8-bit Software (c) Duncan Webster January 1992
Issue 18 Jan/Feb 1992
PROGRAMMERS RETURN
Reviewer: 4RR
Program: Miles/Gallon
Once in use this was very good as a graphical way of seeing how ones
M.P.G. is. Fortunately it was easy to input all details as there is a
lack of error trapping which would normally cause some head scratching
over lost data. I liked the way all the data can be saved (clever to
use the registration number as the file name) which means now I can do
away with all my scraps of paper with quantities and mileages on them.
Reviewer: 4RR
Program: ROM Music
This was the program for me on Issue 17. Both files loaded into my
Sideways ROM slot without any difficulty. However what a delight it
was to find that not only did it contain the music data, but also ROM
calls in which to alter and see the playing tune. There are 13 *calls
of which I still haven't found the use of 5. I would be grateful if
someone has found the syntax for FORGET, FINISHON, FINISHOFF, KEEP and
RESYNC to write in. One final disappointment was that my playing
version of TAKE ON ME didn't finish correctly, and at the end of the
tune it started to read the data in the BASIC rom and naturally that
comes out as rubbish!!! Did anybody else experience that?
*8BS editors note*
Actually I didn't realise that any extra *commands were implemented.
If anyone can provide me with a complete list I would be happy to
present a full list next issue.
Reviewer: 4RR
Program: Birdie Animation
I was surprised at the effect of this clever animation and found it
just as entertaining watching the flight path taken. Perhaps the
sound of wings flapping or the rush of winds high up the mountains
could be added.
Reviewer: 4RR
Program: Polish Christmas
What a pity I don't own a MASTER as I would have liked to listen to
the offerings, especially as the short piece about a typical Polish
Christmas was so interesting. Many congratulations for this article.
*8BS editors note*
Actually these tunes would not have worked whether you had a master
computer or not as I copied the files over to the issue disc with the
wrong command (as Chris Richardson so kindly pointed out). A million
apologies to all members. Will keep this for next year and I will
hopefully get it right then!
Reviewer: 483
Program: Satellite Havac
Excellent game, the sound and graphics give it a "Star-Wars" type
atmosphere. Perhaps the sound effect for firing could be made
different from the one for moving (but keep the moving sound the same,
it's great). One bug is that when a satellite has been destroyed in
the same place as the next one is about to arrive, it makes it
invisible. The laser beam sometimes removes the edges of the
satellites and some of the stars when you fire and miss, which could
be improved upon. Also the explosions look too much like the stars at
the moment, which could also do with changing. If the presentation
were to be improved in these ways, it would be perfect. Lastly,
missing out the routine to change the colour of the satellite all the
time would both speed up the game and reduce the response-time to the
keyboard, which is one of the game's main drawbacks at present.
Definitely one of the best games I've yet seen in 8BS.
Reviewer: 483
Program: Memory Dump 1.00
Providing an option to choose which ROM to read data from if above
&8000 would be very useful. Could this program be made the basis for
a disassembler?
Reviewer: 2GJ
Program: Miles per Gallon
This looks a vast improvement over the previous similar program, much
more manageable and more user-friendly. This one I have already
included on my own home budget disc and it will be used regularly.
Great!
Reviewer: 2GJ
Program: ROM Music
I had some problems here, but maybe it's my set-up. I tried them on a
Watford ROM/RAM board in my 'B' and it loaded easily, then with
*TAKEOM it began. But as soon as I tried other keypresses it
corrupted. I have had problems before using this SWR, so I've removed
and dumped it now, so maybe the software isn't at fault. I'll never
know now!
Reviewer: 2GJ
Program: Mix Editor and Mix-Run Builder
This looks very interesting, but as you stated in the magazine notes,
it isn't a lot of good to the beginner and I'm afraid that I don't
know enough about how to use it. Any chance of there being a skimpy
manual or anything? Anyone out there care to write an idiot-guide to
it?
Reviewer: C83
Program: Search for Sanity
I found this game very amusing to play. Text games are usualy really
boring and they make you want to fall asleep just reading through the
text. I think this game is brilliant and hope to see more like it in
the future!
Reviewer: C83
Program: Satellite Havac
Another one of Mr Shakoors games. Brilliant gameplay and good
graphics. I think it would have been better if there were different
types of satellites etc.
Reviewer: C83
Program: Catalogue Saver
An invaluable utility. A great help for DFS files as I'm always
deleting files I don't want to. Let's have some more utilities like
it.
Reviewer: 0E7
Program: Sound MixEd
As you say in your comments one needs a full course on this before
one can operate with any success. If I ever have the time I may
explore more fully.
Reviewer: 0E7
Program: Miles per Gallon
As you say this is not very well error trapped. I would definitely
prefer to get a decimal output with a decimal input. This does not
occur with figures over 1K and I do not like to stop and have to
do a mental conversion. On the graph the DATE scales are rather
confusing and are definitely more so when the graph plots overwrite
the graphics. Could not the graph plots be confined to a seperate
window to eliminate this problem?
Reviewer: 0E7
Program: Satellite Havac
Very slow response to keyboard and left to guesswork as to where
aim is. If this can be speeded up it will be vastly improved but
some method of aiming on target required.
Reviewer: 72B
Program: Miles per Gallon
1. Liked the simple data entry, with fewest possible key presses
2. Didn't like:
a. pressing 'r' instead of 'R' took you out of program
b. only last 10 entries shown on chart and list
c. 'oldest' entry on right, newest entry on left of chart
3. Would prefer:
a. 2.c above reversed
b. ability to scroll entries, both list and chart
c. more entries visible, at expense of colour, if necessary.
Reviewer: Y80
Program: Archiver/De-archiver
In the P.C. world, we use a similar utility to this called PKzip which
crunches files down to sometimes half their original size. The files
can then be unzipped whenever you need them. The utility is
especially useful if you need to fit many programs on a floppy to take
somewhere with you and need to save as much disk space as possible.
A few improvements maybe?
- Ask for the source drive, then display a catalogue, then input the
file to use, then ask for the DESTINATION drive!
... or - Introduce a menu system:
1. Catalogue of compressed files
2. Select drive
3. Compress file(s)
4. Decompress file(s)
5. Exit
Option 1 would be especially useful; when files are compressed, why
not stick a few bytes at the beginning of the compressed file that
could be identified by the program, so a catalogue of compressed files
and their contents could be displayed on screen. ie:
Compressed file : C.8BIT
File length : &6A01
No. of files : 4
Catalogue:
$.Rename2
$.menu
$.!boot
T.treetxt
Archiver is very useful. I was hoping that there was something
similar available for the beeb. Now there is. Cheers!
*8BS Editors Note*
Most of your suggested improvements have already been thought of by
Andrew and are available in ARC3.0 resident on this issue disc.
Reviewer: Y80
Program: Search for Sanity
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggghhhhhhhh, you are completely hatstand
John! This game is sheer brilliance. Knock, Knock John - Welcome to
the funnyfarm ...
Reviewer: L1L
Program: Slatter
Yet another great program from a man who must spend a lot of time at
the keyboard to keep churning out programs at this rate. Having not
played Tetris this is a new style of game for me and it is although
simple, also very addictive. Even though blocks can pass through
each other this doesn't seem to distract from the game play more that
slightly.
Reviewer: L1L
Program: Archiver
All in all a good little utility. I've been meaning to type out
similar programs from magazine listings, but they are always
increadibly long and the final product at the end of all that effort
is usually less than satisfying. To receive one on the monthly disk
was great. Especially when it worked first go with no problems at
all. It is extremely useful I daresay for people with only single
sided disk systems (also 40T systems). Although a little lacking in
speed, it is simple and easy to use and as suggested provides one
with time for a quick break. It would also be useful for PD libraries
who wish to cater for low capacity disk formats and perhaps bumper
issue disks. Also, how much actual disk space does it save, besides
actually saving filename space?
Reviewer: L1L
Program: Chemistry Test/Database
Good practice for students. One thing which I thought of, relating to
my own personal experience at high school level a few years ago. That
is, in higher levels of schooling and at university a periodic table
is always supplied for ready reference, but in the earlier years of
highschool chemistry, students are expected to memorise, for example,
the first 20 or 30 elements. The other elements on the table tend to
be memorised through commonly coming across them in other areas, eg.
cesium in refering to reactivity of metals and periodic trends.
Hence, a useful addition to the program would be to add a couple of
other options to the test menu. That is, to take the quiz from say
the first 10 elements, then the first 20 or 30 elements and finally as
is, elements from the full table.