SPACE Newsletter

NEWSLETTER for April 2014

President’s Corner by Michael Current

Great meeting last month, great to see everyone! I'm still going through the Dec 2013, Jan 2014, Feb 2014, and March 2014 8-bit DOMs I picked up last month, how about you? Seems to be a very slow news time this month, but I'll mention here that today's Atari has announced its first product since spending last year dormant in bankruptcy proceedings. On March 17, 2014, Atari announced "RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile" for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, to be available "early spring" (of this year) for $2.99 from the Apple App Store. The program was developed by On5 for Atari. Fred Chesnais is quoted in announcement as Chief Executive Officer, Atari, Inc. For years, I haven't forwarded such announcements for our SPACE newsletter when they don't have anything to do with the classic Atari intellectual properties. However, I thought this one was notable just for the fact that Atari Interactive, the corporate entity that still owns the old Atari IP including the Atari trademark itself, still exists! Thanks, keep using that Atari, and come to your next SPACE meeting, Friday April 11, 2014.

Treasurer's Report

Secretary's Report

by Greg Leitner

by Steve Peck for March 2014

We had a terrific March 2014 SPACE meeting with six out of a possible eight members present. I couldn't believe when I got home to discover that I had forgotten to purchase the ST DOM. I was especially pissed because Lance had said the Poker game was not to be missed on the DOM. He even said it would be worth buying an ST just to play that game. Oh well, I will definitely pick it up next month. On top of that, Lance brought in my S-video cord for my 130XE and I hooked it up the very next day and had a small problem with getting it to work. The solution was to hook it up using an S-video switch box so that I could use the Playstation 2 or the 130XE. My problem was the HD TV, which weighs a ton and is so hard to move out to get to the back inputs that I had a hard time getting the S-video plugged in all the way. I have to say the switch box was the answer, as I only had to get the input to the TV in just once to get both the Playstation and the 130XE to play perfectly. Now I only have to push a button to get either to play. I have to say the picture quality is outstanding and the sound while not being stereo is quite adequate. Now for the SPACE financial status for the month ended March 1, 2014. We start with a beginning balance of $475.48. Our expenses include the 2013 room rental of $300.00 and $30.00 for web-site expenses for January, February and March 2014. Our receipts include $21.00 for the 8-bit DOM and $6.00 for the ST DOM. So the Club spent $330.00 and took in $27.00 for the March meeting which leaves us with a bank balance of $172.48 for the month ended March31, 2014. Now that we have all our expenses paid up to date, we need to start working on our treasury so that we have built up a balance of $300.00 by year-end to pay the 2014 room rental. We also need another $90.00 to pay for our website through 2014. We need another $225.00 for that to happen; so we need you all to keep buying the DOMs each month and especially we need you to renew your memberships. So that's it in a nutshell. Looks like we have some work to do and when better to get started than the April SPACE meeting. See you all there.

Well, I am back with another Secretary's Report for April of 2014. The meeting started around 7:30 PM as usual. We talked about the Atari bankruptcy and the FireBee computer, which is supposed to be a sweet piece of machinery, let me tell you. It even comes in designer colors. So, it's customizable. Now about the Atari bankruptcy hearing. Atari looks like it is to be restructured, hopefully so it can be profitable again. Michael Current, our venerable SPACE President, came out and said that at the Club in March. I will not be here for the club in April. Something has come up that I need to attend to. However, I will phone conference (or try to) from where I am at so I do not miss a beat. Don't worry. I will be there in spirit. The meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM. Well, that concludes the April 2014 Secretary's Report. In the words of my friendly neighborhood cartoonist… EXCELSIOR!

SIDE B:

8-Bit DOM Review by Steve Peck for March 2014 I have said before that I was going to have a ratings system and I have followed through with that. Now, let’s forget the thumbs up system. We’ll have a point system instead. Here are the entries for this month. Let’s see them!

Fresh Meat (by Probe, OOZ, and Piesu): This demo had it all: graphics, animation, scaling, rotation, and even zombies. It was fun to look at and I liked it as well. I gave it a score of 25/30 points (8 for graphics, 8 for music, and 9 for animation). This was a top-notch animation demo. Munching Mandy (by J. Croudy): This is a Pac-man clone that is definitely much more difficult than the arcade version of the classic muncher. It’s quite challenging. I gave this game 26 points (8 for graphics, 10 for gameplay, and 6 for music). Energy (unknown artist): This demo was, in my opinion, the third best music demonstration on disk. It sounded pretty awesome and I gave it a 9 for an excellent effort.

SIDE A: Amaze Me! (by Lisu): I was not as impressed by this music. It was tacky all throughout. I gave it 4/10 points. Piranha (by J. Croudy): This puzzle game is addicting and difficult. You have to paint the tiles and avoid taking a dip with a swarm of piranhas. Stay on the tiles and everything’s cool. If you stay in the water, you are at risk for being chum! Paint all the tiles and you advance to the next level. You only get one life throughout the game as it seems. Graphics: 6/10 points (barely above average) Gameplay: 10/10 points (awesome gameplay and very difficult) Music: 8/10 points (it makes noise when certain tiles move, but it sounds pulse-pounding) Total Points:

24 (out of 30 points)

Triple Threat (by Novice Agenda): This was the best looking demo on the disk, in my opinion. It had animation, scaling, excellent graphics, and great music. However, the PAL demo crashed my NTSC system. That doesn’t matter to me anyway. I loved it. This demo scored a perfect 30 points (10 points in animation, graphics, and music each). Illusive (unknown): This was the best musical demo on the entire disk in my opinion. Pulse-pounding and cool, I enjoyed it. I gave it a perfect 10, the most I will give in a music demo.

Nightlore (by 505): This is a better demo that had some spooky music. I gave it 8/10 points for the great music work. Surprise 2 (by XTD and Lamers): This was a little tacky also. I gave it 5/10 points because it could have been better by far. Biker (unknown): This pic shows a cartoon of a dude on a bike holding up a glass mug of beer. I gave it 8/10 points for the effort because I thought it was pretty cool. Crazy is My Life (unknown): This is another pic that shows a sheep with boots all around it. I could not understand it. Maybe that was the meaning of it. I gave it 6/10 points for the effort. No Sheep Here (unknown): I thought that was the best pic on Side B of the disk. It shows a cow being abducted by aliens in a UFO and the watchman has no idea watt’s going on. So, I gave it 9/10 points for the effort and I also loved the colors. It was an excellent pic.

Well, that concludes the DOM review. I will be back next month with another review. See you then. EXCELSIOR!

Guardian (unknown): This is a picture showing a machine likeness of a human head being caressed by a woman’s hand. I gave it a perfect 10 for a pic because I loved the execution in it.

ST DOM Report by Nolan Friedland

Greetings and welcome to a mega-edition of the SPACE ST DOM as we review three months worth of great software. Enjoy!

Acidopolis is a point-and-click adventure game. Brack Melaleuca, R&D specialist at Hammond Motors, is the average guy, if not a bit smarter. Resourceful yet underpaid, Brack works the late shift on his gravitational propulsion device. Unknown to Brack, his troubles in life are just about to begin...

Chu Chu Rocket is a game of skill, cunning & manic mice. Like all the great games, the basic premise is simple, but the results are fiendishly addictive. The aim of the game is simple. Guide as many chus into your rocket as possible. Avoid getting kapus into your rocket, as they will eat one third of your mice. Creatures have a well-defined movement. When they hit a wall, they always turn right. You can divert creatures’ paths by laying down arrow tiles on the board. Use these to guide mice into your rocket and cats into opponents’ rockets. If a creature falls into a hole, it will die. If a kapu moves into a chu, it will eat it. Chu Chu Rocket supports the following controllers: Keyboard, Mice, Joysticks, Jaguar Pads and Team Taps. Keyboard controls are cursor keys for movement and space for fire. Press 'UNDO' to exit screens in the front end. When using Jaguar Pads, 'Fire A' is the main fire button and 'Fire B' acts as the exit/undo button. To place an arrow, first move the cursor over the desired tile. Now hold down fire. You will notice your cursor changes into an arrow. Whilst still holding down fire, move in the direction in which you want to the arrow to face. Now release fire and your arrow will be placed. In puzzle mode, you can remove arrows from the board by clicking on them. The control select screen that is presented before starting any game allows you to assign controllers to any of the four players, or to set them to be computer-controlled. The control select features intelligent assignment - it will not allow you to select a combination of incompatible controllers. For example, if you chose a mouse as a controller, all players currently under joystick control will be switched to a more suitable controller type as both mouse and joystick cannot operate simultaneously.

In Clogged Up, the objective of the game is to get your clog to the exit. To achieve this you must move all pieces that are blocking the path to the exit out of the way. There are three types of pieces. The horizontal pieces can only be moved horizontally. Vertical pieces can only be moved vertically. On later worlds, you will encounter square pieces that can be moved both horizontally and vertically. The fewer moves you make to complete a level, the better your score will be. Complete all levels to unlock the next world. You can choose to play the game in solo or multiplayer mode. In solo mode, your aim is just to complete the level and move to the next. In multiplayer mode, your aim is to complete the board before your opponent does.

Heartland 2000 is an adaption of the original Heartland game by Tony Greenwood (Stosser software). Now it is running in one VBL on all Atari compatible machines. It is a fast multidirectional scrolling platform game, featuring a large virtual play area. Sissy and Sassy sit down to a game of cards, but lo and behold some are missing (isn't that always the case), strange though, there is a whole suite of cards amiss, the set of Hearts.

Alterra is a strategic wargame in a medieval setting. The goal is to conquer all cities. This classic game concept has been modified by adding several elements from fantasy / role-playing games: for instance the presence of fantastic army units like dragons and demons. Contrary to many strategy games, much effort has been spent to keep the game as easy as possible to play. It will therefore be sufficient for most players to read the short instructions. If these leave too many questions unanswered for you, it is advisable to read Chapter 5 (the game controls) as well. The rest of the manual provides very detailed and specific information, and may be consulted as problems arise. Your first choice is between loading a saved game and beginning a new game. If you wish to commence a new game, the following screen will allow you to select the players. From this screen, you can access a screen where you are able to change the game options. If you leave this screen unchanged, the game will be played with default options.

You have to search the play area looking for a whole set of hearts, the Ace, King, Queen and Jack are scattered around; all you have to do is collect them. All the other cards are hidden behind doors, but when you go to retrieve one from inside, you are magically whisked away to another part of Heartland, and the door disappears never to be seen again. Collect all the cards and you win, collect as many coins as you can and your score increases. Spikes will decrease your energy, no energy results in death. Potions can be obtained by simply running past them, however not all of them will rejuvenate your energy bar, so even though there are a lot of them, it would be wise to jump over and leave them until your energy is low, why waste them?, Well the rest is up to you, by pressing SPACEBAR you can return to the option screen where you can load/save game or look at the map, returning to the game will plunk you in the same position as before you pressed space.

CLUB OFFICIALS

Michael Current

President: (608) 787-8548 michael@mcurrent.name

Vice President / Webmaster / Newsletter Editor (763) 689-5340 Nolan Friedland ilmarinen1976@hotmail.com

Steve Peck

Secretary: (651) 408-1096 artisan213574@gmail.com

DOM Librarian / Membership Chairman: (763) 786-4790 Glen Kirschenmann kirsch@netzero.net

Greg Leitner

Treasurer: (651) 455-6550 greglites@hotmail.com

Saint Paul Atari Computer Enthusiasts (SPACE) meets on the second Friday of each month at 7:30 PM in the Falcon Heights Community Center at 2077 West Larpenteur Ave. Doors open at 7:00 PM.

S.P.A.C.E. c/o Gregory Leitner 3407 78th St E Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076-3037

DISCLAIMER Published by the Saint Paul Atari Computer Enthusiasts (SPACE), an independent organization with no business affiliation with ATARI, Inc. Permission is granted to any similar organization with which SPACE exchanges newsletters to reprint material from this newsletter. We do however ask that credit be given to the authors and to SPACE. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of SPACE, the club officers, club members or ATARI, Inc.

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Articles for Publication must be received by the Newsletter Editor two weeks prior to the Club’s next Scheduled meeting.