August 2022
• August 2022 Edition •
It was a small but fun celebration last month, good to see everyone who made it! I just checked on the status on Google adding our PDF SPACE Newsletter back issues to their index. Well, it’s going very slowly. There are still about 30 issues indexed, but another 420 that aren’t. As far as I know there’s nothing else to do but wait. Maybe it goes more slowly when the site overall doesn’t get a ton of hits, so it’s computed to be less of a priority compared to other sites? Hard to say! I’ll keep watching it. In Atari research news I started a new FAQ section to pull together all the ways to run CP/M or MS-DOS apps on an 8-bit Atari system. Of course, not on the actual Atari hardware, but on devices for the Atari like the ATR8000 interface, the Indus GT disk drive, or FujiNet. It’s been a slow slog as other projects keep turning up, but I think I have a good start so far. One of the side projects had me investigating “packs” and bundles of 8-bit Atari stuff sold by Atari UK around 1985-1987, leading to accounting for all unique Atari UK cassette releases. The two topics came together as I came to the conclusion that all of the “red” Atari UK cassettes were made for the purpose of specific boxed packs or bundles, rather than being meant to be sold on their own. So it was fun sorting out which cassettes went with which packs. One remains unconfirmed: I would like to find a way to verify what pack or bundle included the “red” Atari UK Star Raiders cassette (not a compilation cassette, just Star Raiders). I have an educated guess, hopefully to be confirmed or proven wrong some day! Thanks, keep using that Atari, and come to your next SPACE meeting: Friday, August 12, 2022.
A total of six people showed up for our 40th SPACE Birthday Party. Five members and my wife were in attendance. The subs went over well and with the addition of the salads, cookies and granola bars it made for a well balanced meal. And to top it off we had to down a couple of Glen’s root beer floats to make it a perfect meal! Tom brought another show and tell which I will leave it to him to describe at a later meeting when more members can be present. Way too technical for me! Very sad to hear about Rich Mier having been diagnosed with stage three lung cancer. He is taking an aggressive treatment regimen for this and we all hope it’s successful. Rich needs our prayers and support. As for our bank information for July 2022, we started the month with a balance of $1,256.74. We spent $78.52 for our party subs which reduced our balance to $1,178.22, but we also added $45.00 which included two membership renewals and five DOMs sold, ($30.00 and $15.00) respectively. So, we ended the month with a final balance of $1,223.22. I still have not gotten the reason from the bank on why they have questions on our account. It seems they don’t have a category for club accounts so I they stuck us in with the business accounts. Apparently they have rules for business accounts that do not fit with clubs so they are still trying to figure out what to do with our club account. So far they can’t give me an answer, but I keep asking our branch manager, and they know I am waiting on an answer that I can relay back to all of you. They keep assuring me that it won’t be a problem, but they keep sending me a letter that they need more information about the club. I have all my bank statements going back to the month I became the Treasurer, which is more than twenty years, so if they need an audit I told them it won’t be a problem. I think the balance we now have may have something to do with a trigger that is causing this, but the bank manager after I explained the reason for the high balance was very satisfied with my explanation and is okay with everything. So, I will leave it at that until I get an update.
Message from Captain Irata: “Don’t shoot until you see the white pixels of their eyes!” HOO-RAH!
Well that does it for now. Next meeting is August 12th, so I hope to see you all there!
HELLO WORLD! Well, another month and another Secretary’s Report! Although I probably will not be available to make it to the August meeting, I wanted to say I am hoping for one of our members, Rich M., so he has a speedy recovery. Our thoughts are with him and I hope he gets well. Anyway, I am planning to something special with the DOM Reviews. Remember when Nolan F. produced a massive review of ST DOMs in the past? I am planning on doing something similar. This is because I have a lot of DOMs to still catch up on, and I have my own time constraints. Plus, it’s a great idea to create a complimentary DOM Review for the past DOMs not reviewed yet. So, that is where I am at with that. This not only saves time on my end, it also gives me a chance to do more with the Newsletter. I still would like to further enhance the Newsletter. This means improving the comics (tightening the drawings for one thing), and freeing up things. I plan to be there by the next Election, however, so I want to come back for that at least. At least, the gas prices have gone down a bit. Maybe by November, they will go down even more. Well, one can hope anyway. Well, this concludes my Secretary’s Report for August. I will close. But, I wish there were better ways to get down to the Cities to come to the Meetings more often. I will return with another Secretary’s Report next month. In the words of the late, great artist Stan Lee… EXCELSIOR! TRIVIA TIME! Tempest and Missile Command creator (and Minnesota native) David Theurer, was inspired to create those games by nightmares he had about the scenarios in them. The result of his genius has passed into gaming history. TABLE OF CONTENTS: PAGE 1: The President’s Corner, Treasurer’s Report, and the Secretary’s Report PAGE 2: Atari 8-bit DOM Review PAGE 5: Recent Atari News PAGE 6: SPACE Comics Section
SCORE:
Welcome back to the Atari 8-bit DOM Review. In this article, we are going to review the May 2022 DOM. It has a lot of interesting games and demos in it, so let’s get started. NOTE: It turns out that one of the demos from the June 2022 DOM, “Interstate 128,” does work after all, after what Glen K. told me. So, we will review that at the end as a bonus. Apologies for the inconvenience of not showing it here last month.
Graphics: Animation: Music/SFX:
10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
30/30 (perfect score)
The next file is called “We’re Going Down,” by Ivo Van Poorten. This is a 133-byte demo, which also looks good. It shows a moving checkerboard pattern going downward with the music infinitely going downward in tone. What makes this demo is the parallax scrolling. I love the effect. It makes everything look threedimensional. gain, it’s another splendid work of programming. Take a look.
May 2022 DOM, Side One:
It takes a lot of effort and practice to get through a gauntlet like that. Even though, you have once life, you can continue. But, you start only at the beginning. I don’t know if you can continue anywhere farther than that in the game. But, I like Mr. Zubr’s fascination with game difficulty. It is a gem, for sure, no pun intended with it being a treasure-hunting game. With that, I will score this game. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:
9 10 9 9
TOTAL SCORE:
37/40
The next game is called “Yahtzee 2021,” by the group Anschuetz, Weisgerber, and Anscheutz. It is based on the famous dice game. You know the drill: try to score as many combinations on the dice as you can.
The first file is a 76-byte demo called “River,” by Marek Oglodek. For the file size, it looks good. It has fluid animation and vibrant colors. It shows a warping graphic representing a river.
You can get Yahtzees, three or four-of-a-kind, full houses, and straights, to name a few. If you love Yahtzee, like I do, then you will love this game. It takes a little to learn, but it is easy to pick up on. Take a look for yourselves.
The picture below will show you what it looks like. Judge for yourselves, but I think it’s pretty good. Here it is.
Again, a lot of programming effort, but it comes out great. I will score this demo now. SCORE;
I know the picture can’t show the animation, but I liked this demo. It flows in real-time. I quite enjoyed it, and I think you will as well. Great job, Mr. Oglodek. I will score this. SCORE: Graphics: Animation:
9 10
TOTAL SCORE:
19/20
The next file is called “Phase of Haze,” by Jakub Debski. this is a 134-byte graphics show, and it looks excellent. It shows a bunch of dots and animated pixel patterns on screen, like a screensaver on a PC. Take a look for yourselves.
Graphics: Animation: Music/SFX:
10 9 9
TOTAL SCORE:
28/30
The next file is a game called “Zdenda’s Montezuma,” a puzzle game based on “Montezuma’s Revenge,” by Zdenek Zubr. It has a great splash screen at the start of the game. The object is to figure out how to get through the game correctly. If you have played “Montezuma’s Revenge,” you will know what I mean. However, you only have one life to do it, and it is VERY difficult. It’s done that way on purpose, of course;. These pics will show the game in action, and you will know what I mean. It’s really tough!
It’s a great game, and quite fun. So, with that, I will score this game. SCORE: Graphics; Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:
8 10 7 9
TOTAL SCORE:
34/40
The next game is called “Lift,” by Marque Design. You play in a multi-storied building, collecting flags while being chased by a monster. You must ride elevators to get to the other higher levels. Also, you must outwit the monster. After the flags are collected, you advance to another level with more difficulty. It is a good game and plenty fun. It has cutesy graphics and challenging gameplay. Take a look and judge for yourselves.
It looks better with the animation on-screen, so you would have to see it in action on an XE. But, it looks great on-screen. I loved this demo. It looked very technical, actually. Obviously, the programmers in Europe know thir stuff. Thanks for the efforts in creating these demos, everyone involved. They look great and they must take a lot of thought to put them in such a file size constraint. With that, I will score.
It is fun, challenging, and simple. With that, I will score this title. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX: TOTAL SCORE:
7 9 7 6 29/40
The next game is called “Neuras,” another titles by Marquee Design. In this game, you must avoid a monster in a maze while matching like cards. It’s like Pac-Man and Concentration in one. Innovative idea for a game. Once you match the cards, which have letters on them, you advance to the nxt level and another, harder maze. I am impressed by the gameplay and different idea this game is. Challenging and fun, but I wish the graphics and sound were better. But, it is a simple design and it is also a great game otherwise. take a look for yourselves.
Fun game, and you’ll love it. Here is my score.
Here’s my score for this demo.
SCORE:
SCORE:
Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX: TOTAL SCORE:
7 9 7 6 29/40
The next file is a music track called “Sleepless Nights,” by Multisyle Labs 2021. It has peppy music, with nice fades and a great drum beat. It sounds very well done for 8-bit music. I liked and enjoyed listening to this track. Here’s my score. TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (perfect score)
The final file for Side One of this DOM is called “Kotex,” and it isn’t what you think. Created by six-year-old Natalia, it’s a child’s drawing of a cat with a heart in its chest.The word must mean “cat” in Polish. It is simple, and it’s great.
Graphics: Animation:
8 10
TOTAL SCORE:
18/20
The next file is another demo, this time the file size is 260 bytes. It is called “Rescue on Mars!” It was created by Jakub Debski. It shows an animated view of the surface of the planet Mars, as the computer interprets it. It is a take-off of “Rescue on Fractalus,” only the planet depicted this time is Mars. I love the animation and it reminds me of the classic hit game. It looks impressive. Take a look at a screenshot, and judge for yourselves.
I like this little girl’s drawing because it is a cute drawing. Here’s a look.
I would suggest to get the full effect of this, run this file on your computer. It looks stellar, no pun intended. I will score this demo now. SCORE: Interesting concept for a video game, and I like it. I will score this game now. SCORE:
It’s interesting, and touching. Adorable even. I will score this pic. TOTAL SCORE:
8/10
Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:
7 10 7 6
TOTAL SCORE:
30/40
Side Two:
The next game is called “Aerial,” by Infuto. It is an aerial dogfight game, where you pilot an airplane and target other planes and ground-based military targets. It is simple in design, and fun. Just fly and shoot. Here is are screenshots for you to look at.
The first file on Side Two is a 256-byte demo called “Merry Christmas,” by Xeen and SillyVenture. It is an animated drawing of a Christmas tree. After the drawing is rendered on-screen, the screen then flashes with the tree.
With that said, we are done with Side One of this DOM. Now, onto Side Two of the DOM.
It looks simple, yet simply extravagant. I know it is not Christmas, not yet anyway, but I like this this demo. It looks intricate, and great for the file size constraints. Amazing look for such a small file. Take a look and see.
Graphics: Animation: Music/SFX:
10 10 9
TOTAL SCORE:
29/30
The next file is a 262-byte demo called “CowBelle,” by Ivo Van Poorten. It shows checkerboard patterns going across the screen with parallax scrolling. Simple, yet stupendous design. Just like “We’re Going Down,” it has a similar pattern and premise. It looks three-dimensional with the stylized scrolling. The programmer definitely knows what to do with the dynamic effect. Here, take a look for yourselves.
I will score this demo now. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/SFX:
10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
30/30
The next file is a game called “Varius,” by Holger Janz. It is a game where you move squares around on a 4x4 grid and try to match the colors to score points, or so it seems. I was having a hard time trying to play this game, but it looks fun. It looks like you may have to corner your opponent as well, but without more instruction on this game, I don’t know. But, here is a picture of the game for you to judge it with.
It is fun and challenging trying to control the character in the game that you play with. It also looks really good and I wouldn’t mind seeing the VBXE version with enhanced graphics and sound. So, with that, I will score this game. SCORE:
It is an interesting game. That’s for sure. I think the color bars indicate what the player has to match to score points. I have never played a game like this before, so I am not so sure how to do it. It is definitely a strategy game, and a good one.
Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Music/SFX:
9 10 10 9
TOTAL SCORE:
38/40
The next game is “Phoenix 2021,” based on the arcade classic, by Anschuetz, Weisgerber, and Anscheutz. You must shoot the Phoenix birds before they shoot you. There are four in each level to start out with. There are no boss enemies.
I always have had a soft spot for role-playing games. I like this game because it is an RPG. It reminds me of “Ultima I” in its design. It leaves a lot to the imagination. This looks like a great game to play, and I would love to play it more.
The game is simple in design, yet fun to play. I think it looks nice, and is challenging. Here is a screenshot for you to look at.
I will score this game now. SCORE:
Let me score this game now.
Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:
6 10 6 5
SCORE:
TOTAL SCORE:
27/40
Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:
6 10 6 6
TOTAL SCORE:
28/40
There is one more game, a maze game called “Battlot,” by Marquee Design. In the game you must attack the enemy base before the enemy destroys your base. It is not an original idea, but it is a fun idea for a game.
The next game is a clone of the classic arcade game “Mighty Bomb Jack,” called “Gacek,” created by Janusz Chabowski. It is true to the arcade version, but with a different name.
Although it is a simple design, it keeps you on your toes for sure. I will score this game.
It looks very close to the arcade, and also has a version for XE computers with a Video Board XE upgrade for better graphics and sound. You must defuse bombs all over the screen while avoiding creatures that can hurt you.
Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/SFX:
9 10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
39/40
When the bombs flash in a pattern, collect them for bonus points and there are also powerups. I have screenshots of the game. Here they are.
SCORE:
The next game is an RPG calld “Isle of Zwarth,” by Ron McDaniel. You traverse the land, battling creatures, collecting gold and tresaures, building up your character to fight the evil wizard Zwarth. It is a simple game, yet it is intricate at the same time. I don’t know how many screens there are, but Zwarth can be seen right away. He is a tough wizard at 128 hit points. You must become stronger to fight him, or your toast. It is easy to learn, yet RPGs are deceptive that way. They take a while to master. So, it looks simple, but it is a time-consumer trying to finish it. Here are screenshots of the game.
Here are screenshots of the game.
The next file is a music track called “Too Silly to Care,” by Ma2E of SillyVenture. It is happy music with a great upbeat sound. It is very fun to listen to. I enjoyed it and I think you will as well. Here is my score for the track. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10
The final file on this DOM is called “Aztec Enter,” by Kaz of SillyVenture. It looks like a future splash screen for a new adventure video game, showing an Aztec temple with the word “AZTEC” stylized above it. I like the look. It looks great. Not perfect, but great. It looks adventurous with the way it is rendered. Here is a screenshot.
concepts introduced by the original. Key Features: Boss Rush: Experience a nearly endless barrage of enemies. Three hits and you die, but don’t worry! The hit-count resets when moving to the next round. Mission Mayhem: Mission mode features 30 unique, challenging bosses and only one life to beat each. Take bosses head-on with a barrage of bullets, or opt for a different strategy and start with the smaller, Minor Cores first. Juiced-Up Power-Ups: Minor Cores will drop power-ups when destroyed. Shoot in all directions at once, utilize rapid-fire, blast with explosive shots, or fire a railgun – the nature of the powerup is tied to the nature of the core that dropped it. Co-op with a Co-Pilot: Featuring local co-op in both arcade and mission mode, partner up with a pal and take on the hordes of enemy fighters. Yars: Recharged and the entirety of the Atari Recharged series is made in collaboration with developers Adamvision Studios and SneakyBox. Award-winning artist and composer Megan McDuffee created the beat-heavy, pulsing original soundtrack.
Bold and beautiful, don’t you think? It is a greatlooking rendering. Here is my score. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10
This concludes the Atari 8-bit DOM Review. I hope you have enjoyed it. I will be back with yet another Review for September. Carpe Diem, fellow Atarians, and thanks for reading. Recent Atari News Progressively Challenging Levels and Fluid Gameplay Await Players in Atari’s Latest Classically-Inspired Trance Shooter New York, NY (July 12, 2022) – Atari® — one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — brings us the next exciting entry in the Atari Recharged series: Yars: Recharged. Coming to PC via Steam and Epic Games, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, Switch, Stadia, and Atari VCS later this year, Yars: Recharged features indie-style gameplay infused with elements of classic arcade gaming, adventure, and shootem-up punctuated by moments of chaotic bullet hell. A visually stunning remake of the cult classic, take command of a Yar warrior and battle through scores of enemy Qotile in an effort to defeat them once and for all! Yars: Recharged thrusts players to the center of a daring attack against the enemy homeworld, guarded by mechanical hives that pulse deadly cannons and emit flurries of swirling missiles. Find pockets of safety amongst the hail of incoming fire, and then dart forward in daring forays to chip away at the enemy’s defenses. Gather enough energy by destroying enemy shields to power up the massively destructive Zorlon cannon, pulsing searing blasts of cosmic energy and annihilating enemies. Yars: Recharged challenges players to remain acutely aware of visual and audio cues that hint at impending danger, and master the smooth flying controls as they navigate increasingly complex levels. The new game marks Atari’s return to the Yars universe, originally based on Howard Scott Warshaw’s cult classic Yars’ Revenge. Released in 1982, Yars’ Revenge made gaming history by becoming the best-selling original Atari title on the Atari 2600. Yars: Recharged extends the legacy of this iconic franchise and gives fans an opportunity to experience an expanded, modern take on the
Yars: Recharged will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, Switch, Atari VCS, and PC via Steam and the Epic store. A press kit including key art, screenshots, logos, and videos is available here: Press Kit. To stay upto-date on all things Atari and retro-pop culture, follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
SPACE COMICS SECTION! The Misadventures of A-Man and C.D.
Ferret Fracas
The Next SPACE Meeting Will Commence on Friday, August 12, 2022 At 7:30 PM. We Hope to See You There! Thanks for Coming!