May 2019
•May 2019 Edition•
A new Atari-related book is out. Karl Morris has published “We Love Atari: A Journey of Discovery 1972-1996, Volume One.” Volume One is 286 pages, covering 1972 through 1983.
It was refreshing to finally have a regular SPACE meeting in April. Steve, Lance and Brian joined Glen and myself and we reviewed 8-bit DOMs for January, February, March and April.
Volume Two is on the way, to cover 1984-1996. Volume One is available now from Zafinn Books, http://www.zafinnbooks.com/ Volume Two has apparently been completed, and will be published once the necessary funds are raised.
We stayed until about 9:15, the longest meeting in quite a few months. After our regular meeting Glen presented us with a demo of hooking up WiFi on our in house 800XL computer.
So, what’s in it? The website says, “Not just another Atari picture book!” But, well, it IS another Atari picture book, just one that is extremely comprehensive. It appears to me to be mostly materials that I have seen before, yet I’m still pleased with my purchase just for the convenience and coolness factor of having so much pulled together from so many places, organized into one physical artifact. And I am certainly looking forward to Volume Two, I think the Tramiel years get less attention overall, so I hope it will be even more of a unique contribution to the community. Thanks, keep using that Atari, and come to your next SPACE meeting: Friday, May 10, 2019.
He had to order many parts from China which turned out to be very cheap including free shipping, and after a difficult soldering job onto an old Atari interface he had a successful connection through an I/O cable so you don’t need any additional power source. Glen has all the software and documentation needed to make this work. For our finances we started April with a bank balance of $427.54. We had 8-bit DOM sales of $27.00 and ST DOM sales of $18.00 for a total of $45.00. Now as of April 30, 2019, we ended with a bank balance of $472.54. I kicked around the idea of having a spaghetti dinner for our birthday party for a change from tacos. I got some favorable views but nothing definitive. We need to carry this idea forward to the next two SPACE meetings. Hopefully with the weather improving we will continue with meetings like we just had. It was nice to see Steve, Lance, and Brian back, and maybe Michael will be able to make the trip from Wisconsin in the near future. See you next month.
HELLO WORLD! It was great to be back at the Club last month, and I was happy to be there. We had a longer meeting due to the fact that we had to go through four DOMs full of files. That is how far behind I am in the DOMs with the Review. But, I will get it done before the next Club meeting. I am going to make a very large newsletter to accommodate the Review. It will have ALL four DOMs reviewed in it. I might as well catch up all at once. Again, my apologies for not getting all the Reviews done in the past four months, but things happen. I was impressed by Glen’s demonstration of his setup, using the A8 with the wireless connection in the building. It seemed really cool, and maybe something will come of it. Perhaps, we could use something like that for SPACE, but it may be too much of a hobby at present. I do not know. Those were the main points during last month’s meeting. But, as Greg stated, we did talk about the SPACE Birthday Party coming up in July. I must digress: as much as like tacos for the Party, I also like spaghetti as well. I suppose that there could be reason enough to have both items on the menu. I think that was even discussed. That way, both taco lovers and spaghetti eaters can rejoice. That is my two cents on that. Anyway, I must close for now. I have a lot of writing to do. So, I will make this short and sweet. In the closing words of the late, great Stan Lee... EXCELSIOR!
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Page One: The President’s Corner Treasurer’s Report Secretary’s Report Page Two:
TRIVIA TIME! Atari tried to port the classic arcade game “Star Castle,” but due to the limitations in technology at the time, it could not be done properly. Veteran programmer Howard Scott Warshaw did create something similar. It was the smash hit A2600 game “Yar’s Revenge.”
Atari 8-bit DOM Review Message from Captain Irata: “Hey, I will take you on a ride with me, SPACE Cadets. I will drive you nuts!” HOO-RAH!
you get the remaining points on the timer. The game is pretty cool. It is very colorful and fun. It is challenging as well. I like this game and would play it again. SCORE: Well, here we are, and finally. Anyway, this is going to be the longest A8 DOM Review in a while. I am already wasting time with it, so I will get started now.
Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Sound:
TOTAL: 33/40
January 2019 DOM, Side A: The first file on this DOM is called “Phobos,” showing what looks like a mask. I think that, in Greek mythology, whoever wears the mask of Phobos discovers his innermost fears. That is, if I remember correctly, anyway. It is a nice picture. It has a lot of detail. It also looks murky, like something sinister is about to develop. Here is my score on that: TOTAL:
8/10
The next file, another pic called “Ostatnia wieczerza,” is a picture by Bogs Loby. It looks like a take on the Last Supper, only instead of Christ and His Twelve Disciples, it shows programmers getting drunk. It is interesting. It even shows a person throwing up on the table. I can see the humor in it. It is a bunch of people getting to have a good time. Other than that, well, I don’t know. It is still interesting. TOTAL:
7/10
The third file is called “Ironia Much,” and it shows a picture of a bunch of flies on the screen. I like the detail. It is very good, for a black-and-white rendering. It must have taken a lot of time to render this. But, it is pretty good. I wonder if it is an Apple II conversion. It has the greens and reds in the lines on the screen. That seems to give it away. But, it is quite striking. TOTAL:
9/10
The next file is a game called “Radar Rat Race,” a 1982 port by Commodore Electronics, converted in 2018 for the Atari by N. Kehrer. It shows rats in a maze trying to navigate through it while getting cheese and avoiding the cats. Also, your rat is racing against other rats. Just don’t crash into them. All this has to be done within a time limit, which is shown on the top of the screen. It is challenging, and looks like a great port. I think that it needs more to it with the graphics, but it is from 1982. So, I won’t worry too much about that. Cool game. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Sound:
6/10 6/10 9/10 6/10
TOTAL:
27/40
The next game is called “Major Blink,” by John Williams. It is like a combination of Qix and Targ, and old arcade maze game, but unlike Targ, it has no tanks. You must avoid everything on the screen and trace the squares.
8/10 8/10 9/10 8/10
The next game on the DOM is called “Kowalsky’s Fury,” by Kamil Trzaska. You play a soldier that has to stop the Erodine Corporation from creating human-animal Chimera hybrids. The mission is this: destroy the seven servers in the building that contain the scientific knowledge to create these abominations. There is a lot of opposition along the way. Soldiers, robots, other creatures try to stop you from your agenda. This is a great game. It is very difficult, though. I still cannot figure out where all the servers are. So, it is extremely challenging. I like the game, and I think that this may be one of the better games on this DOM. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Sound:
9/10 10/10 10/10 10/10
TOTAL:
39/40
The last file on Side A of this DOM is called “Train 2 FA,” by Baha Software. You control a train. As it collects the dots, you get more rail cars. Try not to hit anything with the train engine. You can lose the game that way. It is kind of like “Surround” for the A2600. It has nice graphics and it is a challenging game. It is also very interesting. I like it myself, and I will score accordingly. So, here is my score: SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Sound:
7/10 6/10 9/10 8/10
TOTAL:
30/40 Side B:
There is only one file on Side B of this DOM. It is called “Get Up 2,” by the Atari Bit Byte Users’ Club (ABBUC) in 2018. You play a spaceship trying to get into space from the bottom of the ocean. That is NOT as easy as it sounds. In fact, it is very challenging. You have to maneuver away from obstacles in the water, on your way to space. I have never been able to do it. But, that is the fun part. Its difficulty level actually is the draw to the game. The title screen is very well developed. It is a greatlooking and challenging. Kudos to the people of ABBUC in Germany, who programmed this game, and you got a believer in the programming prowess you guys have here! SCORE:
But, there is a problem, as these little guys try to reverse what you are doing. They vacuum up the tracing job you are working on. You can shoot them and other things in your way to bide time.
Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Sound:
10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10
You have a time limit, as your bonus timer clicks down. If you make it through the level in time,
TOTAL:
40/40 (perfect score)
February 2019 DOM, Side A: The first file on this DOM is called “Mario Land,” created in 2018 by Wapniak, and it shows a ball in a Super Mario-like setting. However, it is not exactly Mario. The main character is not Mario, but a ball. It is just a demo, and it needs work. But, it is a start. I will score accordingly: SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: TOTAL:
6/10 9/10 4/10 19/30
The next file is called “Highway Encounter,” created in 1985 by Vortex Software, and converted in 2018 for Atari. It is an isometric perspective game. In the game, you play a convoy of robots. You have to protect the other robots from being destroyed and their cargo as well. Great looking, but hard to play. The controls have to be practiced because of the perspective in the game. So, it is a little to be desired, and can be unbecoming. You just have to learn a new way of doing it. Challenging, but it does look pretty cool. It has an interesting premise, though. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Sound:
10/10 9/10 10/10 7/10
TOTAL:
36/40
The next file is a picture called “MakeA600.” It shows an Atari user that looks like Mister Rogers hacking an Amiga 600 computer in half with an axe, much to the chagrin of the Commodore users in the background of the picture. It is hilarious. I love the detail in the picture. It looks, actually, quite impressive. It is very intricate, especially in the character’s face. TOTAL:
9/10
The last file on this side of the February 2019 DOM is called “Total Eclipse,” and it is an excellent game. It is in first-person perspective. You are an archaeologist, exploring an ancient Egyptian pyramid tomb. You have weapons and must explore the tomb. It is in 3D, and it shows. It is a very good game and extremely well thought out. I could not figure it out, though, at the club, but it is a detailed game with realism and depth. Kudos! SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Sound:
10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10
TOTAL:
40/40 (perfect score) Side B:
There is only one game on the next side of the DOM, called “Millionaire.” It is based the hit TV game show. The premise is simple: answer all the questions correctly, you get the million dollars. You have the lifelines. It is just like on the game show. The trivia can be challenging, but I love trivia. It is an almost perfect knockoff of the game show. I love it. I have yet to get to the million-dollar mark. It is a very well thought-out game. Kudos!
tice on this improved hack of the game. You will definitely need the practice to find the treasure!
SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Sound:
9/10 10/10 9/10
TOTAL: 28/30 March 2019 DOM, Side A: The first file on this DOM is a music track called “Zilch,” by MotionRide. It is interesting and comedic in the way it sounds. I think it is supposed to be hilarious. It sounds that way to me. I thought that it could have been better, though. But, it is fun to listen to. TOTAL:
7/10
The next file is a picture called “Dobiegniev Buturovich,” and I believe that might be the name of the person depicted in the picture, but that is a guess since I do not speak Polish. It is basically a cartoon of a guy standing next to a couch, with a computer in the background. He is also wearing and Atari hoodie. So, that is appropriate, being it is on an Atari machine. It is not the greatest looking picture I have ever seen. But, it will pass. It is good work, but I think it needs more detail. TOTAL:
8/10
The next file, another picture, is called “Transformation,” and it is extremely well rendered. It looks like another RastaConverter file to me, showing a beautiful bird in extraordinary color.
Good job! SCORE:
SCORE:
Graphics: Animation: Sound: Gameplay:
8/10 10/10 9/10 10/10
TOTAL:
37/40
SCORE: Graphics: Animation:
10/10 9/10
TOTAL:
19/20
The next file is another small demo file called “No Operation! 256b.” It shows the letters “NO OP” in the middle of a pattern of ever-changing curves. It looks like bacteria in the background moving around. I like the demo, and it could be more, but it is only a 256-byte file size. I am amazed, however, at the graphics capability of such demos like these, as they are such a small file size. Great demo, for its size, and I love it.
TOTAL:
TOTAL:
26/30
The next file is a demo called “Greed 256b.” It shows a grid and the screen panning over it in realtime. I like the rendering and animation. It is very good. It shows how to push the aesthetics of what the old A8 can really do.
The next file is yet another small-sized demo called “Pixel 256b.” It looks interesting. The animation is a little choppy, but that is OK. The pixels in the demo are animated and show various string patterns. It is somewhat impressive, actually.
I understand it is a small file, but that is what makes it so good, as it needs less memory to run and can run faster in RAM. Hence, the real-time animation, as it works its magic on the screen.
It sounds like a movie projector, and that is OK, too. I am quite astounded by it actually.
Kudos again to the programmer, as it is a very well done animation.
Graphics: Animation: Sound:
7/10 8/10 7/10
TOTAL:
22/30
TOTAL: 27/30 The next file is a hack of game “Montezuma’s Revenge,” called “Montezuma Again!” It is hacked to be more difficult than the original smash hit game for the A8. Panama Joe is back to claim the treasure of Montezuma as his own. He has to go against edited levels and faster and deadlier enemies. Well, it definitely is much more difficult. Otherwise, the game is basically the same, just the fact that the levels in the game are redesigned to be harder, thanks to the programming duo Steve and Bruce. They also once created a version of “Pitfall II: Dark Caverns” for the A8, and I played it when I was sixteen years old. But it is a great game, and I suggest that you prac-
30/30 (perfect)
It is very fast-paced music, and has a lot of action fused in it. I like the music, and it is still a funny little tune. It is one of the better tunes on this side.
9/10 9/10 8/10
9/10 10/10 8/10
TOTAL:
It looks nice and I like the animated smoke effect coming from the letters on the bottom of the screen. There is little to be seen, but what is there looks actually impressive. Superb work!
Graphics: Animation: Sound:
Graphics: Animation: Sound:
10/10 10/10 10/10
The final file on this side of the DOM is called “JIL.” It has a weird description. It is about a vigilante monkey that fights crime and steals candy. It is another file by MotionRide.
SCORE:
SCORE:
Graphics: Animation: Sound:
The next file after that is a demo called “Burn 256b.” It shows type letters that look like they are burning, as smoke rises off of them.
The bird seems to be snatching the CPU from a motherboard, as there is circuitry depicted at the bottom of the screen. This is a well done rendering. I love it, and I looks very pleasing to the eye. Very good! Kudos to the artist! 10/10 (perfect)
it delights. It has a lot going on: text tickers, realtime animation, and great sound. This is probably the best demo on this side of this DOM. Kudos to the programmers of this demo. Nice job!
SCORE:
The next demo is called “Starball 256b.” It shows a bunch of white pixels (stars) swirling around in a diamond-like pattern. The animation is excellent, and in real-time. It is also very fast. The graphics could be improved, but it still delights. I think it is quite a good demo, myself.
TOTAL:
8/10 Side B:
The first file depicted from this side of the DOM is a picture called “Grom Hellscream.” It shows a warrior with an axe in what looks like a mouth or cave. It was created by MotionRide. It is also very well done. I like the detail in the picture. Kudos to the artist for his well-rendered job. TOTAL: 9/10 The next file is called “16384,” by String. It is a well-designed demo, with fine animation, excellent music, and cool graphics. I love this demo and it lives up to its name. Kudos for the great graphics and animation in this demo! They are indeed well done! SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Sound:
10/10 10/10 10/10
TOTAL:
30/30 (perfect)
The next file is a picture called “Cleric.” It shows a woman, but it is very pleasing to the eye. It is well drawn and rendered. I like this picture. It is innocuous and clean. Another good job, and it shows. TOTAL:
9/10
The last file on this DOM is another demo called “Grey Room with Broken Music.” It just shows a man’s head and the “BENQ” logo. I think that this also has a PAL problem. Great graphics, but it needs more, but I could be unable to see the rest because of the suspected PAL issue. SCORE: Graphics: Sound:
9/10 7/10
TOTAL:
16/20
Now, to the final DOM in this Review!
SCORE:
April 2019 DOM, Side A:
Graphics: Animation:
7/10 10/10
TOTAL:
17/20
The next demo is called “True Maze 256b,” but I do not see the maze part of it. It just shows a bunch of lines on the screen. It does not do anything. I think that there is a PAL problem with it. TOTAL: 5/10 The next demo is called “No Bank Skank.” But,
The first file in this DOM is called “Top Secret: Part 1,” by Bol, Poison, and Rick. This is their first Atari demo. It delights. It has fine animation, and great effects. It is a good first demo for them, as I am impressed. Kudos to you three for your works, and I cannot wait to see Part 2. SCORE: Graphics: 9/10 Animation:
9/10
Sound:
9/10
TOTAL:
27/30
The next file is a music tune called “Sound of Change,” by MotionRide. The introduction says the song is about a duck receiving classical education in Czechoslovakia. Well, aside from the humor, I like this tune. It sounds like the duck had a good time in Europe. This is a good tune, and the best one heard yet by MotionRide in this DOM. TOTAL:
9/10
The next file is an intro called “OneDimensional,” by SillyVenture. I love the raster effects. The colors and the music delight and it has a real-time textticker animation. Very good job, and it is going to be rated as such. Kudos! SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Sound:
10/10 10/10 10/10
TOTAL:
30/30 (perfect)
The next file is “Seaxteen,” by Caruso, and is a demo. Nothing happened. It must have been stuck. It could have been a PAL problem, but I am not so sure. I can’t rate something that I cannot see. So, my apologies, I must go on. The next file is called “Rodman Demo,” by Misfit. It is a Pac-Man clone. It has monotonous color, but is somewhat difficult at best. I thought that the graphics could be better, but it is a great game otherwise. The sound could be better, too. I like the game, however, because I am a Pac-Man fan. It is challenging. I just need practice. It’s a good game. SCORE: Graphics; Animation: Gameplay: Sound:
8/10 9/10 9/10 7/10
TOTAL:
33/40
The next file is called “6502 Compo Invitation,” by AtariArea. It has great music and animation. Basically, it sounds like a programming competition in Europe. It is sponsored by Lotharek and others, and I have heard of Lotharek. He is a good guy in the Atari realm. He created the VBXE board, for the A8, if I am not mistaken. But, otherwise, I like this advertisement. It’s a pretty cool invite. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Sound:
9/10 9/10 10/10
TOTAL:
28/30
The next file is called “Monster (Lucy)” and it shows a cute little monster smiling and has a heart on its chest. The message says its s a dangerous monster, but it is innocuous. Cute and funny, it should delight kids. Otherwise, it is pretty good. TOTAL:
8/10
The next file is called “Sentry,” and is a picture. It shows a warrior with a helmet, shield, and a club. It is striking. I like it and it is imposing as well. The colors are well used and I am pleased with the composition. TOTAL:
8/10
The next file is called “Mage,” and is another picture. It shows a wizard in a dark forest casting spells from his hands. It is dark, foreboding, and fun. It looks pretty striking. I like the composition. Pretty nice rendering. TOTAL: 8/10 The next file is a tune called “Potato Heart,” by MotionRide. It is fast, uplifting, and springy. It shows action and is pulsepounding. Pretty cool tune, and I did enjoy it. TOTAL: 8/10 The last file on this side of the DOM is called “R0ger Atari Demo,” by Forever. It is an invite to an Atariada 2019, which is already past, unfortunately. But, it shows a car driving to a building in the distance. It has great animation and parallax scrolling. I am impressed by it. I love the demos, especially the invites, from Eastern Europe. They have such talented programmers. It makes me wish that I could code as well. So, maybe I envy these guys, but they code these demos very well. Great job, guys, at Atariada! Thanks for your skill! SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Sound:
9/10 10/10 9/10
TOTAL:
28/30 Side B:
The next side has only one game: “Space Fortress Omega.” It is like “Caverns of Mars.” You pilot a spaceship in these caves, fighting aliens and destroying obstacles. But, if you crash into anything, you are space dust! The graphics could be better, and the sound as well. But, it is very challenging, and I enjoyed playing it. Here is my take on that. SCORE: Graphics: Sound: Animation: Gameplay:
7/10 7/10 10/10 9/10
TOTAL: 33/40 Finally, this concludes the A8 Review. I hope that you enjoyed the unusually long Review. It was a trial writing it, but I enjoyed every bit of it. Thanks for reading. Carpe Diem, fellow Atarians and SPACE Cadets! See you next month, and my apologies for the long-winded Review. Have a happy!
The next SPACE meeting will commence on Friday, May 10, 2019, at 7:30 PM. We hope to see you there! Thanks!
SPACE COMICS SECTION!
The Misadventures of A-Man and C.D. By Steve Peck
Angel, Bandit, and Their Ferret Fracas By Steve Peck
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