LL Prehistorik 2 drops in... - J fab software Aoistrad CPC 4M we 6128, (PC 464 Plus P HEW Discove world's «1 :\ 1l\ i 1* CPC kit Special five page feature fa ulure PUBLISHING Your guarantee of value NOT an official Amstrad publication! :60 iLPi O Micro Design 2 Your first look at the brand now Desk Top Publishing sensation. It might be the answer to all your publishing problems... Disc Archiver Once you've got a 3.5inch disk drive, you'll probably want to put all the stuff front your 3inch discs on it. This is how. Technical Forum It's sort of like a really knowledgeable friend - sometimes it knows so much you just want to punch its face in. Reader Survey Who are you? What do you want? How can we help? What do you do? Why do you do it? Where's my blue pen? Assembly Line Well, slap me with a kipper if it isn't another instalment of our incredibly helpful machine code tutorial. Type-ins We continue to he astonished by your inventiveness and programming acumen. Astonish yourself by typing these in. They're simply the best Amstrad Action is proud to present the awards for the best ever software and add- ons for the CPC. All the things you REALLY need. Public Image Darkman We shook a zircon-encrusted stick at it Computer game classic? Or a dodgy but there was still too much free software. licence of cult film director Sam Raimi's {I don't understand it either. - Ed) Venture _ Forth Part two of the 'write your own adventure games' series. Mo need to type it in - we've out it on the covertape. brooding sci-fi flick? Vou decide. Power Up More rubbish than the M.mnulsf irlcl 'civic amenity site'. And the charts. Skull & Crossbones aboard the good ship lollipop. Or not. Where's Errol Flynn when you need hint? Finding Keypresses Have you ever wondered how to find all those really great keypress cheats and POKES for games? Veah. us too. Pro Print Prehistorik II Cheat Mode Do you use Protext? Would you like it enhanced at all? This could be the answer to all... hang on, we've done that. ««' &H Get back to your primitive roots - page 46. The game the CPC was made for has finally arrived. Platform fun with a small geezer in a leopard skin bathing suit. k l:z How to beat computer games without really trying. Also, how to find true love, make a Cmillion over night and create World peace . He's dark. He's a man. He's Darkman - p 48. Fun and games on the high seas - page SO. And the hits just keeps on coming. This month's Classic Collection brings you two utterly fab bits of software. There's a superb database and a terrific platformer... J:: J-O Covertape The covertape just keeps getting better and better. But, if you want to use Instant Recall and Contraption, you'll have to took on these pages to find out how. Amscene We keep our ears very much to the ground at AA, and, as a consequence, a lot of paving stones are able to keep us up to date with all the CPC news. Small Ads They're ads. They're small. They start here on page 17. Whatever you want, someone's bound to have it, So check out the Small Ads. Vou know it makes sense. Back Issues If you start collecting AA, it will become, by definition, a collectors' item. Make sure your collection is as complete as it can be by buying some Back Issues. Now. Of course, if you decide to be an AA collector, you'll make your life so much easier if you subscribe and have every issue delivered direct to your door. Reaction Although it's slightly earlier than usual, it's no less exciting and thought- provoking for all that. Co on, air your views, why don't you? Next Month According to Benjamin Disraeli, there are three kinds of lies; lies, damned lies and the Amstrad Action Next Month page. At least that's what we think he said. Instant Recall ^A. Picture the scene: your ^vM^ record collection Is getting " m bit disorganised, and you can never find William Shatner's version of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (although, on balance, this Is probably something of a Good Thing}. Anyway, things get a little too much for you and you decide that some sort of Index system Is In order. Or maybe you're a competition addict and you want to keep track of all your entries so that you know when to start getting excited about the possibility of the postman bringing you some tickets to Barbados (hello, Mrs Jones of Coventry, we're talking about you). But what should you do? How should you keep your Index. Can your CPC help you? What you need Is a database program. Have you got one? Vou jolly well have now, SEARCH l>ftTAB ftSE * records "■ ,t the records !*"• ch for T*W«> records ? iT to L L^ G cisr and no mistake. Instant Recall Is an utterly fab database program with all the usual editing and sorting facilities and you'll never lose track of anything again. Is that good news or what? Whatever your hobby, whatever your job, a database Is Just the sort of thing you'll never think you wanted until you get one. Then you'll wonder how you ever managed to live without one. Don't just sit there, read the Instructions over the page and get yourself organised. Contraption js>, Mmmm. This Is going to be - •' 0»**wete [ F*ir I STWIf W'» $(*r*<* T J&* | | ......y ■► .10 g ?<#***- • EnKf a iew plus* in caropulrr cnitrlfinmenl witbflw Trojin Pluicr. H ch»iEtagtof ikin Md accuracy lor lit Jtjes. Unleastt your imagination! !l Pfiazer Gun plugs straight Into analogue port (next to joy- stick port) Comes complete with SKEET SHOOT CARTRIDGE. SKEET SHOOT consists of 6 levels, each broken up into two normal rounds and one bonus round. See games review in Amstrad Action - Feb 93 ENFORCER CARTRIDGE, Tour job Is to gun down the bad guys as they pop up, but not civilians. PRICE £14.99 AMSTRAD GAME CARTRIDGES FOR 6128+/464+/GX4000 TITLE BOXED WITH UNBOXED NO INSTRUCTIONS INSTRUCTIONS Kiax..,.. £24.99... £14.99 Pro Tennis Tour ..£24.99 £14.99 Batman. .....£24.99 ...,.........£14.99 Operation Thunderbolt £24.99 £14.99 Barbarian II £24.99 £14.99 Navy Seals „.«♦,„.....„ £24.99.. ....£14.99 Robocopll £24.99 .£14.99 Pang • £24.99 £14,99 Switch Blade ...£24.99.. £14.99 1 1 tJ LrA] L 111 ■ *-■■ + < k + liri-dt + l IB 11 + 11 tlltllt lltlhtl IHWTtVV h 4 1 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + 1 l + tlh + IF + I l + l 1 + 1 Iflltflfl IhlM J T" - •> / \P " Special offers: LO Unboxed games (As Above) £100.00 * Amstrad Burnin" Rubber/ Loco basic Cartridge ............£19.99 Amstrad 6I28+/464+ Instruction Manuals £14.99 Amstrad 6128+/464+ Keyboard Membranes.............. ...£12.99 Amstrad MM12 Mono Stereo Monitors ....£75.00 Amstrad CM 14 Colour Stereo Monitors. „., , , £125.00 Amstrad 464+ Computer Console £65.00 Amstrad 6128+ Computer Console........................ ..,...,,£85.00 Amstrad Paddle Controllers (6128+/464+/GX4000). ................. ........£8.99 Amstrad GX4000 Power Supply Unit ,.........,.„„,.., £17.99 Amstrad GX4000 Console.......,., .....„...„., £25.00 AMSTRAD 464 AND 6128 - GENERAL Amstrad 6128 Llghtpen & Software £29.99 Amstrad MP3 Modulator/TV Tuner, for use with CTM644 monitor.. £29. 99 Amstrad 464 Light Gun & Games Cassette ........£19.99 Amstrad 6128 Light Gun & Games Disk ;.. .......£19.99 Amstrad CT1 Clock Radio , ...£9.99 Amstrad CPC464 Cassette Mechanism with tape head and motor,.. £29. 99 Amstrad 464 Head Alignment Tapes.... ..£9.95 Tape Head Demagnetlzcr ..£9.99 Prices include VAT, postage and packing Access All orders by return: Cheques/Visa/Access/POs Tel/Fax (095*) 462135 TRADING POST, Victoria Road, Shif nal, Shropshire TFll 8AF VISA Access tJ (0257) 421915 O.J* Software Fast Friendly Service (0257) 421915 Adventure Cass AwOfl (wild MupdocJ Otjft Sceptre famooi Five on Tr Wond.E9.50. Gkifi! Killer Moths Adventure Hero Quest t Eel W/Uxd Xatt Doys qI Doom „..,.,„-„,►, torwWtelf Return to Doom... Disk £11.95 £6 99 EM. 95 £15.95 EU.95 £1595 £9.99 £11.95 Arcade Cass Addgnw Family [12SlC| Captain Blood DoubJe Dragon III,,....,.,,.,. ....,, F 1 1> Combat Pilot £3.75.... Gt«|i:aiq I Jones Fate Allanlii. ... £995..., Lemming* £!2.95..., Monty FTnTtOrt ,.., , ,...,....,, rV Momel WOiomp .19 50,,., Outrun EurOpO Pop*rboy« »■» «odk«d. Shadow Do«*r * AJ*n Storm Sim City , street rtrjheBr H (rn*X*ej Super Monaco G. hix £375 fifuj me Few Disk 114.95 £1195 112.95 £795 £13.95 £13.95 £15.95 £1195 112.95 £13.95 ..£12.95 112.95 112.95 £14.95 £14.95 £1295 112.95 Disk Specials 6qcIc to ma Future II £6.99 CucoHeoi £2 99 1*99 tdd the Duck £3.75 £4.99 light Corridor ,.., £6,99 Myittcal £6.99 New York WfttriOfi £2.99 Ofl Shore Worrior £6.99 Stwtew d *. B«il £6.99 SyperOtttoad £6.99 Teenage Turtle* ... £?99 £6.99 Total Recall 13.75 £6 99 Compilations Cass Disk 7 HOT 2 HANCJti: Gotten Am. Sup, Oft M, Tot fteeoU. Shod Worrier, £12 95 £1 5 t04lT. 11095. .11 1.95 OeiertRon £1095 111 95 It T Sm.lt. Compend.unv £12 95.113 95 (Atcieet Boteei • Annliem • VJktm\ Business/Utilities Advanced Art Studo 6 1 28 £19.95 Cob'..- Dump J ICol Scr Dump; £15,95 Gmh Court* Typing Tut A 128 £20.95 OiKotooy IDiik Utility) £12 95 Maitarcok: 128 1128k] £27 95 Monertil* III |12ek| £29.95 Mini Omte II £12.95 ....£16.95 Money Manager |+PCW) £24.95 Pre»pe 1 2* 2Mrr £7 95 MP3 TV Tuner lor CTM644 Mon.lor .134 95 Joysticks COMttlllrON MO Mm CHEETAH Bug CHEETAH Mock 1 „, KONIX Speeding KONIK Nav.garor POwtRPlAYTermiiioK OUrCKSHOT Python 1. . OUlCtSHOTPylhon 1 Microiw.tch ZlPSTtCK Super Pro 46A»/6 1 28*/GXdOOO Came, P«ldk» £14 95 £13.95 111 95 110,95 £13.95 114.95 11095 £11 95 £14 95 £8 95 Education Cass Fun School I Una** 5 ,„.., F„n School I 54 - Fun School 1 .8-1 2 , Fun School War TV S £1095. F»n School HI or IV 5-7 £1095 Fun School 111 or TV 7 1 1 £1095 Pbydayi 3-8 £10.95 leti Play wim Wbrdi 44 £1 2.95 f „n w.* Wrjrdi 7- £8 50 Read Righi Away 1 54 E9.95,, Iteod Right Away 2 6-9 £9.95,, Kftod R«ght Away 3 7* . Better Spelling 9* ieh Ploy Ngmben 44-. led Play Money 44 Primary Math* 3-12 Fun Willi Number! 7- Target MaHi J 6-13 M«:itoMa*i9-l6 £2495 Better Moth* 12 16 ,. £8 95 MegoMrjthi 1J+ £34.95- eulogy I 1216 £8 95 Chemiity 1 12 16 £895 Ptiyi*" I 12-16 ,1895. French Mittreu 1 1#„„ Otrmon Matter 1 1+ Sponiih Tutor 1 1+ Mjcjo Engl-Oi BJVd £24 95. The Three aeor* 5+1:61281 Five on Tfeowe liktnd C Q SO Ciranny't Garden 6-10 (61 28} Dragon World 6- 10 [6128) Grant Kilbr AAathiAdV 9-14 Answer Back Jnr Quit 6-1 1 ,,19,95, 1895 112.95. 112.95. 124 95 £8 50 Disk £8 95 £8 95 £8-95 113.95 £1395 113.95 £1295 111 95 112 95 112 95 112 95 £12 95 £12 95 £12.95 12495 11195 £1295 124 95 112.95 124 95 11295 11295 112 95 11595 11595 11595 £24 95 £12 95 11 1 95 £1695 120 95 US9S 111 95 FACTFILE SERIES FOR AN5 BACK JNR QUIZ Arithmetic 6-11 £7 95 Spelling evil £7.95 World Geography 1 1 * £7 95 Natural Hniory 10* £7 95 htmii All printer* liiled below ore juiicible for v» with AMSTRAD CPC, ATARI ST, COMMODORE AMK5A, IBM PC & COMPATIBLES When ordering please ttole compuier CITIZEN 120O+9PinMotio £139 95 STAR LC20 9 Pin Mono EU995 STAR IC100 9 Pin Motvo/Cd £169 95 STAR LC2420 24 tin Morw £209.95 STAR LC24100 24 Pin Mono ,.,,,£219 95 STAR LC24-20O 24 Pin Meno £259 95 STAR LC24200 24 Pin Men/Col. £28995 All prices include cab\t & delivery PRINTER RIBBONS 1 2 5 OMP 2000/3000 .£375 ...C7.QO..C16.25 CITIZEN 120D £375 £7 00,116 25 forgone KXP10/1 180£375 .£7.00 .11 6 25 STAR lC,0/20. .....1375 ..C7.00.U6 25 STAR 04^10/20.13.95 £7.50 £17.50 P««SONCKXP1124..C375 17.00 £1625 STAR IC200 Mono 14 95 £950 Star IC200 Colour .£1 1 95 £22.95 Other printer ribbons pleo** phone RI660M RE-INK £1295 BUDGET CASSETTES £3,75 EACH Chuck:* Egg Chuckia Egg II Coftrinanioi Circus Diiry VoJk Folk Double Dragon II Dragons of Flame Errtlyrt Hughei Soccet F 1 5 Sttike Eogle F 1 6 Combo! Pitol Flimbo's Quett Golden Axe Gunjhip Hudson Hawk Lotus Turbo Pilfighter Rick Dangerous RodTaad Strsetfighter Trivial Pursuits Tttrrican II Sileni Service Termmolor II Turbo Tortoise WWF Wresrlflm>Qnia MANY MORI QAMIS STCXtCCC. PUASf WRIT! OR TELEPHONE fO* LATEST PRICI UST. PRKiS INCiUOC POSTAGE A PACKING IN U.K, PUA3F MAKE CH(C»gf$ « POSTAL ORDERS PAYABLE TO: O.J. SOFTWARE AND SEND TOl O.J. Software, 373 Mo»r Lia Road, W^fChtinotqm, No. Wiqan, Lanc$ WN6 9RN (most orders despatched ar retuan). Access A Visa omhrs th./fax on 0257 421915 hon-fhi 9.00 - 17.30 (answer PHCwi/f ax outside hours). Overseas orders welcome (software add £1 per item postage payment st cridu card, euSOChEOue or mnk m*fi) COVERTAPE j-Djsiui: ji^n Get your life together in a way that only AA knows how - with a lovely database! You wanted serious software (you did, didn't you?), well, we've managed to track down a fully functional, high powered, and easy to use database for you! If s the package of a film as well, Instant Recall! First off. for ail those that haven't done this sort of thing before, we'd best explain just what a database actually is. Quite simply, a database is a program that emulates a hlecard index system. You can set up a standard card (or a record, as we call it}, with a number of information titles (or fields), and store information on that sEr up tfEU i k*V9th of •■ card layout. For instance, for an address system, the normal fields would be name, address, post code, phone number, etc. Now, the beauty of having a system like this on computer instead of a pile of file cards is that on a computer database you can sort information, search through the entire information volume for the card containing particular information, update and edit info, and basically do with it what you want. The advantages are very much similar to using a word processor over a pen and paper, in that the computer angle allows much more flexibility. Anyway, how do you use it? Right... When you first load it up, after the little credit screen (that, incidentally, you can press any key to bypass), you will come up against the main menu. This runs as follows: A - Setup new database In this part of the program, you specify the various field titles, lengths, and types of the information to be stored. Before you do anything else, if s important that you complete this section first, as you can't store any Information without first specifying what information is to be stored. Setting up your fields is very important - fust ask any farmer, end they "II tell you. Memory In case you're wondering, the ability to enter field lengths serves a very vital purpose in the memory department The shorter your field lengths, you see, the more records you can store in memory at once, and the faster the whole package can run when shifting your data about. However, if you don't think you're going to have a massive amount of data to store, feel free to have absolutely huge field lengths. JU£ t se^ch tor W Should CftPXTAU^a^ ft) Set"* HLW y |B > EH1T Datable , SEARCH Database D > SOOT Record* Main menus, eh? They cone to your country, and none of them hove got Job*.,, B - Edit database This is the main data entry mode. It is under this option that you enter new cards (in our case, names and addresses), and you shouldn't have too many problems using the on-screen help system within the program. It's also useful for editing existing records, re- arranging data, tagging (marking for reference) records, and the main bulk of data entry/manipulation operations. The menu here is fairly straightforward, and we'll go through that now. Bear in mind also, that at any time, pressing ESC will take you back to the main menu. A - View current record Simply look at a record. B - Add a record Make a new record, and add it to the database. C - Amend current record Alter information on a card. D - Delete current record Remove a card from the database. E - Insert a record at current position Instead of simply adding a record, this option allows you to insert it at a specific hi the of the %rrm»m (eoch!) F - Replicate current record If you want a record to be duplicated, maybe so you can change one piece of information on the card, instead of re -typing the whole thing, this is the option to use, really. G - Go to specific record number Simply move your attention to a different record. H - Clear all tags Remove all tags placed on records from July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION COVERTURE searcmng, I - Output current record to printer Well, if s pretty straightforward if you ask Searching records is one of the functions that gives a computer database the advantage over paper. You simply enter the information to be hunted down, whether you want it printed or tagged, and off it whizzes! Sort records This option might seem a bit complex at first, but if you go into this simply, it's not too bad. You will be able to specify the field you wish to sort the records by, and whether you want the cards in ascending or descending order (in most cases, this means alphabetical or reverse alphabetical}. If you don't want to specify a second priority field, simply press return when asked for one, and the program will sort your files. If you do (if you want to sort the records by one field, and sub-sort them by another], enter the field number, and whether the sort is ascending or descending. Record No. i Maine ,e> t-1 Lemurs :S3 fton SE T OP OU«Ut OPTION Ho. °^iSV no. »r i*t How «*£** , er label i of 1*¥ Leave output , you know what they always say - "* ir in the hand Is worth 21 hi the bash" E - Load/Save/Catalog In other words, the general filing menu, through which you can load and save hies, and catalogue discs. F - Printer OptL After selecting this, simply answer the questions on your printer, and how you wish L'l ' J ■■ r- 1 * ■ ■ i'M «!■■ » j ['■H'lai""*"! width, etc). G - Modify database settings Here, you can alter any of the information you entered through option A. If And, as always, we here at AA we pat the distinct impression they may w e ll be right. you made a mistake, or want to alter held length at a later date, if. for instance, you have a little more information to enter than you previously thought, and want to lengthen held lengths, or even add a new field. - Display database i information This tells you simply what's going on with the information you've got stored. Don't forget, there's still a prize for the most unusual use of any business software. • ujj^2j_pj;jijjj if tBfTTif ■■ I'd like though it may be, the work of Sigmund Freud. I'd particularly like to discuss the subconscious. Freud believed that the subconscious mind, as a separate entity from the conscious "waking' mind, could influence the thoughts and thought processes of the individual, without their being aware of its interference. This subconscious mind, then, worked very well as a defence mechanism against knowledge or conclusions that may be mentally damaging, or overly distressing. One perfect example of this would be PE teachers, whose entire world would undoubtedly come crashing down around their ears if they finally realised that their namely that young teenage boys live, breathe and sleep for intense physical exercise and red hot showers, was completely and utterly wrong. So where does this leave us? Weil, all that slightly scary Freudian stuff is a vital plot element in what you're about to read, as mild mannered Bernard, the government research scientist, was at work in his office. Anyway, Bernard was sifting throu ' mayonnaise consumption diagrams, i correlating them with edited highlights of the last national census {if s about to happen), when a thought suddenly struck him (any minute now). With a slight facial crumple of horrible realisation {wait for it), ... i I . ^*^*^Kf«f .— r~r "«•<■ *3>z> Hu£Lo^TLLfl SaF,1JiK iTD Design It Programming BSI TtK r-rjj & 138S X SHIFT Right Junp Hold The progammer was taken into very goad care shortly after designing this level. I quite agree... Silly you! I mean, you should no better than to tread on flowers! Tea! Quick! Hurry up and net past the loading screen before the spid er s get you! Aaarajhl he stammered in slight surprise "Nobody's in the least bit interested in any of this nonsense!" (I knew it! Sigmund was right! This is gonna be a real doozyl) It was from that point on that Bernard started to go slightly downhill. You see, from the day he turned 23, Bernard had been working on mayonnaise consumption. He was now 47. Each year, he turned out a comprehensive guide on that certain eggy product, whilst receiving a blank look from the ministry of health (who commissioned the research), who filed his report neatly away, completely unread (Oh no! The double whammyi). it was this thought also that was slicing Bernards life very finely, and serving it with a certain oil based salad dressing. Now, there is a lot of rivalry in the Foodstuff Research Institute that, though relatively suppressed ever since the mushy pea murders, really comes out in instance July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION ►nture Forth is our utterly fab series on "venture writing, We started last month with tanning and mapping and this month we've loved on to deal with room descriptions, ff a I oes well, by the time we've finished well have Vpo wake lik tlie *■»». in Iff you're not : hat you're doing. designed a complete tif small) adventure game r . * or i ui lc u""jj to yot from scratch and you'll have a little bit of an SfJ* ns ' r ea 1 I i Y ° u * cl he idea how to go about creating your own> to do in n f ec * ^uickl have, «*at hapless r * in r- Oh no, we're going to be in trouble now! What we've done, you see, is written a program to go with Ihe Venture Forth series, and, well, it sort of got too big to list in the feature itself, so we sort of put it on the tape, Oh well, it's done now. r »ike all 5* bits of , *9e. V*.- -?. W *C the J if And now, live to you from the cover tape of the stars. Venture Forth! programming bits, because we think thaf s important, And if you fancy trying it out for The program, rather imaginatively, is called yourself, or even improve it a little, you can. VFPROG.BAS and it's on side one of the tape. straight after Instant Recall. So just load Instant Recall, reset the machine, press CTRL and ENTER and the adventure thing will load for you. Hurrah. If s there so that you can see a little bit more clearly how we've done the actual ' I'm realty not all that sure I know any good (or funny) apple jokes... (I'm so glad. - Ed) tike this. The quiet vying for the position of Head of Courgette Developments is always tempting researchers to take a few 'extra steps' to reduce the competition a little. And so when a fellow researcher finally goes fruit loop, rf s always best to make sure they go under completely. So the apple research team made sure. I won't go into too much detail, suffice to say that Bernard returned from the coffee machine to find his room re -decorated in one of 57 varieties - the one that begins with M' To most normal people, this would seem like a mere prank, but to Bernard, this was definitely not the case - if not for the fact that he was never really all that well humoured (his wife and children will testify to that], for the fact that the liquid we are so repetitively reminded not to save for the salad was not on Bernard's list of things he most wanted to see right now. I think we can safely assume the mix of Can you do better? If you do think of any improvements or if there's anything you want us to expfain/cover in more depth/cover at all, then drop us a tine at the usual address and we'll do our best to include it in a later bit of the feature. Oh arr yeah - there's this apple walking down this street, right... (You're fired. - Ed) hatred, anger, and despair flowing freely from Bernies mouth. Revenge. But how? Apples - I'd like to see them research without any material! It'd be like a computer magazine without a screen grabber! And so, evil Bernard set about his dastardly deeds - removing alt apples from the building. He found instructions on keys and stuff in the program, and went round collecting all the apples he could find. The Apple team had nothing to do, since Bernard had made off with their stock, and took out a subscription to AA. Bernard, of course, was taken into care shortly after his funny turn, but not before having his stomach pumped (in case you were wondering what he was doing with a building full of apples) and his fingers prised out of the office ceiling {apples contain lots and lots of natural sugar, you know). So why is it called Contraption? Well, the mind is a strange and terrible thing,.. Just pop the tape into your machine, making sure if i rewound to the start of Side 1. and then press CTRL + ENTER (or type RUrT"|. then press any key and the tape will start loading. Within a few moments you get a menu screen. Choose the program you want using the Spacebar, then hit the RETURN key. • Note that none of the programs need be loaded directly from the main menu, They can all be run from BASIC. The menu lists them, hut you must quit back to BASIC to run them. (Use the RUN" (filename)" command.) • If you have a dish drive either built into your machine or plugged in, you will first have to type Itape to switch the computer to tape loading. You get the I character by pressing SHIFT** . Then just proceed as normal, Oh my word, the tape won't wo r k ! We go to great lengths to make sure that our covertapes work property. However, rf you still have difficulty, try this: • Loading at several different volume levels {if you're using an external tape recorder) • Cleaning the tape heads. This can be done with any commercially available cleaning kit • Adjusting the cassette recorder's head alignment. The alignment screw is located just to the left of the tape head, and is usually accessible through a small hole. Turn it a fraction at a time with a jeweller's screwdriver. When the crispest sound is heard, the alignment is spot on. • Tapping the cassette gently against a table edge - the spools may be sticking or jammed. If you still can't get the tape to load then send the tape, along with a brief description of the problem and a stamped sae to: Audio rt , Ha Psst! Want a disc version? The covertape contains its own tape-disc copying program. To transfer the programs to tape simply follow the instructions on the tape. • 464 owners with external 3 -inch drives will have no problems, but 61 28 owners will need a cassette player with a REM socket. Stopping and starting the tape manually is difficult, • 6128 Plus owners who've had their machines modified to load from tape can transfer the programs to disk, but must rewind to the start of the tape agarn before the transfer starts. You can also order a disk version of the covertape from our duplicators, Afalex. Snip off the coupon on the comer of this page and send it with a cheque/PO for £2.00 to: Shropshl Please don't return tapes to the AA office. Thank CPC news that's fit to print. Probably. Oh, hello 1 was sitting at my desk the other day h minding my own business, when someone wandered by and asked me which issue we were working on. "Number 94," 1 replied. k "0h. N he said. 'So you'll be thinking about number 100 soon, then?" And he was right, we shalf. We'll be one of the few fun computer magazines ewer to reach issue 100 (if, indeed, any others have - we ought to research that) and we're going to make it as special as we can. So if you've been reading the mag for a while and you'd tike to share any memories with the rest of the readers, then drop us a line - we'd love to include vou in our celebrations _ Down Under We've just received information on the Sydney Amstrad Computer Club who, as you've probably guessed, are m Australia. They've got all the usual user group benefits and schemes, and are completely dedicated to the CPC. You can find them on 02-5609487. and 02-6617573. Aussie readers should also check out this month's Reaction pages for some details of a planned new fanzine that someone's planning to do just for you. Thanks Pete! All you Plus owners who've been weeping silent tears into your pillows can thank Peter Campbell for an incredibly useful nugget of info: Though Plus owners cannot use ROMDOS on their machines in conjunction with AMSDOS, they can use RAMOOS+ under CP/M to access high density discs. Apparently he discovered that while he was messing about one day. Thanks Peter - this should help quite a few frustrated readers out. Presto PD (again) We've mentioned this elsewhere, but if s probably worth repeating here. Presto PD, the library with the, erm, most, has just announced two new products. First up is IFFCon. This is a package that converts IFF picture files {Amiga, Macintosh, etc) to CPC format. Next, there's OOSCopy - a package that transforms MSDOS files into AMSDOS format, and vice versa, Both titles are at 25p per side, so you should be able to get both of these on one disc or a mere 50p! Oh yeah, you can also buy 3" discs from them at £1 .75 each. Find Presto at 58 Graigluyd Road, Cockett, Swansea, SA2 OXA Life, huh? If s with a tear filled eye that we must bid a fond farewell to a long-standing computer supplies company, MJC Supplies, who supported not only the CPC but the Amiga, ST, PCW, PC etc. The situation with orders is as follows: any orders for which cheques have been cashed will be filled, no matter how long that takes. If your cheque wasn't cashed, however, the odds are it never will be. Its unfortunate to see a company as good as MJC suffer, but these aren't good times for any businesses, Cheers, chaps, we'll miss you. Siren news file We've been talking to Simon Cobb of Siren Software quite a lot lately (we forgot to send his 3,5" disk drive back - oops) so we've managed to find out quite a bit about whaf s going on up there in Manchester. For a start you'll get a free RS232 Serial interface and cable (worth a couple of pence short of 70 quid) witti every Amstrad NCI 00 Notepad you buy. The standard 3.5" drive (with all the bits you'il need to get you going, including RAMDOS) has tumbled in price to £59.99. And ROMDOS XL version 4 has just been released at £29.99 on disc or £39.99 on cartridge (thaf s a single socket ROMbox cart, not a Plus-type cart). Evidently the offers ctose on 1 September 1993 and you should speak to Simon Cobb on 061 724 7572 if you want to know more. And that's shallot. Or something. • Hassle-free AA buying ...Is just a moment away. The dog ate your best shoes and, when you finally managed to get down to the shops, they'd sold out of your favourite magazine. No problem, fill in the form. I Please may I have I my very own I Amstrad Action? Dear Newsagent, could you please order me a copy of Amstrad Action, starting with the August issue, out on July 22nd. Amstrad Action is published by Future Publishing, and you can order it from your wholesaler. Thanhs. July 1993AMSTRADACTION wMYiw< P. ii Y N@W? IT'S BYE NOW... When the MULTIFACE was launched in 1966, it was an outright winner. No one has ever | ACTION! When we announced earlier that we were to pull out of the 8 bit market, the surge of interest come up with such a powerful, useful add-on. Labeled the essential CPC companion, this MULTIpurpose interFACE proved to be an Once in action, it freezes everything and it displays its own menu. Being fully meny-dnven and error- trapped, you II probably never need the full manual that comes with Ihe Multiface. Most operations are also entirely AUTOMATIC, so to SAVE a game once you stopped ft, you just name it. insert disk/tape, and press a key, Vou can (hen return and continue the program. If you get beaten later on, just reload from where you saved last and play just from there again 1 No need to go back to Ihe start all the time. Or even better, the Multiface allows vou to POKE in the MULTIFACE was such, that we had to make many more. And not just the MULTIFACE * we also have the one and only disassembler, absolute Godsend for the Amstrad CPC users. Remember the first disk drive on the CPC 464? THE INSIDER Suddenly the loading took seconds rather than minutes from tapes. Except that there was not much to bad - very little had originally been released on disks and there was no facility to transfer programs from tapes to disks. that lets you see and after what happens any time anywhere inside a RUNNING CPC program. This is a unique de- bugging/development aid. It comes on a disk and load3 inside a MULTIFACE. Press the magic button and the INSIDER will di- THE SAVIOUR sassemble, find text/code, dump the CPC RAM to printer, etc. Get it at HALF-PRICE for E7.95! Thisii every » one area where the MULTIFACE s thina - literally. The black maaic box .aved could INFINITE LIVES As this goes to press, we still have plenty of stock of both the MULTIFACE and INSIDER stop anything any time and SAVE it to disk or tape. When the 6123 came with a built-in drive, it was left again to the MULTIFACE to do all the transferring - and to perform other miracles.,. So, in case you just came from Mars, what tisted m this magazine and you II never loose. The MuLTif ace comes with a built-in TOOLKIT that lets you inspect/alter/dump the CPC RAM It also has its own 8K RAM and 8K ROM. Many top programs were written with the aid of the TOOLKIT and the extra BK RAM. And do you like the screen shots in this magazine 7 They are all produced using the MULTIFACE! However we can't go on manufacturing for ever. The MULTIFACE is terrific value, in fact more for the customer than for the manufacturer... So HURRY! does a MULTIFACE do? First, it sits at the back of your CPC, its magic button atways ready. Press it, and the MULTIFACE takes control! In any case we will only accept orders when we can supply the goods and we give a futi guarantee. Plus we still offer up to £15 OFF! mail orders! You MUST NOT u«b our produces to copy, reproduce or infringe m any way whatsoever arty copyright material without U"i* oerrtiisejon of ihe copyright owitr, We do neither condone nor authorise the u*e of our produce* for the reproduction of copyright mi ten el - to do 10 ■■ ILLEGAL! All prices are «rre*dy due ounted ersef apply to Mail Order* to 1 S 1993 only. (order a MULTIFACE 2 for CPC 464/6128 D f»f-a6 £34.95 or for CFC +D-Mfr« £34.96 RODOSDeiMe £14.95 RODOS XTRADct^ £4.96 INSIDERDgt*« £7.95 PLUS P&P per item: UK / Europe £2 Overseas £3. I enclose a cheque/PG/caeh for £ or debit my Access/Visa No. 1 I I I I I 1 I 1 I 1 I I I I I I Card Exp Name /address. ROMANTIC ROBOT, 54 Deanscrof t Ave, Lo. N S 24 hrs 1 081-200 8870 S AA ROMBO DISCOUNTS ROMBO ROMBOARD Now only £35.00 The most widely uied of all Romboardi S inciter*; Woff Switch for eoth; high 9 or low a ROM slots selectable; facility far a ZlF wclei or 1 6k RAMROrVi DISCOUNTS 20% - wirh ihe Dud-Mode Drive 10% - wirh ROM software valued of £20 or more. EPROM PROGRAMMER with ejector socket * £30 wirh ZlF UKkef ■ £35 Program* 6k and 16k. I 2 5v and 21 v eproms: full eprotn, pari eprom and Single byle programming, ROM file? editing. Suppled wiih easy lo use menu driven Software, PD gomes ROM file, uiilirwj io turn Boiic and machine 32k RAMROM- £14.95 32k of RAM in 1*0 16k block* Each behoves like a ROM. survrvirw resets, when loaded with ROM software ideal for testing ROM program j without the rwed to blow? erase eproms. ROMBO VIDEO DIGITISE!? NOW only £65.00 Copies video pictures from a video recorder, camwrj or TV with 'video Out 1 to computet memory Manipulate picture*, love to due, use in prog rami, print out. etc 3i" DUAL-MODE DRIVE Pound lor pound rtvo best value around Now include* 2 2 DISK ■ the No. 1 CPC/PC , C PC file transfer program. Also includes :- • MS800 on disc # MS800 on ROM # I blank discs * carriage Our superior drives da everything- that all other 3.5" drives do - and more besides - T CHECK OUT THESE FEATURES MODE 2 Full, unimpeded use wiiK Rodos. Romdoi, Romdoi and R wndoi XL giving up to BOOk per di*c without the need to use the SIDE SWITCH The statement elsewhere *ai 'offwr drrVej wiff Ortfy offaw vou JO ace mi 400k at a hm&' n a lie oi -on, who have resorted la adding their own side switch lo inferior drivei con confirm. Full um o! MS800, ttte no. 1 high capacity for moiter ■ 600k per disc at 400k per ude MODE 1 : works as a complete olterrwtiw* lo the FD1 & drive lfifjk pef side. Without the side switch, mode I is not possible. OVERALL Ullra quia! mechanism, the type used in most professional computers, super small; separate power supply. sleek metal case. Vou need to buy nothing else to use your at ive immod ictery MS800 is lupplied on disc and ROM whether or not you have a Romboord see me XOMBO DISCOUNTS 464 PIUS 1st drive -see this od Old 464 1st drive ■ nor notable Please slate your computer model when ordering, under 464 PLUS 1 st DRIVE - eTzo RQMONOfF SWITCH - £7.95 Connects to rhe expansion part ig turn all •Mernd ROMs OFF or ON as needed Nor suitable tor □ 464 with disc drive MS800 is ifiej number one high capacity Formatter, allowing up to 800k storage per 3 S* disc II i* me ONLY one that doesn't need io be present for its discs to be used, rhe ONLY one that is compatible with all software including CPM, the ONLY one that uses no memory whatsoever, the ONLY one thctt con us* it* discs in drive A (ABBA switch users, please note), th* ONLY on* mot works with the Plus machines It is supplied with its own copying utility and o menu program that allows many tope lo due transferred games b run ham drive 8 Check these features against any oberrwtr** and you'H see why MS900 is. simply ihe bail MSS00 d.sc or ROM 9M MS800 disc ond ROM U 95 ROM for due owners (proof needed) 5.30 BONZO SUPER MEDDLER EiceprionaHy good tape to disc transfer utility, very large on disc data base of verified irarsFert Produces s#or»c*-oiIon« iionsfers BONZO BLITZ Transfers oil varieties of SPEEDtOCK tapes onto disc, producing siortd-afone transfers Oti-dise database oF verified iran^feri Includes 4 adventure gomes - fREEl BONZO'S FLASHPACK Over 60 odd'fiofii la fkwe. some very powerful Flash Basic's commands can be used wirihin vour own Basic programs but it does not need to be present for the program* to runl MAXIDOS The most Comprehensive and effective general disc utility available (or the CPC All features work with Amidol, CPM, ftamdos and fiamdos- Irvdudes- disc /file copy, disc optimise. CAT inc. erased files, restore erased files, disc editor and much much more BONZO'S BIG BATCH Fast, flexible Database, superb pools pred.ctor screen and sprite designer SUPER MEDDLF.R 13.95 BUTZ, ..13.95 FIASHPACK 9.95 BIG BATCH 9,95 MAXIDOS 13.95 22 DISK PC/CPC/PC transfers 500 ROM SOFTWARE PROTECT £30 UTOPIA £25 PROSPEU £25 MAXAM £30 PRQMERGE £25 MAXAM1.5 £25 PD GAMES ROM (2 gam**) £3 50 6128 UPGRADE ROM 3rd DRIVE SWITCH 12.95 ABBA SWITCH .....12 95 SIDE SWITCH |kii) .3.00 SIM SWITCH Ipiufrc*) 5.95 ABBA & SIDE combined 14.95 3- AmsafJ disci 10 for 2000 3 5* due I0fcf£7.50; 30 for 20.00 3" individual disc cos* 10 for 5.95 35* locking disc bo» (holds 40) .....7.95 U\ * ! tlNHft Utl | *! I" <* ttar*$«n in) MicroDesign 2 CPC ~l\ Ur i>:t .:: ... | ^^^^__^^^^__ LfWUl HENJ... K 3ESIGH. D IWCh.. B lectang R aetHrdj H CLjWrdj C H«j?»3f H ioadWM 1 asvaMM 3 InMI 3 LoAtf EA 5 Graphics can be imported from the PCW very easily. This is part of a larger drawing. As a preview feature, the hit at the bottom says micro Design T in your chosen font. graphics and text from other programs or to create them from within MD2 itself. There's quite an impressive-looking set of graphics tools and a comprehensive typesetting function. It doesn't look as if any but the most basic of word processing facilities will be included, but text imported from outside cart be typeset in a number of character sets (fonts) with full user control over character size and spacing as well as line spacing. Graphics functions include the usual shape drawing as well as fill, paint, and zoom (which allows half-pixel editing). If your friend uses MD2 on the PCW you'll be able to import files created on their machine {.MDA files) provided they're not too big, as well as files from Stop Press. As with most DTP programs it works best with a mouse, but I tried it without and if s almost as easy to use. MD2 deals with the page as a whole, unlike many DTP systems which treat text and graphics There are plenty of tools to choose from and they're all accessible from this menu. separately. Once text is typeset de once if s been flowed onto the page) it becomes part of the page and can be edited only as graphics, not as text. So if you spot an error in the text once its on the page, you have to remove the text, edit it, and then flow it back onto the page again. One thing mat will certainly be impressive, though, is the way MD2 flows text around pictures. I'll have to wait until we get hold of the finished version and run some comparisons with the competition before I rave too much but, at the moment, it's looking as if MD2 is going to be well up there with the best of them. We've noticed something of a leap in the number of fanzines out there and there's no getting round the fact that a lot of them could do with a bit of pepping up, design-wise. There's no way of knowing, yet, whether MD2 is going to be the program to help do that, but if s certainly going to be one of the major contenders. • CO PUTER REPAIRS • AMSTRAD AUTHORISED • Quality Assured! Fixed price repairs on many machines Over 2500 square foot ensineerins complex Top quality technicians at your disposal All work warranted Fast turnaround Simply post or hand deliver your machine and we will do the rest Collection Service available Please supply evening and daytime telephone numbers Amstrad 464 Amstrad 61 28 All monitors Others £37.00 £41 .00 (extra if disk drive needs complete replacement) £ 1 5 .00 Diag nosti c c ha rge plus quote P.O.A. ( WTS Efcctromei Ltd rcKra me rtgflt to icftnc rnaenra* flwt m the* QpHOn *re beyond fMWfiabte repw f i* ctwjc app«ei Tel: 0582 491949 (4 lines) WTS Electronics Ltd, Chaul End Lane, Luton, Beds LU4 8EZ July 1993 DARTSMA Fax: 081 317 3662 (Att Adam) Phone: 081 317 1170 (10am-2pm) LEADS Flexi-Extendi - Use CPC Hardware en the 6128/464+ CPC 464 to Plus monitor lead 464/61 28+ to CPC monitor lead Joystick Splitters CPC Printer leads (lm) PLUS Printer leads (2m) RS232 1-1 25 pin (2m) JOYSTICKS The Tortoise joystick The Bug joystick 125+ joystick £15 £9 £9 £9 £8 £8 £8 £9 £14 £8 PRINTER RIBBONS DMP 2000/3000/3160 £3 5TAALC10 £3 STAJUCM-10 £3 PCW 8256/8515 £3 SEKOSHASP1900 £3 CITIZEN 120D £3 PCW 9512 (MS) £3 EPSOM LX800 £3 OKI 390/391 £3 CATALOGUES CUPART - PRINTED - PO- PRINTED PD - DtSK SUPPLIES CATALOGUE £1.50 SEND SSAE SEND A 3" DISK FREE FREE TICKETS - LIMITED OFFER ALL FORMATS COMPUTER SHOW TICKETS WITH EVERY ORDER IN JUNE PRICES ARE FULLY INCLUSIVE DARTSMA (AA93) 47 KIDD PLACE, CHARLTON, LONDON SE7 8HF Ideal to advertise your products 022S W22W 100% Confident it will work for YOU DISK DRIVES FIRST DISK DRIVES FOR THE CPC464/464* Includes 3.5" or 3* (please specify) disk drive, DDI-I interface, connecting leads & utility software. Simply plug in and go! Full instructions and 12 months guarantee. Please state CPC464 or CPC464+ when ordering. ONLY £159.99 Free MULTIFACE II (RRF £35) for copying tapes onto disk with every 3.5" first disk drive. Free CHERRY PAINT (RRP XI 5) with every 3" first disk drive. 3.5" DISK DRIVES FOR CPC464/664/6I28/61 28 + Slimline, whisper quiet Panasonic drive mechanism. Comes complete with 16 page manual & Ramdos to allow you to format and use 8Q0K per disk {without any side select switches) just like a PC, Atari ST, Amiga etc. SAVE £15.00 AMAZING LOW PRICE BEST EVER PRICE ONLY £59,99!!! ROMOOS XL - The New Standard ROMDOS XL is undoubtedly the best high capacity disk operating system that is available for your CPC464/664/6128 with a 3.5" second drive. Unlike other operating systems, ROMDOS XL will allow you to use 800 K without the need to use a side select switch or turn the disk over, even under CPM! Built in disk formatter. Built in file copying/erase. Full 19 page printed manual. Auto detects disk format. Uses no user memory. Fast and reliable. Built in Sector /Directory editor. Very simple to use. Available on ROM or in cartridge form. Cartridge version works on 464/664/61 28. NOT 6128+ compatible. ROMDOS XL only £29.99 ROMDOS XL Cartridge only £39.99 ^M^HMW^H^HBM m ^^^■■9 Also available.... PC-TRANS Trail fer files from a CPC to a PC and vice versa. Simple to use. Qjjy. £24. 99 HACKIT Excellent hackers/machine code programming cartridge. Only £24.99 RS232 SERIAL INTERFACE; Can be used to connect your CPC in another computer, modem, serial printer etc. Ideal for use with Amstrad NC100 Notepad, Full ROM software built-in. excellent manual. lulU memtdri™. Only £59.99 Please add £5.00 postage and packing to all disk drive orders. All major credit cards accepted. Immediate despatch for credit card orders. SIREN SOFTWARE, WILTON HOUSE, BURY RD, RADCLIFFE, MANCHESTER M26 9UR TEL: 061 724 7572 UTILITY Save time, space, and money with SafeSoft's first product in the CPC market. Have you got a 3.5" disc drive? If you have, the odds are you've got some software that only runs from the A drive. Or maybe you run a PD library, and arrange your disc collections by disc sides? Whatever the weather, we may have found a utility to suit your needs, in the way of the SafeSoft Disc Archives This is probably the first package of its kind ever seer >n tie CPC (or any other machine come to tri^.k of it), though it evolved from a very well known idea. For years now, you've been able to get hold of programs that create an image of a disc and save it out to tape. The philosophy behind this was that as discs cost around £3, and tapes cost 50p to £1, you could save money by storing discs that you didn't use all that often, wiping the disc, and using it for something else, retrieving the image from tape when the programs were next needed. So what we've just received is along those lines, only it can archive sides of 3" discs onto a 3.5" disc, fitting (at a minimum) four 3" disc sides onto one high density (800k) 3.5" disc. So what's the advantage? Well, there are three: • Faster storage and retrieval. Obviously, if you're archiving with tape, if II take about ten minutes, whereas using a disc is a matter of retrieving a whole side in under a minute. • Less errors. The other large advantage is that whereas using a tape means rewinding and fast forwarding around several read errors, information on disc is a lot less difficult, and a lot less easy to damage. • Cheaper medium. OK - A blank tape large enough to archive two sides of a 3" disc will set you back around £1. A blank 3.5" disc large Compression Though the claim to fame may be to store four sides on a 3" disc onto one 3.5" disc, due to the inbuilt compression system, the package actually managed to fit the test disc tnto a 140k, as opposed to 180k. This is not a uniform compression rate, the package just tries to crunch the data length where it can. All the same, ifs a pretty nifty little addition. July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION "isc Arch ,,..^12 Pacl/3, a -.. 1 .j^^f j J j0^pf .iKph#-|f » e WAS 1 capacif ial tor n ** whizz §ro9jrat#y to djriv ion, Bi T FtlX* KXI*T«FT9TBffc"l *2 «isc iintfi #i*^ ls 9 infj -*- the Ail Lots and lots of lonely onscreen Kelp to get you started without reference to a manual. enough to archive four sides of a 3* disc will cost around 50p (if you know where to look), or at most £1. This means that storage rates have doubled for the same price, or maybe even quadrupled. Anyway - enough of singing the praises of using such a package, and ifs about time we took a look at tiie software itself. When you first load the package, you're presented with a main menu, from which you can select to catalogue discs (in both A and B drives) t and compress/retrieve discs. So after a little mucking about, I found a reasonably chunky disc to compress, and got on with it. When the thing starts archiving your disc, there's not really much to say. You're asked for a filename, and it just whirrs a little, and starts archiving. You can see a track counter to let you know how far through the disc you ate, and then, lo and behold, there's a file on your 3.5" disc! That was easy enough! Of course, the true test comes when retrieving the disc. So t found a blank disc, and And lots and lots more onscreen help while you're storing your precious information. Be Careful A word of warning - in order to run this package, you will already need a high capacity disc system, such as ROMDOS, M5800, $A>0S, etc. set to work de-archiving. The first thing that happened was the program worked out it didn't like the disc - it was the wrong format (I was trying to write a DATA format image on to a SYSTEM format disc. I was asked whether I wanted to re-format the disc, to which I gave a hearty yelp, and pressed Y. The program then showed me a track counter, and recreated the disc I had archived. As a package, it works. Ifs as simple as that. It does the job it set out to do. So I you feel you've got a need for the SafeSoft Disc Archiver {and I think quite a few people will have), rush out and buy it, as it really will come in handy. • ^\.^ Contact ^) gn9 If you want to get your sweaty little mrtts on this | absolutely marvellous package, all you have to do is send £9.95 in me form of a cheque or postal order to the boys at SafeSoft. tf they do get a good response by the way r there'll be some more goodies soon - watch this space! ^T 1 j^ Safesoft, PO Box 87, Safe SOFT Patchway, Bristol B512 8BW. FEATURE Reception halls full of people gather around candlelit tables as Simon dons his tuxedo, and shuffles a pile of sillier envelopes... The Sugar awards are about to begin. Over the years AA has reviewed a lot of games, serious utilities, and hardware. You've read a lot of people giving a lot of opinions on a lot of stuff. It's time to sort it all out, So now, live from Hollywood, we bring you The Sugars, After months of painstaking work, a panel of AA staff old and new have decided on the best products ever to grace the central processors of the CPC. The ceremony is split into three categories - hardware, games, and serious software. So now over to your host, Simon Forrester: Hello and welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen. Please sit back and relax as we present... The Sugars. Let me explain the format of this most prestigious of award ceremonies; Hardware is rated on several criteria. We look at quality and the way the box (or whatever) is put together. We also rate for innovation, usefulness and price. Of course, we also test individual factors, such as speed and reliability for disc drives, speed, quality and noise for printers, wearability for joysticks, ease of use for RQMboxes, etc For Serious Software, the rating system is much like the hardware section, only more strict. The main factors tested are versatility, speed, power, ability, price, and reliability. How else to rate Games, than in the good old AA way. We mark graphics, sonic s, grab factor, and staying power. vVe'll also be looking at innovation, pricing, and overall impressions, But let's get on with it... July 1 993 AMSTRAD ACTION EATUR w K5«l Kb S Hardware Welcome to the first part of tonight's show, the section that sees the most expensive precision work, and some of the most sought-after products. Were talking about hardware. And so on with the awards, and our celebrity presenter, Michelle Pfeiffer. Unfortunately, Michelle can't be with us tonight, so Simon Forrester will be doing the honours for her. >ysticks ..e nominations for this category were the Quickshot series (for doggedly refusing to stop designing joysticks}, the Competition Pro range (for their sheer quantity of colour combinations), and the Konix Speed king [for its design). Probably the one joystick that is closer to perfection than most is the stick that is designed to fit beautifully into the hand (be it left or right), with easily accessible fire buttons, good quality microswitches, and above all, durability. And when we say durability, we mean it You guessed it, the Konix Speedking is probably the best joystick available, which is why we're proud to present it with the Sugar award for 'Joystick Excellence". Congratulations Konix. Black Boxes Black boxes are widgets that plug into the back of your machine, and allow you to freeze the action at any time so you can examine the contents of memory and do stuff to it. The nominations were as follows: Hackit (for its programming facilities), Mirage Imager (for its simplicity and uncomplicated approach), and the Multiface 2 (for its hacking capabilities). This is a very difficult decision and in the end, a joint award had to be given. First, congratulations to Romantic Robot, who receive one half for their Multiface 2, which has pushed back the boundaries of games hacking/poking for many CPC users. Its capabilities are proved time and again, as fewer and fewer protection systems manage to defend themselves against its brute hacking strength. The other half of this award must go to Siren Software, for their innovative Hackit box. The ability to freeze memory and work on it with an I advanced set of programming tools has proved to be an invaluable aid to machine coders. So it is with great honour that we award both Siren Software and Romantic Robot with the Sugar award for Sneaky Stuff'. Disc Drives The arrival of the 3.5" drive onto the CPC scene was, to say the least, refreshing. The facility of saving more than 360k on a disc saved quite a lot of people's money, as 800k for 50p seemed J far better than 360k for £3. It's possible to attach just about any drive to your CPC, but there were several companies who marketed 3" drives to CPC users. These had the advantage of being guaranteed to be compatible, and coming with the correct leads, etc. Of course, there were also those companies that provided extra boxes, allowing the 3,5" drive luly lU'M AMSTRAD ACTION f9BB9 to be used as a DDM, and allowing users to actually utilize the whole 800k (normally the CPC only accesses 180k of any disc). And so picking the best 3.5" drive supplier was difficult. But there was one company that stood out among the others for their prices, the drive's manufacture, and the bundle it came with. And so congratulations to Siren Software, who win the Sugar award for 'Hard Driving'. Printers Printer, eh? The only device with the in-built feature of being impossible to get working properly on your CPC the first time round. This is fact. When a salesman sells you a printer, they automatically set a spare one aside, so they can help you quickly when you bring it right on back. So how do we qualify a strange beast such as this? Well, if you ever do get one working, it'll be an invaluable aid. What makes a good printer? Well, there are several things to consider: • Pin quantity - Most printers are 9-pin. but the more pins, the higher resolution of your printout (in text mode). • DPI - Dots per inch means, well, exactly what it says, A printer that can fit more dots into one inch can give you a higher resolution graphics printout. • CPS - Characters per second is the standard measurement form for a printer's speed. And so we've given the award to a printer with speed efficiency, low power consumption and high resolution. The printer we finally chose can be plugged into a CPC very easily, and has a good, clear, and concise manual, containing all the information you need on dip switching, etc. Congratulations Star - we love your LC20. Have an award - the Sugar Into Print' award. ROWIboxes Here's where things get really difficult. For a full explanation of exactly how a ROMboard works, you can refer back to issue 92 {or buy it if you haven't already got it - see page 30). Now,.. To rate a ROMbox properly, we have to look at several features: • ROM insertion - How easy is it to manoeuvre those smalt, fragile, and unfeasibly delicate pins into tJie sockets. Some boards have ZIF sockets (zero insertion force), but these never really seemed to take off for the CPC. • Expansion sockets - There's nothing worse than having a ROMboard on the back of your machine, full of ROM software, only to find that you cant put anything else on the back, because of the total lack of a through port. • Sturdiness - When you add a ROMboard to your CPC, it has to be sturdy. Some fragile little piece of PCB is going to snap as soon as you move your CPC around. Free standing modules always come top in this area, as they don't place all their weight on that ball crunchingly fragile PCB edge connector of the standard CPC, • Switching - There are times (such as running many games) when you need to lose the board completely. Here, you have two choices. You can either unplug it, or switch it off. If you don't have a switch, you're destined to plug and unplug your ROMboard until the connector refuses to work at all. It's , — also nice to be able to turn off individual ROMs, as some may interfere with others. So, after that mammoth set of gripes that should have set every board manufacturer's teeth on edge, we'll cut straight to the winners. The first winner of this joint award, the Sugar 'When In ROM Trophy', is Rom bo, for their board, imaginatively titled 'Rombo'. The board, though (ailing down in the 'ease of insertion* stakes, has a lovely long lead, through expansion ports, and some easily accessible dip switches. The second half of the award must go to Siren Software for their ROMboard, called ■ROMboard', It's not got as long a lead as the Rombo board, but has the through port, easify accessible dip switches, and comes in a sturdy little box. Unlike the Rombo board (which carries ATURE 8 ROMs), the Siren board only carries six, but six is easily enough. The Siren board does have one advantage over Rombo though - when you open the box to insert ROMs, the whole circuit board comes free, so you can insert stuff very easily. Games The games awards have been arranged slightly differently to the other two categories. In this section, we do not have several separate categories - instead, we have ten Sugars to award the ten most innovative, entertaining, original and well presented games in CPC history. So without further ado, may \ welcome to the stand our presenter for the Sugar games awards, Keanu Reeves. Unfortunately, Keanu can't be with us tonight, so the awards will be presented by that other international star, Simon Forrester. The awards are presented m alphabetical order, as no preference is shown between them. Blood wych Why Bloodwych? Well, when it first arrived on the CPC, it was the first 3D role playing romp-'eirvup. Sure, there'd been many other 3D dungeon games even in the very early arcades, but Bloodwych was different. It had you controlling a ooo r party of four people, be they wizards, warriors, thieves, or clerics. Each player had separate statistics, could carry objects, use spelts, etc. using the wonderful icon system. On top of that, the dungeon was large, with various obstacles, bad guys, weapons to collect and use, rune stones, and much, much more. For the first game to have used this system on the CPC (and many other machines, under the guise of Dungeon Master), they'd got it perfect. And so for innovation, care, thoughtful ness, challenge, fun, and intrigue, Bloodwych most definitely gets one of the coveted Sugars, Builderland We've all played scrolling platform games. We've all romped around jumping over huge drops, collecting goodies, entering sub levels, etc. Bvtlderland is different. Instead of controlling a blokey that runs around, you control the landscape. Weird, huh? You see, with Buiiderland, the blokey is totally stupid. Atl he does is walk to the right. That's it. Your job is to shuffle various moveable blocks (with a Puzznic -style movement system), to bridge these gaps, and allow said bloke to reach the end of the level, As well as blocks, there are springs, lifts, ramps, clouds, pots, mines, and much, much, more. You could get the bloke to pick up various other useful things, such as magic shoes (I'll get you, my pretties!) which allow the bloke to stroll happily over mines, false floors, etc, without setting them off. Actually, they're probably just a pair of slippers, but nonetheless, they do the trick. So. for the weirdest angle on a computer game, combined with addictive and manic game pf ay, Builderland gets the Sugar easily, Chuckie Egg Chuckte Egg, eh? It's old. Very old. The format is simple - a single screen platform game, in which you must collect all the eggs (playing Hen House Harry), and avoid the geese. It only had eight levels, that cycled after you'd completed them, gradually adding more geese, huge rubber ducks, and the like. So why does it get a Sugar? Well, after Manic Mtner, it's probably the first platform game of this style to hit the CPC. It's also the best. It took some elements of Manic Miner, sped them up, and actually ended up as a game that was fun. The odds are. you'd never find it these days - the company who originally carried it, A'n'F, vanished without a trace. But if you do come across it, snatch it, as you won't get many opportunities like that one, What more can I say? Chuckie Egg, you get the Sugar. Polish it regularly. Elite The problem with most computer games is that they are incredibly restrictive when you think about it. There are many ways of solving the same problem, and with most games, you have to not only devise a strategy, but hope and pray that it's the same strategy the programmer wanted you to think of. This isn't a problem with simple platform games, etc, but with larger, more adventury style stuff, it's a major set back. As you've probably guessed by now, E life breaks the mould. As a 30 vector space game, it's one of the best, with radar, various other types of ship, planets, space stations, invading forces, etc, Each ship you will come up against has different flying techniques, speeds, handling, etc. You don't get consciously plonked in front of them one by one by the way, you'll just meet them while you're flying around, and trading. That's the other aspect of the game - trading. Each planet has a space station where you can dock, buy fuel, extra weaponry, and 'stuff. By 'stuff" I mean anything from a large array of food, material, metals, machinery, etc, that the planet produces. Each planet has different prices for 'stuff', so the point is to fly around buying things cheap, and selling them on planets that pay a slightly higher price. Alternatively, of course, you could just attack other traders, and steal their cargo (from the wreckage that you turn their ship into with a healthy dose of laser), and sell that. No overheads, you see. Failing that, you could become a bounty hunter, and blow away renegade ships, getting cash rewards for every bad guy you waste (if you waste a good guy, you just get a criminal record). On the other hand, (if you're a hyper- evolved alien-type and you actually have this many hands) you could buy a mining laser, and mine asteroids for a living. You see. that's the the beauty of Elite. At no point do you ever have to say what you're doing - you just do it, and get on with the game. As far as flexible game environments go, Ehte has to be one of the best. It's also a damned good space flight sim. Sugar? We think so. Guild Of Thieves Okay, okay, I'll put an adventure game in. Well, it would have gone in anyway, really. You see, when it comes to adventure games, get Guild Of Jhteves. It's fab in a majorly fab way. Adventure games have three mam aspects - plot, style, and interaction: Plotwise GOT is good. Your reasons for actually being there are strong - to join the Guild Of Thieves. There's none of this 'journey through the magical land' or 'do the laundry' nonsense. As for style, well,,. There are some absolutely wonderful graphic screens {with beautifully drawn pictures of locations), humorous descriptions (and a few humorous exchanges), with a written style that is perfect for the game. Everybody has sensible names, and every castle has several bedrooms, a bathroom, and several sitting rooms. That's the way a castle should be. As far as interaction goes, the parser is impeccable. It understands multiple requests (such as 'Open the bag and put the coin into it'}, and therefore hardly ever gets stuck on -> July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION FEATURE what you're asking it to do. Every ob|ect has a description, whether it can be moved or not, and every room lias a lot to look at. and do. If you Ye just getting into adventures, this is the game to take a look at, and if you're already a hardened dragon slayer, you'll appreciate it (though it doesn't have any mystical beasts). Definitely a Sugar. Prehistorik II If you want an explanation of why P2 gets a Sugar, just read the review this ish. "Nuff said. Prince Of Persia As I said earlier, we've all played platform games. So what's so special about this one? Well, you're rescuing a girl (which is nothing new), slicing a fair few bad guys (old hat), and avoiding deadly drops (yawn). If this came in for review, I'd probably blow it clean away, were it not for l£» fact that it's incredible. The bloke you play is not just your average pixel ized guy with no hands. He's human! When you just miss a platform, you can make a grab for it, and clamber up to safety! You can climb down the edges of platforms, swing dangerously from ledges, and pretty much do everything you yourself could do in that situation. This extra depth in gameplay makes what would have been just another yawn'em-up a wonderfully challenging game. You really empathise with the prince when he catches a spike right in the groin, of missed a ledge after making a desperate grab for rt - far more than if he'd have just fallen to his death with a stupid grin on his face. it's definitely Sugar material. Rick Dangerous II Rick Dangerous is basically an ordinary bloke. However, when aliens land in Hyde Park, he feels compelled to penetrate their defenses, and defeat the invading alien nation, t know I would. For someone who is fundamentally rectangular in shape, Rick sure manages to do quite a bit. He's got mines, walking mines, and a laser gun. That's it. With this, he hopes to defeat a force of deadly extra terrestrials. Oh yeah, it's a platform game. Sorry about that. Anyway. Rick can run, jump, crouch, crawl, and do loads of lovely stuff along those lines, but apart from that, it's just a very simple platform arcade adventure. What's so special about it tnen? Well, it's fun. Simple as that. There's a wide range of meanies out there, from wall mounted laser cannons, through boulders, all the way to snowball machines. Quite simply, if this game doesn't keep you intrigued for quite a while, I'd be very surprised. Super Cauldron As with Prehistonk it, just ch*ck out the review (last ish) to find out why it's included here, Tetris Yeah yeah yeah. I know there's been several 'improvements' on the original, in the form of Power Tetris, Super Tetrts, 3D Terns, Weittris, etc, but you can't beat the original. The whole point of Tetris is its simplicity of concept, and no- D - ountii frills addiction. This does lead me to ask why, for a game which was based on simplicity and non- commerciality, did a pop group see fit to climb the charts with a cover version of the theme tune? This kind of thing worries me. I'm just thankful it wasn't Kylie. Keep an eye out for the film of Tetris, staring Hulk Hogan and Macaulay Wotsitsname - it should have been written by now, failing that, go out and buy the hooded top. Sorry about that, I got carried away. Anyway, congratulations Russia, for producing Tetris. Serious Software Ladies and gentlemen, for the final part of tonight's proceedings, may we have a warm hand for Jodie Foster. Unfortunately, Miss Foster couldn't be with us tonight, and so we must hand over to AA's very own Simon Forrester. Books Ask any machine code programmer. They'll all tell you the same tiling. If you want to code, you really should get a Firmware Gutde. This is simply a book that gives full details on every single jumpblock entry, etc. Put more simply, it is a complete documentation of everything the CPC can do, and exactly how to do it. These were originally sold by Amstrad, but are no longer in print, This is unfortunate, as they're now like gold dust, so if you can possibly find someone selling a copy, expect to pay around 20 quid. Believe me, it really is worth it. And so for unfaltering service to machine code programmers everywhere, the Firmware Guide (Soft 968) wins the Sugar award for 'Huge Black Books Full Of Technical Stuff, Assemblers When you're machine code programming (with or without a firmware guide), you'd need an assembler. This is a program that converts your text program into the series of numbers that the CPC interprets and acts on. There are many different assemblers around but none really comes close to the winner of this award. The winner is t of course, Maxam, For an assembler, Maxam is, to say the least, advanced. It contains breakpoint features, a full text editor, a memory editor, a disassembler, etc, etc. What more can be said? When It comes to assemblers, Maxam is the one to own (on tape, disc, or even ROM). Arnor should be jumping around hugging each other when they find out they've won the Sugar award for Technical Programs That Most People Can't Understand', Disc Utilities You've got a 6128, a 664, or a 464 with a disc drive. You've also got a packet of discs. Some are 3.5" and some are normal 3". But maybe you want to do just a little more than saving and loading files. You might want to unerase files, format discs, verify disc formats, set files to read only, hide them from the directory, format a 3.5" disc to a high density format, etc etc. This, as you've probably realized, is -* plS For Sale AMSTRAD CPC 6128 + COtour monitor. over 30 games. 40 magazines (AA. ACU + CPC Attach). Also 30 Kit, Mini Office ll, Cruiser joystick. Quick sale. England only - E250 Ring Karl 0533 601 6B7 LoiC*. CPC 6128 Cotour monrior, Multiface II, Midi interface (EMR). £100$ of software inc. advanced Music System, advanced Art Studio. Tasword, Supertax, mouse, 2 joysticks, tape deck £250. John 0462 454780. AMSTRAD CPC 6128 with OMP 2000 printer, 2 disk drives, tape leads, light pen, mouse, joysticks, monitors, paper. magazines, 60 disks, 100's of games; also Soundbl aster Amplifier with speak- ers, MuHiface II Ring Kelr 061 392 1372. SMALL BIRO CARTOON includes birds singing^ flying and pecking. Arnstrad CPC only. Please send tape/disk and £1 30 to Martin Lester, 79 Culverden Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9QS. SOFT 968 - THE firmware manual. Yes al last all of it in original box with new inserts - complete book. Very good con- dition. A must for programmers. £25 p+p inc. Tal Tom 0626 335991. CPC 464 mono monitor, TV modulator, JYi joystick, EASl, Amsword, manuals, 6 AAs, 70+ games including ■ Cartoon Collection, Heroquest with Wiichtord, Expansion, Operation Thunderbolt and more. £150. Phone 0695 440379 (London). AMSTRAD CPC 464, green screen moni- tor, numerous AA cover-tapes, includes manual, joystick, many games, with clas- sics like Sim City and Dizzy, etc, Only ESS. Tel 0372 374243 (Lealhertiead). CPC 464 colour monitor, joystick;, dust covers, handbook, 10 manuals, 16 maga- zines, around £500 of software. Cost £900 will sell lor £230* Phone Andrew 0592 757044 after 6pm (Fife), AMSTHAD CPC 464 for sale. 90+ games. good condition, manual provided. All offers considered. Phone Tom 0379 651530. CPC 6128 with colour monitor, joystick and many games (tape & disk). Also tape player and user manual for £300 ono. Edward Fftzpatrick, Trench Bridge Farm, Ellesmere. Shropshire SY12 90S. AMSTRAD 464 with monitor. TV modula- tor, joystick, games. Mini Office II, user manual, excellent condition, £180 ono. Upgrading reason lor sale. Tel Steve on 061 494 5064 after 6pm. AMSTRAD CPC 464 wilh colour monitor, speech synthesis, stereo speakers, graphics, lightpen, 50 plus games, joy- stick user manual and loads of magazines, £225 ono. Phone Gary 061 527 0552, AMSTRAD CTM 644 colour monitor, GWO for 464/6128 or with cable adaptor (Amiga, ST/E, Coupe, Specinjm 128 models] includes Television tuner £90 including postage. Martin, 32 Grass Royal, Yeovil BA21 4JW. AMSTRAD CPC 464 computer with Multiface and colour monitor. Also lots of games plus Arnstrad Action issues 79-87; £110 for the lot Tel 0624 642343 and ask for Anthony. AMSTRAD CPC 464+ with colour monitor approx 50+ games. AA mags, 24 copies 91-92. £1 Bo ono. Also MP2 modulator £15. Sell separate or both £190. Tel 0787 375495 after 6pm. TAPE GAMES over 60 games including Rainbow Islander, Rooocop. Arkanotd I & II etc, plus Compilations Also AA cover tapes. Accept £70 ono. Gordon MacFarlane. 12 Hillvicw Terrace. Ardrishalg, Argyll PA30 8EL. 40 GAMES for sale, all £3 each, Games include Castle Master, Lemmings. Sim City, WWF and many more. For list ring Keith on 0602 262990 after 4pm. AMSTRAD 6128 with colour monitor, 70 disk games including Lemmings, Super Off Road, lots of compilations, Mini Office 2, Colossus 4 Chess, educational packs and manual £260 ono Phone 0994 448315 for John. 464 DISK DRIVE. MuFtitace 2. AA62-85. AC Us, over 150 tape games: Chart Attack, Heroquest, Dizzy games, Ace, F16, Wee Le Mans, Send SAE for list, Everything £220 or 111 split it Tel 0773 863242 (6 9pm). CPC 6128 colour monitor. DMP 2000 printer, joystick, lightpen, games, manu- als, magazines, serious; Mini Office 2, Devpac. Forth £125, Phone 081 459 8463 anytime. CPC 464 colour monitor, disk drive, some games, joystick, all manuals, hardly used, all excellent condition, boxed last couple of years, very reluctant sale, real bargain at £200 Tel 024976 346. AMSTRAD 6128 with cruiser power play. joystick, tape player. 36 tape-games including WWF. Streetfighter. 41 disk- games including Golden Axe Robocop. £190 ono. Phone Ross 0271 883834 N. Devon. AMSTRAD 6128 colour and mono moni- tor. TV tuner. 5 25 extra dnve. Multiface 2, 100's of games, serious software, maga- zines £165. Tel 0506 495397 (near Norwkh), ATLAST PLUS DATABASE and Cashmaster Accounts for CPC 61 28. £10 each, £15 lor boih, post paid UK, Tel 0582 663782 ask for John Senior. CPC 464 for sale. Lots of games titles, include 30 Boxing . 3D construction kit. Paperboy, joystick. All in working order £200 Tel Armitage 0*43 490236. GAMES lor sale for the 464, They include Stunt Car Racer, Hard Dnven Out Run etc. For a full list send SAE to Kevin Williams, 120 Brickhill Road, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 3JP CPC464 Computer with DDI1 disk drive and interface, Loads of software, books and magazines. £279 Printer also avail- able. Phone 051 652 5676 WirraL CPC6128 Green, DMP4000 primer. 5 joy- sticks, Genius Mouse, Mulliface, tape recorder, business disks, over 190 games. CPC Attack + AA magazines .Cost over £1.000 complete system, accept £750. Phone Cart 0244 544498. NO offers. AMSTRAD CPC 6128 computer with instruction manual. 2 joysticks. 39 games on disk and 25 game on tape, complete with TV Modulator and Cassette lead- Excellent condition £100. 081 397 2305 (Chessington}. AMSTRAD CPC464, keyboard, green screen, modulator, disk drive, printer, paper, joystick, manuals, 100+ games and utilities on disk, AA tapes 2-25 includ- ing Tasword. Powerpage £260 ono. Exeter 0392 676356, CPC6128 GREEK MONITOR, plus colour, needs attention. Tape deck most AAs and tapes, over £300 games tapes and disks plus blank disks, leads £200 ovno Tel 0266 556646 64K MEMORY EXPANSION and 64 K Silicon disk with manuals £35. Multiface 2 with manual £20. Arnstrad Action no's 64 lo 86 in binders £20. Phone Bri on 0425 477229 (Hampshire) G128 WITH COLOUR MONITOR, Cassette player, Hackit joystick, tots of software both games and serious. £250 ono Tel 0636 610704. AMSTRAD CPC4S4 cassette games from £2, Total Recall, Star Wars, Super Off Road 1943, Afterburner, Paperboy, Batman toads more to choose from. Tel Luton 0582 581259, ORDER FORM SEND TO AA SHAIL AD& AD PRODUCTION, FUTURE PUBLISHING LTD. BEALTORO COUFT, 30 MONMOUTH STREET, BATR AVON BAl 2BW Please place the following advertisement in the next available issue of Arnstrad Action Name i i i i i i READER ADS! If s true - from now on you can advertise in Arnstrad Action for NOTHING! It's all part of our continuing efforts to provide you with the best value magazine possible. 1 Classification. Tick box: — 1 For Sale sJ Wanted U Services _] User Groups _J Other 1 Write your advertisement here, one word per box. Include your name and phone number if you want them printed. I I I I I I I I I I I I ! I I I I I I where Maxidos comes in. You get a command line, with the various functions executed by way of a simple command- This, granted, is a little more difficult to use than a structure of menus, but as far as error trapping (how idiot proof the package is), Maxidos is second to none. As a further incentive, the package includes a sector editor (for close and delicate disc operations) and an optimizer. An optimizer is a fab little program that takes fifes and simply re- arranges them. You see, after a while, because discs have so many files erased, saved, etc, the fife is not one solid chunk of data, but several parts on various points of the disc. This slows down disc accessing, as the read head of the drive has to jump all over the place to actually read the disc. An optimizer, then, rearranges the disc so that all the files are sitting in large blocks, speeding the whole thing up immensely. So, instead of going out and buying several disc utilities to take care of your disc operations, why not just Max/dos? We've given it the Sugar award for Tar Too Useful Disc Utilities', Mini Office 2 Before we Start here, I think we should mention that this award is actually entitled the Sugar Award for Mmi Office 2. Why? Well, it's not a category, you see. The logic behind this is as follows - here is a package that combines a spreadsheet, a database, a word processor, and a communications package, as well as a numerical graphics (pie charts, bar charts, etc). So why shouldn't we give such an outstanding package a reward all of its very own? Put quite simply, if you're a part time serious user, M02 is something you really should consider shelling out for - it contains pretty much everything you're really likely to need for most applications. Congratulation s , Data ba se/E u ropre s s , Art Packages If you think about it, one of the most difficult things to get a computer to do is artwork. Whereas with a pencil you can create any shape you want, a piece of computer artwork has to be built up of dots and fines. This is where a good art package really comes in handy at times. You see. most shapes are only possible in an art package because the program has facilities for that shape. Imagine trying to draw a large circle without a circle Option. How the heck would you do it? Sure, it's possible in BASIC, but that's no use to you when you're in an art package! I guess what I'm trying to say is that for an art package to really leave a mark, it has to be really comprehensive. That's why I opted for OCPArt Studio. OCP has probably the largest range of drawing tools ever to grace the CPC, along with ink protection facilities, cut and paste, transparent. OR, AND, XOR t and opaque modes, palette switching, and pretty much everything else you'll ever need to produce some of the finest screens your CPC has ever seen. Of course, youll always need a bit of artistic skill, but with a package tike this, that should be the least of your worries. DTP Packages Unlike an art package, a desktop publishing package has to have good text handling facilities and an ability to work on A4 paper. This is because when you are producing a fanzine, newsletter, or information sheet, you'll want to be able to produce large amounts of text on a WP package, and import it onto the page. The alternative is typing everything with a dodgy text function on an art package - no fun. The answer, then, is to use a DTP package instead of an art package. But which one? Well, there have been two mam contenders in the field - PowerPage, and Stop Press. Stop Press was the work of Advanced Memory Systems, creators of the AMX Mouse, and its accompanying art packages. The package itself is rather strange. You see, though it has a mouse bundled with it. you do have the problem of needing ttie Stop Press disc for the CPC to access every time you select a menu option. This, as you can imagine, is a bit of a heavy downer. You see. you can only store two pages per side of a 3" disc. You won't find many packages that get a better storage size than this, but it does mean that you cannot store pages on your Stop Press disc itself, meaning huge amounts of disc swapping. And so in steps PowerPage. Its claim to fame is that it does everything Stop Press does, but with two main differences. First, the whole package sits in memory at once {no disc swapping at all) and secondly, it's free! That's right, PowerPage is totally PD! And so the Sugar 'Cheap, Cheerful, and Surprisingly Powerful' award goes to Richard Fairhurst of Robot PD. Word Processors For a word processor to be in the least bit useful, it has to be fast, flexible, comprehensive, and easy to use. I think we can safely say, then, that Pretext has got the lot. Unlike other WP packages, Protexf works from a command line. This means that instead of selecting what you wish to do from a series of menus, you simply type a command (a bit like BASIC, really). Of course, it works as a normal WP when typing, with a normal editing mode, but with the command line format, it means you can process documents much easier. For instance, when printing, instead of going through several menus, you simply hit 'P'. To set up printer controls, there's an entirely separate command. As a text editor, Protext is good as well. It supports user-definable control codes (for printers), hard spacing, justifications, word wraps, different rulers, international characters, block operations (copy, move, delete, load, save), and just about anything else you need. So Arnor get the Sugar award for 'How Many Things Can We Pack Into A Word Processor? 1 DOS Systems Over the last few issues, there has been dispute over just which is the best high capacity package around. It's been a close run battle between SDOS and Siren Software's upgrade to the original ROMOOS t now called ROMDOS XL Due to bugs in the released version of ROMDOS XL though, SDOS did scoop a fair amount of sales. However, ROMDOS XL has just been re- released, totally bug free, and just scoops the prize as the definitive DOS package, with built in copiers, directory editors and stuff, which just about bring it far enough forward to take the Sugar award for 'DOSsing Around'. Soundtrackers If you want to know about why Soundtrak ker wins the 'Just A Quick Note' award, check out AA92. Magazines Oh, we couldn't possibly... Yes we could... I'd just like to thank the whole team, all the readers... 4 July 1 <1<) < AMSTRAD ACTION TTTT1 v I i i FROM SILICA SYSTEMS THE UK's No1 AMIGA SPECIALISTS SOFTWARE PACK - FROM SILICA ZOOL is the software pack of the year It includes: Zool, Transwrite. Pinball Dreams and Striker - Value £127.92. All Amigas from Silica (excluding A600 Standalone and Amiga 4000) include a FREE ZOOL pack as well as GFA Basic and Photon Paint II. MZ^'Jktk Z00L ■ £2S " . dKJlftV^r ti/flft aH Plaflernt Tae «l r* rttt • 9F% Ampl Cornp . Hen T& TRANSWRITE £49.95 Worfl PfMWW and Sp*i O*0W * \ J k*«M PINBALL DREAMS £25.99 ^vOiSH STRIKER £25.99 , d'rSf" !j^\3"3C\ ZOOL PACK: £1 27 92 ViJastto^vp^^-fcrfH gfa basic vas.... eso.oo T?^PWK PHOTON PAINT IL,.... £89.95 •tSK^" TOTAL MLUE; £267.87 *-^x rat- /"W^s* AMIGA 500»» CARTOON CLASSICS AMIGA 600 STANDALONE 2** I '€*» HtnjRH to VLIC1 WaMUNTV PACK INCLUDES: • life AMIGA HO*UM C2WH • 8U1LT -Hi 1<* DRIVE • AUO TV UOOULATOA • THE SIMPSONS C«» • CAPTAIN PUUCT t»H • LEWMNQS CM 90 • DELUXE PAIHT III tTBW fflff FHQU5aJU.* n r«, L .a CM? 8? TOTAL fttC* Mil* CT3*K IESSPAOTSAWMG CSJSftJ SUCAFHCE: EIM.DO 1 V: RAM 2 V: pin £199 SHP £8£S KWT 4K US. HUM SUB Vf Hum b e*w M Amcjt (08 Ml KH J %* t <00 tMflg. «t f» f t i t u M 5W PACK INCLUDES •Mi* AUeQA *0v f1«W • BUILT IN |» DRIVE • BUHT-IN TV MODULATOR ■UM mtt FROM SlUCA ■ PHOTON PAINT M [«M TOTAL PACK Mil*- CMtt LESS PACK SAWfG CM ft* silica phce cma 1 Mb RAM OMb 4r^ £199 «C VAT ■ AMC OMfl PHevwusLif £S££ «evi- JMCJua-HMiaHj. AMIGA 600 LEMMINGS PACK I YIAR ( m/AT HOW WARftAMn . COMFMMJRATIOH5 PACK INCLUMS • 1- AMIGA 400. ClH» • BULT'ttt tm DfDVE • BLM.T tH TV MODULATOR • delum paimt im mm • LEMMINGS GSM «rff FWii SKJC* i5*i T^ u* DB7 BT TOTAL PAC* MtLff tS7i»4 IFSSPAC* SAVrNG rVUM SJUCA PWCE [MM 1 Mb RAM 2 Mb RAM MEWUSLT SS9C WC VAt AUC! PHEVHUSLV S8£ff •cmt wean- Kinesis AMIGA 600 WILD, WEIRD & WICKED 0*1 i TEAT HOW WARRANTY a**OUH»tK>c5 PACK INCLUDES: • In. AMIGA 800. • birt-h i» bm i tv ugnuTcn • DELUXE PAJMT »l • ucroprose gaamo pax • silly putty • Push over -..«_— RKF FROM SAJCA Off T«j LM TOTAL PACK RUM . 4.ESS PACK S* VIHG owl craw E»7ff was SJUCA PRICE: tt» H HMb Iram £229 M; v*T *MCa*4» ^Mb C.RAM £259 AMIGA 600kd EPIC + HARD DRIVE -^e pi- AMIGA 1200 COMIC RELIEF 'ACK INCLUDES: l'«JlA>«t «at« n oiw i iv urjoijuro* l?l»"APO0CH .„___ IPC ASW*MKn« »IOiE SOf PUUHCMMNItK HWlh 5T»TWSPfi£A00'[W IIWAKI.RJRSU(I PCPAWOlC | i v. pj CWflOO tigw C20JM t2*TBT TOTAL MCX VALUF. 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SHOWROOMS: We have demonstration and immna facitiiies at all our stores THE FULL STOCK RANGE: All: ol your Amiga requirements are available from one supplier, FREE CATALOGUES: Will b* maiJeci to you. with specal reduced pnoe Amifja oHers F as welt as details on alt Amiga software and peripherals PA YMENT: We accept mosl major credit cards, cash, cheque or monthly terms 'APftft&s >wtB4-B4B4-feHl-il-l4ri4k4h*l-4+B + B«-l»B*ei4l + B + B + k l M l *+Bnfe+B+k++i-i-d4-*1-^ 101 ( Worn T I W hicfi compuierfs). it any, do you own?... 104E E*OE - Aa n n an i p>x*i am ■cntfcaAoM may Oang* - ftmi reton lf>» coupo« tor *>• wm ntornveson 20 TECHNICAL FORUM Richard Fairhurst is our mate, He writes the Techie Forum. He had some lovely trousers But he tripped and fell and tore 'em. (You're fired. - Ed) Type-in troubles Many complaints received about programs running incorrectly: true that some progs simply do not run true, (No it isn't. -Richard) Nothing worse than clattering away at keyboard even with Typerighter only to learn prog is flawed. Often find progs with READ AJ: POKE a ( V«L("« l> +a*> or x=IIAU"t"+M) or IF IRUTfckM) or simitar never work. Yet progs supplied on tape/disk containing routines often run perfectly. Are these 464 specific? Norm Roberts Australia Do you have something against verbs m sentences? Anyway,., no, you'll almost never find 464-specific programs these days. The fines you mentioned perform the function of reading in hex bytes (usually for machine code purposes} from DATA statements. If the program doesn't work, you've made a mistake in the DATA statements m the Type-to; search through checking that you haven't mixed up the fetter t tor the number 1 , the fetter for the number Q t etc. (Hex bytes are made up of the numbers 0to9 and tetters AtoF ontyj The Magnificent Seven 1. 1 have recently bought an Amstrad 464 Plus. In Advanced Art Studio (tape version), I can draw the picture but can't get it to save onto my tape. I have tried to click Save; my tape starts and after a while stops. Then, when I switch off the computer and try to load, nothing. Do you know what's wrong? 2. 1 read in M how to upgrade 64k to 128k. What parts are needed? I got the 64k RAM pack with Art Sfudio - would the parts be inside that? 3. Although AA is the best, are there any other mags for the Amstrad? 4. What is a toolkit, and what is it for? 5. Would any other games for other computers work on the Amstrad? 6. 1 have seen some games that say IBM PC compatible, is the Amstrad one of these? 7. On getting the 64k RAM pack, it said to type EMULATE and it would act like a 6128. However, when I did, all I got was Syntax error. Did I do something wrong? Peter Doyle Ireland J . Make sure you press Record and Piay on the tape recorder, with a blank tape tn it, before you do any clicking...! 2. You have 128k now: 64k in the Plus, and 64k m the RAM pack. There*d be no point in putting any extra chips m the Pius, because the extra memory is already supplied by the RAM pack. 3. There aren't any other news stand magazines. However, read Tim Blackbond's Public image column, which regularly reviews fanzines (enthusiasts' magazines) for the CPC and Plus. Tim himself runs one of the best, Artificial Intelligence, which ts thoroughly recommended. 4. Taking apart your CPC? A toolkit program usually gives you utilities to develop programs with, or such like. If you don't know what it means, you don't need it 5. No. Readers everywhere, take note. 6. No. Amstrad do make a range of PC- compatible machines, but the CPC and Plus aren't PC compatible at ail. 7. First of all, toad the software supplied on tape with your RAM pack. Then type IEMULATE (the I at the begtnmng is important}. This should work! Connectivity I have just been given a Sinclair Prism VTX5000 modem. Can you please tell me if this is compatible for use with my CPC. Also is it possible to use a printer (Brother HR-10] which has a serial connection on it? I look forward to hearing from you, KM Dalton Essex The modern is unique to the Sinclair Spectrum, Cm afraid. Spectrum owners are a bit starved for modems, and can reatiy only use this one - CPC owners, with the right interface, can use almost any (other!) modem available. You can use the printer, but you'll need a July 1993 serial interface first (try Siren Software or Avatar}. Be warned that, if your printer isn't Epson-compatible (look in the manual), few, if any, graphics programs will print out on it. Word- processors should he okay, too* The serial interface can be used to connect most modems to your CPC, should you want to buy one...! Driven mad I have an Amstrad CPC 464 and have just purchased the Siren Software A-drive package, which I am very happy with. Until the purchase of the disk drive, I was unable to use my dkTronics 256k Silicon Disc which I had bought for the memory expansion capabilities and modified using the article in AA46. Now t can use both drives, but I am unhappy with tfie measly 1 78k on my A-drive. I noticed recently that you put Serge Quern e"s Magic DOS on the eovertape, but unfortunately it only formats to the B-drive. I wondered if I bought an ABBA and a side switch from Avatar, would I then be able to Change my externa) 3.5" A-drive for the internal RAM B-drive, and thus be able to format my disks to 800k per disk: then, once I'd reversed the disks again , would I be able to access the new format from my Arrive or would I be better off just buying S-DOS which I understand would enable me to access 800k from my A-drive? Also, I am paiticularfy fond of The Bard's Tale and my delight upon being able to load it quickly from disk (using the Multiface) rather than wait hours for it to load from tape soon diminished when upon transfer of the main game as a test, the computer (after loading the first file okay) then proceeded to access the tape mechanism and totally ignore the disk drive, t nave a little knowledge of machine code, and upon examining the BOOT file using a disassembler, I discovered firmware CALLs to the tape and not the disk drive, which I assumed might be taken care of during the transfer. I would be very grateful if you could also help me out on this point as it is driving me insane. Nigel Shipp King's Lynn Your disk drive Question first. Unfortunately, Magic DOS disks only work in the Strive - even if your A-drive is a 3.5" one. &D0$ is probably a better bet, as it lets you use its disks in either drive. Remember you'll need a ROM-board, though. STS Software has moved recently, to 58 Graiglwyd Road, Cockett, Swansea SA2 OXA, To be fair, Avatar's MS800 lets you use its disks in the A-drive, too. Its cheaper if you don't already have a ROMboard, but S00S is a lot less hassle and easier to use. The Bard's Tale tape loader? Aaaargh, don't remind me... / used to be an avid player of this game until a program hug made my saved game file (with a party that I'd spent weeks building up) inaccessible. Your normally placid technical \ writer suddenly became an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. As far as your transfer problem is concerned, the point about the Multiface is that it saves an exact copy of what's in memory to disk. So, if it says in memory that you're using the cassette system (most probably because the disk system hasn't been initialised), this is what the Multiface will record in your disk copy. What can you do? Well, if you know something about machine code, all the better. Have a look at the CALLs in the loader (and, once that problem's solved, the main game) to access the tape. I have a feeling that &BCAI may be used to read data direetfy from tape, and &BC9E to write ft pf so, you're in trouble, because this system is completely incompatible with AMSDOS (which doesn't even bother to emulate it, as it does the other firmware callsl In this case, you'll have to completely rewrite the tape routines to load and save using your own system. Disc routines aren't usually too tricky to write, though since you'll almost certainly just be saving one biock of memory in each file, you needn't worry about finding space for the 2k input/output buffer, either. Otherwise, it should be a matter of initialising AMSDOS using the call at &BCCE (if you want to initialise $W$ or similar, too, use &BCCB), and then jumping into the Bard's Tale, which you should ensure does not reset tfte firmware to a normal (tapebased) state. (You'll need to initialise AMSDOS whatever you do,) This is certainly a feasible project - if you decide to attempt it, good luck, and let me know how you get on.,. I Video star L How do you make an overscan routine in a) BASIC and b} machine code without getting scrambled and twisted lines? Can this be done without a great deal of programming? 2. How do you execute a palette switch half way down (or somewhere on} the display? I know you have to use something kicked by KlJffiH JflSUICXEB, but how do you do it? r\ & TECHNICAL FORUM 3. I imagine it would be quite complicated, but how on earth do you display all 27 colours on screen at once (especially in MODEs 1 and 2)? 4. Where are the inks stored in memory, and what is the machine code equivalent of the INK command? John Marsters Halesowen Two letters from the same place in one issue; is Halesowen to the CPC what Manchester was to crappy music? 1. The Amstrad's firmware is designed around a 40 by 25 (in MODE 1 ) screen. Change it and it gets very confused - it wasn't made to cope with different dimensions. This means that you'll have to write your own screen access routines, which isn't much use for BASIC, but in machine code you'll probably be using specially written sprite routines an/way which you can adapt to the new screen layout. ^k^^J \ 2. Dead easy. Here's a machine code routine to change the border colour half-way down the screen using that technique: org 48000 p Id a,0: Id (count),* Id hi, block: Id de,routn Id bc,48100 call 4BD19: call &ECE0 ret .routn Id account): inc a Id (count), a cp 3: jr z, liltl cp 6: jr i, haltB ret .halt3 Id bc,4?F18: Id 1,64*18 Out (c),c: out (c),a ret •haltQ Id bc,47FlQ: Id a, 64+11 out (c),o: out C c > .. *l Id a,0: Id (count) ,a ret .block d$ 3 .count db Okay, so what does it all do? Well, the first few lines simply set up the interrupt: BE contains the Printing problem Not long ago I purchased a Star LC-200 colour printer. I've been using GPaint, but it will not print out in colour; just in black, or one single colour. 1 have tried other packages [Melbourne Draw, Image System) but they do the same. Can you solve my problem? And could you recommend some good clip art discs? Stuart Clenton Halesowen Colour printers aren't a very widespread addon amongst CPC users, and have only emerged in great volume recently. This means that very few programs support them. However, pick up a copy of Colourdump 3 and your problems will be solved: this program is designed for Star printers like yours, and outputs screens (slowly) m glorious techmcotour. The program's makers, MJC Supplies, are unfortunately no longer with us - however, see if you can pick up a second- hand copy somewhere* Most PD libraries can supply you with a good selection of clip art at cheap prices. You don't get to see exactly what you're buying before you order it, but its so cheap it hardly matters. Alternatively, Goldmark Systems have the Graphics Galore range o/ clip art, where you do get a nice printed catalogue of every item, but its many more times more expensive. July 1 993 AMSTRAD ACTION TECHNICAL FORUM Splat! < I am making a fanzine called 'Splat!' and two programs cafled ABC and School Daze. ABC is an educational program and School Daze is an adventure game. Please answer the following questions: I. When creating loading screens on tape, messages like loading block < number:* 1 come up. Is there any way to stop this? Otherwise it means all my programs will have to be disk-only . 2. 1 have heard that some commands are 6128 only. Which ones are they? 3. Do you need copyright to use screenshots from disk? Andrew Hughes Sheffield address oi the routine to call every 300th of a second, HL the address of a 9-byte work space for the firmware, C the ROM number (since your routine isn't underneath a ROM, will do), and B the event class (181 for a regular RAM-based event like this). ^&£$ A count is held of how many ticks down the screen we are. This can be from 0to5, depending on where trie electron beam that draws the screen is. (This is initialised to zero at the start, when the beam should be at the top of the screen. To make sure that the beam is at the top, we do a CALL *BM9 just before setting up the fast ticker event) The routine adds one to this count every time it's called. It it reaches 3 (half-way down}, then it sets the border colour to red. If it reaches 6, this is over the limit and it should be reset to zero again, because the beam is at the top of the screen - so we do that, and change the border colour to white. The result is a border which is white at the top and red at the bottom of the screen. One of the best games I ever played was called Skool Daze,., it never came out on the CPC, unfortunately. To your questions: 1 . Prefix the filename with an exclamation mark when you try to load it. So, instead of typing RIM "PROGRAM you would use the line RtlH *!PR0GRAH, 2. FILL, GRAPHICS PEN/PAPER, FRAME, CLEAR INPUT. COPYCHR$, DECS, DERR, CURSOR, MASK, and ON BREAK CONT. Most of them can be emulated by the 464 (see past AAsJ. 3. If you're going to use a screenshot from a commercial game or utility, strictly speaking, yes. However, if you're using it as part of a review of that program or tutorial on how to use it, you'll be okay. How does the ink changing work? It would be nice if we could use the firmware routines to change ink. However, these are set up so that inks are changed only when the beam ts at the top of the scree/?, and as we want to change it in different places each fame, this would be a oft useless- Instead, we access the hardware directly. This is done by sending the ink number to change -015, or 16 for border - to the port MFkx las in Id bc,*7F10: out (c),cj, and then sending the colour number, plus 64, to change it to. Warning: the colour numbers for direct hardware access are not the same as the 0-26 values we ail know and iove. You can find a list of what they are in SOFT 968, the Firmware Guide. 3. Using the technique above, change colours at certain interrupt points down the screen, A/ternafjve/y, you can use the demo-coder's technique of synchronising your program's execution to where the electron beam is on the screen, and changing the colours at the start of every pixel line, tf you want more info on this, write to us and let us know. 4. Inks are stored in different places in memory with the different models of the CPC. However, there are some firmware routines to set them, in addition to the method outlined above. With B and C holding the two inks to be flashed between (make them the same if you don't want flashing,), CALL IBC38 to set the border, or CALL IBC32 to set the ink number contained in (9. To find out ink values, use CALL &BC3B for the border, and CALL 4BC3S for the ink number contained in A. Membrane damage I have a 664 with a malfunctioning keyboard. On inspection, the keyboard membrane was found damaged. Temporary repairs using conductive paint were only partially successful - some keys still don't work. Have you any suggestions for suppliers of these membranes? Do you know if they are available for the 664? If not, would a 464 keyboard work with some work on the er s< casing? I'm an electrical/electronic engineer so there is no problem working on this gear. H Wheeler Sheffield fc< Two from Halesowen and two from Sheffield tn the same issue* All the spare parts available for the CPC are sold by CPC Ltd. of Preston, Lanes, if you're an electronic engineer you may know of them already - try to get their trade price catalogue, because it's a lot cheaper! There shouldn't be too much of a problem using a 464 keyboard with a 664 CPU: to check, take the ribbon cable lead from the 464 keyboard, and replace the 664 keyboard cable which plugs into the main circuit board with it tf you can type things in as usual and it works properly, you're okay. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother. Food for thought I am designing an automated cooking system Fighting corruption 1 am very new to computing and purchased a second-hand 6128 some four months ago. With it came some spare disks including two system disks. Sides 1 , 2 and 3 of these are good in so far as they have done what I have asked of them. I have been able to make back-up copies of them. The problem came when I tried to copy side 4, CP/M 22 System Utilities. I can load to track 25, then I get an error reading "Disc error track 26 Sector &02, Data error within file MOVCPM.COM' and have to abandon the attempt. I would tike to make back-up copies of this and Mini Office II. Does this mean that my copy of side 4 is useless, or am f making some silly error? When I enter the command D1R I get a complete reading of the faulty side. Can you help a poor learner please? RL Elms Isle of Wight First the bad news: side 4 ts corrupt, and you won't be able to use ail of it. However, you will be able to recover most of it: format a new disc (System format), and copy all the files except M0VCPM.COM onto this disc using a die copier, such as FILECQPY.COM on side 3 of your system discs. You'll be missing one file, but it will almost ail be there. The reason why you get a complete reading when you type OIR is that, every time a program is put on a disk, a note is made of this in the 'directory tracks' at the start of the disk. Even if the program becomes corrupted, the directory tracks won't know about this and wilt carry on showing the same thing. Typing DIRjust lists the contents of the directory track, which explains why you get a complete reading, tfs not too desperate that you can't back this side up, anyway, ft contains utilities for CP/M 2.2, an older version of CP/M which you're unlikely to use - CP/M Plus, supplied on sides I and 2, is far better. The utilities are fairly esoteric and useless for most people, to be honest. Mini Office II is protected against you making copies of it -a device to guard against software piracy, which unfortunately prevents users from making legitimate back-up copies. To back it up, you can use an 'intelligent' disk copier which will get around the protection: try Procopy (from Avatar), Nirvana (Goldmark Systems), or such like. July 1 993 AMSTRAD ACTION Nice try* but... A chap called Mark Fisher, from Cornwall, wrote to Top Tips to commend DMP Computer Software of Wolverhampton. Apparently, the sofware [sic] comes quickly, and it is very cheap'. Great: we're all for new software houses supporting the CPC. Just one question, Mark... if you live in Cornwall, how come your letter had a Wolverhampton postmark?a involving a C PC as controller, which will control cooking apparatus (e.g. toasted sandwich maker) via a relay system, i need an input port, so I can feed back the temperature of the cooking device t and an output port, to switch it on and off, I am capable of designing the requisite circuitry, but what I want to know is: what can I use for input and output ports on my CPC? The BBC I used to own had plenty of provision for this, but the Amstrad seems sadly lacking, Tim Whiteley Bradford We get the strangest Queries at Techie Forum! The CPC may seem to be lacking in I/O ports, but in fact there are two - one output, one input - you probably hadn't thought of You can use the printer port as an output port, with 7 separate outputs* to trigger your relays: for input, you could try wiring something up to the joystick port. The necessary connectors in both cases shouid be available from Maptin. To send a byte of data 17 bits only, iVe, a value from to 127) to the printer port, you could try PFIHTI8 ,CHEKn > ; if you have implemented support tor the strobe line - or if you're using the strobe itne as another output, you can send a full 8bit value using OUT 4EF0Q,ii. The joystick port is easy to monitor: simply use the standard BASIC mm function. All the pin- outs you need to know about are in the back of your CPC manual. Top Tips The Shadows Like last month's subroutine to spruce up BASIC text display? Good, because here's another one. This one will print a string (in MODE L) with a shadow (always in PEN 3) behind it, Without further ado.., 1100 'Print shadow string Ut) 1110 PLOT 16*FO$-14,4U-16*UPOS, 66,07, C9,DD,BE,Q& 90 DATA A0, 3C, 77, 23,36, 00,C3,3IJF,C9,Ei ,09,43,52,54,63 MM The End And so we come to the end of another Techie Forum. If you have any questions of a vaguely technical nature, don't send them to Reaction, send them to me at; Technical Forum Amstrad Action 30 Monmouth Street BATH BA1 2BW If you don't do that t then those idiots Tim and Simon will get hold of the letter and who knows where we'll be. They'll print the letter in Reaction and answer it with some useless wibble about how bad the radio reception is in their office and you'll never find out what you wanted to know. Honestly, they're just a couple of... (Snip. - Ed) • Time after time The TIME function in BASIC is useful, but it can be a bit of a pain to have to store the original value and subtract it from the later value to time how long a given process or event takes. A simple solution here: a short machine code routine to reset the time count to zero. Just RUM this and, from then, CALL SAFM) will set TINE to equal 0. 10 FOB n:*AF00 TO AAF0G 30 READ at: POKE MttCr+al) 30 HEXT 40 MA 11,68, O0,2UQ,6O,aiQ,BD July 1993AMSTRADACTION TUTORIAL Part four of Simon Forrester's full-on raging machine code tutorial. Like, totally excellent, man. Hi there, and welcome back. This month, we're carrying on with our wonderful Breakout clone. We've just modified last month's listing slightly and you can find the fully modified version elsewhere on the page, with the various bits highlighted. This month, you see, we've added a fab little bat into the fray. You can control it using the z and x keys , though make sure you've got CAPS LOCK turned OFF. The program won't like it on, as it won't recognize the keys. There's a simple remedy for this, that well look at next month, when we take a breather and tidy up the program, add a title screen, etc. I'm afraid I'm not going to go over all the old stuff again if $ been highlighted in the listing, you can find its explanation right here: X ess anou a bit course, the whole idea of a tutorial such as this one is that at any point you like you can branch off from the main course slightly and start experimenting on your own. For example, try changing the bat and ball characters, the screen boundaries (by putting the whole thing in a different mode and finding out where the boundaries are checked), or basically, do absolutely anything you like! You could even try writing a completely different style of game, applying the same sort of techniques you've seen in this series. And month after month, the more I cover of our Breakout game, the more you'll be abte to do with whatever it is you're working on. All I'm trying to say is (hat learning machine code is all about experimentation, so never feel afraid to mess about and tinker with things- to see what they do. With the sort of commands we've been dealing with, it would be impossible to damage your computer through typing something in - what have you got to lose? July 1993 Details of the listing Id 4,181 call UcSt Ooh crikey missus - if s another one of them there new fangled firmware calls! This one is really simple though, as it's the equivalent of the MODE command in BASIC. You need the mode in the accumulator though, which is why if s set up just before the call. Id a, 11 Id (put),! The reason for the positioning of these two lines are purely for neatness purposes. They are placed immediately after other variables (such as the ball's position and displacement bytes) because they are also setting up variables - the position of the bat (in text co-ordinates on the x axis). call batdis This is a call to a routine to display the bat, which will be explained in full later. cp 84 call i,batdtt As well as detecting when the ball hits the bottom of the screen (a routine which will actually be taken out later on in the series), we need to detect when the ball is at a position on the y axis from which it could be touching the bat. This is why we check for 24 - if s the line above the bat. If it is, we call the bat detection routine (which will check to see if the x axes match). tltttli dfa 121 db as .pbal db e call tbb?S ».u tu nu iju tB tB OB m tB tB OB m tB £fl OB OB tfl tfl H OP tB tB tB m W Cfl I 3B Efl tfl 66 OB tB £fl tfl OB tB m m 08 cb m cfl 08 tB te lie 06 Dt' (.».: L". L*. m K m k eg rc n x ffi ffi ft K Kfesese B9 Ki Id K m K [i; [•: m E£ [*; ffi Ei3 ffi [fc K- Kt W K- »: f*i tfi |r j£ Ml MJ "JU 1*. i-B CB SB & tB tB SB S tB tB SB E tB tfl SB BO CB CB SB £ tfl tB tB BE tB te m se tB m m Be- ta te m Et tfl te us 6C tfl SB 08 [*: 4SK 33 10 CO K * ft if d Ed 18 » B! 483: 4fl ES 32 1$ * El IS DC il 4fl IE 31 4a:>: es 4b id u *f % he- sl es 4b ie ze C8BE? 43EC CB 7E *3 Ed]. ■ ■ ttK3 4dEF 31 BE 3 7. 68BS3 fill 3ESF© 3d :> mm IBM C9 yet mm mis lf% .flirt mm 43-5 Bl 1ft 1ft 2d bi t€HE3 arc 0» 3E; BC a!) a mm 49'B C* 19 D b32 a mm «-E Bl Bl Bl Id bi mm 43E1 w ob dL> »p 1 mm mm 43H ,l«aU mm 43E4 21 4b k\ eenEs «E5 •ima rtJFf^ mk ftt A R TlM »d's WWil colours wror* pretty much Ilka this. Aapar sally ho always hated school. And we've got to the routine that displays the bat on the bottom line of the screen. As you can probably see, we've used the same method of storing the bat location inside a command as we did with the routine that positioned the ball last episode. The call to IbbTS is the same - it locates the text cursor, lit a,H6 call IbbSa Id a,i8f call IbbSa Id i,ffl call IbbSa rtt This is the part that actually draws the bat (made up of three ASCII characters) on the screen. If you want, you can look up the ASCII characters n the table in your manual, and maybe replace them with something you feel is more appropriate t but for now, we're going to Stick with a few blocks. .batlft Okay, so here's the routine to move the bat left: cp 1 rtt i Firstly, check the bat isn't at the far left of the screen. If it is, return so that the bat doesn't move off the screen and crash. add 8 Id US Id M call lbb?5 Id a, 128 call *bb5a This bit prints a blank space on the right hand square of the bat, making sure there isn't a trail of bits of bat behind the moving object. id h],flut dec (hi) TUTORIAL )5] Oh, all right then, here you are Okay, okay, I give in. If you're trying to do this and you still haven't got an assembler (although you'll have to get one if you want to take this seriously), here's the complete program in hex; LAFI ie0-BATA'3E,ei,CME,BC,3E,Bl,32,A5,46,3 i i M , TV r Jv t ii t vL A. 40 , CD, 19. BD, CD & J 21 < GF l 40 f B6 r 32 lain mnmM t 4*,n,is,ct,n,i»,n,9i,cc,i 9,48,n,ll,CC,M lmi m-wt-wM,H t ii,® t ii,u,ii*,n.u,* S,48.FI,28,CC,B2 L»P 1S8 MTfl-48JIJl.ee. MM.tlM, 48.31, 2 *,C»,SMB ( CM9 loo lse-MH'B.n^ii.ccca^n^ta.M^ B , C3 , 1C t 4fl jW j8B LftXI i70-MTA-CD,94,48,3E,ee,32,6F,4B,CS,CM 4,48,31,82,32,11 LUI 188-BATfl 40, C9,C», 94, 40, 31,88,32, 6E,48,C 9.CD, 34,48, 31,82 LAW ISe-DATA^SE.W^B.BUA.lA.CMB.BCC i.iinjijiji LAAX 2W.B#TA.«,n,K,21 ' 1,1S,W,CJ,7S,BB HALF 210 -DATA-3I,D6,C»,SA E,»7,C1,SA.BB,CS LAFL 228 MIA 3A, AC, 48, 71 7,0,75,11.31,28 LAM 238'»TA-CB,SN,n,2i, 3, 3A, AC, 46, FT 28 LAW 248 ■BAT*'Cl l ZE,lS ( l7 J CJ,7SJB,3E,2B,tt,S A, BB, 21, AC, 48, 34 LALL 2S8'BftTA'CD,AA,48,C9,3A,ftC,4e,47 J 3ft,AS,4 8,BB,CA,8A,41,W LAKK 2$8JATAB8,CA,BA,41,M,B8,CA,0A,41,CS I 3 E, 98,32, 6F, 48, C9 CAKE 27e-MT«*M call batdis ret After that, all thaf s left to do is alter the x axis, and print the bat! .Iitfffc Id a, c? 38 ret i Id un Id h,a call 4bb75 Id a,*20 call ihbSa Sd hi , P bat inc (hi) call batdis ret This routine works in exactly the same way as the previous one. Any changes are purely due to the fact that he bat's travelling in a different direction. .batdet Id a, Id b,a id a,(xpos) In order to check whether the bat is actually touching the ball on the x axis, we need to take the bat's x position, and the ball's x position. cp b jp z.batdty If they're the same, then they're touching, and we can call the routine to send the ball upwards again! inc b If they're not touching, we move on to the next block of the bat, cp b OF z,batdty inc b "hi ■ ■■■'! IBM witi 'iaHsiUr Id ''xpK.'.d ITU 4 Id <:dis; j ,,a Id ijtlisM oin]j;wL] ftbdi& call LKati Id *m Of course, if we really loved yon we'd print a picture of our Breakout gime In cp b jp z,batdty And keep repeat the process for all three blocks of the bat. nt If the bat and ball aren't touching however, we can let the program carry on if s merry way. .bitdtn Id 4,8 Id (tfdis>,a rtt Remember the routine to send the ball upwards when it hit the bottom of the screen? This is exactly the same, but without the little flash - so that you can telJ the difference between the ball hitting the bat or the floor. Well, I should think that's about all we can do for this month. ., Next month we'll be making our program look nice and pretty, by smartening up the graphics a bit, before we think about adding the bricks. Till then though, toodleoo. e July 1993 PUBLIC DOMAIN This is the bit where the Ed makes some amusing introductory remarks. He's on holiday, so here's Tim Blackbond with the PD stuff. You'd better be in a news kind of mood - that's just what you're going to get. Never before have so many things happened on the PD 'scene'... In fact, this introduction atone is a waste of space... Pd better stop it. Like right now... Libraries f n' stuff PD Fun Simon Walker of PD Fun has the first of this month's many library re-shuffles. His catalogue has had all the rubbish BASIC programs scraped out and replaced with top-quality games that some people may enjoy. PD Fun is also the first library on the CPC ever to promise 1 78K of software per disk. That means no irritating menus taking up eight valuable kilobytes. One disk side will cost you as little as 50 p. so you really can't go wrong. Simon's address is: 41 Michealgate, Kirby Lonsdale, Via Carnforth, Lanes LA6 2BE. Sheepsoft Another library organisation has hit Sheepsoft HQ. The librarian, Paul Fairman now has a staggering 194 sides of software all for a deafenmgly cheap 20p a side. Certainly welt worth the cost of a few postage stamps. Write to: 39 Woodlands Road, Barry, South Wales CF6 6EF Presto PD Yes, Spring cleaning fever has also got into Matt Gullam of Presto PD. For the second time, he has removed all the rubbish from his library - to get rid of the stuff he missed last time". Presto PD flogs software at just 50p a disk side - Write now to: 58 Graiglywd Road, Cockett Swansea SA2 OXA. Beware, Mart Gullam MAY be moving house AGAIN soon (within the next six weeks), although he might not. The tough decisions faced by a person that can't stay in one place for more than a minute, eh? Presto PD. the library with the, erm, most, has just announced two new products. First up is IFFCon. This is a package that converts IFF picture files (Amiga, Macintosh, etc) to CPC format. Next, there's DOSCopy- a package that transforms MS-DOS files into AMSDOS format, and vice versa. Both titles are 25p per side, so you should be able to get both of these on one disc or a mere 50p! Oh yeah, you can also buy 3* discs from them at £175 each. Find Presto at 58 Graigluyd Road, Cockett, Swansea, SA2 OXA. Spot the difference Potential Difference is a new bimonthly fanzine designed to cover all aspects of the CPC with a very noticeable lean towards Public Domain software. For a mere 70p you get the latest issue (ie. Issue two) featuring 24 pages of neatly stapled A5 including reviews of two top PD libraries and a number of commercial budget games. There's also a run-down of the best CPC driving games available. It sounds pretty hot stuff! If you cant wait for the review then the editor, Chris Goodwin, can be contacted at: 47 All Saints Drive, North Wo otto n. Kings Lyn, Norfofk PE30 3RX New Face Hugger Europe's finest programmer, Andreas Stroiczek (alias Face Hugger - The man behind Crystal Mission, Power Tetris and The Ultimate Mega demo) has now unleashed two serious utilities into the public domain. The first is an AMSDOS alternative to the CP/M to MS-DOS file converter, Two In One (the one from Moonstone Software), ft allows files to be ported from a CPC on to an MS-DOS format disk for use on an IBM compatible PC, Useful for doing that school/college homework at home. The second utility is another file converter, this time for those CPC artists with access to an Amiga - it converts files from the Amiga '.IFF' format to (yes, you guessed it) the good of CPC! Expect full reviews Fanzine review RundSchlag Overkill Send three International Reply Coupons to: BIOS, PO BOX 27, W- 7959 Schwendi, Germany. Rundschlag can only be described as the International CPC Notice board. Imagine a really big house, yeah? And in this house is every CPC user in the world, RundSchlag is the cork pin-board on the kitchen wall. That's the best way it can be described. Sorry. The first thing that hits you about the magazine is the presentation. Each of the forty pages is either poorly laid out on a DTP package or just printed from a word-processor from various people on the CPC scene. But then, you can't expect the writers to spend hours on every page when you consider that the magazine is free. The only thing you pay for is the photocopying, then like public domain software, you can rencopy it and pass it on to your friends to your heart's content. The articles are written in a wide range of languages (including a small section of English text). If you want to know what is going on in Europe, there is enough English to keep you clued up on what is going on, the rest of it is basically coders passing messages onto fellow coders ("Matt Gullam; I like your fanzine very much! 1 * is one of the many greetings). A demo scrolling message on paper, if you will. If you can speak French and German, you will obviously get more for the little you pay for, however, if English is your only known dialect, you can get a small amount of information but not that much. The idea of multi-language magazines always seems to fail in Britain (thanks to that lovely 'casual' British education system), although I'd expect they are very popular on the continent. 54% ^^ :;• s: ku»j.jm Overkill 17 : Bulletin ruforftatigw xiplln.il hji -H i\r Lif npn No./ t 0C*f i :i* 11U tmi* -U It) ■■ t! If-ilfft Jit*. Ht-W.MiljlttUflj I out* if i u* tim mi If JV.H..l> uq U8l. it* Is IV- II 1* VulM) f-'J Hi yir: :if*v,t;«» lipi tr\ . r ■** " 'l* tofiM?™ i£Jtf sr * m mwm fe f If iu ivti.s tH f*. *tt rM ita «w;ri«a. Jtwttt JH m un u I J** Imtm'M 1mi .i hi u, kmJljT-t.^.; inw Hi Jf rfll 1 . itt m 1 f* rtti kl [in MIHuliJ&raisiafclH-teb ink.bwj)tll!/ Cm IS* ft.5liiiiiibf.il foiftm'BP, Hi i f p f July 1993AMSTRADACTION We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files. Fill in this form and you might get SO quid. How do you buy Amstrad Action? ■ By subscription ■ 1 just go out and buy it Reserved by a newsagent In what format would you like Amstrad Action? ~~ £2.95 with covertape £2.50 with no covertape £2.95 with more pages and no tape ■ Reaction ■ Cheatmode "1 Small Ads Do you enjoy the style, humour, and attitude of AA? I love it It's a little immature It's a bit too serious I despise it Okay then, what about the artwork and layout? ■ It looks good and is easy to read It could be better Please mark any sections you would like us to drop with a D r sections you would like to see more of with an M, and sections you'd shrink with S. Amscene Serious reviews Technical Forum Type-Ins Interviews Reader Action Public Image Assembly Line Balrog Power Up Games reviews Venture Forth Do you bother with the covertape? Yes ■ No How do you feel about the serious software we're giving you? I love it Not bad It's a rip off And the games? Bearable Complete tosh Would you stop buying AA if it stopped carrying tapes? And You? How old are you? ■ Under 10 10-14 115-19 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 I Over 60 Are you ■ At college At school In full time employment Unemployed ! Retired If you are in full time employment, what is your general occupation? Company owner/manager Computer Crafts/Trad esperson Creative Emergency/Armed services Manual Office Professional &i *""■-•'•"'- 1 ' ■ ""^i July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTIO READER SURVEY What is your approximate annual income? " Pocket money Under £1000 £1000 -£4999 £5000 - £8000 £8000- £12,000 £12,000- £16,000 £16,000 -£20,000 Over £20,000 What else do you do with your leisure time? Cycling Walking BuyingAistening to music Charity/Voluntary work Going to pubs/clubs Going to see bands Going to the cinema Playing a musical instrument 1 Reading Watching TV Watching/Playing sport What are your favourite kinds of game? : Arcade adventures Beat-'em-ups Driving games Platform games Puzzle games Role-playing games Shoot-'em-ups Simulations ■ How long have you been using a CPC? Up to 6 months Up to one year Up to two years Over two years Amstrad Action? Up to 6 months Up to one year Up to two years Over two years What other computer magazines do you read and how would you rate them (out of ten)? Which CPC do you have? -CPC 6128 CPC 664 CPC 464 CPC 6128+ CPC 464+ GX4000 What extra equipment do you own? ■ External 3" drive ■ External 3.5 H drive ■ Joystick ■ Modem "1 Printer ROM box What extra equipment do you intend to buy? External 3" drive External 3.5" drive Joystick Modem Printer ROMbox What other machines do you own (0) or intend to buy (B)? ■ Amiga ■ Atari Lynx ■ Atari ST ■ C64 Game Boy Game Gear Mega CD Mega Drive Neo Geo NES PC compatible PC Engine Sega Master System SNES Spectrum Please tick here if you do not wish to receive direct mail from other companies. ■ Please take a few minutes to fill in the form and send it to: Amstrad Action Reader Survey 1993 Monmouth Street Bath BA1 2BW If yours is the form we pull out of our massive and attractively decorated hat, you'll get « July 1 993 AMSTRAD ACTION PUBLIC DOMAIN RUN UT! €• Michel Beckett 1992 PUBLIC DOHA IN New sequence >.--:-:■:•: *£§>?:; -J Add fir an e Edit Fra«e Delete *vA*ie Swap Franes Save Load Catalogue Baud I can't believe It's a PD program. That sounds like a good idea for a TV ad campaign. Hire me some cows, Action! Ex i t Backup K keys to nave pointer N or SPACE to < on each of these utilities very soon indeed... Sex, lies and Amstrad fun The Irish fanzine, Amstrad Fun, has been printing malicious lies about various British PD libraries without first checking the integrity of the information, The one page feature, entitled Which PD Libraries Are Your Disks Safe With" starts by warning Richard Fairhurst not to re-open his library due to his slowness in returning orders (which, given his past record, is fair enough) and then moves on to accusing PD Fun of being 'a certain death wish' to order from, Simon, who was shocked when hearing the news said; "What profit is there to be gained from not returning disks? It just gives a library a bad name". Also on the black list are Presto PD, accused of not returning disks, even though the editors haven't bothered to get in touch with Matt himself and find out the truth. Finally, the Sheepsoft librarian, Paul Fairman gets more than enough evidence to get together a reasonable libel case. The verbal stoning goes into the library name deriving from the fact that Paul has the brains of a sheep (allegedly) and is the most arrogant, rude and insulting person on the planet. Throughout the feature, the phrase 'From what we have heard' gets regular use. Far be it for me to have a guess at the source of the information, but the magazine's main contact does have the initials DH... Well, if s just a theory, Irish power trippin' A number of PD librarians have complained about the arrogant behaviour offered by the Amsof PD librarian, Derek Hyland. Apparently, Mr. Hyfand believes that any libraries that are not called 'Amsof PD* are not worthy of custom. A small warning to Derek, you will not be popular at all if you carry on as you are, Remember Alan Scully? Commercial blues - part two There is a tot of controversy about several German games that are appearing in the public domain libraries across Britain. Although being around for a while, Drehdriss began life as a listing in the German CPC Amstrad International magazine, and is therefore protected under copyright There is also a lot of confusion over the games Puzznix and Power Tetris. No one has managed to agree on the PD-ness" of those games yet. Even though CPCAI is a defunct magazine, there are rumours that it will be re- launched. If so, British PD libraries had better watch out.., I've been on at the management (Tim N, mostly) to give me some more room for the PD column. To judge from your letters, you seem to think that the PD scene is a pretty important part of the CPC world and I think I agree with you. Anyway, Tim's agreed that Public Image can have an extra page, but only if it's dead good, so I need your help. If you run a PD library - let me know and 111 take a look at your collection. If you write PD software - let me know and 111 review it. Anyway, thaf s your lot till next month. • The box with no name Wow! And there'll probably be more next Amstrad Action month! 1 need a lie down... 30 Monmouth Street Thank you for the letters, free disks, Batti fanzines, etc. There's bound to be more out BA1 2BW there than I've already managed to look at, so please keep them, coming - I'll find space for ...And please, DO NOT forget to mark your them all soon. envelopes CLEARLY with PUBLIC IMAGE. 1 And that address; thank you, good night... Software 531] RUNVT1 By Michael Beckett Camcorders, Yes, the things that gave Jeremy Beadle another idea for a TV series are becoming more and mote popular, but what do you do when you want to put nice, professional titles on your home masterpieces? As always, there's the public domain solution... Run W. was written as an upgrade to a listing printed in the July 1990 issue of Amstrad Action, as part of the big Multimedia special. In a nutshell, it allows the user (that's you, mates) to design a slideshow of screens which can then be placed at the beginning of a video cassette. Just think, no more frantic hunting for the televised version of the classic 1957 book by Richard Bertram Coles, 'Skin Diseases for Beginners'... The top of Mr. Beckett's agenda when writing Run VT! was obviously to make it user- friendly. To make sure of this, the program utilises a smooth and incredibly well programmed pointer-system. There are no less than eleven main options to choose from, all chosen by simply moving the pointer over the box and jabbing the COPY key, The options allow you to; Create a new sequence, add frame, delete frame as well as frame manipulation and disk/file utilities. The frame editor only allows text and block graphics (situated on the numeric keypad} to be placed on the screen (sort of like PageMaker Plus on one screen, only much more useful). Also, by placing a dot at the beginning of a line, double height and width text can be used, in order to outline main titles. When a frame is finished, a menu pops- up which allows you to set the method of fade in. the length of time it stays on the screen and the method for fade-out. There are a total of seven fade methods, including a normal clear screen, horizontal wipe, vertical wipe and screen disintegration. When a sequence is completely finished, it can then be ported across to a video cassette. For this bit, you will need a lead (available from WAVE or as a hardware project in the July 1 990 Amstrad Action} connecting your CPC to a video cassette recorder and a video cassette that is badly in need of titling. Then, the contents of the screen are recorded onto the video cassette. You are prompted when to start and stop the video recording. For the true home-movie buff, you can't quite reach perfection without the use of Run VT!, however, those who don't have videos to title have a rather limited text-based art- package. It is just a shame that screen files can't be incorporated into the slideshow along with the text. Oh well, you can't have everything I s'pose... 92% July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION BACK ISSUES Sold out! Issues 1-65 • Still available! Issues 66, 75-85 ■#Tvo ia : ■ - ALSO OW DISK Issue 86: Feature on Alternative's kid's TV licences plus review of the Picasso art package. On the tape - Glider R\det (full game), MIDI demo and three utilities. Issue 87: Inside - the complete history of Dizzy and review of the Amstrad NC 1 00 notepad And! Football Manager 3 reviewed. Full game of Nexor on the tape. '« ALSO ON DISK I Issue 90: The world's hugest collection of Muftiface pokes (more than 478 of them). On the tape: Steve Davis Snooker (full game) and LARA (m/code utility). Issue 91: All the dirt on who's doing what in the C PC world. Hacktt black box of tucks reviewed. On the tape; Tasword (word processor) add Cotossus Chess 4. Issue 88: Two complete games on the tape - Tanfcbusters and Penguins. Inside, Video/waster, Robtn Hood: Legend Quest and Crystal Kingdom Dizzy reviewed. Issue 89: Inside - Buyers' Guide to disk drives, a look at CPC stretching demos and Crazy Cars 3 reviewed. Plus! Wriggler and three great utilities on the covertape. ^ ■■■-■'■■*- x=n Issue 92: Just how do those floppy disc things work? Plus a review of the first 3.5 inch A: drive. On the tape: BooTracker {music utility). SVOTAX and BaWoon Busfer, Issue 93: 101 interesting things to do with business software. Reviewed: Super Cauldron. Amstrad Pen Pad. On the tape: Racing BoxForm, JVfysficaf, Bairog. Amstrad Action Back Issues I would like the following back Issues... 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Please enter/renew my subscription to Amstrad Action at the all inclusive price of 12 ISSUES D UK £29.50 □ EUROPE £47.25 Q REST OF WORLD £63.10 To ensure you receive your magazine end rape quickly and undamaged, all overseas subscriptions are sent Air Mail ft you are an existing subscriber please quote your subscription reference number here - you will find this on your address label Iki ii ippripriiti MY METHOD OF PAYMENT IS TICK YOUR CHOICE TOTAL PAYMENT £ P NAME a access cawnoDDDL HI i ID «»□□□[! a cheque *&<»,** 10^™^ Ltd SIGNATURE ADDRESS. POSTCODE Enclose this coupon (together with your cheque If epplkeble) In m eneelon* ami mmmt te: AMSTRAD ACTION SUBSCRIPTIONS, FREEPOST, SOMERTON, TA11 7B R, YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE PROCESSEO IMMEDIATELY. THIS COUPON IS VALID UNTIL 31ST JULY 1993 A A/M AC/0703 July 1993 TYPE-INS Oh my hat, look at this lot! Readers's type-in programs aplenty for you to spend a few hours over. Splendid. This little progette comes courtesy of Ted English. If s very short, and prints lots of lovely musical staves on the printer (if you've got one). HflFL 18 -REN -Staves.-* I. English FftCB 28- AFTER 8375 -COSUB- 98 IftCH 30'PRINM8 ( CHRm7)"A"CHRtNODE-2;LOCAIE /2+a:IFyiTHEH'80-ELSEh(xi+E 005:yt:CRAH-xi ( !ji HAND 80 IF x ■ MOB ■ 10=0 ■ THEN ■ C0SUB ■ 100 EAGB 90 HEXT^,y:EN» ICEF 180-x2=y-x:yE=(*X'-ij)/a*2:h-y:FOR'i:y-l*T O-y-18* STEP -l:B=*:C0Sra -120 :H0VEx£ r yE: x2^-x^y2=<-x-a)/2*i:IF|»THE H110ELSE )i(x2+£00)=y2:DRflW^£ jy 2 FflNF nO.HEXT:y:h:RETURN MO 120-r=SOR(()i*S)t2+/r)*SO804(COS )*1B CAFJ !4t«ttfHM Number Shooter Okay> shoot the numbers with this fab game from Abdul Kayum. I really can't believe I'm getting paid for writing these introduction paragraphs. EAFL 10 -'NUMBER -SHOOTER I ABC 18- '•GRftPHIC--- ll**trt*ltlMf EANC 20- '(C)- ABDUL -KflYUM PfiJK 26- i CAAE 30-'AGETM4 IA0J 30' ' For Anstrad' Act ion-- 1993 DAJB 40 -'APRIL -1393 AALK 40- t DANK S8-CLS;hsc=100 CAOL 68-C0SUB-S36 CA0L 7B-COSUB-2S0 CADH eO-GOSUB-380 FANF 9G - 'M0UEHIHT ■ *HD ■ TINE KAFH 10O-LOCATE'X J H:P«INT-CHRi{240) JAPJ lie-LOCflTE*15,2S:FEH3:FRIHT"TIIiE:-;ti IAJD i2GIFINKEY(27)>-MHEN-130-ELSE-140 FBDJ 13G-PEN-1:L0CATE x,a:PRINr"-:IFK>33TH EN -x=2-ELSEo<=xU, LOCATE -x t y;PRINT -CUB* ( 248) ME 148 ■ IF ■ IMKEV (67 »-l ^ TKEH - ISO ■ ELSE * ISO FBFJ ISO -PEN- 1 : LOCATE -x,y: PRINT' •": IF- x<2- THE N -x=39- ELSE -x=x-l:L0CAH oc, y: PRIM -CHfif< 246) LAAE ISO ■ IF ■ IHKE V ( 47 ) >-i ■ THEW ■ COS UB - 1 88 ► EL SE - C0T0 -178 JAGE 178 IALK 188 PAEF 130 x^PEN^FRINr HAJJ 208 FAB0 218 HA0K 228 MABH 236 =84 CAHR 246 DACN 2S6 IAAG 260 KALC 276 CAMP 280 HAHC 290 KALI 380 154) IABK 310 KflNF 328 49) IftLN 330 KAJP 340 TEE JAFE 3S6 JflKfi 360 CftKJ 370 EAPN 380 KABB 390 DAFD 400 JAHI 410 IAJN 428 GAC0 430 EACH 440 CAFP 450 KAPA 4S0 imi 470 DAAE 480 HAEE 490 IftEH S80 IAAA 510 FALF 520 FAAA 538 GAIL 540 NAPN 550 ti=ti-hJT-ti=0-THEN- 570 ELSE- 110 y=22:L0CATE-K,!j;PEN-3:PRIXr.* t i =t i -i : IF * t i =0 ■ THEN ^ E70 ^ELSE ■ LOCATE LOCATE x.yrPRIKT" -":9=y-l L0CRTT x,s:PHHIV IF- y=5- THEN -C0T0- £38 -ELSE- 190 IF ■ sj=S ■ AND ■ x =R- THEN -C0SUB' 458- ELSE ■¥ GOTO -SO GOTO 80 'SCOREBOARD PEN-2;L0CAIE-S f l:PRlNT-CKRt(lSQ) LOCATE- 35, ItPRINTCHRHlSB) LOCATE < S ,4 : PRINT < CKRt ( 147) LOCATE-aS^jPRIKT CHRJUSS) FOR ■ i =$ -TO -34: LOCATE :INPUT"Suffixed-byreturn^ht:JJIF«cM:'VTRENKEY>k ) a*:bCn:fl IACC 90'IF>chH>"n"'AND*cht<>V'THEN>7fl FftGC i00-IF'b:i-TKEN'b{f)=l BASF 110 -NEXT CftJP 120- INPUT" hUnane'jm HAKE 130- IF -LEW fit )>8< THEN- GOTO 120 EAEG 14B-nt=nt*\«Hr B DAGP 150-OFENOUTfll DAM l$0-FOR-c=0-TO'9 FAGG 170'«RnE'»9, a f(c),b(c) BA1P 180- NEXT DAK 190-CLOSEOUT OAAA lO-'-FUNCnON-KEY-DEFINERAHDREADER.-'b yT.FORD-age<13 FAHJ 2Q.'-AA-is*the-best' CANF 30- 'READER GAM 40 - INPUT" fileiw«";fll EAED SO-flt=flMMtEK' DAFC 60-OPENlNflI DANK 7O'FOR'f;G'T0'9 FABE 80-INPUT'i9,aHf),b(f) CANF S0-k=f*i2B JADE 10OIFb(nrl-THEN'KEY'k,at(f>+CHR*<13) HACD 110'IF'b(f)-0-THEN'KEV'k,at(f) BACF 120 -NEXT CASH 130-CLOSEIN Music Maker It's a musical keyboard, right, from Matthew Cox, and you can play little tunes on rt! Wow! Fab! (You're fired. -Ed) NCBC l-H0&E0;FEWl:B0BPEBi4;IHK © J 14:CLS:PB IMPRINT*" Kusic-Haker": PRINT : PRINT ■■•• ■BB-Hatthett'Cox' : PRINT I PRINT-" ■ ■ -Pre ss-Enter- to" :FRINI; INPUT-* Start* Height HAHF l7O-xp:3;yp=18:h:£:GOSUB«260 BANO 180 ■ PEN- 1 JALO 150 GAEH aTO-sh^HIDtUextMU) CADP 280GOSUB-360 DAEP 2SO-F0R-y=l-I>h HANN 10.'-HEIGHT---By-Nark256:S¥HB0L' AFTER -32 CAIJ 350 -RETURN BANL ?0 -PEN -3 IAEA 360p=UNNHIHEHMASC=p+l BAKO 150-FEN'l CAAJ 440- NEXT -y JAKN 160. textf:-Doub!e-Hei9ht -Uxt" CAJJ 450 -RETURN ■at FAJF 2 -IF> at-"-*- THEN -GOTO 19 GALG 3 -IF -NOT -at=" ■' -THEN -GOTO- 19 FAOC 19 -REM -Hone ■ Organ EAJP 20-ON-BREftX-COSUB-4i0 BALP 50 - HOPE -1 CAJH E0> BORDER- 14 CAKE 70 -INK -044 HAII 80-IHK«l J 26:INK-E,0:I«K-3,13:PEN-3 GAJN $0 -ORIGIN -0,8, 8, 63UG, 280 :CLG-i LAOE leO-HOUE-ClCiDRAW-Saa.iGJiHOUE -0,200:0 RAN* 633,286 LALG 119-bl="fi«ERTVUI0rei" ;«»=" ■ ASDFGHJKL I | ]* :p=l FAOP 120 - FOR -i:8< TO- 632 > STEP <48 FACL 130-HOUE' i , IE :DRAH- i,200 NACF 140 -H0UE ■ i M2, 40: TAG: PRINT -NIDI Cut r p,l): :TAGOff:p:p+l BAFF 150 -NEXT GAJB 1 60 -HOUE- 630,16: DRAW 630 ,200 HAPN 170'FOR-x;e'TO-ll:IFx-3"OR-x=6-OS-x=10- THEN -GOTO -ISO CAEF 180-G0SUB'380 BAJP 130 -NEXT CANO aO0^OSUB-29O DAJB 2 10 LOCATE' 1,1 MD 220 -REH -notes-are- in-range-l- to -21 IALH 230 -kf=INXEVi: IF -kt:""- THEN -GOTO -230 IAKG 240 'k=ASC(kn: IF -k>21- THEN -GOTO -230 HAGN 245 ♦x=k-7:C0SUB -401: SOUND -i,px CACK 260 -GOTO -230 BAAJ 270-FJO KflJF 280 -REN Subroutine 'define -keys MAPI 290'KEYDEF 67,0,1 ;KEY'DEF -63, Q,2:KEV-DE F-59,0,3 KAAI 3Q0'KEY'DEF'6O,O,4:KEY-DEF'S8,0,S:KE¥-DE r-81,8,6 KAII 3i0'KEV'DEF.53,l,7:KE¥-DEF-51,l,8:J!EV-DE F-52,1,9 LAHA 320-KEy-DEF-43,0,lO:KEy-DEF-44,0,ll;KEy- DEF-45,9,12 LACS SSO-KEV'DEF-SSpO.niKiy'DEF'ST^^WjKEV. DEF- 34,0,15 LAAC 340-KEY -DEF -36,0, 16:KIY-DEF- 27 J,17;XE¥- DEF-29,0,18 LAHB 350-KEY -DEF -28,0, 19 :KEY-DEF- 17,0, 2fl:KEY- HMM,E1 CAJJ 3S0 -RETURN JAHO 370 -REN Subroutine black -kegs JAPI 380 -ORIGIN 0,0, x*48+40,x*48m, 94, 198:Ci C-2 HACN 390-HOUE-x*48t48,12u:TAG:PRINT-HIDt;;TAG0FF CAIJ 400 -RETURN FANF 481fx:440*2t((x-10)/12) EAAB 402-px~125800/fx CAHJ 403 -RETURN HAIB 410 ■ C ALL ABB0O; REN RESET KEYS CAHH 420 -INK -0,26 DAKF 430 -KEY -0," list AACC ' CAOH 440 -INK' 1,25 BAPF 450 STOP Lawnmower Simulator Okay, enough of tne nice short listings. This time, we've got two absolutely humungous programs by one Xen (we do have his real name, but believe be, Xen is better!?!). The first is an absolutely fab lawn mower simulator, and the second is a defend the planet type game. All instructions are included in the program, so without further ado, ifs time to start a nail- breaking mammouth type-in sesh. We would like to point out, though, that Future Publishing takes no responsibility for anyone suffering exhaustion after typing these listings, or damage to cutictes in the process. ' -Professional -Lawraiover* Simulator! ' •#• 1993 'by XEN « (not-helped ! 9 'Levels- XEN < and 'Dutch '-Oh,-yeah--*this-iS'§*ti! '-Good -graphics- (not) -done -here RESTORE DEFIHT-a-o:DEFIN!>q-z ENT--7, 7,10,1, 7,-10,1 SYMBOL -255,24, 38,36,24, 22, 216,48, 16 SVMBOL-254, 60, 36, 66, 66,68,126,255 NAJJ 10 ABKN 20 by HAM 30 LABB 40- CANK 45- GA1I 50- EAIL GO- HAHO 70- HAFJ 80- July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION TYPE-INS IftGB 39 ■ SVHB01 ■ 253,84,160,88,88,48,60,62,127 GAHP 108 -SVHBOL- 252, 2, S,1G, 10 ,20 ,60, 124 HA AH 110 SYMBOL- 251, 221,0, 119, 0,221,0 ,119,0 HAKG 120 SVKBOL- 250, 3,40, 32, 40, 8, 40, 32, 49 JAEH 130*S9t=CKR*(14)KHlt*t3)*"-"*CHBH14)+C« um MfiHB 14B *HODE'i:INK-l,24:IM.0,9:M.2,3:BORD FAAJ ISO ul=""+CHFiC2S4):di=ul DAOO i&0 li=""+CHFJC2S£) DAGP 179-r*=""+CHRmS3) FAHC 188-plantt=CHR*<25S) IA0N 190 nsiiliCHR*<249>:wa]U*=CHR*<251) FABC 200wallu*:CHR*(25O) LAAH 21&.PflPEB'B:PRIHT-STRIHCfC4a j pJantl>j:Pfl m«i OEHF 220 FOR' a:2- TO -24: LOCATE I,a: PAPER- 2;PRI NT-p]antf;:PflPER-B;PIIINT-STRIKG*(38/-") ; :PAPER ■ 2 ;PRINT- plant*;: PAPER -6: NEXT K1AC 239 ■ LOCATE 'US: PAPER- 2: PRINT- STRING* (40 J plaTitt);:PAPER'0:plantt=CHR*(14)+CHR*(2 )tCHFI(255)+CHRt(14)+CHR*(0) DAMR 248 -LOCATE -10,10 EEEC 25O-HIND0H -10,3, 38,3, 23;PRINI'"- 'Profess ional ■ Lauiwouer - Sin u later ■ " BBPK 266- PRINT :FRINI-' , »ou ( ";r*;Vnust -cut -al 1 -the- long -grass"; PAKN 270- PRINT "without -hi tting-ajigbodg, -plan ts-or" EfiPO 280-PRIHI-'i*aJJs!" LANC 290 ■ PRINT iFRINrContro Is -are:-": PRIM EAPE 3e0'PRIHT'Up--- EAHF 316'PRlHr'Dwi' EACH 320-PRIHT"Left- FAIC 330"PHIHT"Fi9ht -ft -a -< -> 340 ■ PRINT :PRINT- "Or -joystick -(in- pert -0) LANK 350-PRINT;FRM-'Fre5S-*to«Flay!'' FftCP 360-IF-DfflEy*O"-"*THEN>380 GAEN 378 ■ DIN ■ l«u« 1(40,25): NODE t{]evi,l) J i>):leveI(b J a>=a:I F*z=9-IHEN-coLint:count+l FflDO 4B0.IF-Prev=Z' THEN -439 DAJC 410-prev=z EABO 428 ■ IF ■ i=0 -THEN' at:" ■' SACH 430-IF'2:l-THEN>a*;pUnU GAKH 440-IF-i-2'THEH-al=walluJ GAIL 450'IF-z;3-THEN-a*-wal]aJ FAFO 466 - IF z:4' THEN -at man! FAFI 470-IT-z=5-IHEN-at=s9t LANL 488-IF-z=6-IHEN-a*:"'";x=B:yia:lml<>(,g )=8 DftKC 490 -PRINT- a*; OAHE 500 ■ NEXT ■ b ( a :dir=8: cut=l : sc=sc+cut ;p=168 /count GANF 51B-L0CAIE;">!"; FALH S38F0R-a=l-I0iee:HEXT LABB S40>IF'INKE¥C71J)-l-OR.mKEV(73))-l-THEN ■dirrl LflJB 5S8-IF-INKEW(69))-1*0R-INKEV(72)>-1-THEN ■dir=2 LADB See-IF-INKEVt31)>-l-0R-INKEV(75)>-l'IHEN *dir=3 LAMB S79IF'INKE^39))-1.0F'INKE¥(74))-1-THEN >dir=4 EAJH 580- SOUND -2, 3200,5,12 I AM 599 ■ IF ■ d ir=l • THEN >dy :y+i tixzx IAQD 600-IF-dir=2IHEN-PRINT'U* CAON 680- IF -dir:3 -THEN- PRINT 2111 11060000000000000800000000 000Q111112 J AOL 1810 -DATA- 211111111000000000006000000000 6111111112 KAOB 1820 -DATA -333333333333333332444233333333 3333333333 IMF 10j ■tabrihl«t.CoMI93-)«-Xni ■This -prolan -is -PUBLIC -BOttAlN ■Ciwe«it-to-ua-wates, KAKF 40 > J -Don't 'Change-^- code, Ml SO-'-Pon't-trn-to-riP'it-off-as-qour-own i FAHH sV'-Don't-sell-it! IADL 70-' -Send -ne-a- tenner! -(Joke!) OflJN 80 MODE- 1:INIM, 26; INK -6,0: BORDER -O^PEH l:PRINT-CHRI(23);CHRt(l> OEOH SO-DATA-'AsterblasfZ-'^Copyrisht-lSSa ■by-XENVThefluargian-Splatisli'llamors ■have'Y'been -waging -war -against thep Ian et","of ■Crax-for-nany-years-and-it-is",' your -job -as -chief -gunner -to -protect Vth e ■ don e ■ shield ■ uti i ch ■ has been 'Hade" FFK J 100 - EAT A ■ "above • the -planets - surf ace . * Vou ■ nust ain" , " the < cursor , so - that - the -aster oid-is"/*ithin-your-5Lghts-and-(I-quote ) - J f ire", "in*a-brash, -adrenaline-fuelled ■frenzy'Vuntil,- it* is- obliterated! -It 1 s-asVsiKpIe-as'thatJVBut.'hoiHong'C an -you -last? 1 KCIH 110 -DATA- ■■"/Controls -are :-VThe-CURSO R-keys-t*Lth-C0PV-TO-fireVMVj°ystick ■in-port-OV-VHappy'Asterbalsting'V ■"/Press -any -key!" ,"399" CADA 120-^415 OACB 13O-READ-af:TF«at='939'THEH-160«ELSE-y:g -15;IF-aJ="-"IHEN-I30 OAJH 140 >x=320- ( 8*LEN(at »: TAG :PL0M6, -16,1: HOUE-x*2,y-2:PRIHT«at; LAIB 1SQ-PL0I-1Q, -10,3:H0VE-x,y;PRIHT-at; :GOT 0-130 DAGA 160-CALL-4BB18 PAHA 170.NODE-I:IKKI,E6:IKK-0,0:BOftPEBe:PEM •G:PRINrCHRH23);CHRI(0) KANP 188 DEFINI-a-z;SVHBOL- 255, 135 ,129,0, 0,0, 0,129,135 JAOK 196-DEG:HOUE--lO,-ie:FOR-A:-S0-TO-6O-STE P-4 KABK 200-DFAH- (SIN(A>*6G0>+32O, Miim*i K8GA a20.SHIEWS=lOO:LASEH:lOB:lw=l«*l:x:32O: y = 2O0jIAG:FLOMQ,-10,l:«OWE-x l y:P]tIh , T-C HRt(255);:TAGOFF:IF f LU=l-THIN-L«=2 HA6P 230-DIK-HE«X(H»,NEUY,newy(a),2;NEXT GACN 25G-F0fl-A=G-I0-LASER-l-STEF-2 GALJ 260 -HOlE-A+36,0:DRftH-A+96, 18,3 KAEH 2?0-H0«E-S27-A,6:DRAH«527-A,16:NEXT:PRIN I«CKRt(23);CNR*(l) CBBN 280 - PAPER - 2 : LOCATE - 1 , 25 : PRINT - "Laser : * :L OCATE-34,3S:PRIHT-";Shield";;rAG KAKP 230oldx(a},oldy(a),3:PLOT>neHx(a), ne*y(a),2 GAAF 310'IF-sf=l THEHGOSUB 610 HAGP 320-ne**x(a):neMx(a)+dir(a) GACE 336-ne*iy(a)=newyUH KACO 346-o]dx GAOC 35G-oldy(a):o]dy{a>-8 HflGC 360-IF-TEST(neHx(a),newy(a))=2-THEN-GO5U 8-640 PAFC 370-IF«newx(a))639THEN-oldx(a):oldx(a)- 639:neyx(a)=8 PACC 380-TF-ne«x(a)<0-THEN-newx=oldx-l-THFJ-ig:yM2:«f=i JftIC 430-IF-lN«EVa)>-l-THEH-zg=y42;nf=l JANC 440.IF-INKEV<9)>-l-THEH-tx:x-12:«f:l JAFC 450 ■ IF -INXE¥U»-i -THEN ■ ix=x+12 :nf =1 CCHD 4G0-IF-IHXE¥{9)>-l'ftHD-laser>l*THEN-sf=l jHOUE-aOO.OiDRAW-x+S.y-SJiMOtlE -440,0:01? AH ■x*8,y-8:DRAH -440,0, 3 ;HOUE- 200,0 :DRfiH' x+8,y-8,3:G0SUB-660 EBAK 470-IF-«f=MHEH-PL0T--ie,-16 J l:N0«E'X J t| :PRIKT-CNRN2S$);:y=zy;x=zx EfiDK 488-lF*x{8-MN-x=0 FAKI 43Q-lF-x>E39>THEN-x:G33 FAGG 5OO-IF-g>3O0-THEN-y=36O FANG Si0*IF-yUS8-MN-y=i£0 HPDB 528IF-]aser<100-THEN-ticker=ticIcerU:IF 'ticker=2OTHENAND-neux(aMxti6-AND-yhi eny(a)AND-newy(a»g-lS-TH£N-hcount=hcoun t+i!sc=sc+l -ELSE -RETURN NAPA 62B'IF-hcounUlv*S-!KEN'hcoimt=0;GOfO-S5 KAHP GSO-ERASE-NEUX.NEUtDIR^LDX^LD^GOTO-l 78 LCIM 640 -TAGOFF: LOCATE -l,l:sliields=shields-S: PRINT ■ CHRt ( 23 ) ;CHRI (0 ) tNOWE ■ 430 t shields, -2;FOR4r0*TO-e-SIEP-l:DRAHR-0,18,a:HOVE R-l,-18rKEXT-b;HOUE-10,-10:PRIHT-CHRt(23 );CHRf(l> LA8E 650 -IF- sliields3Stb,18, 2!NEXT-b:NOyE-10,-10:PRINT-CHRf(23);CHRt (1); TAG; RETURN DANL 670-NODE-l;y=415 IFHD 680-DATA-"Oh'i*en,'you'daneti)*piake -a- full •written" ,"r«0 rt*by< tomorrow. CM 690 -DATA -"Press -any -key -to -play -again!", ■■•/Voir -scored", "'","933* HAJK 7O0.yr399:PRINT>CHRJ(23>;CHRl(l); BBHP 710-FEAD'at:IF-al= , 993"TKEN*af=STRIUc): ef-l-ELSE-y:yl6:IF'a*="-"THEN-710 OANN 728 -x=320-(8*LEN Cat) ):TAG;PLOM0, -18,1; HOUE-x+2,y-2:PRINT-al; NAHB 736.PLOT-16 ( -16,3:N0«E'X,y:PRINT*alj:!F' ef-0< THEN -710 BBNG 746-FOR-a:6-TO-1006:NEXT-a:CALL-KBE18:TA GOFF: PRINT -CHRI(23);CHR4(0);: RUN OAFB 750-y=26:FOR-x=6-TO-S39-STEP-2rFOR- 3 y=y- 60.K-y+6-5TEP.2 LAKH 760-t=TEST(x,zy):IF-t=2-THEN-y=zy:iy=420 HAEF ?70-NEXT-iy;HOirE-x,2:DRA«-x,y;NEXT-x;CO! 0-226 July 1993 TUTORIAL They're back, and they're angry (or something). Tim Morris ami Simon Forrester bring you part two of their uniting adventures series. Ah, there you are. And here we are. We're all here. That's great. If you missed last month's thrilling instalment you've only got a little catching up to do. We're writing art adventure game from scratch and last month we looked at plots and settings, So, if you weren't utterly baffled by the program, you should be ready to Start thinking about moving on to the next bit. Tell me what you see We've got our setting sorted out and we've had something of a think about the map. Once you've roughed out the map to your satisfaction, you've got to start work on the room descriptions- What do these locations look like? What's there? What can you see? The descriptions can be as long or as short as your program will allow, but they must help five player to get some sort of feeling tor the game. As a rule, shorter is better - if s really annoying to have to wade through heaps of verbose description just to find out that it's an empty room with a painting on the wall. Some programs (though not ours} have the room description as a separate thing from the bit of the program that tells you where you are (you can tell I'm technically minded; can't you?) What thts means is that you can tell the player where they are - 'Bedroom' - and then give them a description of it - 'It's an utterly disgusting tip of a place. Dirty coffee mugs everywhere, bits of computer and motorbike all over the floor. It's an outrage. You can leave by going north, and maybe you should.' The program gives you the room description the first time you go into the room and only tells you agin if you ask it to. We're not going to do this because our adventure is so short. I'm just going to tack "You're in your bedroom/ onto the front of the description and we'll have to read it every time we go in there. I object Don't, whatever you do, include things in the descriptions that are to be used in the game. F'nnstance, we're going to need to find all the washing in the house and take it to the launderette. If, when we describe the bedroom, we mention that there's a pile of dirty ctothes in the corner we're going to be a bit stuck. What happens when we've picked them up? Every time we go back to the bedroom the game will tell us there are some clothes there, even though we know we're carrying them. So things for the game are 'objects*, the program deals with them differently and well talk about them later. Something we've glossed over a bit is the fact that we're calling everything a 'room'. It's a kind of convention, really, and in our case stems from the fact that I can't be bothered to type 'location' over and over again. Somthing else that can't be overlooked is that everywhere your characters go has to be a location. II, for instance, its possible to sit down at a desk and look at, say, a computer screen, it's easiest to have 'sitting at the desk' as a seperate room for the purposes of programming the game. In our game you have to travel by bus to your friend's house, so 'on the bus' has to be a room with its own description. You can't beat the system So, just go systematically through your map, writing a brief description of each location. Try. if you can, to be consistent with your style as you do it. I got a bit stumped when I was writing the descriptions for the laundry game because I wrote them over a few days, I found that the mood was completely different from one end of the map to the other. If it's a fight-hearted game, try to adopt the same light-hearted tone throughout. Similarly if it's a dark, brooding, Those rooms 1 . You are in the launderette. You are surrounded by split plastic seats and unhappy people. The room smelts of washing powder and boredom. There are washing machines by the wall and doors to the south and east. 2. You are in the street. Litter blows along the road. There is a bus stop. The shelter looks a bit on the dodgy side but it looks like it might rain. The door to the launderette is to the west. 3 You are on the bus. I hate buses. How do they make them smelt so disgusting? At Feast you can look out of the window. Or you could if it wasn't steamed up. I hate buses. Mercifully, the journey doesn't last long. 4. You are in the street outside your friend's house. There's a blue door to the east and a bus stop to the west. 5. You are in another bit of grotty suburban street. You can go east into a shop, or north into a launderette. 6. It's a washing powder shop. Despite there being over 250 different brands, they're all made by one of only two manufacturers. How bizarre. There's a nice looking person behind the counter, The only exit is west. 7. You're in your kitchen. Don't you ever do any washing up? This place is a disgrace. There's a hook by the door which is to the south. 8. You are In your bathroom. I hope your vaccinations are up to date. Domestos is NOT a Greek island and splashing rt about a bit could save your life. The door is to the south, 9. More grotty old street. The sooner this whole place gets demolished, the better. You can go north, south, or east and you should do one of them really soon. 10. Out In the street. You close your front door behind you. Smell that suburban air. Foul, isn't it? You can go west or east (back to the house), XI. Your front hall looks a bit tidier than the rest of the house. You can go upstairs [east], north, south, or west. Blimey, what a choice. 12. The landing is a bit of a state, too. That skateboard looks a bit dangerous there at the top of the stairs. You can go north, south, or down the stairs (west), 13. Lawks a lardy, its some more street. But wait. What's this? There's a shop to the east. Or you can go north If you want. 14. Well I'll be horn swoggled! Its a laundry bag shop, dedicated to the sale of jolly helpful laundry bags. What a good thing you stumbled upon It. There's a nice looking woman behind the counter. Or you can leave by going west. 15. Living rooms are funny old things, aren't they? This is yours and, like the rest of your house, it could do with some tidying up. The exit is to the north. 16. You're in your bedroom. It's an utterly disgusting tip of a place. Dirty coffee mugs everywhere, bits of computer and motorbike all over the floor. It's an outrage. You can leave by going north, and maybe you should. See Map A *> July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION TUTORIAL Gothic piece, suddenly wtbbiing on about how dirty the curtains are and wouldn't this room look better with a nice clown mobile hanging from the tights is going to be something of a mood-killer. A minor hassle I had with our descriptions was that the map is pretty much upside down. In plot terms you start in the bedroom (bottom right} and work your way ckxkwise around the map. But the room numbers run from the top-feft. Bear in mind that you're leading the player through the game and try to write the room descriptions m the order the player will probably encounter them. The first pice of street I came to when I started to write was outside the launderette, but the player will first enter the street outside his/her house. So I wrote an exciting description of the street, it being my first, and then suddenly realized that my player would have been wandering round the streets for ages and would already have a pretty good idea what the streets looked like. Anyway, enough of my yacking, let's get on with it. The room descriptions for The Great Laundry Adventure are in the program on the covertape and Simon will tell you all about it. The techie bit Cheers Tim. Right. Though room descriptions are important from the artistic point of view, they don't pose much of a problem on the programming front. The bit we're going to be tackling this month is the first part of the actual adventure program (cor - Ed). The part well be concentrating on this month is the parser. This is the bit Of the program that takes the player's input, and attempts to work out what it means. Our parser is going to serve two main functions: • Separate the input into individual words • Act on those words To speed things along a bit, and so you can see the whole thing in action, we're going to add descriptions and directional controls as well. So by the end of this episode, you should be able to wander around your little world. You can find the actual program on the first side of this month's mying up etting to the point where the program is beginning to take shape. Already we've designed the map and worked out what all our rooms look like. We've started on the parser and pretty soon we'll be putting in our objects and puzzles. What we need to think about now is a little wmdow dressing. We need to think about how the thing will look on the screen and what our players will see when they open the game for the first time. Clearly some sort of introduction is in order. 10 BOWER 9 ® IKK 0.0 i of ; T :< I :i*f -M I i VtiT j The program Lines 10 to 80 - Simple beginnings These are the very simple first lines of the program, that set up inks, modes, etc, and display the opening piece of text. Line 80 just goes to the subroutine at line 300, so read on to find out what that does. Lines 90 to 290 - The parser This is the main bit, the parser. Line 100 calls the routine at 440 which we'll take a look at later (suffice to say for now that it just prints the room description J. Lines 1 10 to 140 merely take the input in i$, and turn it into upper case. Lines 150 to 220 separate the input into the separate words, which are stored in the dimensioned wS variable. The total number of words appears in the w variable. The routine works by going through the input character by character using MID$, and attaching the character found onto the end of the current word Laundry Street Bus Friend's house Street Washing Powder shop Kitchen Bathroom Street Street Hall Landing Street Bag shop Living room Bedroom 38 INK 1.2G « NODE I SO FEINT " Vou wire *ith i start . There's a bright light shining in your eyes, It feels til the sun. Oh no, it IS the sun. It's alreadg late in the Morning and you've got to get alt the laundry done and get round to your friend 1 ! S8 PRINT "house for lunch. You'd better get cracking, real Is,,," 76 PRINT * You get dressed quickly and uond what to do in that hapless kind of Manner you have." Obviously you'll think a lot more carefully about what you want to say to your players than we have, but you get the gist. Don't you? Oh, go on, say you do. Thanks, on a new worn siring. It would have been wise, on ren. enter a little thing removing any trailing spaces from the front of the line, but bullet proofing a program is impractical at this stage. Lines 230 to 270 are merely IF statements, that jump off to me various command routines when they detect the word they want. Lines 300 to 430 - Setting up variables This routines {referred to earlier) simply sets up all the variables used elsewhere in the program, As weJI as setting up w$ [used by the parser), it does one other major task - reads off the room access codes. The way rt works is very similar to the parser, in that it reads the number from the data statement, converts it into binary (to look at), and works through the string. If you remember from last time, the binary number could be quartered (literally), and each set of two bits indicate access in any particular direction. If s on one tine purely to shorten the program, but you might like to try breaking it up a bit, for ease of understanding. You can now feel good, because that was probably the only remotely mathematical thing we're likely to do in this program from now on. If you grasped it OK, then sit back, feel pleased, and relax. Lines 440 to 660 - Room descriptions This is simply the routine to display room descriptions. It simply reads off the rooms until it comes to the one it wants, and prints that. This does, in effect, mean that the printing slows down when you're in a room with a higher location number, but its not really a noticeable change in speed, so don't worry. The descriptions are all stored in the DATA statements at the end, by the way. Lines 670 to 860 - On the move.,. We discussed all this at great depth last month, so I'm not going to go into it in major depth again , suffice to say these are the routines to move you in the various directions,. All we've really added here is a little trap device to make sure the player can't walk through walls. Next month well bung some objects in it. • Jul/ 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION REACTION Send your letters to: Reaction, Amstrad Action, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW What the...? I am very distressed, Could you explain in full what PowerPage does, please? Also what the wotsits is dtp art? Do PO libraries supply software usually on 3" discs or 3.5" disks? Finally, what it is that it is is a firmware manual? I'd be chunky grateful if you replted because I'm sure a lot of other CPC beginners want to know some of this. Thanks tons R S Plum Wallington Welt, R S, it's like this. PowerPage is a desktop publishing program, In the 1 980s, people suddenly realised that they could use computers to lay out magazines and newspapers for them. A desktop pu Wisher is the program that allows you to do this, tt lets you put your text and graphics on the page in a sort of 'designed' way rather than the sort of 'printed out in a huge lump' way that a word processor would. I think it might be about time we did a DTP round-up. Clip Art is the name given to the tittle icons and doodles and stuff that people self for you to include in your DTP pages. There's a lot of it about and it comes in all shapes, sizes and flavours. You might need a picture of a footballer for your dub newsletter, for instance. Instead of drawing one for yourself, someone's probably already done one for you and you can buy it as dip art: it's usually sold on discs and comes grouped by subject The firmware manual is described in full in our 'Simpiy The Best* feature. Crap Amiga games 1. Ever noticed how T2, Final Fight and the new Nigei Man sell are supposed to be really crap on the Amiga, but get high marks in the Amstrad reviews? 2. I'm waiting eagerly for SF2 t but if they don't include a paddle option or at least two keyboard attack buttons, something nasty involving blunt scissors might be in someone's horoscope. 3. How about nagging some software houses to make Afien-^ (also with paddle option)? Saliva drips from my blood-stained lips at the thought of such a game. 4. One quest ton; I've been given three different versions of what WIMP stands for. What is it really? 5. Lastly, please keep us faithful readers up to date on the competition winners. Paul Branney Carnoustie J. Yes, we've noticed that too. P'raps Amiga purnos are }ust a miserable bunch of old sb'nkers. Fraps programmers make up for the lack of decent graphics and sound by making decent games instead. 2. The usual response from US Gold is 'in two to three weeks' but they say that every two to three weeks. It's actually the programmers fault and you know what they're like. 3. Er, okay. Make an Amstrad version of Alien^ you stinky softies, you. 4. WIMP stands for Windows, icons. Menus, Pointers, it was coined by Xerox who created the original WIMP interface. Everyone uses them now, Simon even wrote one tor the CPC. ft might stand for something else. How about Watching Italians Make Pasta? Where Is My Pen? 5. Ooh, yes. Good point. We'll do that soon. We forgot. You're crap You're crap. AA's nothing like it was in the old days. The magazine's too short (60 pages? that's rubbish]. You come from a crap Amiga magazine ff don't care what you say, Amigas are crap] and you don't know anything about computers, especially not the CPC. You're rude to everyone and you aren't even funny. The new logo's revolting and... (Snip. - EdJ Ed Law Bristol Thanks, Ed. Nothing's like it was in the old days Simon's okay really .».- Dawid got away quite lightly really,.. You should have seen what Simon does to the foolish people who criticize his work. I was reading the latest issue of AA and noticed that a lot of people were unhappy with the covertape. I must say the first tape was a bit of a let down. So, fine, it had a word processor worth about twenty quid but what was the idea behind the chess game? I understand that many people may not have a word processor so it was right to put one on the tape, but surely it would have been a better move to put a decent game on the tape for all those that HAVE got one. Anyway, you seem to have made up for that by putting an excellent utility on the next tape [BooTracker) and two good games. Another major gripe is the size of the magazine. I thought it was getting bigger after I saw an extra eight pages in AA91 but then it went back down to a measly 60 again. I would have thought that with the competition gone you would be able to attract more advertisers. The 8-bits certainly seem to be in decline now, especially as your average readership has just fallen to 27,000. However, I'd just like to make a few suggestions. I think the public domain column should be extended to by a couple of pages as most new software seems to be coming that way and I feel that it would be wise to put a few good pieces of PD software on the covertape every month as well. Otherwise, everything is just fine. Simon Forrester's reviews are well written and the balance of the magazine is just right but I was wondering whether you would consider putting the following bits of software on the tape: a colour dump program and PowerPage 128. David Crookes Bury Tfoanks, David, We'll ponder the change in the PD cofumn, I trunk you might be right Oh, and Simon says thanks. July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION REACTION and we're really sorry. Oh, and get stuffed* Aussie Fanzine Great mag! Love it. You are the saviour of the CPC. I was planning to upgrade my 6128 for a PC but then your mag brought me back to my senses, Thanks, I am constantly reading in your Reaction section about how the CPC market is declining. Well spare a thought for us down Under: I know of only one company left in the country that still sells CPC games and that's why I'm writing to you. Since the games drought is so bad here I'd like to start an Australian fanzine and PD library - 1 don't think there are any at the moment. I've had a few good ideas for the mag but I won't be starting preparation until I know the prospective audience. So, would you please print my name and address so that anyone who's interested in the idea could write to me and share their thoughts and opinions. 1 look forward to hearing from all you Aussie users. Brett Tippet 69 Racecourse Road Heyfield Victoria 3858 Australia Sounds fab to us. Let us know how you get on. AIUSIC I'm a complete beginner where computers are concerned and I should be grateful if you could answer the following questions: 1 . My PC-owning brother says I can't program in ANSI C on my 'puny' 6128. Is this true? If not. where can I get the necessary software. 2. 1 love the freebie copy of Tasword, It's great for writing letters etc, (But this is hand-written. - Ed) My problem, however, is how to write mathematical symbols N or J. etc) and powers (10 3 . 10\ etc) and also how do you do the Greek alphabet? (like this: a. /J. y, & Just kidding. - Ed) I think AA is the greatest and I eagerly await your reply. In the meantime, keep up the good work. Janet Bailiff Nottingham Thanks, Janet, we think you're the greatest too. 1. As for your brother, well he's a/most right You can't get ANSI C but you can get a version of C from HiSoft. Give them a call on 0525 71818L 2. Blimey, I dunno. Mathematical symbols and strategic bits of the Greek alphabet (I'm sorry, t didn't look too closely to see if it was all there) are in the second character set which you access by pressing CONTROL /, If you print stuff out, you can get powers by putting the power bit into 'Superscript (on the printer options menu). This bungs the type U P nere ilke this but you don't see it on the screen. Recycled German paper The Classic Collection is a really great idea, At last I can start having some decent utilities on That co vert ape again As a CPC 6128 user, I am going to make a suggestion that I believe will help both me and your mag. Did you notice that the disc tokens we send away to Ablex with our £2 (and no postage) is not good marketing for your mag? There can't be much in it for you at that price and we've had to pay for a tape we can't use, This is what I ask; There was a large amount of space left on the Tasword disc. People are asking for the type-ins to be available to readers who want it in a more convenient form. I'm sure we will be willing to pay for the type-ins to be included on the disc version of the covertape and we could also be charged postage. You replied to one letter that type-ins 'should, by their very nature, be typed in'. Not by me, fame is money. That wqs an amateurish and unprofessional way to deal with a paying reader. A Richards Bristol Mr Richards goes on [ to complain that the answers to letters in the mag are made by smart I Alecs on ego ^ I trips. He's right. I We're sorry. We \ shan't stop being smart Alecs, but we are sorry about ft. disc for my 6128. 1 hope that this is one of the nicer remarks you get about the covertape, (It is, believe me. - Ed) Have any of you lot ever heard of a 5,25" disk drive for the CPC? A friend of mine had a C64 and like any foolish C64 owner he bought the wrong disks. There are 60-odd games on six disks, including some great oldies like Kung Fu Master, Codename Mat and even Tasword and Colossus Chess. If there aren't any 5.25" drives, where could we get the disks duplicated onto 3" discs - have you any idea? I can't wait for the release of Street Fighter II so I can show all my SNES-owning friends that a CPC is as good (or better) than any Nintendo ever made. And at last a winner of the GAC compo. I can't wart for next month for one of the best reads of all time - your mag is funnier, ctearer and better set out than any PC mag my dad's ever bought. Gotta go 'cos its bed time. Andrew Cranwell Somewhere in Cambridgeshire (Sorry, I couldn't understand your 90% re-cycled sticker. - Ed) You don't make it entirely clear whether your But back to the meat of the matter. We offer the disc thing as a service and we do it at price we do because we love you. We're not, however, a software house and getting the type-ins compiled, duplicated and flogged on to you, the readers, would be more trouble, expense and generai aggravation that it would be worth. Since the dawn of computer mags there have been typeins and people have been satisfied to type them in. I've spoken to Rod (you remember Rod) and he tells me that he was subjected to a veritable barrage of abuse when he started putting iype-ins on the covertape from people who said it was a waste. We can't win. This is your hobby, Mr Richards, and time isn't, in any sense at ail, money. If you don't want to type them in, don't No one's forcing you. In the time-honoured tradition of such things, correspondence on this matter is now closed. There shall be no type-ins on the covertapes (until we change our minds again). pal's software is for the CPC, If it is, how did ($)he get it onto 5,25' disks in the first place? If ifs not, why do you want it? You won't be able to use it. Anyway, assuming you've got all that straight, there was never a CPC-specific 5.25" drive but, iike 3.5" drives, you can use any of them - as long as you have the correct interface and other gubbms. So just find yourself a 5,25" drive and then check out any of the advertisers in the mag that sells drives and stuff and tell them what you're trying to do - they should be able to help. There are toads of bureaux that'il transfer disks of all sorts, but I'm still not certain if it would be worth your while - 1 still think your mate's files are C64 files that'll be no good to you. i know this is going to make me unpopular, and I don't want to be seen to be raining on your parade or anything, but the CPC isn't a better games machine than the SNES. Sorry. As for SF2, well. It might be good, it might not. We'll just have to wait and see. Fund for everyone I have been reading AA since issue one fSo you're the one. - Ed) and have always thought it an enjoyable read, though now it seems to have July 1993 REACTION Fan Mail Corner I collected the March issue of AA from the newsagent in Bendigo on 5th May which is a bit later than normal but not much (it takes quite a while for things to get to the other side of the world). When I got to page 21 and read ColirVs letter, I couldn't believe it - I thought you were doing a great job, but now I'm lost for words. From 1 985 I bought all the magazines that were about the Amstrad, from ACU to CPC Attack, and I always had my eyes open for magazines with cover tapes, even when I had a disc drive. I started with a 664, but after five years, the plastic sheet under the keyboard with the circuit on it that does all the work got a sickness and started to rot away - maybe it was my own fault for smoking while typing. After getting a second-hand 464 and switching a few chips. I've got a 464 that thinks it's a 664, but thaf s all. The disc drive isn't going yet so I'm still looking for covertapes. And I've been able to take it easy ever since AA started putting type-ins on the tape, (Oh dear. - Ed} which is a good thing win en you Ye the wrong side of 60* Coming back to the matter at hand, keep up the good work and keep your eyes open for the back-stabbers. It's been nice talking to you, even if it was a tittle one sided. W Akkermans Neil bo rough, Australia Gosh, W, what can 1 say? Sorry about the typ&ins. rather a morbid tone, IAh F yes, well, you see Morbid Tone is a good friend of mine and we iet him write for us from time to time. - Ed) It's obvious that with all this console mama going on that the 8-bits will eventually falter. But if we want to keep the CPC going strong for a while we should all put in an effort, which goes a bit further than buying AA every month, (Although that helps keep us in work, - Ed} What the CPC needs to survive is a constant supply of quality new software, of which there seems to be something of a lack at the moment. How many people want DOSs? Music programs? These are about the only new programs floating around nowadays. This is because the only new software around {good though it is) comes from enthusiasts and techie bods who do it primarily for love and not money. If only we could attract serious commercial programmers who write programs that will generate the most revenue - games. I must admit I too don't buy games, DOSs or music programs, but I do wish to support the CPC and encourage new talent to write all sorts of new software for it. As I was pondering what might be done. I hit upon the idea of a readers' fund, which could give awards for top quality programs such as ZapTBalls or whatever, I know what you're going to say (fishfingers. / bet you didn't expect me to say that. - Ed) but I would willingly give 10 or 20 pounds if I knew I was helping to create new quality software and I'm sure a lot of other readers would too. The fund could even be used to commission games or whatever from weli-known authors. There're all sorts of ways it might be done, but to discuss them here would be pointless unless AA decides it's worthwhile. Ask the readers what they want. Peter Hale Lewi sham PS Since Amstrad obviously doesn't care any more, how about giving programming details of the Plus Chips? it's touching to be told that things aren't worth doing unless we say so, but I'm not entirely certain that's the case, I should have thought WACCi or the UAUG would be in a better position to administer the sort of fund you suggest. We're magazine and computer-types, not fund managers - we wouldn't know where to start. What do the readers want, then? Does anyone else think it's a good idea? I'm not convinced, but i'd be interested to hear some opinions, OK and 'morbid? t prefer to think of us as 'realisticaily-resigned-to-the-way-of-the-worfd-but- extremely-positive-and-jolly-nevertheless', but then I'm like that Clean yer eads I own a CPC 464 and my new games Golden Axe and Termmator 2 don't work. I don't know whether it's my computers fault or not. In Terminator 2 it either says error b or it loads a bit - until the colours start flashing - and then stops. With Golden Axe it just says error b Could you find out if if S my computer's fault or the tape's fault and what error b means and what to do when it appears, Alasdai Coll Caithness ts your name realty Aiasdair? f bet it is. Error b is where the computer can't read the data from the tape. Sometimes it's because the tape heads are dirty, sometimes ifs something wrong with the tape. So, first clean the heads on the tape player. Switch of the computer. Open the tape fid. Press play. Three lumps appear {from left to right the erase head, the record/play head and the pinch roller and capstan). Put some methylated spirit on a cotton bud. Clean all three lumps thoroughly. Dry them with a dry cotton bud. Now try to toad your games again. If they still don't work, ifs probably something wrong with the tapes and you should take them back to where you got them from and get them replaced. • Just doing it basics so 1 got hold of a 464 with back in the '80s. green monitor and a stack of 1 hope your magazine conbnues games for £65! 1 probably won't to flourish and you get the full 1 thought Td put finger to keyboard something else... f was overjoyed bother with the games much support you require for this {464 Tasword, of course) and reply by this wonderful little machine, 1 (except Scrabble) and use the wonderful little machine. to your plea must have spent hours upon hours machine for serious work, Keep up the good work, but for involvement in the comments messing about with this assembly/disassembly and general please remember us mature on the future of the CPC. contraption until the early hours. machine code study. I'd also like to persons when writing your articles, 1 first had a 464 and a 6128 As time went on, 1 decided to start writing adventures again, not too childish, please... back in the early 1980s and 1 part with my CPC for a quieter life. when 1 get the right software. Melvyn Phillips thought they were a step up the Some time later 1 bought an Atari 1 was more than surprised to Bedworth ladder from the Speccy and ZX81 STFM but 1 found it difficult to get read the comments in AA on the (these being my introduction into on with so 1 decided to buy a PC. 1 interest thaf s still around for the Thanks, Mel. Childish? Us? We'd the world of computing). must admit I've enjoyed studying CPC, There's no doubt that it's a love to stay and argue but it's hme A computer with its own and working with the PC 1640 but 1 potent little machine and 1, for one, for our nap. monitor (colour at that?) this was decided recently to go back to never used it to its full potential July 1993 AMSTRAD ACTION For Sale AMSTRAO 6128 colour monitor, 464 key- board, DD1. Multiface, Insider. Tape Recorder, Mini Office 2, Devpac, Maxam II, books, mags, games, disks, tapes, joy- sticks. £350 ono. Contact Sam, 16 Crocker Walk, Moston, Manchester M9 1NG anytime. CPC 464+ colour monitor, two joysticks and software, manual, only two months old, (quick sate) only £150.00 ono. Tel 0375 390623 or write to Clifford White. 103 Seabrooke Rise. Grays. Essex RM17 6DS. CPC 464 colour monitor, Mult if ace 2, (under twelve months old), manual, user demo. 7 AA's and tapes, over £180 worth of software £250 ono. Buyer pays postage- Tel 0497 847476. CPC 464 + 64 K, Disk drive (manuals included) CPM22 printer lead, AA's 66-90 £200+ of software £359.99 Of hardware. Sell for £350. Phone tan 0692 S171S3 5-9pm bargain! AMSTRAD D01 inc interface, Disk Box. 24 disks and Mini Office II. Disk £100. DK Tronics 256K expansion £50- Phone Jocfien In Germany 01 049225 14020. Buyer pays postage. AMSTRAD 6126 colour with tape recorder, mouse, 20+ magazines. 60+ tapes. 20+ disks. Mini Office II. An Studio. both on disk. Phone Jessica 0707 262689 £300- Any reasonable offers. Hatfield AMSTRAD CPC 6128 sorry to all Other sellers out there! £250+ of software and manuals (Soft 968!) and computer (sorry no monitor, modulator supplied) lor only £229 bargain Phone 0483 282350. CPC 464 colour monitor, Quickjoy joystick, manual, demo tape. 50 games including Robocop. Paperboy, £120. Tb) 0935 822635 {Somerset), AMSTRAD 464+ far sale, mini condition, just 1 year oW. over £150 software. Colour monitor only £250. Also OCP Art Studio £10. AMX Mouse £15. 464+ keyboard only £40. Tel 020$ 216060. ROM BO ROM BOX with Protexi and Maxam i 1/2 ROMS £40, AMX mouse and Stop Press DTP package £30, Phone 0271 24843 after 6pm. MANUALS Soft 968 firmware manual £6, Amstrad Advanced Users Guide £5, The Amslrad CP/M Plus £6. Amstrad Machine Language £3, CP/M 60 Programmers Guide £8. Phone 0432 270329. CPC 6128 (COLOUR) 3.5* drrve, Brunword ROM. RE232. magazines, 256K, TV Tuner, Ughtpen. Mouse, Lightgun, Books, Games/SenOuS. PD, Stop Press, too much to list Worth £1.300. Sell £500 Phone 0793 531636 after 4pm, CPC 464 colour 6128 Rom 64 K memory expansion two 3' disk drives. Cruiser Joystick, mouse, Stop- Press, tape and disk software manuals, books and more £375 ovno. Phone 0245 321514 after 6.30pm, AMSTRAD 6128 PLUS disk drive with colour monitor. Ten monihs Irom new, user instruction manual, disk games worth £100, Quick sell at £150 Please phone Michael 0443 204529 after 6pm. AMSTRAD 464 colour monitor, lots Of soft- ware (mostly games) plus many Amstrad Action magazines £165 one. Phone 0734 834256 evenings/weekends. DRIVE AWAY THESE OFFERS! For sale Outrun Europa, Super Monaco GP, Supercars. originals on disk £6 each. Lords of Chaos on tape £3 Tel 0533 636453. AMSTRAD 464 with green screen and MP1 TV modulator, loads of games, Multiface 2, magazines and cover tapes, will sell for £150. Phone 0980 624545 and ask for Stuart. 484+ COLOUR MONITOR. 64 K Rampack. DK Tronics Lightpen, 2 joypads. cartridges £120 worth of software. 19 magazines, all boxed with manuals, might split. £300 plus PS.P. Tel Dean 0253 770391 . COLOUR MONITOR, CWTA, ACU, AMTIX magazines, level 9 adventures and others, loads of games on tape. disk, from £1. Speech Synth. Elile, Chuck Yeagers, mono monitor. Sprites Alive. Stop Press. Tel Wayne 0532 572154. AMSTRAD CPC 464 plus with 72 games and black and white monitor. Will swap tor Sega M egad rive or £150 ono. Tel Richard 0646 68922 (Pembroke). AMSTRAD 464 green screen, DDL disk drive. 64K Ram upgrade. MP2 Modulator, joystick 50+ games, plus serious software. Protext, Mini Office 2, PrOtype, excellent condition £250. Phone Mike 071 473 4083. CPC 464 +64K disk drive, RombO Pretext. Maxam 1.5 Prospell. all on ROM, printer, digital sampler, Amdrum. Midi mouse, interface, loads of software, AA's 20-85 worth £1500+ Sell for £360 ono. Tel 0749 674604. MONO CPC464, DD1 -I drive. Multiface II, 64k expansion. 6128 ROM - Chip 6128 or 464 operation. Desktop Publishing (tncl Mouse). Mini -Office II. CP/M and CP/M+ systems disks. Loads of games £175 ovno. Phone Steve 071 241 0662. SOFTWARE, twenty* disk games, several tapes, including Kick Off II, Rambo III, Operation Wolf, ATlast +, Masiercalc, Mini Office II, Xybols. all disks £5.00 each/tapes £2 00. Phone Wayne 071 430 561 5 9am ■ 4pm. ROMS, Maxam 11/2, RODOS. Utopia, Romdos, Romdos +, all with original pack- ing and instructions. Offers welcome. Phone Wayne 071 430 561 5 9am - 4pm, COLOUR MONfTOR CTM640 £60 or swap for green or TV modulator £50 for modulator £40 for green screen. Wanted Battlefield, Germany, Sorcerlord, Firezone and pen pals any one preferably female from London age 16-25. Chris Palmer 257 The Hides. Harlow, Essex CM 20 3QU. AMSTRAD CPC 464 with colour monitor. £300 worth of games, mint condition. Games include Pnnce of Persia, wwf Wresllemania, Ban V. Space Mutants. Outrun Europa etc. Bargain all for £320. Including Joystick 0265 832823 (N. Ireland). GAMES (50+ some on disk, mainly on cassette) from 50p. books (mainly for chil- dren), magazines (70+ editions ol 'Computer Express' . also CPC computing £30) DK Tronics speech synthesizer £20. Murtrlace 2+ £20 (speech includes 2 wart amplifier). Phone after 4pm (Giles) 0242 524212. STAR TREK Fan club The Last Outpost' For free copy of 'Enterprise' Newsletter, just send 2nd class stamp to: The Last Outpost' {A A). 1 Blackdykes Terrace, Falkland, Fife KY7 7BA. GAMES FOR SALE, Original boxed with instructions, tape games tor CPC For a list and prices send SAE David Piatt. 54 Fore Street, Buckfastleigh, South Devon. DART scanner and DMP 3160 printer together £110, Stop Press, Mouse, 60 fonts. 600 graphics £75, too much to list here Both packages tor £170. For more details phone 0296 431509. AMSTRAD 6128 keyboard. 33 games, joystick, excellent condition, sell for £700 ono. Contact Akbar 061 521 8594 after 6.30pm. AMSTRAD CPC 6128+ colour monitor, manual, AA mags. Disks, Paddle, cheetah, Bug, Joystick, Two years old. Excellent condition. Phone 061 428 1172 any day until 9pm 52180,00 the lot, buyer must collect. I WILL SELL YOU Spectrum ZX computer games tor £1.50 each. Including over 150 games like Commando. Road Runner and Xenon or I'll sell you all of my games for £50. Tel 663 204S. Mayfteld Dalrteth. Midlothian, AMSTRAD 464+ and colour monitor, joy- stick, pad. also 50 games approx. Mostly top selling titles, magazines worth £50 also DTP packages, sell complete. Bargain at £250 ono. Phone 0933 53365. CPC 464, colour monitor, TV Tuner, clock/radio, 6128 chip, 3 + 3,5" drives, 64K memory expansion. Mutiface 2. Rom Box with Romdos XL 8 MSS06 (6 months old) joystick, joypad, games and serious soft- ware £400 ono. will spirt. Tel Bournemouth 0202 895429. AMSTRAD CPC 6128 keyboard, monitor, games, manuals, tape recorder for 464. Games £200 ono. Also available: Desk TV modulator, alarm clock, non-separable £100 ono. Cheat Mode 2 and back issues of AA. Please phone Ben 0407 762764. PROS PELL DICTIONARIES contains over 57,000 words, tested against 2 megabytes of text. Send £5. plus 2 3" or 3.5* inch disks. Make payable to:- B. Snell, 8 St Augustine Road, Southsea, Portsmouth P04 9AD. AMSTRAD CPC 464 keyboard, colour monitor, games, manuals. Multiface 2 £150 Ben 0407 762764. AMSTRAD 464 plus colour monitor, key- board, joypad, many games, Amstrad Action magazines in excettent condition £230 ono. Telephone 0266 44069 after 4pm. UNWANTED GAMES plus AA cover tapes and Amstrad Starter Pack. Tapes (23 games in total), bought with Second hand 6128, Turbo Outrun. Soto a Million II. Skate or Die etc £15- James 061 449 6377. CPC G128 and mono monitor, Multiface 2+, tape deck, leads, manuals, both tape and disk games plus many magazines, £150 ono. Phone Matt on 0222 499087 after 6pm , AA 4 to 79 and 32, most tapes, very good condition, offers for all or part ol the above. Phone Matt on 0222 499087 after 6pm. AMSTRAD CPC disk games £3 each. 9 for £20. Tape games from 50p to £2. 16 for £20. 75 issues of Amstrad Action, some bound £10. Hampshire 0730 693777. AMIGA A500 512K RAM. mouse, joystick software and disk box. All leads and TV modulator, included in bargain ai only £300. Tel 0706 842126. AMSTRAD CPC 464 colour monitor and TV modulator, over 40 games and maga- zines plus joystick. £120 ono. Tel 0252 512064. AMSTRAD CPC 464 with green screen monitor, joystick, £450 worth of software all originals, many magazines including cover tapes £150 ono. Contact 0642 597695 any lime after 6pm ask for Peter AMSTRAD ACTION MAGAZINES December 1987 until April 92 almost new. £1.30 each not sold separately. Software serious/games, tapes/disks. Cosi Master, X-press eg, Pretext, Parroty Plus, Fleet Street Editor. Full list. Tel 041 776 6945. SEGA MASTER SYSTEM II for sale with Alex the Kid on Memory with control pad. and one Python joystick. All for £45. Call Alan on 0236 432908 after 4pm if possi- ble AMSTRAD SUPER SALE! including hardware, software, magazines, games and two Amslrad computers- For a com- plete list send SAE to: Bradda' CfOwborough Road, Georgeham, North Devon EX 33 1JZ. CPC 6128 bargain colour monitor, disk drive, joystick and leads all in very good condition. All manuals boxed, tape and disk software £175 Phone 0706 741154 (Romford). MINI OFFICE It two versions, both on cassette for CPC 464, 644 or 6128, cosl £16 each, never used, £5 each. Phone Paul 0742 373973 (Sheffield). AMSTRAO CPC 6128 with green screen monitor, joystick, various extension leads. Mini Office II. Amsofl Pascal. Dr Graph. Turbo Basic, 30 disks with assorted utilities and tapes £195, Tel Colin 0635 872154. CPC 464 with colour monitor, Multiface II, 100+ games. Azimuth. Fooipedal and joy- stick. Worth nearly £600 I will sell for £350. Phone N. Ireland 02657 51505 evenings and ask for Daniel. LOADS OF GAMES tapes from £2, disks from £4. All boxed with instructions. Over 100 titles. Write to Mark Coverdale, 30 Burnedge Fold Road, Crasser oft. Oldham, Lancashire 0L4 4EE Save on large orders. HARDWARE FOR SALE: DK Tronics mouse. £20 worth £40. Teletext adaptor £25 worth £75. New boxed joysticks £10 each, light gun and games disk £10 worth £20 Call Richard 081 876 7032, AMSTRAD CPC 464 computer complete with disk drive and built in tape deck . Also Multiface and over £500 worth of disk and tape software. Also includes colour moni- tor. £300 ono Tel 0706 817649. CPC 464. colour monitor, 64K RAM expansion, disk drive, numerous games, utilities ^Brunword, Bonze-. Hackpack...) TV modulator (MP1), AA magazines, printer lead and original manuals. £250. includes delivery in UK. Phone 061 591 2497. CASIO CT-420 keyboard, 21 sound lone bank, 49 lull Size keys, Stereo sound near- ly new with power supply £120 ono. Contact 0642 597695 any time after 6pm ask for Peter. FOR SALE Outrun lor CPC and CPC+ on tape. Phone 0256 762244 between 4pm and 6pm. CPC 61 28+ excellent condition, cartridges, games {on disk), serious software (on disk), portable computer desk, old AA's, programming books, everything must be sold. Quick sale price. Suggestions wel- come. Tel 0865 863177 ask for Brian, SELECTION OF HOMEBREW software for Ihe CPC's. 7 titles, prices from £1 .50 to £3, plus lape/disk. For a free information sheet send SAE to: A Swin bourne, 11 Vicarage View, Redd itch, Worcs 897 4RF. 464 AMSTRAD KEYBOARD plus joystick £50. at least ten games plus Tasword word processor. Phone Daniel after 6pm any- day on 0256 51498. 6128+ with colour monitor and Over 45 games, Multrface and two joysticks worth over £900 new. £150 ono or swap for Amiga. All offers considered Tel Alex 081 567 6992. AMSTRAD CPC464 with TV modulator, well over 60 games including Chase HO. Hollywood Compilation manual included. Can demonstrate, will accept £90 ono. Tel Desmond 081 863 2758 (Harrow), AMSTRAD CPC 6128 disk drive, tape deck, 50 games, Mulliface 2, colour moni- tor, joysticks £100. buyer collects. (Sheffield) 0742 697902. TUCK PD - loads of PD software. non-PD software and hardware, (second-hand), For a list send a stamped sae to; Matthew Tuck, 15 Ravenear Road, Eckington, Sheffield S31 9GJ. AMSTRAD CPC 6128 Plus with green monitor, joystick, manual, cassette leads, some disks £80. Amstrad module MP2, turns normal TV to colour or BflrV monitor £30. Phone 0375 844991. CPC 464+ mono monitor, good condition, complete with joypad. manual, some games, Epyx World of Sports on Cart, and Mulliface 2, CaU Tim 0543 506095 after 4pm. AMSTRAD CPC 464 with colour monitor, speech SySlem, manuals, Introduction tapes, Multiface 2, over 130 top class games. Lightgun, 20 AA cover tapes (worth £400) a bargain al £110, Phone 0603 300903. AMSTRAD CPC 464 colour monitor, modulator, alarm radio. LC-20 printer, complete with desk, 130+ games, AA mags, plus cover tapes and joystick. Excellent condition £295 Tel 0765 603799. AMSTRAD ACTION magazines issue 52 -68. £1 each or £20 the lot Wacci. Al. print out fanzines 50p each, 20 magazines of ACU and CPC Attack £1 each. Phone 0542 31213. AMSTRAD 6128, colour monitor including tape player. OCP art studio with mouse, mat, holder, inierface, 50+ magazines including cover tapes. Worth £647 sell for £250 ono. Phone Mike 0844 352883. GAMES FOR SALE on tape, ring for prices, Mini Office, Gh os trusters 2. Batman. After Burner 4. Soccer Sim, Gauntlet 2, Easi. Amsword, all for CPC 464, Contact Anthony 0553 673398, BUNDLE OF 42 GAMES on cassettes. All original, commercial, releases (no pirates or homegrown). All original packaging. Must be worth £80! Yours for only £40' Buyer takes all (evenings) Tel 0442 246408. DK TRONICS mouse interface and Genius mouse for just £20- Call Paul 0753 883896. AMSTRAD CPC 464 with green screen monitor, joystick plus games, only £60 Tel 0863 715193. AMSTRAD CPC 464 colour monitor DDU, disk drive. 64K expansion, light-pen. Silicon drive, joysticks, utilities, games, manuals, magazines. Worth £60+ accept £350 ono. Tel 0235 525473. CPC 6126 colour monitor, firmware manu- al. DK light pen, 256K extra memory, print- er, lead. Maxam /1/2, Prolext on Rom, Rom programmer and Eraser Laser, Genius, Mini Office II, Rombo Rom box, joystick disks, games, books £250 ono. Tel Mark 0296 21595. 64K MEMORY EXPANSION and 64K sili- con disk with manual £35, Mulliface 2 plus manual £20, AA mags 1991 to 1992 in binders £20. Phone Bri 0425 477229 (Hampshire). THE BEST IN MUSIC PD, Education. Utilities. Send 50p SAE tape for both sides ol the tape ! Simon Peters, 41 Bedford Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 5UG. AMSTRAD CPC 6128 with colour monitor and Commodore 64, £150 for both tape and disk. Games include, Hudson Hawk, Rick Dangerous. Final Fight, Turrican 1 and 2 and Shinobi. Phone Ban attar 6pm 0303 872791. CPC 6128 colour monitor good condition, boxed with games instruction manual. Joystick worth over £400, selling for £160 ono. Phone 0463 277309 after 4pm. CPC 464 colour monitor, disk dnve. joy- stick over 100 games, including Lazer Squad, Space Crusade. Prince of Persia £350 ono. Cash sate only buyer collects. Tel 0730 815305 after 6pm. AMSTRAD CPC 464 colour monitor 20+ games, few AA mags and cover tapes, joy- stick manuals £135.00 ono. Phone any time Mark 0493 369 261 (Norfolk). AMSTRAD 464+ computer, colour moni- tor, joysticks. Multiface. magazines tape/cartridge games, worth £1 200 accept £250 ono. Phillip Austin, 19 Melrose Way, Willows Estate, Grimsby, South Humberside DN37 9H2. Buyer collects. AMSTRAD 464+ colour monitor 2 years old. joystick, manual 80 games, buyer col- lects £150 Tel Doncaster 0302 738635. SEGA MASTER SYSTEM with three games and joystick worth £1 55 now selling for £100 Tel. 021 554 9244 COMMODORE C64 with £60 games, will exchange for Amstrad DDldisk drive. Tel 0294 833838. AMSTRAD 664 disk drive 128K memory, mouse with Interface. Multiface. tape recorder, loads of games and magazines Bargain at £200- ff Interested phone Jon 0242 233409 evenings or weekends. tffflSffl 1 NORTH MARINE ROAD, SCARBOROUGH, NORTH YORKSHIRE, Y012 7EY IF YOU'RE AREA, COME IN AND SEE US. OPEN: Mon-Sat 9.00am-5 30pm, Sun I0«m-4pm. IN THE SCARBOROUGH TEL: 0723 376586 AMSTRAD 3D TENNIS £ft.99 ARMAGEDDON MAN ....... £B,99 Dr\l^rWr4 MHIHIIMMIMMI Hilfiii-?plilC-3V 60GGIT. £0.99 BONANZA BROTHERS WW BUGSY... £0.99 BULLY'S SPORTING DARTS £3 75 CHUCKIEE6G £2.99 OARXMAN £3.75 DIZZY PRINCE OF YOLKFOLK , £3.75 EDD THE DUCK,.. „£B-99 ESWAT ee.w EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE £2 99 F1 5 STRIKE EAGLE £2. 99 FINAL FIGHT... £2,99 FIREMAN SAM ,.,£450 FOOTBALL MANAGER 3 . ,£4.99 FUN SCHOOL 4 UNDER 5'S £5 99 GALAXY FORCE £9.99 GHOSTBUSTER5 2 ..,„... .,,.,£3,99 GH0ULVN 1 GHOSTS/TURBO OUTRUN..,.. £2.99 GRAPHIC ADVENTURE CREATOR . £3.99 GREEN BERET •£«.» GREMLINS 2 £S-99 IAHANGAR KHAN SQUASH...,, £*» JETSONS... .£3.99 KOOFFQ £3.99 LINE OF FIRE ..£9.99 MERCS - £299 MINI QrRCE ■■ ii mb i ih i ■ &■ -W MH3 29 £2 99 MYTH £2.99 NARCO POLKE. ........ £299 NINJA REMIX £2.99 NINM SPIRIT ..... X2.99 OBUTEftATOft... ....£2.99 OUTRUN EUROPA/G LOC,..£399 PIT FIGHTER ...£fl.99 PfT FIGHTER/SUPER SPACE INVADERS £399 PLATOON £2.99 PLAYDAYS AGE 3-8.. £9,99 POTSWORTH * CO £3,99 PREDATOR 2 £8.99 PRO TENNIS TOUR £2,99 PUZZNK €8.99 XOUT |P*|4|4>I ..I.L.. TUETL1S SPECIAL TURTUS GAME + TURTLES COMPUTER COLOURING BOOK - DOUBLE PACK £3 99 30P1NBAIL AKAD€ THVW QUI! AUf WIEDERSEHEN MONTY BRAVE STAR* CABAL COLOSSEUM DOUBLE OflAGON DOUBLE DRAGON II DYNAMITE DAN EUROPEAN SOCCER CHALLENGE FIRELORD FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR FORGOTTEN WORLDS GAMEOVFJtl GA*Y UNEKER S SUPER5KIU.S GEwJNI WjHG GRAHAM GOOCH MATCH CRICKET HAVOC (HELICOPTER SIMULATOR) I Mil JWMYS SOCCER MANAGER KENNY OMGUSH SOCCER MANAGER LED STORM MARAUDER ROLLING THUNDER RUGBY MANAGER SAMURAI TOLOGY SHARKETSMOLL SHNOB SIDE ARMS SKATEWARS STARSTRIKE 1 * 1 SUPER NUDGE TAG TEAM WRESTLING TROLL TURBO BOAT SIMULATOR WINTER GAM£S COMPILATIONS - DISK CHAMPIONS £9.99 JAHANGAR KHAN SQUASH'MAN UTD IN EUR GALACTIC GAMES .... £5.99 1 00M SUTHER/SPACE HOCKEY/PSYCHIC JUDO' EAD THROWING/METAMORPH MARATHON HIGH ENERGY £19.99 NORTH + SOUTH/TIN TIN ON THE MOON/ FKE + FORGET/TEENAGE QUEEN/HOSTAGES HOME ENTS CENTRE (PCW}. £9.99 BACKGAMMON DARTSDOMINOES' VIDEO CARD ARCADfcWORDSEARCH LOOPZ COLLECTION ..... £4.99 EMLYN HUGHES ARCADE QUIZ' AUDlOG£NlC€CAVESSLRlAtrSMAZETlM£MANOf< THE COUECTORS ifrench hstojo*>G)£1 499 SHADOW OF THE BEAST/SUPER CARS' SWTTCH6LADE/LOTUS ESPRmGHOULS "N' GHOSTS INTEGRAL (FRENCH INSTRUCTIONS) .,£14.99 LOTUS ESPRIT/SUPER SCRAMBLE' TOYOTA CELKA GT/SUPER CARS HERO QUEST £9.99 + RETURN OF THE WTTCH LORD GX4000/6 1 J28+/464+ CARTRIDGES CHASE HQ 2 .„., £15,99 SWITCHBLADE SPECtAL PRICE £8.99 NOEXTT lllllllllllllllli44Hf £15.99 ANY 5 OF THE FOLLOWING GAMES FUR fc»3 mystical (CASSETTE) BACK TO THE FUTURE I BAT BUP + INVADERS BLACK TIGER CLASSIC PUNTER CLASSIC TRAINER HOSTAGES MAO BALLS MIDNIGHT RESISTANCE RTYPC ROOM TEN TEENAGE QUEEN (S. POKER) THUNOEJUAWS TIN TIN ON THE MOON WELLTRIS (3D TETRiS) AMSTRAD DISKS RBI BASEBALL 9. £1.99 RALLY SIMULATOR £2 50 STDftAGON ., £2,99 SHADOW DANCER/ALIEN STORM .......£3.99 SOOTTS FUN WITH NUMBERS - UP TO 7 YEARS £8 50 SPELLBOUND DIZZY .£3,75 SUPER MONACO G.P. £*99 SWITCHBLADE ..£3.99 TERROftPODS £9,99 THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE - FUN WITH WORDS AGE UP TO 7. .....£850 TOTAL RECALL ...» £4.99 TRIVIAL PURSUIT £999 TURTLES COIN OP £2.99 VENDETTA .......£9.99 WEC LE MANS £9.99 .£9.99 BUDGET CASSETTES - £1.99 EACH 3D CONSTRUCTION KIT... £10 99 ACTION FORCE ....£5.99 ADAM ASSEMBLER + DISASSEMBLER MOWTOR £4,99 BACK TO THE FUTURE 2+3 ....♦..*... .£9-99 BATTLE OF THE BULGE £9.99 BONANZA BROTHERS £5.99 CAPTAIN BLOOD £4,99 CASH BOOK £5.99 UUurw t'HuiHHmmtii Mii i i iiiw im niHm m imi ■.-.. !*■■#. TTT v\r'l*J3r3 l W-S' ^nCj)i>^ll'MiMiriilMl'h14hlUriirl4l>1'ltHrbV''' COLOSSUS CHESS PCW... , £6.99 COLOSSUS BRIDGE PCW , £6.99 DALEY THOMPSON'S OLYMPIC CHALLENGE. £9.99 DAN DARE III C5.99 DARK SCEPTRE ..£4.99 DISCOVERY (EDITOR, ASSEMBLER, MONITOR, DISK NURSE, UTILITIES) ..,£7.99 DOUBLE DRAGON 3/RODLANDS £9-99 EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE £5,99 F1A + MANUAL £7.99 FOOTBALL MANAGER + EXPANSION KTT .,....£7.99 FO0T6AU MANAGER I £7.99 G-LOC ...£4.99 HERO QUEST .£4.99 I.S.S „.....„., .£699 LONEWOLF (ROLE PLAYING) ...„..£6.99 MERCS. , £7.99 MONOPOLY.,... £4.99 MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS £4.99 MYTH ....£799 ML" fUrCn WiHM^^QtrMtllH M4hP4 + M4pfti4friHI-i-t--- i-Hi'*T NIGEL MANSELL.,,.. £6.99 NINJA REMIX £6.99 rLL^JlJT_^_niy in m miiniii i i wil iimiMi mnin'inii iii n ii w ttV -rw SAINT DRAGON £5-99 SCRABBLE DtLUX F^W,.,t..ii.i^b.*t.j+b.,,^i.,o,.*r.wLiO,TT SHADOW QAWCER/AUEN STORM £9.99 SHADOW OF THE BEAST £5.99 SIM CITY £9.99 SPACE CRUSADE £9.99 SPORTING TRLANGLE5 „.„„ „„. £4.99 STEVE DAVIS SNOOKER PCW., ,£5-99 SUPER CARS £6.99 SUPER OFF ROAD £3 99 SUPER SPACE INVADERS + PIT FIGHTER £9 99 SWITCHBLADE £9 99 TASSKSN. ,£4.99 TETRJS .£4 99 TURTLES , „ ...£4-99 TURRES COIN OP £7 99 WORLD CLASS RUGBY,.,, , £7,99 £8,99 £1099 CAB RACING SPECIALS DOUBLE PACK 1 CISCO HEAT/POWER DR*T DOUBLE PACK 9. LOTUS ESPKIT5UPEft CARS KiP SPECIALS SOOWS FUN WTTH NUMBERS • UPTO 7 YEARS £8 99 THOMAS THE TANK FUN WTTH WORDS - UPTO 7 YEARS £3.99 BOTH FOR £15 90 CASSETTE COMPILATIONS EDITTOK 1 ,..£4.99 DOUBLE DRACKJ^W£^ICM'S«J(WORMGEMWI WING M C DI^L I I I I 1 ^<>t('l'»»*i*«titlllllllll>14't + Vi4444lniTT DOUBLE DRAGQN/R TYPE/ OPERATION WOLF/BATMAN COIN OP HTTS 9 .£4.99 DYNASTY WARSVNINJA SPiRCTMGlLANTE/ GHOULS' N* GHOSTSMAMMERFTST KIDS PACK 1 X5.99 POSTMAN PAT7POPEYE 9/SOOTY + SWEEP/ WOMBLES/SUPER TED/COUNT DUCKULA Pklwf J w ^%\*IR S e ii i-i-i-t-*-**** *+ ffiHii i ■ ■ i ntf¥« ffflnfii T T FTREMAN SAM/COUNT DUCKULA 4,'POPEYE /POSTMAN PAT 2/HUXLEY PIG/BANGERS + MASH «UrUl ivUVVpEw »H'tffffffffffHi4ti»t'i ttPFiifMn* TT LAST MN1A INDIANA JONES + THE LAST CRUSADE/ STR1DER B/JAMES BOND THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. SHINOfll/NINJA WARRlORS-'OVNAMrTE DUX' DOUBLE DRAGON S CHART ATTACK £3.W SHADOW OF THE BEAST/SUPER CARS^OTUS ESPRFT7 IMPOSSOMOLE/GHOUtS N' GHOSTS COMBAT 3 £5.99 SPAGHETTI WESTERN, 90S&NINJA COMMANDO/ BKDNIC NINJA KAHNA-BARBEAA COLLECTION ....£4.99 TOP CAT IN BEVERLEY HILLS/YOGI'S GREAT ESCAPE/ HONG KONG PHOOEY/ RUFF AND REDY IN THE SPACE ADVENTURE ULTIMATE COLLECTION £5.99 SKATE WARS/STUNT CAR RACER/ PRO TENNIS TOUR/ZOMBVAFTER THE WAR/AMC TING EN TRILOGY .....£3.99 CYBERBALLKLAXESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE ROBOT MONSTERS THE FUN FORCE £3.99 BARBARIAN ll'OUT RUN/CALIFORNIA GAMES THE COUECTORS (FRENCH INSTRUCTIONS) ,.£5,99 SHADOW OF THE BEAST/SUPER CARS/ SWITCHBLADEAOTUS ESPRIT/GHOULS N' GHOSTS INTEGRAL {FRENCH INSTRUCTIONS) £3.99 LOTUS E5TOTSUPER SCRAMBUf/lOYOTA CELtA GT/ SUPER CARS 1 1 GAMES + WORD PROCESSOR ..£4.99 HANGMAN'FRUIT MACHINE'BRlDGE fT^EASl AMSWORD/ROLAND ON THE ROPES'ANIMAL VEGETABLE. MINERAL'QH MUMMY/HARRIER AHACK/THE GALACTIC PLAGUE/ROLAND IN THE CAVESVSULTAN'S MAZE/TIMEMAN ONE SPORTS + SKILLS 3 £fl.99 WORLD SOCCER/FRUfT MACHINE/BATTLETANK/ PARA ACADEMY POPEYE COLLECTION £6,99 POPEYE 1,4*3 POSTMAN PAT COUECnON £6.99 POSTMANPAT1,fiS3 JOYSTICK THUNDER £9-99 ELIMINATOR'CYBERNOID fi/ HYDROFOOLAJG HTFORCL€XELON GINORMOUS PACK ...£9.99 RED ARROWS/ARMY MOVES/GMD IRON 2/PRO MOUNTAIN BIKE SIMULATOR/BMX NINJAmUGBY BOSS^VERYONE S A WALLY/SOCCER CHAUENGEj'THE REAL STUNT EXPERTS/COMBAT ZONE/SOCCER BOSSRUN FOR GOLD/DEAD OR ALTVE^TURBO BlKE/AUSTRALlAN RULES FOOTBALL/GUN BOAT/PUNCH + JUDY/GAME QVER.HALLY DRIVER/STRIKE FORCE COBRE CAMES SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. PLEASE NOTE - A PHONE CALL RESERVES YOUR ORDER- ORDERS UNDER £5.00 ADD 50p POSTAGE + PACKING. CHEOUES 4 POSTAL ORDERS MADE PAYABLE TO WIZARD GAMES. PLEASE ALLOW 7 DAYS FOR DELIVERY. THIS IS ONLY A SMALL SAMPLE OF OUR GAMES - PLEASE CALL FOR FULL LISTS. Campursoft ■ 041 554 4735 UTILITY We set that nice young Simon Forrester to work checking out this new Protext enhancer from Campursoft. So you've got Protext, and though it's a really nice little word processor and all, its output is still very much limited to the capabilities of your printer (around about four fonts, all of which look identical, and an ugly draft mode). This is where Campursoft saw the gap, and the need for a package that can allow Protext to be as proficient at printing as ft is at word processing. Enter ProPrint. ProPrint is a package that intercepts any output directed toward the printer, and turns it from pages of boring straight text, into pages of lovely graphical fonts, at the touch of a button. The one thing to bear in mind here though is that you do need a copy of Protext before you can use ProPrint (obviously), so don't rush into buying this until you're sure you have the kit to run it. So how does it all work? Well. ProPrint comes in two main parts - the Protext patch, and the character designer. You don't have to design all your own fonts though, as the B side of the disc is stuffed to overflowing with loads and loads of different fettering style s. The Protext patch part is the program that intercepts printer output, and actually makes use of the codes you insert, calling up different styles, graphics, etc, from the il codes you use in Protext anyway. m One of the first things to look at on a package as technical as this is the manual, as there is virtually no on-screen help within the Protext text editor (except for the usual stuff), so a manual that tells you exactly what's going on, and when it should be going on is pretty much essential. Well, I'm pleased to say that the manual is very clearly written, with a lot of extra help, good ideas, and nice examples ( which can also be found on the disc}. As a nice addition, it s a few little troubleshooting sections to help you out of tight spots. The character designer (the part of me package you'll be using to create new styles of tetters) is, to be frank, good. Gives a nice display of every character in that set. along with a normal and condensed image of the character you're working on at the time. Quite obviously, the designer is in black and white (your print out is as well), giving a nice high resolution to the lettering you're working on. Controlling the pointer is easy with cursor keys to move it, and the space bar to toggle a pixel. You may be misled, however - the resolution of the character you see on screen is not going to be the resolution you achieve on paper if you're using a 9-pin printer as opposed to a 24- pin. When you reduce the number of dots per inch, etc, resolution obviously goes down. Fear not though - though 24-pin printers produce a wonderful print-out, 9* pin printers still produce a quality of text that looks easily as good as it needs to. Great - so you've got loads of new printer fonts. Fab. What use it that? Well, the printer fonts aren't Just your average run-of-the-CPC stuff. They've got a much clearer and better representation on italics, subscript and superscript, as well as being of a slightly more artistic nature than the standard Epson stuff. ProPrint also prints graphics. Yup, there's a nice variety of box edgings and the like to choose from, making your work look a hundred times better than the standard DMP printout stuff. So how could a package like this help you? Well, think about it - if you're producing a fanzine, a news sheet, a notice. or the such, the ability to display several high quality fonts will allow you to create some really eye catching designs, giving your work a much more pleasing took. Think of essays - schoolwork and the like. Instead of producing a slightly naff lump of printer font, you could switch between several styles for highlighting salient points, creating lists, etc. To sum up, from what we've seen of Campursoffs ProPrint, it looks like it should .''jnPTlCTl This is the standard text editor hit. II looks really familiar, so nothing there to scare you. ■ ■..■».. . !«; If you squint realty hard you see the ProPrint commands at the bottom thei ?1*!3 Caprafl St*rtri 1 lit M tain Fnt 3- 1WK it Itthttfrn And, of course, there's always a bunch of Information about to keep you well informed. be a very nice package for two reasons. Firstly, it's serving a purpose that many people could find very useful in conjunction with Protext and secondly, it's a nicely written, easy to use, and incredibly powerful piece of work. > Next Month Watch out next month for the final word on ProPrint, and a review of what could be its main rival, Sentinel Software's Pro£xt July 1 99 3 AMSTRAD ACTI For Sale CPC6128 COLOUR, Muttiface 2, ROM board, Rodos ROM 800K second 3,5" drive. Kempston Interface and mouse Advanced An Studio. Maxam II. Brunword 6128. Pawn. Academy. Time and Magik Tritogy, Firmware Guide 6128. Phone Simon 0734 341 51 7. CPC6128 COLOUR MONITOR, joystick, manual, 100+ games, TV Modulator, some AA"s with cover tapes, excellent bargain, well tooted aher. Offers in the region ot £300 Telephone Ryan on 0296 714479 AMSTRAD CPC 6128 colour monitor, joy- stick. Mini Office II. C Compiler, Word pro- cessing software, games, perfect working order. £210 ono Phone Rod on Bicester 0869 246462. BOOKS FOR SALE inc.The Amstrad CP/M Plus, Amstrad Advanced User Guide, The Amsirad Disk Companion. Phone for Hit 071 622 3727 ask for Roger, CPC 464 UPGRADED TO 6128. Disk drive. Speech ROM, Light Pen, Multiface 2, Joystick, 100+ disks and cassettes, printer, magazines £290 ono. Phone 081 569 1336 end ask for Paul (evenings). BLOB DODGER. Addictive Action Packed Game, 99 levels, CPC612& only. Full instructions included. Send a blank 3/3 5' disk. SSAE + £200 to A Ratclifte, Blob Dodger, 37 Parkland Grove, Ash ford, MlddxTW15 2JB, AMSTRAD CPC464 + 64 K+ Disk drive. All software and manuals. Colour monitor Amstrad Action's AA6B 10 present. Many top games lilies inc Prince of Persia- Phone Ian otter 4pm. 0892 51 71 53. AMSTRAD CPC464 Computer, plus colour monitor, 3D Construction Krl. Mini Office 2. Games, Joystick, Computer Table and chair £9900 the lot! Tel Worcester Park 081 330 3565. 6128 WITH COLOUR MONITOR 2160 printer digitise r, mouse, Step Press, AMX Zircon cassette player, OCP Advanced Art C Compiler, Mini Office, Pandora Magazines. Games £500. Phone 0525 222562. Advanced Art Studio (on tape) £9. Mini Office II (tape) £4, Dot Matrix primer 2160 £50. Phone 0480 660646. Also some games - phone lor details. DISKS, BATTLE OF THE BULGE, Back to the Fulure. Edd The Duck, Boxing, Chess, Sorcery, Fun School 2, also games disks. £2 per disk or £25 for Total 16 disks. Tel 0722 322865 . AMSTRAD 464 COLOUR MONITOR and toads of games plus two joysticks alto- gether worth £400 sell for £250. Tel 0525 716239 and ask for Slmon h 1 Tennyson Road, Flltwlck, Bedford MK45 1QN. AMSTRAD CPC 6128 with colour moni- tor, joystick, tape connection, Protext Masterfile. manuals £125.00. Phone Andrew Lyon 051 531 9643, AMSTRAD CPC664 DISK, colour Amstrad DMP1 printer, disks and manu- als. Mini Office £160. Amstrad 464 colour tapes. Multiface 2, disk drive, covers, lots level 9 adventure tapes plus others, Sensible offers please. Tel S Scott. 0209 642094. AMSTRAD CPC464 for sale, Ideal for anyone in N. Ireland Colour monitor, boxed, lightpen. 60 games, some new. I will deliver if in Ireland. Excellent condition £150 Phone Timothy 0238 541716. AMSTRAD CPC464, Comptote with colour monitor. 2 joysticks. £300 worth ol games, manuals, printer cable, boxed with 20+ magazines £175- Phone 0507 442760 after 5pm. AMSTRAD 664 COMPUTER Colour monitor, disk drive, lape player, joystick, Multiface. over 300 games on tape and disk. 80 magazines worth at least £3000 will sell for £200 Ring 0827 285990 after 6.30pm, POWER P.D. 25p per side. Games and serious utilities like Desk and demos like Face Hugger. Adventures also. Write for catalogue. Richard Wild, 33 East Lane, Sandiway, Northwlch, Cheshire CW8 2QQ, Include SAE tape or disk. GREEN SCREEN MONITORS £15 Each. MP1 Modulator £B. 150 capacity disk box £2.50, L T Roach, 18 Sutton Close, Elmfield. Ryde, Isle of Wight P033 1DH G.D.P.O. CASSETTE LIBRARY, largest Public Domain Library within the UK. 48 cassettes available. Send SAE for details to 18 Sutton Close, Elmfield, Ryde, Isle of Wight P033 1 DH. The ulti- mate in PD, AMSTRAD ACTION magazines issues 52. 53, 60, 67 and 83. £1 SO each (price includes postage) or £6 for the lot. Phone James 0256 880557 AMSTRAD COMPUTER USER Magazines January 1 986- April 1966. £2 50 each or £10 tor all 4 (price includes postage). Also January 1989, March 1989 *June 1989. Sept 1969 - December 1989. Jan 1990 - May 1990 and Od & Nov 1991 Sell for £1 .50 each or £18.00 tor all. Phone James on 0256 0805 57 COMPUTING WITH THE AMSTRAD CPC magazines. Vol 1 No 9, Vol 2 No's 1.2,4,6 and Vol 4 no 8 Will sell for £1 50 each or £8 for all. Phone James on 0256 680557. AMSTRAD CPC Second-hand games, hardware and extras. Prices 50p - £12. Hurry before they disappear! For list, send SAE to: John Harrington, 49 SHverlea Gardens, Horley. Surrey RH6 9BA. AMSTRAD CPC 464 computer, green screen monitor, joystick AA magazines and cover tapes and 20 games. Bargain £85. Phone 0243 672574 (Sussex), CPC 6128. DMP 2000. Pretext and spell on Rom, joysticks, software. AA 3 - 35. £300 ono, Tel 091 284 3633 (Newcastle) after 5pm. BARGAINI CPC 464 green screen, tons of games all in good condition. Excellent bargain at £100 Ono. Excellent for firSl lime buyer. Tel 0532 663774 after 5pm now! AMSTRAD 6128 with colour moniior printer, second drive, all manuals, comes with Ta sword Masterfile, Supercalc 2 plus games including Railway Sims, £300 ono. Phone Martin 021 459 8990. 6128 Monitor, 3,5* drive, disks. PO soft- ware, tape lead, printer lead, magazines, fanzines, tapes, joysticks, toads ot games, etc. etc will split. For a price list wnle to Matthew Tuck, 15 Rave near Road. Ecklngton, Sheffield. S31 9GJ. BARGAINS £28 WORTH of Old. good condition Amstrad mags. £15 ono. Also Amstrad Games including Chips Challenge £1 each + PAP for list. Phone Rob 0430 873007. 4pm-7pm Mon-Fri AMSTRAD 6128, with connecting lape recorder, joystick, TV monitor, leads, man- ual and over 100 disks and tapes. Sell lor £150 ono. Phone Malcolm on 0357 21470. CPC 464 green monitor, colour TV modu- lator, decent joystick, manual. 50+ games worth over £150. Various Dizzy's and Amstrad Action magazines 2 years Old. Quick sale. £350 ono. Tel 0332 753925 no splits, AMSTRAD CPC 6128 colour monitor, tape-deck, Mini Office It and over £500 worth of games which are mostly disk V.g.C. £220 ono Call Ben on 0622 672508 (kW). CPC 464 with colour monitor, joystick. 140 games inc mags, cheats, hints, tips, type- ins, every thing you want, excellent condi- tion £140. Phone 0382 541465. Worm it Fife. If ft far jusi come ifs worth rl. AMSTRAD CPC 464 with colour monitor, needs slight attention, hence only £50 00. plus mountain of software, magazines and books. £5000 Tel 0484 530918. AM5TRAD CPC 6128 CO tour monitor. DM printer, Multiface 2, 100+ games, cas- sette player £250 Phone Tony on 0255 650136 (answerphone). BEEBUGSOFT programmers aid on disk £12.00. Adventures, Btoodwich £10.00. Knight Ore £800, Lancelot £6 00. Rambird The Music System £8.00. Dark Side £8.00, Lords ol Chaos £800. All original disks. Prices include PSR Tel 0293 517369. AMSTRAD 464 wrlh AA issues 77 to 82. also ACU mags, various months. Also Cheat Mode 2 book with tapes and cover lapes. Comes with 350 games. Worth £1690 Price £100 00. Phone 081 651 2996. GAMES FOR SALE all originals, Batman The Movie. Pipe Mania. Castle Master, all tape each £3, Turbo Outrun, Dragon Spirit, (disk) £5 each tain Quigley. 14 Bute Court Greenock, tnverclyde, Strathclyde. Scotland PA 16 7 AG. TAPE GAMES FOR SALE including Manchester United £3. Shadow of The Beast £6. Quatiro Cartoon £3. James Galea, 2 Pembroke Gardens. Woking, Surrey GU22 7DR. SAE for full list no pirating)! AMSTRAD CPC 464, CO tour monitor, DDl-1. disk drive, 64K memory expan- sion, AMX mouse, Multiface II, CT1 £500+. Games tape and disk, 25 AA magazines, worth well over £1000. Offers around £250. Phone 0475 707806. CPC 464 green screen, modulator, toy- stick, over 100 games. £200 or nearest offer. Also for sale. Master System II plus two games. Alex Kid, California Games £60 Contact Nick 0703 446830. FOR SALE tape games. Barbarian II £2. Kung Fu Master £2, Fist of Fury £1.50, Venom £1.50. Bruce Lee or swap any 2 for Renegade 3. Contact Kirk 0703 4371 38. BARGAIN Amstrad CPC6126 with colour moniior £200 wfih DMP2000 printer £80. Second disk drive £65 (+ 464 £15 Interface) Amstrad Actions 16 to 40 and binder) 1 disks + box tape recorder £1 00 of games all leads, instructions and boxes. The tot £375. Ring Alex 0684 572558. GOOD HOME FOR ARNOLD, mono, joy- stick, primer lead, toads of software inc. Brunword ROM, GAG. Maxam, 30 model Universe and Games. Manuals and mag- azines £160 ono. Optional printer £200. 061 974 5171 CPC STUFF FOR SALE. Software, mags, books, also 064 stuff SAE to Simon Welch, 15 Norcott Road, London ITtakn platforms. This one sprouts cavemen as nicely presented game. On playing ft, you'll get slightfy irritated by the odd thing, but not enough to make you bin the disc, and certainty not enough to impair the game in any major way. Ifs nice to see that Elmar's subject material has matured slightly since ZapTBaffs (slightly tatty). What more can be said? it really is a great game, and well worth the price tag. It's been a while since we've seen many full pricers 'round these parts, but Super Cauldron and Prehistorik If more than make up for the drought. At the time of writing, Titus have not announced any more scheduled releases, but here's hoping we some more stuff from them fairly soon... • They're fab, but the normal CPC mode isn't quite as impressive as Super Cauldron* Fab nonetheless. The music is unbelievable, the sound effects are nicely created, and everything blends well. From the moment you bring your club down onto that first boar's head, the game takes you over. If you liked Super Cauldron, or you like console style games, you really should take a look. Hurrah! July 1993 AM5TRAD ACT! RE-RELEASE MrtasM^ g, -H-rt-r'-ri rr j-^jj^jj: Hit Squa It's dark, and there's this man, you see - wearing black, with a long coat fluttering around his legs. That's right, it's Simon, and he's reviewing Dark man. Revenge - A once proud man now lives a nightmare Revenge - The explosion. They may have removed his face, but they couldn't remove his anger. Revenge - Durant. Strack. These are the men of greed. They have taken his manhood, they have even taken his beloved Julie. Now it is Darkman who will take - the lives of Durant, Strack, and all who follow them. The time for mercy has passed. Now is the time for Darkman. The time for revenge, to short, Peyton Westlake is having a bad day. He woke up with a complexion like T1000, and now someone's stolen his girlfriend. Don't worry - it's not a 'rescue the helpless bimbo' thang, she just thinks he's dead, that s all. He's had an acid facial, and not surprisingly, is a little riled by now. I feel a kilting spree coming on... Well, I would go on a bandaged mass murder special were it not for the fact that I've got to rewind to the start of side two and wait. And wait. And wait. But inevitably, the first level grinds into memory, and the curtains rise, Darkman S5» S 1^~ ^^~ <^^~ ^^~ i <*■ * ■ w^SSxF Uh ORf DSrtUBBBa UM MR fSf nWt P**e Of, er... Ami the bloke with the gun. standing centre stage. Enter blokes on either side, closing in and firing on Peyton. So you control the Darkster and rip their faces off, or something equally gruesome like that. You see, guy s life, they don't just vaporize. The Darkmaster punches them off their feet, until they slowly collapse to the floor. What fun! If you've ever seen the film, you'll realise just how badly plotted this game is. Just about the only 'man in trenchcoat putting his fist through bad guy's face' sequences happen at the very end of the film, and don't last very long at mat. What we have seen here is the interpretation of a film that could have been made into a much more fun, challenging, varied and entertaining time - they managed it with Terminator 2. We could have had puzzle sub games based on Peyton's experiments, the famous synapse sequence, a static screen beat'em-up for the opening plot sequence (in which Peyton gets frazzled), and as a grand finale, have that scrolling part; but with a few bullets spraying down, the odd ladder, and a few walkways. This would get an absolutely wonderful review from me, and I'd probably feel suitably moved to give it a score somewhere in the nineties. Sadly, the programmers didn't (eel compelled to write anything other than a scrolling beat-'em- up, with very little else from the film. They did attempt to throw something together in the way I'miwmsj'i you even manage to find out how to use it, if II be a small miracle. There are different stages, loosely based on the various scenes in the film - very loosely. You see, when you blow up the lab, there's a small army of bad guys to get past (scrolling beat- f em-up section), when you climb to the roof top, there's a small army of bad guys to waste (scrolling bet-'em-up section), and when you're jumping around roofs to avoid the helicopter, there's the evil henchmen trying to stop you {scrolling beat "envup section). What more can I say? ffs a scrolling beat'em-up game. Look, this is getting to be a real problem - The Film Its all very well having a game based on a film, but Darkman didn't really make much of an impression in the cinemas, did it? In case you haven't seen it, it's about a bloke (Peyton Westlake) who's working on a new workable synthetic skin. Bad guys break into the lab, and smash it up, giving him an acid bath and napalm enema while they're about it, Peyton then completes the new skin, rebuilds himself, and kills alt the bad guys. Rolf ending credits. Darkman . guy collapses with acute append* F [: [ 1 1 F when AA is planned we set aside one page for each ref elease. and two pages for something like Prehistoric 11 In reviews like this, though, the system falls down. Planning a page for this review was okay, but we couldn't foresee Darkman being so mind-numbtngty shallow that filling a page would be damned near impossible. Much as I hate to, I suppose I'd better treat Darkman as a normal game arriving for review, and do a little round up of its good points. There's no sprite flicker, and if s good fun killing people for about the first five minutes, until the novelty completely wears off. There. With a bit of luck, that should just about fill the page. Not the best in the world, but not quite as much of a chunderama as Skutl And Crossbones. The odd punching noise, but nothing special, or even vaguely interesting. It's fun to punch the bad guys' lights out for a while. Oh dear. If i not a difficult decision to make. You might Ilk* H, but then I'd lay money that you won't. ily 1 »»« M A?VISTR/\0 ACTION For Sale AMSTRAD HOME PROGRAMMED computer software for sale. Games and serious software, tape/disk. For catalogue. send large SAE to Derek Payne, 89 Wolverhampton Road, Codsaii, Wolverhampton WV8 1PL, AMSTRAD CPC 464 with green monitor and joystick and over 40 games. £120 ono Tel 0733 370386 after 6pm. AMSTRAD 464 CPC games for sale, includes Seymour Goes lo Hollywood, Rk* Dangerous, Moon Walker, and many many more. Please send SAE for tisl. All budgei games £1 ,50 others £300 Write to Paul Gillham. 03 Bridges Drive, Darrford, Kent DAI SDR. AM SOFT TEACH YOURSELF Amstrad Basic Part 2 with 2 cassettes £5 plus P&R Usborne practical micro book, computer handbook, programming handbook £2,50 plus PSP each, The Working Amstrad Advanced Programming. £5 plus P&P each, mint Condition 0733 238776. DISK GAMES tor sale! (all originals no instructions) TNT compilation 2 disks £8. Grandstand ComptEatiorr (2 disks) Efl, Thunderjaws £4, Pictionary (French ver- sion) £3. Also some Spectrum disks. Phone Gavin/Callum 031 339 6644. AMSTRAD CPC 464, colour monitor, TV Tuner, Clock \ radio 6128 chip, DDl-1 drive. Some software, desk, joystick £250 ono 3 5" drive for Amstrad CPC, Rombox, RomDos XL, MS800 £100 000. Tel 0202 895429. CPC 6128 Data recorder. RAM - music machine, stereo sound leads. 100's games, utilities, Dizzy's, Final Fighi. Turbo Tortoise, etc.. £195. 0206 393884 ash for Mr Rendell. Otters Considered. CPC 6128 colour, loads of stuff, games, music things utilities £195 ono. Phone 0206 393884. Mr Rendeii (Day). AMSTRAD CPC 464 with colour monitor. CTM 640 and DMP 1 printer complete with appro* 40 games on tape Reasonable offers. Phone 0344 25227 evenings only. Ascot area. AMSTRAD 464 games for sale. Including Agent XII. Klax and more. Prices from £1 .00 - £3.45 on will swap Send sae for list to Richard Wall, 35 Thornham Lane, Thornham Royton, Oldham 0L2 6UW Wanted DD-1 DISK DRIVE in good condition. Also wanted FD-1 drive. Reasonable price paid. Phone Keith on Scarborough 0723 371092. WANTED DESPERATELY copy Of Sards Tale' on disk or tape. Prefer disk, good price paid or will swap. Telephone Graeme 0887 820599 evenings or week- ends, SMALL NUMBER (3-4) Wank CF-2 disks, 3* cleaning disk and CPC 664 cassette and printer cables, RSVP ASAP A West, 2 F4/177 Shirley Road, Papatoeloe, Auckland. DESPERATELY WANTED Amsofl Classic Racing or Multiface for CPC 464, Willing lo swap DMP 3000. Please write or call on Andy Hudson, 5 Tracadero Court, Norma nton Road, Derby DE1 2GR. SPECTRUM +3 computer, I wilt pay up to £25.00. Send details of your system to James. Three Ashes, Bramtey Road, Sllchester, Reading RG7 2LL and III get back to you (note: the computer must work). DESPERATELY NEEDED, good worKing order printer with leads. Any make accept- ed but must be CPC 6128 compatible, Will pay up to £50 Phone Daniel 0256 51498 at 4pm until late. OAMSEL IN DISTRESS seeks Hitch- Hikers Guide, willing to pay (quite) hand- somely. Phone Lisa 0703 552348 after 5pm. IRON LORD (English version) and B.A.T. disks. Swap Titus Fox and Robocop (disks} for one of the above. Phone Patrick 0661 353948 after 4pm and before 10pm please, WANTED ON DISK, but tape is okay. Lords of Midnight and DoomdarHs Revenge, Plus Tau Ceti. Will pay reason- able prices Contact Mike on Pewkridge 0785 714836 please help. CAN ANY PERSON supply me with a copy of CP/M 2.2 on disk for DDI-1 disk drive. Will pay for disk postage and pack- ing Ring Steve 0604 499329 evenings. PRINCE OF PERSIA WANTED (disk), will swap for Lemmings (disk) boxed with man- ual. No pirates! Phone Adam after 4pm 0436 78771. PRICE OF PERSIA WANTED will pay £6.50 or swap eighl tape games and £2.00. Bargain. Tel 0742 368469 ask for Jeremy, we do not have an answering machine, disk only. 'ELITE' on disk wanted will pay any rea- sonable price. Also wanted Arkanoid or Arkanoid II. Please phone Martin 0942 43702 or write to 55 Kenyon Road, Wlgan, Lanes WN1 2DU. SEEKING MANUAL with description of Ed Com on CP/M (for CPC6128) Price negotiable. Tel Gordon 031 667 1379. WANTED games for 6126 (disk), originals unnecessary. Reasonable price paid. Phone or write Antoinette O'Donnell, Spitl.il, Ballylanders. Co. Limerick, Ireland. 062 46719. USER MANUALS lor the Amstrad CPC 464. Also hardware lo lit a disk drive onto my 464, No silly prices please. Contact Jim 041 336 6667. DISK MAP by Andrew Toner, December 1987 anyone have correct listing and/or used this? Amstrad graphics by Robert Ranson, Sigma Press disk required ol complete programs. Phone 0934 623648. NORTH AND SOUTH will swap for Hero Quest (with Witchlord Data Disk}. Must be on tape. Contact Michael Craig, 28 Golf hi it Drive, Alexandria, G83 9ER Scotland. TAPE PLAYER with lead urgently need- ed. I will pay for tape player and postage. Also will swap F16 and Bloodwych tor Lemmings or T2. Tel Sam 02657 41532. DO YOU REMEMBER a game called Little Computer People? Do you haw n worthing original cassette copy for the 464? I will pay original price. Cell Tony on 0922 57035. SHADOW DANCER and Outrun wanted for three weeks, Will swap WWF and Liverpool for three weeks as well. On disk. Write to Stephen King, Dlcksgrove, Currow, Kiliarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland. OLD COPIES of Amstrad Action, num- bers 1-3, 5-8 must be in reasonable condi- tion. Cover price paid. Ring Cardiff 0222 795161 evenings only. SIM CITY WANTED also penfriend, male or female 12 years old. To give help and lips, Must be 6128 Plus owner {disk only). Mark Dolan Kllbrislane. Mltandstowd, Co. Cork, Ireland. Tel 025 24133. PD SOFTWARE wanted on 3' or 35" disk for new PD Library. All disks returned asap Sean Holland, 10 Pervin Road, Cosham. nr Portsmouth. Hampshire P06 3DE, SPELLBOUND DIZZY WANTED and Seymour (any except Take 1) swap for Dizzy Down the Rapids, Star Wars, and others. Send SAE to Jamie Shaw, 13 Carlton Close, Aylesbury, Bucks HP 19 3HR or phone 0296 432764, PENFRIEND WANTED to swap/lend 464 games. lips etc Only 464. I am 13 years old and looking for a 10-15 year old male or female. Gareth GUI! brand, 58 Ashley Avenue, Rreightmet, Bolton BL2 5AR. Tel 0204 389732. AM SO FT PASCAL introduction Hi-Soft 925 wanted. Phone 071 474 2869 after 10pm. HELP! Can anyone supply copies of pages 23 to 26 from OCP Art Studio instruction manual. CaJI Alex 0253 53024. WANTED AMX mouse to work on Amstrad CPC $126- Call Peter 0734 478254 after 4.30pm. DISK GAMES and Education disks want- ed for young 61 26 user. {7 years okf). Call 061 926 6277 SWAP FOOTBALL MANAGER 3 and Kick Off Collection lor any football or sporl aim, Manchester United in Europe if possible. Disk only Phone Bill 0923 775637 any afternoon except Sunday. AMSTRAD CPC 6128 wanted or 664 computer only. Would consider machine with broken disk drive, cheap as possible please. Offers to Matt 0444 450454 will swap for MM12 monitor. LEMMINGS wanted and Prmce ol Persia (disk), will swap 2 or 3 laps games for each game 6126 only. Phone Thomas 0582 640670 after 6pm PENPAL WANTED I am a serious, non games playing 6128+ owner. I am 12 years old. Please write to John Daniels, 3d Klngsway, Go u rock, Irwerclyde, PA191TO. AMSTRAD 6128 green screen modulator, games, and light gun and joysticks, exchange tor any Amiga 1 meg and screen etc. Person wanting Amstrad musi collect, D I Un&worth. 15 Aniline Street, Chorley, Lanes. JACK NICKLAUS GOLF tape wanted desperately CPC 464. Reasonable price paid. Phone Colin 091 45S1379. NIGHTMARE DDf-1, can anyone supply CP/M 2.2 system utilities disk please. Brother put mine in the toaster 1 All costs re-imbursed. Tel 0296 20861 answer machine. Other MPD SOFTWARE over 130 selections Of quality Public Domain software. For a free catalogue send a 24p stamp to Martin Elliott, 23 Nobes Avenue, Bridgemary, Gosport, Hampshire PO13 0HS. MFH PD over 100 selections of PD soft- ware at 50p per side. Send SAE to Michael Harvey, 9 Gwemant Road, Cheltenham, GL51 5HP for a free cata- logue. PD AT GREAT PRICES! Just send SSAE to Power House PD, 5 Pent land Road, Slough, Berks SL2 1TL. 50p per selec- tion. am-com Bit GOtifasI Amstrad games Fanzine, including news, reviews and com- petitions. May issue now on sale. Send a postal order tor £1.60 lo Gary Lewis, 20 Lancaster Terrace. Chester-Le-Street, Co. Durham, DH3 3NW lor your copy MAD? Wacky Fanzine for CPC owners. Issue one oul nowl Only £1 Send SAE to Richard Tamblyn, 145 Stubbington Avenue, North End, Portsmouth, Hants. P02 0JO. WACCI. The UK's only serious CPC mag- azine. For a sample copy send just one 28p stamp to WACCI, 7 Brunswood Green, Kawarden, Deesfde. Clywd CHS 3JA. CPC LISTINGS lots of them on 3* disk. Mostly games and graphics, some from 1985, for £3.00 only. From Angela Allum. 22 Point Royal, Bracknell RG12 7HH. * *s ORDER FORM SEND TO AA SMALL ADS. AD PRODUCTION, FUTUHE PUBLISHING LTD. BEAUFORD COURT, 30 MONMOUTH STREET, BATH, AVON BA1 2BW Please place the following advertisement in the next available issue of Amstrad Action Adc READER ADS! If s true - from now on you can advertise in Amstrad Action for MOTH IMC! It's all part of our continuing efforts to provide you with the best value magazine possible. Classification, Tick box: For Sale □ Wanted Ul Services Q User Groups Q Other 9 ■ Write your advertisement here, one word per box. Include youi name and phone number if you want them printed. RE-RELEASE Hit Squad ■ OG1 832 €633 ■ £3.99 Gather round mateys, and let Simon, Son of Forrester, the Master Swordsman, and dog of the highest seas tell you of the places he's been, the faces he's seen, the armies he's slain, and the re-releases he's reviewed (doobedoo), I think before we go any further mto this review, I should mention something. People with no taste for colour shouldn't be allowed to design graphics for computer games - S&C looks hideous. I know mat graphics shouldn't affect gameplay, but I draw the line here. Anyway, let's resume as normal. Ooh ar me "arties! Avast and astern! Land lubbers, etc. It be a game about sailing the oigh seas! Ooh arr yeah, So there's you, along with One Eye and Red Dog on a voyage to recover your treasure from an evil sorcerer. So off you stomp around ships, harbours, and planks and stab people with your sword. You run onto the first level, sword drawn, dive into the swarming crowd of pirates, and begin hacking and slaying. The incredibly chivalrous pirates attack you one at a time (just like in all the best Errol Flynn films). Bumping off the bad guys (complete with head scarves) is a straightforward task that you could get the knack of in no time at all, so all that's left is collecting treasure, following ghosts, and being beaten up by salty sea-dogs. And off we trot through level upon level of swashbuckling action, with our valiant hero (or heroine) defeating armies of people in strange blue hats. The one thing you will notice here, though, is the fact that they are separate levels. They take ages to load, you see. It's the second of this month's multi-loaders. Which means that all the sword swishing flitters away into the background compared with the cold steel feeling in your stomach when you see the words PRESS PLAY ON TAPE. When I first loaded it, I expected it to be a fairly mediocre platforrny killing thing. When ft loaded, and the screen scrolled painfully about. I reached for the power switch thinking Tm really not in the mood today/ but for some reason I carried on. And though it takes an age to load, it really is qutte fun. This is where we find mat vital lesson in gameplay - the loveliest graphics in the world won't automatically make a good game. Take Death Chase (on the Speccy) - rt's got all the beauty of a dirty anorak, but it's unbelievably addictive. ) think we can draw a similar conclusion here, really, except that the graphics aren't all that bad. They've just got some of the most garish colours the rainbow has to offer. Sonics, Oh dear. You'd expect them to be passable. You'd expect them to be there. Sad luck - they're not. It seems incredible that someone would ever release a game in this day and age with absolutely no sound effects, but they have. Make of this what you may. I'm speechless. (Hurrah. - Ed) If we had a picture of me looking aghast, it'd be here somewhere. Yes, yes, yes. That's all very swashbuckling, but will the damn game ever finish loading? Another chivalrous pirate att the others wait patiently for thei July I l> 9 3 AMSTBAD ACTION r v ~ L - £ ■cKiimmwimimur jC^^^b -K r [ J 1 ^^ w *0 Mill 1 i 1 fjSKSW ,0 + ■.-■-* *t # ii ; A solitary pirate ambles up. a feeling of boredom runs, like icicles, down our spine. And as for gameplay and grab factor, well... Skuli & Crossbones is not what it appears to be. As far as grabbing goes, S&C weakly paws at you, and gives up dejectedly. But if you do manage to hold the contents of your stomach long enough to see a bit more of the game, you'll find if s really quite good fun. Granted, you probably won't be playing it for months and months, but for a budget re-release, you should be quite pleased with your buy. Moderate graphics, with bile inducing colours that may or may not turn you right off. There's no sound, but if there was, you'd probably have to turn it down, so maybe its a blessing. I think the less said the better. If s creepy! You will actually notice yourself having rattier a good time, but hey, weird world. All in all If * boon » strange day. I think I'll lie down for a bit now. ■am BH • ■'■ WKaSSn IE ! i • Hi The Company that is NUMBER ONE for EVERY DRIVE YOU'LL EVER NEED ABBA Switch £12.95 The ARBAswhch. as Us name implies, logically switches your drives around so thai your A drive becomes the B drive and your B drive becomes The A drive. You can then use your externa] 3,5" drive as your A drive. Avai lablc for 6 1 28/664 only. 3rd Drive Switch £12.95 The 3rd drive switch sits on ihe disc drive port and allows the use of iwo cxlemal drives, normally B drives. When used in conjunction with the ABBA switch the two enema! drives become A drives. Available for ft] 2S/664 only. The side select switch allows the use of side A and side B on your 3,5" discs. The kit comes complete with full fitting instruclions and is suit* able for any make of disc drive. 6128 ROM €24.95 The 6128 ROM upgrade allows the use of CP/M Plus operating sysiem and feaiurcs some ex\m BASIC commands It will also allow the use of 6128 only software. It comes with full Titling instructions. Some delicate soldering may be requited. 3.5" MEGA-DRIVE 3.5" MEGA-DRIVE (Including FREE MS800) only £69*95 The Mega Drive will format up to 800JK per disc when used with MS800 (supplied FREE), RAMDOS, ROM- DOS or RODOS. It is a DUAL MODE drive. In MODE 1 the Mega Drive is a complete alternative B drive, arid in MODE 2 the Mega Drive will format up to 800K per disc. The Mega Drive is fitted wilh a side select switch as standard, to allow switching between side A and side B of your 3.5" discs. The Mega Drive is compatible with almost all other computers, so that if your change your computer you can transfer your Mega Drive. You will of course require another connecting lead. The power sup- ply is external and can be purchased separately for £9.95. OTHKR PRODUCTS 3,5 " Discs (Unbrandcd) O0).....,.,...,.»,.,.........„...J£7.95 W ■rWn J* iftOlflHHl \ I UJ rami iiiiiiin i iiniHiii niHiHi itntm J "h? J 3" Plastic Cases,.., ...,..,£5,95 3.5" Disc Box (Holds 40) ...JE7.95 3.5" or 3" Head Cleaner........................... .......£4,95 Joy Stick Splitter......... ....£9,95 464 Extension leads .................................. ....... .£12.95 ulfcO fcxicnsiofi iCflos ....+..».+*..,......+..»..,......+.„.. ..tio.y * 464+/6128+ Extension leads ..£12,95 Power Supply (Unregulated) .,„..„..„..,..,„.., ......JE9.95 Power Supply (Regulated),,.. £14,95 612K User Manual ,..„ , £18.00 CP/M Plus Sysiem Disc„..™„.„.,.......„..,„...„.„£l7.95 CP/M 2.2 System Disc .,,£17.95 61 2R Service Manual ...... , ..,£16,95 6128/464 Plus Service Manual ..,..„....,.,„ ..,£15.95 464 Service Manual , „.£ 1 2.95 3,5" TE AC Median i sin..., .„„.„... „..,... £49.95 CPC464 Cassette Mechanism £ 14.95 Magnum Light Phaser,.,.,,.,,,.,.,,..,...........,., £14.95 MP3 TV Tuner £29.95 Dk Tronic* RAM P 9.95 The single plug in memory expansion pack features some extra BASIC commands, and bank switching software for use as a data bank, The bank sw tithing is done automatically and is ideal for use with CP/M 2.2 and CP/M Pius wilh the 6128 ROM fitted. Expands your 64K RAM to 128K RAM, and brings your 464 up lo 6128 capacity. Will work straight off. Plus machines require a Plus to Edge (Widgel) connector. Write or Phone for FREE Catalogue The MP3 TVTuner fits perfectly under your CTM644 colour monitor and gives a perfect television picture (subject to good receiver conditions i. Can be used lo play Video Recorders or other compuiers requiring television display. Can be used on the CTM640 moni- tor with extra PSU. MP3 Plus available.... .£39.95 < II Radio/ Alarm/Clock £14.95 Widget £9.95 Plus to Edge connector allows standard 61288 peripherals to be connected to the 464/6128 Plus computers. SPECIAL OFFER 40 X 3.5" Discs & Disc Bo* £29.95 The CTI Radio/Alarm Clock sits perfectly under the Colour Monitor. Being powered from the mains it does not require any connection to your computer. The radio covers FM/MW/LW bands, and ihe Alarm Clock has a very clear digital display. The CTI matches perfectly wilh the MP3 TV Tuner and can be purchased together for.,...,..,,.,. ..£39,95 I MM- 1 Interface $65.0(1 (Goldmasttr Unbranded) We have a very limited quantity of DDI-I inter- faces which can be purchased with our .1.5" Mega Drive to connect to your 464 as the 1st Drive. OUR COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF P VES We have industry standard 3.5" drives lo suit your every PCW need. We have internal and externals, basic types and some thai sing and dance for you and we have them for all PCW models. They incorporate lop quality TEAC mechanisms. All our drives are designed in house to suit your needs and use only top quality parts and materials. They are supplied with full step by step filling instructions and carry a full, 1 year RTB warranty. Our exter- nal drives utilise the 12 volt line for reliability and are housed in sturdy metal cases and fin- ished in a fine ivory texture. All our external drives are made lo detach outside the PCW for ease of transportation and to allow them to be used on other PCWs and other computers such as the PC. INTERNAL ABBA 9 £89.95 Fits into the B drive compartment of the 9512 to provide a 35" B drive. Its incorpo- rated ABBA switch allows it to be logically swapped over with the 3" A drive so that the A becomes the B and vice versa. Booting up can be done from whichever drive is in the logical A position. DOUBLE DECKER DOUBLE DECKER 2 DRIVES IN 1 CASE only £149*95 For use on the 8256 and 8512 with 2 internal 3" drives fitted. Built in switches allow the selection on internal 3" of external 3.5" A drive and internal 3" or external 3.5" B drive. Booting up can be done from either 3" or 3.5" disc. You can choose lo store your data on 3" or 3,5" discs whether A drive or B drive, The addition of this top of the range model to your PCW will give you all the versatility and choices you ever wanted and then some] Fits into the 95 I2"s A drive compartment to replace a faulty I" A drive, ll can also be filled into the B drive eompanmcriT and used as a B drive. An internal switch decides whether il operates as an A or B drive. Should ihe 3" A drive become faulty then flicking the switch will immediately set ihe INTERNAL 9 as a replacement A drive. INTERNAL 8 £79.95 This model is the equivalent of [he INTERNAL 9 EXTERNAL MFI)2 £79.95 256 K memory upgrade , £16.95 Extra leads for external drives £POA EXTERN This is the external equivalent of the INTERNAL ABBA 9 for those who dorit wish to fit an internal drive. All features are the same. Due to cancelled order we can offer a limited number of 3.5" Panasonic External MFD1 E Economy Disc Drives £49.95 Offer subject to stock availability For use with the 8256. 8512 and 9512 wilh two di*c drives fitted. When connected, il becomes an alternative B drive to the internal 3" and has a switch fitted to allow ihe selection of external 3.5" or iniemal 3 ' B drive. We chose ihe reliable manual switch rather than the auto swilch which can cause inadvenent formatting of important discs. Is detachable without the need lo open the PCW which helps when moving, the PCW. This feature allows the MFD2 to he used on other computers, e.g. PCs. We supply ex tension lead adapierv for this purpose. EXTERNAL MFD1 09.95 This drive is identical to the MFD2 but without the facility to select external 3.5" or internal 3" B drives. The MFD I is therefore suitable for single drive ver- sions of Ihe PCW 8256 PCW8512 (wilh internal B drive disconnected) and FCW95 12. 191 Watling Street Road, Fulwood, PRESTON PR2 4AE Microform Phone: 0772 701248 Fax: 0772 703131 ■ SAME DAY DESPATCH ON ORDERS PHONED IN BY 3.00p.m. Ait prices artfully inclusive for UK and BFPO delivery, verstas orders P&P extra. ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS TAKEN. i CHEATING • • r • We thought it was about time we shared some of the arcane mysteries of game cheats. Here's veteran POKE-er, Lee Rouane. Have you ever read lovingly through your monthly AA, always do, - Ed) come across Cheat Mode, and looked jealously over the keypress cheats? Some people look with wonder and attempt to work out how anyone could have come up with the idea of pressing such a sublime combination of keys. This is a little misguided. What actually happens it that the budding hacker goes through the code, and finds the keypress cheat the other way round. Let me show you how if s done... Have a quick look First off, just in case, you might like to glance idly through the code by using a Hacklt/Multiface, and searching for the letter E, for example. If you typing them in on the menu screen of the game in question, or holding down all the component keys at various points in the game. If this doesn't work, it means the guy who wrote the game had a little sense, and you'll have to resort to slightly more technical means. Let's get technical For the sake of an example, we're going to use the Multiface coupled with the Insider, and the one and only Hong Kong Phooey game. Without further ado let's load up the game, and hit the switch. Firstly, we're going to search for a string of the byte 4FF. I know it seems a little irrelevant right now, but all we become clear in time. All you need to know for now is to note down the addresses at which they occur Next, search for the bytes ED, 49, 06, H, ED, and 78 (all in hexadecimal), which translates as follows: OUT : 80E1 AND 498 : 89E3 JH HZ, *80BF ; sues u> a, (iota) sate am m i 60EA JR HZ, 480BF : 80EC LB A, (4FFFC) I 88EF AND 410 Block S Key 3 so block 5*8+ key 3= 43 = V If no kty pressed restart Block 4 Key 2 so block 4*8+ key 2: 34 =0 Block 6 Key 4 so block 6*8* key 4= 52 : G sen j* NZ,isdfiF 88F3 U> A, (tFFFA) 88F6 m m 10 20 40 SO So AND 410 would be key 4 and so on. Still 88F3 U A, (tFFFA) : Block 4 88F6 AW) MB ; Key 3 so block 4*8+ key 3= 35 = I S8F8 JR NZ,488BF : Restart The code then carries on with other parts of the game, but as you can see the word Y,0,G,l has been found, and if you exit Tearaway, hold down these keys on the options screen, and, Eureka!! fPhewf it worked! - St) You now have infinite lives. This replaces the keypress for this game that was widely known as T, H, U, 6, and L The reason that this keypress works as well is due to the keyboard matrix and the way the CPC works out what key is being pressed - some combinations of keys can reproduce the same effect as others. Anyway, i hope you found that useful, as the same principles we've seen here can be applied to many other games - not just Hong Kong Phooey. Cheerybyel < July 1993 AIMS-TRAD ACTION GAME TIPS Looks like we're back in black (and white) with the POKEs chaps, forget the type-in pages and dust off your typing fingers f cos here conies this month's batch Take it away buds. HAON 10-DATA-21,O3,he,22,6f ,87,c3,ea,8Q,af , 32, fO,23,G3,b8,02 ABFB 2S»EFSTR-a-e:F0« j=*BEOOIO*BE0F:BEft&- HftLJ 30-c="-^Inf inite ■ lives' :d:' Insert >gane-' PAHO 40-PRINrinsert ^ne"; : IF -PEEK (48247) =28 7- THEN -PRINT" tape" PAHA SO GOTO 63 ELSE PRIHT-dj5t-;-Pre5saiiy-k ey":CALL-iBB18 JftHH 6«'HEMORV-a7777:LOflt' , iienu B !CflLL-iBEOO- Crystal Kingdom Quattro Fighters Dizzy Graham Smith has kept up his end by supplying his usual batch of great POKEs, this time he has done a cheat for Crystal Kingdom Dizzy which gives infinite lives. There's also one for the AA87 Covertape game, Nexor. NAKF 1- 'Crystal -Xingd w* -Dizzy By 'CraJiaA-Sflith JAJA 10.DATA21,Q9>,22,9d,98,c3,G0,98,cd,3O JAPS 20-&AIA.{e J 0U8,00 P U,0Q,cO t 21 J le,be l *d JAGI 3O'MATO*aBE£D IAKA 78-JtIAD^:P0KE«j,vAL<"a"*aikNXXT JAIL 80-arSTRINCI(25,42)^= D *"tSTRI«GIC23,3a) #■«" HABL 98PRINT" Infinite lives IAFG IGO-PRINrCRVSTAL-KINCDvH-Dim PftPP I10-PRlNT*Insert-9ane-tape^KDIOR¥'47FFF jLOAB-'sCftLL-tBEee LACH 1-' AA87 cower- tape-by -Grahart-Snith — ■ PftDC 2-' -works -on -tape -or-prograrts-saved-to-d 1st AAKH 3-' Dunstable's Andy Price has found yet another Quattro compilation to add his ever expanding list of conquests. This time its Quattro Fighters that gets the treatment (Andy tells me that he has yet another Quattro POKE in development for next month - so we'll look out forward to that) Meanwhile; SAS Combat Simulator gets Infinite lives, grenades, less people and easier fighting. Mig 29 gets infinite lives. Guardian Angel you can pick the amount of lives you want. Turbo Chopper gets infinite lives. Turbo the Tortoise In addition to these Andy has supplied a tape POKE for Turbo The Tortoise which supplies infinite lives. LAM 1 - ' Guattr o ■ F i ghters -Conpi Utior FADS g-'-Codenasters AAKH 3.' HA AX 4* ' »b|< AND V - PRICE , - - 31 • Jan , - 1 99 3 AAKH 5-' LAAI 10-MODE l:LOCftTEl£,l:PRINT"GUftTTROFIGH TERS" I ADO 20 ■ LOCATE -14, 3 iPRBirby- ANN -PRICE" HAIX 30-LOCATE-SJ:PRINT i l.'Hi9<23-Soviet-ri9 hter" KACC 46 ■ LOC ftTE ■ 5 , 8 : PRINT" 2 . - SftS • Cofiba t ■ S in" KAFL 50- LOCATE -5, 9: PRINT' 3. -Guardian -Angel" LADP GO - LOC ATE - 5 , 16 : PFINI-4 . Turbo ■ Chopper - S i n* HACN 70-WCATE'S,I2:DIPUPEnter-POKE>nunber:" ,ap GACH Bfl -ON -ap -GOTO -110,260,580,440 DAFL 90 -PRINT CHRf(?) CASH 100 -GOTO -70 GAAI 11CDATA 2a,38,bd,eS,ac,el Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside. Especially in this lovely blue car. What is It? GAKB 128 GAJC 130 FAAN 140 FAKE ISO GAHH 188 FAFH 178 FA1H 180 DAEJ 185 FAII 190 FAJJ 200 HAP0 210 FACH 230 CAPP 240 HAIF 2S0 FAEA 260 EAP0 278 EAF0 280 EftOM 280 EfiCN 300 EAHJ 310 EACO 320 EAHN 330 EABN 340 FANA 3S0 DA0L 380 FALE 370 OAU 375 FAIH 380 FADK 390 GAHJ 400 CAPP 420 CAEF 430 FANC 440 DAGJ 44S FAFG 460 FAEX 460 GANt 470 DAGA 430 FADK S0G FACH 510 FAN I 520 FACH 530 DATft"22,2b,be,ad,21,37 DATP,bd,3e,c3,77,23,3e DATA-23,77,3e,he,23,7? DATA-21,40,00,e3,ll,00 DATA-bb,00,c3,4a,3a,af DATA-32,c8, 08,32, fl,0c DATA- cf, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00 RESTORE- 110 FOR-x=aBE00-I0-ft6E2C READ-al:a=VALC* p *a*> P0KE-x,a:chk:chJi+a:NEXT NEHOM-AaFFFiLOAB" CALL-ftBEOQ FRINI"Error-iii-POK£" DATA-2A,38,B*,£S,AC DATft-El, 22,33,BE, A3 MA-ai,37,BE,3E,C3 DATfi-77,23,31,23,77 DATA-3E,BE,23,77,21 DATA-40, 00, E3, 11,00 £ATA-BB,0O,Q,4fl,3A DATA-3E,FF, 32,86,32 BATA-32,8B,32,AF,32 JATA-AA,49,EE,3B,AF BATA-cF,41,S0 MEMORY a3AG0:LOAr" RESTORE -260 FORad=ABE00*TO-aBE34 REAJ-aI:a=UALrr+ai) P0KE-ad,arc:t+aiNfXI CALL-&BEO0 PRINT'Errorif'iSTOP NEH0RV J3A42:LOAI- RESIORE-500 FOR-a=SBE00-TO-iBE2B REAB-bt:b=l3AL("4Nbt) c=c4b:P0KE>a,b!NEXT CALL-IBE00 SATA-2A,38,£D,E5,AC,E1 BAIA.22,27,RE,AI>,21,37 9ATA>BD,3E,C3,T7 ( a3 f 3£ DATA-22,?7,3E,BE,23,7? iuly 1 993 AMSTRAD ACTION GAME TIPS FfiPJ 550 im sso FflBP ST0 FABB m FftCA 590 EAftP COO CAKN G10 u\m m FflfiL 830 EAAH 640 EAEN 650 EftKN 660 nn 67S FftFH 680 FADN &90 CAA1 700 IftDO 720 CAHE 730 NAAH 740 DATA DAIft DflTft 21,40,0G,E3,il,DQ BB,C3,4fi,3MF,32 lb, lb,® MM PRINT'BAIA-wror" DAIA-E)J,SB,38,B»,5S DAIA-Afl,Di,El),S3,aD mia-bla5,21,37,bd BATA'3I,C3,77,23,3E DAIA-2S,??,3E,B£,£3 fiATA-77,21,48,O0,E3 DATA-U,O0,BB,OO,C3 BATATA, 3A,3E,09, 32 DATA- 6A. 91,41., 50, CF HEMOFV ■ $3906 : LOAD"' RESTORE S80 F0JU=ABEOfl-T0-4BRC HEAD*pt:p;VftLC4'*pl) POM-a^y^+ptNEXT iHPUPNunber -of- lives" ;z POKE IBE£6 ( z:CfiLL>iBE0O PJUNI'DAIA- error* I STOP Reckless Ruf us The codes for all the levels on Part 1 are : LEVEL 11 -4529 LEVEL 21 -8769 LEVEL 31 -6260 LEVEL 41 -0942 LEVEL 51 - 3392 LEVEL 61 -9744 The password to Part 2 of the game is - 2435 Baby Jo Archie Fulton from Brae in Shetland has supplied the passwords to Baby Jo, They are YOUPI, GLOUP and MUMMY. Galactic Plague Plus an age old tip for that bastion (have f spelled that right?) (Yes. - Ed) of Am s trad game-playing, which somehow seems to have evaded the cheat mode pages - Galactic Plague - Hold down R to advance a level. Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade Archie has also sent a cheat for Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade which has appeared before but so what, it's really good - On the title screen, hold down T O D (the border will flash) then during the game then hold down SHIFT+1 to return to the start of that level SHIFT+2 to advance to the next restart point SHIFT+3 to load the next level. Thanks Arch. Atom Ant Meanwhile south of the border in Twyning (is tfiat where the tea comes from) Antony (dead ant) Stanley has been playing with what else but Atom Ant and discovered a fine keypress: On the title screen hold down the keys MONSTER and you will get a dose of invulnerability. Ant also suggest that if you hold down fire whilst running on Street Cred Football you go faster! Cerebus Slightly further south still, in Allora Queensland Australia, Space Crusader Fraser Clark has discovered that on the game Cerebus if you hold down the keys KEVIN you will become invincible. Space Crusade Gary Lewis of 20 Lancaster Tee, CHESTER- LE-STREET Co Durham DH3 3NW, produces a fanzine called AM-COM and would like a mention for it. Obviously I can't use up vital Cheatmode space for that so instead here is a cheat he's found for Space Crusade: The marine with the assault cannon has an infinite re-fire option. If t when he fires, he fails to destroy the alien a re-fire option may come up. When it does, click onto your marine again and fire on the alien you didn't eliminate. A new set of numbers should come up. Keep repeating this option until you wipe out the alien. Also after you 've done this (even if the re-fire option in the top right of the screen is gone the fire icon at the bottom should still be highlighted. You can blast the aliens as much as you like. You lose this when you end your turn, but can repeat the method on future turns, Myth, History InThe Making We like to help out when people ask for help with games especially, when the games they ask for are real goodies like Myth, History in The Making, Back in 1990 Kevin Hoy of Bootle sent us this solution to the game, and here it comes again for Here's a chap riding through the dessert on a Harley. No, sorry, thaf s "deserf . Here's a chap riding through the desert on his dessert. all you new history makers: Stage 1: The Road to Hell Kick the two jars on either side at the start and collect the contents. • Go left, select fireball and shoot the hanging corpses. • Smash the jars and collect the contents. • Skeletons will drop from above, shoot them and collect the skulls. • Go left and immediately shoot the gargoyle, use heart to protect yourself. • When defeated, shoot the orb until it falls, then collect it • Go right shooting corpses and collecting articles. • Use the heart when confronted by the gargoyle and move directly underneath. • Select fireball then jump in between him spitting and shoot him. • Fire at the orb until it falls then collect it • Go left and drop down, O Go right, shoot the hanging corpses, go right and collect the orb. • Go left shooting kicking and collecting all you find, and drop down. • Make sure you have collected ten skulls tjien go left. • Select skulls as your weapon and throw ten into the fiery pit, select fireball. • The devil will rise, shoot him repeatedly until he explodes. • A platform will appear, collect the trident and the orb. • Go right collecting, and at a second fiery pit a platform will appear. • Select the trident and go right, shoot the dragon repeatedly. O Collect the key and move left, climbing upwards to the door, • Select the key, the door will open, move through the door. • Select the heart drop from the ledges and collect the orb. • Go right out of the door and drop from the ledge. • Go to the right collect the master icon, -> July 1 993 AMSTRAD ACTION GAME TIPS TV&N PEAKS Don't ask me mat*, I only work her*, I was out when th*y decided to use these pictures, • Return to the start position (teleport pad) and select the master icon. Stage 2: Greece 400BC • Destroy the statue with your sword and collect the fireball and the orb. • Ignore the jar then go right collecting articles as you go. • Hit the statue of Achilles on the heel six times and collect the bag. • (Now is this Achilles or is it Perseus?} • Go right break the jar and chase the dove (extra life). • Go right and cautiously move forward the lady will transform. • When she does hide behind the pillar and wait for her to rise. • Move left off the screen and back again she will have gone. • Go right and collect a dove and an orb, then right again and collect a third. • Move right and jump to the temple and kneel (left + fire + Sword Icon). • You are transported to Medusa's . Protect yourself with your shield. • Move forward cut off her head with the sword, select the bag, • Collect Medusa's head then the orb. • Go left then right to encounter the Hydra and select the Medusa head. • Destroy the heads, collect the orb and return to the temple and kneel, • Collect the master icon and return to the teleport pad. Stage 3: Scandinavia 500AD • Kill all the Vikings until one leaves a fireball, select it. • Go right, collect the orb and get transported ashore. • Jump up to the jar and collect the contents. • Go left shoot the trolls and collect the knives. • Keep moving left and collecting until you find the orb. • Collect the lightning and the orb. • Go right and climb the platforms to collect the scroll. • Go right and use the scroll to make rain and put out the fire. • Release the lady and she will reveal a key, collect it. • Go right and collect the orb. • Go right collecting and you will confront the dragon. • Select the knives, get close between fiery breaths and destroy it. • Move right and collect the orb. • Go right and select the key to tower the drawbridge. • Enter the castle and use the lightning to destroy Odin, shoot his feet. • Collect the orb, go left collect the master icon in the forest. • Return to the Teleport pad. Stage 4: Egypt 3,OOOBC • Don't enter the water, select the gun, go right and shoot twice. • Enter the pyramid, go down the steps and drop off the ledge. • Below there are four doors (1 nearest the wall and 4 farthest away). • Enter door three first by crouching (same as kneeling in Greece). • Jump across the pit and collect the mask from the chest, • Jump over the spikes kick the jar and collect the gun. • The floor is booby trapped so jump right and collect the ankh. • Move to between the two sarcophagus' and select the ankh (extra lives). • Return to the four doors and select door two, • Watch out for falling slabs, collect the fireball and the gun. • Move to the next screen and collect the orb. • Move to the next screen and jump the pit, don't land on the first slab. • Collect the eye from the chest, go to the next screen and get the jar. • Return to the doors and enter number one, watch out for falling slabs. • Collect the gun, move to the next screen and collect the orb. • Carry on to the next screen collect the fireball and the second jar, • Return to the doors, enter number three and jump left. • Go to the next screen, collect the orb, and on to collect the third jar. • Return to the doors and select number four, • Avoiding spikes and falling slabs go to the next screen and collect the orb, • Carry on walking right to the end of the room and collect the fourth jar. • Return to the doors and the eye under door five should now be flashing. • Select the eye and you will transport to a corridor, • Shoot the mummies with your gun and walk right to the sarcophagus. • Put down the jars, then enter the next room and select the mask. • Fire at the face of King Tut and he will be destroyed. • Collect the final orb, go back to the teleport • That's it. Multiface POKES There has been a bit of a shortage of Multiface POKEs since the mammoth session a few months ago, but they are starting to appear again now... Here are a batch from Peter Curgenven of Trevone bay: NAME Kettte 8EAD 00 Mr Freeze 7B69 00 Johny Quest 8883 00 Crys King Dizzy A044 3A Baby Jo (D) 1503 AA Boscoman ("0 37D7 00 Oink (T) 4DF3 00 4A98 35 Terramex (T) 6821 AA Robin Hood Legend Quest IT} 8D6E 3A ADDR POKE EFFECT Stops timer Inf lives Stops animals Inf lives Inf lives Inf lives Inf lives Stops timer Inf Lives Inf lives (Hearts) Inf lives (Numbers) A0F4 00 Microcosmica And a bunch of Multiface POKEs for the game Microcosmica from Simon Avery from Chudleigh: Microcosmica 659A 00 Stops days advancing 659B 00 No landing tax 74CC FF 255 lasers 74CD FF 255 shields 74CE FF 255 exterior 74CF FF 255 interior 74D0 FF 255 Mk 1 computer 74D1 FF 255 Mk 2 computer 74D2 FF 255 Mk 3 computer 4DFA FF 65,000 credits Simon has also supplied a list of the items required by citizens of various galaxies: Galaxy 3 - Rainbow door Galaxy 4 - Weavers dream Galaxy 5 - Roger's cash book Galaxy 6 - WSIIigen's vortex Galaxy 7 - New DMP 1 ribbon Galaxy 8 -New 6502 boiler Galaxy 9 - Red herring Please send your cheats and stuff to the usual address and you might win a prize. • July 1993 loni CHEATING I J • J Keypresses might not be enough. Simon Forrester dusts off his POKEing fingers and goes looking for some other cheats. So you've learnt how to search for keypress cheats. But what about the Multiface pokes? If you do actually have a game that wasn't listed in the huge Multiface feature in issue 90, or there's a new one just been bought out that you feel like taking on, here's how to go about it: It's important that you know from the absolute start exactly how a game works when it comes to lives, time, and other stuff that counts downwards, in machine code, there are a few standard routines that are commonly used to decrease numbers - it's those that we're looking for. All we have to do is track down the routine that decreases the numbers. So let's begin by taking a game that we all RJ>EB ROFF EEK ACKIT U4.0 CO SIREN Adapt And Survive Of course, the routine we searched for in Chuckie Egg wasn't the only type of routine we can look for. If you're poking a game, and you don't have any joy with the routine, try looking for a few of the following: 21 99 n LD Hl^addr 35 DEC (HL> 21 ?? ?? LD HL,addr 7£ LD MHL) 3D DEC A 77 LD (HD.ft 3D ?? ?? LD A,(addr) U ?? SUB nun 32 tt ?? LD (addr),A The number in italics, buy way, is the number to be replaced with 00, in order for the poke to work. know and love, and more importantly, all have - Chuckie Egg. Yeah yeah yeah, I know it appeared in that issue, but I poked it hundreds of years ago, and I'm going to do it again. So load the game up, and off we jolly well go! As you can see from playing the game, the main thing we want to stop counting down is the life counter. If we can achieve this, when you die, you won't actually lose the life, just start again. And were going to do pretty much this whole thing with only a search routine to keep us company - there are hundreds of utilities with search functions around, such as Multiface, Hacklt, Maxam, and, well, you name it, really! Right, reset your machine, and type the following: MEMORY I7FFF LOAD "CHUCKIE. BIN" J8000 This should have loaded the main game code into memory. I suppose, if you've got a Multiface or a Hacklt, you can just run the game and freeze it, but if you haven't, that's how to load the game into memory and still have control over your machine, So now we need tfie search routine. If you ve got a BASIC program, then run it. if you've got a menu option, then select it. We're searching for the following bytes: 3A ?? ?? 3D 32 ?? ?* The question marks indicate mystery bytes (or wildcards), that we don't specify, because we don't know the address they're going to hold. The last two mystery bytes could, in effect, be left off altogether, but for the sake of understanding, don't knock them off just yet. Those numbers actually disassemble into the following: LD fi,UMr) DEC A LD UddrM The number represented by the addr is actually the memory address that contains the life counter, so the value is loaded into A, decreased by one, and put back again. The easy way to kill that part of the program without upsetting the rest of it is to replace the DIG A instruction with a HOP [no operation) instruction, So now you have to sit and work your way through the list of bytes your searcher found, replacing each dec with a nop, and testing it, to see whether you have infinite lives. Right - because we don't have the time or the patience to sit and go through each one in turn, I can now reveal to you that the offending routine is atASBSB 9BS8 3A SC 76 LD M*?BSC> 9BSB 3D DEC A 3BSC 32 SC 7B LD {*7B5C),A So to replace the DEC A with a hop, we need to poke &9B5S with 0. And hey presto, there's your infinite lives poke! • LO00 2000 3000__ 4000 S00E___ 6000 7O00__ ftftOft tfOUF PKOFF *EEK t .(■••■■■■ TT .»*» ■ .1m- f J^-^-V-J-Tf* IACKIT 04. < c > SIREN 004 008 i§9? »g es „„ CN 000 ~ " ■ July 1993 Future Publishing Limited, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW Tel: 0225 442244 Fax: 022S 446019 Editor Tim Noms Art Editor Nick As pell Staff Writer Simon Forrester Contributors Phil Howard. Richard Fair hurst, Tim Blackbond. Lee Rouane Photography Rob Scott Cover Illustration Graham Puck eft Senior Ad Sales Executive Jackie Garford Trainee Ad Sales Executive Robert Bonnet Publisher Colin Campbell Promotions Assistant Tama r a Ward Croup Publishing Director Greg Ingham Production Craig 6 road bridge Lino and Scanning Simon Chittenden, Jon Moore, Chris Stacker, Simon Windsor. Heath Parsons. Mark Cover. Nick Harvey Subscriptions Christine Stacey tet: 0458 7401 1 Circulation Manager Jon Bickley , tel: 0225 442244 & Future Publishing Ltd 1991 Amstrad Action is an independent publication. The company producing it - Future Publishing Ltd - ha$ no connection wilh Amstrad pic. We cannot guarantee to return materia E submitted to us, nor can we enter into personal correspondence We take great care to ensure that what we publish is accurate, but cannot be liable for any mistakes or misprints. Mo part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without our explicit written permission. Printed in the if K uiure PUBLISHING 'Your guarantee of value' This magazine conies from Future Publishing. We offer: Better ad w ice. Our titles are packed with tips, suggestions and explanatory features, written by the best m the business. Stronger reviews. We have a cast-if on policy of editorial independence, and our reviews give clear buying r c c o m men ddi i ons . Clearer design. Vou need solid information fast So our designers highlight key elements, by using charts, diagrams. summary boxes, annotated photographs etc Creator relevance. At Future, editors operate under two golden rules ■ Understand your readers' needs. Satisfy them More reader interaction. Wc draw strongly on readers' contributions, resulting in the liveliest Fetters pages and the best reader tips. Buying one of our magazines is like joining a nationwide user group. Better value for money. Magazines you can trust Home of Britain's finest magaimei ¥«* Sinclair ■ Commodore Fwmst ■ POfV Ptos ■ PC Plus * PC Ans*ers * PC Formal • Amga F ot nut * ST Format * Se ga Power • TOTAL' • Amiga Power * Amiga Snooper ■ Super flay * Mega * fomesMasier » Mac Format * Future Muftf #rtf aJ$4 Classic CO • Mountain Bikmg UK » Cycling Wui ■ Netdltcfaft ■ Cro» Strtch Collection ■ Caravan Phis and prooabfy some other* , too. Who Lnois? Amstrad Action n-i onuses all copyrights contained m this issue. Where possible we have acknowledged the copyright holder Please feel kee lo contot us il we have failed to credit your copyright - we will be happy to correct any o\tei sight | ABC 27,090 Member of th* Aiidkt &ute»u of Circulation* July '92 ■ Jan 93 r -■* -*a> *a.e* «v\e* *\e> -*^ At all good newsagents On Th At the time of going to press, we can't reveal thi serious package for you, but we can tell you the the B-side will almost definitely be a fab little gat called Biff, featuring the adventures of a happy young individual called, funnily enough, Biff. On The Hot Spot We talk to those wonderful chappies at Campursoft, and take a look at what the/ve got coming your way m the very near future - you may even get to see their fabulous new hard drive! Here's hoping! We'll be covering objects and puzzles next month in Venture forth, so get your brain ready to be twisted m knots. On The Hop Cheat Mode returns in all its glory, witti the regular selection of hints, tips, pokes and keypresses. So if your aliens just won't die, or your time keeps running out, we've got the poke for endless life, health, and the cure for gout. (Oh dear. - Ed) On The Cheap Public Image makes a fabulous comeback with even more goodies to fill your discs, and keep you entertained for yet another month. AMSTRAD ACTION July (99 3 fc OW A TOTAL MOUSE/ GRAPHICS PACKAGE : OR YOUR ► AMSTRAD AT A TRULY INBEATABLE PRICE!! enius/TloL/se COMPLETE WITH » M ■/ TAW i >TA:Uk*tthH*^ .»>» mnscuu, hvvem. pack* t : • Genius Mouse is a high resolution two button mouse featuring optical counting, effort guides, microswitches, rubber coated ball and high quality interface. • When combined with OCP Advanced Art Studio this graphics package is quite simply the best system available. The features are unmatched... • Create an Irmigr shrink It. cxpanTl CREDIT CARD ORDERS JtSPATCMtD WITHIN IB Hrs. 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