July 2024
1982•FORTY-SECOND ANNIVERSARY EDITION•2024
It is time for the annual SPACE club birthday party, I hope you can make it!!
Wow!! Seven members were present at the June SPACE meeting.
My brand-new, 2024 production Atari CX30+ Paddle controllers arrived! Pretty cool to be able to buy brandnew Atari gear direct from Atari themselves, and just plug it right into my 130XE and have it work perfectly. So what is inside it? I haven’t looked yet, I’ll get around to it (or maybe someone else has already posted about it). I remain curious whether it is a modernized design, or actually the same internals as the original 1977 design.
Michael (our President), Steve (our Secretary), myself (our Treasurer), Glen (our DOM and Membership Chairman), Tom, Roger and Rick. Only Brian was missing. That is what I call a perfect meeting. It is great to hear the comments from all of them. Their knowledge is mind boggling.
I immediately got out my Kaboom cartridge as an example of a game that requires perfectly-functioning paddles to last very long, and found that it worked great. Same as the original? I’m not quite sure. Maybe it’s just me, but I think the original design paddles, when freshly primed with electronic cleaner, might be slightly more responsive. If there is any actual difference that is not in my head, it is very subtle at most. Definitely worthy of more experimentation. $24.99 direct from Atari! Thanks, keep using that Atari, and come to your next SPACE meeting and PARTY: Friday, July 12, 2024.
The printing of my Club report brought into question the quality of the print. We reminisced about how many years ago we had a member who could re-ink a cartridge, but we could not place where that equipment ended up. I just so happen to have an Okidata 180 that uses cartridges, and knowing that they are few and far between I accumulated quite a few extras. So, if any of you have an Okidata printer I could spare a couple of cartridges. They are all in their original wrappers and I am using one right now, and it works fine. I want them used before they dry out.
MEMBERSHIP COUNT: There are still ten paid-up members in the SPACE Club’s Membership Count. DOM REPORT: Glen K. presented yet another fascinating DOM with the puzzle games “Tenebra” and “Double,” as well as a cool Tetris clone. These great games and other demos will be reviewed in the Atari 8-bit DOM Review later in this Newsletter.
As you know, we have our SPACE Birthday Party in July, and we decided on having Jersey Mike’s subs and Qdoba Mexican food. This should satisfy every taste bud. As always, Jackie and I will bring beverages, cookies and table fixings. Of course, Glen will provide the root beer floats along with Tom. Steve can provide chips and Roger will always surprise us!
NEW BUSINESS: It was pointed out the our SPACE President, Michael Current, was mentioned on the ANTIC Podcast as maintainer of the Atari FAQ, but not as SPACE President. So, it was pointed out by Roger M. that his Presidency should be more emphasized on there.
“They said BASIC was an ordinary language to understand, but where do I GOTO?!”
In Nintendo’s 1985 classic “Super Mario Bros.,” Princess Peach ws originally named Princess Toadstool. She was renamed because the powers-that-be thought the name Toadstool sounded evil and she is a protagonist in the famous game.
MEETING BEGINS: The June 2024 SPACE Meeting officially commenced on Friday, June 14, 2024, at 7:35 PM. There were seven members present for the Meeting. The Treasurer reported the stellar state of the SPACE Treasury account and the Secretary (your’s truly) recapped on the May 2024 SPACE Meeting’s minutes.
WEBSITE REPORT: All seems to be well with the SPACE Website, with nothing negative to report.
Message from Captain Irata:
TRIVIA TIME!
OK! This time, I made it to the SPACE Meeting for June of 2024. Since I took notes for the Secretary’s Report concerning that Meeting, I will present them now in the Report. So, let’s get started!
Now, on to the SPACE bank info. We started the month of June with a bank balance of $1,862.45, and we added $42.00 in June on the sale of fourteen DOMs for an ending June balance of $1,904.45.
Anyway, don’t forget to mark July 12th on your calendar and bring your appetite. I will see you all there.
HOO-RAH!
HELLO WORLD!
OLD BUSINESS: No Old Business was reported.
Atari has bought out the Intellivision brand, and there was talk about what Atari might do something in the near future with their new intellectual property. Missile Command and Popeye have been ported to the VBXE for the Atari 8-bit computer line. The arcade versions have been ported as accurately as possible on the VBXE. I have seen Missile Command Arcade in action, and it’s phenomenal in appearance and gameplay.
PAGE ONE:
AtariAge is attempting to recreate custom Atari chip designs entirely in FPGA because it is getting harder to recreate the chips with original Atari hardware. Because it isn’t made anymore. This could mean that the chips could be made in a cheaper manner and hopefully could be reproduced in FPGA quite accurately.
The President’s Corner Treasurer’s Report Secretary’s Report
There is a ANTIC/GTIA replacement reproduced on FPGA now as well. I can assume it works quite well, however, as a next-gen chip design.
PAGE TWO:
We discussed at the June Meeting about the SPACE Birthday Party in July. We will have food from Jersey Mike’s and Mexican food from Qdoba. I myself will bring chips and dip, and Glen K. with Tom L. will bring root beer and ice cream to create root beer floats.
–TABLE OF CONTENTS–
Atari 8-bit DOM Review
MEETING ADJOURNS: The June SPACE Meeting adjourned at 8:05 PM. This concludes the Secretary’s Report, so I will close now. In the words of the late, great artist Stan Lee. EXCELSIOR!
keys to open chests full of money. Also, you can collect bullets to load into guns to blast bats and get them out of your way. You can also collect extra energy if you need it to prolong game play.
It’s time for yet another Atari 8-bit DOM Review, and this time it’s going to be yet another double-DOM Review for May and June of 2024. Hold on to your hats! We’re going to see some great stuff. Off we go! May 2024 DOM, Side One: The first file in the May 2024 DOM is called “Eternal Sunshine,” by Kamil Trzaska. It shows patterns of ATASCII characters on a blue screen. It is a demo that is only 262 bytes in files size. So, not much is there. I see flashing patterns on the screen when I see the demo. It’s interesting, but not much happens on the screen. It isn’t much. It looks cool, but I don’t see sunshine in it. It could be a PAL problem, so I am not sure.
(Atari 8-bit DOM Review: Continued on Next Page) NOTICE! SPACE is on Discord! If you cannot physically make it to the SPACE Meeting, we will stream it online live for you! First, click onto or copy this invite link: https://discord.gg/r9Q4AxuNmQ This permanent invite link will also provided by email. Once you are in Discord, click Accept to join the group. To join a Meeting online at the time of the physical Meeting, click the audio channel “Meeting Stream” in the menu and you will be live!
Anyway, I will score this file. SCORE: Graphics: Animation:
6 9
TOTAL SCORE:
15/20 (75%)
The next file is called “Spare Parts,” by Freddy Offenga. It’s impressive, at 1,024 bytes. It shows various effects like warping graphics and even polygons. it really looks cool and it’s enjoyable to watch. It looks especially inpressive when the demo has the twisting columns on the screen.
I can imagine how impressive this is becasue of its file size. It is a bigger file for being tightly coded. It looks great and the twists in the demo look really detailed and animate. The animation is even in real-time. Fascinating stuff! Let me score this file now. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/ Sound FX:
9 10 8
TOTAL SCORE:
27/30 (90%)
The next file is Zdenek Zubr’s game, “Greedy Bat.” You play a bat, flying around on a quest to get treasures. You must avoid other bats, torches, and even the ground inside the cave. You have a limited life meter. Once your life bar is at zero, it’s game over. Very challenging game, of course. I like the graphics and game play. It has a certain pattern to it, but there are things that are difficult to get past. You have to collect
(Atari 8-bit DOM Review: Continued from Page Two)
This ia a really cool game, and it’s got quite a challenge. It also has impressive graphics to boot. I quite enjoyed it, by the way. I will score this file now. SCORE: Graphics; Gameplay: Animation: Music/ Sound FX:
10 10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
40/40 (100% perfect score)
There are 22 tunes in all on this file, so it will keep you busy anyway. I will score this now. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/ Sound FX:
8 10 9
TOTAL SCORE:
27/30 (90%)
The next file is called “Mama Muminka” by Aleksander Drab, at least I think that is his full name anyway. It’s a cute pic of a yellow creature in a quaint setting outdoors.
The next file is another game called “Race-Videopac,” by Jan Johnson. It’s a simple racing game. But, it’s challenging. What it lacks in graphics it makes up in game play. Try playing the game without crashing. I don’t think you could. That’s the trick.
It’s a relaxing setting, especially with the blue sky and the seagulls. I like the picture’s detail. It’s really well done. I will score this picture. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10 (90%)
Now, onto Side Two! Side Two: The only file on Side Two is called “ADoom,” an A8 version of the classic shooter “Doom.” It looks great, although the characters look hard to s sometimes. I like the game overall, and it preserves the look of the game from the 1990s. It is pixellated, like the original game. Although it can be hard to see things, it isn’t impossible to see everything on the screen. It takes some practice, but it is easier than it looks. Actually, it’s a great attempt to port it to the A8 computer. It’s a great effort. So, I am not downing it at all. It looks cool, and I applaud it.
It’s a cute picture. I like the cartoony look of this picture. The character looks familiar, but I don’t remember where I saw her. But, it’s cool-looking. It’s also pretty well done. I will score this picture. I played this game, and I thought it was intriguing to try to keep from crashing. It has interesting graphics. I think it is a conversion from the Fairchild Channel F. I think they called the Fairchild games “Videopacs.” However, I don’t know this because I have never seen the Channel F in action. I could be wrong about this. I will score this game now.
TOTAL SCORE:
8/10 (80%)
The next file, another picture, is called “American Boys.” by Krzyiek Kuc, again I am not sure if that is his full name. But, he creates a great picture of the front of two cars. They are classic American cars, blue in color. It’s simple but in excellent detail.
SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
7 10 10 6
TOTAL SCORE:
23/30 (77%) I like the way it preserves the 1990s pixellated detail. It looks great for an 8-bit “Doom.” The Atari 8-bit does it again! I will score this game now.
The next file is Poison’s “Reguskor,” a music file with an interactive menu. It is intersting and has many music files from different demos in the past that were made by our friends from across the pond. There is an animated text ticker on the bottom of the screen, but it is in Polish. It also has rainbow colors coloring the font in the text ticker, which is animated in real time. Each track has a letter necxt to it in the menu. Press the key attributed to the letter, and it plays the tune. It has grsat music, great graphivs for a menu and I like it’s ease of use.There is a large selection of music and it is a big file because of that.
SCORE: I like the detail in the headlights with the sheen in the glass. The chrome on the fenders looks nice, too. If you look in the upper-right corner, you see two people as silhouettes. Pretty cool image. Let me score it.
Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/ Sound FX:
9 10 9 9
TOTAL SCORE:
TOTAL SCORE:
37/40 (93%)
10/10 (100% prefect score)
The last file on Side One of this DOM is called “Perfect Summer.” It was created by Krzysztof Ziembik and shows a woman on a swing working with an Atari laptop. It’s a detailed picture. It shows artistic prowess and looks great. Very well rendered.
Now onto the June 2024 DOM! June 2024 DOM, Side One: (Atari 8-bit DOM Review Continued on Page 4)
(Atari 8-bit DOM Review Continued from Page 3) The first file on the June 2024 DOM is a 242-byte demo called “Return Before Sunrise,” by an unknown programmer. It has great animation and parallax scrolling. It shows a car going across a cityscape. It has simple detail, but is a great looking demo anyway. The building are made of little dots, but they are discernible and have an abstract quality to them. I like the animation most of all, especially the parallax scrolling with 3D depth. It is pretty good, for 242 bytes of tight code.
This file looks pretty good. It is simple, yet complex in design. You definitely have to use your head. I will score this game now.
It is yet another Tetris game, but his cool graphic displays, like the submarine base. I enjoy a game of Tetris now and then, and although this is just Tetris, it looks cool.
SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay:
6 10
TOTAL SCORE:
16/20 (80%)
The next file is called “Tenebra,” by Ali Pouladi. It’s a puzzle game. You are underground and have to find ways to shine torches to light your way to the exit to the next level. It looks like an Apple II port, but it looks challenging. It can be tough to play and I like the game. You can also use codes to advance to other levels in the game. It’s pretty complex yet fun to play. I will score this file now. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation:
9 10 7
I will score this demo now.
TOTAL SCORE:
26/30 (87%)
SCORE:
The next file is an intro called “Winter Bytes,” by Bartosz Apanasewicz. It is impressive and looks spectacular. I like the rotating cube in the middle of the screen with the animated text ticker on the bottom of the screen.
Graphics: Animation: Msuic/Sound FX:
8 10 7
TOTAL SCORE:
25/30 (83%)
The next file is called “SV23WE Logo,” by Marek Cora. The file is only 256 bytes in size, and it has the SillyVenture logo on the file. Actually, it looks really good. It advertises the SillyVenture group in Poland, who are really active in the Atari community.
This is great-looking and pleasing to the eyes. I enjoyed seeing this intro and you would, too. It also has pleasing music and is quite entertaining. I am going to score this file now, and it deserves high marks. SCORE: This is a simple yet effective design, and it works for me. Simple in execution and design, but it looks pretty good. I am impressed. The colors compliment each other well. I will score this file. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10 (90%)
The next file is called “Skarb Piratow,” a 261-byte interactive game demo by Krzysztof Rogowski. It looks like the classic code game “MasterMind,” where you have to gauess a certain amount of times to crack a code correctly. It will show whether your guesses are right or wrong. It’s interesting and challenging, and you might like th challenge. Pretty complex for 261 bytes of code.
The levels shown are completed, but when you play the levels, not all of the levels are lit up like this. It only shows the lit areas in the mazes during the game, adding to the challenge. It really is a nicely-built game. I enjoy playing it and you might as well. I wil score this game.
Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
30/30 (100% perfect score)
The next file is a music track set to a graphics visualizer, called “Silky Venture,” by Blackwine. It is a nice little visual with music in it. It’s colorful and the graphics react to the music. It’s delightful and nice to look at.
SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
8 10 6 7
TOTAL SCORE:
31/40 (78%)
The next file is another game called “Blocktris,” by Paul Chandler. It is yet another Tetris clone. It takes place in a submarine base as the main decorative graphic. You know Tetris. Just match the lines by dropping and rotatijng blocks. It’s just that, of course.
It’s a neat little graphics show that reminds me of the Virtual Light Machine on the Atari Jaguar CD player. Pretty good stuff and the music is great, too. It’s great if you want to relax and listen to it.
I will score this file now.
As you can see, it’s pretty static. Nothing really. I will score this file now.
SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
30/30
TOTAL SCORE:
6/10 (60%)
The next file is called “DotA,” by Martin Simecek. It’s a game where you have to find a dot and a letter A. There are arrows on the screen that point where you are supposed to look for the dot and the A. You als ohave limited chances and time. If you lose, you must start over.
The next file is a pic called “Silly Giant,” by Marcin Kwoka. It shows a giant besieging a young woman with a spear, and it looks nice for a rendering on the A8.
But, if you find the items, you advance to a harder level. It is a brain-teaser for sure. But, if you look as the arrows point, you can do it. But, it is a great game, though, for what it is. It has nice graphics, too. It’s simple in design, but complex to play. It will puzzle you.
Let me score this file. SCORE:
The giant looks really good with the musculature in the arms and legs. The trees look great, too. It must have been done using a graphics tablet like a KoalaPad or an Animation Station drawing pad.
Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
7 8 10
TOTAL SCORE:
25/30 (83%)
The next file is called “Flight Over Unknown Land,” by Matusz. It looks like you are flying over a landscape and it looks pretty good, for a 262-byte file. It’s animated and sounds like you are flying, with a roaring sound. Pretty cool effects!
Whatever the case may be, it looks good enough for a game screen, like for the title of an RPG. Very nice work. I will score this file now. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10 (90%)
The final file on Side One of this DOM is “Portrait of Wakagi,” by Florent Coste. This is another good-looking pic. It shows a beady-eyed man with antlers in front of a cityscape. It looks great. Weird, but looks great anyway. The picture doesn’t do justice for the file, but it looks good in action on the computer screen. It is well-animated and sounds realistic for the A8. Very good for tight-code. Please take a look at this file. I am sure you’ll be impressed. I will score this file now.. SCORE:
Nice colors. They really compliment the eerie scene. Really cool setting. I will score this file now. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10 (90%)
Now onto Side Two! Side Two: The first file in Side Two of the June DOM is “Silly Bees,” by Grzegorz Zyla. It is a 262-byte animated demo simulating bees on the screen. It isn’t much, but it will do in a pinch. Actually, it looks kind of spiffy. It’s crreative and clever. It may not be much, but it isn’t bad.
This was an entry in the ABBUC Software Contest in 2023. I don’t know if tis was a winner or not in that contest, but it is a good game. I enjoy puzzle games. This will boggle you over time. I will score it now. SCORE:
Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
10 10 10
Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Music/Sound FX:
9 10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
30/30 (100% perfect score)
TOTAL SCORE:
39/40 (98%)
The next file is called “Epic Killer Rabbits Battle,” by Kluczek. It shows what I think is supposed to be the aftermath of a battle involving rabbits. It must be the remaind of the dead rabbits, because there’s nothing going on in this file. It’s still. Nothing.
The next file is another game called “Double,” by Vladimir Jankovic. it is a game wher eyou have to keep from being crushed by matching numbers correctly. You throw the numbers up to the crushing ceiling, and you get a random number every time.
I wish it could have been more, but it is only 262 bytes in file size. I understand it’s an experiment in tight coding. But, it could be more.
Every time you match numbers, the ceiling inches up. The more numbers you match at once, the more room you make between you and the enclosing ceiling. All numbers are a multiple of 2, from 2 to 128. It a game where you have to think about what you are doing. Graphically, it’s nice-looking. It’s easy to learn yet hard to master. You have to positions the numbers correctly to keep from being crushed, and it can get precarious at times. Also, the ceiling will start falling faster over time, so you must be on your toes or get flattened in the process!
SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
30/30 (100% perfect score)
The next file is a music track called “Smurfs Falaise,” by Miker/NG. It’s cute and sounds delightful. It’s peppy and cool. I enjoyed it. It reminds me of the cartoons I watched when I was a kid on TV. Fun! I will score this track now. TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (100% perfect score)
The next file is another music track, Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach,” redone on the A8 by Ella Senovska. It’s a pretty good facsimile of the original tune, for an 8-bit machine. But, although it isn’t perfect, it’s really good.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
It has a lot of the nuances of the original music. I quite enjoyd it, but then I like Madonna’s older music anyway. I will score this file now. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10 (90%)
The next file is “Steel Golem,” by Robert Smolinski. It shows a robot or a person in a cybernetic suit. It looks really good. I liked viewing it. It’s well-rendered and has somewhat colorful and detailed graphics. This is another entry from the ABBUC Software Contest from 2023. It looks and sounds great. I really enjoyed playing it. Very good puzzle game. I will score it now.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, SPACE!
SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
10 10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
40/40 (100% perfect score)
The next file is a SillyVenture intro called “Offshoot,” by Triad. It is a great-looking intro with animated text and impressive graphics. It has great music, too. I really was taken aback by the great-looking visuals. You would want to see this for yourself. It’s quite impressive.
Very detailed and well-rendered work, I must say. It kind of has almost a noir look, and I suppose it is to be dramatic in its appearance. It’s striking. Let me score this file. TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (100% perfect score)
The final file is another picture called “February 2020.” It was created by Piotr Lis. It shows a rock creature holding a flower or a pinwheel, considering the different colors. I think it’s a pinwheel. But, I love the cartoony look. It’s great and funny, even cutesy.
HAPPY DAYS, FELLOW SPACE MEMBERS!
I don’t know why the creature looks so plain in his face, but it’s a well rendered look for the picture. It’s fun. I will score now. I especially liked the spinning Fuji logo in the beginning of the intro. Thisi s really great stuff. I wish we had more talent like this in America. It’s enough to make people envious. I like it though. Here’s my score.
TOTAL SCORE:
9/10 (90%)
Well, folks, we are done for now. I will be back in August with another A8 DOM Review. Thanks for reading, anr Carpe Diem, fellow Atarians and SPACE Cadets. Bye!
We need your articles! If you wish to channel your inner F. Scott Fitzgerald and want to send in an article, please feel free to send them to the SPACE Newsletter Editor! Please try to send your articles within two weeks of the Club’s occurrence every month. They then will be posted. The SPACE Newsletter Editor’s contact information is, of course, on the back of every SPACE Newsletter! Thanks for posting and for supporting your SPACE Club! We hope to see more articles soon!
Vice President: Brian Little E-Mail: demomantna@gmail.com
The next SPACE meeting and SPACE Birthday Party will commence on Friday, July 12, 2024, at 7:30 PM, local time! We hope to see you there! Thanks for coming!
Another Message from Captain Irata: “That’s all she wrote, SPACE Cadets!” HOO-RAH!