MSX User - Vol 1 No 11 - Oct 1985

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At Pioneer we've never believed in following the crowd. We prefer them to be one step behind us. And with our innovative reputation in Hi-Fi and In-Car . Entertainment, people tend to demand rather special things from us. Our new PX-7 home computer is just that. It has all he benefits you'd expect from a standard MSX home computer, but with a few added talents. No other home computer enables you to create your own art and animation like the PX-7. Up to 16 different colours are available and by using the optional PX-TB7 graphics tablet you can create illus trations , shapes and various backgrounds. Then store up to eight of thse shapes with their respective animation programmes in the computer memory.
a video or LaserDisc* player to superimpose your graphics, creations or titles onto a moving video picture. The PX-7 can also produce stereo sound with three different voice patterns over eight octaves and superimpose them over other sound sources.
Moving Pictures. Use the PX-7 in conjunction with
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SD-26 component television and LD-700 LaserDisc* player, the PX7. has the added versatility of being able to understand and control the complete system. So if you're looking for a home computer that's versatile, talented and one step ahead of the .crowd, remember there's only one. The Pioneer PX-7. Phone 01-200 0200 for your nearest PX-7 dealer.
Video control. W hen used in conjunction with our
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Editor
OC!OBIB 1988
Blcole Segre
Editorial Assista.nt . Editorial &! Advertisment Office o 1 Golden 8 re
B:l'iic Dqyle
Group Editor
1: 01 487 0686 2elea: 8811SI6
London Wl B
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Dave Bradabaw
Advertisement Manager
MIX User is a mnthly maguine appearing on the second l'ridQ of each month
Advertisement Copy Control
DCollil
. Pub lish ing D: t ar tt ect
l8 lnlty Gardens London SW9 8DX

. Alabaster Paumore a: Sons Ltd tovn, Maidatone,JCent
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Distribution
Br,tnting
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Peter Welham
Ori gin ati on and Design
Argus Design
but is not us eful, e, playing es sential. e gaJD. th that agree that , the JD. ain k ns n If we If you thi instructio a used and ritten a work is a s w your variable you have f e th e will pay no w o as good as asterpiece explanati JD. brief prograJD. g &-50 on raJD.JD.in blish, whY you 1 ne s we pu your prog o epending he ard blicati on, d ure (see t n your h pu struct not tur d ash? length an page for ork int o c of on its Listings w t tape of the A printou us a nce). mplexitY. co send guida uld be a wo along with rograJD. your p prograJD. cription of es written d
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l4Slt user Specialist Argus ations Lt d public en Square 1 G old B. n W1B 3 A L ondo
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of the Best e,n prOfile Pathfinde MSX

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he coming months may well determine the future of the British and the place of MSX within it. In spite of widespread attempts to imbue home computers with a more 'serious' image, games continue to dominate the software scene, and Christmas continues to dominate the thoughts of manufacturers who rely on autumn nights and seasonal spending sprees for the bulk of their sales. That, at least, is the Western tradition . The Japanese manufacturers of MSX computers have shown far less concern, not only with seasons but with boosting sales in the UK in general. The reason for this might seem increasingly clear . The recent announcement of an initial order of 4000 machines destined for the Soviet educational market, and the likely promise of bigger orders from the same source to follow (see Pulse), indicate that the big Japanese companies are more interested in the wide open spaces of the world market than in penetrating an already crowded British scene. With a user base of roughly 1 million machines in Japan, and over 200,000 in Europe, the MSX makers have so far had little to worry about. They no doubt believe that as MSX establishes itself as a world standard, and as sales for the major British makes like Sinclair, Acorn and Commodore lose their momentum, Britain will eventually come to MSX as the mountain comes to Mohammed. MSX observers have always been divided into two camps. There are those who say that MSX is bound to succeed because the Japanese never fail at anything. And there are those who say that this is the one time when t e Japanese have got it wrong. According to the pessimists, caution will be the undoing of the MSX manufacturers. By the time they make up their minds to actively promote and sell their wares, British add-on makers and software houses will have given up hope in MSX, other micros such as the Amstrad will be the new stars, and there will be no market to sell to. The alternative view is that, still as shrewd as ever, the Japanese are well aware that British sals are important - not for so much for bulk as for prestige. If MSX is to be launched in the US - and the most likely estimate is that it will be in the shape of MSX Plus some time next year - it will do it no harm to arrive already equipped with a good British reputation. Therefore, at least some of the MSX manufacturers, if not the group as a whole, will be making strenuous efforts to grab a share of the British market this autumn, before it is too late. So whichever camp you are in, now is the time to place your bets.
--
Nicole Segre
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Bed square deal

N i p pon G a k i Co, t h e J ap a nese m a n u fa c t u re r of Y a m a h a M S X c o m p u t e rs , m i c ros desti ned f o r Russian schools. The deal i s worth $1 .3 m i 1 1 i o n , and
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have won a n order f o r 4000
is t h o u g h t to be j u s t the start o f a scheme w h i c h cou I d i n volve u p t o 1 m i l l i o n M S X c o m p u t e rs . The order comes f ro m t h e Soviet I n s t i t u te o f S c i e nce a n d Tec h n o l ogy w h i c h w i l l be test i n g the m i c ros i n 4000 s c h o o l s before proceed i n g to eq u i p educational estab l i shments t h rou g h o u t the c o u n t ry . S t a r M i c r o n i c s , t h e l a rge J apa nese pri nter company, is packag i n g t h e deal and s u p p l y i n g pri nters , video m o n i tors a n d f l o p py d i s k d r i ves to accompany the c o m p u ters. The M S X order has come as a b i tter d i s a p p o i n tment to B r i t i s h m a n u factu rers l i ke Acorn and S i n c la i r, both of w h i c h were h o p i n g to c a pt u re t h e Soviet ed u c a t i o n a l ma rket. A l t h o u g h a n Acorn spokesman has d i s m i s sed the order as a 'short-term contract' w h i c h d oes not ru le o u t the possi b i l i t y o f w i l l stick with MSX compu ters, w h e t h e r f rom Y a m a ha or other s u p p l i ers. 'The R u s s i a n s wou Id not have gone for M SX u n less t h ey i n te n ded to standard i se,' says J oh n Locke of t h e M S X Work i n g G ro u p . 'T h i s deal opens the door f o r a l l t h e M S X m a n u factu re rs . ' Tos h i ba i s one o f the co mpan ies said to be actively p u rs u i n g f u rther con tracts f ro m the Russians. T h e dea l i s not o n l y a nother b l ow t o B r i t i s h export p rospects, but a l s o l e n d s new c red i b i l i ty to M S X . 'M SX was lau nc hed a s a world standard , ' c o m m ents J o h n Locke. ' l t now l ooks as i f we are rea l l y beg i n n i n g to see i t as such.'
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MSX mix up
A video camera mixer c o n s o l e by U n i t ron is be i n g ma rketed u n der the n a m e of the MSX M i n i S t u d i o even th ough i t has n ot h i n g to do w it h the c o m p u te r standard . T h ro u g h o u t U nitron's advert i s i ng leaf l et the u n i t i s f req u e n t ly referred to as 'the M S X ' a n d the i n c l u s i o n of H i tac h i video cameras f u rt h e r confu ses the i ssue. M i c rosoft are c u rre n t l y l ook i ng i n to the l e g a l i m p l i c a t i o n s of the s i tuation.
op of the range
S on y have l a u n ched a top of the range personal computer mon i to r w h i c h is c o m p a t i b l e w i t h a l l fou r telev i s i on systems. C a l led the KX 1 4C P I , the new mon itor costs 400. l t featu res S ony's Black T r i n i t ron t u be, w h i c h the c o m p a ny c l a i m s produ ces d a rker blac ks a nd s harper c o n t rasts. I n pu t s i n c l u d e 8 pin d igital RGB, pin SCART w i t h a nalog R G B , composite v i d eo a nd a u d i o , separate B N C and p h o n o composite v i deo, a nd phone a u d i o. S o n y Prod u ct M a nager S i mon D ru ry c o m men ted: 'The KX 1 4CPI i s for the t ru e e n t h u s iast. W i t h i t s w i d e i n p u t capab i l i t i es a nd h i g h res o l u t i o n , i t w i l l be h a rd to beat i n the sma l l m o n i to r market.'
Microsoft manager
M i c rosoft, i nventors o f the M SX system, have appoi nted j o u r n a l i s t Tom Sato to t h e new post of E u ropea n MSX manager. Based a t M ic rosoft's U K head q u a rters a t W i nd sor,
Tom Sate's task w i l l be to s u pport E u ropean m a n u fa c t u rers a nd software houses w i th tec h n ical data. The appoi ntment is seen as a m ove toward s encou rag i n g a n d co o rd i nati ng M S X activities i n E u rope a n d the U K .
New Club
The MSX C l u b of Tuxford , N otts, p u b l i s hes a m o n t h ly newsletter w h i c h offers game t i ps, a mai l bag, compet i t i o n s , news and
rev iews. S u b s c r i p t i o n s cost 3 f o r t h e f i rs t year a n d 1 for s u bseq u e n t years. For f u rther detai I s send a SAE t o Lee S i m pson, 3 M ayfa i r P l ace, T u x ford, N r. N ewark, N otts N G 22 OG D.
Computer weekend
The MSX User Computer Weekend sc hed u l ed for N ovember 22-25 a t the South M i m ms' Crest H otel w i 1 1 be su pported by a re w e l l u nder way w i t h other manufactu rers to ensu re a w i d e ra nge of the compu ters and peri pherals cu rrently ava i l a b l e . M itsubishi and negotiations
T h e weekend, orga n i sed i n conj u n c t i o n w i t h A rd m ore Adve ntu re Ltd, w i l l g i ve M SX owners a m p l e opport u n i ty to i m p rove th e i r progra m m i n g s k i lis a n d to try o u t t h e latest MSX ha rdware a n d software. Fu rther deta i l s a re ava i l a b l e from A rd m ore Adve n t u re, 23 R a m i l l i es P l ace, London W 1 (tel: 0 1 -439 4461 ) .
Strongarm tactics
M a rtech a re m u sc l i n g i n. on t h e M S X s p o rts s i m u l a t i on scene w i t h a new game based on t h e ex p l o i t s of Geoff C a pes, former O l y m p ic shot p u tter and W o r l d ' s S t rongest Man. A l t h o u g h Geoff Capes
Two new ga mes from Act i v i s i o n a re a l so i n t he p i p e l i ne. Bullblazer i s a n extre m e l y fast-act i o n b a l l game o f t h e f u t u re i n w h ich two 'droids' t ry to score goals against one a n o t h e r. O n e p l ayer con trols one d roid and the other i s control led by e i t her a nother p l ayer or the co m p u ter. The screen d i s p l a y i s s p l i t horizon t a l l y s h ow n s i m u ltaneously. a nd both d ro i d s ' v i ews are
Strongman d oes req u i re a

cert a i n a m o u n t of j oyst ick wa g g l i n g , M a rtech c l a i m that s u ccess depends on s t rategy, t i m i n g and q u ick react ions. O n e of t h e p r i nc i p a l elements i n t h e game i s t h e p re-eve n t t ra i n i n g to b r i n g G eoff u p to h i s peak of f i t ness w h ich w i l l affect t h e ou tcome o f t h e eve n t i ts e l f . M a rtech are a l so p rod uci n g a game based on t h e Zoid robot toy w h ich is curre n t l y o n e of Tomy's most s uccess f u l p roducts. Zoids res e m b l e robotic p re h i s t o r i c monsters a n d M a rtech p ro m i s e that Zoids - the
Rescue On Fracta Ius i s

descri bed as a s t rategy, act ion f l i g h t s i m u l a tor. F l y i n g your Valkyrie f i g hter, you sco u r the m o u n ta i n ou s l a ndscape i n search of you r comrades u nder f i re from t h e i n ha b i tants of t h e p l anet F racta l u s . The name of the p l a n et i s derived f ro m t h e basic u n i t u sed to d raw the l a ndscape w h ich is k n own as a f racta l . G regory F i sch bach, Act i v i s i on's Pres ident, ad m i t s that h i s p rogram mers a re hav i n g t ro u b le w i t h t h i r fracta ls on the MSX ve rsion a nd i t i s not k n own i f the convers i o n w i l l be s u ccessf u l l y co mp leted .
Battle Begins w i l l be set i n

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Please send full catalogue on MSX products.
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New MSX computers and peripherals are pouring onto the Japanese market. Graham Knight reports
c M acro I and the Y R M -52 .& w h i st le , h a r ps i c h ord, o i c ing Progr!Jl M K1 1 . ,,,,, ,+to. . , e latest v i ons can .\, : t i m pani, snare d ru m, .,. , -} .. .. -' r rcuss 1 p h o n, \ . , . . . . . tor m e f . . Ha have rrtore: , a . heir U nt i l n i>t:W<i"lys re , t here have
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Listing 1 R E M * * define keys for 10 adventure games * * KEY ON 20 30 A$= CHR$(13) KEY 1, "north"+ A$ 40 KEY 2, "south"+ A$ 50 KEY 3, "east"+ A$ 60 KEY 4, "west"+ A$ 70 KEY 5, "inventory"+ A$ 80 KEY 6, "help"+ A$ 90 100 KEY 7, "score"+ A$ 110 KEY 8, "look"+ A$ 120 KEY 9, "examine"+ A$ 130 KEY 10, "search"+ A$ 140 RUN "CAS:"
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i nstruction. l':he f i na l t i ne of l i sti ng i s u sed ''"d ru m ;: Ji e mai :. t . re O noe t h i s . to m , r ti

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** data for the description 50 data "in a small field of cows.

an old farmhouse
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Th be
to the north
on a tractor can seen to the aast. " 60 b $ =" .. :c $ ="" 70 for x= to len(a$) 80 b$ =mid$(a$,x,):d=asc(b$) 9.0 c$=c$+chr$(d+) !.00 next x i.QJ print c:$
and a boy riding
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decoder
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et
t fy ur t ce t si gre t s at b arg ID priCe

Sha rk Hunter
Save
y o u r f i s h farm f ro m the ravages of s h a rks and ice f l oes.
Norseman
Col lect
hel mets a n d battle w i t h argai n p r i c e s f o r c o m p u t e r software a re few a n d far betwee n i n the M S X world but E l e c t r i c Software a re offe r i n g MSX User readers 20/o off s i x of t h e i r popu l a r ga mes. As a n added b o n u s , i f you have f o u r of the other s i x t i t l es a n d you c a n even have t ro l l s o n a hex agonal c e l l e d board.
Backgammon
The
t rad i t i o n a l boardgame w h i c h a l lows you to p rac tic e y o u r s k i l l s agai nst the coputer .
Le M a n s
A l l the
e x c i tement of the famous 24- h o u r race i n 30 action .
The Wreck
Battle
Norseman for f ree.

avai I able: These a re t h e t i t l es
agai nst g u a r d i a n j e l l y f i s h a s you so lve t h e 3 0 mazes a n d f i n d t he c o m b i n a t i ons to the sates o n board t he w reck of t he b u l l i o n s h i p . The offer i s ava i lable to a l l U K readers o n ly a nd orders must be received by E l ec tric Software o n t he form provi ded by 3 1 st October, 1 985.
Buzz Off
G u i d e the
bee to the f r u i t w h i l e avo i d i n g t h e s p ider's web.
--
Title
Buzz Off Shark Hunter Norseman Backgammon Le Mans The Wreck
Format
cass cass cass cass cass cart
Normal Price
7.95 8.95 8.95 9.95 9.95 14.95
Special Offer
6.35 7. 1 5 7. 1 5 7.95 7.95 1 1 .95
Quantity Total
0.50
P/P
I enclose a cheque/postal order for the sum of I have selected four titles and claim a free copy of Norseman
Name ....... .. . .... .... . . .
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Postcode .............................................
Send your coupon to Electric Software, Longstanton, Cambridge CB4 SBS.
91
High Street,
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sig,eda <\ al wl1%.Briti$ - 'e , , Tetecom fo co-puolish y? MtiD and any possible f tJ.t"' - f' pr0<iction$- N . : As a result, MUD0was trapslated for a British :".: Tel!corri\ \Jx .. \k.. , British retecdm boast t the. version of 'MUD- x . .. &.. .. 't .. . . . '' t w was ) aoo:t1t to ourst unon t" ' 'tw, ...: .... :w: ' e person could the screens of eager micro e 0 ha9l : OV{Q_ers wh is tt) ' . ' f *' aci ract 7- : b.g est i '> wft\;x,., , t ., .X . : ge ,it so that computer game in the cou I og >;;:> , w,qt;1.1: As , the .Q.fetoty. '); 4 the&atm of the game, if sly d ., w i11 t sh<lre tn.e fun? cal be defined at aU, is 9 , R,u$e ites of,. t(eastir, , . his through a chequered pa landscape, and tQ rise in\ ect oa " y wue i . -j ' ,:stus b; ; ;: :a... aoemu.attOn <w : of points. A new player will . st.r.,f as a novice and nqp,: -to-Ploceed)<throqgh sucW ' "*t;f ' l. the filncy of one of conditions as hero, ard Bartle, champion, super-hero a n, d . whr ,-: ievf:){be t '''teg\rt(J to e bh : w lef\ off. Bartte v ulthnate rank of izard\or t ' < e f ! e. : fl h ' . Meanwhile, MUD benefit of 50,000 hours of < rr, wr. 9.. a gr tstl, th, \ ' E}\fi : f.. -. ve on of MUD has a " " < muq_h greater varlety of ,.. - > 1%:"' .. J o' ' L) +j ns ;} .... oar. .$ . : w''&<, ' r.:.l ' ' ' u ,, . .. .,. ' : @ :} I compared to 400 a't Essex a well as many more ... .. .. 'A ., ' . X \f '} , .. .' . sp ,)Js andj eQmma:n(1s. Te ,_ , ,,,, .. -, "-me 2ooo eguar : M VA 750 host computer 1 -- . ' . -M. can also a,ccomrrlodate , h ,. M , moili peo- _:ttJ to 1 ;\')\ . W' . , fJ.1 : f't ,. . ever:y at il timem , or (t,., , , . 1ayr$4!HtQ,t h!n ' .J'*:t' , 'l selves : ranging bac . "" . andforth i.rt time, exploring , tiJJi!pian mP!:f3 ,:Rr 1 w'i' -t ascending 'to a cloud 'in has , _ ..-, ... _ just as succesfut, 9i hot air baltoon. Tttey might cos! : *>slt;qt.jn opnnts:or 3 a.P hoUr, 0) ttley may even be killed e E$sex UnJversit themselve,only o be , J ft'- (Hc>?i9ver-, _tires:f:reotl and siart, an : Bartle cheerfully -.;. ove!h again as novices. Es -But even. . such "' variety tha l''ana excit'lilent is not th-< chief attraction of the , o.amw : garuet acc_rdinQ t?Mike,; . h ) : naetiesz. '(MUD'. is a if 'J,ee means of communication lnt; 984, Richard1t J3artle, 'h, . ana ' "",.,:! '! lf{tth 9!hnopl an r S on 0 y set 1i etectrontc forum,' he says 'Other players have to be pra company cahe(i , !,,1,,,1,;:;
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Modems are currently . ,.. selling at the rate of . around 3-4,000 a . week, . :. . , ,., says Mike ndriez, 'and : "' -. .. , this ahElqY.! 'ffrs scope for promotlnifMUD mania .. ' . = .. . ' Among existing modem : :. owners, BT are taking special aim at some of the Esex University players who might be lured by the . :: . wider possibilities offered in the new version.. The fact that the Essex compute reen'tly had ::. .;, . ,x> people loggi;ng 0n from as ;. : ... , ,: . .., ':' k . far afteld' as)' ;]. anan San .-:=f ' r; ' ' = Francisco and New York on the same morning, and that the 60-odd wizards on playing Mt.ib for one hour " the system include a costs 2.. Telephone = " .. 13-year old schoolboy, are charges must be added to 'Wizards can muck mm-. some indication of this and can .ran.ge from about,' says Mike. your nose, or theymigh, Anderieszf 'but tfi also . widespread dedication to about 40p=<an, hqur l.ocal .,. be feeling magnanimous .. ;,.: . . the sport , since M police the ga,m and give you a hetpi-ng .. :., rate ,. -. '' - ers , < exampte, .y J,, ng off.. ) only be. Ql MUD ... A surv.y ,,, .> hanei. Even , th - . = , ., . . d revealed .. u, 4 .. . players h Reak== &assume fa-lse, n ,=: . . '" vv,atctf .y . = . -.:': . \ . d'ur . while you g ed that" over .: '":f.:'t: : .. (,: p''layi n'g.,: , . : , :a.:n: ., . . ... FO you. FO . aritish :r s for ...,.. :==: D who is' who and wha . almost ever/::nlght and . . =. that the average duratJon payment devised their is not ,. are up to.' .. Finger Of D . :>system to make sute that of play was 31f2 hours. (lt . :.- =."; used too often ticause it With luck, you ight ..:- MUD addicts do not certainly is addictive,' is 'not done'. . find a particularly frlendfy .. suddenly find themselves comments Mike Anderiesz.. To add to the character who is wtling to BT are also hoping that running up . a fortune in the complications of-.. all-this take you aside and give ' MUD wilt be the spur to heat of the moment. 'lt is MUD interaction; the you some much needed . well as encourage peppe to buy in their interes tea :- has computer , advice. Wizards have ' . ' modems and .in this way qurs,' says characte-rs.. special powe . . . .. . = . enter closed ro . be lured into. fffie .wider., ':).;., . tt. inteUigen. , = . .. : . . . of 'O, == . ur. 1ications, ::; . world Ancteff . .. : mo"rtats or>tran . . . ..r= ow h:: a ., , to a different pJac w,ift =}, : making mor.. , .u'se of BT's j..- . . . cost of play d ,. .. - <:) these alar . . ,: -: ., be even high :; -'''.:; =:., artificial intelli animate objects.. re =are a : own viewdata systems. ... wilt t , As part of the launch of often be i ndisUngu=i'shable number of modems on the Wizards are also , .. . the game, BT wut be market, ranging . in price from real players. = -. immortal, and enjo)( the staging a grand MUD from 50 to 200.. ,-, How does an MSX privilege of two commands Spectacular, with players Your troubles will sti11 owner join in this : . y;< not available to morta Is, , slogging it oqt for a prize not be over, however, mayhem? 1f y *- One is SNOOP, which -nave . . .. in typically indecorous because you )AtHI.. probably atread purchs ,. enables them to spy.,;o .:::=;, . fashion, on Npvember 5th rface to need an.. = t ... modem in o - everyone while re .: .- , " at the lonqpn OJngeon . ,, .. plug nto : ';-:, , .- sornthjtl - invisible. And t . ' spedt.ai Pffe, jws earl , ( 1 y ' .:,;:,k::,,, .Ptestel o ROE, \Ntiicn, .,.. . .. = =n : : , buyers of the=M tl o pack to inte'rfac .. . .. HOUT can obl -: : aH y'ou . .. . . explore the gJime and -: communicat sciftware . z,!Jnfortunate player f ve pack. Availabt ... learn the ropes without mail order; the p. a message such as .:-'t am . ;r .- package (which at.o , using up their credits. But 20 and consists a map, , inctudes a word p(ocessor a total wally, displayed on on November 6th, the date and card index) for a mere a security card and " every other player's of the official start of the 229. The Toshiba HX-R700 instructions on how. 'to screen. : game, all these players will costs 99, and : Kumas play. As a result, wizards are {.& ' be returned to the rank of interface costs.='99,95, > :. lt also inctud valuable as allies bot . novice, ho"Vever far they plus 19.95 f .. rs much to be fered .0 .. ;: !qes.. credits allowi . .. , ... . . have got tL ..{. ,,.;: \ Some, like the softw re . of free intr .... . ' So if, .@l a(i. ;, . ()IJ'Js,,. " ' . -r;hereafter ,, :,G"entury on the :; :-,. purchased in= ' might be m aa;---ive : h 1 .. .... , .., @,ong tci b . . , == system, make t , t -c . batches of 50.. this could be e time to ,:cr.et:Ju :::.== hobby. But Bri , Telecom.. hated by everyone ,. . . ring the special 'MUD line , provides six nii is confident that fftwtl1 of .. players must fornr posses ' on (01) 608 1.173. more than pay its way. _ in order to restrain tm.. play and costs 20 nee, so
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On a deathly note
lt is not advisable to 'Rescue Esmerelda', as the name of room 8 implies, because it causes Willy to lose another life despite his chivalrous act. You get a similar, but more disastrous, result at the 'Entrance to Hades', room 58. On entry to the room, Willy falls to his death on chattering skull and this repeats and repeats until all the remaining lives are used up. No wonder the words 'Die Mortal' are emblazoned across the screen. Do not jump directly on the rope in room 48 unless you want Willy to catch an arrow in his eye and die like King Harold. Resist the temptation to jump on the toilet in the first room no matter how desperate you are because a flash in the pan later you will be minus another life.
et Set Willy is the follow up to Manic Miner and tells the tale of the dissolute life that miner Willy leads after making his fortune in the mines. After a particularly wi Id party, his wife refuses to let him go to bed until he has gone through their weird mansion and cleaned up all the mess. The game consists of 60 rooms containing various obstacles and although this article does not aim to give away all the secrets of Willy's house, it does provide a usefu I 'tourist' guide to the game. Rooms are normally entered by walking off the side of the screen and Willy reappears entering the next room. Other exits take the form of trapdoors and ropes. Willy simply falls down the trapdoors but the ropes require a little skill.
to right then the joystick should be moved to the left to ascend. To descend the opposite rule applies, and in the example given the joystick should be moved to the right. If you wish to fall back onto a rope from either room 5 or room 1 8 you must walk left as the rope swings left. If you move right you will loose a life as Willy misses the swing. In rooms 3 and 48 the swing cannot be fully ascended. To appear at the bottom of room 3, for example, you must wait until the rope swings fully right or left and then jump. This is all a matter of timing and may mean the loss of several lives before the technique is perfected.
And finally .
Warping
Warping is possible from rooms 5 and 8. In room 5 you must go the highest point, via the diagonal line, and then jump. Willy reappears in room 57. In room 8, after collecting both of the objects, jump when Willy is on the edge of the conveyor belt and he will reappear in room 40.
Bope swings
These appear in rooms 3, 6, 25, 35 and 48. To ascend a rope swing, the joystick must be moved in the opposite direction to the one in which the rope is swinging. For example, if the rope is swinging left
Take great care when entering a new room. If possible, position yourself in a safe place and study the movements of the nasties because they always follow a pattern. Taking a little extra time in this way can save a life which you will be grateful for later. I have yet to complete Jet Set Willy and my attempts have caused me great frustration, but it has also given me hours of pleasure. If anyone knows of any 'magic' POKEs which will give me a better chance, then I'd be pleased to hear from you via the letter's page. I hope that exploring the rooms will give you the same satisfaction that it has given me, even if it is just the knowledge that you can pass the room which traps all of your friends. Good luck and see if you can beat my hi-score of 48 objects retrieved.
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h i s m o n t h we are g o i n g t o produce a deta i led des i g n f o r a prog ram f ro m the i d ea stage. We saw i n the f i rst ep isode of t h i s series how the method of t o p-down des i g n can h e l p u s
a n d a l s o that mov i ng a poi nter is eas ier than key i n g i n text. Of cou rse t hese i deas are f u n damental to the new breed of m i cros now on the market, I ike the M ac i ntosh and the Atari
part i c u l a r i n terest. T o have a reas onable level of detai I we w i l l need t o u s e t h e h i g h res o l u t i o n g ra p h i cs p rod uced by t he S C R E E N 2 i n s t r u c t i o n . T h i s g i ves a g r i d o f 256 x 1 92 p o i n ts , a s s h o w n i n figure 1. M os t o f t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s we now c o n s i d e r ref e r to poi nts o n the g r i d b y a n x a n d y pos i t i o n (x,y). The keywords th at we need t o u n derstand a re C I RC L E , C O LO R , D RAW, LI N E , PAI N T , PO I NT a n d P R ES ET. C I R C L E c a n d raw c i rc l es, a rc s o r e l l i pses o n the s c ree n . C O L O R s pec i f i es w h a t c o l o u r i s req u i red f o r t h e foregrou n d , bac k g ro u nd a nd s c reen border f r o m a l i s t of 1 6 va l u es , a s s h ow n i n figure 2. DRAW is a very powerf u l c o m m a n d a n d has i t s own m i n i i ns t r u c t i o n set. B a s i c a l l y i t prov i d es f o r the d raw i n g of or d i a g o n a l d i rect i o n s a nd even i n c l u d es s ca l i n g a n d rotat i n g fea t u re s . L I N E d raws s t ra i g h t l i nes o r recta n g l e s . PA I N T f i l l s i n a d raw n f i g u re w i t h a g i ven c o l ou r. PO I N T i s a f u n c t i o n w h i c h ret u r n s the c o l o u r value of a g i v e n p o i n t a nd f i n a l l y PSET c h a n ges t h e colou r of a p o i n t . N ow i t i s not o n l y g raphics i n struct i o n s t h at we need t o k n ow a b o u t . We have said t h a t w e d o n 't want the user to be f o rced to type i n masses of text, but i n stead t o be a b l e t o i n teract u s i n g c u rs o r keys. Is t h i s reas o n a b l e g i ven MSX BAS I C ' s fac i l i t ies? Fortu nately i t is. T h e MSX mi cro makers p u t i n a great deal of t h ou g ht t o mak i ng a good ga mes mac h i ne, a nd of cou rs e games mac h i nes need j oysticks. H e nce t h e re a re seve ra l i nstru c t i o ns w h i c h test the pos i t i o n of a j oystick and w h ether t h e f i re button has bee n pressed. These s a m e instr uctio ns c a n be u se d
---
y La the foundations of a well-planned drawing pad program with part 2 of Bob Maunder 's series
p roduce a wel l-stru c t u red p rogram that i s eas i e r to test a n d i m p lement. We a l s o l ooked at a type of d i agram c a l led a h i e rarchy c hart w h i c h i l l u s t rates the l ayout of m od u les i n the prog ram be i n g desig ned. w i 1 1 start to deve l o p some f l es h as we fol l ow a These theoret i c a l bones 520ST. These use icons or symbo l s to i l l u strate . concepts, p u l l-down menus to g i ve the user a c ho i ce of actions, and a mouse to p o i n t to the action req u i red. N ow the MSX micro i s not a W I M P system (for w i m ps who are not u p with W i ndow-lcon-Mouse-Pu 11make a f a i r attempt at pretend i ng i t is. Our d raw i n g pad w i l l show user c h o i ces by means of icons, a n d we w i l l t ry and keep u s e r e n t ries sim ple by u s i n g the cu rsor movement keys a n d the space bar, i n the absence of a mouse. Before we start going i n to too much deta i l i n p l a n n i ng o u r program i t is best to assess what l i m i t a t i o n s are i m posed by M S X BASIC. l t is generally accepted that to be a good systems ana lyst or des i g ner, you need to be a reas onable programmer f i rst. To u se a n analogy, an a rc h i tect has to have a c l ear i d ea of the c a pa b i l i t i es of b u i l d i ng materials before he starts d es i g n i n g a house. Ot herw i s e h i s g randiose schemes may end up as j u s t a p i l e of rubble. So let's have a q u ick g l ance at how M S X BASIC can h e l p o r h i nder us with our d rawi n g pad program. The f u ndam ental featu re of the program is d raw i n g s o MSX graphics i n s t ru c t i on s are of the t i mes, WIMP stands for
p ra c t i c a l case study r i g h t . t h r o u g h to see i n g the work i n g p rogram i n t h e next few e p i sodes. The p rogram we are g o i n g to p l a n i s a graphics d raw i n g pad. The M S X m i cro has some very n i ce g r a p h i c s f ac i l i t i es, b u t they a re o n ly of f u l l use to t he experie nced programmer. I t wou I d be good to have a p i ece of software t ha t w o u l d en able the novice t o c reate patte rns, pictu res a n d des i g n s w i t hout having to get h i s hands d i rty on-com p lex code. T hat i s o u r a i m . S o now we have the i d ea, w here d o we g o f rom here? C l early we need to be as s pe c i f i c as pos s i b l e about t h e general features req u i red. S i n ce we want the prog ram to be easy to use we m u s t make t he u se r i n terface as f r i e n d ly as poss i b le. W h o l e books have bee n written about the ' m a n- m ac h i n e i n terface' a n d it i s not appropriate to go i n to t he psyc h o l ogy of c o m p u t e r i n terac t i o n here. H owever i t i s genera l ly accepted that people f i n d p i c t u res or symbols eas i e r to c o m p rehend t h a n word s ,
'
d o w n men u). But we can
I i nes i n vert i ea I , h or i z o n t a I
ys _:_ to test the c u rsor ke ......;;. .
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4. 5. 6.. 7. 8. 9.
D raw a rect a n g l e D raw a recta n g l e Pa i n t a n e n c l osed a rea D i s p lay some text R u b o u t a n area C l ear the s c reen
l i m i ts of the pad s ize, e i t h e r off-screen o r i n to a reas set a s i d e for on sc reen m e n u s . D raw i n g a l i n e w i l l be q u ite s i m i l a r, except t h i s t i me a t ra i l i s left be h i nd t he c u rsor as i t is moved. W e need to be able to s pe c i f y how t h i c k the d rawi n g l i ne i s , a nd w hat c o l ou r. 1 t w i l l probably be best t o have a concept of c u rrent d raw i n g c o l o u r a nd c u rrent l i ne t h i c k ness i n the p rogram, a nd o n ly c h a n g e them when req u i red. The t h i rd f u n c t i o n i s
1 0. E x i t the p rogram l t wou l d seem s e n s i b l e t o assi g n these f u n c t i o n s to t h e f u n c t i o n keys F 1 to F 1 0 res pectively. We w i l l

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have a m od u l e of ou r p rogram w h i c h w i l l conta i n the p rocessi n g f o r each of the t e n c h o i ces. Some w i l l be very s t ra i g h tforward, s u c h as 9 and 1 0 , w h i l e ot hers s u c h as 3 w i l l need
Figure 1. The M S X S C R E E N 3 M ode

To c o m p lete ou r M S X BAS I C package t o u r, we m e n t i o n fu net i o n keys. These f i ve keys at t h e top of the keyboard c a n s i m p l i fy the e n t ry of c o m m o n l y u s ed keywords when e n t e r i n g a p rogram. They can a l.so be a very powerfu I way of i n terac t i n g w i t h a p rogram w hen i t is execut i n g . Any
Figure 2.
Table of C o l o u r Codes I n partic u l a r the ST I C K f u nct i o n retu rns a v a l u e between 0 a n d 8 depend i n g u po n t h e d i rection i n p u t , a s s h o w n i n figure 3. N ow a s readers may have n o t i ced t h e re are o n l y f o u r c u rsor keys on the keyboard, so how a re d i a g o n a l d i re c t i o n s entered? N ot h i n g cou l d be s i m p l e r - j u s t p ress the two a rrow keys f o r a j o i n t d i rect i o n . For ex a m p l e t o go d i a g on a l ly u pw a rd s to the r i g ht, p ress r i g h t arrow a n d u p-arrow together. STI C K u n derstands the .
of the fu net i o n keys can be e n a b l e d so that w he n they a re p ressed w h i l e a program 1 s ru n n 1 n g , a n i n terrupt c a n be ge nerated. T h i s c a n b e acted u po n by the O N KEY G O S U B statement, very m u c h as for ST R I G . S u i tably a rmed w i t h t h i s arsenal of M S X BASIC featu res, let us re t u rn to the d e s i g n of t he d raw i n g pad system. As we have s a i d , we a re a i m i n g t o p roduce a n i n teractive s ketch pad i n w h i c h user options a re d i s p layed by symbols and menus, and e n t r i e s a re made t h ro u g h t h e f u n c t i o n o r c u rs o r keys. To get down t o detai l , t h e re a re ten f u net i o n keys so we c a n have ten bas i c f u nc t i o n s i n the p rogram. Each of t h e m c a n have f u rther o p t i o n s i f necessary, b u t f i rs t we m u s t p roduce a l i s t of the esse n t i a ls: 1. 2. M ove t he d raw i n g pos i t i o n D raw a l i n e C h a n g e the d raw i n g colour a l o t of code a n d p robably s u b s i d i a ry m od u les. l t may be u sef u l to a n a lyse t h i s l i st i n m o re depth. T o move the d raw i n g pos i t i o n w e w i l l let the u s e r p ress t h e arrow keys. H owever, t h i s mea ns w e have t o c l early s h ow the c u r re n t d raw i n g pos i t i o n o n the s c reen by a c u rs o r or other i nd i ea tor. We i ns i s t that no t ra i l be l ef t , s i nee w e are not d raw i n g yet. A l so we m u s t e n s u re t h a t t h e user cannot g o o u t s i d e the

F igure 3. D i rect i o n Codes f ro m the STICK F u nc t i o n

cha n g i n g the d raw i n g c o l o u r, a n d a p p l ies not o n l y to l i nes, b u t a l s o to c i rc l es and the p a i n t o p t i o n . H e re i t w o u l d be best to d i s p lay t h e d raw i ng c o l o u r as a n i n d i cator somewhere on the scrfeen, a n d perhaps cyc le t h rou gh the poss i b l e c o l ou rs u n t i l the user f i nd s the one he wants. D raw i n g a c i rc l e enta i l s determ i n i n g how b i g the rad i u s is g o i n g to be by some mea n s , a nd then p l ot t i n g the c i rc l e w i t h i ts
s i m u l ta n eous p ress i n g of these keys t o mean a d i agonal d i rect i o n . ST I C K, the ST R I G f u nc t i o n (short f o r s t i c k t ri g g e r) tests w hether the f i re button of a j oystick, or i n o u r case the s pace bar, has been p ressed. T h i s can be u sed t o generate i n terrupts w h i c h a p rogram can act u pon by the O N STRIG G O S U B i n s t r u c t i o n . A s a c o m p l e me nt to
3.
and i s the most robust style of s w i t c h , of feri ng long l i fe because wear a n d f a t i g u e a re m i n i m i sed. I f o u n d that the hand g r i p of t h e s t i c k had a good feel to i t , a n d a nother attrac tive feat u re i s the use of rubber s u cker feet w h i c h c a n be u sed t o f l at s u rface. One f i re button i s mou nted at the top of t he g ri p , the other be i n g base-mou n ted, and for left h a nded u s e rs t he pos i t i o n of t he base m o u n ted b u tt o n c o u l d prove awkward. Atari's own make of j oy s t i c k i s obviou s ly n o t a true M S X s t i c k b u t i t does have t h e advan tage of be i n g very c heap. I t u ses f o u r ' b u b b l e ' s w i tc hes w h i c h rely on the s t i c k pres s i n g d ow n o n metal p l ates w h i c h c o n n ect two term i n a l s o n each s w i t c h pos i t i o n . Each metal p l a te is s p r i ng l oaded because i t is arched over the contacts. As the s t i c k b r i n g s press u re to bear o n t he p l a te, i t f l attens o u t a nd s h orts the c o n tacts. W hen t h i s p ress u re i s released the p l ate s p r i n g s back i n to i t s h e m i s p h e ri c a l s hape a n d contact i s broken. After a w h i l e metal f a t i g u e sets i n a n d the p l ates may n o t s p r i n g back so read i l y, caus i n g c o n t ro l problems for t he user. Atari prod u ce re p l ace ment boards w h i c h can eas i l y be i nserted i nt o the cas i ng. T hese boards cost j u s t over h a l f of the retai I price of t h e j oystick. My own Atari stick i s my favo u r i te, despite the fact that the g ri p i s n o t ergonom i c a l ly d e s i g ned t o f i t t h e h a n d c o mf ortab l y a n d t h at i t i s s h o rter t h a n most g r i ps. T he s i n g l e f i re button i s base-mou n ted a n d not w e l l pos i t i o ned for left handed u sers. V o l tmace's M S X j oy s t i c k i s ra p i d ly rep lac i ng t h e Atari as my personal c h o i ce, t h o u g h adapting t o i t s extremely
'
s m a l l g r i p has taken me some t i me. T h i s s t i c k u ses two variable res i s t o rs (pote n t i o meters) set a t r i g h t a n g les t o read t h e pos i t i o n of t h e g r i p b u t i t d oes not have t h e necessary A/0 converter t o ' read' the d e g ree o f movement of t h e s t i c k . T h i s i s the same p r i n c i p l e a s t h e MSX m a n u factu rers' j oy s t i c k s a n d the i nc l u s i o n of t h e c o m p lex l i n k i n g to move the ' pots' e x p l a i ns the relat ively h i g h cost of t h i s type of s t i c k . T h e u s e of pots m a k e i t h i g h l y res pons ive a n d the m i d-pole p o s i t i o n detec t i o n i s t h e best ava i lable, t h o u g h some people may f i nd t h i s res p o n s iveness a d rawback. The base boasts t h ree f i re b u t t o n s p o s i t i o n ed i n a n i nverted t r i a n g l e formation. T h e two forward p o s i t i o n ed b u ttons a re d u p l i cates of the genera l l y u sed f i re b u tt o n mak i n g i t e q u a l l y s u i ta b l e for left or r i g h t h a nded u sers. Beca u s e both types of f i re bu tto n are base m o u n ted the s t i c k w ou l d be d i f f i c u l t t o u se for a p p l i ca t i o n s w h i c h e m p l oy each button separate ly. The S t i c k , from J oh n H a l l G m b H , l ooks pecu l i ar because i t has no base. l t detects j oy s t i c k o r i e n t a t i o n by the u se of merc u ry t i l t s w i tches mou n ted i ns i d e t he g ri p . T h i s means t h a t i t may be h e l d i n the hand a n d d i pped i n t h e req u i red d i re c t i o n . T h i s causes the I i q u i d merc u ry to f l ow , c o n n ec t i n g two c o n tacts ' m a k i n g ' the s w i t c h . A t f i rs t I f o u n d the S t i c k d i f f i c u l t to u se, b u t after d e l v i ng i ns i d e i t s case I f o u n d t h a t t h e t i t l e s w i tc h es cou I d be bent to a s teeper a n g l e m a k i n g them s l i g h t l y less sensi t i ve to m ovement. The s t i c k c a n be mou n ted o n a rubber s u ck er w h i c h can read i ly be attac hed t o m os t c o m p u te r cas i n gs, a n d t h e n a t u ra l s p r i n g i n t h e
rubber g ives a n a u t o m a t i c ret u rn t o the c e n t ra l pos i t i o n . I d i d f i nd that w i t h frantic a c t i o n g a mes the stick came adrift f ro m i t s s u cker, b u t for most ga mes t h i s was n o t a problem. The S t i c k is an Ata ri/C64 type, and d e s p i t e the s u pe rf i c i a l appea ra nc e of two f i re buttons, b o t h o f the buttons are l i nked t o t h e same i n ternal sw i t c h . T h e Stick i s s u i ta b l e for l ef t or right handed u sers a n d I found it part i c u l a r l y good for the f r a n t i c s ports s i m u lation programs from Activision and Kona m i . T a l k i n g of Konam i brin gs me f i na l l y to t h e i r own Hyper S hot c o n t ro l ler
w h i c h , t h o u g h not a j oy s t i c k , d oes save wear a n d tear i f s p o rts ga mes are y o u r forte. l t c o n s i s t s of two buttons w h i c h c a n take a l o n g , h a rd beat i n g. The c as i ng of t he u n i t i s s o strong t h at i t c a n h a p p i l y take a w e i g h t of ten stones w i t hou t break i ng . I k now because I tried s ta nd i n g o n i t a n d t h i s caused n o problem t o the u n i t w hatsoever. T h o u g h t f u l l y K o n a m i have pri n ted the f u n c t i o n of t h e keys both ways u p so u sers c a n merely t u rn the u n i t around to get the b u ttons pos i t i oned i n a way t hat s u i t s them best. V u l c a n G u n Shot, 1 2.95 f ro m V u l c a n E l ectro n ics, 200 B re n t S t reet, H e n d o n , L o n d o n NW4.
attach the u n i t f i rm ly t o a
Atari J oy s t i c k , 7.90, Atari J oystick Repa i r K i t , 2.75 f rom The S i l i ca S h o p , 1 -4 The M ews, H a therley R d . , S i d c u p, Ke n t D A 1 4 4DX. The S t i c k , 1 2.99 f rom L i g htwave Le i s u re Ltd, 2 M a l d w y n R d , L i scard , W i rra l , M e rsey s i d e L44 1 A L. H y pe r Shot, 1 5.20 f ro m K o n a m i L i m ited, 269 F i e l d E n d Road, Eastcote, M i d d lesex .
V o l t mace M S X J oy s t i c k , 1 2.00 from V o l t mace, Park D rive, B a l d o c k , H e rts SG7 6E W .

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o Stork o ri g i na l l y created t h i s s i m p l e cash record i n g program as a favou r to a f r i e n d w h o ru ns a s m a l l company. 1 t has s i nce been taken u p by two other orga n i sa t i o n s i n c l u d i n g a s ports c l u b . T h e c o l u m n 80, p l u s t h e s t r i n g s i n l i nes 8 1 -5, 1 0 1 -5, 1 69-73, 306, 3 1 0 a n d the i n s t r u c t i o n s are t h e o n ly c h a n ges made for the later u s ers. W hether or not c h a n ges are made, i t i s i m porta n t t o remember t hat the f i rs t c o l u m n s, c u rre n t l y headed R EV E N U E a n d EX P E N S E S , are for cash received by t h e orga n i sa t i o n , w h i l e t h e other t h ree, headed S U PP'S, T RAV E L a n d OT H E R , are f o r t h e org a n i s a t i o n ' s s pend i n g . T h e s p orts c l u b has c h a n g ed them to S U BS, T EAS, G RO U N D , FOO D , E Q U I P'T. The last of these c o l u m n s (OTH E R) i s s l i g h t l y d i fferent i n that i t req uests the e n t ry of a perce n tage .. T h i s a r i ses because one often has a rece i pt, not a l l of w h i c h may be c h a rged t o t h e orga n i sa t i o n . T h e f o l l o w i n g example w i l l i l l u strate t h i s poi nt. A total of 1 0 has been s pe n t i n a s h o p , on two items f o r 5.50 a n d 4.50. The former i s a pri vate p u rc hase a n d o n l y the latter can be c l a i med ' o n the bu s i ness'. A u d i tors need recei pts to match against the accou nts a n d
Program breakdown
115 16-34 35-95 96-144 145-192 193-247 248277 278-302 303-311 set up variables a nd d isplay instructions read datafile print out account sheet enter posting modify posting save postings a nd backup princ i pa l menu instructions page header routine
head i n gs i n l i nes 45 a n d
Main variables
PV$ DT$ PC VL VT N T(n) VI VO 0 A$ description or purpose of the entry date of the entry percentage (see text) value of entry VAT entry (see text) flag i ndicating to which column VL refers tota ls total VAT received total VAT spent menu option chosen user's response
w o u l d n a t u ra l l y reject a post i n g of 4.50 i n the company records for w h i c h n o s u c h a p p ropriate rec e i p t cou ld be f o u n d .
i n c l u d i n g o r ex c l u d i n g VAT. The c o rrect values are then reg istered accord i n g to the re p l y . The re m a i n d e r of t he prog ram's opera t i o n i s sel f-ev i d e n t , s i nce the code i s r i d d l e d w i t h i nstructions, prompts a n d R E M s . N ote that the o n ly n ormal ex i t f rom the program i s after a BAC K-UP has been made. T he back-u p f i l e is g i ven the same name as the normal one, i n order that t h e p rogram need not be amended i f t he sec u r i ty copy ever need s to be u sed. A lways make this ba ck-up on a differen t tape to the oriainal.
T he program d oes not u se the 0/o c o l u m n , other than to provide a n i n d i ca t i o n to t h e a u d i tors t h a t the a m o u n t reg i s tered w i l l be found o n a rec e i p t f o r a larger a m o u n t ; i n ou r ex a m p l e 45 /o a n d 4.50 w o u l d have t h e m l ook i n g to rec onc i l e the va l u e w i t h a 1 0.00 rece ipt. W h e reas t h e 0/o i s o n l y documentary, VAT i s c o m p u ted. The program asks the u s e r w hether t he a m o u n t b e i n g entered is
44
1 2 CP I . "
DATE SUPP * S 46 47 49 LPR I NT JJ JJ
-
PR I NT
11 PR I NT I N8
W I LL NOW COMMENCE
4 5 LPR I NT 11 SOURCE / PURPOSE /REF . TRAVEL m 1 + TO 1
Y.
REVENUE OTHER
X PNSE VAT 11
48 FOR J
< I-1 >
------ 0 I F J J
REM **** S I MPLE CASH RECORD I NG PROS 2 REM **** < C > L I TTLE STORK FEB 1 98 REM**** LSCC 3 4 CLEAR 1 000 1 CLS . PR I NT " BOOK KEEP I NG PR08RAM 11 -------------------- 11 1 6 PR I NT " 1 PR I NT 7 BOSUB 278 B FOR 10 11 12 13 14 I 1 + C$ TO 12 9 READ D$ C$ C$ NEXT I LPR I NT CHR$ C VAL < " ScH " +D$ ) ) , 51
- JJ
ON N < J >
> 72 THEN GOSUB 303

BOTO US I NB \\ "\
.
2 , 7 , 62 , 67 , 72 , .
5 2 LPR I NT
V$ ( J > ; DTS < J > ; VL < J > . VT < > 3 T < 1 > . 54 T < 6 > 55 V I 56 GOTO VI 76 US I NG \\ "\ T<1> T <6> + + VL C J > + VT < J >
* * .. J "P
VT C J )
57 LPR I NT
VS < J > ; DT$ ( J > ; VL < J > ; VT < J > 58 T < 2 > S9 60 61 62 T (6) VI BOTO 76 US I NG \\ , . V$ < J > ; DT$ < J > I VL < J > ; VT < J > 63 T < 3 > = T < 3 > + VL < J > 64 T < 6 > = T < 6 > - VT C J > . 65 VO VO - VT ( J ) 66 GOTO 76 67 LPR I NT US I NG \\ "\ 11 \ T <2> T C6> + + + VL ( J ) VT < J >
**
'** . . . .. . . p
.
D I M PV$ ( 430 > , DT$ ( 450 > , PC ( 450 > , VL < 4 DATA 1 8 , 45 , 1 8 , 42 , 1 8 , 76 , 38 , 38 , 2C , 30 GOTO 263 READ DATAF I LE
50 > , VT < 450 > , N < 45 0 > , 38 , 2E 1 5 ON ERROR 1 6 REM **** 1 7 REM**** 1 8 REM**** 19 I = 1 20 PR I NT 21 22 24 25 26 27 28 OM OPEN 11 READ I NG
VI
VT < J >
LPR I NT
tttt . tttt " ; P
" CAS a ACCDAT 11
' CAS 1 ACCDAT ' . ". FOR I NPUT AS
I NPUT. 1 , PV$ I NPUTtt 1 , PC I NPUTtt 1 , VL I NPUT4t l , VT I NPUTtt 1 , N I I + 11 BOTO 22 I " RECORDS DATE 25-- 1 2 READ IN THE FR F PR I NT
23 . I NPUTtt 1 , DT$ 
V$ C J > I DT$ C J > ; VL < J > ; VT < J > 68 T < 4 > 69 T <6> T <6> 70 VO = VO - VT C J ) 7 1 GOTO 76 72 LPR I NT US I NG \\
'** **
4ttt . tt4t " ; P
T <4>
+ VL < J > - VT < J >
29 CLOSE4t 1 1 3QIJ PR I NT ORM 11 31 32 33 I NPUT I NPUT IF A$
' CA8 1 ACCDAT ' " " I NPUT TODAY ' S EB .
"\ , , \ 4ttt . 4ttt 4t4t . tt4t " ; P " ; VL < J > ; VT < J >
11 DD - MM - VV . 11 ARE YOU
84 11 . DA$
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34 BOTO 248 35 REM **** PR I NT 36 REM 37 REM 38 CLS
< > u y u THEN 3 1
SURE
* V / N ' 11 . A$
.
V$ ( J ) ; DT$ C J > ; PC < J > ; " 73 T < >
ACCOUNTS
T < > + VL < J > 74 T < 6 > = T < 6 > - VT < J > 75 VO VD - VT ( J ) 7 6 NE X T J 77 PR I NT 1 PR I NT 1 1 PR I NT " L I ST I NG NOW C NEX T J OMPLETE . 11 78 FOR J 79 LPR I NT DATE SUPP ' S I NT TRAVEL
X
39 T < 1 > 0 1 T ( 2 ) 0 T < 3 > 0 1 T ( 4 ) 0 a T < 3 > 0 I T ( 6 ) 0 V I 0 1 V00 40 PR I NT 1 41 .42 43 PR I NT I NPUT PR I NT 1 " SET 11 R 11 11 ENTR PR I NT 'R" THEN WHEN READV 11 ; A$ 44 ELSE 42 PR I NTER TO HOF . ..
TO 2500 1
80 LPR I NT " SOURCE/ PURPOSE / REF . FEE OTHER XPNBE VAT " LPR
I F A$ -
81 TB )
LPR I NT
US I NB
" TOTAL REVENUE RECE I P
1 09 1 10 111
I NPUT IF 0
, 4t . 4t4t " J T ( 1 TOTAL . E X PENSEB
6 OR 0
82 LPR I NT US I NG E I PTS
"
83 LPR I NT AVMENTS
4t4t " ; T < 2 >
. ,
REC
US I NG
11 = "
1 1 2 PR I NT " ****** ****** ****** ****** ** * ********* 11 .

.
< 1 THEN 1 08 I F 0 9 THEN 1 4 1
> 9 OR 0
" ENTER
1 -5 OR 9 " ; 0
8 OR 0
OR
TOTAL
SUPPL I ES P
* *** ** " J T ( 3 ) US I NG TOTAL TRAVEL P
1 1 3 PR I NT " I NPUT THE SOURCE OF REVENU E OR " a PR I NT " THE REASON FOR PAYMENT . "1 PR I NT
84
LPR I NT
AYMENTS 8 LPR I NT PAYMENTS PR I NT 86 LPR I NT
4t , 4t4t 4t4t " J T < 4 > TOTAL OTHER US I NG 11
-------v
1 1 1 16 1 17 1 19 I> 1 20 121 1 22 1 23
1 14
PR I NT
" MA X .
OF
30 CHRS .
DESC ' N---
I NPUT PV$ C I > DT$ C I > DA$ 1 1
NCI>
4t , 4t4t4t . 4t4t 11 ; T C ) I US I NG 11
PR I NT I NPUT
1 1 8 PR I NT
TOTAL VAT 4t , 4ttttt . 4t4t " . V I 1 TOTAL

.
11 ENTER AMOUNT TO BE POSTED 11 1 1 *NO NEBAT I VE AMOUNT8* 11 J VL <
RECE I VED LPR I NT 87 LPR I NT US I NG
I F VL < . 0 1 THEN 1 1 8 I NPUT 11 ARE YOU SURE ' Y / N ' ? " ; A$ I F A$ PR I NT a < > "V" THEN PR I NT VAT " 1 1 13 ' I ' I F AMOUNT E' IF A 'Z' " ENTER " ENTER I NPUT PR I NT VAT " 1 Z ERO " ENTER
"
VAT
I SSUED LPR I NT 88 LPR I NT US I NG L I AB I L I TY ; T C6) 1 89 T < 7 > LPR I NT
. . ... . .. . . vo .
TOTAL VAT
I NCLUDES I F AMOUNT 1 24 I F A$ I NPUT
MOUNT E XCLUDES
" =
1 25 8$ + T <2> " TOTAL RECE I PTS

=
< > " Z 11 THEN 1 23

" ARE I F A$
< > " I 11 AND A$ < > " E " AND A$

YOU SURE 1 32 131
RATED " J A$
T<1> US I NG
1 26 1 27 1 28
< > u y u THEN 1 23

"Z" "E" I F A$ VT BOTO VT PR I NT 1 PR I NT I NPUT

Y / N? 11 ; B$ a
IF
THEN THEN
tt4t , tt4ttt . 4t4t 1 1 1 T ( 7 ) 1 LPR I NT 91 T CB> = T C3) + T C4 > + T C5) 92 LPR I NT 93 T C 9 > C EX 4t4t , 4t4ttt . 11 ; T ( 8 ) : 94 LPR I NT US I NG VAT > 95 RETURN 248
=
90 LPR I NT
< VL 1 S / 1 1 5 ) +5E-03
1 29 VL 1 30 131 1 33 1 34 1 3 1 36 1 33 TO AC 1 37 1 8 1 40 1 I I NPUT I F A$ PR I NT
< VL * 1 00 / 1 1 S > +SE-03 VL PR I NT * . 1
US I NG T C 7>
" TOTAL LPR I NT 11 T 
PAYMENTS
.
1 32
- T C6) GROSS PROF I T
1 32 ON 0 BOTO
1 39 , 1 39 , 1 39 , 1 39 , 1 33 XABE OF TOTAL B I LL
4ttt , tttt . 4t4t " I T ( 9 ) .. POST I NG
" WHAT
IS
BE I NG " " POSTED? I F PC 
96 REM**** ENTER 97 REM**** 98 REM**** 99 CLS 1
<
MAX
1 00X " J PC 
OR PC SURE
> 1 00 THEN
PR I NT 1 PR I NT 1 PR I NT 1 00 PR I NT 11 ENTRV OF NEW POST I NG PR I NT 11 ENTER 11 11 11 " 1 2 3 4 S 101 PR I NT < RCPT ) "
COUNTS . "
- REVENUE POST I NG . - E X PENSES POST I NG
1 39 PR I NT 1 I +
< > " V " THEN 1 1 3

PR I NT 11 PR I NT 1 PR I NT
" ARE VDU
' V / N ' " J A$
" ENTRY OF POST I NG
COMPLET E 11
1 02 PR I NT 1 03 PR I NT
C RCPT > 1 1 C PYMT > "
" ********** ************************** . . .. GOTO 1 m 1 1 4 1 PR I NT 1 PR I NT 1 1 42 PR I NT " ENTRY OF POST I NGS COMPLETE D . .. 1 43 FOR J 1 44 RETURN 248 1 45 REM***'* MOD I FV POST I NB 1 46 REM**** 1 47 REM**** CLs 11 MOD I FV / DELETE OF FALSE POS CUR 1 48
- SUPPL I ES POST I NG - TRAVEL POST I NG . - OTHER POST I NG .
1 04 PR I NT C PYMT ) 11 1 0 PR I NT C PYMT ) 11 1 06 PR I NT 1 1lJ7 PR I NT
TO 2S00 1
NEXT
RV . "
*** 1 1
11 *** PR I NT 1
- EX I T PR I NT
POST I NG
ENT "J IJ
1 49 PR I NT ENTRY . 11 1 11 POST I NG T I NG . " I 1 50 PR I NT
1 08 PR I NT : AWA I T I NG
PR I NT ' SOURCE /PURPOSE '
PR I NT . " ENTER
RENTLY " 151 PR I NT
; A$ " HELD ON F I LE . " " ENTER CD$

=
I NPUT
SP$ HEL
1 9VJ 191 1 93
I F A$ PR I NT
1 2 PR I NT 1 3 1 5 THEN I NPUT
" DATE '
CURRENTLY
< > u y u THEN 1 8

248
11 MOD I FY / DELETE COMPLETE ..
D ON F I LE . " 1 54 FOR J 1 58 1 TO
1 92 RETURN
I
REM**** SAVE POST I NSS REM**** PR I NT 1 PR I NT
I F PVS < J >
SP$ AND DT$ ( J )
. CD$
1 94 REM**** 1 95 1 97 1 98 1 99 1 96 CLS PR I N T 1 11 8AV I N8 PR I NT OF ACCOUNTS TO CABS THE PROGRAM 0 P *** 11 1 PR I
1 56 NE X T J 1 57 PR I NT ---NO SUCH RECORD FOUND--11 1 hen PR I NT 1 BEEP 1 I NPUT 1 92 11 Prass r eturn r eady " J A$ a GOTO
ETTE . 11 1
PR I NT 11 0N COMPLET I ON 11 *** 8 T
1 8 PR I NT " ENTER NEW " SOURCE/PURPOSE ' -311J CH MAX . " I PR I NT " ENTER ' ***DELETE D*** ' I F CANCELL I NB '' 1 39 I NPUT PV$ ( J ) 1 60 PR I NT t OR11 t 161 1 62 PR I NT LET I NB . 11 I NPUT PR I NT a 11 FORMAT PR I NT PR I NT DD-MM-YY .. . DT$ ( J ) 11 ENTER NEW VALUE OF PR I NT 11 ENTER
PR I NT W I LL 1 1 200 NT 20 1 PR I NT PR I NT
11 READV CASSETTE 11 ENTER "

FOR RECORD ! READY 11 ' SAVE '
11 ENTER
CORRECT DATE
DATE , I F DE
NB . " : 203 204 205
PR I NT 'R' "C' "C" "R" WHEN TO CANCEL
TODAY ' S
21ZJ2 PR I NT I NPUT I F A$ I F A$ . " . A$
THEN 243 THEN 207 PR I NT OF ' CAS 1 ACCDAT ' " : FOR OUTPUT AS P 1
POST I NB . " I ** 11 1 . PR I NT G . .. 1 63 1 64 1 65 1 67 NB
11 ***NO - I VE AMOUNTS* u ENTER ' 0 . mm ' I F CANCELL I N
206 BOTO 202 207 PR I NT 1 PR I NT 1 " SAV I NB 208 PR I NT
I NPUT VL < J ) IF VL ( J )
I F VL ( J ) BOTO 1 - 11 " 11 11 11 11 1 89
1 66 VT < J > 1 68 PR I NT 1 1 69 PR I NT 1 70 PR I NT 1 7 1 PR I NT 1 72 PR I NT 1 73 1 74 1 75 1 76 1 77 I NPUT
m! t
< 0! > 0!
THEN THEN
1 62 1 68 0! TYPE OF POST I
R I NT 209 21 1 OPEN 11 CAS 1 ACCDAT 11
PC ( J )
2 1 8 FOR J
TO
< I-1 >
PR I NT* l , PV$ ( J )
PR I NT 1 2 3 4 5
11 ENTER

-=
2 1 2 PR I NT* 1 , DTS < J > 2 1 3 PR I NT* 1 , PC < J > 2 1 4 PR I NT* l , VL < J > 2 1 S PR I NT* 1 , VT < J > 2 1 6 PR I NT4t 1 , N ( J ) 2 1 7 NE X T 2 1 8 PR I NT TE*** 11 1 219 220 FOR PR I NT I II BEEP FOR J 11 ***BAVE " BACK-UP
REVENUE " E XPENSE 8 1 1 SUPPL I ES 11 TRAVEL OTHER " J ( J )
I F N <J > IF N (J ) IF N <J > PR I NT 1
> 5 THEN 1 68 < 0 THEN 1 68

<. 5 THEN 1 8 I NPUT I NPUT
OF ACCOUNTS COMPLE CLOSEtt l TO FOLLOW 11 SAVE
PR I NT 1 1
PR I NT : TO 20
11 ENTER Y.ABE 11 ARE

. .
- OTHER . .' V / N ' "
22 1 222
" PC < J > 1 78 PR I NT 1 J A$ 1 79 1 80 I F A$ . PR I NT a YOU SURE
TO I
mm PR I NT ' CAB a ACCDAT ' " : *** 11 1 P K - U P PR I N FOR R
223 NEXT 22:5 PR I NT
I I a NE X T PR I NT 1
< > " V " THEN 1 58

PR I NT " ENTER VAT 11 1 PR I NT
224 PR I NT 1 I F AMOUNT 'E' IF " ENTER " Z' R I NT T 226 PR I NT ECORD I NG . " 227 228 I NPUT IF A$ 11
" SAV I NB . OF *** B A C " READY " ENTER
' I '.
I NCLUDES I F AMOUNT 181
" ENTER I NPUT
MOUNT E XCLUDES VAT 11 1
8$
1 84
< >. " V " THEN 1 80 1 83 I F A$ u z u THEN 1 89

I F A$
.
1 82
< > " Z " THEN 1 80

I NPUT
I A$ . I F A$ < .> 11 I " AND A$ < > " E " AND At

Z ERO RATED " " ARE YOU SURE V / N ? " J B$ a IF
***NEW*** TAPE ' R ..
229' OPEN 230 FOR J 23 1
" CAS 1 ACCDAT 11
< > " R " THEN 227

1 TO < I-1 >
WHEN READV 11 J A$ FOR OUTPUT AS

1
PR I NT* 1 , PV$ ( J )
1 8 1 86 1 87
VT ( J ) VL ( J ) BOTO
' E "
THEN
1 88
232 PR I NT* 1 , DT$ ( J ) 233 PR I NT* 1 , PC < J > 234 PR I NT* 1 , VL < J >
< VL < J > 1 S / 1 1 S ) +E-03 < VL < J > 1 00 / 1 1 5 > +E-03 VL ( J ) I NPUT * . 15 " Y / N ' 11
1 89
23 PR I NT. l , VT < J > 236 PR I NT* l , N < J > 237 NE X T J ARE YOU SURE
1 88 VT < J > 1 89 PR I NT 1
238 PR I NT E*** 11 1
.. ***SAVE OF . BACK-UP COMPLET PR I NT 1 CLOSE* l NEX T J TO 200 :
284
PR I NT
11 11
..
MOD I FY / DELETE SAVE POST I NBS
PR I NT : 239 FOR J = 1 240 CLS 24 1 PR I NT
POST I NGS . .. 285 PR I NT . "1 PR I NT BEFORE " 11 A NEW F I LE MUST 11 POST I NGS 11 8ELOW ARE BE CREATED UNDER TH PR I NT MADE 286 PR I NT ADE 287 PR I NT
11 *** NORMAL PROGRAM TERM I NA
11 UPTO 430 POST I NGS CAN BE M
T I ON *** " 242 STOP 243 PR I NT 1 244 PR I NT 245 PR I NT LECT . " 246 FOR J
=
PR I NT " SAVE OPT I ON CANCELLED " OPT I ON J ACT I ON . SE " RETURN 1 TO TO NORMAL 2500 : NE X T
. .. : E
288 PR I NT 289 PR I NT 290 PR I NT PL I ES 11 29 1 11 1 PLY , PR I NT PR I NT 1
HEAD I NGS 11 : - 11 : PR I NT E XPENSES OTHER VDU PR I NT 11 8 I VEN PR I NT SUP VAT RE MANY " THE 11 REVENUE " TRAVEL PR I NT 11. I F
247 RETURN 248 248 . REM**** SELECT ACCOUNT 249 REM**** 250 REM**** 25 1
M I S-TYPE A
YOU W I LL BE " 1
CLS
OPPORTUN I T I ES TO CORRECT " :
252 PR I NT : PR I NT : PR I NT : 23 PR I NT " ENTER 1 . - L I ST POST I NGS . ... 2 - ENTER NEW POST I N 24 PR I NT " 88 . 11 25:5 PR I NT ST I NGS . " 26 PR I NT I N88 . " 237 PR I NT M TH I S " a 28 29 260 26 1 I NPUT IF 11 THE PR I NT ONLY 11 4
ERROR BEFORE DATA I S F I LE D . 11 1 PR I NT 292 I NPUT " Press r eturn whn r ad y . " l A$ 1 GE E CLS " WHEN POST I NG * OTHER ' , NOT A XA TH IS" 11 ENTERRED , S I NCE ALL AMOUNT 11 " MAY BE EL I GEABLE 11 VAT IS FOR POST POSTE I NP PR I ' PR I NT AUTOMAT I CALLY TO 293 PR I NT
11
MOD I FY / DELETE
PO
294 PR I NT SAVE / BACKUP POST ' NORMAL ' E X I T FRO ' 4 ' . 11 295 PR I NT I N8 . 11 1 D 1 THEN 258 ' V / N ' " ; A$ UT NT 299 PR I NT
11 PROBRAM
IS VIA
296 PR I NT 297 PR I NT WHEN11 298 PR I NT
I NPUT
0
0 > 4 OR 0 <
" ARE YOU BOSUB
11 CHO I CE " O SURE
1 5X , "
" I N RESPONSE
REPL I ES
I F A$
262 ON
< > u y u THEN 238 -
" ENTER I NG THE AMOUNT . " : " REVENUE PR I NT : PR I NT : OR AND E X PENSES PR I NT PR I NT ARE 11 1 PR I NT " VAT
35 , 96 , 1 4 1 1 93 HANDL I NG ROUT I NE
263 REM**** ERROR 264 REM**** 265 REM**** 266
ARE
RECE I PTs . .. : TRAVEL NTS ' THEN 29 HER A MADE . " : ' RCPT THE
" SUPPL I ES , " ' PAVME IS EIT " DE PEN PR I NT : FOR I NP
AND OTHER
I F ERR = 35 THEN 29 267 E = EOF ( l ) : I F E - 1 268 FOR I = 1 TO 8
D I NS ON PR I NT :
' PVMT ' 11. 1 PR I NT TYPE OF POST I NB . " a ' CAS : ACCDAT ' when
269 READ D$ 270 C$ = C$ 27 1 NE X T I 272 LPR I NT 273 LPR I NT F. R I NTER NOW
PR I NT 11 READV
+ CHR$ ( VAL < " ScH " +D$ ) ) C$ " AL I GN TH I S L I NE TO THE HO
300 PR I NT UT . " : 31lJ 1 A$ : I NPUT PR I NT
PR I NT " Press r eturn r aady . 11 1
SET UP . " ERL : PR I NT ERR " ---S T
302 RETURN 3 0 3 REM**** 304 REM**** LPR I NT 1 305 REM**** 306
HEAD
OF PAGE ROUT I NE
274 DATA 275 PR I NT
1 B , 76 , 36 , 36 , 2C , 30 , 36 , 2E PR I NT & PR I NT
276 PR I NT 1
E R R 0 R--- " PR I NT 1 BEEP 277 FOR I = 1 TO 2500 : NEX T l a STOP
0 N
0 P
278 REM**** 279 REM*** 280 REM**** 28 1
I NSTRUCT I ONS
XPNSE VAT " 307 J J

=
SUPP ' S m
LPR I NT 11 SOURCE / PURPOBE / REF Y. REVENUE DATE TRAVEL OTHER
308 HF$ = HAS 4 OPT I ONS POST I NGS R I NT 31 1 309 LPR I NT 310
CHR$ < VAL < " ScH0C " > > HF$ XPNSE LP
PR I NT
11 TH I S PROGRAM " THESE ARE 11
11 : - L I ST 11 PR I NT ENTER NEW POS
282 PR I NT
LPR I NT " SOURCE / PURPOSE / REF . R EVENUE DATE Y. TRAVEL OTH ER
SUPP ' S RETURN
VAT 11 1
283
T I NBS . "
b reakdown P ro gram
20 30 40 50 60 70-9 0 1 1 0-200 210-390 400-5 50
key mes sage s turn of f u nc tion musi ca\ note s set stn ng tor ct textJ co\o ur se\e ys dim ensi on arra rd to set up boa cal sub routi ne \oop ma n cont ro\ starting co\o ny set up ny disp \ay the co\o the and work out s ck out the rule che next co\o ny
MaJor variables .
X (x, y), Y(x , y) c X ,Y , E G 0/o
F
p ST
holds deta i Is of the colony used to check the rules general variables generation holds the colour ra ndom numb e r nu m ber of cells at the start
.:....:.J
0 REM OFF 20 KE'I 4 fg" 0R 5 , ab cde =" 37 : COL 30 AS W I DTH 0: 5 ) SCREEN , Y ( 5 . 5) 40 MX ( 5 , S: D1 50 CL !.0 aosue a0 220 aosuB 10 4 !1.0 aosuB em TO 7 0 e el m ao q manY OW 1 NP UT " H END ,3: 1..00 LOCAT E SI " ; ST 0 CL st ar t 0 at th e GOTO 1s HEN ST < T "; i-20 1 F numb er TO ST ll er ce FOR E ent !1.'30 Pl ease t NT " 4 0 pR PR l E T HEN V X, XY0 I NP UT 4 OR 50 Y> 40 4 OR : GOTO X> !" c el l 60 I F r an ge of T " Th at out IN " Cel l THEN . PR NT 0 >0 OT O 4 X ( )( , Y l d!":G 70 I F occ up i e Y ,Yl al r e ad l =X ( X is (X ,Y , Y l = I Y 0 X ( X T E 90 NEX TURN ** B% 0 RE co l on Y CL6 t ME l Y 200 RND ( -T l di epl 2 t P REM ** CREEN 2 * S PUT AS OR . OUT 220 COL " FOR ,BF " gr p a OPEN , 20 ) , 230 ( 255 (0 , 0l $( 1NE 3 240 L 2 " +M 1 D Y"l3 TO FOR P +l : PLA 250 ) 7 ( RND ( lNT 2 b0 A,. > l AS , A , v T p : r n \ lJ {
**
L I FE
**
_j J
n j oy a b i t of d rama i n deep s pace w i t h t h i s two-player arcade game by A n d rew H ay of D e n n y i n S t i r l i n g s h i re. Each p l ayer controls h i s c ra f t w i t h a j o y s t i c k i n a n attempt t o dest roy h i s opponent's s h i p with a blast from t h e laser g u n . T h e game u ses a w ra p a rou nd screen so if you d i sa p pear off t h e edge of the s c reen you re-a p pear at the other s i d e i n stantly. T h e re is a f i xed t i me l i m i t f o r t h e e n gagement and o n l y e n o u g h c h arge i n each l aser for 20 b l asts so if you use u p a l l your laser power, start ru n n i ng .
1 /
,.
A l ternati vely, y o u c a n t ry ra m m i n g y o u r opponent. T h i s w i l l res u l t i n the destru c t i o n of both c raft awarded. but no poi n ts wi 11 be
T h ose w h o o n l y have access to one j oystick can ea s i l y mod ify one of the c raft to keyboard c o n t ro l by c h a n g i n g t h e f i g u re 2 t o 0 i n t h e ST R I G (2) and ST I C K(2) c o m m a n d s .
2 3 4 3 6 7 8 9 20
I I
****************
'
* * * * * * * !.870 ANDREW HAY by SPACE DUEL
* * * * * * *
400 SPR I TE$ ( flJ ) 8$ ( !. ) : X !. X -3 1 V !.Y-3 1 RETURN 4 0 420 430 440 450 460 471lJ 480 V2=Y2- 3 : RETURN
I
' ,
I
, '
I
I :
I
'
MOVE
PLAYER 2
**************** T=25 !. 1 P =IZJ : P2=0 : 8=20 : B220
m SOSUB
490 SPR I TE$ < 2 > =S$ < 2 > : X 2 = X 2+3 : V2=V2-3 : RETURN 500 SPR I TE$ < 2 > =S$ ( 2 ) : X 2 = X 2+3 : RETURN 5 0 SPR I TE$ < 2 > =S$ < 2 > : X 2 X 2+3 : Y2=V2+3 :
30 SCREEN 2 : STR I G < > OFF : STR I G ( 2 ) 0FF I S PR I TEOFF 40 SPR I TE$ ( 0 ) =8$ ( 0 ) 50 FOR 60 80 A=!. TO 80 X =RND < > *25 5 : V=RND < > * !.9 !. NE X T I NTERVAL5 GOSUB 590 : I NTERVAL
RETURN 520 Y2=V2+3 1 RETURN 530 RETURN . 550 56fll 570 580 !. 590 600 6 0 620 630 640 THEN 650 SPR I TE$ ( 2 ) =8$ ( 3 ) : X 2 = X 2-3 : V2=Y2+3 :
70 PSET < X , Y > 90 ON OFF 00 ON SPR I TE GOSUB 600 0 ON STR I G GOSUB , 860 , 730 20 L I NE ( 50 , 0 > - < T- !. , S > , B , BF 30 SPR I TE$ ( 2 ) =9$ ( 3 ) 40 PRESET < 9 , 1lJ > PR I NT4t , .. T I ME c 11 !.50 PRESET < 20 , !.83 ) : PR I NT 4t i. , .. PLAYER a " ; P !. a PRESET < i.50 , !.83 ) 1 PR I NT tt , " PLAVER 2 : 11 P2 !.60 V !.RND < !. > * 9 !. 1 X !.20 : V2RND < !. > * 9 !. 1 X 2221ZJ !.70 STR I B < !. > ON I STR I 8 < 2 > 0N c SPR I TEON I I N TERVAL ON !.80 S !.ST I CK < !. ) !.9IZI S2ST I CK < 2 > 200 ON 8 !. GOSUB 330 , 340 , 30 , 360 , 370 , 3 80 , 390 , 400 2 !.0 ON 92 GOSUB 4 !.0 , 490 , 00 , 5 !.0 , 520 , 5 30 , 40 , 330 220 PUT 230 PUT 240 GOTO 250 260 270 280 290 300 3 !.0 . 320 I I
I
540 SPR I TE$ < 2 > =S$ ( 3 ) : X 2 = X 2-3 : RETURN SPR I TE$ < 2 > S$ ( 3 ) : X 2 = X 2-3 : V2V2-3 1
I
RETURN :
I '
I
UPDATE
T I ME
I I GOTO 7 0 IF X2<0 IF X < m THEN V < 0 THEN X =25S ELSE V = 9 ELSE Y =0 X =0 ELSE ELSE
I F T < 47THEN X 2=255 IF
I FV2< 0 TH IF
IF
EN Y2=!.9 !. 660 I F V > 9 THEN 670

!. THEN
V 2 > 9 X 2 >255
V2=flJ X >255THEN
.
IF
THEN 680
SPR I TE m , < X !. , Y !. > , 7 , 0 SPR I TE !.80 !. , < X 2 , Y2 > , !.2 , 2
7 0 730
690 RET URN 700 I I

I
T=T - . 5 : L I NE < T- . 5 , 0 > - < T , 5 > , , BF
X 2=0
720 7411 7SilJ MOVE PLAYER !. 76flJ 770 780 798
PLAYER
!. F I RE
I I I I F 8 0 THEN RETURN ELSE B !.=B!.-11. I F SPR I TE$ ( 2 ) 8$ ( 2 ) ELSE BOSUB I THEN GOSUB !.!.40 : RETURN
I
= =
30 1 RETURN
330 V !.=Y !.-3 a RETURN 340 SPR I TE$ C 0 > =S$ ( 0 ) 1 X !. X !.+ 3 1 V !.= Y !.-3 : RETURN 350 SPR I TE$ ( 0 ) 8$ < 0 > : X X +3 a RETURN 360 SPR I TE$ < 0 > 8$ ( 0 ) : X X !.+3 1 V =Y !.+3 a RETURN 370 V !.= Y i.+ 3 1 . RETURN 380 SPR I TE$ ( 0 ) 8$ ( ) 1 Y Y +3 a X X !.-3 1 RETURN 390 SPR I TE$ < 0 > S$ ( !. ) 1 X X !.-3 1 RETURN
820
BIZIVJ I BU 11
830 840 I
I
PLAYER
F I RE
em 860 870
I F 820 THEN RETURN ELSE 8282 - THEN BOSUB I F SPR I TE$ ( 0 ) 8$ < 0 >
i0
SIZi a RETURN ELSE SOSUB
060 a RETURN
880 RETURN 891lJ I 90QJ 920 930 95.0

I =
OUNDi.i. , 0 1 SOUNDi.3 , : SOUND 8 , 6 !220 FOR A = i. TO 0 !230 RRND < i.> *50 !250 RRND < > *50 i260 L I NE < X +B , V +8 ) -8TEP < R , 50 > , 7 270 RRND C > *m !280 L I NE < X +B , Y + B > -STEP < -R , -30 > , 7 !290 R=RND C ) *50 !.300 L I NE C X +B , V +8 ) -STEP < -R , 50 > , 7 !1.3 !.0 NE X T !.320 P2P2+ !. a 80TO !.330 40 i.3S0
I I
240 L I NE < X +B , Y +B > -STEP < R , -50 ) , 7 DATA FOR SPR I TES
940 DATA 0 , !28 , 92 , 224 , 240 , 24 , 9 1 97 , 4B , 3 , 63 , !27 , 92 , 2 e , m , m , m , m , m , m , m , m , m , 2B , 92 , 24 . 92 , 2B , 0 , m , m , m 950 DATA m , 0 , m , m , m , m , m , , 3 , !27 , 3 , , m , m , m , m , m , , 3 , 7 , . t27 , 9 , 34 , 2 , 24B , 2 . 52 , 234 , 3 , , 0 , 0 960 DATA 0 , 0 , 48 , 2 , 204 , 02 , , 3 1 3 , 3 , 5 . 02 , 204 , S2 , 4B , m , m , m , m , m , 4B , !2m . mB , 230 , 227 , 23m , me , 2m , 4s , m , m , m 970 DATA m , m , m , m , m , 2 , 30 , 4 , 03 , 99 , m3 , 54 , 3m , 2 , m , m , m , m , 6 , 2 , 23 , . m2 , 20 4 , 248 , 240 , 248 , 204 , 02 , 5 , 25 , 2 980 990 000 1..0!.0 020 !.030 040 050
= =
30
----
, ,
F I R I NG ROUT I NES PLAYER !. F I RE

.
.
l t
I F X !.< X 2AND < Y !.=V20RY !. >V2-7ANDY < Y
29RY >Y2ANDY< Y2+B > THENL I NE < X + 6 , V + 0 > - < X 2+8 , Y + 0 ) , 9 : 80T0400ELSEL I NE < X +!.5 , Y !.+ 0 > - < 255 , V + 0 > , 9 L I NE < X + 5 , Y+ 0 > - < 23S , Y + m > , !. : RETURN 060 I F X !. > X 2AND < V =V20RV >Y2-7ANDY < Y 20RV!. >Y2ANDV< Y2+ > THENL I NE < X , Y + 0 ) - < X 2+8 , V + 0 ) 1 9 1 80T0400ELSEL I NE < X , Y + 0 > - < 0 , V !.+ !.0"> , 9 a L I NE < X !. , V !.+ IlJ > - < IZI , V !.+ !.0 ) 1 !. 1 RETURN 070 !.080 !.090 !.00 5.0 20 30
I = I
,
I F X 2< X !.AND < V2=V !.ORY2 > V !.-8ANDV2< Y
PLAYER
F I RE 360 !.370 !1.380 90

*
ORV2 >Y NDV2< Y +6 > THENL I NE < X 2 + , V2+ i.0 > - < X !.+B , V2+ 0 > , 9 : GOTOt20ELSEL I NE < X 2 + 5 , Y2 + 0 > - < 25S , V 2 + 0 > , 9 : L I NE < X 2 + 5 , V2+!.0 > - < 255 , Y2+0 > , i. : RETURN 40 I F X 2 > X !AND < V2V ORY2 >V -8ANDY2< Y ORV2 > V !ANDV2< V +6 > THENL I NE < X 2 , V 2 + 0 > - < X 1 Y2+0 ) , 9 1 GOT0!2 !.0ELSEL I NE < X2 , V2+ !.0 ) - ( llJ , Y2 + 0 > , 9 1 L I NE < X 2 , V2 + 0 > - < 0 , Y2+ 0 ) 1 !. a RETURN !.!.50 i.60 !.7(l) i.i.80 i.i.90 !200 :
I
I
/
PLAYER 2
DEAD
400 STR I S < 2 > 0FF : I NTERV AL OFF : SOUND 8 , 0 : SDUND 7 , 55 1 90UND 6 , 30 : SOUND !2 , 50 : SOUND i. , llJ 1 SOUND !.4 i.0 FOR A = !. TO 420 RRND < > *50 i.440 RRND < i. > *50 450 L I NE < X 2+B , V2+8 ) -STEP < -R , S0 > , !2 !.460 RRND < > *50 470 L I NE. < X 2+8 , Y2+8 ) -STEP < R , -50 ) , !2
U
i.3 , i. : SOUND
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!.430 L I NE < X 2+B , Y2+8 > -STEP < R , 50 ) 1 !.2
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!.480 R=RND < i. > *50 !.490 L I NE < X2+8 , Y2+8 ) -STEP < -R , -50 ) , 2 !.500 NE X T OFF : SOUND 8 !.5 !.0 P i.=P!.+ i. 1 GOTO !.520
I
!.20 STR I B < > OFF 1 I NTERVAL , 0 1 SOUND 7 , 53 1 80UND
30
6 , 30 a SOUND2 , 0 a 8
i.53m 540 550 i-560 570
: ' SPR I TE COLL I S I ON
: :
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!.70 STR I B < > OFF a STR I 8 < 2 > 0FF 1 I NTERVAL 7 , L B !.000 1 80UND e , m a SOUND 0 , 0 a SOUND 3 , 1 SOUND , !.
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!.770 PR I NT 1 PR I NT 11 PLAYER
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key
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790 !.800 !.80 !.820 i.830 !.840 !.850
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790 ELSE RUN
d i rect i on , but p l ayer s each . .. sh i p or appear can
USER
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h or i z on t a l l y . .. 2080 f'R I NT " Both es of his l aser 2flJ90 PR I NT " Vour the s i d e s , top
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!.900 D I M 8$ ( 3 ) 1 DEF I NT !.90 FOR A=0 TO !.920 FOR B!. TO 3 32
!.930 READ D & A$=A$+CHR$ ( D ) I NE X T !.94QJ SPR I TE$ < A > =A$ 1 S$ < A > =A$ 1 A$= 11 11 !.950 NE X T i-960 COLOR PACE " 4 & PRESET < 50 , 20 > : PR I NTtt i. , " S
PR I NT 11 Pr ess man IF I NKEV$= " 11

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maythe b est EN 2 2 !.40 RETURN
h i s i s a n MSX vers i o n . of a l is t i n g w h i c h ap eared i n A & B Compu ttng. The o r i g i n a l p rogram was w n'tten by E i f i o n Jewe l l an d the convers i o n was made by Ken G ood man of Col c hest r. The obJect o f t h e game i s to use the c u rsor key s to move the mouse f rom . one Side of t he s c reen t o the other t h ro g h the holes w h .i c h a ppear 1 n the w a l l s . can Before the o Pass t h roug le a . piece of c heese mu st be eate n . Use the arrow keys to move the mouse.
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10230 240 4 1 0 420 470 480 -5 30 540 -620 6 30680
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900 1 020 1 0 30- 1 0 7 0 1 080 1 1 50 1 1 60- 1 1 90 1 200 1 240

.
titl e s cr een ins tru cti on s ini tia l is e varia ble s s et u p s pri tes res et s c or e etc . a n d dra w s sta rt th e creen ru n m ou s e m ovem ent a cross th rea ch ed e s creen th e en d, etc . res et ti s creen m e, s tart ne w ti m e ex pired, pri nt sc o re Up da te ti me a nd pri n t it crea te a h ole upda te sc ore a n d pri nt it n ext ch ees e p osi tio n sprite D ATA
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By E i i o n
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A$ L OFF a PLAV ERVA RE 930 z z m a i NT T a COLOR 7 a SC a NEX DL TO 3000 940 FOR LON EN 0 U TOOK TOO T " VO TE 9 , 5 a PR I N 930 LOCA
"S G! ! " OUR SCORE WAS PR I NT " V LOCATE 9 , B a 960
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OBER 1
PANACEA SOFTWARE
TEL . 0 7 0 2
WESTCL IFF-ON-SEA ESSEX
1 0 5 GAINS BOROUGH DRIVE 333476
SOUND GE NERATOR 5 . 9 5
THE SOUND GENERATOR PRODUCES THAT SOUND REGISTERS . TESTED . THESE CAN I S A FULL GRAPHIC DRIVEN D I S PLAY COMPUTERS OWN SOUND SOUND
SHOWS AND CONTROLS THE CONDITION OF THE BE
ALTERED BY YOU AND THE I N YOUR OWN PROGRAMS .
WHEN YOU HAVE CREATED THE SOUND YOU REQUIRE THE I NCLUDED
REGISTER DATA CAN THEN BE
S P R I T E GENERATOR 5 . 9 5
THE AND SPRITE DESIGNER ENABLES ON-SCREEN PRODUCTION OF INCLUDES A HOST OF BEFORE COMMANDS TO IN MAKE YOUR LIFE ANIMATE ALSO S P R I TES EASY . ( AN I MATE PROGRAM INVERT, ROTATE , SAVE, LOAD, S I Z E , COLOUR , S TORE. YOUR SPRITES ) PLACING PROGRAMS .
( GENERATES .THE DATA AND SPRITE PRODUCTION ROUTINE I N BASIC ) .
RAVAGE S OF T I ME 5 . 9 5
RAVAGES INTREGAL COMPLETED. OF T IME IS A MULTI-LEVEL TEXT ADVENTURE FEATURING THE COMPLETE GAME CONSISTS OF PREVIOUS STAGES ARE ARCADE THIS STYLE GAME S . MULTI -GAME S THAT ARE AUTO-LOADED AS THE SYSTEM GIVES YOU GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY.
CODE OF HAMMURABI 5 . 9 5
IT 'S THE SUMER I E N S , AMORITES AND ASSYRIANS. ANCIENT MI DDLE EAST BRING HE
CODE OF HAMMURABI , TO CONQUER THE CONTROL OF L I F E .
1 72 6 B . C .
AND KING HAMMURABI W I S HES I F HE CAN CAN BUILD
TEMPLES , CANNALS , A MONETARY SYSTEM AND UNDER THE CODE OF HAMMURABI .
ABOUT A NEW WAY
BEDLAM 5 . 9 5
BEDLAM GIVES YOU AROUND COLLECTING CHAOS CAN BE FUN. MULTI - S CREEN ACTION . RUN, JUMP AND CLIMB YOUR TREASURE S . LOOK OUT FOR THE MEANIES .
BA Z O OKA BANS HEE 5 . 9 5

BAZOOKA BANSHEE I S ARE ALL HERE . IS LIKE BLASTING, INVADER S , ATTACKER S , THINGS FROM SPACE. IF THEY YOU FAST , NO I S Y , FLASHING ACTION, YOU WILL LIKE THI S . AL.L YOU HAVE TO DO SHOOT THEM DOWN BUT LIFE MAY NOT BE THAT EAS Y .
The Advertising Standards Authority. If an advertisement is wrong, were here to put it right.
ASA
Every week n1 i l l ions of advertisements appear in print. on posters or in the cinema. Most of them cotn ply \ith the ntles contained i n the British Code of Advert ising Practice. But some of t hen1 break the nilcs and \\'arrant your con1 plaints. I f vou'rc not sure alx )ut \\'h ich ones they are. ho\\cvcr. drop us a l i ne and \\'C '11 send you an abridged copy of tl1e Advertising Code. Then. i f an advert isen1cnt lx )thcrs you. you '11 be j usti ficd in b ot hering us.
LtJ. 0-.. pt
2 Br- ><>k Hou :-.-...Tt>mngton Plar-..'. LonJnn WC l E 7 H !\:

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T h t spac-..' donated
the tntrLsts of h tgh s t a n d a rd s of advl'rt i s i ng.
R S K FOR OU A E soFTWA R F UL L L IS T
KONAMI
YOUR No 1
SOFTWARE PROJECTS
JET SET WILLY............................................... 7.95 MANIC MINER .............................................. 7.95
LATE - NIGHT OPENING WEDN ESDAYS UNTIL Bpm

COMPUTER MATES
CARDS FILING SYSTEM................................ 49.95 SPREADSHEET .............................................. 49.95 MAILSHOT, WORDPROCESSOR & CARDS .... 99.95
SYSTEM
CENTRE
GHOSTBUSTERS... PITFALL 11 .
.. ......
. . . . . .. .
....
..
..
SUPER COBRA .............................................. 1 6.95 COMIC BAKERY............................................ 1 6.95 TRACK AND FIELD 1 ..................................... 16.95 HYPER SPORTS 1 ......................................... 1 6.95 ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE ............................. 1 6.95 TENNIS .......................................................... 1 6.95 SKY JAGUAR ................................................ 1 6.95 GOLF
. . . . . . . . . ....................................................
....
..
. .. ..
..
...... .. .
..
... ... .
..
..... . .. . . . 1 1 .99 ..
. . .. ...
. .
DECATHLON ................................................. 1 1 .99 HER0 ............................................................ 1 1 .99
.... E 1 1 .99
..
RIVER RAID ................................................... 1 1 .99
GST/ELECTRIC
ZAXXON ....................................................... 1 1 .95 LE MANS......................................................... 9.95 BUCK ROGERS.............................................. 1 1 .95 THE WRECK.................................................. 1 4.95 BACKGAMMON ............................................... 9.95
WORDPROCESSOR ....................................... 49.95 CASH ACCOUNTS ....................................... 1 28.95
VIRGIN GAMES
SORCERY ........................................................ 8.95 USEFUL UTILITIES FOR MSX .......................... 2.99 PRACTICAL MSX MACHINE CODE.................. 4.95
MOPI RANGER .
... .
. . . .. .. .... . .. . . .
..
...
..
.....
. ... E 1 6.95
MELBOURNE HOUSE
THE HOBBIT................................................. 14.95 BOOKMSX EXPOSED ..................................... 6.95 BOOKMSX PROG'S REF. GUIDE ................... 1 4.95 CLASSIC ADVENTURE ..................................... 6.95 BOOK MSX GAMES BOOK .............................. 6.95
1 6.95
CIRCUS CHARLIE.......................................... 1 6.95 TIME PILOT................................................... 1 6.95 TRACK AND FIELD 2..................................... 16.95 ATHLETIC LAND ........................................... 1 6.95 MONKEY ACADEMY...................................... 1 6.95 HYPER SPORTS 2......................................... 1 6.95 VIE AR KUNG-FU ........................................... 1 6.95 KINGS VALLEY .............................................. 1 6.95 HYPER SHOT................................................ 1 5.85
D.K. TRONICS RITTOR MUSIC
MINDER .......................................................... 9.95
LEVEL 9 COMPUTING
COLOSSAL ADVENTURE ................................. 9.95 ADVENTURE OUEST........................................ 9.95 LORDS OF TIME.............................................. 9.95 EMERALD ISLE................................................ 6.95 SNOWBALL ..................................................... 9.95 DUNGEON ADVENTURE.................................. 9.95 RETURN TO EDEN ........................................... 9.95
SHIELD
CHEMISTRY 0-LEVEL EXAMINER .................... 9.95 PHYSICS 0-LEVEL EXAMINER ......................... 9.95 MATHS OLEVEL EXAMINER ........................... 9.95
P.S.G. MUSIWRITER ..................................... 20.85 ODYSSEY K

. . .. .. ........ .. ........ .. .. ... .. .. ..... .. .. .. .... ..
9.95
ORPHEUS
BOLDERDASH ................................................. 6.95
ACTIVISION
BEAM RIDER ................................................. 1 1 .99
TERMINAL
LAZY JONES................................................... 8.95
======;::::===1BUY FROM THE EXPERTS - WITH CONFIDENCE

ALL SOFTWARE NORMALL Y STOCKED AND DESPA TCHED B Y RETURN
PHONE US NOW FOR OUR SPECIAL SUMMER OFFERS ON MSX COMPUTERS -- -- -- - ORDER
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I I I I I I I I
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___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
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_______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
----I I I TOTAL ....._ __. I I I I I I MSXU 1 0/ 8 5

_ _
2 days.
ee
Machine code routines can extend the functions available onyour MSX. Steve Webb showsyou how
When you have typed i n a n d saved t h e above rou t i ne you can test i t w i t h t he BAS I C p rogram i n
Listing 3 w i l l p robably
be of u s e to t hose of you w h o w r i t e programs w h i c h prod u c e a l ot o f text on the s c re e n . T h i s rou t i ne
Listing 2.
h i s m o n t h I w i l l be s h ow i n g t h ree mach i n e code rou t i nes w h i c h you c a n u s e t o e n hance you r BAS I C p rog rams. To e n ter t hese rou t i nes you w i l l need t o have typed i n t h e H EX E N T p ro g ram f rom last month's issue.
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I
Before u s i ng t h i s rou t i ne you m u s t set u p the f o l l o w i n g parameters. Loc a t i o n 62029 m u s t c o n t a i n the c o l u m n n u mber w here you w i s h t h e c h a racter t o be p r i nted. T h i s n u mber m u s t be i n the range of 1 t o 25. Locat i o n 62030 m u s t conta i n t h e row n u mber w h e re the c h a racter is t o be p r i nted a n d rn u s t be i n t he range 1 to 1 7 . Loca t i o n 62031 m u s t c o n t a i n t h e ASC I I va l u e of the c h a racter to be p ri nted. F o r exa m p l e the n u m be r 65 represents t h e c a p i t a l the c a p i t a l letter Z. letter A a nd 90 re p resents
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w i l l a l l ow you to clear a s pe c i f ied area w i t ho u t destroy i n g the rest of t he text o n the s c reen. The f o l l ow i ng parameters need to be set u p before u s i ng the rou t i ne. Locat i o n 62025 m u s t
d e m o n s t rate the rou t i n e to reverse c o l ou rs. I f you m i ssed l as t
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obt a i n a copy o f t h e a rt i c l e by send i n g a s e l f addressed, s ta m ped envel ope to Steve Webb, c/o MSX User, 1 G o lden S q u a re , London W1 R 3AB. I f you have a n y i deas f o r rou t i nes that you wou Id l i ke m e to have write i n mac h i ne code p l ease d o n o t hesi tate t o let me k n ow.
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c o n ta i n t h e h e i g h t o f t h e area t o be c leared . Loca t i o n 62028 m u s t conta i n t h e w i d t h o f t h e area t o be c l eared. f 9regrou nd c o l q u rs of a l l the c h a ra c ters. When you f i rs t s w i t c h o n t h e c o m p u t e r t h e backg rou nd c o l o u r is b l u e , a nd . t h e f o regrou nd c o l o u r i s w h i te. the f o reg rou nd w i 11 By access i n g t h i s rou t i ne
Listing 4
N a me: C LA R EA Fu nction: C l ear a
s pe c i f i e d area of t h e s c reen
Start address: 56900 End address: 56969 Sum check: 7829
L i m i t a t i o n s : Use o n l y i n
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screen modes 0 a n d 1
The BASIC prog ra m i n
become b l u e a n d the backg rou nd w h i te . T h i s part i c u larly u se f u I rou t i ne, may not sound a
r ll .J V. ",','a (' ]I J ...... 1/
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Listing 4 w i l l d e m o n s t rate
the c l ear s c reen rou t i ne. The s c reen w i l l f i rs t be f i l l ed w i t h c h a racters, t h e n after a s hort pause, a n area of 5 c h a racters w i d e by 8 c h a racters w i l l be c l eared , the t o p left hand corner of w h i c h is a t c o l u m n 1 0 a n d row 1 5. The f i na l rou t i ne t h i s m o n t h , Listing 5, i s a s l i g h t l y oddity b u t I ' m s u re that i t w i l l be of u s e to m a ny o f you. The rou t i ne i s to be u sed i n s c reen mode 1 and i t swops ovr the backgrou nd a n d
b u t p l ease type i t i n a n d ru n the d e m o n s t ra t i o n
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program a n d I t h i n k that you w i l l be i m p ressed by w h a t you see.
-y
N a me: R EVCOL Function: Swop t h e

background a n d f o reg rou nd c o l o u rs o f t he c h a racters .
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Start address: 56700 End address: 567 44 S u m check: 4757 ' Li mitations: Use o n l y i n screen mode 1. . Use Listing 6 t o
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Lising 6
MSX U S E R OCTO B E R 1 985
43
takes j u s t a few moments
Graham Knight and Dick Sham get hooked on screen scrolling and cursor routines
to appear. Pres s i n g the CT R L key w i t h the c u rsor u p key w i l l now scro l l the i n f ormat i o n on t he scree n u pwards. S i m i l arly press i n g CTRL w i t h the d ow n c u rsor key w i l l scro l l the text downwards. I f these keys a re held down the i nf o rmat i o n on the
e have w r i t t e n
progra m 1 i n
response t o readers w h o have req u ested a rou t i ne to s c ro l l the s c reen i n f o r m a t i o n . By selec t i n g the a p propri ate s t a r t i n g add ress i n m e mory, t h e prog ram a l l ows the u se r t o a u t o m at i c a l ly a n d c o n t i n u ou s ly s c ro l l t h e c o n t e n t s o f the s c reen e i t h e r u pward s o r d ow nwards. A l te rnatively the s c r o l l d i rect i o n c a n be c o n t ro l led by press i n g CT R L w i t h the c u rsor arrow keys. T h i s prog ram i s s u i ta b l e t o r u se w i t h s c reen m odes 0 a nd 1 . Scrol l i n g i s needed i n a vari ety of a p p l i ca t i o n s f ro m w o rd process o rs to games and t h e s u b rou t i ne i n program 1 c a n be saved i n ordi n a ry M S X BASIC o r as a b l ock of mach i ne code w h i c h c a n t h e n be i nc o rp o rated i n t o y o u r own programs. The m a c h i n e code program 1 is w r i t t e n i n to the memory f ro m M S X BASIC u s i n g t h e rou t i nes i n l i nes 1 0-60 to P O K E the DATA i n to m e mory. Remember to take g reat care i n e n t e r i n g t h e p rogram exac t l y , p ay i n g p a rt i c u l a r atte n t i on t o t h e d i f fe re n ce between the letter '0' a n d the f i g u re
.w
s c reen backg rou nd c o l o u r t o red . N e x t enter N EW to c l ear program 1 f ro m the memory . T h e n LOA D a n d R U N t he s hort test seq u e nce l i sted u nder
s c reen is revolved l i ke a rota t i n g cy l i nder. The exec u t i o n add ress
> of t he test prog ram i s set

s c ro l l i ng fac i l i t ies by c h a n g i n g t h i s ad d ress i n l i ne 50 f ro m & H D EOO t o
by the D E F U S R com mand i n l i ne 50. C h eck the other
progra m 2. N ote t hat the

s c reen c o l o u r w i l l c ha n ge t o a b l u e backg rou nd f i rs t a n d that the Ok message
& H D E 1 4 and t h e n R U N n i ng the m od i f i e d prog ra m . The
PROGRAM
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
K E Y OF F : S C R E E N 1 : C O L O R 1 5 , 6 , 6 CLEAR 200 , &HDDFF A D = H D E 0 0 READ IF END POKE A$ THEN 70 40 AD , V A L < " H " + A $ ) : A D = A D + l : GO T O 3 E , 06 , C D , 4 1 , 0 1 , C 8 , 4 F , C0 3E , 0 8 , C D , 4 1 , 0 1 , C 8 , 7 7 , 2 8 06 , C 8 , 6 F , C 0 , A F , 1 8 , 0 2 , 3 E 0 1 , 32 , C 4 , F A , 3 A , AF , FC , 2 1 8 3 , F 3 , 4 7 , 87 , 2 8 , 0A , F E , 04 30 , 06 , 1 1 , 0A , 0 0 , 1 9 , 1 0 , FD 5E , 2 3 , 56 , E 8 , 22 , C2 , FA , 3 A C4 , FA , 87 , 28 , 0E , 1 1 , 9 8 , 0 3 3 A , AF , FC , F E , 0 1 , 20 , 0 3 , 1 1 0 , 0 2 , 1 9 , 2 2 , C 0 , F A , 1 1 , C 5 F A , 0 1 , 28 , 00 , 3 A , C F , F A , F E 0 1 , 2 0 , 03 , 0 1 , 2 0 , 00 , C D , 5 9 00 , 3 A , C 4 , F A , 8 7 , 2 8 , 0 F , 2 1 8F , 0 3 , 3 A , A F , F C , F E , 0 1 , 2 0 03 , 2 1 , FF , 0 2 , 1 8 , 0 D , 2 1 , 2 8 00 , 3 A , AF , F C , F E , 0 1 , 2 0 , 03 2 1 , 20 , 0 0 , E D , 5 8 , C 2 , F A , 1 9 0 1 , C0 , 0 3 , 3 A , A F , F C , F E , 0 1 20 , 0 3 , 0 1 , 00 , 0 3 , E5 , C 5 , C D 4A , 0 0 , 1 1 , 2 8 , 0 0 , F 5 , 3 A , AF FC , F E , 0 1 , 2 0 , 0 3 , 1 1 , 2 0 , 0 0 3A , C 4 , F A , 8 7 , 2 8 , 0 3 , 1 9 , 1 8 03 , 8 7 , E D , 5 2 , F 1 , C D , 4 D , 0 0 C 1 , E 1 , 3A , C 4 , F A , 8 7 , 2 8 , 03 28 , 1 8 , 0 1 , 2 3 , 0 8 , 7 8 , 8 1 , 2 0 CC , 2 A , C 0 , F A , 3 A , C 4 , F A , B 7 28 , 0 6 , E D , 5 8 , C 2 , F A , 1 8 , 0 F 1 1 , 98 , 0 3 , 3A , AF , FC , F E , 0 1 20 , 03 , 1 1 , E0 , 02 , 1 9 , E8 , 2 1 C5 , F A , 0 1 , 2 8 , 0 0 , 3 A , A F , F C F E , 0 1 , 20 , 03 , 0 1 , 2 0 , 00 , CD 5C , 0 0 , C 9 0 0 , 0 0 , 0 0 , 0 0 , 0 0 , * * A$= " ** "
1 0 00 1010 1 0 20 1 0 30 1 0 40 1 0 50 1 0 60 1 070 1 0 80 1 090 1 1 00 1 1 10 1 1 20 1 1 30 1 1 40 1 1 50 1 1 60 1 1 70 1 1 80

,
'
DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA D"A T A DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA
zero. A l ways SAVE y o u r entered p rogram t o t a pe o r d i sk before R U N n i n g , a s i t i s t h e n m u c h easier to correct a n error than to re enter the p rogram a l l over agam.
1 1 90 1 2 00 1210 1 2 20 1 230 1 2 40 1 2 50 1 2 60 1 2 70 1 280 1 290 1 3 00 1310
Test program
To c heck that you have entered the s c ro l l i ng rou t i ne correc t l y , LOAD and R U N p rogram 1 . l t w i l l start by c h a ng i n g the
Users c a n speed u p the f l ash i n g rate of t h e c u rsor
PROGRAM
by e n t e r i n g POKE & H D9F5,1 d i rectly on t he .keyboard . C h a n g i n g t h i s to

--
10 20 30 40 50 60
REM REM REM
UP A N D DOWN S C R E E N WHEN THE C T R L AND KEYS ARE COLOR PRESSED 15 ,4 ,4 60
SCROLL C U RS O R
POKE & H D9F5,46 w i l l cause the f l a s h i n g rate to s l ow down. Experiment by a l te r i n g the POKE value between 1 and 255 and n ote the res u l ts . You c a n a l s o custom ise t h e a c t u a l s h a pe of t he c u rsor by c h a n g i ng the v a l u e s t ored at l ocation & H D9 D E . For example
TOGETHER
KEY OFF :
DEFUSR=&HDE00 GK=USR ( 0 ) : GO T O
. -
scree n w i l l now automat i c a l l y s c ro l l u pwards w i t h o u t t h e need for t h e user to p ress a n y keys a t a l l . W h e n t h e add ress i n l i ne 50 i s m od i f i ed t o & H D E 1 7 a n d t h e program is a g a i n R U N , t he s c reen w i l l a u tomat i c a l l y s c ro l l downwards. By ca l l i n g t he a p p ro p r i ate s tart addresses t he s c reen contents can be revolved backwards a n d f o rward s o r rou nd a n d rou n d . W h e n you have s u ccess f u l ly R U N t h e test program at the t h ree exec u t i o n add resses you can be certa i n t ha t t he DATA i n program 1 has been e n tered a n d saved correctly from BAS I C . Y o u c a n now p rog ress t o u s i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g method to save t h e data a s a p roper mac h i ne code p ro g ra m . LOA D a n d R U N p rogram
1 MSX hooks
' '
d e f i nes t h e exec u t i on address of t h e mach i ne
Even t h o u g h t h e BASIC l a n g u age and the M SX opera t i ng system are p e r m a n e n t l y p rogram med i n to a ROM (Read O n l y M e m ory) c h i p - t hey c a n s t i l l be a l tered by c a re f u l progra m m i n g . M SX
code rou t i ne. T h e U S R c a l l i n l i ne 80 starts t h e p rogram. Once program 3 has
PO K E & H D9D E , 1 g i ves a face s haped c u rsor. The va l u e 1 4 is a m u s i c a l note a n d t h e va l u e 1 5 g ives an asterisk. To change the c h a racter u sed to i n d i cate i ns e rt mode i n sert a value between 1 a n d 255 i n l ocation &H D9E2. E n teri ng the l i ne POKE & H D9DE, & H FA w i l l re t u r n t h e f l a s h i n g c u rsor to t h e f a m i l i a r w h i te s h ape a n d PO K E & H D9E2 , & H DA restores t he f l as h i n g centre dot to t h e u s u a l i ns e rt c h a racter. T he e n t i re rou t i n e can be d i s a b l ed a n d y o u r MSX retu rned to
been e n t e red correc t l y and execu ted the c u rsor w i l l f l a s h o n a n d o f f a nd i t w i l l be m u c h eas i e r to use t h a n t h e s ta nd a rd s t a t i o nary M S X s q u a re . S i m i l a r l y t h e c u rsor pos i t i o n for the i n sert i s c h a n ged t o a f l a s h i n g c h a racter w i t h a dot m ak i ng i t m u c h easier t o see. Y o u c a n now
, c o m p u ters have s pec i a l ' h ooks' a t the top of RAM (Random Access M e m o ry) w h i c h a re i n tended f o r expa n s i o n u n i t s s u c h as disks a n d serial i n terfaces. These hooks c a n be used to mod i f y t h e ROM rou t i nes. T h i s fac i l i ty i s not ava i l a b l e o n many , other personal c o m p u ters .: a nd c o n f i rms t he f l ex i b i l i ty of t h e M S X syste m .
'
' concentrate on y o u r progra m m i n g i n stead of wast i n g t i me l ooki ng f o r t h e c u rs o r o r t h e i n sert pos i t i o n i n y o u r program I i nes.
standard mode by ente ri ng POKE&H FDC2 , & H C9 d i rectly on the keyboard.
t
-
Flashing cursor
Reg u l a r M SX
p rogrammers w i l l k n ow t h at the c u rsor a p pe a rs on the s c reen as a w h i te b l ock .s h a ped c h a racter. I f
PROGRAM
W a i t t i l l Ok a p pears on t he s c reen. Type BSAV E "SCROLL", &H D EOO,&H D E F F T h i s mach i n e code c a n
1.
then be l oaded u s i n g t h e BLOAD c o m m a n d a n d t he rou t i ne c a n t h e n be l i nked i n w i t h your p rograms a n d cal led by t h e s a m e t h ree start add resses. T h e mac h i ne code i s tota l l y re locatable a n d c a n be p l aced i n any a rea of f ree memory to avoid c o n f l i c t w i t h y o u r ow n rou t i nes. For example i f t h e code i s relocated t o occupy f rom &H COOO, t h e n t h e t h ree &H COOO, & H C0 1 4, and &HC01 7 .
..
J its pos i t i o n i s i n d i cated by

i nvers i n g t h e foreg rou nd and backgrou nd c o l o u rs .
i t h e text i n a prog ram l i ne
* t h e c u rsor i s moved i n to
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
K E Y OF F : SCREEN CLEAR READ POKE GOTO A D = H D 9 C 0 A$ : I F 40
1 : COLOR
15 ,6 ,6
200 , &HD9BF A $= " * * " THEN 70
A D , V A L ( " H " + A $ ) : A D = A D + 1
!!#
i After prolo nged periods o f
i - a nd some readers have ' i req u ested a rou t i ne w h i c h

wou l d make the c u rs o r f l a s h a n d easy t o see.
c u rsor pos i t i o n i n a s c reen fu 1 1 of text c a n be d i f f i c u l t I
p rogra m m i ng, spott i n g t h e
DEFUSR=&HD9C0 GK=USR ( 0 ) DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA 1 1 , C D , D9 , 2 1, , C 2 , F D , 3 E , C 3 77 , 2 3 , 7 3 , 2 3 , 7 2 , 2 A , DC , F 3 C D , F2 , 0B , C D , 4A , 00 , 5 7 , 3A A B , FC , B7 , 20 , 04 , 3E , D B , 1 8 02 , 3E , F A , CD , 4 D , 0 0 , C D , F 3 D 9 , 7 A , C D , 4 D , 00 , C D , F 3 , D9 2 B , E 5 , C9 , 0 1 , 0 0 , 0 F , C D , 9 C 0 0 , C0 , 0B , 7 B B 1 , 20 , F 7 , C 9 , * *
1 00 0 1010 1 020 1 030 1 040 1 05 0 1 060 1 070
Program 3 uses the

MSX hooks to f l a s h t he c u rsor a n d i t a l so a l l ows the u s e r to red e f i n e t he c u rs o r s ha pe. T h e rou t i ne i n l i nes 1 0-60 PO K ES t h e
1
., _
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execu t i o n addresses are:
'
mac h i n e code contai ned i n l i nes 1 000- 1 070 i nt o t he c o m p u te r memory . L i ne 70
, $: ,,,_
._
45
1 9 85 USER OCTOBER MSX
:::;
You win some, you lose some, sa ys Karl Dallas reporting on a new budget priced thermal printer
made u p of d ots, i t doesn't l ook l i ke real pri n t i ng , b u t i t s m a i n advantage i s that i t is very fast: s peeds of
1 20 c h a racters a second a re q u ite c o m m o n , a nd 80

c h a racters a second is regarded as u ite s l ow. At t he opposite end of t he scale are d a i sywhee l s , w h i c h are rat h e r l i ke a
. ' '
'
' '
typewri ter. Q u a l i ty-w i se , they a re s u perb, b u t they tend to be s l ow: 40 c h a racters a second i s fast f o r a d a i sywheel, a n d the Sanyo M S X d a i sywheel p r i nter c h u gs a l o n g at a m e re 1 0 c h a racters a second. A s t he i r name i m p l ies, pen p l otters d o n ' t rea l l y
'
back, so to f i t t h i s , or i n deed any other non-MSX para l l e l pri nter to i t , you ' l l need someone to make u p a s h ort adaptor lead, w i t h a female Centro n i cs socket on one e n d , a n d a 0-p l u g o n t he other. l t s h o u l d cost you about 1 5. Like l say, b l a me the computer f o r t h i s , not the pri nter, because it i s a prob lem common to a l l non-MSX p r i n ters hooked u p to M SX compu ters. The other bad news i s the fact that i t .uses t hermal paper, w h i c h c a n cost about 5.75 for 1 00 sheets o r so. So it is c heap to buy, b u t more expensive to ru n . You w i n some, y o u l ose some. F i rst, a b i t of backg rou nd about p r i nters . There are f o u r bas i c p r i n t i ng mec h a n i s m s , a l l of w h i c h are avai t a b l e f o r M SX: thermal d ot matrix pen p l otter d a i sywheel Dot matrix is probably the most w i dely u sed mec h a n i s m . Each letter i s made u p of a s o rt of g ri d of w i res w h i c h come c l oser to t he paper i n order to p r i n t o u t a letter. Si nee each l etter i s
p ri n t , they wri te, a n d so t hey a re rea l l y m ore a p p ropri ate to a p p l i ca t i o n s w here g ra p h i c s are i m portant. There are some MSX pri nter p l otters a rou n d , so if you have lots of c h a rts you want to p r i n t o u t ( i n f o u r colou rs), t h e n they are f o r y o u . B u t i f you are f a i r ly pe n n i less and want a reas onable q u a l i ty of p r i n t a t a reasonable s peed, t h e n the A l p h acom cou l d be a good buy.
Dean Electronics 75
ALPRACOM thermal printer
t has been t r u l y s a i d that a c o m p u t e r w i t h o u t a p r i nter i s rat her l i ke having a phone b u t no hook- u p to the exchange network. T he o n l y t rou b l e i s that pri nters a re s-o-o expens ive, a nd i t i s a l l a b i t confu s i n g - a l l t h i s stuff about para l l e l and s e r i a l , and tractor feed s a n d d ot matrix a n d dai sywhee l s . H e re, however, c o mes
hermal printing
As the name i m p l ies, a t hermal pri nter makes i t s i mage by b u r n i n g i n to t h e paper. J u st u n der t h e su rface of the s pec i a l paper you have t o u se i s a layer of p i g m e n t , w h i c h i s revea led by the ac t i o n of the heated head as i t passes over the sheet. Some thermal p r i n ters u se a s nazzy - a n d very expensive s i lver-coated paper, b u t you ' l l be p l eased to learn that the A l phacom u s es paper that does n ' t l ook too d i fferent f rom ord i nary non-thermal stuff. The paper s u p p l ied w i t h t h e p r i nter is on a rol l , a n d the p r i n t comes o u t a rather fancy I i g h t b l ue. l i ke t h at, y o u c a n get H owever, if you d o n ' t
'
pri nter t h at d oe s n ' t cost
you a n arm a n d a leg, a n d you j u st p l u g i t i n to y o u r M S X computer a n d away you go. F i rst, the bad news. l t won't pri n t o u t M SX graphics, becau s e i t does n ' t carry the M S X l og o - w h i c h i s n ' t t o say t h a t . one of you b r i g h t y o u n g g e n i i o u t there w o n ' t f i g u re o u t a way to get g ood g ra p h i cs o u t of i t ; b u t i t d oes need a b i t o f hac k i ng. A n d t h o u g h the text o u t p u t of y o u r MSX i s f a i rly standard Centro n i cs type para l l e l (I ' l l ex p l a i n w h at that means i n a m o m e n t), for some reason they p u t a non-standard 0-sha ped socket on the
46
MSX U S E R OCTOBER 1 985
paper t hat prints o u t b lack f rom any shop stoc k i n g t h e B rother EP44 typew r i ter, w h i c h is a l so a t hermal p r i n ter. A ro l l w i l l cost you 5.75 - a n d i f you prefer y o u r paper i n sheets, a f ol d e r of about
------------ .
typewri ter, as a matter of l t i s a l s o very q u i et. I k n ow peo p l e w h o a re d riven c razy by t h e s o u n d of a dot matrix - w h i c h i s not u n rem i n i scent of . someone s c ra p i n g t h e i r f i ngerna i l s down a b l ackboard - a n d m os t d a i sywheels c l atter away l i ke l sambard K i ngdom B r u n e i 's steam e n g i ne. T h i s one i s s o q u i et you c a n eas i l y c o n d u c t a c o nversat i o n by t he s i d e of i t w i th o u t ra i s i ng y o u r VOICe.
have a s pare rol l , because
A l p h acom d es i g n so neat i s t h e fact that t he o n ly d i fference between one of t h e i r pri nters work i n g w i t h a para l l e l port o n a n MSX c o m p u ter or another one con nected to t he serial port o n , say, a Commodore 64, i s t hat c o n n ec t i n g c a b l e w i t h i t s b u i l t- i n i n terface. I n fact, i f you a re one of t h ose p l u toc rats w i t h a 64
a n d a n M S X , you can use
fact.
you a re bou nd t o r u n o u t o n a Bank H o l i d ay, o r w h e n you are m i les away f rom t h e nearest c o m p u t e r stati oner's. W h y t h ey have bee n a b l e t o keep t h e price d ow n i s beca u s e t h e bas i c box i s t h e same whatever c o m p u t e r i t i s u sed w i t h : t h e c o n nect i n g l ead between pri n te r a n d c o m p u t e r i n c l u des a s m a l l o b l o n g i n terface, w h i c h c l i ps i n t o t he back of t h e pri nter so neatly t h a t you m i g h t a l m os t f o rget i t was t h e re. M S X c o m p u ters a l l have a para l l e l p r i n t e r port sometimes known as a Centronics port - w h i c h means t h ey c a n be p l u gged i n t o m os t d ot matrix pri n ters. O n t h e o t h e r hand, to p l u g i n to a serial pri n ter, you e i t h e r need a n RS232 i n terface or, i f you can w a i t u n t i l t h e a u t u m n a c o m p u te r l i ke Tos h i ba's u pc o m i n g H X -22, w h i c h has b u i l t - i n para l l e l a n d serial sockets. W hat makes t h e
1 00 w i l l cost you t h e same. As you c a n see f ro m t h e exa m p l es, t h e p r i n t i s c l ea r a nd easy to read. Better than most dot-matrix printers, as a matter of fact. T hermal paper has a s l i g h t ly s l i ppery, s l i g h t ly u n p leasant f e e l to some people (a b i t l i ke the paper used i n some p h oto copie rs), s o i f t h i s p u ts you off, t h e n you s h o u l d avoid it. Speedwise, i t i s n o raceh orse. T h e p r i n t head progresses ac ross t h e paper w i t h a f u n ny , j e rky move m e n t w h i c h makes i t d i f f i c u l t to t i me, b u t I doubt t hat i t i s m u c h faster t h a n 1 5 c h a racters a second - t h o u g h i t i s faster t h a n t h e aforeme n t i o n ed B rot her, w h i c h I kee p as a sta nd-by
t h e s a me pri nter w i t h both, and a l l you need is two d i fferent i n terface cables. ye n , t hey are I i k e l y t o be H owever, w i t h the r i s i n g
The boxes
T h e p r i n te r i t s e l f i s s m a l l , b u t t h a t i s because i t d oe s n ' t have i t s own power s u p p l y , b u t has t o be con nec ted t o t he m a i n s via a l a rge black t ra n s former. The r o l l of paper f i t s away neatly i n s i d e t h e body o f t h e beast, w here i t s i ts q u i e t l y u n t i l you s u d d e n l y d i scover t h a t you 've ru n out. R u l e one: a l ways make s u re you
g o i n g u p i n price w i t h t h e next s h i pm ent, so i f w h at I 've s a i d i n terests you,
then it is best to c o n tact the people c o ncer ned ra t he r s h a r p i s h . Te l l t h e m you read about i t i n M S X User a nd t hey m i g h t p u s h you to the head of the q u e u e , because i t is g o i n g to be s t r i c t l y a case of f i rs t come, f i rst served, I u n dersta nd. Don't say you were n ' t warned.
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SX USER OCTO B E R 1 985

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47
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With the release of more books for MSX users it is time to review the situation.
Very Basic BASIC
by Derek Ellershaw and Peter Schofield Century Corn m unications i n formation f o r t h e f i rs t 1 5 h o u rs w i t h y o u r com pu ter. T h i s c l a i m i s a k i n to the P l ay i n a Day book w h i c h B e rt Weedon w rote i n the early days o f the g u i t a r boom a n d be l i es t h e n the whole this book forms a good i n trod u ct i o n t o M SX BASIC. I part i c u larly l i ke i t s honest style w i t h n o p rete n s i o n s t o be i n g a d ef i n i t i ve work. Taking t he readers f rom bas i c s of sett i n g u p the e q u i pment, i t covers a lot of g ro u n d i n a c o n c i se b u t u n h u rried way u s i n g c o p i ou s s m a l l ex a m p l e programs t o h e l p t h e novice t o u nderstand keywords a n d t h e i r uses. Some of the areas are o n l y covered i n sketchy m a n n e r a n d I was rather d i sappo i n ted w i t h the section on the D RAW c o m m a n d . The auth ors l e ad you t o the i m pres s i o n that there are o n l y f o u r d i rect i o n a l commands ava i l a b l e a nd g ive no h i nt of the f l ex i b i l i ty of the G ra p h i c s M acro Langu age. Cons i d e r i n g that the M u s i c M acro Language i s covered i n e i g h t pages, o n l y a h a l f page f o r G M L seems rather s t i ngy. Another weakness l i es i n t h e fact that n u merical variab les are not ex p l a i ned u nt i l page 43 even t h o u g h t h ey are u sed i n the ea rl ier sections of t he book. Seve ra l sec t i on s refer the reader to l ater sectio n s of the book w h i c h i s poi n t less u n l ess t he c o n cept of variables i s u nd e rstood. The a u t h ors o n l y c l a i m t o cover e n o u g h
\
d i c t i o n a ry of c o m p u te r terms, a s e l ec t ive b i b l i o g raphy and some h i nts o n how to i m p rove a n d extend the programs i n t h e book'. U s i n g t h i s c l a i m as the y a rd s t i ck by w h i c h the book is to be j u d ged, i t f a i l s m i serably. The i n structions are m i n i ma l , con s i s t i n g o f two very s hort pa ragraphs. One mere l y te l l s you to refer to y o u r c o m p u te r m a n u a l to f i n d w h i c h key to press for the g r a p h i c s symbols u sed i n the l i s t i n g s w h i l e the other ex p l a i n s that the l i s t i ng l i nes s h o u l d l ook the same on the s c reen as they d o i n the book. H i n ts on how t o i m prove the p rograms are v i rt u a l l y no n-ex i s t e n t (t h ree l i s t i n gs have h i nts, the other 20 do not) a n d the o n ly reference t o exte n d i n g a program was the Telephone B o ok
2 . 9 5
wea l t h o f i n f ormat i o n w h i c h the book c o n t a i n s . A nyone w h o s u c ceeds i n coveri n g t h i s book i n a m e re 1 5 hou rs p roba b l y d i d not need i t i n t he f i rs t p l ace. I f you have problems u nd e rsta n d i n g the m a n u a l s u p p l ied w i t h you r c o m pu ter then t h i s book p rovides a n exce l l e n t i n t rod u c t i o n t o M SX p ro g ra m m i n g a t a very modest cost.
Games for your MSX Computer

by Grctham Carter Virgin Books
p rog ram w h i c h has t o be extended by DATA statements to f u l f i l i ts
2 . 99
Accord i n g t o t he s l eeve notes t h i s book w i l l ' i m prove y o u r progra m m i ng s k i l l s as you f o l l ow the i ns t ru c t i o n s to p u t each of the progra m s i n to you r m a c h i ne, a n d comes c o m p lete w i t h a brief
48
CTO B E R 1 985
pu rpose as a d i rectory. The o n l y real help i n the book is a s h o rt a r t i c l e by T i m H a rt n e l l , the series ed i tor, on how to w rite better programs. The brief d i c t i o n a ry a nd b i b l iography at the e n d of the book are q u ite u s ef u l but d o not rea l ly form a cohes ive part of the book. The l i s t i ngs themse lves are ru d i mentary a n d o n l y
Both sect i o n s of t he book c o n t a i n u sefu I s u brou t i nes a nd l i s t i ngs, i nc l u d i ng a 2 1 -page d i sassembly of a program t o def i n e characters a n d spri tes. These sect i o n s are f o l l owed by s i x append i ces, two of w h i c h g i ve c o p i o u s tec h n i c a l i n formation about the beco m i n g prof i c i e n t on a d i fferent make of c o m p u ter, t h i s book prov i des a n exce l l e n t bridge to the new ra nge of pos s i b i l i t ies now open to you. T h i s i s n o t a book f o r the total novice b u t i s f o r the s e r i o u s p rogrammer who is a l ready fam i l i a r w i t h a d i a lect of BAS I C a n d now w i s hes t o g a i n a one of these prog ra ms, my e dito r s u ggested that i t wou l d rival watc h i n g g rass g row as a s pectator sport. After two a n d a h a l f h o u rs of wai t i ng for the s c reen p l ot t i n g to f i n i s h I have to agree. At j u s t u nd e r 3 t h i s book i s hard l y ove rpriced b u t n e i t h e r is it the barga i n of the m o n t h . 1 2 of the 23 are games, the rest be i n g u t i l i t ies s u c h a s a darts scorer, c a l e n d a r generator, b u b b l e sort a n d several g ra p h i c s d e m o n s t ra t i o n programs. b u t some of the g ra p h i c s programs are pa i n f u l l y s l ow. W h i l e I was ru n n i ng
MSX USER OCTO BER 1 985
video a n d sou nd p rocessors. For the serious prog rammer t h i s book offers exce l l e n t va l u e for money, g i v i ng advice and i n forma t i o n w h i c h offers a s h ort c u t to p rofes s i o n a l progra m m i n g .
Z-80 Reference Guide

by Alan Tully Melbourne House
deeper u nd e rstand i n g of the M SX syste m . The book i s d i v i ded i n to two sec t i o n s : a n overview of t he system a n d m ac h i ne code o n a n M S X . The overview describes the layout of the c h i ps and associ ated memory a l ong ' w i t h a c o m p re h e n s i ve assessment of a l l of the BASIC keywords w ri t ten i n a bright, b u s i ness-l i ke m a n ner.
9 . 95
Review i n g a reference g u i d e i s j u s t about as exci t i n g as rev i ew i n g a d i c t i on a ry . T h i s book i s no except i o n and yet it is as esse n t i a l to a mac h i ne code p rogrammer as a d i c t i on a ry i s to a n a u t hor. The book i n i t i a l ly covers the ra nge of assembler c o m mands s u pported by the Z-80 w i t h a brief descri p t i o n of each a n d a cross reference w h i c h i n d i cates w h ere m ore deta i l ed i nformation can be f o u n d i n the second sec t i o n . Each command i s g rou ped accord i n g t o type w h i c h mea ns t h at i f you
49
A Programmer' s Guide to the MSX System

by C . I . Burkinshaw and R . Goodley Sigma Press
S i m i l a r ly, the mac h i n e code section does not set o u t to teach progra m m i n g b u t t o edu cate t h e u se r i n the u se of asse m b l y l a ng u age w i t h i n a n MSX e n v i ro n m e n t w i t h s pe c i a l e m p h a s i s on access i n g the video c h i p .
A 11 the programs work
7 . 95
For those u sers w h o have bou g h t a n M S X after
ttllflllll
want to f i nd a part i c u l a r command t o l oad t h e accu mu l ator w i t h data t h e fu l l range i s l a i d o u t before you i n a read i ly acces s i b l e form. The deta i l ed reference section, l a i d o u t i n al phabet i c a l order, l ooks at each command i n dept h , repea t i ng t h e desc r i p t i on of the command from t h e f i rst sec t i o n a n d t hen g i v i n g more deta i led i nformat i o n i n a f i xed format. T h e deta i l g ives
I
..
address i n g mode a n d t i m i n g.
The f i na l chapter g i ves a few h i n ts and t i ps b u t o n l y c o n s i sts o f two pages and is therefore l i m i ted i n scope. T h i s i s fo l l owed by a series of append i ces w h i c h i n c l udes a breakdown of t h e commands i n t a b u l a r form. The u se of t h i s reference work i s l i m i ted but i nd ispensable w h e n t h e need a r ises. A n esse n t i a l add i t i o n t o a n y mac h i n e code progra m mer's I i b rary.
t h e n u mber of bytes req u i red for each c o m m a n d , i t s object code i n hex a n d dec i ma l , the effect on the f l a g reg i ster, an ex a m p l e of i ts use,
50
MSX USEff OCTOBER 1 985
a re l
Romiley, Chesh i re .
WARD AND WILLIAMS LTO
The UK's No. 1 Software dealer Limited. Programs, peripherals, disks and accessories, plus a selection of books and magazines.
Tel : 0 6 1 - 4 3 0 2 9 3 4
Over 50 different titles in stock.
Dordon Tamworth, Staffs Te l : (0827) 892252
52 Dordon Road
FRENCH
Chelsea SW3 Tel: 0 1 -352 9220
382 Kings Road
Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey Tel: 0 1 -541 49 1 1
1 4 Thames Street
R & J TELEVISIONS
8 Summer Street, Lostwithial, Cornwall PL22 ODH Tel: ( 02 08 ) 8 7 2 1 0 3
47 Cheap Street Newbury, Berks RG 1 4 58X Tel: 0635 3 1 696
1 85 Yorkshire Street,
Rochda le, Gtr Manchester. Tel : (0706) 42107
J. KOCZUR
N o rt h a m pt o n s l a r g e s t range of MSX software. Also stockists of M itsubishi, Sanyo and Goldstar MSX computers, light pens, joysticks, Data R e c o r d e rs a n d c o l o u r monitors .
1 7 Collingwood Road, Northampton. Tel: (0604) 7 1 4770
COLLINGWOOD TV SERVICES
Contact us for all your MSX software needs.
64
SUOBURY MICRO SYSTEMS Excellent selection of MSX software, joystics, books. etc.
North Street, Sudbury. Tel: ( 0 7 8 7 ) 3 1 1 8 3 9
E LECTRICAL D ISCOUNT CENTRE

1 38 Pelham Road, Gravesend, Kent Da1 1 OJH
Tel: (0474) 26600
J 8r H RUSSELL
(Kidderm i nster Ltd)
21 -22 Coventry Street, Klddermlnster, Worcestershire. Tel: (0562) 2686
H OWES OF SOUTH BOROUGH LTO

Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Tel: ( 0 892) 2 8 6 8 2/ 3 7 2 8 8
REYNOLDS COMPUTER CENTRE

7 9 O rsett Road, G rays, Essex R M 1 7 5 N H Tel : ( 0 3 7 5 ) 5 9 4 8
PORTOGRAM
Ba rn et Hertfords h i re Tel : (01 ) 449-41 83
MSX i n B i r m i ngham
21 2 H i g h Street
884 Woshwood Heath Rood Word End, Birmingham 88 2NB Tel: 021 -783 2809 Contact: Matthew Bu I lock
.
BULLOCKS HIFI AND VIDEO
St Anns Parade, Wilmslow, Chesh i re.

Tel: (0625) 526213
SWIFT OF WILMSLOW
MSX I n CheshIre
71 East Street,
Tel: (0273) 728681
GAMER
B r i ghto n .
S.P. ELECTRONICS
Linby Road, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.
Tel: (0602) 6403 7 7
U nitSoft ( M SX)
AFFORDABLE PRODUCTS UNIT 6,
MSX Shnax 5.25 Boldardash ............................. 6.00 A View To A Kill.................... 8.00 Elidon ..................................... 6.00 Lazy Jones............................. 7 .50 Roller Ball............................ 12.00 Hole In One.......................... 12.00 Wondarbolt ............................ 9.25 Eddie 11 21.00 Ninja 5.2 5 Star Seeker............................ 7 .75 Red Moon 5.95 Colour Fantasia . . . 7.75 Vicious Viper ............................. 4.95 Shark Hunter . .. . .. . 6.95 Dog Fighter . . . . 5.25 .. . . Star Avenger. . .. 6.95 5.25 Anty
................................. . .................. ... .... ...... .............................. .............................. ............ ...... .... . .......... ........ .. ..... ........ ... ... ........ .... ... ..... ..... . ...
48
1 36 1NGRAM STREET, GLASGOW G 1
Crazy Gotf . Purte:hy Hu11ehback . Mallic: Miller

....
....................................
........ ........
...............
6 Hami lton Place,

Edi nburgh.
Tel: 031 -225 1771
PATERSONS
Is your county represented if not why not?

. .
AST R O LOGY
A Starter Pack comprising a simple program to calculate a horoscope, an introductory booklet and 2 self-teaching programs (how to interpret the horoscope).
Teach yourself astrology using your MSX computer
for beginners
Also many other programs for more experienced astrologers. Please send me the Astrology Starter Pack for my MSX. ! 'enclose a cheque/PO, U.K. for 1 1 . 50 (inc p&p). Outside UK add SOp; or, I enclose a large sae for free catalogue. Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add ress
Only 1 1 .50 No previous knowledge required.
8.75 7.75 . 7.75 7.75 Pitfal ll . 7 .75 . River Rai d . 7 .75 Mr Wong's laundry 6.25 . 6.25 Right 737..................................... ].75 Chuckie Egg . . . .. 5.25 Time Bandits . 6.25 Colossal Adventure . 7.75 Adventure Quest. 7.75 Dungeon & Adventure. . . 7.75 lorc:ls of r 1fT')8 [7.75 SoowbaR . . 7.75 Return to Eden .. 7 .75 . The Hobbit............................ 10.00" Jet Set Wily 6.25 Hero 9.25 Ghostbusters Oec:attllon . BeamrKier Zerlji
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Eric And The Floaters 4.95 Fwe ResctJe 6.25 Hot Shoe . . 4.95 Hustler 5.25 Oh Mummy . . . 4.95 Panic Junction 5.25 The Wreck . . . . . 1 1 .25 . 6.25 Panzer Attack (new) .. Classic Adventure (new) 5.25 3D Golf (new) . .. . . 6.25 Pinball (new) .. . .. .. .. .. . 6.25 Polar Star (new) . . . . . .. . . .. 6.25 Piramids Warp (new) . . .. 6.25 The Snowman (new) . ... 6.25 BoogaBoo (The Flea) (new) 6.25
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KONAMI ROM CARTRIDGES All 1 4.75 Tennis Golf (New) Ping Pang Antartic Adventure Monkey Academy Track and Field Track and Fiekt 11 Hyper Sports Hyper Sports 11 MOPI Ranger Vier KungFu .. ... . .. .. 1 4.25 Kings Valley Sky Jaguar Circus Charlie Athletic land
Blagge-r
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z.axxon
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6 7 Peascroft Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP3 8ER. Tel: 0442 5 1 809
ASTROCALC (Dept MSX)
*While stocks last
[9.25 Buck Rogers.................................9.25 Sorcery 7.50 5.25 Emerald lsle . 5.25 Pshydelia . Special Operations . . 5.25 Disc WarrK>r . 6.25 le Mans. .. 7.50
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(New) Ti me Pilot (New) Comic Bakery

(New) Super Cobra
PERIPHERALS Quick Disk x 1 1 5.00 x85.00 RB 11 Tracker Ba l l Joy Card................................. 5.95 Konami's Hypershot................... 1 4.25 . .. . 5.95 Ouickshot 11 .
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xOperating Software included.
Postage included UK. Overseas orders add

r
1 .00 per item. All cheques payable to: Unitsoft.
ee
Steve Webb explains how o reform the characters of your computer

l ot of peo p l e have bee n ask i n g how can t hey red ef i ne the normal c haracter set to c reate spec i a l characters for games. So t h i s m o n t h I w i l l g o i n t o g reat depth on how t h i s can be done. There are many ways o f redef i n i ng c h a racters a n d I m u s t p o i n t o u t that i f you w i s h to d o a lot of rede f i n i n g t h e n you s h o u l d p u rc hase a c h a racter d es i g n i n g programs o r type i n a l i s t i ng s u c h as the one i n a book t i t led A Prog rammers G u i d e to the M S X System by C I B u rk i nshaw & R Dood l ey (Sigma Press). I w i l l s how you how t o f ro m A t o Z. The method i s rede f i ne the characters 5 s q u a res that are f i l l ed i n . I n row 0 t he n u m bers to add are 64,32, 1 6,8,4. The va l u es of t he other seve n
grids by f i l l i n g i n the appropriate s q u a res. I n t h e g r i d i n diagram 2 I have d e s i g ned a l i t t l e S pace I nva'der. A l l e i g h t rows of t h e .c h a racters have to be c onverted i nt o t h e i r
n u meric al va l u es w h i c h I
128 0 1 2 3
, t.!
64
:.oi "'
32
16
8
..
2 1!1:
1 1 24
1 30 1 30 25 4 1 30 1 30 1 30 0
JlMI
..
l't :. ....
if
i
if
!111:1 -:I' ll.
-. ....
...
q u ite s l ow a n d ted i o u s b u t w i l l cost noth i n g other t h a n y o u r t i me. I n diagram 1 you w i l l see a n 8 The rows of the g r i d are n u m bered f rom 0 t o 7 o n the left hand s i d e a n d above t he c o l u m n s are e i g ht n u mbers . Down t h e r i g h t hand s i d e o f t he g ri d i s a series of n u m bers
x
Ill! 6
7
......
8 grid.
128 0
64
32
16
1 1 26 1 53 1 53 255 1 02 60 66 1 29
w h i c h represe n t the va l u es o f each of the rows. l t i s these values w h i c h are stored i n memory to make the actual shape of t h e c h a racter. S o how are t h e e i g ht v a l u e s obta i ned ? I f you l ook at row 0 you w i l l see that i t has a value of 1 24. T h i s i s obta i ned by ad d i n g t he n u mbers above t h e
3 4 5 6
7
BM
D iagra m 2
rows are calcu l ated i n the same way. To design your own characters you w i l l need to d raw 26 grids. You then d raw the characters i n the have w r i t t e n d o w n t h e T o see t h e e f f ect o f a c harac ter be i n g rede f i ned right hand s i d e of t h e g r i d .
try the f o l l ow i n g e x a m ple. Put the CAP S LOC K o n
MS X U S E R OC TO B E R 1 985

seen you r new l y desi g ned c h a racters on the screen. To d o t h i s you m u s t enter and r u n the f o l l ow i n g program. 5 SCREEN 1 1 0 FOR A = O TO 207 20 V P O K E(A + 520), PEEK (A + 50000) 30 N EXT A By typ i n g any of t he c a p i t a l letters f ro m A to Z you w i l l now see you r c h a racters. D o not type a s c reen c o m ma n d s u c h as S C R E E N 0 because you r c h a racters w i l l be w i ped o u t a n d you w i l l have to enter and R U N t he program aga i n to t ra nsfer them back f ro m normal u s er memory i n to the VRAM. Y o u can now write or l oad a program w h i c h w i l l s h ow off you r new c h a racters. be g i v i n g deta i l s of how to C L E A R 200, 49999 B LOA D " CAS : C H A R S " Y o u w i l l s t i l l not have u se y o u r redefi ned characters i n t h e h i -res mode of SC R E E N 2. I n a f u t u re a rt i c l e I w i l l
because we are redef i n i n g the u p per-case a l p habet. Ensu re t ha t you are i n screen mode 1 u s i n g t h e SCREEN 1 c o m m a n d a n d type i n t he f o l l ow i ng l i nes pressi ng the R ET U R N key after each one. VPOKE 520, 1 26 V P O K E 52 1 , 1 53 V POKE 522, 1 53 VPOKE 523,255 VPOKE 524, 1 02 VPOKE 525,60 V P O K E 526,66 VPOKE 527 , 1 29 The l ocat i o n s 520 to 527 i n V R A M are where the e i g h t val ues for the u p per case A a re n o r ma l l y stored. We have j u s t redef i ned these va l u e s , s o each t i me that y o u press key A you w i l l see the l i t t l e S pace I nvad e r on the 1 0 C L E A R 200,49999 20 F O R X = 50000 TO 50207 . sc reen i n stead of the letter A. H a v i ng d e s i g ned y o u r c haracters o n t h e g ri d s a nd c a l c u l ated t he i r val ues you now need a method of gt t i n g them i n to the computer a nd f o r s avin g t he m to tape. You c a n enter the v a l u e s by u s i n g the f o l l o w i n g progra m : .
30 I N PUT A 40 POKE X , A 50 N EXT X T h i s program w i l l a l l ow you to i n p u t the 208 row va l u es of t h e 26 c h a racters w h i c h you have d e s i g ned. To u se t h e p rog ra m j u s t R U N i t a n d t h e n i n p u t each of t h e n u m bers o n e at a t i me. When you have e n t e red the 208 v a l u e s the p ro g ra m w i l l stop a n d you c a n save the c h a racters to tape w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g command. BSAVE "CAS : C H A R S " , 50000, 50207 W h e n you w i s h to l oad the c h a racters at a t u t u re date you w i l l need to type the f o l l ow i n g two commands.
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MSX USER OCTOB E R 1 985
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A l p h a B laster A n t Attack A n tarctic Adve n t u re A nty Ath let i c Land Battle Cross Battles h i p C lapton 1 1 Beam rider B i n ary Land B l agger Booga-boo the F lea Bou lderdash B reak out Buck Rogers Buzz Off C a n n o n F i g hter Chuckie Egg C i rc u s C h a r l i e Coco i n t h e Castle Com i c Bakery Crazy G o l f Crazy T ra i n Cubit D i s c W a rrior Dog F i g hter D o rod o n D r i l l e r Tanks E r i c & the F l oaters E x p l od i n g Atoms F a i ry F i n d e rs Keepers F i re Rescue F red Galaxia G h ostbu sters G rid trap H . E. R.O. H i ghway S t a r H oldfast H o t S h oe H u mp h rey H u nchback H y p e r V i per J e t Set W i l ly J u no F i rst K i n g ' s Val ley
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Livew 1 re Q u i ck s i lva Konami M o rwood Konami Sony Toshiba Activision Kuma A l l i gata Qu i c k s i lva Orpheus Panasonic E lectric E l ectric M o rwood A&F Konami K u ma Konami M r M i c ro Sony M r M i cro A l l igata Kuma Sony Kuma Kuma Knight M orwood M astertron i c K u ma Qu i c k s i lva K u ma Activision Livewire Acti v i s i o n Panas o n i c K u ma E c l i pse M r M i cro Ocean K u ma Software Projects Sony Konami
Name
Lazy J ones Les F l i c k s M a n i c M i ner M a r i n e Battle M ax i ma M ea n S t reets M i nder M o nkey Academy M o p i ra n g e r M ou ser M r Ching M r W o n g 's Loopy Lau n d ry N i nja N o rseman O h M u mmy ! Panic J u nction P i ne a p p l i n ' Pitfall 1 1 Polar Star Popeye Pu nchy P y ra m i d Warp R iver Raid S h a rk H u nter S h nax S k ra m b l e Sky Jaguar Smash Out S o rcery S pace W a l k S pooks & Ladders S q u i s h 'em Star Ave nger Step U p Stop the Express S u pe r Cobra S u pe r S n ake Tele-b u n n ies The S n owman The Wreck T i me B a nd i ts T i me P i l o t V i c i o u s V i per Zak i l Wood Zaxxon
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8.95 7.95 7.95 1 8.80 7.95 6.95 9.95 1 7.40 1 7.40 1 7.95 1 4.95 6.95 6.95 8.95 5.95 6.95 7.95 1 1 .99 7.95 9.95 7.95 7.95 1 1 .99 8.95 6.95 1 .99 1 7.40 5.95 8.95 1 .99 6.95 1 8.80 8.95 1 4.95 6.95 1 7.40 1 4.95 1 8.80 7.95 1 4.95 7.95 1 7.40 5.95 7.95 1 1 .95 cass cass cass cart cass cass cass cart cart cart cart cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cart cass cass cass cass cart cass cart cass cart cart cart cass cart cass cart cass cass cass
Supplier
Term i nal PSS Software Projects Panason i c PSS K u ma Dk 'tronics Konami Konami Sony H A L Labs Artic Kuma E l ectric Ec l i pse M orwood M o rwood Activision Tos h i ba Dk'tronics M r M i cro Tosh i ba Activision E lectric K u ma Livew i re Konami Knight Virgin M astertro n i c Kuma Panason i c Kuma H A L Labs K u ma Konami H A L Labs Panaso n i c Qu icksi lva E l ectric PSS Konami Knight M r M i cro E l ectric
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Name
Arabic C h a racters Champ Assemb ler Colou r .Fantasia Commu n ications Devpac Forth Forth Games Des i g ner G ra p h i c Des i g ne r Logo Tu rtle-G ra p h i cs MSX Demon strator M S X G ra p h i c s M ac h i n e Code Language Odyssey-K P. I . C.A.S.S. 0. PSG M u s i w r i t e r Pascal C o m p i l e r Psyched e l i a Sprite Editor Typing Tutor Zen Assembler
Price ormat
32.00 1 2.95 9.95 1 9.95 1 9.95 39.95 39.95 9.95 1 4.95 1 9.95 5.95 5.95 28.75 1 0.95 7.95 20.95 29.95 5.00 7.95 5.95 1 9.95 cart cass cass cass cass disk cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cart cass cass cass cass cass
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Alalamiah PSS K u ma Kuma H i-soft K u ma K u ma Qu icksi lva Cable K u ma K n ig h t Kn i g h t K n i ght R i ttor M o rwood R i ttor H i-soft Llamasoft Cable Knight Kuma
Name
Zen Assembler B u d get Accou nts Cards Cash Accou nts Cash book Database Database D o u b l e E n t ry Accounts H ome B u dget H o me-W r i ter M e mo-Calc Pay roll RS232 Commu n i cations S p read sheet S preadsheet Stock C o n t rol Tasword Tasword WDPRO WDPRO Word Proc + Cards Word Processor
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29.95 28.75 39.95 99.00 1 4.95 39.95 1 9.95 99.00 1 4.95 24.95 1 4.95 29.95 99.95 39.95 29.95 34.95 1 3.90 1 3.90 39.95 29.95 69.95 39 .95 disk cass cart cart cass disk cass cart cass disk cass cass cart d isk cass cass disk cass disk cass cart cart
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Kuma K n i g ht C o m p u ter C o m p u ter M i cro-aid Kuma Kuma Compu ter Kuma S o ny M i c ro-a i d M i cro-a i d C o m p u ter Kuma K u ma Kemp Tasman Tasman K u ma Kuma C o m p u ter C o m p u ter
M ates M ates
M ates
M a tes
M ates M a tes
Name
Arab i c/E n g l i s h T u t o r i a l s C a l c u l at i o n 1 Calculation 2 Cha l lenge M y B l u f f F i rst Steps w i t h t h e M r Men French i s F u n F u n Words German is F u n I n trod u c t i o n to N u mbers I ta l i a n is F u n J u n i or M aths K r i s s Kross Kq u iz Let's Go M S X
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32.00 9.95 9.95 9.95 7.95 7.95 9.95 7.95 9.95 7.95 5.95 9.95 9.95 cart cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass
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A l a la m i a h M orwood M orwood Softcat
Name
M S X B A S I C Tutorial Maths I nvaders Memory N u mber P a i n ter Reaso n i ng Reflexes Revise Physics Spanish is Fun S t a r Seeker Super Maze S u p e r M i nd Super Puzzle Teach Y o u rs e l f E lectri c i ty
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1 6.95 7.95 9.95 8.95 9.95 9.95 8.50 7.95 9.95 6.95 6.95 6.95 9.20 cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass
Supplier
Knight S te l l M o rw ood ASK M o rwood M o rwood M egaCycal
cos cos cos
M i rrorsoft
Softcat
cos
M orwood
Knight Soft cat Soft cat
M i rrorsoft M orwood M orwood M orwood M egaCycal
Name
Price Format
7.95 9.95 9.95 6.99 9.95 5.95 7.95 1 7.40 1 8.80 1 4.95 6.99 1 7.40 1 7.40 1 7.40 1 7.40 9.95 5.95 7.95 1 4.95 1 8.80 1 4.95 8.95 1 7.40 1 7.40 cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cart cart cart cass cart cart cart cart cass cass cass cart cart cart cass cart cart
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Toshiba M i rrorsoft E l ectric B u bble B u s A l l i gata Kuma A n i rog Konami Panasonic H A L Labs Bubble Bus Konami Konami Konami Konami Electric Knight Tos h i ba H A L Labs Panason i c H A L Labs K u ma Konami Konami
Name
Adventure Quest Cave Adve n t u re Classic Adve n t u re Colossal Adve n t u re Darkwood M a n o r Death Valley G o l d r u s h Du ngeon Adventure Emerald I s l e Galactic Mercenaries Gods of the Tomb G u mshoe Log ic Lords of T i me N o rth Sea B u l l i o n Panzer Attack Red M oon Retu rn to Eden Shadow of the Bear Snowba l l Spec i a l Operations The H ob b i t
Price Format
9.95 5.95 6.95 9.95 7.95 7.95 9.95 6.95 7.95 9.20 9.20 9.95 7.95 7.95 6.95 9.95 7.95 9.9 5 7.95 1 4.95 cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass cass
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Level 9 Knight M elbourne H ou se Level 9 Kuma Kuma Level 9 Level 9 Kuma MegaCycal M egaCycal Level 9 K u ma Lot h l orien Level 9 Level 9 K u ma Level 9 Lothlorien M e l bou rne H ouse
3D G o l f 737 F l i g h t S i m u lator Backgammon Board e l l o Contract B ridge Cribbage F l i g h tpath 737 Golf Golf Hole i n One Hu s t l e r Hyper O l y m p i c 1 Hyper O l y m p i c 2 H y p e r Sports 1 H y p e r Sports 2 Le M a n s Othello Pinball R o l lerba l l Stars h i p S i m u lator S u p e r B i l l i a rds S u p e r Chess Ten n i s V i e A r K u n g Fu
MSX U S E R OCTOBER 1 985
About software. that is! Or at least you can't until you've made an intelligent decision about hardware. Computers? Printers? Disc drives? Joysticks? Peripherals? Extra RAM?
I mean. there's a serious danger of going crazy just

trying to understand the choices. Let alone coming to an intelligent decision.
Micro Choice is your answer. Every quarter it collects a range of hardware reports so that you can make your own choice of micro or add-ons. Then you can forget about being too serious and start .having fun. Easy when you think about it, isn't it?
1nce a u ts ave rea an
rte
e tter. r
ou ant e 00 t IS SI n. For further infotafion

..
A p Box 213 Lon on
ClV 7ET
57
ee
SHNAX
Kuma t i me a p i l l i s swa l l owed. I f the gobbler can reach these objects safely t hey g i ve h i m ext ra powers such as the abi I i ty to leap the home position which he started from or to warp M y ove ra l l o p i n i o n i s tha t t h i s g a m e h a s g rea t
6 . 95
Cassette M aybe I ' m o l d f a s h i oned b u t my one regret a b o u t new c o m p u ters i s t h at no-
over the a l iens, teleport to
don e abo u t t h e c o n t ro l l e r rou t i nes .
pot e n t i a l w h i c h w i 1 1 not be rea l i sed u n t i l s o m e t h i n g i s
EO
$/lfJ
Our reviewers let their fingers do the walking through the latest batch of software releases
o n e see m s t o bother about p rod u c i ng the good o l d games of my m i s s p e nt y o u t h . S pace I nvaders a n d P acman appear to have been l ost i n the m i s ts of t i me. Shnax i s a n attempt to redress the b a l a nce by u pd a t i n g Pacman u s i n g a m o re c o m p lex maze w i t h a n g led c h a n n e l s as w e l l as the m o re u s u a l horizontal and vert i c a l ones. T h e g r a p h i c s are q u ite g ood a n d , i n add i t i o n t o t h e u s u a l power p i l l s w h i c h en able t h e d ot gobbler t o eat the a l i e n s , t h e re are several u s ef u l obj ects w h i c h appear a t t h e t o p o f the s c reen each to a p l ace which m i rrors h i s previous position i n the maze. These fac i l it ies are essential i f a l l of the dots a re to be reached because there i s an except ional ly mean al ien who patrols a s m a l l area of the maze at . h i g h s peed. This creature i s i m m u ne to the gobbler even i f he has eaten a power p i l l and the only way t o get out of his way i s to u s e t he warping c a pa b i l i t ies picked up e lsewhere. T h e game i s fast and f u ri o u s and even the first level i s d i f f i c u l t to c o m p lete. T h i s d i fficulty level i s n o t hel ped by the rather poor responses to the j oystick rt:"Ovements w h i c h has costs me many a l i fe. T o e l i m i n ate the poss i b i l i ty of j oystick f a i l u re , I t ried another one d e c i ded t o get a second
GOLF
Konami
1 7 .40
Cartri dg e A c u rs o ry g l a nc e a t t h e ran ge of s o f tw a re
pla n v iew of e a c h h o l e b u t als o a 3 0 rep res e n t a t i o n o f the sce ne a s e a c h s t rok e is pl ayed .
ho les i n ea ch rou nd t h e ga me no t o n ly s h ow s a
,
Ko na m i 's i s t h e be st ava i lab le. C ove r i n g n i ne
em an a t i n g f r o m J a p a n so on rev ea l s a n o b se s s i o n with the game of golf. O f a l l the g o l f i n g s i m u l a t i o n s
Th e ga me a l l ow s t h e usu al o p t i o n s c o n ta i n e d i n a l l of the ot he r g o l f g a m es . Th is me an s tha t c l u bs m a y be sel ect ed t o s u i t t h e circu ms tan ces a nd t h a t the pow er a n d d i rec t i o n o f each sho t c a n be s e l e c te d ' al low i ng f o r w i n d d i re c t i o n
and spe ed. Th e two p l a y e r versio n o f t he g a me c a n be eith er s r rok e or m a t c h play . I n stro ke p l ay t he win ner is the p l aye r w h o goes arou nd the p a r 36 course i n the fewe s t
b u t to n o avai I . I then o p i n i o n a n d a l l owed
num ber of stro kes . T h e win ner of the m a t c h p l a y
games is t h e o n e w ho w i n s the mos t hole s reg a rd l e s s of the n u m be r of s t roke s taken over a l l n i ne h o l e s .
someone e l s e to try the game b u t soon the cu rses about the j oystick res ponse started to flow. D es p ite t h i s serious d rawback I d i d ma nage to reac h the second screen b u t I was d i sap poi n ted to see t hat the maze was the same. I ad m i t that the a l ie n s had c h a nged and that they w e re f aster but hav i n g had t ro u b l e moving arou n d t h i s s c reen o n the prev i ou s level I d i d not last long.
After i n i ti a l l y s e l ec t i n g . . your club for the tee s h o t , the direction a n d the power, the screen s h ows a lady golfer mak i n g the shot in a beau t i fu l ly ani mated seq uence. T h e ball whist les i n to t h e di stance and its progress can be fol lowed on t he plan view map. T h i s i s the only fully a n i mated s c e n e at each hole; the f a i rway play only shows the b a l l flying towards a s u i t a b l y
58
MSX USER OCTO B E R 1 985
across t he screen a nd l a n d ort M r S i l ly ' s head ; ot herw i se n o t h i ng happens. Perhaps some s o u n d e ffect to i nd i cate t hat the c h o i c e was wrong wou Id have been u sefu I beca u s e i t i s d i f f i c u l t to k n ow i f t he c o m pu ter has accepted the key press. The t h i rd a n d f o u rth games are esse n t i a l ly the s a m e except that one u ses s y m b o l s a n d the other u ses l ower-case l etters. I n both cases M r Forgetf u l has stored t h i ngs i n h i s ward robes a n d the a i m i s t o h e l p h i m f i nd a p a i r of obj ec t s by g u i d i n g h i m to a w a rd robe, ope n i n g i t. a n d t h e n m ov i n g t o f i nd a matc h i ng obj ect i n a nother c u p board . I f the match i s made t h e c u p boards stay open , i f not t hey both c l ose. As educational p r i mers g o, t h i s p roved t o be a g reat success w i t h a f r i e n d ' s seven-year-old
Alpha Blaster
c h i Id. T he g ra p h i c s c haracters
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are e m i nently recog n isable a n d th e package c o n t a i n s a l i t t l e booklet of i n structions w h i c h a
d e s i g ned backg rou nd depend i n g on t h e terra i n . W hen the g reen i s reached you even l ose t he 30 favou rite w i t h c h i l d re n f o r m a ny years a n d t h i s program i n c reases t h e i r f i e l d of operat i o n i n to methods. There are f q u r games c o n ta i ned on... the tape b u t a l l are l oaded i n t o t h e c o m p u te r a t t h e same t i m e a n d a s i m p l e p i c t u re m e n u i s used to select w h i c h game w i l l be p layed next. T h i s t heme of s i m p l i c i ty i s f u rther deve l o ped by t h e i nc l u s i o n of s t i c k-on M r C l ever labels w h i c h i n d i cate t h e f u n c t i o n s o f the f ive keys needed to operate the games . I n the f i rs t game M r G reedy must be d i rected to a n i ce-cream w h i c h a p pears i n a corner of t h e s c ree n . Start i ng a t t h e centre o f t h e scree n , M r G reedy c a n be c on t ro l led by e i t he r the c u rsor keys or t he f u nc t i o n keys. When
he reaches t h e i ce-cream t h e screen f i l l s u p w i t h cones a n d the next level beg i n s . T h i s t i m e M r G reedy has two extra barriers t o negoti ate a n d a s h i g he r leve l s are reac hed the n u m be r a n d c o m p l ex i ty of the barriers i nc rease u n t i l t h e f i na l s c ree n . S u c cess a t t h i s l evel rewards t h e c h i l d w i t h a n u rsery t u ne a n d M r G reedy a p pears i nstead of each of t he o r i g i na l i c e c reams . T h e second game i nvolves M r S i l ly w h o i s l o ok i n g f o r a hat. Bes i d e M r S i l ly are f ou r rows of hats i n various styles a n d c o l ou rs. A s peech b u b b l e a p pears w h i c h conta i ns a p i c t u re o f one o f t h e h a ts a n d the c h i ld m u s t control an arrow c u rsor to i n d i cate w h i c h hat M r S i l ly w a n t s . A correct c h o i c e means that the hat w i l l move
pare n t can read t o the c h i l d w h i l e t he p ro g ra m l oads .
scene i n favou r of a n
e n larged aerial v i ew s h ow i n g y o u r re l a t i ve pos i t i o n t o t h e h o l e a n d the I i e o f t h e g rass. l t d i d not take too long to get u sed t o the q u a l i t ies of the v a r i o u s c l ubs ava i l ab l e , p r i n c i p a l ly because o f the f u l l i n f o rmat i o n g i ven i n K o na m i 's booklet. l t g ives a breakdown of t he l e n g t h o f each h o l e a nd the par. Each c l u b i s l i sted beside the average l e n g t h of shot avai l a b l e w i t h i t .
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the ' I n d u s t ry Standard' Scramble I d i d n 't l i ke it as m u c h as I l i ked A l pha Blaster. The f i rs t screen has you p i l ot i n g a rocket s h i p t hat f l i es u p a nd d ow n over a r i g ht-left scro l l i ng l a n dscape . The i d ea i s to bomb and b l a s t as m a ny o f the enemy i nstal lations o n the g rou n d a s poss i b l e . To make t h i s harder the e ne my l a u n c h g rou nd-to-a i r rockets a t you w h i c h m u s t e i t he r be d odged o r
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Canyour lVISX helpyour child to learn? Conall Bo yle reports on a teaching series y for the ver young
PUDDLES EDUCA!riONAL SOF!rWARE
Set 1 : Introduction to Numbers Set 2 : Calculation I Set 3 : Calculation II Set 4 : Memory Set 5 : Reasoning Set 6: Reflexes Morwood Software 9 .95 per .set i n ce every school i n Britan i s by now s u pposed to have i t s own m i cro, then i t seems obv i o u s t h a t t h e m i c ro must be a n esse n t i a l p i ece of educational eq u i p me n t , a n d not j u st a toy. B u t c a n t h e e n t h u s iasm o f t h e k i d s f o r ga me-p lay in g o n you r home M S X rea l l y be c h a n e l led i n to some u sefu l l earn i n g? i t w i l l a l l depend on the software. I n t h is art i c I e I w i 1 1 be having a l oo k. at t h e P u d d l e s series, w h i c h i s t h e most compre h e n s i ve set of educat i o n a l programs ava i l a b l e to date f o r t h e M SX. D o n ' t get carried away by a l l t h i s m i c ro-i n-every s c h o o l hysteria. A s k any teac h e r, a n d t hey w i l l p roba b l y agree t h a t t h i ng s have f a l l e n far s h ort of ex pecta t i o n s . 1 t i s not j u s t t ha t one m i c ro betwee n a c l ass of 30 means very poor access for each p u p i l . t h e m a i n s n ag w i t h u s i n g m i c ros i n s c h o o l s i s that so m u c h of t h e software ava i l a b l e i s so l ou sy. The s i ze and n a t u re of t he m a rket i s t h e m a i n p ro b l e m for ed u c a t i o n a l software houses. G a mes p rod u c e rs can p l a n for m a rkets o f h u n d reds of t h o u s a n d s ; se l l i ng to s c h o o l s you wou ld be l u c k y to s e l l a few t h o u s a n d . T o add i ns u l t to i n j u ry , t h e teac hers w i l l probably make l ots of cop ies a s w e l l . Software h o u ses c a n n o t afford to i nvest i n the deve lopment of edu cat i o n a l t i t les of the same q u a l ity as the big sel l i n g ga mes. B u t even i f there was a I ot o f good software ava i l a b l e , cou Id you learn m u c h w i t h t h e help of you r MSX? T h e re are many (outside ed u cation) who be l i eve t hat i n the near f u tu re c om puters w i l l rep l ace teachers, that we c a n d i a l u p a course of lessons on any subject at any t i me, a nd that the co mputer w i l l be the b r i n g e r of U n iversal E n l i g htment. Expecting so m u c h makes what is ava i lable now look pretty pathetic. B u t i f you approach the avai lable educational software rea l i stical ly, then i t c a n f u l f i l l a u sefu l f u nction. There are t h i ngs w h i c h can be learned or re i n fo rced w i t h the help of you r M SX. The computer can even take you intro a reas of learning which were not possible_ in the c l assroom. But useful t h o u g h these topics might be, they can never add up to a cou rse of lea rning.
Reason i ng ' . Phew ! T h e re are s i x sets of ti t l e s i n t h e series, each conta i n i n g th ree cassettes. Eac h set comes i n a ha ndy v i d e o cassette box, w h i ch l ooks g ood. A t t ract iveness i s a n i m portant fea t u re i n t ry i n g t h e s oftw are , a n d l u ri n g t h e y o u ng c h i l d i n to
Pudd les p u l l s o u t a l l t h e stops. T h e re a re s m i l i ng s u ns, r i s n g ba l l oo n s , c u d d ly p e n g u i n s t h a t q u iver w i t h e x c i t e m e n t w h e n y o u g e t a n a n swer r i g h t . T here a re b leep s a n d bong les t o keep t h e enthusiasm going.
,:;::,.,:,: :::: :. :: .. ,
A l l 1 8 progra m s u s e t h e same g r a p h i c s , a n d f o l l ow the same pattern. A t t h e start of e a c h p ro g ra m y o u must select h ow m a n y q u izzes you w a n t t o d o (there are 1 0 q u e s t i o n s i n d i f f i c u lty 1 - 1 0, a n d w ha t y o u r t a rget s c o re i s . I n Pudd l es you s c o re by gett i n g t h e r i g h t a n swer, but there i s a l s o a t i me penalty ; i f y o u take too long you start to l os e p o i n ts . A s t h e q u i z p roceed s , you a nswer q u est i o n s by p ress i n g t h e r i g h t n u m b e r key, fol l owed by a RETU R N . You c a n n ot correct a m i staken keystroke. G e t t h e r i g h t a nswe r a n d a s u n c omes out, a ba l l oon rises, the peng u i n waves h i s l i t t l e arms, and of cou rse a j o l l y t u ne i s p l ayed. G e t t h e w rong answer a n d i t ' s b l eeps, s i n k i n g bal l oo n s and c l ouds over t h e s u n . At t h e end of each q u iz most q u izzes), w h a t level of
Strong claims
The Pudd les educational series i n c l u des some of the best ed u cational software I have seen. l t is a i med at t he home market, a nd makes some strong c l a i ms: ' P udd les deals with N u merical Abi l i ty, Spatial A b i I i ty, Memory, Perception a nd
62
MSX USER OCTO B E R 1 985
t h e re are more g raph ics to t e l l you how you have d one. This time it is a car w h i c h sets off to one of t h ree destinations: 'Very G ood ' represented by a sm i l i ng sun, 'Good ' a s u n i n a cloud, and 'Study M ore' shown by c l ouds. There are sound effects t o match. When you have com pleted a series of q u i zzes, a m u lt i-colou red bar chart shows how you have d on r i g h t answers, w answers and o n. compared t o y Adu ould f this ' tes e ecf o n the i ntended u sers, I e n l i sted the aid of Alex, my 7- --=..... o l d . H e q u ite enj oyed the sound and g ra p h i .L.O e f fec ts. Pu d ,.yii.-" s as s u i ta b these progr for 4- to 8-y r-o l d s and inde ooul
' , _
row of p oles; you have to count how many a re to the left or right of the car. Conf u s i n g as i t i nvolves both n u m bers and hands (left or rig ht). F i n a l l y N u mbers u 120 i s the same, lots of t h i n g T h i s one and
1 0. A car travel s a l o ng a
cou ld bring o n bra i n s torms! M emory ga me. This was the most d i f f i c u l t of a l l . Pairs or trip lets of n u m be rs a re scattered a round a 4 x 6 g ri d ; the a re
the best set of them a l l . I f you o n l y buy one set t h i s i s the one t o get. 1 t i s what a good ed ucational p ro g ra m o ug h t to be - ... . pie, eas t u se, . c h i n g you rag i t , but i n l n d i rect uv,.,.u t hese .,.,?):;;_,,,_ The game programs i s tG match i n g s - hen the t i tle. t the reat _ ty with the ' li-t; o p fa :f.o'lcYI' oard . F at th is reason - i s a n ideal start i ng point.
. . . .... . . ..
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as a very stran layout w h i c h cau sed a lot of head-scratc h i n g ; i t " mi ta have somet h i n g to t d o wi ;M odern M aths. llt.'Il'' l : The nel two programs ith a.i t i o n and d s u btra n . Ot i nary s u m s d "' rown up w {t random "i..:_ .h .:-..
numbe
1 1
oved. One i s re d i s pl ayed and you have t o g u e s s where i t was i n the row of f ive. N ot q u ite as bad as the f i rst .Qt g ram i ri' t h i s set, but .w ay beyond.,a 7-year-old r
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A n u mber a pQ.ars o n the screen ; you .:g ss the same n u m berkey. Is it a game of reactions , or i s i t a crafty way of fam i l i ar i s i n g you w i t h the nu mber k s? Answer: i t i s both.
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Exercises with numbers .
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one, but t h i s time u s i n g [, '!.'! ) , , .. a.Tte rs of the a l p habet, so " s m u c h more comp lex. u I d also ' . :.c progr >: . .c . . n i n g t0 ed f !.;::.;:.> :>.. c n type ,. :; ; :
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out an Ne i n a .. sign l ow poo
Ma A I e ':; W'1!'.:\,' : ",f i < a ';}: Puddles p u b l i c ity i s t o . be l i eved , be near g e n i u s level after t ry i ng a l l these programs. (He s t i l l prefers the Beano.)
Set 1: I ntroduction to N umbers. Overa l l t h i s i s a n
7-ye We e
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l t appears to i add i n g rows o r c n u mb ers .

Set 4: M emory. T h i s
consists of two f i e n d i s h ly d if f i c u l t programs, way beyond most adu lt m i nds, a nd one n i ce s i m ple p rogram. B u y i n g t h i s set
s i s a p u re reflex game. t ,d ifferent (QI m s a re u m bered. p layed o f them shown have to key '1:?:< l','"'...,aratefy; i t s n u mbeL One major i s g i v i n g I f these .. ..;:"' bout . rw p s is the me penalt .. ' D o 50 hard m s i n 20 m i n u tes' i s a - . -vourite method of nd ing pupi Is in ::.:?-% c ' ''' .? ,.,...,. ,. roo. L t w i ftware I the need rs d i d n copy the worst aspects -of class room teac h i n g . A l l these Puddles .ll!':'l..., l i ke p rog rams a re good va lue to read - you or you r c h i l d w i l l " tes and learn some t h i n g from each ; in . A su per and every one of them. tss; i n map read i n g , i t Pudd les is certa i n l y among rces the oftthe best educational u sed p o i n t that software ava i lable today, ort h i ngs f o l l ow Easti ngs. but that i s not say i n g a lot. Of the s i x sets cu rrently T h i s progra m teaches a lesson i n the best poss i b l e ava i lable I wou ld way - without you espec i a l l y recommend Ref lexes. Reason i ng wou ld rea l i s i ng i t ! be worth hav i n g as wel l . Set 6: Reflexes. T h i s is
'
...
Exercises with shapes.
'
'
MSX USER OCTOB E R 1 985
63
.. ; ::
e d id not H olu tio n. rev ne? vic e ath , did ser e d us e r rv e to d n I sta Be tte r e orm ati on er it n i nf ip. w net or you r F s d e ale rsh tions pie s of thi or a nd co h E ast SXpecta se ndin g out t4 s am n, e N ort h, 1;> od C , c a no go te r to JV all ne e d \et e a, s o ny , w est , w , rs. h\b o ea r S \ r abl e d e ale nyo, T os e sa e oW me to now l e dg clu b etc . I n th a\\ K O er P \e as e ts on ctravid e M S X us ugn all S pe N ati o nal n o m e tn o a ski ng s o m ex pre ss be rsh ip tim e I a m mea n ee t re e m e nt ot M SX wit h inte w h o agr or\ d de rs e or th e w yo ur rea pu rch as gh the eir pro of of ing thr o u m ake th put r to ula com wit h me ure of you r hase; reg pag es ca n a ss of p urc c. I F eed b ack ew s a n d w s pu bli n vie n. b it hel p s . .mai l i n g of le pu b\\ cat\o ev e ry litt e o ple es of p you u r ate dat us ers , ie cc y , \f the re X u cts a od ve\ As M S t .r n ew pr \te rn at\ of A l ik e spe nt n ard u nc hin g ers t w oul d la ve eci al ott ad ers tha w h o na d e ar e re pre ss ure pri c es; sp ed/ b orr ow nal v a nd are a nd ea rn ed /sa m a na tio to tor g ue oth s ottw Y M SX on b to bu s etc . en dia l o p m o n eY m em ber ro u p to o rs' ha e .e. .. g t'lardw ar e to u f actu re es , w e g an m a c h\n v 'rt\s1n ssu me h the m d wit UK s etter a ns a nd a d. tio es i n th e ate tiv ex pe cta will pre s e nta co -or din y re act u r ers rte rs, tne m pai g n via po nuf ca su ppo rt the m a ell as im ial as w e the \ r O fin a nc A ls M SX m e at th p to to nt t ac e u n wri te d ep e nde ca in g, M SX b \ \\t\ e s . a ds t o r W s tat i n g re sp o ns\ res s belo ati o ns {e e w lic add m ake a nd op\ n\o n , se r pub u s, \ n my e, add res na m is er). m a n d the m ac hin e , SX us de M SX s ho u\d ode l of M u si o n, if m on e I n c o ncl d : at \ea st ol h to\ \ow \ng cia\IY n o u se h eth e r wit a pe . its to g b ec o m e pri ce s es to r\y re p\y ute to ow e r ea L tri b n o eve r s AE t or nd p aY w s n am e a p her als . t\o n, sopou\o p eri on C . K ard a r's asp \ra tor a disk t eet \ nve nto o f 345 ard mu st pu he de n S trt rs an 6 D f'/ nu f acture m a na c ts. u ma ick r\v e ? \t c tor e pr ofj d so uthw ers be et disk c ust o m S R5 2 J'l to m ark me mber nd "\ 00 att ord saY is: re Sun der la BC at g All I ca n tor th e B riv es m arketi n d ca n ry F ord 's siv e) so H en tai l i n clu {re . acture rs nuf SX m a M
'
ters A u g u s t is ( s u e) I h a ve P laye d Gh o s t b u s t er s o n my o wn Msx c o m p u te r a nd ' a /s o o n a f .e n n d 's S Pectru m Th e S pec t ru m s 'G u'n d for . h o s tb u s t ers ! ' an I ' ve be e n s / i ' ed' a re s o m u ffl ed a t yo u c a n n ot u n ders ta n d wh a t . . IS be. sa Id lng
D e a r s l r I do n o t g ree W i t h . yo u r VIe ws on
Disagreem
en t
Gh os tb us
O n t he Sp ec t u m . IS n o m , th ere usic thr o g hou t th e .
l a nes
B Torra nc e (M iss ) B ury

. a n d l. t IS P I a y e d I. n C O m p/ ete s i / en ce On th e Msx ' th e t u n e is re peat e d t hro u g hou t t h ga me ' an e d th e Q r a P h l. c s a re m u e h c l eare r. l t i s ob vio us fro m You r v l e ws th a t Yo u h ave n ' t rea 1/y stu d le d th e d i ff ere n ce s bet wee n th e ver sio ns a n fro m yo d , ur co m me n ts y h ave n ot ' ou en m Qlv uch th ou gh t to th e t t n er P oin t o t th e ga s me
g a m e'
.. . -:. ,
' .
MSX USER Arg us Spe c ia l i s t pu b l l c a . t i on s No 1 Gol den S q ua re Lo ndo n WI R 3AB
N es b 1 tt (M Edin b is s) u rg h
in s te CA S:'' R . ad Of I n s tr the ' u c tI O n 9 tap e 1 Ve n w1 t . h th e K. lVI.
In c ase ' a ny ex bodY Pe rie n els e ce d . ha s loa d dt ffic in g u lty . Fr h n t at n iro h 73 g), t ; Y rn i Q Y th e h t lik fo il . e to Wi ng: BL O
Dea r
811l oo th .r w. a t h
s lr
Bonus
Dear _ S i r, H av i n g p u rc hased a Yamaha CX5M for i t s m u s i c a l capab i l i t i es, I was p l eased to f i n d t h a t I had a b o n u s i n the way of a u s e f u l general p u rpose c o m p u t er. You r magaz i ne h e l ped me to l ocate M SX software, w h i c h i s t h i n o n the g rou nd i n t hese parts, but then I faced t h e bad news. The 28 K + m e m o ry is programs I want to u se. exte nd i ng the m e m o ry i ns u f f i c i e n t for some o f the
i n y o u r J u ly issue. I s i t p os s i b l e now to get any s i g n i f i ca n t extra memory for the CX5 M , a n d i f so w here?
Ao
V '
Les Emmans Al lestree Derbyshire
A lthough 32K mem ory ex tender ca rds for the Ya m a ha a n d other compu ters are a vailable in Japan, we know of no such products in the UK a t presen t. Knowledgeable sources say tha t they may s tart appearing over here some time next year.
I had g i ven u p hope of
u n t i l I read the a r t i c l e East
'
Bights Down Under

De a r MS X Us er
'
i n the p os i t ion to estab l i s h u s er g ro u p s and c a n d u p l i cate b o t h tape a n d d i sk. w i t h i n 'Oz' q u a l i ty software W o u l d y o u p l ease p u b l i s h t h i s letter to h e l p f u rther the f u t u re of M SX. We w i l l a l s o be seek i n g d, re e o ea r E a nd th u rs tw o ho u nd Af ter ng a ro t\ , s ot s" a . m\ n u te \\y c, \ t\n rt\ th e A nta th e m ,nd oc\< e d u p 0 c\ o t 3 1 355 re \ \ n g s .c o b og g , b r \\ \ \a n t s Ko na m' on . Adv e ntu re. ed A n ta rt\ C h a\\ e n g v nc m \ th e A odY ca n any b \ o n or ? c h a mP 1 cy sti c\< y e a nd m b eat m
We are a f l edg l i n g c o m pa n y seek i n g d i s t r i b u t i o n r i g h t s for a l l M SX products . . Any f i rms
f o r overseas d i s t r i b u t i o n .
l o ok i ng f o r an A u s t ra l i a n represe n tative shou l d w r i te to t h e a d d ress below ra nge, desc r i p t i o n and prices. M SX i n A u s t ra l i a is i n very s h ort s u p p l y . we are stat i n g t h e i r prod uct
Neville R . Wright Sunshine Softwa re PO B ox 1 31 9 Southport a 421 5 Austra l ia
an n L ark m o u nc a or m esbY h \esbr ou g M idd
-..-
USER C>eTOBER
65
ee.
m bre akdown P ro gra

1 0-20 301 20 1 3021 0 220300 310-400 410-450 460
.
bles e, set up varia initi alis ssed check key pre p n nt men u ' tne er text sub rout ent . subro uttne tape . load entry from ne tape subr outt . save e n try to e entry subr outtn vtew cu rren t
. .
end red char acte rs ente tor s ASC\1 eo d e hold re d cha ract er ente cou nter tor last used in loops
Ma n variables
% (n)
X
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 39
'* '* '* '*
' *******************
'* '*
D I ARY by Andrew Hay
* *
* *
'*
0 COLOR
' *******************
5 , , : KEYOFF : SCREEN0 : W I DTH
!.5 DEF I NTE , X 20 30 40 50 60

11
D I MA'Y- < 93 6 ) CLS LOCATE7 , 0 , 0 : PR I NT " D I ARY " a LOCATE7 LOCATE , S : PR I NT ".Press an LOCATE , 8 : PR I NT " I Make an an opt i on : " e n t ry . " entr y . entry e
, i:: PR I N T " CCCCC "
70 LOCATE2 , 0 : PR I NT " 2 1 Load

..
80 LOCATE , !.2 : PR I NT " 3 1 Save an 90 mm 0 m
LOCATEm , 4 : PR I NT " 4 1 Vi ew current LOCATE7 , 6 : PR I NT " 5 : Qu i t " l $ I NKEY$
n t ry . "
I F I $ = " " THEN3mELSE I F I $ = " 2 " THEN22
0ELSE I F I $= " 3 " THEN3mELSE I F I $= " 4 " THEN4 0ELSE I F I $= " S " THEN460ELSE0 30 CLS 1 LOCATE0, 0 , 4m 50 60 65 E=0 l $ = I NKEY$ I F I $=CHR$ ( 2 7 > THEN3m I F I $CHR$ < S > THENEE- : PR I NTCHR$ ( 2 50
9 ) 1 " " 1 CHR$ ( 29 ) J a GOTO 71lJ l F I $ " " THEN50 i;80 AX < E > ASC ( l $ ) !.90 PR I NT I $
21lJ0 EE+i; a i FE936THEN30ELSE50 2!.0 GOT031lJ 220 CLS 23m P R I N T " Enter /year 240
" '1. , ... '
f i gure
datlmonth
l i ke
t h i s a " a PR I NT a PR I NT " just D$ RETURN to l oad th
!.60385 " PR I NT " < or L I NE I NPUT f i rst f i l e ) " t PR I NT
ckui\CJ
Nt
t;q;;;Y\::;;;;-.;;;:, ()\
230 271lJ 291lJ 300 3 0
OPEN " c as a " +D$FORI NPUTA84t!. I NPUT4t !. , AX < E > I FEOF < !. > -THENCLOS E : GOT030ELSEE CLS a 6 f i gure dte/month l i ke t h i s 1 " 1 PR I NT : PR I NT"
280 E0
E + !. a GOTO 290 320 PR I N T " Enter /year 330 60385 " L I NE I NPUTD$ 350 OPEN " cas 1 " +D$FOROUTPUTASI!. 360 FORXIlJTOE 370 390 4!-m PR I NT4t!. , AX < X > CLOSE CLS 38QJ NEXT 400 GOT030 420 FORX0TOE-!. 430 PR I NTCHR$ < AX < X > > ; 440 450 NEXT I F I NKEY$CHR$ ( 2 7 > THEN30ELBE450
460 CLS a PR I NT " Bye ! ! " : END
MSX U S E R OCtOB E R 1 985

'
lilt:-
f(( ((
f(((r
IF YOU RET
SX
R PLEASE CONTACT US. = OUR EXPERIENCE OUR RY SERVICE
PROFIT FRO
24 H UR DEL
SOF
EXPORT EN UIRIES
.
' '
ELCOME
Nemesis Distribution Ltd., 2 1ffley Road, Hammersmith, London W& OPA. Tal: 01 741 2299
..
..
r
. . . . .
ce
.
. . . .
Take a closer look at the JUKI 2200. . In a fully portable daisywheel printer, the technology could hardly be higher. . At iust 299.-, the . pric could scarcely be lower. The J UKI 2200 is compatible with most leading personal computers, and ideal for use at home. Its advanced professional specification includes serial or parallel interface, print speed of 1 0 characters per second, 2k buffer memory and full word processing supp,ort. lt uses the standard Triumph-Adler* daisywheel {available iust about everywhere) and, .like all JUKI products, comes with a comprehensive, easy-to-read User's Manual. Yet, complete with compact carrying hood, the JUKI 2200 weighs less than 1 4 1bs. You'll be delighted with its crisp, clear printout, especially when you know that the JUKI 2200 can also be used as a high-grade electronic typewriter.

See for yourself. Ask your local JUKI dealer.
The JUKI 2200. You'll search high and low to beat it.
*
Triumph-Adler is a trade-mark of TRIUMPH-ADLER AG.

'
..
Technology true to type

Eiffestr. 74 2000 Hamburg 26 F. R. Germany Tel.: (0 40) 2 51 20 71-73 Telex: 2 163 061 (JKI D) Fax.: (0 40) 2 51 27 24. Sole distributor:
JUKI (EUROPE) GMBH
IMil J4Apr. I 98.S
mlcto Pctlphctall ltd
lntec Unit 3, Hassocks Wood, Wade. Road, Basingstoke, Hants, RG 24 ONE. Tel.: (0256) 47 3232 (32 lines} Telex: 8 59669 MICRO PG Facsimile (0256) 46 1 570
JUKI 2200

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MSX User - Vol 1 No 11 - Oct 1985

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0

Moving Pictures. Use the PX-7 in conjunction with

Video control. W hen used in conjunction with our

' > '

' ' ''

1: 01 487 0686 2elea: 8811SI6

Advertisement Copy Control

l8 lnlty Gardens London SW9 8DX

Ori gin ati on and Design

d ograJD.S an All pr tion sh ould nta docuJD.e be sent to:

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Bed square deal

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own compa ny, i t seems l i ke l y that t h e R u s s i a n s

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Please send full catalogue on MSX products.

t t t t tt t t t t t t t t t t t t tt t t t t t tt t t t t t t tt t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t tt t t t t t t t t t t t t t Itt t t t t t tIt t ...........................................................................

......... .............. ........................... Phone.............................

A,, ... ..,...

,, .,"" rid ......... ..r. "' ,...., .. ., release

t h e d i sk u n'tts Yamaha e released d i s k ons o f t h

p u ter M u s i c C o l l ec t i o n usic but

rptaycardst. these l ook a s heet

been t w o keyboards w h i c h u ni ts. e existi ng . key

j o i ne d by a t h i rd keyboard. Des i gnated t he Y K-20, t h i s

the I a rger "-""' . key Y K-1 0 Have now been ><-'Bx'

ow tha '"'i lab te, Ya ta progra

leased two 3 5 F M V o i c e&&it' As a lways t he latest

Yamaha MSX eq u i pment i s

nt i n t he " res ancf i s

\<ttbeing extens ively

nt hes i se r effects by y ing everyfh i n@ f ro m IJ.:iY:,tY,.V!i nd u s s i on

adverti sed on TV.

d i s k vers i on of t h e FG..05. aroun nas .

.. -: .. """* :!: .. .. .. -= . '$

g ive a reen d i s p l ay w h i c h c hang

a l though i t sold v1e l l at t h e

the release of new low

unit and bac k

'' -- .,,.J.. gans1 t h ree

ss, h a r p, beHs, oboe, p i cc t r u m pet,

i s s u p p l ied wt)i c h a l l ows the u s e r to copy h i g h T h e G P ..500MX can a l so be res o l u t i o n M S X s c reens.

..., t h e Yam ah a Composer qa

s heet lf<:'lr"'i!:il i s cornpaf' u nd e r 5 Kg, a rou nd 1 50

abou t to be c ha nged by j u st released 25 MSX ASC I I - M i c rosoft w h o have storybooks c os t i ng 1 2

s i m u l ta neous l a u nctr of art . these new p roducts em s to have taken s o me t

each. hese are cassette tapes w h i c h have been

m Caslo fol l ow hardware retease. annou n c i n g the a

c l eve r l y paokaged to l ook " :each s for 1 ike boot<s

some makers have

cartrid ges - m o re tt\ manageq i n, t he

Users of the o.l Ml;fllu

the s pag het

see that Pan key o n the a

. released the C F',

co m pu ter compri unit which t

n u m e r i c pad a 'the C P/M 1lke

: i T h e re a re n o . l$ ,. ' '* J a pa nese

, cpm p u t e r rema rkab l y j u s t 33 watts of

, se l l s f o r , - ll\::: .. by&'; * now fol l owed i , re leas i n g the GB ..5QOMX, a

prog ra m me rs, : ASC l l a nd MSX c o m p u ters; , ' t he story

of The T h ree Bears m i g h t me aaai n .

1 1 2 PR I NT " ** * ********* 11 .

* * " J T ( 3 ) US I NG TOTAL TRAVEL P