SPACE Newsletter

1982 •FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY EDITION• 2022

SPACE Club Birthday Party this month!!

A much less attended SPACE meeting in June.

HELLO WORLD!

Come celebrate with Jersey Mike’s subs, root-beer floats, and whatever you bring to the proceedings!

Only four members were there, but we had a good meeting. Tom, our newest member (who by the way shows up for every meeting), brought in a program listing which he demoed on the big screen, which was well done by a guy who commented throughout the long program.

OK, folks, I am back! This time, I made it to the SPACE Meeting on the night of Friday, June 10, 2022. It was fun, by the way. Anyway, the Report will commence starting now.

Regarding the recent conversion of the entire back-file of club newsletters to indexed PDF format on our website, Google has yet to index most of the newsletters as of this writing. It’s entirely possible that I simply have to remain patient, but just now I took another step to help it along by creating and submitting a site map to Google. I understand this to be no more than a helpful suggestion to their index bot, but I thought I’d give it a shot! My recent Atari research work has focused on working my way chronologically forward through Current Notes magazine. I started this project YEARS ago! I’m now up through 1991 and just into 1992. Most of it goes pretty quickly, but it has also caused me to revisit large issues such as the saga and eventual release (as a Class A device) of the Atari TT (but only the desktop model, not the originally-planned tower model), and the related saga and eventual release (for developers) of Atari System V (Atari’s version of UNIX). People go to such great lengths to put Atari computers on the Internet, but I wonder if the TT running ASV and with an Ethernet connection can natively go online successfully even today? Once I run out of other things to do, that would be a fun project to try! Thanks, keep using that Atari, and come to your next SPACE meeting and PARTY: Friday, July 8, 2022.

It was for the 6502 microprocessors and had PiPico as part of the name (which I did not hardly understand by the way). It was way over my head but very interesting just the way it was polished and brilliantly presented. For our treasury in June we started with a balance of $1,151.74. We had four membership renewals for $60.00 and sold 15 DOMs for another $45.00. So we added another $105.00 to our previous balance for a new total of $1,256.74. This was mainly due to Steve making payment for three renewals and Tom renewing his membership. We also decided on having a SPACE birthday party in July, and the Club will pay for Jersey Mike’s subs. We have chips, desert and beverages covered so anything else you you want to bring would be appreciated. My wife and I will bring table items, and of course Glen the makings for root-beer floats. I hope you can all make it since it has been quite a while in-between parties. Another topic for next month is the fact that the bank problem I thought was resolved apparently is not. I got another letter from the bank that says they still need more information about our Club. The bank manager at my branch was as perplexed as I was. It seems that the bank is okay with everything, but because the bank is now responsible for reporting anything suspicious or irregular the FDIC is concerned with our account. They have no support for Clubs, per se, so they included our account with large bank customers as a business account. My bank manager took a copy of the letter and will find out what is going on.

Message from Captain Irata: We SPACE Cadets are looking for a few good Atarians! So, come join us then! HOO-RAH!

The Meeting commenced at 7:35 PM. As Greg kindly stated, only four members were present with myslef included. We mostly talked about the Birthday Party and Tom’s presented the idea of using a 6502 processor with a Raspberry Pi Pico. I hope that the PiStorm can be created for the MegaSTE computer, or a TerribleFire (TF) upgrade. It seems there are problems implementing TerribleFire for the MegaSTE because of its design. At least, that is my understanding anyway. PiStorm and TF are already made for the Amiga, but one could get a TF536 for an older ST. PiStorm uses a Raspberry Pi for the CPU of the Amiga, resulting in faster CPU speeds. TF upgrades use a 68030 CPU, fast RAM, and even IDE. This is to my knowledge, anyway. Anyway, I am hoping with the Party expenses we can rectify the banking issues. I may not be able to get to the Party (sorry, guys), but maybe we can attempt the hybrid meeting approach again. I don’t know. At 7:55 PM, the meeting officially adjourned for the night, then Tom provided us with that nice review of the 6502 hooked to a Pi Pico, which was very interesting and well received. I hope the Party is a success and we can get more people to join us there. I am sure it will be fun. I wish everything was easier to get done economically. With the high gas prices and staggering inflation, it is difficult. So, with that I will close, hoping to find a solution to the lack of attendance issues on my end. In the words of the late, great Stan Lee… EXCELSIOR! TRIVIA TIME!

I have bank statements going back to when I became Treasurer, so if they want an audit I have everything they need.

On June 27, 1972, Atari went into business, founded by Nolan Bushnell and the late Ted Dabney. The rest is video game history.

I think going over the thousand dollar mark is what triggered the problem that is why I suggested the club pay for the birthday subs. Anyway Jessica, my bank manager, does not see any problems and I should have more information by the time we meet in July for our party.

–TABLE OF CONTENTS–

Write on your calendar the date, July 8, so you don’t forget. It comes up fast since it is the second Friday, but also the earliest the Club meets in any month. Hope to see you all there!

Page Two: Atari 8-bit DOM Review

Page One: The Presdient’s Corner Treasurer’s Report Secretary’s Report

Page Seven: SPACE Comics Section

TOTAL SCORE:

30/30 (perfect score)

The next file is a game called “Mazy,” again by Marquee Design. It is a maze game where you fight monsters with a knife (or cross), trying to get to the exit in each level in time. It is like a puzzle, where you have to use your weapons sparingly. Welcome back! During the last SPACE Meeting, I was able to purchase the June 2022 DOM. Now, I can present a Review on a current DOM for the Atari 8-bit computer line. So, we are going to do just that. So, let’s get started!

It is difficult, at best, but challenging. Intersting game and premise. Take a look for yourselves.

Awesome gameplay. It is challenging to play. Here’s my score on that. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:

7 10 7 7

TOTAL SCORE:

31/40

The next game is called “Cavit,” again by Inufuto. It is like “Dig Dug,” only you have to get treasures by digging underground. There is a time limit to it. This is an ongoing theme for the last three games. It is challenging enough, but needs more.

June 2022 DOM, Side A: The first file on this most recent DOM is called “Kefren_S,” by Marek Oglodek. It has the the message “Love Byte,” with the word “love” represented by a heart, filled with a wave graphic.

Again, I wish the graphics and sound were better. But, it’s still chalenging. You can drop rocks on your enemies. You can dig tunnels to treasures. But, you must avoid your enemies or die.

Normally, files like this are 256 bytes in size. Strangely enough, this is 262 bytes. Six bytes added for good measure. It works for me. Anyway, I have a picture of this graphic. Take a look.

I enjoy the game, no wories about that. It is simple in appearance, but challenging gameplay. Don’t let its looks fool you. Take a look for yourselves.

It looks quite impressive and elegant. It sounds like static on the screen, but I like the sound and it adds to the nuance. I will score this demo now.

I wish the graphics and sound could be better, but the game is still challenging with cunning monsters. I will score the game now.

SCORE:

SCORE:

Graphics: Animation: Music/SFX:

10 10 9

TOTAL SCORE:

29/30

The next file on the DOM is called “Interstate 128,” by Marquee Design. It is a 134-byte file, much smaller than the rest. I tried it on my 130XE, and nothing happened. So, I cannot rate a demo I can’t see. So, with that, I will move on. Sorry about that. The next file is called “My Secret Garden,” a demo by Ralf Patschke. It is a graphic and music demo, and it looks and sounds great, with excellent andfast music. I like the patterns in the demo. It’s also quite colorful. Take a look for yourselves.

Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:

7 10 7 7

TOTAL SCORE:

31/40

The next game is called “BootSkell,” by Inufuto. It is a “Pengo” clone. You must smash your enemies with blocks you kick at them. It gets harder as it goes on. There is a time limit to the levels. Again, the graphics and sound could be better, but the game play works for me. It is challenging and fun to play. Take a look.

That’s my take on this game. Here’s my score. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:

7 10 7 7

TOTAL SCORE:

31/40

The final game is called “Dungeoneer,” by Jason Graves. It is much more difficult. It also more colorful. You have to avoid rivers and evil creatures to get a key to open the door to the next level. The graphics are blocky and cutesy-looking, but it is challenging. It gets even more challenging and the levels get bigger as you go along. Take a look.

It truly shows what the A8 can really do. Here’s my score on that. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/SFX:

10 10 10

out, and it can happen to you. If you throw a combination of six on the dice, a stone on start has to be moved off of the start position. At least, that is what I got from the instructions. Here are some screen shots.

With that I will score. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Music/SFX:

7 8 10 9

TOTAL SCORE:

24/40

The next file is a muisc track called “Mission Failed Successfully,” by Przunk. It is a good track. It seems mild and the tempo is OK. It gets better over time with echo effects and a key change. Overall, it seems like a peppy track that is fun to listen to. Here’s my score. TOTAL SCORE:

9/10

The final file on Side A is a picture called “Omega Certificate,” by Odyniec. It depicts a woman clad in armor and a cloak with a sickle that says “Prima Fiala” on the blade. You can take a look here.

Personally, I found it challenging. It looks good and is interesting. It can have a learning curve, if you haven’t played this game before. It looks good. I would personally want to play with other people. You can play from one to four human players. With that I will score. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:

9 10 7 7

TOTAL SCORE:

33/40

So, that’s it. This wraps up the A8 DOM Review. I hope you have enjoyed it. I will have another Review for next month in August. Carpe Diem, fellow Atarians, and thanks. See you again!

The colors are detailed and many in this pic. It looks pleasing aesthetically, although morbid. I think she is supposed to be the Grim Reaper. With that, I will score. TOTAL SCORE:

9/10

Now, onto Side B! Side B: The final file on this disk is called “Runfast,” by Sikor Soft. It is a board game sim. It’s based on a game called Ludo. You have to get all your stones home. If no stones are out, you have three tries to roll a six to move. Everything moves clockwise. If you get home, your move stops. Then you must use another try to get in. You need the correct count to get in. If you land on a special field, the fortune wheel turns, deciding what option you get. You could get anything, good or bad. If you land on a stone, that stone will be thrown

Recent Atari News Atari Celebrates 50th Anniversary with FirstTime-Ever Founder Interview, Stadia Announcement CEO Wade Rosen and Founder Nolan Bushnell Share Their Thoughts on the Legacy of Atari in an Exclusive Discussion and Atari Shares First Details on Its Recharged Series Joining Stadia Pro One of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — is marking the celebration of the company’s founding on June 27, 1972, with an exclusive video featuring a discussion between CEO Wade Rosen and founder Nolan Bushnell. In a video available exclusively on IGN and Atari. com, CEO Wade Rosen and founder Nolan Bushnell sit down to discuss Atari’s legacy of creativity and innovation, its formative role in the development of the modern video game industry, the Atari brand’s sustained role in popular culture, and what will define the company as it pushes forward for the next 50 years. Atari is honoring its fans and customers with a special Golden Anniversary sale happening now, with limited-time deals on the Atari VCS and exclusive 50th anniversary t-shirts, both available now at www.Atari.com. “The story of the early days of Atari is, in many ways, the history of the birth of video games,” said Wade Rosen, Atari CEO. “I’m excited to share this very special conversation with founder Nolan Bushnell as we celebrate the tremendous impact of Atari on popular culture and the video game industry over the past 50 years.” Since Rosen took the role of CEO, Atari has returned to its roots in premium game development and publishing, releasing new titles and bringing more content to PC, console, and streaming platforms. As part of this return, the company today announced that five of these new games are coming to Stadia, Google’s gaming platform. The first four games in the Atari Recharged series – Centipede, Black Widow, Asteroids and Breakout – are coming to Stadia this year. Centipede: Recharged launches July 1 for purchase on the Stadia store and to claim for free with Stadia Pro. The Recharged series updates classic Atari games for current generation gaming hardware and adds gameplay features that appeal to modern players, including particle effects, power-ups, co-op play and original soundtracks by award-winning composer Megan McDuffee. In addition to the Recharged games, the critically acclaimed puzzle game Kombinera will be added to Stadia in September. Expect more news, including game and product announcements, to follow during the week as Atari continues to celebrate 50 years. Stay up-todate on all things Atari and the 50th-anniversary announcements by following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

It’s Minigame Madness in Atari’s All-New Atari Mania, Coming to Atari VCS, Nintendo Switch, and PC This Summer

Atari XP 50th Anniversary Cartridge Collection – Adventure and Missile Command Reveal

Fight Back the “Dead Pixels” and Other Surprising Villains, and Restore Order to the (Atari) Vault!

One of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — is marking the celebration of the company’s founding on June 27, 1972, with an exclusive video featuring a discussion between CEO Wade Rosen and founder Nolan Bushnell.

Atari® — one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — is thrilled to reveal today its brand new microgame title, Atari Mania. Coming later this year to Atari VCS, Nintendo Switch, and PC, Atari Mania features a robust storyline told through a selection of 150 microgames, each incorporating beloved Atari classics from the 1970s and ‘80s golden era of gaming. “As we celebrate Atari’s 50th Anniversary, Atari Mania gives fans a way to re-engage with their favorite Atari games and characters, while also introducing a new generation to the games that launched the industry,” said Atari CEO Wade Rosen. “Atari Mania takes the elements of an Atari classic – incredibly fun, fast-twitch gameplay – and mixes them with the selfreferential humor and over-the-top joy of a company celebrating five decades of amazing experiences.” In Atari Mania, you’ll step into the shoes of “Caretaker of the Atari Vault,” tasked with watching over the storehouse of retrotastic Atari games. One night, a dead pixel appears, and then soon enough, all heck breaks loose! As you journey through the Vault, you find that familiar and beloved games have begun to warp, mutate and meld into a series of increasingly wild challenges. With over 150 lightning-fast microgames to master, you will have to beat killer combinations of well-known Atari properties, solve puzzles, complete challenges, and beat the clock, all with fun Atari easter eggs to uncover along the way. As you advance, you will complete runs of increasingly difficult microgames in randomly generated order, before facing a series of epic boss battles. Key Features of Atari Mania Include: Manic Mashups: Over 150 microgames inspired by the breadth of Atari’s decades-spanning catalog, from Asteroids to Yars’ Revenge. Fight back Centipedes with a Pong paddle while the iconic Adventure dragon hunts you down! It’s crossover madness in the best way possible! •

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Excellent Exploration: Solve tricky puzzles and utilize clever tools to progress through the Vault and discover classically-inspired Atari Easter Eggs. Pixel-Perfect Pizzaz: A charming neo-retro art update to the classic Atari 2600 style is completed by a soundtrack of retro-inspired jams. Characters Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before: Go face to antennae with some of the greatest games and characters in video game history. Trust us — you’ll never think of Bentley Bear the same way again! Treasure Trove of Atari History: Collectibles abound, including vintage Atari art, posters, manuals, and fun facts. Fully playable versions of remastered Atari classics are unlocked by completing cheeky challenges.

Developed by Montreal-based game design studio Illogika, Atari Mania will release on Atari VCS, Nintendo Switch, and PC later this year. The game will be available for purchase for $19.99 on all platforms. Wishlist now on Steam. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1911800/Atari_Mania/

Atari revealed today a new series of collectible cartridges for the Atari 2600 commemorating the company’s 50th Anniversary. The series of 10 cartridges, featuring Atari’s most iconic titles, will launch over the next six months, beginning with fan favorites Adventure and Missile Command, now available for preorder on the Atari XP official website and on Limited Run Games. The limited edition cartridges feature striking, reimagined artwork on the front label and are adorned with an acrylic logo on the top of the cartridges, unique to each respective title, that light up when being played. The cartridges will ship in newly designed boxes that are inspired by the colorful and iconic packaging of the original Atari 2600 games. Recognized as the first action-adventure video game, Adventure enthralled players when it was released on the Atari 2600 in 1980. The game features an explorable map, hidden rooms, randomly appearing objects, and roaming enemies. Adventure is also the first commercially available console video game to include a hidden easter egg, which developer Warren Robinett famously included because the company policy prohibited developers from being credited on packaging or in-game at the time. Another iconic title from the golden age of video games, Missile Command, pulled its gameplay scenario directly from the Cold War era. Players must use missile batteries to defend six cities from attacks by bombers, satellites, and ICBMs. First designed by Dave Theurer as an arcade game, Missile Command was released as a cartridge for the Atari 2600 in 1981 and sold 2.5 million copies on its way to becoming one of the most popular and recognizable video games ever. Players and collectors can preorder each game for $99.99 at atarixp.com and at limitedrungames. com. Preorders will close on July 31, with cartridges shipping to customers 30 days after the preorder window closes. The 50th Anniversary Collection Limited Edition Cartridges include: • • • • • •

A newly manufactured Atari 2600 cartridge with custom artwork and an acrylic top that lights up when being played. Premium game box with custom artwork, 50th-anniversary branding, and a cutout that allows you to see the front of the cartridge Custom acrylic Atari cartridge stand A color-printed instruction manual A hard enamel collectible pin with black nickel plating A polyester blend, twill-woven embroidered collectible patch

Atari XP cartridges are manufactured to exacting standards from all new parts and materials, with beveled edges to prevent pin damage, strong goldplated connectors, and identical power draw to the originals. Learn more about the Atari XP initiative and follow stories about the many included games’ inception, visit the official website here: https://atarixp.com/. Expect more news, including game and product announcements, to follow during the week as Atari continues to celebrate 50 years. Stay up-todate on all things Atari and the 50th-anniversary announcements by following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

SPACE COMICS SECTION!

The next SPACE Meeting will commence on Friday, July 8, 2022 at 7:30 PM. We hope to see you there. Thanks for coming!