the minefield Highest scores are recorded together with the player's initials, Graphics are simple, colourful highly recommended game. instructions playability araphics Value for money id perfectly adequate for this PR. 85% 0% 78%Fortress of Evil 16K Colour Genie £7.95 Algray, Algray House, 33 Bradbury Street, Barnsley, S Yorks S70 6AQ. (One of several adventure games now available from Algray, Fortress of Evil follows a format that is becoming standard for this, kind of game. You wander through square rooms, shown in 3D with the odd object lying about ‘nthe floor, and carry out actions, using time-honoured phrases like “GET SWORD” and “STAB DEMON”. It’s worth experimenting with commands, because the pro- gram will accept quite a wide Vocabulary. Movement is con- trolled by the cursory keys forthe Four pole directions, and function keeysforactions likeclimbing up or down sais, SOFTWARE REVIEWS It's fairly difficult to do well at Fortress of Evil, mainly because you can suddenly be bumped off at critical stages in the game, ‘Though this might at first appear to make the game more challeng- ing, since there is no way of being reincarnated you have to reload the whole game all over again 10 find out where you went wrong. Very irritating. To make the game more annoying stil, Algray obviously decided that sparse, incompre- hensible instructions should be the order of the day. ‘As adventure games go, For- tress of Evil is really rather tedious and, at £7.95, rather over-priced to boot. The graphics are nothing special, and don’t make the most ‘of the Colour Genie’s facili ties, instructions playability ‘graphics vvalueformoney 10. 30% 73m 65% 65%, ia Rescue 48K Spectrum £5.95 CRL, 140 Whitechapel Road, London El. ‘About the worst way to design @ ‘game is to make it complex for no 00d reason, other than it looks ood at first Rescues a classic example of this. The player is expected to remember s0 much information that itrapidly becomes impossible to actually do anything. Drop the ‘gun here, get the radio ther, find the boat mow, move into’ that square — and all at once! It isnot that this sa difficult ‘game to beat. Complexity and difficulty are not necessarily link- ed. If you can stay calm long enough Rescue is simple to win, ‘The main enemy is the mass cof detail which youare expected to hhandle on the way. Rescue's design is too full of “chrome” — bits and pieces added for appear- ance — to be classed as anything closeto good. RA. instructions 50% playability 10% graphics or value formoney 40% (CDS Micro Systems, 10 Westfield Close, Tickhill, Doncaster, S ‘Yorks DNII 9LA. ‘There are many versions of the boardgame Othello or Reversi around and this is fairly standard cone. Theaim istocaptureasmany squares as. possible by placing pieces and turning over your opponent's. Youhave three options: play- ing against the computer, playing ‘another person or watching the computer play itself, and you can choose either the black or white pieces. ‘Tere's not much fun in ‘watching the computer play (ex- cepttoleam tactics), with about 20 seconds delay between moves, and there's not much point in buying the game if you are mainly going to play against another person, so the value of this game lies in the ability ofthe computer opponent. 1 found the algorithm used very difficult to beat. Isuspect that it has been adapted fom another ‘machine, at one pointittells you to press Return — but of course the Speetrum hasn't got a return key. ‘The instructions are clear but ‘could have been laid out inamore readable fashion. Play iseasy: you simply enter a two-digit grid reference and the computer will place your piece thereifitisalegal move. If you think you cannot rove, entering 00 causes the com puter to check and to suggest a moveifoneis available. instruction playability ssraphies value for money NW. Ultimate Adventure Dragon £8 Microdeal, 41 Turko Road, St ‘Austell, Cornwall This adventure takes a couple of minutes to oad from cassette and is written entirely in BASIC. The instructions, spanning several scteens, should be adequate forall new adventures. They also described how 10 save an un- completed game on cassette for resumption later on. ‘Theaimof the gameisto ven- ture out from a market place, equipped with 250 dollars and 250 “strength” points, and search for seven hidden treasures. Finding a treasure adds to your capital; you ‘must accumulate 1,000

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