• Tag Archives Commodore 64

  • Compute!’s Gazette (November 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: ompute!’s Gazette – Issue Number 17 – November 1984

    Compute!’s Gazette was one of a few popular Commodore 64 magazines that were published in the U.S. Though it covered other 8-bit Commodore computers at times like the VIC-20, Commodore 128 and Plus/4, the bulk of its coverage through the years was for the Commodore 64. The November 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • Bulletin Board Fever – An introduction to BBSing. BBS systems had been around for a while at this point but Commodore specific ones were rapidly gaining in popularity. This article guides you through your first call to a BBS.
    • A Buyer’s Guide to Modems – A comparison of more than 20 different modems ranging in price from $49 (Commodore VICmodem) to $289 (Hayes Smartmodem 300). All are only 300bps.
    • GAZETTE Telecommunications Software, Part 1: C/G Term – A type-in terminal program for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • Inside View: Freefall Associates – An interview with Jon Freeman and Anne Westfall, designers of Archon and Archon II: Adept.

    Reviews

    • EasyDisk – A utility designed to make managing disks (formatting, renaming files, etc.) easier.
    • MusiCalc – A difficult to use but powerful music program for the Commodore 64 and SID.
    • Adventure Creator – A cartridge-based program for the Commodore 64 that allows you to design your own adventure games.
    • Drol And Spare Change for the Commodore 64 – Two arcade style games from Broderbund for the Commodore 64. I’m not familiar with these two games specifically but Broderbund made some outstanding games (like Spelunker and Raid on Bungeling Bay).
    • Also Worth Noting – Briefer reviews of Raid on Bungeling Bay, PuzzlePanic, Gumball, 64-Accounting, Montezuma’s Revenge, and Satan’s Hollow.

    Games

    • Bagdad – This type-in game for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 reminds me a bit of games like Joust.
    • Jump – This type-in game for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 is sort of a cross between Space Invaders and Missile Command.
    • Supertank – In this type-in game for the Commodore 64 you must destroy other tanks before they destroy you.
    • Descent to Kaylon – In this type-in game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20, you must land your ship for resupply while avoiding asteroids and other obstacles.

    Education/Home Applications

    • Computing For Families: A Look At New Books From “Reggie” D’Ignazio – A brief look at various new books including The Commodore 64 Home Companion, Computer FUNdamentals, The Beginner’s Computer Dictionary, The Computer Alphabet Book, The Commodore Puzzle Book: BASIC Brainteasers, At the Heart of the Mountain: A BASIC Adventure for the Commodore 64, and more.
    • Budgeteer – A type-in program for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 that helps you balance your budget.

    Programming

    • BASIC Magic: The Four Most Important BASIC Commands – A look at four commands that can help you get started quickly with BASIC: PRINT, GOTO, FOR-NEXT, and INPUT.
    • Machine Language for Beginners: Getting Started – An introduction to machine language including a type-in assembler.
    • Power BASIC: Slowpoke – A short machine language program that allows you to control the speed of the PRINT command.
    • Hints & Tips – Tips for adding comments to machine language programs, LISTing BASIC programs to a file, and more.
    • Programming Sound and Graphics With The Super Expander 64 – The Super Expander 64 is a cartridge from Commodore for the C64 that adds a variety of powerful graphics and sound commands to BASIC.
    • Function Key – A type-in utility for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 that lets you define the function keys.
    • Disk Auto Load – A type-in utility for the Commodore 64 that lets you modify your programs so that they will automatically run when loaded.

    Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – A commentary on the new Amiga which had just been shown in prototype form at the June CES.
    • Gazette Feedback – Letters from readers on the purpose of DATA statements, reading joystick movements, turning off the disk drive when not in use, implementing cursor control, connecting a printer to the SX-64, and more.
    • Simple Answers To Common Questions – A discussion on troubleshooting modem connections.
    • Horizons: 64 – An in-depth look at the new Commodore Plus/4.
    • VICreations: VIC Mailbag – Letters from readers about adjusting the speed of the 1541 disk drive for the VIC-20, converting BASIC programs from the C64 to VIC-20, using VIC-20 sound with a BMC monitor, using a Commodore 1526 printer with the VIC-20, and more.

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Commodore 64 Computer Arcana 📎and tagged

  • Zzap! 64 (November 1992)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Zzap! 64 – Issue Number 90 – November 1992

    Zzap! 64 was something we didn’t have here in the U.S. and that is a gaming magazine dedicated to the Commodore 64. This issue is from 1992 and there was no longer much going on in terms of gaming (or anything else) for the Commodore 64 at that time. Which explains why this issue was the last (though it would be replaced by Commodore Force (also published in the U.K.) which would continue on for a little while. The November 1992 issue of Zzap! 64 includes:

    Regulars

    • Zzap! Zone – News about the end of Zzap! and the beginning of a new Commodore 64 magazine plus Zzap! editors discuss what they would be reincarnated as.
    • Tape Worm – A look at what’s on the cover tape including Silk Worm, Ninja Warriors, Breakdown, Frenzy, Hallax, and more.
    • Stuff ‘N’ Charts – A new controller from Spectra Video (Nigel Mansell’s Freewheel), a look at a preproduction version of Lemmings for the C64, new Star Trek The Next Generation game forthcoming, and more. Plus a list of the top 100 selling programs for the C64.
    • PD File – A look at some of the latest demos including Just in Time (Grafitty), Dreams (Eternity), Justice (Triad), and more.
    • Tips Section – Tips, codes, and cheats for various games including Potsworth & Co, Cool Croc Twins, Thalamus, Hudson Hawk, Arnie, The Blues Brothers, Exolon, Robocop and more.
    • Adventures – Book review of A Beginner’s Guide to Adventures, plus reviews of Danger Adventurer at Work 2, and more.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about Maniac Mansion, previous issues of Zzap!, review scores, BASIC programming, and more.
    • Hi-Scores – Reader submitted scores for Alleycat, Bubble Dizzy, Arnie, Creatures, Creatures 2, Gribbly’s Day Out, Hudson Hawk, Super Off-Road, Klax, Midnight Resistance, NARC, Navy S.E.A.L.S., Smash T.V., Robocop 2, Robocop 3, Rod-Land, Rainbow, Puzznic, Terminator 2, and more.
    • Previews – Previews of upcoming games including International Tennis, Crystal Kingdom Dizzy, Sceptre Baghdad, and more.
    • Next Month! – A brand new magazine.

    Features

    • Lead Review – The featured review this month is for a game called Reckless Rufus. This is a sci-fi themed action game played from a top down perspective that features object collection and puzzle solving. It gets a pretty good review here (84%).
    • Camera, Lights, Joystick And…Action! –

    Plus reviews of Blue Baron, Bully’s Sporting Darts, Doc Croc’s Outrageous Adventure, Frankenstein, Grandmaster Chess/Othello, Match of the Day, Neighbors, and Prince of the Yolk Folk.

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Commodore 64 Computer Arcana Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • Compute!’s Gazette (December 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Compute!’s Gazette – December 1984

    Compute!’s Gazette was the most successful spinoff of the more general Compute! magazine. It covered 8-bit Commodore computers. For most of its life that really meant the Commodore 64 and 128 but in 1984 it was mostly the VIC-20 and Commodore 64. The December 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • What if…? – A feature on simulation games. Games covered here include Ringside Seat (a boxing sim), various Avalon Hill battle simulations, SSI’s Rails West! (puts you in the role of a railroad baron), various chess games, and more.
    • Electronic Trivia – Trivial Pursuit had been released a few years earlier and had become very popular leading greater popularity of computer based trivia games. This article covers some of them including Trivia Arcade, Trivia Fever, Computrivia, Facttactics, Fax, Master Trivia, Trivia Trek, and Trivial Compute.
    • Inside View – An interview with Byron Preiss and Ronald Martinez, software designers for Trillium who create games such as Fahrenheit 451, Rendezvous with Rome, and Dragonworld.
    • Gazette Telecommunications Software Part 2: C/G Bulleting Board System – The second part of a type-in communications package for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. The first part was a terminal program for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 and this part is a BBS system for the Commodore 64.

    Reviews

    • Microfiler – A cartridge based database system for the Commodore 64.
    • NATO Commander – A strategy game from MicroProse for the Commodore 64 that pits NATO forces against Warsaw Pact forces.
    • Road to Moscow – A strategy game for the Commodore 64 that recreates the Russian/German part of World War II.
    • Also Worth Noting – Short reviews of The Castles of Dr. Creep, Dragon’s Keep, Troll’s Tale, Rug Rider, and Impossible Mission.

    Games

    • Cosmic Combat – A type-in Space Invaders style game with versions for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.
    • 3-D Labrynth – A 3D maze game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 in which you must escape the maze (with an optional time limit).

    Education/Home Applications

    • Computing For Families: An Adventure in Telecommunications – A look at SkiWriter II, a combination word processor and telecommunications program.
    • Word Guess – A type-in hangman style game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.
    • Letter Attack – An educational type-in game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 that teaches typing.
    • Programming Commodore’s Magic Voice – A guide to programming the Magic Voice speech synthesizer for the Commodore 64.

    Programming

    • BASIC Magic: A Christmas Assortment – A Christmas themed BASIC tutorial for both the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. Basically a sort of electronic Christmas card with sound.
    • Machine Language for Beginners – This tutorial guides you through creating a customized directory command for the Commodore 64.
    • Hints & Tips – A guide to controlling the keyboard buffer on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
    • Auto Line – A type-in program that will automatically number the lines in a BASIC program.
    • Power BASIC: Time Clock – A type in program that creates a digital clock on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.
    • Cassette Index – A short type-in program for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 that will create an index of files on a cassette.
    • Disk/Tape Backup – A type-in backup program for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 that will backup files from disk to cassette or from cassette to disk.

    Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – A summary of recent happenings at Commodore as well as a look ahead to the year to come.
    • Gazette Feedback – Letters from readers about reducing disk drive chatter when using copy protected disks, typing in programs on the VIC-20, programming the SID, cooling the 1540 and 1541 disk drives, and more.
    • Simple Answers to Common Questions – Questions answered about converting Atari BASIC programs to the Commodore 64 and transferring files between the Commodore 64 and IBM PC via and RS-232C interface,
    • Horizons 64 – A guide to drawing on the Commodore 64 including a look at programs like Tech Sketch and Peripheral Vision as well as options for controllers including a mouse, light pen and KoalaPad among others.
    • VICreations: Key Memory Locations – A look at various memory locations in the VIC-20 and their uses.
    • News & Products – A look at new products including the Access-M 64-128K memory expansion, Magic BASIC for the VIC-20, PRONTO home information and banking service for the Commodore 64, new peripherals for the VIC-20 and C64 from Maxtron (printer interface, printer, power supply, cassette drive, and speech synthesizer), Versaterm II terminal software for the C64, and more.

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Commodore 64 Computer Arcana 📎and tagged