Acorn Programs in the Last Few Months

ACORN is a trademark of Acorn Computers Limited An ECC Publication December 1984

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Shopping for Christmas down Memory Lane Bumper reviews

Best program listings ' V

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• I \ AVAILABLE FOR\\ 48K SPECTRUW\ BBC & ELECTRON

Mall Order: Send cheque or P.O. payable to 'ICON' or

:: : quote your credit card no. * ^b^v i ^w jKBr^^ - r'^p^-"^P^^W^P'^H

Selected titles available from: John Menzles, Co-op, 1 Harrods, Wildings, Granada and most good computer shops. lTTj Dealers contact: Centresoft, Express, 65 HIGH STREET, GOSFORTH, TYNE & WEAR, NE3 4AA. Tiger, Drakes, R&R. TEL: (091) 2646966 Page News Softscope Softscope Special 16 Christmas Competition 19 Incorporating Hotline 21 Acorn World Program coupon 46 Wider Basic course 47 coverage of Carrying case offer 49 Acorn scene MANY READERS will have Programs noticed a gradual change of emphasis in Acorn Programs in the last few months. We believe that Programs as the base of BBC and Electron com- Alarm 23 puters spreads and consolidates, our readers want, as well as listings and Grand Prix 24 programming advice, an accurate and up-to-date appraisal of latest develop- Christmas Carols 26 ments in the Acorn market. To bring Knockout 28 you this wider coverage, we are launch- ing a new section called Acorn World — Labyrinth 29 see centre pages. 31 Christmas would not be Christmas In the Mines without a thorough survey of the soft- Organic Blaster 33 ware scene and this month's magazine includes, besides a record five pages of Argon Attack 36 reviews, a nostalgic tour by Martin Inlay Printer 38 Cooper of games past and present which deserve a special place in any Shapes 42 software library — page 16. Do not miss our great Christmas competition on Dilph the Centipede 43 page 19. Star Wars 45 Once again, we have a bumper crop of readers' programs and a selection of the best begins on page 23. When sending your programs, please remember to include a brief description and a SAE for the return of the disc or /7Amm tape if it is not selected for publication. All programs must also be accompanied v/70x¥a by the coupon on page 46 or by a letter *•• stating that they are entirely your own Viewpoint in Profile of an Elite team IV

Schools — a classiroom report vi

Editor Nicole Segre Consultant editor Jeremy Richards Managing production editor Harold Mayes MBE Group art director Chris Winch Design/Illustration Adrian Chilvers Group advertisement manager John Ross Sales administration manager Wynne Clift Circulation manager Tim Stilwell Editorial assistant Sheri Souleiman Managing editor Nigel Clark Assistant managing director Barry Hazel Chairman Richard Hease. Acorn Programs is published monthly by ECC Publications Ltd. The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of Acorn Computers Limited cassette to Acorn Telephone, all departments: 01-359 3525. If you would like to contribute to Acorn Programs, please send programs on disc or Programs, ECC Publications, 2 Newington Green Road, London Nl 4AQ. We cannot undertake to return them unless a stamped addressed

envelope is enclosed. We pay a basic rate of £15 for the copyright of each program published. ©Copyright 1984 ECC Publications Ltd. ISSN 0265 4660. Printed and typeset by Cradley Print PLC, Warley, West Midlands. Distributed by

Spotlight Magazine Distribution Ltd, 1 Benwell Road, Holloway, London N7. 01-607 6411.

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 C SPEECH Speech Synthesizer for the BBC Computer

• Totally unlimited vocabulary is now possible with the revolutionary "SWEET TALKER" Speech Synthesizer for the B.B.C. A or B Microcomputer, any series.

• The CHEETAH "SWEET TALKER" simply plugs into speech socket IC99 within the computer. No soldering, no cutting of tracks, no headaches. fg

wm9 1, • Based on an allophone system you can easily program any word, sentence or phrase and incorporate speech into your software games.

• Fully tested and guaranteed. Complete with demonstration cassette and full instructions.

I Price includes V A . Cheetah, products available from branches of Postage and Packing Delivery normally 14 days and I S^ WHSMITH $ Rumbelows Export orders at no extra cost Dealer enquiries welcome

Send cheque/PO now to -

Cheetah Marketing Ltd, Dept AP, 24 Ray Street, London EC1R 3DJ. Marketing Tel: 01 833 4909. Telex: 8954958.

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 Foreign sales hamper growth ACORN COMPUTERS an- business range will be the AIS will be sold as a complete nounced record profit of second area in which Acorn is system." £10.5 million for the year to seeking to grow." The new system has taken

July 1, 1984. Profit in the Meanwhile, the company more than two years to de- U.K. was £14 million, repre- has leapt into the future with velop. It uses one of the ma- senting an increase of 58 per- a new subsidiary called Acorn chines in the new ABC range cent over the previous year, Video. Based at Maidenhead, and a Philips laser disc to but overseas sales, especially the company will be produc- create linked frames in com- in the U.S., fell below expec- ing the world's first integrat- puter-aided teaching and tations. Commenting on the ed interactive video disc training programs. Drawing figures, Acorn chairman Her- system, the AIS. Priced at around £3,000, mann Hauser said: "The aim is to exploit con- the AIS is expected to attract room "Despite our disappoint- vergent technologies," ex- large educational establish- ment with the overseas per- plains an Acorn spokesman. ments as well as companies package formance, we consider the "Instead of different parts running staff training figures demonstrate a satis- from different makers, the courses. A COMPUTER-AIDED factory rate of growth." schematic drawing package With the population of Eastern push aimed mainly at home users BBC micros in the U.K. now has been launched by Data- Ara- around 370,000, and sales of AS PART of an overseas hopes to promote a new pen Microtechnology Ltd. the Electron reaching 90,000 sales push, Acorn Computers bised version of the BBC mi- Armed with the disc-based representative on a cro, with an Arabic and since its launch in October, sent a software, a Datapen light to the Gulf European text processor and 1983, Acorn predicts another trade mission pen, a BBC micro and a dot major business boost from States. Arabic keyboard. Acorn has matrix printer, a user can its sights set on the Middle sales of both machines in the Derek Lee, regional man- produce complex circuit dia- market. Christmas period. ager for the Middle East, East educational grams, power system dia- "The main growth area in BBC B TOP TEN grams, flowcharts and other 1985, however, is expected to professional and engineering Title Company be the sale of upgrade and applications. 1 Elite Acornsoft expansion facilities for the Up to eight computer 2 Frak! Aardvark Software large installed base of com- screens can be dumped to the 3 Fortress Pace Software puters," says Hauser. "Sales normal 80-column printer in 4 Micro Olympics Database Publications of the recently-launched ABC one pass. 5 Aviator Acornsoft Costing £19.95 for the 6 Stock Car Micro Power software and £25 for the light chip 7 Wallaby Superior Software Logo pen, the package is available 8 Smash and Grab Superior Software A ROM-based version of by mail order from Datapen 9 Ghouls Micro Power Logo for the BBC micro has Microtechnology Ltd, Kings- 10 Dune Rider Micro Power been released by Logo Soft- clere Road, Overton, Hamp- Figures supplied by W H Smith ware Ltd. Developed in the shire RG2 5 3JB. last two years, LSL Logo is written in Assembler and fits on to a single 16K EPROM chip. An optional utilities Development system disc provides the software needed to run turtles and the BBC micro owners will be sor, disc filing system and already expressed interest in BBC Buggy. The makers able to use the P-system oper- 800K dual disc drives. the system and other teaching

claim that it is fast and easy to ating system which has al- TDI is the main distribu- establishments are expected debug, with nine debugging ready made its mark on other tor of the P-system, which to follow suit. Acornsoft commands and 22 error mes- micros such as the IBM PC was written in the U.S. "P- claims that its version pro- sages. A free 16-page booklet, and the Apricot. system provides a highly- vides the cheapest way to entitled Why Logo? accom- Marketed by Acornsoft productive development learn Pascal. panies the product. and developed by TDI, the environment," says a TDI The system is also aimed at

LSL Logo is available by £299 package includes filer, spokesman. Programs written software houses, business us- mail order from Logo Soft- editor, utilities and compilers using the P-system are porta- ers and home micro enthusi- ware Ltd, 316a Richmond for UCSD Pascal and Fortran ble to other micros and it asts. A run-time system is Road, Twickenham, Middle- 77. To implement, the sys- includes automatic functions available from TDI, 29 Alma sex TW1 2PD. It costs tem requires a BBC micro to trace errors. Vale Road, Clifton, Bristol. £67.85 including VAT. with a 6502 second proces- The Open University has More news on page 6

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 Improving Breakdown figures good for protection business

A NEW organisation has Club members are guaran- sion on every new subscrip- SLIMMERS provide a been set up to protect home teed a repair service plus free tion secured from a new promising new area for computer users against break- parts should a computer computer owner. Acornsoft marketing efforts. down. The Micro Repair break down and membership The Micro Repair Club A new program, Watch Club offers members a guar- is transferrable to any other also offers a special discount Your Weight, produced antee package which takes ef- computer which may be to schools. Any school wish- jointly with the Consumers' fect when the manufacturer- bought during the subscrip- ing to join pays one member- Association, is designed to provided warranty expires. tion period. ship fee of £24.95 for a year help the figure-conscious repair-guarantee The package Thorn-EMI will be doing and another £19.95 for each maintain their shape and may run from one to four the repair work for the Micro additional computer covered health. years. The initial year costs Repair Club. The service is by the scheme. Supplied with a calorie cal- £24.95 and yearly renewals aimed at users of all micros culator, the program provides "Considerable interest has cost £14.95. The four-year but dealers can also benefit, a personalised weight-loss already been shown in the subscription costs £57.95. since they will earn commis- schedule based on the indi- club, particularly by dealers" vidual user's height, weight, says general manager Simon age and sex. The program Jamison. BBC micros help to suggests a target weight in The Micro Repair Club is each case and the number of hoping to extend the warran- weeks the dieter should take blaze the trail to ty cover peripherals and to reach it. also theft. If a computer be- It also advises on the nutri- comes obsolete while covered tional value of various foods by the guarantee the club will and recommended daily in-

re-imburse the original cost. take of substances such as fat For more information con- and fibre. Helpful menu sug- tact Simon Jamison, The gestions to tempt the over- Micro Repair Club, Swan weight into healthier ways Court, Mansel Road, Wimb- are also included. ledon SW19 4AA. Tel: 01- Available on cassette, the 946 7777. program costs £11.90.

Competition

On board the Sir Walter Raleigh winner YOUNG EXPLORERS on tration of the expedition and the Operation Raleigh expe- also relay data via satellite to We were inundated with dition which set sail on Octo- scientists at Leeds Univer- ber 13 will be using BBC sity. answers to the code- micros on a variety of pro- "Of the 4,000 young breaking competition in jects ranging from studying people taking part, many will the rain forests of Costa Rica be using computer tech- our October issue. The to analysing crocodile popu- nology for the first time," lation in Roatan. says an expedition spokes- winner of the Plus-1 prize Eleven BBC machines man. "The machines will will be the author of the form part of a satellite-linked also be subjected to unprec- laboratory on board the Sir edented extremes of heat and first correct entry drawn Walter Raleigh expedition humidity." from a hat. Do not miss flagship. Seven will be used One typical research pro- in the field during the course ject will be a study of plant the announcement in our of 150 research projects and animal life in Bolivia, planned for the four-year where the computer system January issue. journey. will be used to catalogue arte- The remaining systems facts and log and process will help with the adminis- data.

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 DO YOU BASH THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF YOUR KEYBOARD? STOP THIS PRACTICE MUST CEASE

HOW? By using the Wizard Joy Rom WHAT DOES IT DO?

It gives you full keyboard simulation direct to your joystick port. All you have to do is address the Rom with *|S and follow the on screen instructions by defining the keys you wish to use. HOW DOES IT HELP ME?~

It enables you to play keyboard only games on your joystick Converts games that normally require proportional

control to work on a switched joystick (these include 3D Bomb Alley and Aviatorl If you have twin joysticks you can mix the controls of one game onto both joysticks Can you imagine playing Snapper with one player going left and right and the other going up and down! "Its havoc"

The Rom retails at

£17-50inc DEVELOPMENT

All dealer and distributor enquiries to Wizard Development, 22 CARVER STREET, SHEFFIELD SI 4FS. (0742)752732

Top listings for the BBC B and the Electron

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ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 . SPECTRUM'S ADVANCED KEYBOARD

The LO»PROFILE professional keyboard is the ultimate Featuring a full size space bar with dedicated numeric and upgrade for your Spectrum. By replacing its existing keyboard curser keypad the LO>>PROFILE increases the number of with a high quality LO>>PROFILE, you give this world- keys from 40 to 53. A combination of clearly labelled, beating computer the keyboard it deserves. sculptured and height-adjusted keys aids the advance to fault-free touch-typing. The LO> >PROFILE is a full size QWERTY keyboard with full-travel positive-action keys for super-fast entry of programs Advanced Memory Systems have established an excellent and data. Presented in an ultra-modem and robust enclosure, reputation for product reliability and prompt delivery. This the LO>>PROFILE is elegantly styled and is inclined product has been tested to an impressive 20,000,000 forwards for convenient operation. depressions per key and AMS offer a full one year guarantee.

THE LO^ >P]fcOEILE PR< )M ADVANCED MEMORY Fitting your Spectrum Computer board

LO»PROFILE keyboard /is easy. I All you need is) a If net availably from one of our 000+ dealers tnen till in

Screwdriver to secure the board onto the base of the coupon and wje will send you a Lb>>PROFILE with our full keyboard enclosure using the mountings provided. The no-cjuibble money-back guarantee. Or phone 0925 602690/ LO»PROFILE is compatable with all Spectrum add-ons. 62907 for instant Access 0r Visa orders.

,i 1 mmt mm — ^ ^ ^ — M » i _ _ mm, m. Please send No^ Lo»Profile Keyboard at £49.95 plus £2.50 p&p (VAT inclusive) I enclose a cheque/PO for £ or debit my credit card. Card No Barclaycard I I I 1 I 1 I I I I I I I I I I I Access card Signature Date Name Address Postcode

To: Advanced Memory Systems Ltd., Woodside Technology Centre,

Green Lane, Appleton, Warrington WA4 5NG SU/ 12/84 - — J Marsupial Difficulties of the promise unfulfilled highest level WALLABY is another spin- off from the Killer Gorilla PEOPLE will be MANY theme. For the uninitiated, it familiar with an arcade game XXXXXX XX entails surmounting a num- featuring a penguin and ber of floors to reach the top blocks of ice. Never the easi- **** xxx mm xx floor where, in the case of est to get into and score game Wallaby, a young impris- k well on, most are easy com- m mmm ** * oned marsupial is awaiting pared to Plutonium Plun- til • your arrival. der. x * mm* ***** You have to manipulate a is x What you have to do to * * bouncing wallaby up ladders, clear a path through the maze over gaps in the floor and of hexoid pods and then push attempt to pick fruit en route. the radioactive plutonium . ^* 5< There is also a vicious breed canisters behind the safety X X XXXX XX of monkey inhabiting the barrier before the nuclids and XX xx ill X screen area. megapods break out of their X X XX X xxxxxx The creatures attempt to cells to get you. That does kill the wallaby by throwing not sound too difficult, but apple cores. Should the little As you begin to think you There is nothing very now for the bad news. There hero make contact with a are a few fundamental obsta- have it in the bag, the safety original about the graphics. monkey or an apple core, in- cles from that brief door closes and more hexoids They are attractive but you missing stant death results. introduction — and it is a de- appear by the dozen. If that is will have seen most of the There are five screens, not enough, the nuclids and ideas somewhere before. scription only of level one. each increasing in level of Before you can begin clear- megapods break loose from The game is overwhelming difficulty. Points are awarded ing kind of path, you their cells and you are for anyone below the rank of any for picking fruit and punch- rid four devil- doomed. expert. Level one alone is as have to get of ing the odd bell which seems ish little gnomes. Stunning The game can be very frus- difficult as the highest levels to appear at various levels. them is not sufficient; you trating. Lives are lost with on some other games. You An extra wallaby is awarded crush to death sickening regularity. It takes will not be surprised that we have to them for every 10,000 points long time to die and be re- never reached the higher lev- by pushing a hexoid force- a gained. incarnated and then, once re- els. fully at them. If you manage The control keys are fixed to get all of them you can born, you find yourself back Plutonium Plunder, Micro Power, and there is no facility to re- start the path-clearing and at the beginning facing four BBC B, £6.95. define them. then the pushing of canisters. more nasty little gnomes. The title page of this program with its rendition of Waltzing Matilda seems Space Invaders responsible promising enough. The game SPACE INVADERS has and little vs drop on you, It is colourful but there is itself, however, is not, but much to answer for, includ- spreading green death as they little to entice you to higher perhaps our antipodean ing Galactic Firebirds. It impact the bottom of the levels where there are more friends would find it interest- may be more colourful, screen. Bombs need two hits, blue blobs and fewer ships. ing. smoother and have a greater the blue things three and the Galactic Firebirds. Software In- Wallaby, Superior Software, vasion, BBC B, £7.95. BBC B, tape £7.95. variety of invaders but it is pink squares only one.

still Firebirds dressed up as Galaxians. The game does not start Smooth and satisfying well. Disc drive users, and there are many, may cease IN ROCKY, you must de- crunchers eat rocks. The drop a rock requires a deft the joystick or trying to load the game. The stroy mutant robots by drop- number of robots increases touch with strategy cassette instructions omit to ping rocks on them. They with each identical screen; keyboard. The best indicate that you should re- patrol a grid of five intersect- you move to a new screen seems to be to wait in a top a — set PAGE, which may be a ing horizontal and vertical when you have hit all the corner with rock and good idea as the first puzzle paths. Rocks are deposited on robots on the head with a hope. in an adventure but is not the top path. The robots rock. There is a flashy high- welcome in an arcade game. move at random and emit a The game is well-imple- score table and the sound can Your ship, a relic from beam of yellow light; if you mented, with good, smooth be turned on and off but there is no pause facility. MODE 7, appears at the bot- are caught in the beam you graphics and some pleasant tom of the screen and a line of lose strength and, if not car- touches with the scoring. Rocky, Superior Software, BBC rying a rock, the robots mu- The sound is appropriate and blobs descend from the top, B, £7.95. circling and dropping bombs. tate into creatures known as not too grating but lacks ex- Large blue blobs buzz round spectres and crunchers. citement. Positioning your- and fire yellow rays at you Spectres chase you and self above a vertical path to More software on page 10

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 Five go Attacking

rasr tasr into one rasr divisions SIX PROGRAMS are pro- 1 FIVE ACTIVITIES are pro- BBS vided in Frac Attack on the war vided on Mathspack. Each understanding of fractions. is LOADed separately. They are all LOADed Windmills is a two-player together and the user can game testing addition or sub- • choose which game to play traction or both, with target from the menu. The motiva- '• |J . isa numbers ranging from five to tion is provided by the games 30. The sums appear on one being based on arcade-type of two windmills and each rasr sasf action. player has to answer in turn. '*4mmimm The game Frac Attack Abacus illustrates the SCORE 01)150 LEVEL Ql shows the method admirably.

notion of adding and sub- The sum is given, for tracting large numbers in a example threequarters of 24, i ih 1ni graphic way. IVVMVH and the player has to bomb In Fractions 1 two circles two incorrect answers as they are shown, one with a section pass across and then rescue coloured and one with all the correct answer. segments marked. Questions with Claude In More or Less the play- are formulated thus: 'One er has to ENTER the signs HAS the producer of Uncle the best way. Remember that fifth = how many 30ths?'. < = > . That is simple on Claude been inspired by the you can hit Claude from be- Fractions 2 continues on the level 1, as not only are the head of another electronics low as well as above, and same theme. two fractions relatively easy company whose first name there is no limit to how often Balloons has a choice of to assess but help can be begins with CL? When you you stun him per level. nine types of arithmetic prob- given in the form of ques- hear what happens in Unfortunately, Uncle can lems ranging from easy, tions. For example, you are Claude's factory, you will get you, too, firing lethal '2 + 4 = ?', to the much more by shown y5 and £ and are asked hope not. nasties called umstrads. One tricky '14 + 5=13 + ?'. It is a 3 {?' 'is /5 greater than This is a workers-against- of the most attractive features two-player game like Wind- Beamup is useful for esti- boss story. The workers em- of the game is the ambulance mills but this time hot air mating fractions. A grid is ploy you, Micro Micky, to which arrives post-haste to balloons are divided into shown and questions asked, smuggle the electrical goods segments. whisk you to hospital before for example is the red space j from Uncle Claude's factory you have barely touched the Windmills and Balloons of the shape. The player has before he can raise the price ground. There is also refresh- are two adequate testing to press y/n and then the next and put the workers out of ingly little waiting time devices for addition and sub- number will appear. jobs. Claude hears of your between lives. traction up to a certain level. Scores of correct and incor- plan and sets out to prevent it The first two levels are not Abacus, Fractions 1 and 2 rect answers and number of succeeding. Your task is to very challenging but from attempt to explain difficult attempts are displayed after shunt the various electrical level three things become mathematical concepts and it each session. With testing items, ranging from strip gradually more interesting. is doubtful whether a child routines which have the add- plugs to cruise missiles, on to The graphics are good. Apart would achieve much greater ed excitement of the arcade, a conveyor belt. from the already-praised am- understanding by using the Frac Attack is ideal for test- For players eager to make bulance, special mention programs without the aid of ing both the concepts and the their mark at the top of the must go to the likeable Micro an adult. practice of fractions. scoring chart, stunning Un- Micky. Mathspack, Ega Beva Software, cle Claude by knocking him Uncle Claude, Alligata Software, Frac Attack, BBC B, Study Soft- BBC B. £11.95. out with one of his goods is BBC B, £7.95. ware, £6.95. Thrills and spills are sure to please

ALIEN BREAK-IN is yet indestructible, lay pods Simple control keys can be errors in the on-screen another rip-roaring arcade which hatch into deadly re-defined from the initial instructions. game. It has been described creepy-crawlies on landing. menu page. Joysticks may For fast and furious action as "a real action shot of a The only defence against suc- also be selected. A high-score the game will please. When game" and it is just that. You cessfully hatched-out pods is table of five players is dis- you think you have mastered are faced with an almost im- to dig one of five holes in the played on the page, as is the level 8, try running the pro- possible task, to defend Earth sub-strata to trap the nasties. option to switch off the gram on a BBC model B. The from the onslaught of the To encourage the chaos, sound. The program also fea- speed on level 8 has to be Zargon fleet which seems de- other ships peel off from the tures a freeze/unfreeze facili- seen to be believed. termined to launch a number main fleet and dive towards ty to enable you to collect Alien Break-in, Romik Software of lethal missiles at your base. the holes made in the de- your wits. Ltd, Electron, tape £6.99. If that was not sufficient, fences. The successful ones The only criticism con-

the mother ships, which are mutate into motherships. cerns the number of spelling More software on page 12

10 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 .

AND WITH A VERY TRIM LITTLE FIGURE £159.00 and Packing)

The Bevan Nymph 3-inch Compact Floppy Disk Drive is FEATURES tailored for use with your BBC Micro and is compatible with all disk interfaces and comes complete with cables, 1 Compact and lightweight : Almost half the volume and weight of the comprehensive manual and utilities disk. "Mini Floppy Disk Drive." 2. One-touch disk load/unload. The Nymph has been developed by Hitachi and its rotation 3. Hardened plastic center hub for improved reliability. speed, data transfer rate, recording capacity per track and 4. Rigid compact floppy-disk case with automatic head-window other specifications are designed to be the same as those of shutters for media protection. 5. Low power consumption: Almost half that of the "Mini the conventional 5.25-inch drives and is therefore, fully Floppy Disk Drive". compatible. Brushless direct drive motor: Highly reliable, brushless direct drive offers The Nymph is available either as a flipablo unit with a storage motor longlife operation. capacity of 100K each side or as a double sided unit allowing High-performance head-access access to either side of the disk without removal. It can be mechanism using step motor purchased either as a single or double drive unit with or and steel band. without power supply thus enabling you to choose between Narrow write and wide read heads with a runnel erase head using the BBC's power supply or utilising its own. using Mn-Zn ferrite. Prices quoted are inclusive of VAT, postage and packing. 9. 12 month warranty.

RANGES AVAILABLE * STl Single Flipable £159.00 if ST2 Single Non-Flipable £199.00 * ST3 Single Flipable with PSU £179.00 * DTI Dual Flipable £269.00 * DT2 Dual Non-Flipable £359.00 * DT3 Dual Flipable with PSU £319.00 DISKS Double Sided (100K x 2) at £4.75 each OR pack of five £22.00 DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME

A member of D. F. Bevan (Holdings) PLC

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 Dangerous explorations entertaining

SADIM CASTLE and Val- you meet on your travels. It is ley of the Kings are two text- not much use in Valley of the only adventure games which Kings, since none of them create very different land- speaks English. You may, scapes to be explored but however, stumble across a much the same grisly end for book entitled Speed Learn the unwary. Dead Languages. Pick it up

The imagination of the — it is very handy. writers seems to run to Goth- Neither game is of the bash- ic horror rather than sword 'em - and - hope - for - the - and sorcery. Valley of the best variety. In Sadim Castle Excitement behind

Kings is set in an arid desert you are advised to be kind where a group of archaeolo- and helpful to everyone you a dull facade gists search for the lost pyra- meet and it pays. Of the two, WHATEVER happens, do nowhere in a calm, blue sea mids of Kaculud. Their camp Sadim Castle is the more sat- not reject Copter Capers and sky, appears a series of is deserted, apart from a few isfying to play, not least be- because of the blurb and pic- war machines intent on Arabs and some very unhy- cause you survive longer — ture on the cassette cover. shooting you down — air- gienic camels, and before you most options in Valley of the Beneath that dull and old- ships, submarines and heat- can set out on your search for Kings prove to be fatal. It fashioned exterior lurks a seeking missiles. Luckily, the treasure you have to find also has a fascinating Russian genuinely bright and exciting you find you can shoot back, sufficient water to survive. doll structure of landscapes new game. so the zapping starts. In Sadim Castle the at- within landscapes. As a helicopter pilot, your One small piece of advice is sufficiently is pick survi- mosphere mission to up which is not sufficiently clear Sadim Castle and Valley of the damp and misty. Your quest vors from a shipwrecked fish- Kings, MP Software, BBC B. from the copious instructions is to lay the ghost of the ing boat. Then, from which appear before the beautiful Lady Sadim, game is that you have to land walled-up years before as Colourful motivation each survivor on the island at for infidelity. punishment the left of the screen before Both are real-time games, KOSMOS SOFTWARE has dragon which flies in her di- you can pick up and save the which usually means that if launched a follow-up to its rection. That is achieved by next desperate fisherman. long thinking balloon, in you spend too Answer Back Senior Quiz. moving an air Many lives can be lost discov- about your next move some- Sensibly packaged, Answer which the challenger is a pas- ering that vital snippet of thing nasty happens. In prac- Back Junior Quiz has a senger, over the dragon and information. tice, the action is updated master program and 15 well- dropping a sandbag on its The excitement and inter- every 30 seconds or so but researched quizzes on general head at precisely the correct est are from the combination there is a freeze option to topics. Subjects moment. The game is suffi- knowledge of zapping plenty of baddies allow for map-drawing and include nature, science, spell- ciently colourful and exciting and manoeuvring your heli- cups of tea. ing, music, books, games and to motivate even reluctant copter to pick up survivors Both games feature a sport. learners. and land them safely with which en- Correct answers are re- Answer Back Junior Quiz, Kos TALK command pinpoint accuracy. ables you to extract infor- warded with a chance to save mos Software, BBC B/Electron, tape £10.95 From a gentle and confi- mation from the characters the princess from a dreadful dence-boosting first two levels you move up a gear or two Old theme alive and well on the established game and new, more demanding fea- STAIRCASE STAMPEDE Horrible Harold, who is as- Stampede is lively and en- tures are introduced. Impres- is a direct descendant of that sisted by a ticking bomb and tertaining, provided you are sive is the word to describe old arcade favourite Q'Bert, a crushing boot. not looking for originality. the graphics. Every feature is give or take the odd change of Once you have mastered Graphics are colourful and well-defined and realistic- cast and board shape. the rather unexpected key- amusing and the sound is ef- looking but the prize for As in so many variations board arrangement — with fective. A pause facility and a authenticity must go to the on the theme, the object is to the left forefinger moving choice of start levels are other whirring helicopter noise jump from square to square, you down to the right and thoughtful details which help which accompanies the game. changing the colour of each vice versa — and also become to keep a well-worn theme Highly recommended. as you do so. Trying to pre- accustomed to the fact that alive. vent the successful accom- your character keeps moving Staircase Stampede, Comsoft, Copter Capers, A & F Software, B, £4.95, disc plishment of your task is a even after you have ceased to BBC cassette £6.95. BBC B, £6.90. villainous character called press the keys, Staircase

12 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 Assortment provides more variety but less spice

CHARTBUSTER, a collec- with brighter than average you can move to the next able bank. There are the usu- tion of five games on one aliens and a ship equipped level but the spiders are after al conveyor belts and tape, sounds good but fails to with shields and different fire your blood and, naturally, re- obstacles—including bushes, live up to its name. Eagle rates at each level. move the bombs as fast as animated mouths and things Empire is the best of a The display in Web Run- they can. There are eight which look like rotating tof- mixed bunch. A variety of ner shows a spider's web, screens of good, fast play, fee papers — and he expires bird-shaped aliens swoop Ar- anchored to the edges of the with centipedes, ladybirds at the end of a time limit. cadians-style on your scout- screen at eight points and and flies joining the action. The graphics look rather ship. On the fifth screen you swarming with creepy-craw- The other three games are cramped, being confined to reach the Eagle Emperor but lies. You control the web- makeweight. All are second- the top two-thirds of the you have to blast a hole runner, a small vehicle which rate by commercial stan- screen, and the animation is through the base of his cita- skids along the strands plac- dards. Blagger concerns the irritatingly imprecise. del to reach him. This is an ing bombs in the corners. efforts of a burglar to open Neanderthal Man is a old friend from the arcades, When the web is destroyed the safe in a rather improb- maze game involving a caveman who must find food for his family while avoiding Planning needed in space maze prowling monsters. At the beginning of each round the STARMAZE takes the origi- a i nn MRZE food — hamburgers, roast nal game of Asteroids and turkey and boiled eggs — falls brings it up-to-date. The FUEL from heaven and lodges at asteroids are still there but various levels in the maze. now your ship is inside a big, SHIPS The caveman has to kick it colourful, maze which scrolls AA down from level to level until round you as you move as it finishes in his den at the smoothly as Torvill and Dean SCORE 08800858 bottom. From time to time dancing the Bolero. * ^ < HI-SCORE one of his children wanders The plot is simple. You are 80002500 into the maze and has to be trapped inside the maze and rescued. Monaco is a road you have to travel round it, JEWELS race game with little to com- finding lost jewels, which tj mend it except the kamikase have to be returned to the BOMBS 03 ambulances which barrel up mothership in the centre. LEUEL 01 from behind, knocking every- Your fuel is limited and you one aside. can refuel only at the mother- but your jets need time to you have to consider how to The overall verdict is that ship. increase acceleration; face in turn, fire and turn again, there is plenty of variety and Three types of aliens in- the wrong direction and you while still avoiding the walls. it is perhaps worthwhile as an habit the maze, some more curve gracefully into the You also have smart bombs as introduction to games-play- deadly than others, but your walls of the maze. a panic measure. ing but one well-tried pro- main difficulty is the maze. It is not a zap-everything- All in all, a welcome gram which would hold its Touching the walls means in- in-sight game but one where change from having to stick appeal might be better value. stant destruction and so your thought, planning and an down the fire button. control of the ship must be appreciation of the laws of Chartbuster, Alligata Software, Starmaze, Software Invasion, BBC B; cassette £9.95, disc complete. You can rotate left motion are needed. When BBC B, £7.95. £13.95. and right or invert the ship you have to zap something 3-D race effects lack drive THERE IS plenty of variety seems suicidally determined The 3D effects are disap- the horizon never seem to get in Overdrive on which any to prevent you reaching the pointing. The road dwindles closer. Another disappoint- budding James Hunt can cut finishing line. towards the horizon and ment is the lack of obstacles; his teeth. The cars race over A speedometer is provided other cars grow from tiny there are no oil slicks and no five stretches of countryside, but scoring is based on the dots as you approach them bends in the road — the draw- including night, snow and de- number of cars you overtake. but the main sense of move- ing on the cassette insert is sert landscapes. A bar counter at the top of ment is from the road mark- misleading. It is a well-pre- The controls are respon- the screen shows how close ings flickering past. The five sented game for enthusiasts; sive, allowing positive accel- you are to qualifying for the landscapes are not much other players may find it dull. eration and deceleration, as next stage and points are de- more than different colours Overdrive, Superior Software, well as left/right movement. ducted when you are overtak- — white for snow, yellow for BBC B, £7.95. Good control of the car is en. A collision brings your desert. All are featureless vital, too, as the opposition car to a standstill. plains and the mountains on More software on page 75

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 13 UNIT 14, PEERGLOW INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, OLD'S APPROACH, TOLPITS LANE, WATFORD, HERTS. g TELEPHONE: 0923 77715515? TEAC t TEC ILIMLINE DRIVES FOR THE BBC SINGLE DRIVES CASED: IncVAT THE CARE LOW 40/80 Track 2O0K Swllchable TEAC 55 § 164.91a MICRO 40/SO Trick 400K Swllchabla TEC 178.94a DUAL DRIVES CASED: PROFILE ROM^ 40/80 Track 400K Swllchabla TEAC 55 329.82a 40/80 Track BOOK Swllchabla TEC § 357.88a INTEGRAL POWER SUPPLY: MODULE Fitted to any ol the above drive* @ 26.45b POWER SUPPLY UNIT: @ 32.20b SYSTEM * Colour llntshed to match BBC. * 6 pin BBC Outlet or Dual Power lead lor disk drive. (Please specify when ordering)

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1984 14 ACORN PROGRAMS December Well-presented Swag Son of Trooper is worth loading Trucker

IN SWAG, you are an armed opponent are the main Mode 2 is used, giving a SPACEMAN SID is an ade- robber out to steal £250,000 obstacles, act with menace colourful screen, with good quate if unremarkable ver- in diamonds — i.e., reach but lack the killer instinct graphics within the con- sion of Trooper Trucker 250,000 points — ahead of which can make this kind of straints of the resolution which started life in the your opponent, who may be game frustrating. available. The presentation is arcades. In it you play the another player or the pro- The animation is fluid and excellent. part of Sid, driving his XR5 gram. You must collect the reasonably fast but the game- Joysticks may also be used. laser-armed combat Rover, diamonds and take them to play would be improved if Unlike many programs, it whose throttle has stuck, over the cache in your house. To the robbers were to move a will respond immediately to a the surface of Tribos, zap- obtain ammunition, you must little faster vertically. request for a new game. The ping anything which moves also collect gold and take it to Moving on to a DH sym- computer plays a reasonable and some things which do the bank. Killer droids and bol, which appears at ran- game but could be a little not, to reach the enemy base. police cars must be avoided. dom, makes droids which more intelligent, as it can be That does not include the

That is a familiar scenario were attacking you start at- beaten easily. As a to-player dreaded small rock and the but this game succeeds in tacking your opponent, and game it is better. even more menacing large maintaining enough excite- vice-versa, allowing a sneak rock. Swag, Micro Power, BBC B, to be worth loading. a seemingly The surface of the planet is ment comeback by £7.95. The droids, which with your overwhelmed competitor. littered with potholes which have to be jumped over, and in later levels meteors fall to Real pool players abstain create new holes. If you miss, SUPER POOL may not are bombed by the alien teach you much about pool scoutship or just generally but it is, nevertheless, an en- blown up, you are faced with tertaining program. In it you the wheels of the Rover are presented with a colourful flying off. You have only four pool table with six balls spare sets. which you have to pot. You Apart from the pleasant control your shot by moving snatches of music, reminis- a cursor round the outside of cent of the cafe in Star Wars, the table as an aiming mark this is an unexciting game, a and you can also alter the kind of one-dimensional Min- strength. er 2049er in which you can Each level comprises three shoot things. According to frames. In the first you have the inlay card the reason the to pot all the balls. The sec- aliens are out to get you is ond requires you to pot them because at the start of the in order, and in the last you game you shoot an approach- also have to hit them in or- ing drone. Even if you don't, they still der. To make life more diffi- the normal method is to look Real-life players will find it bomb you. cult you have a limited down the cue rather than frustrating. Spaceman Sid, English Soft- of shots per frame from the other side of the Super Pool, Software Invasion, number ware, BBC B, £7.95. and only one minute to make ball. BBC B, £7.95. the shot. Three foul shots are allowed in each game. Because the screen can dis- Andy Capp, you Jane only a limited resolution, Me play that will affect the accuracy HOW CAN one find fault by a joystick or the keyboard. The graphics are terrific; of the shots. Sometimes you with a program which plays a Each screen presents new ob- Tarzan looks more like Andy need to make more than one pleasant tune as it loads? You stacles to be overcome. The Capp but the cheetah in par- shot, as you cannot get the have to negotiate Tarzan objective is, of course, to save ticular moves beautifully. angle you want. Cushion through four typical jungle Jane from an awesome but Precise movement of Tarzan shots are particularly diffi- environments, with their unspecified fate. requires a deft hand but with cult, as are fine cuts. Often snakes, birds, monkeys, chee- The difficulty with this a little practice he can be you can miss the object ball tahs, alligators, river logs, type of game is that you have made to leap gaping chasms completely if you play to hit teeth, flying saucers and to go through the screens in with ease. The sound lacks the cushion and ball at the strange blue cylinders which the prescribed order — there variety on the first two same time. Also if you are go up and down. Tarzan can is no 'practice' facility allow- screens. The game has no used to playing pool or run in either direction and ing you to try a particular high-score table. snooker, you will find it diffi- jump. screen. Tarzan is great fun, Tarzan, Alligata, BBC B, £7.95. cult to line up the shots, as He can be controlled either though, and very addictive.

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 15 Martin Cooper recommends a However many new releases reach the shops, people still write to maga- personal choice of vintage games zines boasting of their latest incredibly high scores on Arcadians. It is a familiar space invaders format. The player's ship moves from side to side at the Look back in bottom of the screen while the attackers mass at the top. Instead of lumbering downwards dropping bombs, the Arcadians swoop, pleasure singly or in formation. There are four types of alien and a variety of attack a new game is a hit-and- BUYING An alternative is to buy a few maga- patterns, with extra defending ships at miss business at the best of times zines and read the reviews and Top intervals. An open-ended game, it will but if are you a newcomer to the Twenty tables. The difficulty there is continue indefinitely for as long as you BBC or Electron, or if you have no that only the most recent games are manage to stay alive, the Arcadians micro and are buying a Christmas mentioned. Many of the classics have becoming faster and more aggressive present for someone else, there is a good been around for two years. with each succeeding screen. Options: chance your money will be wasted. The So here are a few suggestions about joystick, two players, sound on/off. game will be played for a time and then games which seem to have "the right High-score table. it will gather dust. As with books and stuff'. Those listed all deserve a place If you are tired of zapping aliens, records, so with computer — games a between the user guide and the wel- Aviator may be the answer. It is a few are good, some are dreadful all and come pack on games players' shelves. flight simulator based on the Mark II most are somewhere between. Most have been available for some time Spitfire single-seater fighter which went The difficulty is how to tell them and were tried and tested in the amuse- into service in 1940. The display shows apart. The sound, the movement, the ment arcades before they found their the complete aircraft instrument panel sense of involvement a really good game way to the home computer. They are down to the rivets, and the pilot's view generates is difficult to describe on a the kind of games you can re-discover forwards drawn in 3D line graphics. 6in. x 3in. piece of card for a cassette after putting them aside for a month or If you can get off the ground, the insert. Most software houses not do try, two and well worth the investment of a simulation is frighteningly real and the so packaging can be very misleading. few pounds. Two are more recent re- accompanying handbook warns that Few inserts have screen dumps to show leases but they look as if they will make you should expect to spend some what the game looks like and the fad for the grade. hours "in the air" before getting the storyline introductions only muddles feel of the controls. When you the issue. become accustomed to it you can So how do you cope faced when with test your skill by trying some aero- a shelf full of cassettes? One approach is batics or stunts like flying beneath to find a shop which will let you play bridges. If you really must zap before you buy. Even if you are not a those aliens there is a theme games-player, you will be able to watch ATTACK the other customers and form an CYLON opinion. Unfortunately, it is usually GAMES only the small specialist shops which 4C0RNSSFT are flexible enough for that kind of luxury. JCORMSSFTCMIIES Monsters Model B Arcadians fortheBBCMicrocompuiter Mode fortheBBCMicrocomputer 3»»

,— -J$nt involving strange life forms which ing jewels, light bulbs and keys. He has passages with a pack of Monsters after threaten to destroy Acornsville. Op- to avoid the pink balloons, which rise your blood, you have to trap them one tions: joystick, volume control. Manual from below, and the daggers — thrown by one before your oxygen supply runs and map supplied. from the top right-hand corner — and out. The display is divided into a num- As an introduction to adventure also occasionally bumps into a woolly ber of horizontal levels, connected by games Colossal Adventure is difficult monster. All those hazards can be dis- ladders. to beat. It is the original "hack and posed of by skilful use of a yo-yo. The Your little man is pursued up and slash" adventure written in the '70s, maze scrolls sideways as he progresses down them by growing numbers of according to folklore, by disenchanted and there is a time limit. Frak! is a blob-like nasties but if he can find a programmers at an American universi- remark he makes each time he falls. breathing space he can hack a hole in ty. The micro acts as your eyes and ears Options: freeze action; sound on/off; the floor with his pickaxe and drop as you move through a fantasy world, high-score table. them through to the level below. presenting you with descriptions of A non-violent game which neverthe- Unfortunately, even if a monster falls your surroundings — it is a text-only less manages to be highly addictive, down a hole, it may climb out again, so game — and the results of any instruc- Hopper must prove something. A frog the hole has to be filled to finish it off. tions you may have typed-in — GO has to be guided from the hard shoulder Advanced players dig several holes, one NORTH, TAKE KEYS, GIVE DIA- of a motorway at the bottom of the beneath the other, and win extra points MOND TO DWARF. There are puz- screen to a hole in a river bank at the by making the monster fall through two zles to solve and decisions to be taken at top, dodging the traffic and hopping on or three levels. High-score table. every turn but if you are stumped Level to the backs of swimming turtles and Based on the arcade favourite De- 9 Software will send a clue sheet to help floating logs to avoid drowning. fender, Planetoid must still be one of you. There are five holes to be filled, after the most demanding shoot-'em-up

Cylon Attack is back to alien-bash- which you move to the next screen, games available. Your ship occupies the ing again but this time in 3D. You pilot where cars move at an even brisker centre of the screen and can fly in either the only interceptor on board a cargo pace, turtles dive at inconvenient mo- direction at any height above a scrolling ship which is taking supplies to Earth ments, and snakes and crocodiles patrol landscape. when it is attacked by the Cylon fleet. the river banks. Options: joystick; sound The inevitable aliens drift from The display shows the forward view on/off; music on/off; high-score table. above, intent on capturing the human- from your ship and as you bank and There is a cinematic flavour to Killer oids who potter helplessly about the dive the starfield wheels past, bringing Gorilla. A Fay Wray look-alike has planet surface. Your mission is to fight the enemy into view. been kidnapped by a giant gorilla, off the attackers and rescue any human- Your laser sights are in the centre of which is holding her at the top of a tall, oids unfortunate enough to be seized. the screen, so you have to fly directly unfinished building. Our hero has to One distinctive feature is the long- towards the Cylons to hit them. Their ships loom towards you and loose their energy bolts before swooping past — the 'The inevitable aliens drift from above, effect is so convincing that you will find intent on capturing the humanoids' yourself ducking. An instrument panel shows the status of shield and fuel supply. Both are used scale an assortment of ladders and gird- range scanner at the top of the display up gradually. Fuel can be replaced after ers to rescue her. which makes it possible for the action to locating the mothership and docking As he climbs, the gorilla rolls barrels take place over a much wider terrain but the shields cannot. Options: joystick at him. He can jump over them or, if than usual. Another open-ended game, or two alternative sets of control keys; there is a hammer handy, smash them. never the same twice running. High- freeze game. The 50-place high-score As if that were not sufficient, a bucket score table. table can be saved and re-loaded. of red-hot rivets glides up the ladders Snapper is an excellent version of

Frak! is a recent arrival which has behind him, waiting for him to make a that grandfather of all arcade games, gone straight into the best-seller charts false move. Even when our hero man- Pac-man, so familiar that any descrip- and already seems to have a cult follow- ages to reach the top of the screen the tion seems unnecessary. It is one game ing. The graphics are extraordinary and gorilla scoops up his captive and makes which should be on every micro own- the thinking behind the game is odd. A off to the next level. Options: joystick; er's software shelf, even among the caveman wanders about a maze — sound on/off; high-score table. spreadsheets and databases. which seems to consist of primitive Caught in a system of underground Arcadians, Acornsoft, BBC B, cassette ladders and tussocks of grass — collect- £9.95, disc £11.50; Electron, £9.20. Aviator, Acornsoft, BBC B, cassette £14.95, disc £17.65. Colossal Adventure, Level 9 Computing, BBC B, £9.90. Cylon Attack, A&F Software, BBC B/Elec- tron, £7.90. Frak! Aardvark, BBC B, £8.90. Hopper, Acornsoft, BBC B, cassette £9.95, disc £11.50; Electron £9.20. Killer Gorilla, Micro Power, BBC B, cassette £7.95, disc £9.95; Electron £7.95. Monsters, Acornsoft, BBC B, cassette

£9.95, disc £1 1 .50; Electron £9.20. Planetoid, Acornsoft, BBC B, cassette £9.95, disc £11.50; Electron £9.20. Snapper, Acornsoft, BBC B, cassette £9.95, disc £11.50; Electron £9.20.

17 Leigh Computer Systems NEVER BEATEN ON PRICE!

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CANON '^^ Ex VAT PwTso.,,080 C CANON p^; A(Co(our) 431 £ ROMS Ex VAT 25 375.00 Inc VAT X8 309 °0 £ |PS0NRX80F/TIpfn^ ° 269.00 £ 32.00 218.50 36.80 189.95 50.95 213.00 59-95 |PSON MX 373.75 wordwise 26.35 100 325.00 31.00 100 420 26.35 Epfn^* °0 366.00 31.00 N 4 8 7 5 26.35 J ' D-svwh 424.00 31.00 S°6 ee ( ,4 DOCTOR 26.35 lS/D a 8 2 ? DISC 31.00 355.00 26.35 325.00 31.00 R'WTER LEADS ;+ P.O.A. Ma "V other CARETAKER makes 9.75 i ^^^^*^t C 8.50{ rr^ °-Pet,t,ve Special November prices 96 EPROMS ,»-.n ,r 2 764 27128 ERRORS " VAT P1^^5\ncVAT Ex £ £ 7.01 8.25 7.86 9.25 6.16 7.25 13.60 16.00 16.95 ACKSHOT 19.95 ?r 8.45 ln cV UBE JOYSTICKS 9.95 A T S ^cPJlVL J 34 £*Vat PA)Rp^ 40 NTERFACE 16.95 19.95 EH 9.00 46o°° 1035

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L 1 1 L. 5> . fuii trade price a vailable. Telephone: 0455 612139

18 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 & Four Fabulous Movits are waiting to be won in our great Christmas competition. To make sure Acorn Programs readers move with the times, our prizes open the exciting new world of robotics and automation.

The winner of the competition will receive a The Christmas Party Conundrum Beasty interface from Commotion, together with The organiser of the office Christmas party was two SI 28 servos — worth a total of almost £60. having a difficult time. He couldn't find a venue big staff. would Plugged into a BBC model B with OS version 1.0 enough to accommodate all the There have to be two parties, at different places. or above, the Beasty and servos can twist, open, Each of the two venues had a different seating close and generally manipulate objects under capacity, greater than 15, which had to be filled computer control — the ideal introduction to exactly. Unfortunately, each of the various groups of robotics. staff insisted on going as one undivided group to the The four runners-up will each receive one of same party. No matter how hard he tried, the the Prism Movits, ranging in value from £35 for organiser could find no way of doing this. the Memocon Crawler to £18 for the Line Tracer. In desperation, he wrote a computer program to

All you have to do is to solve the great find the solution. And the computer said . . . there Christmas Party Conundrum. You could do it was no solution. with pen and paper but it might take you a very What was the seating capacity at each of long time. So put your BBC or Electron to work the two venues? and write a program to find the answer, which The following groups work at the office: will consist of two separate numbers. 48 engineers 8 cleaning staff Solutions must be sent on the coupon on this 23 computer staff 5 telephonists page. Winners will be announced in our March 17 managerial staff 3 receptionists issue, when we will also publish the Christmas 11 secretaries 2 porters Party Organiser's program and solution. Prizes will be awarded to the first five correct entries drawn from a hat. Closing date for the 1 competition is December 31. nSend to: the Editor, Acorn 2nd prize Programs, ECC Publications, 2 Memocon Crawler Newington Green Road, London Has its own keyboard Nl 4AQ. and accepts a broad range of commands The seating capacity of 3rd prize the two office party Circular Two independent venues was: wheels send it wherever you want it Name: 4th prize Address: Piper Mouse Obeys sounds picked up by its condenser microphone

5th prize Line Tracer Tel: An infra-red sensor will follow any course you Employees of ECC Publications plot or their relatives are ineligible.

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 19 IF YOU HAVE A COMPUTER YOU NO LONGER NEED SELL IT IN MICRO MART

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Micro Mart is published fortnightly by ECC Publications, 2 Newington Green Road, Islington, London N1 4AQ Our expert Jeremy Richards provides some useful shopping hints and answers your programming queries Error-trapping the mark of good early learning software the manufacturer and retail- and often is, suitable only for such an being pressed? A good piece of software FOR account that er, Christmas can be the answer environment and the same applies to should take into many

to all their dreams, but for the classroom software. mistakes will be made by a child. The consumer it may be a nightmare. Worst The place to start is with a supplier keyboard is not the easiest tool for a affected are parents who have decided of software. There are many and your child to use and almost inevitably will to buy their son or daughter a computer local dealer should have a wide selec- cause mistakes to occur. to help them at school, while many who tion. Programs will not always perform The key test of a program is its may be reading this column for the first in exactly the way you may be led to appeal to the person using it, so where time have just bought an Electron or believe by an advertisement, so try to possible take the child to the shop to BBC. learn as much as possible before buying. try the program. It is useless buying Mrs L Davis of Birmingham wrote What do you look for? It is difficult to software which appeals to you but not asking how to decide the appropriate give a checklist of criteria for buying to your child. The screen display is of piece of software for her seven-year-old educational software because of the great importance and clear, lucid son James. It is a very common question range of services it encompasses but, in instructions should be first and fore- and she is not alone in her search for general, here is a good set of guidelines most in the presentation of a program. good educational software. by which to examine a piece of soft- Perhaps the area which has been The educational market is nothing ware. exploited most in home educational short of a jungle. Its confusion lies in First, check the documentation. Is it software is the early learning market. the fact that there are many areas which clear to you and, where applicable, your There more than anywhere else manu- can fall under the title of educational child? Error-trapping in the program is facturers have gone to town. That is

software. For simplicity it is best to also of importance. By that I mean probably because they need not tax start with the distinction between home check to see if mistakes made by the their minds too much in creating pro- and classroom software. Software which child are seen by the machine. How grams.

is intended for use in the home may be, does it respond to the BREAK key Despite the simplicity of the tasks involved for the user, however, careful

thought is needed if the program is to

be of use to a child. Once I reviewed a piece of software designed to check a child's grasp of simple mathematics. Unfortunately the program had not

been thoroughly error-trapped and it was possible to have the computer tell the user that five times five equalled

2,500. It was a fine example of a program not allowing for the unexpected and, of course, as any parent will know,

doing the unexpected is precisely where children excel.

Software has improved since I saw that program and, by and large, such oversights should not occur. The best

way of testing software is to enter incorrect answers and generally ignore the

instructions. In no other area would I suggest such measures but with educational software you should try to mess up the works. Many teachers and parents see the computer as a replacement for the

teacher. That is not the case and it should not be considered in such a light.

The computer is merely a tool to aid Continued on page 22

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 21 Continued from page 21 What of the secondary school set the auto-repeat delay and rate of the teaching and learning and a piece of student? At first that market was rather keyboard. Experiment with numbers to software, like any other teaching aid, lacking in support but gradually more see the effect. To re-set your machine,

needs the involvement of an adult. software has appeared and it is improv- either type *FX12,0 or switch off.

It is a mistake to believe that children ing all the time. The most important C Argyle of Southgate, London asks will be taken care of by their robotic factor which has yet to emerge in any how to use the INSTR command and

friend while the adult can rest. The big way is software linked directly to the where it can be used in a program. He computer in home education is not for examination syllabus. Revision is far seems to have found that the command

keeping children out of the way; it is for and away the most tedious and difficult does not work as described. That is not

education and, as such, demands as task a child faces, something which surprising, as Basic 1 has a bugged much help from the parent as home- many pupils have never mastered. I version and the command will not oper- work, if not more. suspect that revision would be much ate correctly. To find which version of Moving further in our search for easier if there is that fun element of Basic you have, type REPORT. If the good software, look for programs which interacting with a computer. Let us message displayed has 1981 in it you allow you to alter the tasks with which hope that O and A level students will have Basic 1; otherwise it will be Basic the child is presented according to their find that their Acorn machines make 2. ability and progress. For instance, in revision a pleasure rather than a chore. The INSTR command searches a learning the alphabet, a child may ex- For those who may wish to learn string for the occurrence of another perience more difficulties with certain more about educational software, I sug- string. For instance, the user may have letters, so a good piece of software gest a call to the MEP, which has many should allow the parent to instruct the centres round Britain. The telephone computer to test the child where it is number of its southern branch is 0293 'He seems to have weakest. 546216.

Software in the lower age bracket, Now I turn to some programming found that the like clothes, has a limited life-span. It is problems. The sideways ROM board command does obvious that a child will progress in still figures high in the postbag and C learning and therefore will grow out of a Ryan of Cambridge asks how to select a not work' program. A good piece of software will particular ROM socket rather than call- take account of that and will cover as ing it by name. That can be done easily wide a span as possible to allow the by using the *FX142 command. Type- typed-in the sentence "I LOVE child to use the program for a long time. in *FX142,x, where 'x' equals the num- ACORN PROGRAMS". You may That also makes financial sense. ber of the ROM socket to be entered. wish the computer to find whether the Virtually all primary schoolchildren You have probably noticed that the word ACORN has been used. INSTR should have contact with a computer at keyboard of your computer has an auto- will do that by searching for the string

school and the likelihood is that it will repeat, as a result of which holding- 'ACORN' and reporting its position in

be a BBC machine. Obviously, having a down a key causes it to repeat. E Paul of the typed-in string. Try the following BBC or Electron at home makes the Ipswich queries how the speed of it can program: classroom be changed. transference of work between Once more *FX commands 10 INPUTLINE "Enter a sentence", phraseS and home very easy. are the answer. *FX11 and *FX12 will 20 strings$ = "ACORN" 30 search = INSTR (phraseS, string$) 40 PRINT search

The number returned in line 40 is the start position of the string

"ACORN" in phrases. If the string is

not found, 'search' will equal 0. Basic 1 will return an incorrect value. Next

month I will show a simple way of correcting that.

INSTR is a very useful command and is of particular importance in programs where you need to check for a certain input in the middle of a long phrase. Simple artificial intelligence programs make use of INSTR to make their seemingly intelligent replies. Finally, a Christmas mystery. You may remember me telling you of a Mode 7 add-on for the Electron computer. The company which was to

launch it, Sir Computers, has gone into

voluntary liquidation but it may not be the end of the Mode 7 adaptor. The company may well be re-vitalised in

another form. The last I heard was that the adaptor would cost in the region of

£130. Whatever the price I look forward to more information on a teletext add- on.

22 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 " ;

have difficulty waking 5B0 PR I NT "NEXT PLUG IN ONLY TH ALABMO YOU K E REM PLUG INTO THE" up in the morning? If so, Paul 510 VDU23;8202;0;0;0; 590 PR I NT "RECORDER . NOW SET T 520 PRINT d:Sellers of Driffield, East York- HE VOLUME TO SUIT YOUR RECUIRM 530 PR INT "BY PAUL SELLERS OF D BUI tfel shire wrote this program for the BBC B ENTS. PRESS THE PLAY TON DOWN RIFF I ELD" . NOTHING SHOULD HAPPEN" and Electron with you in mind. 540 PR I NT "TO USE THIS PROGRAM 600 PR I NT "YOU ARE NOW READY TO After loading, plug the remote lead YOU NEED" SET THE TIME ETC" 550 PR I NT "A CASSETTE RECORDER 610 PR I NT "REM THE CLOCK IS A 2 into the cassette recorder, put in some WITH THE THREE PLUGS" 4 HOUR CLOCK" music and press Play. Set the 24-hour 560 PRINT"! .e. EAR, MIC, REM. FIR 620 PR I NT "PRESS SPACE" clock to the present time and the time at STLY CHECK THAT" 630 A*=INKEY*(Oi 570 PRINT "YOU HAVE SOME GOOD M which you want to rise and the tape will 640 IFA*=" "THEN. RETURN USIC IN THE RECORDER" 650 G0T0630 be activated automatically to play at the appropriate hour.

10 G0SUB4B0 20 CLS 30 PR I NT "PLEASE ENTER THE TIM E IN HOURS" 40 INPUTA 50 PRINT"MINUTES" 60 INPUTB 70 PR I NT "SECONDS" 80 INPUTC 90 LETD=A*360000 100 LETE=B»6000 110 LETF=C»100 120 TIME=D+E+F 130 SEC=(TIME DIV 100)M0D60 140 MIN=(TIME DIV 6000>MOD60 150 HR=(TIME DIV 360000) M0D25 160 PR I NT "WHAT TIME WOULD YOU LIKE THE ALARM TO GO OFF ?" 170 PRINT" IN HOURS" 180 INPUTG 190 PRINT"MINUTES" 200 INPUT H 210 PR I NT "SECONDS" 220 INPUT I 230 LETJ=G*360000 240 LETK«H«6000 250 LETL=I*100 260 TIMEA=J+K+L 270 CLS

; ; 280 VDU23 8202 ; ; ; 290 F0RI = 1 TO 999999999*9999999 99 300 CLS 310 SEC=(TIME DIV 100)M0D60 320 MIN=(T\IME DIV 6000) MOD60 330 HR=(TIME DIV 360000) M0D25 340 IF HR=0 AND MIN=0 AND SEC=

THEN T I ME=0 : T I ME=T I ME+360000

' 350 PRINTTABU7, 16) ;HR; ' ;MIN

' ";SEC 360 IF TIME=TI MEA THEN470 370 IF TIME+1= TIMEA THEN 470 380 IF TIME+2= TIMEA THEN 470 390 IF TIME+3= TIMEA THEN 470 400 IF TIME+4= TIMEA THEN 470 410 IF TIME+5= TIMEA THEN 470 420 IF TIME+6= TIMEA THEN 470 430 IF TIME+7= TIMEA THEN 470 440 IF TIME+B TIMEA THEN 470 450 IF TIME+9= TIMEA THEN 470 460 NEXTI 470 CHAIN"" 480 M0DE7 490 PRINT CHR* (141) ;CHR*<130> CHR*<136> ; ALARM CLOC K 500 PRINT CHR* (141) ;CHR*<130) CHR*(136> ; ' ALARM CLOC

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 23 1 J( 1 61

10 REM *** Race Track THIS IS your chance to be a 770 C0L0UR129:C0L0UR2:PRINTTAB *** world championship driver. (6,1)" Beeb RACE TRACK" 20 REM *** R.Kitching JULY 84| Using the high-resolution mode 780 COLOUR 128: C0L0UR3 : PR I NTTAB **» (3,3) "Welcome to the Beeb Race T 2 screen you must manoeuvre your 30 *TV255 rack. You" ? "have been entered int 40 DNERROR G0T080 Acorn Formula BBC or Electron o a Grand Prix racein which you CY7. (134) (8) * " 50 DIMCXXU34) , , sc around the S bends and hairpin bends must attempt to cotnpl ete" 10 la ,NA*(8> , LAX(B) ps, each lap being more dif-ficul using the Z, X, :, and / keys. 60 PROCarray t"'"than the last.'" are car 70 PROCsetup You the blue and the other 790 COLOUR 1: PR I NT" Your car 80 MODE1 competitors are the yellow formula Sin- is blue, I have two cars a"' "red 90 PROCinstruct a clair and red formula Oric. one and yellow one. You' re car 100 REPEAT "'"will crash i-f it goes off the 110 M0DE2 The program is by R Kitching of track or 1 " "hits my car.Mv cars 120 PROCTRACK Adlington, Lancashire. can't crash. A lap" 130 L7.=0: GX=3: SC7.=0: CL7.= 1 : YL7.= 800 PRINT"must be completed be 0:VDU23:8202:0;0;0; fore the fuel runs'" "out or your 140 REPEAT car will explode.'" 150 X7.=520: Y7.=792: PC*=PL*: CRX= 500 ENVEL0PE1, 1,-10, 1,-10, 10,2 810 C0L0UR2:PRINT" If you ca O: CC*=CCL* : DX=2000 0,30, 1,0,0,-2, 126, 120 mplete a lap the score is'""incr 160 PROCSTART 510 ENVEL0PE2. 6, 10,2,2.0,0,0, eased by the amount of fuel left 170 REPEAT 26,0,0,-10, 126, 10 ."'"A bonus of 1000 points is aw 180 J7.=0 "' 520 ENVELOPES. 1,5,5,5,2,2,2, 12 arded f or "beating my yellow ca 190 REPEAT 6,0,0,-5, 100, r around a lap."' 200 PRDCCDMPCAR 530 VDU23, 224, &1B,&7E, 8<18, !<1B, 820 C0L0UR3: PRINT" To start t 210 UNTILJX=134 OR CR7.= 10RL7.= 1 8*18, &18, &3C, &18, 23. 225, S<66, O, !<66 he race or a lap press S'"" Us 1 ,0,0,&C3,8

450 F0RYX=600T0760STEP32: CXX ( 720 PR*=CA*+CHR*22B+CB*+CHR*22 X) =712: CYX ( JX) =YX: JX=JX+1 : NEXT 9 460 FORXX=6BOT0552STEP-32: CXX 730 PD*=CA*+CHR*230+CB*+CHR*23 JX) =XX: CYX ( JX) =760: JX=JX+1 : NEXT 1 470 F0RJX=lT08:sc(J7.)=100*(9-J 740 FIRE«=CHR*1S+CHR*3+CHR«9+C X) : NA* ( JX) ="Rol and " : LAX ( JX) =1 : NE HR*232+CHR*8+CHR*18+CHR*3+CHR*14 XT +CHR4233 480 ENDPROC 750 ENDPROC 490 DEFPROCsetup 760 DEFPROCinstruct

24 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 P7 1 P 1 ) O ) A

R accelerates your car.'"" ESC <0,1)"LAPS ";L7.;TAB(8, 1) "FUEL "; 1390 IFX7.=552 ANDYX>720 AND PC* APE will return to this page." DX;TAB(8,3> "Score " ; SCX; TAB (8, 4) =PL* ANDCL7.=0:PR0CLAP 830 PR0CSPACE(8,30) "HIGH ";sc(D 1400 ENDPROC 840 ENDPROC 1 000 VDU5 : M0VE520 , 760 : PR I NTCL* 1410 DEFPROCCRASH 850 DEFPROCTRACK 1010 MOVEXX, YX:PRINTPC* 1420 *FX15.0 860 C0L0UR130:CLS: GCOLO, 1020 I FG7.= 1 : M0VE200 , 880 : PR I NTCC 1430 S0UND0,2,5, 10 870 REST0RE950 D*: GOTO 1040 1440 MOVEXX, Y7.:PRINTFIRE* 1450 F0RWT=1T05000:NEXT 880 F0RRX= 1 TO 1 4 : READAX , BX , WX , H 1030 F0RT7.= 1T0G7.- 1 : MOVETX* 100. B X 80: PRINTCCD*: NEXT 1460 MOVEXX, YX:PRINTFIRE* 890 MOVEAX, BX 1040 S$=INKEY*<0) : IF S*="S" GOT 1470 ENDPROC , 1480 DEFPROCLAP 900 PLOT 1 , , HX : PL0T8 1 , WX -HX : 01050 ELSE 104O L0T81.0,HX 1050 F0RS=3T0OSTEP-l:M0VE320,60 1490 CL7.= 1 910 NEXT O: GCOLO, O: PRINT; S: S0UND1 ,-15,4,1 1500 L7.=LX+1 : S0UND2, -15, 88, 3: VD 920 MOVES 10. 720: GCOLO. 7: PLOT 1, : F0RWT=lT0200O: NEXT: M0VE320. 600: U4:PRINTTAB(5, 1) ; LX 1510 IFLX>YL7. SC7.=SC7.+D7.+ 1000 E , 80 : MOVE500 , 720 : PLOT 1 , , 80 SCOLO, 2: PRINTCHR*255: NEXT 930 MOVEO. 840: PLOT 1. 1280.0 : PLD 1060 S0UND0,3,5,255 LSE SC7.=SCX+D7. T81,-1280,200:PLQT81, 1280,0 1070 M0VE520,760:PRINTCL»: VDU4 1520 PRINTTAB(14,3) : SCX: D7.=2000 940 ENDPROC 1080 ENDPROC :VDU5 950 DATA24, 40, 140, 760, 160.720, 1090 DEFPROCCOMPCAR 1530 RESTORE ( 1560+ (LX* 10) 640, 80, 680, 720, 120, -200, 800, 520, 1100 K7.=J7.*2: IFK7.J134: KX=JX*2-1 1 540 READAX , BX , WX . HX 284,80 34 1 550 GCOLO , 1 : MOVEAX , BX : PLOT 1 , WX , 1 , O : -WX , : , WX , 960 DATA 1 024 , 600 , 56 , 200 , 1 068 , 1110 IFK7.= 132:YL7.=YL7.+ FL0T8 1 HX PL0T8 1 32, 192,68, 1132,40, 128,692,800,40 1 120 IFJX=00RJX=1290RJ7.=1 140RJX 1560 ENDPROC =104 C*=CL4:G0T01160 1570 DATA168,B8,32,72 , 320, 120, BOO, 160, 80, 160 970 DATA588, 200, 216, 120,588,32 1 130 IFJ7.= 130RJ7.=610RJ7.=720RJ7.= 1580 DATA888,88,72,72 O, 136, 160, 280, 400, 304, 80, 280, 40, 107 C*=CD*: GOTO 1160 1590 DATA280, 168,64, 160 152. 360. 160, 40, 120, 120 1 140 IFJX=350RJX=510RJX=670RJX= 1600 DATA108. 88, 0,640 980 DEFPROCSTART 75 C*=CR*:G0T01160 1610 DATA680, 772, 120,28 1150 IFJX=400RJ7.=840RJX=124 C* = 1620 DATA320,40,32,72 990 C0L0UR3 : COLOUR 1 32 : PR I NTTAB CU* 1630 DATA680,520,48,200 1 1 60 I FK7.=00RK7.= 1 300RK7.= 1 1 40RK7. 1640 DATA360,400,280,32 =104 CC*=CCL«: GOTO 1200 1650 DATA1040,40,72,72 1170 IFKX=140RKX=620RK7.=720RK7.= 1660 DATA160,772,200,28 \ 108 CC*=CCD«: GOTO 1200 1 670 DEFPROCCHECK ( PX , QX , TX , RX 1 180 IFKX=360RKX=520RKX=6B0RKX= 1680 IFPOINT(PX,QX)<>0 OR POINT

76 CC*=CCR*: GOTO 1200 ( TX , RX ) <>0 CR7.= 1 : PROCCRASH 1190 IFKX=400RKX=840RK7.= 124 CCS 1690 ENDPROC ~V =CCU* 1700 DEFPR0CHI6H

1200 MOVECXX ( JX) , CY7. < J7.) : VDU5: 1710 tFX15,0 RINTC* 1720 VDU4:CLS

1210 MOVEC X 7. ( KX ) , CY7. ! K7. ) : PR I NTC 1730 IFsc(B)>=SCX C0L0UR2 : PR I NT C* TAB (10, 24) ; "You scored ";SCX:n=9 •" 1220 W*=INKEY*(0> : IFW*=" THEN ELSE REPEAT : CLS : COLOUR 1: PR I NTT del =20 ELSE del =10 B(5,10)"You are in the TOP 8"TAB

1230 T I ME=0: REPEAT : PROCPLAYERCA (7, 12) "Enter your name" : C0L0UR2:

R:UNTILTIME>del OR CR7.= 1 INPUTTABdO, 14) , N*: UNTILLEN (N*)<

1240 MOVECXX (JX) , CY7. (JX) :PRINTC 14:CLS

* 1740 NX=0: REPEAT: NX=NX+1 : UNTILs

1250 MOVECXX (KX) , CY7. (KX> : PRINTC c(NXXSCX OR NX=8 C*: VDU4 1750 IF sc(8XSCX n=9: REPEAT n=

1260 J7.=J7.+ 1 n-l:sc (n)=sc (n-1) : NA* (n) =NA*(n-l

1270 ENDPROC ) :LAX(n)=LAX(n-l) : UNTILn=NX: sc (n 12B0 DEFPRDCPLAYERCAR ) =SCX: NA* (NX) =N»: LAX (n) =LX

1290 DX=D7.-10:VDU4:PRINTTAB(13, 1760 COLOUR 1 : COLOUR 1 30 : PR I NTTAB " ) 1);D7.;" ; : VDU5 (8, 1 "Today' s Fastest Racers'"' 1300 *FX15, 1770 COL0UR13O:COL0UR0:PRINT"PO 1310 MOVEXX, YX:PRINTPC* S LAPS SCORE DRIVER 1320 IF DX<10 PR0CCRABH:CR7.= 1:G OT01400 1780 F0RJX=1T08 1330 IFINKEY(-98) FC*=PL*: CLX=0 1790 IFJX=n C0L0UR2: COLOUR 1 29 :P " " " : XX=X7.-32: PROCCHECK ( XX-4 J Y7.-2B , X RINTTABU) ;JX; ;LAX(JX) ; . " " " " 7.-4 , YX-4 ) : I FCR7.= 1 GOTO 1 400 : sc ( JX) ; : NA* ( JX) ; 1340 IF Y7->720 AND X7.=520 60T01 "'ELSE COLOUR 1: COLOUR 128: PRINT " ; 380 TAB ( 1 ) ; JX: " ; LAX ( JX) " " ' 1350 IFINKEY(-67) PC*=PR«: X7.=X7. . ";sc(JX> : ";NA*(JX> +32: PROCCHECK (X7.+68, Y7.-28, X7.+68, 1B00 NEXT Y7.-4) : IFCR7.= 1 G0T01400 1810 PR0CSPACE(8,28) 1360 IFINKEY(-73) PC*=PU* : Y7.=Y7. 1B20 ENDPROC +32: PROCCHECK (X7.+32, Y7.+4, X7., Y7.+4 1830 DEFPROCSPACE(FX,GX)

) : IFCR7.= 1 GOTO 1400 1840 *FX15, 1370 IFINKEY(-IOS) PC*=PD*: Y7.=Y 1B50 C0L0UR12B:C0L0UR2:PRINTTAB

7.-32: PROCCHECK ( X7.+32, Y7.-36, XX, Y7. (FX,G7.) ; "press SPACE to race";:R " " -36) : IFCRX=1 GOTO 1400 EPEAT : WT*= I NKEY* ( O ) : UNT I LWT*=

1380 MOVEXX.YX:PRINTPC* : ENDPROC

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 25 1 D 1 1 1 " 8e6.1"

(S^rt^tti

1 REM **** CAROLS ***** ow+time 10 ENVELOPE1,0,0,0,0,0,0, 1,30 510 ENDPROC ,-1,0,-1, 127, 120 520 DATA60, 1, Dash, 96, l,ing,88, , 20 *TV255 1 " thro" ,80, 1 , ugh the, 60, 3, " sn 30 M0DE4 ow",60,.5," in" ,60,. 5," a ",60,1, " , 40 VDU19, 0,3, 0,0,0 one",96,l," horse" , B8, 1 " o",8 4, " 50 COLOUR 128: COLOUR 0, l,pen, 68, " si ei gh. , 68, 1 , 0' 60 REPEAT r, 100,1," the", 96,1," fields", 88 70 PROCMenu ,1," we", 68, 4," go. ", 108, 1, Laugh

80 PROCTune , 108, 1, ing, 100, 90 PRINT'"Fress 'F' to play a 530 DATA" all" ,88,1," the", 96,

gain" 4," way. " , 60, 1 , Bel Is, 96, 1, " on",

100 PRINT'"Press »F* to -finish 88,1," bob" , BO, 1, tail, 60,4, " rin g. ", 60, 1, Mak, 96, 1, ing,8B, 1, " spi 110 PRINT'"Press *M* to go to r",S0, 1, its, 68, 4, " bright. ",68, Menu" ,What,68,l," fun", 100, t, " it", 96 120 A*=INKEY*(0) ,1," is", 88, 1," to". 108,1," ride 130 IFA*=""THEN120 ", 108, 1, " and" 140 IFA*="P"PROCTune 540 DATAlOS.l," sing", 108, 1, 150 UNTILA*="F" a", 116, 1, " sleigh", 108, 1, ing, 100

155 TUNE=740:C=3:DELAY=22:ENV= ,1," song",B8,l," to" , BO, 4. "ni gh " 1 : CLS: PROCTune: PROCDel ay (100) t. 160 CLS:PRINTTAB(16, 15) "GOODBY 550 DATA96, 1, Jin, 96. l,gle,96.2 E" ," bells", 96, 1, " jin",96, l,gle,9 170 END 6,2," bells", 96, 1, " jin",108.1,g 180 DEFPROCMenu le,80,1.5," all", 88,. 5," the ",96 . , 190 CLS ,4," way " , 100, 1 , Oh, lOO, 1 " what " , 200 FRINTTABdB. 1) "MENU" , 1 00 , 1 . 5 " f un ,100,. 5," it", 10 210 PRINTTAB(3,3) "(1) Jingle B 0,1," is", 96,1 to".96,l," ride

ells" " , 96, 2, " in a"

220 PRINTTAB(3,5) " (2) Rudolph 560 DATA96, one" , 88, 1, hor

the Red Nosed Reindeer" se",88, o",96, 1 ,pen,B8, 2, " si 230 PRINTTAB(3,7) " (3) Silent N e", 108,2, "igh. 96, 1, Jin, 96, l,gl ight" e,96,2, " bells 96, 1, " jin",96, 1 240 PRINTTAB(3,9) " (4) Come a ,gle,96,2," bel Is" ,96, 1, " jin",l 11 Ye Faithful" 08, l,gle,80, 1.5, " all", 88,. 5," t 11) " 250 PRINTTAB<3, (5) Me Thre he", 96, 4," way. ", 100, 1 , Oh e Kings of Orient are" 570 DATA100.1," what" , 100, 2, 260 PRINTTAB(3,20)"Select numb fun", 100, .5," it", 100,1," is", 96

er of tune" ,1," to",96,l," ride", 96, . 5, " in 270 A*=INKEY*(0) ",96,. 5," a",108,l," one", 108,1,

280 IFA* ' " 1, OR A*>"5"THEN270 horse", 100, " o" , B8, 1 , pen, BO, " 290 IFA* 1 "THENTUNE=520: C=3 4," sleigh. ",80,0, "

ELAY=22:ENV=1 580 DATA80, .5,Ru, 88, . 5,dolph, 300 IFA* = 2"THENTUNE=580: C=4: 0,1," the",6B,l," Red", 100,1," n ELAY=24:ENV 1 osed",88, 1, " rein", 80, 3, deer, BO,

310 IFA*- ' THENTUNE=640 : C=6 : .5," had", SB,. 5," a", 80,. 5," , ELAY=34:ENV=1 ve",88, -5,ry,80, 1 " shin", 100, 1, 320 IFA*= THENTUNE=670: C=6: y,96, 4, " nose. ",72, .5, And, 80, .5, ELAY=40:ENV " if",72,l," you",60,l," ev",96, , 330 IFA*= 'THENTUNE=700: C=6: 1 , er , 88, 1 " saw" ELAY=30:ENV=1 590 DATA80,3," it", BO,. 5," you 340 CLS ",88,. 5," would", 80, .5, " ev",B8, 350 ENDPROC .5,en,80,l," say" ,88,1," it", " 360 DEFPROCTune 8, 4, " glows. ",80, .5, Al 1 ,88, .5, 370 CLS o-f", 80, 1," the" ,68,1," oth",100,

380 RESTORE TUNE l,er,88, 1, " rein" , 80, 3, deer , 80,

390 REPEAT: READP,D. WORD* 5," used" , 88, . 5, " to", 80,. 5," la 400 PRINTWORD*: ugh", 88, .5 410 I FRIGHT* (WORD*, 1)=" . "THENP 600 DATA" and",80,l," call", 10 RINT' 0,1," him", 96, 4," names. " , 72, . 5, 420 S0UND&0011,ENV.P.D*C They, 80, .5, " nev",72, l,er,60, 1, 430 PR0CDelay(4) 440 S0UND?i0012,ENV,P,D*C 450 PR0CDelay(4) 460 SOUND&0013,ENV,P,D*C 470 PROCDelay(D*DELAY) "OX 480 UNT I LD=0: ENDPROC 490 DEFPROCDelay (time) 500 now=TIME: REPEATUNTILTIME>n

26 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 Meet th ELIT

; ' :

wy DUCKWORTH HOME COMPUTING PRINTER AND MONITOR BARGAINS CABLE VAT AND CARRIAGE INCLUDED THE BBC MICRO ADVENTURER by Bob Chappell £3.95 PRINTERS 100% Solutions to: Philosopher's Quest, Castle of Riddles and two Scott SEIKOSHA Adams classics, Voodoo Castle and The Count. GP50A 40cps 40 column roll paper £109 Where are old lady's dogs hiding? How can I survive the giants' shooting GP100A 50cps 80 column Centronics int £169 gallery? How do I get through the tiny door in the torture chamber? What is GP250X 50cps Centronics & RS232 int £215 the secret of the dusty closet? Adventurers will find the answers to these and GP550A 50cps correspondence mode £229 many other problems in this guide to four of the most popular adventures for GP500A 50cps £199 the BBC Micro. There are solutions here to every problem the player will SHINWA encounter, written in such a way as not to divulge the other secrets of the CP80 80cps tractor and friction feed £208 game. A complete map is provided for each of the adventures. Bob Chappell CANON is a regular contributor to Personal Computer News and writes the Hugo PW1080A 160cps-draft 27cps-NLQ 80 columns £325 North Quest Comer adventure column in Your Computer. He has also PW1156A 160cps-draft 27cps-NLQ 156 columns £399 published two adventure games with Supersoft. PJ1080A 7 colour 35cps ink jet £435 ENSIGN EXPLORING ADVENTURES ON THE BBC MODEL B 1650 165cps-draft correspondence mode £299 by Peter Gerrard £6. 95 DAISE STEP 2000 18cps bold and shadow ..). £255 This is a complete look at the fabulous world of Adventure Games for the BBC RX80FT 100cps friction and tractor £279 Computer. Starting with an introduction to adventures, and their early history, MOST MAKES OF PRINTERS ON REQUEST it takes you gently through the basic programming necessary on the BBC BBC PRINTER CABLE £13 before you can start writing your own games. LISTING PAPER 500 sheets. £5 2000 sheets £18 Inputting information, room mapping, movement, vocabulary - everything required to write an adventure game is explored in detail. There follow a number of adventure scenarios, just to get you started, and finally three MONITORS complete listings written specially for the BBC, which will send you off into SANYO wonderful worlds where almost anything can happen. SM12N Monochrome 15mhz £88 The three games listed in this book are available on one cassette. SM12H Monochrome 1 8mhz £117 SCM14N Colour medium res. 400-dots £210 EXPLORING ADVENTURES ON THE ELECTRON SCM14M Colour high res 600-dots £329 As above but for the Electron. £6.95 SCM14H Colour very high res 800 dots £459 FIDELITY Write in for a catalogue. CM14 Colour 12mhz RGB-RGBY-comp video £219 PHILIPS V7001 Monochrome 18mhz sound £88 OTHER MAKES ON REQUEST BBC MONITOR CABLES £13

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"HEW" SADIM CASTLE It is said that those who enter the haunted estate of Sadim Castle do not return! Long ago tragedy struck here and since then many people have died in mysterious circumstances. Can you uncover the secret and break a terrible curse!!

"HEW** VALLEY OF THE KINGS Far away across the desert lie the lost pyramids of Kaculud, rumoured to contain fabulous treasure and a legendary golden mask. The pyramids may now have been discovered although strange happenings have caused the archaeologists to abandon their camp. Your task is to find the golden mask.

FURTHER TITLES COMING SHORTLY: CROWN OF MARDAN. THE FALLEH EAGLE.

Our original and popular text adventures are also available: FIRIEHWOOD. WOODLAHD TERROR, BLUE DRAGON. SURVIVOR. Please send for full details.

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ACORN WORLD December 1984 * 1L 7zzi yfcwpgfatul which uses the trusty old ^- RATIFICATION means dif- spent it, its profit would have shown Assistant, ^rm ferent things to different a percentage profit on turnover of 6502 CPU at the heart of the present BBC, and has one disc drive. That ^^J people. It can mean reniu- 15.34 percent and the bulk of the ^0 neration, the receipt of plea- Acorn 'slump' would not have hap- system, like others in the range, has sure, the achieving of a state of pened. Yet if it had not spent the had no price tag fixed yet but, at a satisfaction — but one thing the City money, where would future markets guess, it will probably be around the money markets do not regard as lie? It has been estimated that half £700 mark. gratifying at present is the receipt of the world market lies in the U.S. and Then, staying with exactly the shares in Acorn Computers. From a nobody in marketing can ignore that. same case, and with no external one-time high of 193 pence the There is a sociological concept boxes, you can upgrade it progres- shares fell to a near all-time low of called deferred gratification, the sively to the ABC 100 which has a 108 pence when the City heard the second CPU, the Z-80, an extra drive Acorn annual figures. They were not and, if you want, CP/M. From which gratified by the figures and, conse- point you can upgrade it to the ABC quently, they are not too gratified by Profit is 200, which is said to have "the speed Acorn. of a Digital Equipment VAX" and But how bad can a set of annual offers C, Lisp, Pascal, Fortran, figures be? Are Acorn's really that Forth, BBC Basic and Assembler. bad? gone today That you can upgrade to the ABC Specifically, Acorn showed a prof- 300 which uses the 80286 CPU it of £10.8 million on a turnover of which runs a concurrent operating £93.2 million in the year to July, system from Digital Research, 1984 so, with a little help from a and here which means that you can run sev- calculator, or computer, that shows eral programs simultaneously, as the desk-top model based on a profit on turnover of 11.59 percent. well as — That is the usual way to look at 'icons' — little pictures, to mortals profit figures and, to a limited ex- tomorrow controlled by a mouse in the best tent, you can compare it to what you Apple Macintosh fashion. would receive as a percentage return Chris Naylor considers a By the time you have upgraded all on an investment; it gives a ballpark lack-lustre Acorn per- the way you can be running any idea of how well the firm is doing. formance on the money application in CP/M, MS-DOS, PC- is DOS or Concurrent OS and you can, Acorn, using that measure, not market in the light of the it the previous if you wish, be doing all those things doing as well as did concept known as de- year when its turnover was less than at the same time. ferred gratification half at £42.4 million and its profit A poor view was £8.6 million, giving a percentage profit on turnover of 20.28 per- idea being that although everyone The result has to be one thing — cent. wants gratification of some kind at gratification. Gratification for the us- Look at another firm, Sinclair Re- some time, some people are willing ers, for Acorn, for the shareholders search, to see how it fared by com- to defer theirs for a time to achieve and the City. It is just that gratifica- parison. In its last financial year it greater gratification at a later date. tion has been a little deferred. reported a turnover of £77.69 million Sociologists use that concept to So it was interesting to hear from and a profit of £14.28 million, giving explain why people will save money, Scrimgeour, Kemp-Gee, which has a percentage profit on turnover of foregoing present pleasures to its own financial database held on a 18.38 percent. If we look at Sinclair achieve future pleasures, or why Digital VAX. Its customers like to figures for the previous year, we find people become students and study use that information but they also a turnover of £54.53 million and a on a low income for years. It is like to use Topic, the Stock Ex- profit of £14.03 million, giving a because it often makes sense to de- change financial information system. profit on turnover of 25.73 percent. fer gratification now and get a big- If you use both, you have two ger heap of it later. That is what screens on your desk, which can be More subtle? Sinclair is doing with the launch of inconvenient. So what did SK-G do? So, profitable though the firms the QL and what Acorn is doing It modified a BBC B so that it could are, they have both seen their profit when it tries to break into overseas accept and display both its own fi- fall. Is that, one asks, the beginning markets. nancial information and Topic. of the end? Or is there some more It is also doing it with the launch The upshot of this story is that subtle explanation? of the ABC. Like the QL, that range those who buy and sell shares and

I asked Tom Hohenberg, Acorn of machines cost real money to de- who seem to have taken a poor view marketing manager, why his profit velop and, as sales do not begin until of Acorn financial results are likely figures had slumped. "We lost £3.5 January, there will be no return on to have established that view of the million on overseas operations — our that effort until next year. world while sitting in front of a Mod- marketing in the U.S. and West Ger- Without it, where is the future? el B. many," he said. "That depressed That Acorn has a future there is no Perhaps they should not have figures. We made £14 million profit doubt or, at any rate, much less been looking at the figures on their in the U.K. and we had to knock doubt than there is about many firms screens so diligently. Perhaps they

£3.5 million off it just like that." in the computer industry. Consider, should have looked at the manufac- That is the kind of money it costs for instance, just what the ABC of- turer's label instead. Or perhaps to try to break into new markets fers. they should rest for five minutes and with products and if Acorn had not You can start with the Personal think about deferred gratification.

ACORN WORLD December 1984 7Z 7L

THE MOMENT the a^-ROMtrading ship Avalonia slipped its orbital berth above the planet Lave and began to manoeuvre for the hyperspace jump Limitless point . . . So begins the 50-page novel which accompanies Elite, the latest and most ambitious game produced so far by Acornsoft. Greeted by raptur- horizons ous reviews, the game has already exceeded the company's wildest ex- pectations by rocketing straight to the top of the popularity charts and selling 13,000 copies within two weeks of its launch. Forecasts for for the sales during the Christmas period are in the region of 100,000 — more than double those of any other Acornsoft game so far. A complex combination of an ar- Elite team cade shoot-out and an adventure, Elite is already said to have stopped Nicole Segre sets out to discover what drives two top- work for weeks in more than one flight fortune department while highly-paid pro- programmers who are finding fame and grammers struggle to improve their as authors of the new chart-busting space odyssey status as trader-ship commanders — from Acornsoft from 'harmless' to the coveted 'dangerous' or even 'deadly' level. fuel range of seven light years. Behind what promises to be a Besides fine judgment in deciding sales record-breaker are two unas- which purchases to make before suming undergraduates at Jesus Col- starting on the inter-galactic trail, lege, Cambridge, 20-year-old Ian the player also has to display con- Bell and 19-year-old David Braben. siderable arcade skills. Space travel The pair wrote Elite in the spare in Elite is beset by danger as piracy time allowed them in pursuit of a and bounty-hunting spreads through natural science degree and math- the universe. Each battle against ematics degree respectively. marauding craft is influenced by the Hideous shortage specifications of the craft in question. On reaching a planet, the pilot The original idea was from Bell must also dock the ship before any who had already produced one suc- trading can be undertaken, a task cessful game for Acornsoft, Free- which may require hours of practice. fall. "I wanted to follow that with a The huge variety of planets, 3D simulation game and it seemed aliens, spaceships and weapons, as logical to set it in space," he says. well as the complexities of space "Then Braben added the trading flight, offer almost endless scope for ship scenario and things just devel- play. Fortunately the game can be oped from there." saved and resumed later, allowing The result of their combined ef- the poor addict time for rest and forts puts the player under the guise refreshment between bouts of hard of Commander Jameson at the helm flying, fighting and trading. The of a Cobra Mark III trading and graphics, too, seem set to earn combat craft. Setting-off from the favour among games buyers, as sim- planet Lave, with its famous rain ple dots, curves and lines convey forests and its human colonials gov- speed and movement in a startingly erned by a dictatorship, the aim is to effective way. achieve fame and fortune by explor- There is even a choice of views ing distant planets where goods, from the front, back or sides of the weaponry and possibly even slaves spaceship and control panels at the can be bought and sold. bottom of the screen supply vital The choice ranges from places information about the player's posi- like Riedquat, inhabited by harmless tion and fuel level. rodents and noted for its fabulous Bell and Braben explain the cuisine, to the tedious industrial cor- wealth of detail in the game, an porate state of Zaonce. Many more impressive achievement considering weird and wonderful worlds lie out- what Braben calls the "hideous side Commander Jameson's initial shortage of memory" of the BBC, by

ACORN WORIlWKfmfer 1984 7Z 7Z r/tf/AU* ul saying that they started writing it be sure." Their working association and continued until they had to stop. began as a simple friendship, struck "If the BBC had more memory, up at dinner in Hall at Jesus. "It took we would probably still be writing us some time to admit that we were it," says Bell. "As it is, there is not a both interested in computers," says single free byte in the program." Braben. "At first we were too em- The authors agree that careful, barrassed." economical programming enabled Both had owned computers since them to squeeze much more into the their final year at their respective program than they would have grammar schools — Braben owned thought possible originally. "The an Acorn Atom and Bell a Tandy main thing is to make sure that ev- TRS-80. Neither, however, has had ery instruction is a useful one," says formal tuition in programming, ex- Braben. cept for one term of 'computer les- It is astonishing that Elite took sons' which Bell had in the lower them only a year to write, during fourth. "They had no computers at which time they also had to attend to school in my day," says Braben, who what Braben calls "little things like learned to program from the Atom college work and end-of-year exami- manual. Both taught themselves ma- nations". Of that time, about half chine code, for which Bell recom- ered" says Braben. "If we did, we was taken up with writing the pro- mends "poring over other people's would never have finished the program and the other half with finding listings." gram." According to Bell the secret and eliminating the bugs, some of of good relations was that "when- which, like one particularly elusive Utmost secrecy ever we disagreed, we would blame semi-colon, were infuriatingly diffi- the assembler, not each other." cult to trace. Besides Freefall, Bell had already Having shared the work of writing "We think we have got rid of all of written one professional game be- the program, the two will also enjoy them" says Bell, "but you can never fore embarking on Elite, a version of an equal share of the proceeds from Reversi for the BBC Model A which the game, which already promise to was marketed by Program Power. be considerable. Bell thinks he will "I do not think it was a great seller," save his money for the future, while he says. Of all his forays into author- Braben likes the idea of buying a car. ship, he has enjoyed Elite most. "It Neither has plans to throw every- was rather an effort to finish Free- thing aside and embark on a lucra- fall," he says, "but Elite was suffi- tive career as programmers. ciently interesting to keep us "It is still a bit of a hobby," says hacking away happily." Braben, who hopes to continue to For Braben, Elite was his first write programs while doing post- professional effort and his first game graduate studies. Bell says he would for the BBC B. Soon after the pair not recommend programming started work on the program, they games as an easy option. "It is still a

took it to Acornsoft and the com- good idea to learn how to program," pany was sufficiently interested to he says, "but games will become supply Braben with a BBC micro. increasingly difficult to write, with According to Bell, their close asso- the market becoming more competi- ciation with Acornsoft, which is tive and machines becoming more based in Cambridge, is nothing un- sophisticated." usual. Peter Irvin, author of Star- Nevertheless, the two have what ship Command, another they call "bold plans" concerning Acornsoft production, and a friend their future productions but neither of Bell, is a student at St John's. BBC is revealing those plans. micros are much in vogue among the Judging by their performance they undergraduate population and micro will no doubt manage to combine clubs flourish. "People take their some ambitious programming pro- micros with them at the beginning of ject with everyday activities such as term," says Bell. "I suppose they studying, playing squash and tennis

just like to mess around with them." in Bell's case, or sailing in Braben 's, They finished writing Elite in Jan- and reading science fiction. Fortu- uary, 1984. "Then we finished it nately, neither is an avid games play- again — and several times more er and although they try their hand after that," says Bell. occasionally at Elite, they have not Throughout the operation. Acorn- progressed beyond the "competent" soft insisted that the utmost secrecy stage. Braben sensibly limits his be maintained; somehow it was, al- playing to an hour "to see how far I though many of their friends knew can get." what the two authors were doing. With no such time limit on their They also managed to remain on programming, it seems likely that the best of terms. "We never bick- both will go a long way.

ACORN WORLD 7L 1L

THE early days - late 1970s IN— of using micros in primary schools, many teachers were amazed how quickly their charges learned to adapt to using a computer keyboard. With the home micro A keypad boom today that is not such a sur- prise, yet for the majority of children the usual QWERTY keyboard arrangement is less than satisfactory. Historically, the computer keyboard is an adaptation of the tradi- to make tional typewriter keyboard which was designed specifically for touch typists. Given the additional facilities a computer like the BBC micro offers, the number of keys is in- creased to 74. The question is whether young children should be learning presented with so many bizarre sym- bols and be expected to cope. After all, many adults cannot use the QWERTY layout with ease and speed. With regard to educational soft- just like ware, the issue is more important than is at first realised. For example, when we teach reading we introduce lower-case letter shapes and their sounds gradually during the first few terms of school. Yet we present pre- child's play

Chris Drage put an alternative to QWERTY through Concept keyboard — figure 1. its paces in the primary classroom and found that readers with a full QWERTY layout it opened exciting new possibilities for the and hope learning will happen. If a child can cope with the QWERTY younger pupil layout it probably indicates that the pre-reading software is unsuitable arrangement of user inputs is poss- and the disc of software I headed for for that child. The problems for chil- ible. school. In two weeks I used the dren who have difficulty with read- The variety of arrangements is programs with groups of children ing are often exacerbated by having endless. Overlays can be designed to aged six to 10. to use the keyboard. suit the requirements of a particular Alpha is a program to help chil- An alternative to QWERTY ex- program. The unnecessary features dren place letters and words into ists. The Star Microterminals Con- of the normal keyboard are eliminat- alphabetical order — see figure two. cept keyboard — or keypad to be ed, leaving only those functions All that is required is for a child to more accurate — has been available which are needed for each particular press anywhere on the overlay to in its A4 configuration for more than piece of software. Life certainly be- choose the various options and select a year. The latest keyboard com- comes much easier for a child. With Little men pull and push the prises an A3-sized plastic surface the new A3/128-sized keyboard rap- words in Alpha — figure 2. beneath which lies a network of idly becoming an accepted standard, touch-sensitive pads. the opportunities for exploration The unit connects to the BBC mi- through appropriate software are be- cro via a ribbon cable to the user ing adopted by a number of soft- port — see figure one. Under software publishers. The software ware control, individual or groups of package provided for starting com- cells may be programmed to take the prises five programs — Alpha, place of keys on the BBC keyboard. Maximus, Shape Matching, By using overlays on the Concept Jigsaw and Abacus. keyboard, a very logical and simple Armed with a Concept keyboard

ACORN WORLD December 1984 1

7Z 7Z Sell*©!* DZ correct answers. Individual six- and scores over its physical counterpart seven-year-olds, with no previous is in its ability to increase the level of computer experience, found it sim- difficulty. Using the Concept key- ple. They enjoyed the animated board overlay, children found the graphics. They found seeing the lit- program delightful to use. tle people move whole words into I decided to use Abacus with my the correct place on the alphabet class of 10-year-olds as it was rel- display fascinating. evant to the work on numeration on

Immediately I was aware how which they were engaged. The pro- much concentration is improved gram uses spike-abacii to teach two-, Abacus — figure 6. when children are not asked to type three- and four-digit addition and answers. The only difficulty encoun- subtraction — figure six. The key- A teacher creates a keyboard board overlay for the program is overlay on a screen representation of very good. Abacus is a model of the original. Individual or groups of simplicity in use. Children were able keys may be defined, the maximum to appreciate what the program was number being 128, for use by the 1 asking them to do without having to main program. Once completed and ¥ search for all the key presses which saved, an A3 overlay may be drawn. otherwise would be required. Ani- The result is that the most popular mated graphics and use of colour programs in the school software reinforce the concept of decomposi- library be converted for use MM. II II may Max^mus — figure 3. tion. I think it is Abacus which fi- with Concept keyboard. tered was when they leaned on the nally convinced me that there is a The increasing number of soft- keypad occasionally, accidentally very real place for touch keypads ware publishers now producing soft- choosing the wrong option. higher up the school. ware for the Concept keyboard only Maximus demonstrates the real Starset, also available from Star confirms the credibility of this most advantages of the Concept keyboard Microterminals, permits the user to important of peripherals for the pri- system. The overlay, with three create new overlays or edit previous mary school micro. Without doubt numbered keys, is simplicity itself. the versatile keyboard, coupled with The program gives practice in prep- the proper software, removes the ositions — before, behind, under. difficulties for a child and opens un- Using colourful, high-resolution limited horizons in primary school graphics, a trio of pictures is dis- computing. played — see figure three. Using the Next month I shall look at a num- keyboard, a child selects the correct ber of software packages written ex- object and is rewarded by a short clusively for the Concept keyboard ditty and flashing colours to and deal with a range of classroom emphasise the answer. The program applications. Matching — figure 4. proved very useful to teachers of six- Shape and seven-year-olds. overlays for the Concept keyboard The A3 Concept keyboard with 1 28 touch pads is available from Star Microterminals, Aiming to be little more ambi- without having to adapt their user 22 Hyde Street, Winchester, Hampshire tious, I decided it was time to try the programs. The finished product of SQ23 7DR. It costs £99 plus VAT. keyboard with five-year-old new en- the Starset program is a machine The Starset program costs £8.50 plus trants. The program Shape Match- code file which resides in the com- VAT. The other programs are available sepa- ing aims to give children practice in puter memory, permitting the com- rately from Specialised Education Software matching simple regular polygons. It puter to be controlled by either the & Services. Central Trading Estate, 275-277 has two levels of operation, single- main QWERTY keyboard or the Bath Road, Bristol. shape matching — see figure four — Concept. and multiple-shape matching. The Jigsaw — simple level — figure 5. program is a little vague in its aims. I would have expected such a simple concept to be applicable to pre-readers. Shape Matching, however, goes laboriously through a demonstration sequence whereby the names of the shapes are taught. Surely it is the recognition of the pattern that is important for that age group, not whether it is a half circle or not. A far more valuable program is Jigsaw. High-resolution screens of a yacht and a solar system form the basis of it — figure five. Each picture can be divided into four to 25 segments depending on the level set. Jigsaw is valuable as a shape recognition/perception program. Where it

ACORN WORLD December 1984 At last, the magazine

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ring Rob Marcus on 01 359 3525 ' 1 1 1 ' 8B53e"1 3 21 1 " 59F72"

KH§ (£tt*Ol

is coming, CHRISTMAS the h",60,2, "ful. ",96, 1, Jov,88, 1,-ful goose is getting fat. Gather ,96,1," and" , 100, 1, " tri",96,2,u mph,88, 1, "ant. , 80, , 0, 80, 2, " CD round the BBC and let a selec- " 1 me", 76, 1,™ ye",68,l," 0" ,76,1," tion of popular Christmas tunes from " , J come",B0,l," , 88, 1 , ye, 96, 1 " to Thorpe of Gainsborough, Lines put ",76,2," Beth" 680 DATA68, .5,le,60,4 you into a festive mood. The singalong 1.5,_,60, , "hem. ", 108, 2, Come, 100, 1, " and", offerings are Bells, Rudolph the Jingle 96,1," be", 100, 2, hold, 96, 2, " him Red-Nosed Reindeer, O Come All Ye . ",B8, 1, Born, 96, 1, " the" ,80, 1, o-f",76,2," an", Faithful and We Three Kings. king",88,l," 60,1 , "gels. ",80, 1,0,80, 1, " come", 76, 1," let",80,l," us",BB,l," a", 80 ,2,dore,60, 690 DATA" him. ",96, 1,0,96, 1, come", 88, 1, " let",96,l," us", 100 ,1," a",96,2,dore,8B, 1, " him.", 6,1,0,100,1," come",96,l," let", 88,1," us" ,80,1," a" ,76,2,dore,8 0,1," him", 100, 1, " ",96, 2, Christ let",96,l," poor", 88, 1, " Ru",80 ,88,1.5," ", 80, .5, the, 80, 4, " Lor " ,3,dolph, 80, .5, " join" , 88, . 5, " i d",80,0," , 1, n",80,.5," an", 88, . 5, y, 80, 1 " re 700 DATA96,2,We,88, " three", " in", 108, l,deer , 100, 4, " games. ",B 80,2," kings", 68, 1 , of", 76,1," " 8, 1, Then, 38, or", BO, 1, i ,76, l,ent,68,3, " are. 610 DATA" one", 100,1," fog" ,88 ,96, 2, Bear, 88, 1, ing,80,2, " gifts ' , l,gy,80, 1, Christ ",68, l,mas, 80 ",68,1," we",76,l," trav",80,l,e 1, . ,2," eve",72,l," San" , 88, 1 , ta, 80 rse, 76, " a" , 68, 3, "f ar " , 80, 2, , ill' 72, 1 to", 68, 4. say ield,80,l," and",B8,2," foun",8B . ",60, l,Ru,6B, l,dolph,BO, 1, " wit , 1, tain, 96, h",88,l," your",96,l," nose", 96, 710 DATA" moor". 96, 1, " and", 10 1, 1, , 1," so", 96, 2, " bright", 100, " w 8, " maun", 100, 1 , _, 96, 1 "tain. on't", 100, ,B8, l,Fol ,96, 1, low, 88, 1, in g, 80,

620 DATA" you", 96, 1, " guide", ," yon", 76, 1 , der , 68, 3, " star.", " " 88,1," my",BO,l," slei gh" , 72, . 5, 6,2,0,88, 1, ",80, 2, star, BO, 1, " , , to", 60, 2. 5," night. ",80, .5, The of " , 80 , 2 " won " , 60 , 1 , der , 80 , 2 n,88, .5," how",80,l," the", 68,1, star",6B,l," of ",80, 3," night.", " rein", 100, 1, deer ,88, 1, " loved" 80, 2, Star, 80, ,80,3," him". 80,. 5," as", 88,. 5," 720 DATA" a", 80, 2," roy",60,l, they", BO, .5, " shout" ,88. .5. ed. al,80,2," beau", 68, l,ty, 80,3, " b 0,1," out", 100, right. ", 80, 2, West, 80, 1, ward,B8,2 630 DATA" with", 96, 4," glee.",' ," lead", 96, 1, ing, 100,2, " still" 72,.5,Ru,80, .5,dolph,72, 1, " the" ,96,1, " pro",88,2,ceed,96, 1, "ing 1, . , ,60,1," red", 96, 1, nosed, 88, " r ",80, 2, Guide, 80, 1 " us", 80, 2, ein", 80, 3, deer, 80, .5, " you' 11 ", to",60,l," thy", BO, 2," per ",68,1 " go", 80,. 5," down" , 88, .5, , feet, 80, in 80,1," his", 108, 1, to, 100,3, 730 DATA" light ",80,0," " " ry. 100,0," 740 DATA80,2,We, 100, 1, " wish", 640 DATABO, 1.5,Si,BB, .5,_,80, 100,, 5," you", 108, .5, " a", 100,. , , 3," , 1 . 5, " lent, 68, ni ght " BO, ho" ," mer",96, . 5,ry, 88, 1 " Christ", " " ,88, .5, _,B0, 1, ly, 68,3, night. ", 72, 1, "mas. " , 88, 1 , We, 108, 1 , wish 108, 2, All, 108, 1, " is", 96, 3," cal ",108,. 5," you", 1 16, .5, " a", 108, m", 100,2," all", 100, 1, " is", 80, .5," mer", 100, .5,ry,96, 1, " Chris ," bright. ",88,2, Round, BB, 1, " yo t",80, 1, "mas. ",80, 1, We, 116,1, " w 1, " n", 100, " vir",96, .5, _,88, l,gin i sh , 1 1 6 , . 5 650 DATABO, 1.5," moth" , 88, . 5, 750 DATA" you", 120, .5, " a" ,116

, r,80,l," and", 68, 3," child.", 88, ,.5," mer ", 108, . 5,ry, 100, 1 " chr 2, Ho, 88, 1,1 y, 100, 1.5, " in ",96,. ist",88, 1, mas. 80, .5, " and ",80, .5 1, , f ant, 88, " so", 80, 1.5," ten", ," a",88,l," hap", 108, l,py,9 8, .5,der ,80, 1, " and", 68, 3," mild 6,1," new", 100,2," year ", 100, 0, . ", 108,2, Sleep, 108, 1," in", 120, .5, " hea", 10B, .5, ven,96, 1, ly, 100 ,3," pea" 660 DATA116,3, "ce. " , 100, 1 . 5, SI e, BO, . 5,ep,6B, 1, " in", 80, 1.5," h

ea" ,72, . 5, ven, 60, 1 , ly,52, 3, " pea ce",52,2," ",52,0," "

670 DATA80, 1 , 0, 80, 2, " come" , 60 ,1," all",80,l," ye", 88, 2," -fait

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 27 1 ,: ; 1 7;( ; T , KNOCKOUT KNOCKOUT, supplied by Kan- waljit Kooner of Southall,

Middlesex, is an absolute knockout. Based on the ever-popular Breakout, the game requires you to demolish a multi-coloured brick wall

using the left and right arrow keys to

move your bat. Do not be fooled; it is a difficult version of a popular game.

10 REM *** KNOCKOUT *** 20 REM **» by Kanwaljit Koon er *** 30 ON ERROR PROCerr 40 *FX4, 50 *FX11,1 60 VDU23,240,0,0,60, 126, 126,6 0,0,0,23,242,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,23,

243 , 255 , 255 , 255 , 255 , 255 , 255 , 255 255: A*=CHR* (240) 70 ENVEL0PEl,25,0,2,-3,2,20,2 O, 10,20,-30,-2,-20, 123

80 M0DE7:VDU23;8202;0;0;0; : PR OCdisp lav-

go HX=3 : SC7.=0 : DELAY7.=250 : SH7.= 1

100 M0DE1:VDU23;B202;0;0;0; : PR OCscreen

110 AX=608 : X7.=30 : YX=28 : D7.=- 1 : E

X=- 1 : FX=0: W7.-0: PXX=960: PYX=96 120 M0VE500,95 130 REPEAT 140 F0RR7.= 1T0DELAY7.:NEXT 150 IFA7.>32THENIFINKEY(-26)THE NAX=AX-96: Z7.=96 160 IFA7.<1216THENIFINKEY(-122)

THENA7.=A7.+96 : Z7.=-96 170 IFA7.=W7.THEN190 1B0 GC0L0,4:DRAWA7.,95:GC0L0,2:

DRAWAX+ZX , 95 : W7.=A7. 1 90 IFX7.< =30RXX >=37THENDX=-DX S0UND&11,-10,89,2

200 PRINTTAB (X7., Y7.) ; CHR* (242) : X7.=X7.+D7.: Y7.=Y7.+E7.: PXX=PXX+32*DX:

PY7.=PY7.+ (32*-E7.) : PRINTTAB ( XX, YX) ;A* 210 PC7.=PY7.+35: P07.=P0INT (PX7., P 370 PROCscreen: IFDELAY7.>0THEND 500 CLS:CLG:C0L0UR2:PRINTTAB(1 CX) : IFP0X=20RP0X=1THEN250 ; " 220 IFY7.=4THEN360 ELAY7.=DELAY7.-50 2, 16) "S H E E T ; SHX: S0UND1 , 1 230 IFYX=28THEN260 380 GOTO 110 1 O , 1 OO : FORT= 1 T07000 : NEXT : CLS 240 UNTILFALSE 390 PRINTTAB (XX, YX) ; CHR* (242) 510 REPEAT 16)" , : 250 S0UND&1 1,-10, 105,2: EX=1: PR TAB (12, GAME OVER": 520 READQX CX COLOURQX FOROVX= 1 T020000 : NEXT : G0T080 530 PRINTTAB(1,CX) INTTAB(X7.,Y7.-1) ;CHR*(242> : G0T024 O 400 DEFPROCdi splay 540 F0RIX=2T040:VDU243:NEXTI7. 260 IFP0INT(PXX,95)O2THEN330 410 PRINTTAB (5, 7) ; CHRS ( 157) ; TA 550 UNTILCX=10 B(35,7) ; CHR* (156) ; TAB (5, 8) ; CHR* 560 GC0L0,3:M0VE37,98:DRAW37,9 270 SOUND&l 1,-10, 130,2:F7.=F7.+ 1 157): TAB (35, 8) ; CHR* (156) ; TAB (6, 00 : DRAW 1 279 , 900 : DRAW 1 279 , 98 : PR I NTTAB ( 30 , 2 ) ; SC7.+F7. ) ; CHR* (136) 570 PRINTTAB (23, 2) ;"SCORE= ";S 280 PB7.=P0INT(A7.-96, 95) : IFPB7.= 2THENL7.= (A7.-96) /32ELSE LX=AX/32 420 F0RMX=1T02: RESTORE CX; TAB (7,2) ; HX 290 L7.=X7.-L7. 430 F0RNMX=1T08 580 ENDPROC 300 IFLX<=1THENDX=-1 440 READA,V*:PRINTCHR4(141) ;CH 590 DEFPROCerr R*(A);V*; : NEXTNMX: PRINTTAB (6, 600 IFERR=17ENDPR0C 310 IFL7.>=2THEND7.= 1 8) 320 EX=-1:G0T0240 CHR* ( 136) : : NEXTMX 610 *FX4,0 450 PRINTTAB (11, 10) ; CHR* (149) 620 »FX11,0 330 EX=- 1 : I FH7. > 1 THENHX=HX- 1 ELS E390 "KANWALJIT KOONER"; TAB (15, 12) ; "1 630 CLS 9B4";TAB(14, in " ; 340 PRINTTAB (7. 2) ;H7. 14) :CHR*(147) ;CHR*(9 640 REPORT:PRINT" line ER ; ; 1) " " ; CHR* (93) ; TAB (1,23) "Pres L 350 PRINTTAB(X7.,Y7.) ;CHR*(242> : F0RQV7.= 1T02000: NEXT: G0T0240 s Any Key " :*FX15, 650 END 460 Z*=GET* 660 DATA146,K, 145, N, 150,0, 132, 360 SC7.= ( 1000-F7.) +SC7.: PRINTTAB 470 F0RT=1T01000:NEXTT C, 145, K, 146,0, 132, U, 150, (7,2); SCXs HX-HX+1 : BHX-SHX+ 1 : REST 0RE670 480 ENDPROC 670 DATA1, 5, 2, 6, 1,7,2,8, 1,9,2, 490 DEFPROCscreen 10

28 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 ( I( LABYRINTH

5 DIM SCORE* ( 12) : DIM SCD(12) SCRAMBLE into the labyrinth 0;0:VDU23s 13, START MOD 2048 DIV :F0RA=1T010: SCO (A) =A* 100: SCORES 8; , with this game from John O; 0; O: FUEL=FUEL-2: S0UND3, 1 Y/8 A) =" Acorn Programs" : NEXT: SCO (11) , 1 : START=START+SPEED: B=B-60: IF S =1000000 O'Dowd of Stourbridge, W Mid- TART>=&3278 THEN PROCRESET 10 VDU23. 224. 128. 192.224.224. lands. You must steer your starship 240 IF D>=480 THEN SPEED=SPEED 240,248,252.252 through a deep space cavern, using the * 1 . 5 : SPEED2=SPEED2 * 1 . 5 : MODE 1 : VDU 20 VDU23 225, 127. 193,221.221. 5:PR0CBIG(" STAGE "+STR*(ST * and / keys. Keep clear the 87,67, 126,0 of cave AGE)+" COMPLETE D",70,60 30 walls and meteors but refuel picking- VDU23 26,240, 152, 140, 134. by O) : GCOLO, 1:PR0CBIG(" STAGE 254, 134,252,0 up precious fuel pods. The game uses "+STRS (STAGE >+" COMPLETE 50 VDU2 22B,255,255, ,25S D" ,75,605) : PROCTUNE (610) : STAGE= hardware scrolling so will not work on 255* 2!55* 25 255 STAGE+1 90 ENVELOPE 1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,2 the Electron. 250 IF D>=480 GCOLO, 3: PROCBIG ,0,-10,-5,120,0 " BONUS OF "+STR*(FUEL*10>,270,4 (" " 100 VDU23, 235, 56, 126,254,255,2 180 M0DEl:VDU19,2,6;O: :START=Sc 00) : GCOLO, 1: PROCBIG BONUS OF 55, 127, 126,28 3008 : CLS : VDU5 : B= 1 200 : X = 1 00 : Y=200 +STR*(FUEL*10) ,275.405) :F0RW=1T0 110 ENVELOPE 2,7,2,1,1,1,1,1,1 :FUEL=200: *FX15,0 3000: NEXT : SCORE=SCORE+FUEL* 10: GO 21,-10,-5,-2, 120, 120 190 PROCPUT:REPEAT:A=RND(INT(D TO 170 111 M0DE7:SC0RE=0:PR0CTITLE ) ) :E=RND(INT(D) ) : PL0T69, B, O: PLOT 260 SC0RE=SC0RE+1 140 ?&FE45=19:STAGE=1:MAN=4:SP 1 , 0, A: PL0T85, B+80, O: PL0T69, B, 100 270 PROCPUT: X=X+SPEED2: IF INKE EED=8=8:SPEED2=15. 9875: DIM data 9 0:PL0T1,0,-A:PL0T85,B+B0,1000 Y-105 THEN Y=Y-32

: SCORE=0 200 Q=RND< INT (STAGE* 10) >: IF Q> 280 IF INKEY-73 THEN Y=Y+32 150 M0DE1:VDU5:GC0L0,3:PR0CBIG (STAGE* 10) -(STAGE*3) THEN MOVEB, 290 IF FUEL< 10 THEN Y=Y-40 " " ( GET READY ! , 400 , 600 ) : GCOLO , 1 : P RND ( I NT ( 1 000 ) ) : GCOLO , 3 : VDU235 300 PROCPUT ROCBIGC'GET READY! ",405,605) : MOV 210 IF GKSTAGEJ8 THEN MOVEB, RN 310 F=PQINT(X+70,Y-35) :G=POINT

E30,300:PRINT"Written -for 'Acorn D ( INT ( 1000) ) : GCOLO, 2: VDU228 (X+70, Y-50) :H=POINT(X+30. Y-60) : Programs' by J. Odowd": PROCTUNE 220 IF FUEL<30 THEN SOUND 1,2,1 =POINT(X+30,Y-60) 470) 0,1 320 IF F=2 OR G=2 THEN FUEL=FU 160 F0RZ=1T01000:NEXT 221 IF FUEL<10 THEN S0UND2,2,3 EL+40: SC0RE=SC0RE+50: S0UND2, 1,10 170 D=200:VDU23,226,240, 152, 14 O, 1 , 10: GCOLO, O: M0VEX+60, Y-32: VDU228 0. 134,254, 134,252.0 230 VDU23; 12, START DIV 2048;O: : MOVEX+60, Y: VDU228: MOVEX+60. Y-64

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 29 64 ji 1 " " LABYRINTH

: VDU228: MOVEX+38, Y: VDU22B: MDVEX+ 550 READ S*:IF S*="EEE" THEN E 770 *FX15, 92,Y-32:VDU22B:M0VEX+92,Y:VDU22B NDPROC 780 PRINT: INFUT" A bigh_score

: MOVEX+92, Y-64 .- VDU228 560 FOR 1=1 TO 3 , name pi ease >" NAMES 330 IF F=3 OR G=3 OR H=3 OR 1 = 570 IF K=LEN(S*)THEN SOUND I, 790 CLS 3 OR H=2 OR 1=2 THEN PROCDEAD:GO 0, (ASC(MIDS(SS, I, 1) )-65>*4+T.U E 800 FOR 0=1 TO SC: SCORE* (0)=SC

T0360 LSE SOUND 1,0, 1,U ORE* (0+1 ) : SCO (O) =SCO (0+1 ) : NEXT 340 UNTIL FALSE 580 NEXTI:G0T0550 810 SCORE* (SC)=NAME*: SCO (SC)=S

350 PROCEND 590 DATA nb,pd,l ' , i ] , i 1 , k_, g[ CORE

351 GOTO 140 , g[,bV,dX, 'T, DO, 3Q,_S, CO, 10 820 PR I NT : PR I NT : PR I NT : PR I NT : PR 360 IF MAN=0 THEN GOTO 350 ELS 600 DATA VJ,XL,TH,QE,QE,SG,QE INT E GOTO 180 ,PD,OC,OC,EEE 830 PRINT: VDU1 41: PRINT" 370 GOTO 340 610 DATA ieA,hA,ieY,ieY,ieH, LABYR I NTH " : VDU 1 4 1 : PR I NT 380 DEFPROCRESET : PROCPUT : START eH,liY,liY,njF,njF,n"Y,n:]Y,n~M,n LABYRINTH": PRINT =&3008: B=1200: X=20: Y=Y-30: PROCPU 'M,nbY,nbY 840 VDU141:PRINT" High T: IF D<490 THEN D=D+50/STAGE+20 620 DATA eb>,d>,ebY,ebY,ebE,e score table":VDU141:PRINT" 390 ENDPROC bE,ieY,ieY, jeC, jeC, jCV, jZV, jCJ, High score table" 400 DEFPROCFUT 3 J, j~V,g'V 850 PRINT: FORA=1T010: PRINT" 1:M0VEX. Y: VDU224, ") 410 GC0L3. 10, 630 DATA bRF,bRF,gVR,bVR,bOC, ";A; "; SCORE* (11-A) : : PRINT TAB 8: GC0L3. 3: VDU225. 226: GCOLO, 3: END gOC,bPD,bPD, 'QE. 'QE, 'YQ, 'YQ,eF,e (30, 11+A) ;SC0(11-A) :NEXT:PRINT PROC F,eYQ,eYQ 860 PR I NT: PR I NT: PR I NT" PRES 420 DEFPR0CDEAD:S0UND0,-10.4,2 640 DATA dL,hL,kXS.pXS.pP,nP, S SPACE BAR TO PLAY" 0:FOR S=100 TO 50 STEP -2: SOUND 1 " kXS, 1 XS, i Xa, i XO, i XQ, i XQ, jXO, jXO, 870 A*=INKEY*(800) : IF A*=" T ,-15,S,l:NEXT S: MAN=MAN-1 : ENDFRO jXH, jXH HEN ENDPROC C 650 DATA ieA,hA,ieY,ieY,ieH, 880 CLS 440 DEFPR0CBIG(A*,X7.,Y7.) :F7.=1 eH,liY, liY,njF,njF,n AY,n]Y,n^M,n 890 PRINT: PRINT: PRINT: PRINT - 450 PL0T69, X7.+F7., ( Y7.+F7. > 1 00 *M,nbY,nbY 910 PRINT: PRINT" CON 460 LOCAL a7.,b7.,c7.,dX,X7.,Y7.,A7. 660 DATA eb>,d>,ebY,ebY.ebE,e T R D L S" :FORa7.= lT0 LEN A*:?data=ASC (MID bE, i eY, ieY, jeC, jeC, j CV, jZV, j C J, 920 PRINT: PRINT: PRINT" *(A*,a7., 1) > :X7.=data MOD 256:Y7.=d 3 J, j*V,g"V *=UP" at a DIV 256:A7.= 10:CALL !,e\I, OWN" 470 FOR c7.=0 TO 3 e\I,e\I,YI= 940 PRINT: PRINT" Collect the b 480 FOR d7.=0 TO 1 : VDU data?(c7. 680 DATA iHH.l 'H.l 'Y.g^Y.g'T. lue fuel blocks, but" + : +b7.*4 l) NEXT: NEXT: NEXT: VDU130, 1 '"T, b"H, d'*H, e]M, e]M, EEE 950 PRINT" watchout -for the me 0,8, 131, 11:NEXT 690 DATA 'ZQ. 'Za,Z'J,Z'J,dYO. teors and ground. 490 ENDPROC YbO.YbS, 'XS. 'XT, 'XT, 'OC, 'OC,lg<, 960 PRINT" Each stage gets gra 500 DEFPROCEND : CLS : VDU22 , 1 : VDU lg<,,EEE dually -faster." ( 5 : I " PROCB G " SCORE= +STR* ( SCORE ) . 700 DEFPR0CTITLE:VDU23: 8202:0; 970 PRINT: PRINT: PRINT" 00, 550) : GCOLO, 1 : PROCB I G < "SCORE=" 0;0; ACORN PROGRAMS"

+STR4 ( , , ) : SCORE ) 405 555 PROCTUNE ( 730 F0RSC=1T010 980 PRINT:PRINT:PRINT" PRES 90) 740 IF SC0RE

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 31 I1 ( " 21 aeo

1290 ENDPROC 1300 1310 1320 DEFPROCchange 1330 SOUND 2, 1, 17, 18 1340 H=H-1:IF H< 1 H=l 1350 B=B+1:IF B>15 B=15 1360 S=S+100*L:L=L+1 1370 ENDPROC 1380 1390 1400 DEFPROCend 1410 VDU23;8202;0;0;0; 1420 PROCheader :PROCfind 1430 PRINTTAB(11,4) :CHR*132:CHR *136;"HALL OF FAME..." 1440 FOR C=l TO 10 1450 PRINTTAB(5,C+6) ;CHR*133;C;

TAB(10,C+6) ;CHR*134;NAM*(C> ; TAB 1680 1690 30,C+6) ;CHR*130;SC(C> ; 1460 NEXT 1700 DEFPROCheader 1470 PRINTTAB(6,22) ;CHR*131;CHR 1710 CLS 4136; "PRESS KEY *F' TO FINISH.." 1720 FDR C=l TO 2 1480 PRINTTAB(6,23) ;CHR*131;CHR 1730 PRINTTAB(8,C) ; CHR*141 ; CHR* * 136; "PRESS SPACE BAR TO PLAY.." 129: "DENNIS IN THE MINES" 1490 REPEAT :K=GET: UNTIL K=32 OR 1740 NEXT K=70 1750 ENDPROC 1500 IF K=70 VDU22,7:END 1760 1510 ENDPROC 1770 1520 1780 1530 DEFPROCfind 1790 1540 C=0: REPEAT: C=C+1: UNTIL S>S 1B00 DEFPROCdenn C(C> OR C=ll 1810 IF J(2)>992 J(l>=1152: J(2) 1550 IF C=ll ENDPROC 950 VDU25,4,M<0, 1) ;M(Q,2) ; 18,0 1560 FOR Cl=10 TO C STEP -1:SC( 1820 IF J (2X32 J ( 1 ) =68: J (2) =99 ,2,227,8, 18,0, 7, 22B C1)=SC(C1-1) :NAM*(C1)=NAM*(C1-1> 960 ENDPROC :NEXT 1830 VDU25.4, J(l) ; J (2) : IB, 0,7, 970 1570 SC(C)=S 24,8, 18,0,8,225,8, 18,0, 15,226 980 1840 ENDPROC 1580 PR I NT "CHR* 130: "YOUR SCORE 990 DEFPROCleft OF ";S;" IS IN THE TOP 10" 1850 1000 A=P0INT(J(l>-32, J(2)-16) : 1590 PRINTCHR*130; "PLEASE ENTER 1B60 F A=COL ENDPROC YOUR NAME"; CHR* 133; 1870 DEFPROCdiamond 1010 PROCcheck ( 1,-64) 1600 INPUT, N*: NAM* (C) =LEFT* (N*, 1880 REPEAT: X=RND ( 19) *64:Y=(RND Y-16 1020 ENDPROC 15) (24)+4)*32:UNTIL POINT (X+32. 1030 )=0 1610 PR0Cdelay(500> : PROCheader 1040 1620 ENDPROC 1890 VDU25. 4. X:Y; 18,0,8,231,8, 1050 DEFPROCright 1630 8,0,15,232 1060 A=P0INT(J(l>+96, J<2)-16> : 1640 1900 ENDPROC F A=COL ENDPROC 1650 DEFFROCdelay (Q7.) 1910 DEFPROCinstruct 1070 PROCcheck (1,64) 1660 FOR DE=1 TO Q7.:NEXT 1920 PROCheader 1080 ENDPROC 1670 ENDPROC 1930 PRINT' " Dennis has becom 1090 e a diamond miner in South A-fric 1100 a. He must collect as many dia 1110 DEFPRDCup monds as possible whilst avoidin 1120 A=P0INT(J(1)+32,J(2>+16) : g all the monsters and unexploded F A=COL ENDPROC bombs. 1130 PROCcheck (2, 32) 1940 PRINT" When a monster ap 1140 ENDPROC preaches a diamond it picks it 1150 up and replaces it at a rand 1160 Dm position in the mines. The bo 1170 DEFPROCdown mbs never move but increase in n 1180 A=F0INT(J(l>+32, J (2) -48) : umbers as the game progresses. F A=CDL ENDPROC

1190 PROCcheck < 2, -32) 1950 PRINT KEYS:-" 1200 ENDPROC 1960 PRINT Z - LEFT 1210 X - RIGHT" 1220 1970 PRINT" * UP 1230 DEFPROCcheck CT,P) ? - DOWN"' 1240 SOUND 1,-15,150,1 1980 PRINT" S SOUND ON 1250 IF A=2 OR A=ll SOUND 0,3,6 Q - SOUND OFF"

, 4:F=TRUE ELSE IF A^8 S0UND2,2, 1990 PRINT" P - PAUSE 00,3:D=D-1:S=S+(RND <4> *5> R - RESUME" 1260 VDU25,4, J (1) ; J (2) ; 18,0,0,2 2000 PRINT" A - ABORT GAME" 55 2010 PRINTTAB(5.23) ;CHR*132; "PR 1270 J (T)=J(T)+P:PROCdenn:S=S+l ESS SPACE TO CONTINUE..";

1280 VDU4,31, 10, 30: PRINT; S; : VDU 2020 REPEATUNTILGET=32 2030 ENDPROC

32 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 - 8 SCO

10 M0DE7:PR0C INSTRUCT NE LAZY Sunday afternoon 20 M0DE1 it happens — a bomb drops 30 PROCINIT through your ceiling and on 40 REM -MAIN LOOP- ORQflNK to the floor.i The timer is ticking 50 REPEAT : SOUNDO .-15,4,1 Q 60 VDU20 away. It reads T minus 60 seconds 70 PROCUPDATE and counting. Just one minute be- 80 COLOUR 0:PRINTTAB(4,R*8-3 tween you and the complete destruc- M ; "+" PLASTER ); +":PRINTTAB(C*8+2,0) tion of England. 90 PROCKEY Can you stop the clock by select- 100 C0L0UR3:PRINTTAB(4,R*8-3) ; "+" ing the correct colour combination ; "+": PRINTTAB (C*8+2,0> 560 DEFPROCEDGE ( R . C ) : PROCCH ( 110 UNTILA(0,0)=1 AND A(0,1)= -1,R-1) with a series of blasts to the organic 1 AND A(0,2)=l AND A(1,0)=1 AND 570 IF C=l PROCCH (0. O) : PROCCH brain of the bomb? Time will tell.

A(2,0)=l AND A(2,l> (0,2) : ENDPROC A(1.2)=l AND Use the Z and / keys to move left ) =1 AND A(2,2)=l AND A ( , 1 =0 580 IF C=3 PROCCH (2, O) : PROCCH 1 and right and the space bar to fire the 120 PROCUPDATE: VDU20:F0RT=1 T (2,2) : ENDPROC Q1000: WIN=TRUE: NEXT: S=S+200: PROC 590 IF C=2 AND R=l PROCCH (0,0 blaster. Andrew Wills of Aylesbury,

SCORE ) : PROCCH (2,0): ENDPROC Bucks, provided this adventure. 130 END 600 PROCCH (O, 2) : PROCCH (2, 2) 140 REM -SET UP VARIABLES- 610 ENDPROC PRINTCHR*145"j=nl j5- C4( 150 DEFPROCINIT 620 DEFPROCCENT : PROCCH ( R- 1 , C- 830

160 DIM A(2.2) 1 ) : PROCCH (0,1): PROCCH (2, 1 ) : PROCC ws! X*"' hwC4j=+*" .- -.•/. 170 FOR T=0T02 H(1,0) : PROCCH (1,2) : ENDPROC 840 PRINTCHRS145"*-. ! ""-, 180 F0RY=0T02 630 REM-FIRING PROCEDURE (, . ! +, *X" 190 A(Y,T)=RND(2)-1 640 DEFPROCFIRE:M=M+i:FDR T=l 850 PR I NTCHR* 131" 200 NEXTY 50 TO 1 STEP -16:S0UND1,-15,T,2: 210 NEXTT NEXT: ENDPROC 860 PRINTCHR*131"A bomb, set t 220 BS=CHR*224+CHR*224+CHR*10 650 REM -CHANGE SQUARE- o destroy England in" +CHR*8+CHRS8+CHR*224+CHR*224+CHR 660 DEFPR0CCH(R1,C1) 870 PRINTCHR*131"one minute. ha s in your living" Sll 670 FOR T=l TO 15: VDU19, 1 , T, landed 230 BL0CK*=B*+B*+CHRS10+CHR*8 ,0,0:VDU19,2,T,0,0,0:NEXT T: IF A 880 PRINTCHR*131"room.You must +CHR*8+CHRS8+CHR*B+BS+B*+CHR*10+ (R1,C1)=0 THEN A(R1,C1)=1 ELSE A de-activate it by sending"; CHR*B+CHR*8+CHR*8+CHR*8+B*+B* (R1,C1)=0 890 PRINTCHR*131"blasts to its 240 VDU23, 224, 255, 255, 255, 255 680 ENDPROC organic brain. Bl asting" 900 PRINTCHR*131"one of the ni . 255, 255, 255, 255: R=l : C=l : VDU23; 690 REM -FINAL SCORE- ne sectors o-f its brain" 202;0;0;0; : M=0 700 DEFPROCSCORE 250 TIME=0:WIN=FALSE 710 COLOURS 910 PRINTCHR*131"a* f ects not o 260 ENDPROC 720 CLS: IF WIN=FALSE PRINT"Yo nly that sector but others"; 270 REM -UPDATE BOARD AND TIME u failed to save England !": FOR T 920 PRINTCHR*131"as well . Each =15 TO 1 STEP-1: SOUND 0,-T,4,l:N sector can have either a" 280 DEFPROCUPDATE EXT:G0T0740 930 PRINTCHR*131"red or a yell 290 FOR T=0T02 730 PR I NT "WELL DONE! You save oh status. To de-activate" 300 F0RY=0T02 d Engl and": FOR T=l TO 150 STEP 1 940 PRINTCHR*131"you must achi 310 COLOUR A(Y,T)+1:PRINTTAB( 0:S0UND1,-15,T, 1 : NEXT eve this status: -Y Y Y"

Y*S^f. T*0^3) : BLOCK* 740 S=S+100-M-INT (TIME/100) :P 950 PRINT" 1 "; " 1 " 320 NEXTY RINT: PRINT: PRINT"Yqu scored: " ; CHR* 1 3 " Y ; CHR* 29 R 330 NEXTT 750 PRINT: PRINT: PRINT"ANOTHER ";CHR*131"Y"

340 PRINTTABC7.2B) "TIME: " ; INT GO?" :F0RT=1 TQ1000:NEXT:A*=GET* 960 PRINTCHR*131"The keys are:

( TIME/ 100) : IF TIME>=6O00 PROCSCO : IF A*<>"N" THENRUN ELSE END y y Y" RE 760 REM -INSTUCTIONS- 970 PRINTCHR«129"Z-Move down R 350 PRINTTAB (15, 28) "ORGANIC B 770 DEFPR0CINSTRUCT:X*=CHR*255 ow marker" LASTS: ";M 780 PRINTCHR*145"_<10 980 PRINTCHR*129"/-Move down C 360 ENDPROC (*" olumn marker" 370 REM -CHECK FOR INPUT- 790 PRINTCHR*145"j5j5j=+*h7k5 990 PRINTCHR*129"SPACE-Fire an 380 DEFPROCKEY s{4j7k4 k5 h7+«" Organic Blaster at the" 390 A*=INKEY*(0) : IF R<3 AND A 800 PRINTCHR4145 -.!*7. s C7. 1000 PRINTCHR*129"intersection " "-. " S="Z" THEN R=R+1 ELSE IF R=3 AND ""-.V.f/.tX . - ! of the Row and Column" A*="Z" THEN R=l ELSE IF A*="/" 810 PRINTCHR*131" 1010 PRINTCHR*129"markers." AND C<3 THEN C=C+1 ELSE IF C=3 A 1020 PRINTTAB ( 13) ; CHRS131 "PRES ND A*="/" THEN C=l 820 PRINTCHR*145"h<10 14 S SPACE "; : REPEAT : A=GET : UNT I LA=32 400 IF AS=" " PROCFIRE ELSE E 1030 ENDPROC NDPROC 410 REM -ANALYSE INPUT 420 IF R=l AND C=l OR R=l AND' C=3 OR R=3 AND C=l OR R=3 AND C =3 THEN PROCCOR(R,C) 430 IF R=l AND C=2 OR R=2 AND C=l OR R=2 AND C=3 OR R=3 AND C= 2 THEN PROCEDGE(R,C> 440 IF R=2 AND C=2 PROCCENT 450 ENDPROC 460 REM -AFFECT STATUS IN PRE- DETERMINED WAY- 470 DEFPROCCOR3 THEN GOTO 53 O 500 R=R+1:IF R>3 THEN 520

510 PROCCH ( 1, 0) : PROCCH (O, 1) :P RDCCH (1,1): ENDPROC

520 PROCCH'O, i) :PR0CCH(1,2) : PR OCCH (1,1): ENDPROC 530 R=R+i;IF R>3 THEN 550

540 PROCCH t 1, 0) :PR0CCH(2. 1) :P ROCCH (1,1): ENDPROC 550 PR0CCH12. i) :PR0CCH(1,2) :P ROCCH (1,1): ENDPROC

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 33 * ^

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i o SC7. J10REM INSTR. the Argons. In this a grand total o-f ; BEWARE 400PF:INT"Press pace bar for n game for the Electron by Owain ew game" 520

Griffiths of Halmer, Kent you 4 1 0A*»6ET* : ENDPROC 530DEFFR0Cinstr7 ; must shoot down the invading space- 420REM BOMB 540PR I NTCHR* 1 4 1 ; CHR* 1 30 AIR ATTACK" craft before it touches down and takes ; 430 550PR I NTCHR* 1 4 1 ; CHR* 1 30 over the world. Use the Z and X keys to 440DEFPR0Cbomb AIR ATTACK" 450L7.=L7.+ 1 560PR I NTCHR* 134;" By move your tank left and right and hit 460IFL7.=29 THEN PR I NTTAB (O , L7.) Owain Griffiths"' return to fire your laser cannon. Argon ;SPC<20> :bombf 1 ag=FALSE 570F'RIIMT"The idea of the game " Attack also runs on the BBC B. 470 IF Y7.=N7. AND LV.=29 THEN LI 7. is to shoot the

=L I V.- 1 : SOUND 1,-15, 50 , 5 : Y7.-X7. 580PRINT"argon before he reach 10 4S0IF Q7. = Y7. AND L7.=07.-l THEN b s the ground . 2 R EM * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * ** * *** omb-f laq=FALSE: mi ssi 1 ef 1 ag=FALSE: 590PRINT"a warning will be mad ******* 07.--29: L7.=2: SC7.=SC7.+5 e when the " "Argon is near the 30REM ** Air Attack 490ENDPR0C ground . ** 40REM * * B v w a in G r i -f f i t h *# 50REM ***** ***** ************* ******* 60 /OONERRORRUN SOPRQCinU 90H0DE

1 0OVDU23 , , 8202 ; ; ; ; 110PR0Cinstr7

no harm - toe \ 1 20MODE2 cue U)t&> uou

1 30VDU23 , , 8202 ; ; ; ; shop at 140PRQCinstr2 only come fo 150 REPEAT i&OPRQCdelete 170PR0Cupdate ISOPROCprint. all 190PR0Cbu.il: 200 UNI IL LI7.=0 C

=; T7.=29 210PROCEND 220RUN

240REM FIRE.

260DEFPR0Ci~ire 27007.=OV.-l 280IF07.<=T7.-1 THEN missile-flaq

=FALSE : 07. ==29 : PR I NTTAB t Q7. , 07.+ 1

290 IF Q7.=YV. AND L7. = 07.-- 1 1 HEN b omb-f I aq=FALSE: mi ssi 1 e-f 1 aq=FAL3E: 0Z=29:L7.=2:BC7=SC7 + f 300 IF Q7.= X7. AND T7.=07. THEN SC7. =SC7.+ 10: Tk=l: X7.-2: 07.=29: SOUNDJ ,- 1 e-f 1 ENDPR 1 5 , 250 , 5: mi ssi ag»FALSE: OC 3 1 OENDPROC 320 330REM .END.

340 350DEFPR0CEND 360VDU22.7 370*FX15,1 380C0L0UR7 390PRINTTAB<0,7) vou scored

36 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 " ' e 5 1 :"

e tPw o

600PRINT"an extr a man will ie " 730PR I NT " Bomb ; : C0L0UR6 ! PR 127 awarded at 100. S#J I NTCHR* (243) 1140VDU23 242 8 8 28 28 28 28 610PRINT"Z =le*t" 740A*=GET*: CLS: C0L0UR1 : PRINTTA 620PRINT"X =riqht " < ! ( ) ; ( 1 '43 B , 0) SPC (5 ) J CHR* 244 CHR* 245 150VDU2 153 90 60 60 60 6 630PRINT"RETURN = f ire" ' ) ; CHR* (246) ;SCX; " "; CHR* (247) ; CH 24 640PRINT"Q =sound off" R*(248);" ";l..r/. 1 1 60VDU2 ;44 238 136 232 65pPRINT"S =soLtnd on" 750ENDPR0C 40 238 660PRINT"C0PY =pause" 760 1 1 70VDU2 ;45 O 238 170 172 670PRINT"DELETE -unpause" 770REM UPDATE 170 234 680A*=GET* : ENDPROC 11B0VDU2 >46 224 128 192 690DEFPR0Cinstr2 780 128 224 " 700PRINT"Arqon ; : COLOURS PR 790DEFPRQCi.ipdate 1190VDU23 246 224 12B 192

' INTCHR*<240> : C0LDUR7 800 IF TV. MOD 2 =1 THEN XX=XX+1 128 224 " 710PRINT"Base ; : C0L0UR2 :PR ELSE XX=XX-1 1200VDU23 247 O O O 219 170 139

I NTCHR* (241) ' : C0L0UR7 81 OIF XX=1 OR XX=1B THEN TX=TX 138 139 " 720PRINT"mi ssi 1 e? ; : COLOURS : PR " " 1210VDU23 248 O 209 25 149 + 1 : PR I NTTAB ( X7.+ 1 „ TX- 1 ) ; I NTCHR* (242) ' : C0LOUR7 820IF INKEY<-67)THEN NX=NX+1:P 19 209 ; " 1220ENDPR0C RINTTAB=1BNX=NX~1 r: DO 1260DEFPR0Cbulk 860 1 F mi ssi 1 ef 1 aq=TRUE THEN PR DC -fire 1270VDU19,0,0;0; 870IF taomfaf lag=TRUE THEN PROCta 1280IF INKEY(-iOi) THEN PRGCpau QITlb se 8B0ENDPR0C 1290IF0XOTX-1 THEN missile-flag 7^/>? 890 =FALSE:0X=29:FRINTTAB(QX,0X+1> ; 900REM DELETE 1300IFSCX>=100 AND EXTRA=TRUE T HEN LIX=LIX+1:EXTRA=FALSE 9 1 r.. 1310IFTX>=26 THEN 920DEFPR0Cd e 1 et PROCsound

; " 1 1 : PR I AB < , > ; < 930PRINTTAB(XX,TX> " 320C0L0UR NTT SPC 5 9401 F bombf lag=TRUE PRINTTAB(Y > ; CHR* (244) ; CHR* (245) : CHR* (246) ; X ,LX)j" " SCX;" ";CHR*(247) ;CHR*(248> " "; 950IF missile* lag = TRUE PRINTTA LIX B 1 060 450VDU 5 j 1070REM INIT 1 460ENDPR0C

1 080 1090DEFPROCinit 1 1 00m i ssi 1 ef I aq=FALSE: bombf laq= FALSE: EXTRA-TRUE t**u 1 110XX=2: TX=1: L.IX=3: SCX=0: NX=9: 0X=30: YX=2B:LX=2:QX=7 1120VDU23 240 2B 62 107 107 119 85 73 99 1130VDU23 241 8 8 62 127

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 37 " ' ' ' =1( INLAY (track) EXCELLENT utility is pro- 400 IFside=0 THEN PROCmenu 830 PRINT" ": A* 410 IFside=l THEN beg=l ELSE b 840 NEXT ANvided for BBC users with a eg=20 850 PROCcheck printer by M Jackson of Hales- 420 ENDPROC 860 ENDPROC owen, W Midlands. Using it you can 430 DEF PROCtitle 870 DEF PROCcheck 440 ti=l design personalised cassette insert 880 ti=0 450 CLS 890 PRINT"Enter track to amend cards, detailing the contents of each side 460 input*="new Title (max 26 - -for Title"' "or i-f of the enclosed tape. chars) ": PROCi nput (26) OK"; 470 IFin*=""THEN ti tl e* (si de) = The program was written with the 900 x=GET title*(side) ELSE ti tie* (si de) =i 910 IFx=84 OR x=116 THEN PROCt Canon 1080A printer in mind but n* itle works equally well on the Star/Epson 480 input*="Details -for SIDE " 920 IFx>90 THEN x=x-32 +STR* (side)+" (max 65 chars) " : PR printers. OCinput (65) 490 IFin*=""THEN detai 1* (side) 10 ON ERROR PROCreport =detail*(side> ELSE detail*(side 20 PROCinit: PROCmenu )=in* 30 DEF PROCinit 500 input*="DOLBY tor SIDE "+S 40 VDU23;8202;0;0;0; TR*(side)+" (max 3 chars) ": PROCi 50 DIM A* (38) nput (3) 60 DIM title*(2) 510 IFin*=""THEN dolby* (si de) 70 DIM detail*(2) dolby*(side) ELSE dolby* (side) =i 80 DIM dolby* (2) n* 90 C*=" 520 ENDPROC 100 ENDPROC 530 DEF PROCtrack 110 DEF PROCcass 540 FORtrack=beg TO beg+18 120 side=l 550 input*="Text (max 31 chars 130 input*="length o-f cassette )":PROCinput (31) eg C60, C120" 560 IFin*="" THEN A*(track)=A4 140 PROCi nput (11) (track) ELSE A* (track) =in* 150 IFin*=""THEN C*=C* ELSE C* 570 NEXT =in* 580 ENDPROC 160 ENDPROC 590 DEF PROCi nput (length) 170 DEF PROCmenu 600 in*="" 180 ON ERROR PROCreport 610 IFside=l THEN asc=64 ELSE 190 CLS asc=45 200 PRINTTAB (2. 2) "CASSETTE IN 620 CLS DEX LABEL MENU"; 630 IFlength=26 THEN PRINT TAB 210 IFC*<>""THEN PRINT" FOR" (0,5) "SIDE ";side;" existing Tit ' 220 PRINTTAB ( 12) ; C* le is" '' title* (side) 230 PRINTTAB (3, 5) ;"NTER det 640 IFIength=65 THEN PRINT TAB ails"' 'TAB<3> ; "MEND/VIEW pres (0,5)"SIDE ";side;" existing Det ' ent details""TAB(3); "

RINT *u ails are" '' detai 1 * (side) 650 IFlength=31 THEN PRINT TAB 11 index card"" TABC3) ; " "AVE (0,5) "SIDE ";side;" TRACK ; CHR* ; •ntry to Tape/Di sk" " TAB (3) ; "OAD entry from Tape/Disk'"''; 'A* (track) ' 240 PRINTTAB (4) "PLEASE SELECT 660 IFlength=3 THEN PRINT TAB OPTION" 0,5) "SIDE ";side;" existing DOLB 250 x*=EET* Y detail is"" dolby* (side) " 260 IFx*="E" OR x*="e"THEN PRO 670 IFlength=ll THEN PRINT TAB Cc ass : PROCs i de : PROCt itle:PROCtra (0,5) "Existing type is""C*" ck:PROCscreenprint 680 PRINT"Enter "; input*" "or 270 IFx*="A" OR x*="a"THEN PRO press i-f OK" Ccass: PROCsi de: PROCscreenpri nt 690 z*=GET* 280 IFx*="P" OR x*="p" THEN PR 700 IF ASC z*=13 THEN ENDPROC OCpprint 710 IF ASC z*=127 THEN in*=LEF 290 IFx*="T" OR x*="t" THEN PR T*(in*,LENin*-l) ELSE in*=in*+z* OCtprint 720 IF LEN in*>length THEN in* 300 IFx*="S" OR x*="s" THEN PR =LEFT* (in*, length) :VDU7 " " OCsave 730 PRINTTAB(0, 16) ; in*; 310 IFx*="L" OR x*="l" THEN PR 740 G0T0690 OCload 750 ENDPROC 320 60T0190 760 DEF PROCscreenpri nt 330 ENDPROC 770 CLS 340 DEF PROCsi de 7BO PRINT title«(side) sTAB(31, 350 CLS 0) ; "DOLBY "; dolby* (side) ;TAB(0, ; 360 PRINTTAB (3, 5) "Enter /View i ); detail* (side) : TAB (31, 2) "SIDE "; side' nformation -for" " TAB ( 15) "SIDE 1 or SIDE 2 ?"TAB<5,23) "IPress to abortC" eg=20 370 x*=GET* BOO IFside=l THEN asc=64 ELSE 380 side=VALx* asc=45 390 IFsideOOAND sideOlAND si 810 FORtrack=beg TO beg+18 de<>2 THEN 360 820 VDUtrack+asc;

~~38 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 " ) ;;" " ' 1~~

?" 930 IF>: = 13 THEN ENDPROC 1020 F0Rtrack=lT03B >ISK ; :x*=GETS:PRINTx* 940 IFside=l THEN track=x-64 E 1030 A*(track)=A*(track)+STRING 1490 IFx*="T"ORx*="t"THEN*TAPE LSE track=x-45 * (32-LENA* (track) , " " 1500 IFx*<>"T"ANDx*<>"t"THEN*DI 950 IFtracksi de*19 1040 NEXT SK THEN 990 1050 F0Rside=lT02 1510 INPUT "ENTER FILE NAME TO S 960 IFti=l THEN 990 1060 title* (side)=title*(side>+ AVE ":x* " ") 970 input*="Text (max 31 chars STRING*(26-LENtitle*(side) , 1520 ch7.=0PEN0UT(x*> )":PROCinput (31) 1070 detail*(side)=detail* (side 1530 F0Rx=lT038 980 IFin*="" THEN AS(track)=A* >+STRINGS(65-LENdetail*(side) , 1540 PRINT#ch7.,A*(x) (track) ELSE A* (track) =in* ") 1550 NEXT 990 PROCscreenprint 1080 NEXT 1560 F0Rx=lT02 1000 ENDPROC 1090 ENDPROC 1570 PRINT#ch7.,title*(>;) .detail 1010 DEF PROCpad 1100 DEF PROCpprint *(x) ,dolby*(:<) 1110 PROCpad 1580 NEXT 1120 VDU2 1590 PRINT#ch7.,C* 1130 tFX6,2 1600 CL0SE#ch7. 1140 VDU1,27, 1,51, 1, 14:REM line 1610 ENDPROC space 1620 DEF PROCload 1150 VDU1,27, 1, 15: REM Condensed 1630 ON ERROR PROCreport print 1640 PR I NT "LOAD FROM APE OR 1160 VDU1.27, 1,85, 1, 1 : REM unidi ISK ?";:x*=GET*:PRINTx* " " r print 1 650 I Fx *= " T ORx *= t " THEN* TAPE 1170 PRINT"SIDE 1 DOLBY ":dol 1660 IFx*<>"T"ANDx*<>"t"THEN*DI " by*(l> ;TAB(34> ; "SIDE 2 DOLBY SK ;dolby*(2) 1670 INPUT "ENTER FILE NAME TO L 1180 VDU1,27, 1,51. 1, 18:REM line OAD ";x* space 1680 ch7.=0PENIN(x*> "-"); 1190 PRINT STRING* (65. " : 1690 F0Rx=lT038 1700 INPUT#ch7.,A*(x) 1200 VDU1,27, 1,48:REM line spac 1710 NEXT 1720 F0Rx=lT02 1210 F0Rtrack=lT019 1730 INPUT#ch7., title* (x> , detail 1220 PRINT AS(track);" •;A*(tr *(x),dolby*(x) ack+19); " 1 1740 NEXT 1230 NEXT 1750 INPUT#ch7.,C* ') 1240 PRINT STRING* (65, : 1760 CL0SE#ch7. 1770 ENDPROC 1250 PRINT"SIDE 1: " 1780 DEF PROCreport 1260 VDU1,27, 1, 14:REM Enlarged 1790 ON ERROR OFF print with self cancellation 1800 CL0SE#0:VDU3 1270 VDU1.27, 1,71: REM Double st 1B10 REPORT " ri ke 1820 PRINT' "Error code number " 12B0 PRINTtitle*(l) ;ERR;" at Line number : ERL 1290 VDU1,18:REM Cancel Condens 1830 PR I NT "PRESS TD STOP ed print PROGRAM" '"PRESS FOR MENU" 1840 x*=GET* Do 1300 VDU1.27, 1,72: REM Cancel 1850 IF x*="M" THEN PROCmenu uble strike 1860 G0T01810 1310 PRINT TAB(38-LEN C*);CS 1870 ENDPROC 1320 VDU1,27, 1, 15: REM Condensed 1B80 DEF PROCtprint print 1890 VDU2 1330 PRINT-SIDE 2: " 1900 *FX6,2 14: REM Enlarged 1340 VDU1,27, 1, 1910 VDU1,27, 1, 15: REM Condensed print with self cancellation Print 1350 VDU1,27, 1,71:REM Double st 1920 VDU1,27, 1,85, 1, 1 : REM unidi ri ke r print 1360 PRINTtitle*(2) 1930 VDU1,27, 1,50:REM line spac 1370 VDU1,27, 1,72: REM Cancel Do e 1/6 inch uble strike 1940 PRINT-SIDE 1: "; "-">; 1380 PRINT STRING* (65, " ! 1950 VDU1,27, 1, 14:REM Enlarged print with self cancellation

: : " 1390 PRINT"SIDE 1 " ; TAB (67) " 1960 VDU1,27, 1,71:REM Double st : t "' detail*(l) " ! "'TAB(67> " "SID ri ke ; E 2: ";TAB(67) " !"' detail* (2> " ! 1970 PRINTtitle*(l) 1980 VDU1,27, 1,72: REM Cancel Do 1400 PRINTTAB(67) ;"! uble strike "; 1410 PRINT STRINGS(65, "*">; " ! 1990 PRINT"SIDE 2: 2000 VDU1.27, 1 , 14:REM Enlarged

1 i 1420 PRINT STRING* (65, "*"); " ! print with self cancel at an 2010 VDU1,27, ,71: REM Double st 1430 VDU3 ri ke 1440 ENDPROC 2020 PRINTtitle*(2) 1450 DEF PROCsave 2030 VDU1,27, 1, 72: REM Cancel Da 1460 PROCpad uble strike 1470 ON ERROR PROCreport 2040 VDU3 1480 PR I NT "SAVE TO APE OR

~~ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 39 bpftt~~

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~~CIRCULAR (a £29.99~~

. _I Enter number of MOVITS required in boxes above. Prism consumer Products Limited I Allow 28 days for delivery. All prices include vat. Batteries not included. Dealer enquiries welcome. Prism House, 18-29 Mora St., I Send your cheque to: Movit Offer Prism Consumer Products. Prism London EC1V8BT .J_ I . House, 18-29 Mora Street, London EC1V 8BT. Telephone: 01-253 2277 L i " i 1 l A r j j j H + H 4 t-H -f H4 T-H " " M" 1 ;

O *KEY 10 0. !M VDUy4!ML. !M O ~32 30- O 10 REM »*tAREAS bv K.McINTYRE --33 3!- + — 34 32 — 20 0NERR0RRUN — 33— 30 M0DE7 35 — 36. 34 - 40 PRDCCHDICE 50 END 390 DEF PROCREC — 3? 35- 60 DEFPROCCHOICE:CLS 400 LOCAL L.W — 38 36- 70 FDRX=4T05 410 INPUT "THE LENGTH="L — 39 37 — 420 INPUT "THE WIDTH="W —40 80 PRINTTAB(1,X> ; CHR* <&8D> ; CH 38- ; 430 RECAREA=W*L — 41 R*<&86> "AREAS: Circular and Regu 39 — 440 PRINT "AREA=" :RECAREA: — 42 lar Polygons" ; CHR* <8 40— ^ 90 NEXT ZX*" squared" —43 4,-/ 450 FORQ7.=0 TO 50000: NEXT: GOTO 100 »KEY CIRCLE !M — 44 4?-\ 40 — 110 *KEY 1 SQUARE !M 45 43— 120 *KEY 2 RECTANGLE !M 460 ENDPROC — 46 44 — 130 *KEY 3 TRIANGLE !M 470 DEF PROCTRI —47 480 LOCAL B,H 45- 140 *KEY 4 PARALELLOGRAM ! —48 490 INPUT "BASE LINE LENGTH="B 46- 150 *KEY 5 TRAPEZIUM !M —49 — 160 PRINT: PRINT" THE SHAPES 500 INPUT"HEIGHT="H —60 4/ " 510 TRIAREA=(B*H)/2 48- ARE : — 51 ; ; 520 PR I NT " AREA= " ; TR I ARE " " 170 PRINT: PR I NTCHR* (&B1 ) A — 52 49— ZX*; " squared" IRCLE 'SPC< 10) "PRESS KEYO" — 53 50- 1 I 530 F0RQ7.=0 TO 50000: NEXT: GOTO — 80 PR NTCHR* ( 8<84 ) ; SQUARE" — 54 51 ) 1 40 SPC ( 1 O " PRESS KEY — 55 62- 540 ENDPROC 1 90 PR I NTCHR* ( 8.82 ) : RECTANG — 56 53- LE"SPC(7) "PRESS KEY2" 550 DEF PROCPAR — 57 54 — " 560 LOCAL H,B 200 PR I NTCHR* < S.B5 > ; TR I ANGL — 58 ) 570 INPUT "HEIGHT="H 55- " SPC < " E 8 PRESS KEY3 — 59 : 580 INPUT 56- 210 PRINTCHR* (&83) " PARALEL "BASE="B — 60 — L0GRAM"SPC(3) "PRESS KEY4" 590 PARAREA=H*B 6/ — 61 : 600 PRINT "AREA=":PARAREA:" " 58 — 220 PR I NTCHR* ( &B6 ) " TRAPE 2 ~ ; b - UM"SPC<7> "PRESS KEYS" ZX*; " squared" o 59- O 230 PRINT: PRINT: PRINT 610 FORQV.=0 TO 50000: NEXT: GOTO 240 INPUT" NAME OF SHAPE"; A* 40 :IF ASC90 THE 620 ENDPROC N PROCCHOICE 630 DEF PROCTRAP 250 INPUT" TYPE OF UNITS eg, 640 LOCAL T.B.P 650 INPUT "LENGTH OF TOP PARAL mm' s, cm' s, metres" ; ZX* 260 IF A*="CIRCLE" THEN PROCCI LEL-"T RCLE 660 INPUT "LENGTH OF BOTTOM PA 270 IF A*="SQUARE" OR A*="RECT RALLEL="B ANGLE" THEN PROCREC 670 INPUT "PERPENDICULAR HEIGH 280 IF A*="TRIANGLE" THEN PROC T = "P TRI 680 TRAF'AREA=0.5*(T+B) *P " 290 IF A* = " PARALELLOGRAM "THEN 690 PRINT "AREA=";TRAPAREA; " PROCPAR ;ZX*;" squared" 300 IF A*="TRAPEZIUM"THEN PROC 700 F0RQ7.=0 TO 50000: NEXT: GOTO TRAP 40 310 ENDPROC 710 ENDPROC 320 DEF PROCCI RCLE 330 LOCAL R 340 INPUT"Radius="R 350 CIRCAREA=PI*RtR " 360 PRINT "AREA=":CIRCAREA; " ;ZX*;" "; "squared" 370 F0RQ7.=0 TO 50000: NEXT: GOTO 40 380 ENDPROC

~~42 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 2 1 ; 2: " " , " " 1~~

DILPH410 F0RX=1 TO 2 YOU help Dilph the Centi- 420FORI=1T016 CAN loves to gorge him- pede? Dilph 430VDU19,0,I ,0,0, i SOUNDO self on juicy green mushrooms. ,1,1 440NEXTI is they are only be found The trouble to 450 NEXT

~~> growing in minefields. Using the Z and 460VDU4 : PR I NTTAB ( , " YOU ' VE S~~

~~! X keys to move left and right, steer clear NUFFED IT! 470VDU23,1;0;0;0;0; of the mines and watch for those electric 480PR0CNEWGAME fences. 490ENDPR0C 500DEFPR0CINS~~

~~5 1 0VDU23 , ; ; ; ; 10 REM * CATATAK by Neil Benn 1 ; un 84 520VDU141: PRINT ***" 20 REM ILLATTAK 30 M0DE7:PR0CINS 530VDU141: PRINT ***" 40 INPUT "Do you want snow~~

~~1 00 VDU23 , 240 , , 60 , 1 26 , 1 26 , 1 26~~

~~, 60 , 24 , 24 110 VDU23,241 ,0,56,124, 124,124 ,124,56,0 poi nts.~~

~~1 20VDU23 , 255 , 255 , 255 , 255 , 255 , 680 PRINT~~

55 , 255 , 255 , 255 690VDU141: PRINT" Z=LEFT 130 X7.=500: Y7.=500 X=RIGHT" 140 GCOL.0,3 700VDU141: PRINT" Z=LEFT 150 VDU23, jOj 0; OjO; X=RI6HT" 160 STACK=(RND(19)»64)+128 710PRINT 170 F0RA=lT05:NEXTAtvDU30,ll 720PRINT"Press any t:ey to play the game. ISO R7.=RND<3) : IF R7.=2 THEN GCD 730Z=GET LO , 3 : MQVESTACK , 964 : PR INT CHR*240 PRINTCHR*240 740ENDPR0C 190 VDU4,23, 1;0;0;0;0; rPRINTTA 750DEFPR0CNEWGAME 760PRINT"Your score was " ; SCOR B(0,0) :VDU11 , 11 ,5,23,lj0)0(0j0|

200 M7.=RND(5) : IF M7."=2 AND YUP= TRUE PROCWALL 770«FX15, ", 210 A=INKEY(0) : M0VEX7. , Y7.: GC0L3 7B0INPUT"Want to play again ,5:PRINTCHR*241 220 IF INKEY(-9B)X7.=X7.-16 790 IF A*="Y"THENRUN ELSE CLS:E 230 IF INKEY<-67>X7.=X7.+ 16 240 IF P0INT(X7.,Y7.)=3 SCORE=SC 0RE+5:S0UND1,-15,0,1:S0UND1,-15,

50 , 250 IF POINT 1279 PROCDEAD 280 YUP=TRUE 570F'RINT"green mushrooms. Every 290 GOTO 160 things going fine." 300 DEFPROCWALL 5B0PRINT 310 GC0L1,1 590PRINT"BUT. . .Your little cen 320 W0T=RND(30) tipede has a little" 330 I FW0T=250RW0T=220RW0T= 1 BORW 600PRINT"probl em. Suddenly, wal " 0T=2vDU4:PRINTTAB<0,0> 1 s appear ! 340 IF W0T=250RW0T=22VDU4:C0L0U 610PRINT ' R1:PRINTTAB(0,0) ; CHR*255; CHR*2 620PRINT" A mine-field appears ' ; " ! 55 ; CHR*255 " ; CHR*255 ; CHR on ei ther side ! *255; CHR*255; CHR*255; CHR*255; CHR 630PRINT

~~; s ; 640PRINT"But,as *255 ; CHR*255 CHR*255 CHR*255 CHR you are still *255; hungry, you carry on" 350 IF W0T=180R W0T=2VDU4: COLOU 650PRINT"eating them."~~

~~, ; ; ; 380VDU23 1 O O ; ; 390 ENDPROC •400DEFPR0CDEAD~~

ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 43 NEW! from SQUIRREL Educational Software] LCL Two very original programs for BBC B and ELECTRON tt BBC Micro POLAR PERILS £7.95 MICRO ZX Spectrum A 100% m/code multiscreen arcade/adventure game set in ENGUSH very hostile Arctic waters. No gun - just your wits and your spear unexpanded VIC for survival against many sub-zero hazards including ravenous Electron polar bears who will hop on to your tiny ice floe without warning! Great skill is required to get through to the final screen of this ZX81 very addictive adventure and only then do you realise that your Apple difficulties have only just begun as you try to collect ice blocks in PET your kayak for your igloo home! Commodore 64 MONEYWISE £9.95 An up to date yet simple to use personal/home money A COMPLETE ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSE Dragon (book only) management system based on not one but TWO main accounts OF 24 EASY TO USE PROGRAMS LCL) with extensive analysis, budget forecasting, annual summary ( All software for the and 3D Other facilities offered are - SAVE FOR O'LEVEL SELF TUITION OR REVISION BAR CHARTS. above computers. complete program to DISC, PASSWORD protected datafiles (tape or disc), PRINTOUTS of all accounts and 3D Bar chart screen dump. MICRO ENGLISH (BBC, Electron) complete English Language O- Level self- tuition or revision course of 24 programs, 2 Other established classics from SQUIRREL:- disks/tapes. Includes "Speak-and-Spell" type program (no extras required) £24.50. TRAFALGAR £8.00 MICRO MATHS 24 program revision or self-tuition course to O-Level. 'A good combination of arcade action and strategy' - C & VG £24.50 (except ZX81 £12.00). BRAINTEASERS (BBC. Electron, CBM 64, Spectrum, Dragon, Vic) SUPERGOLF £7.50

£5.95. 'The book is a collection of 29 program listings, each one an ' is I do know a good game when I see one and SUPERGOLF and amusing challenge... You'll like this" ELECTRON USER interesting just that!' - Electron User ANIMATED ARITHMETIC Teaches using moving colour pictures (not words) Ages 3-8 £6.50 (disc £7.50). BUNFUN £6.50 "... the programming standard is high". TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUP. 'Fast and furious - a game calling for quick reactions - fun to play' - The Micro User Immediate dispatch of Micro English, Micro Maths, and Master or send orders or requests for free catalogue (200 Maths. Phone All programs available on 40T disc - add £2.00 programs) to:

LCL World leaders in Educational software. SCLJIRCELSCrT Dept E, 26 Avondale Ave. 4 BINDLOSS AVENUE, ECCLES, MANCHESTER M30 ODU Staines, Middx. 24 Hour answering service 061-789 4120 Tel: 0784 58771 GENEROUS TRADE Cheques, P.O.s f^^ Same day despatch 24 hrs. Orders DISCOUNTS.

~~From Scarab Systems~~

Essential literature Board for Extender BBC These books are packed with info and include a list UK's leading professionally of frequencies of most of the agencies in the world ' produced software house for the Radio using RTTY. Amateur, has introduced a revolutionary and exciting new World Press Services Frequencies £5.00 range. At the centre of this range is an extender board Guide to RTTY Frequencies £9.00 which can be fitted without disfiguring your keyboard, and is colour matched to your computer. Keyboard Scarab Systems produce many other top-quality disfiguration will also lose your guarantee. There is no SCARAB programs and equipment need for dismantling each time you need to fit a different for the Radio Amateur. Use the coupon now for details. ROM/EPROM and it provides external socket SYSTEMS capability. There is also less chance of damaging your 39 Stafford Street Gillingham, Kent ME7 5EN. Tel: (0634) 570441 expensive ROM/EPROM thanks to a zero insertion release socket which is fully encapsulated. All prices are inclusive of VAT\ and delivery and are correct at the With this easy-to-use extender, there is no need for rtime of going to press. PleasePlfiase send me expensive extra cartridge casings. Press Services BBC Extender board £20.50 fj] World plus free gift Frequencies £5.00 Free! Introductory gift BBC Terminal Unit £80.00 fj Guide to RTTY £9.00 other equipment and programs With each BBC extender board we are giving away ^] Free details of for a handy EPROM holder free of charge. The entire I enclose a cheque/postal order Card package is yours for only £20.50. I wish to use my Access/Visa No | I I I I Watch out for exciting new additions to the range Name shortly. Address Terminal Unit As seen in the computer press. Decode and display Tel. No radioteletype signals on your BBC using the Scarab Signature

~~if I fully satisfied, I can return MPTU-1 terminal unit. £80.00 including software and I understand that, am not the equipment with full reimbursement. 14 days connecting leads. Ldelivery Ap~~

~~44 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 1 . )~~

~~• I ••••• WARS o~~

* i imii 760 FOR F7.=0 TO N7. STAR WARS for the Electron 770 GCOL 0,C7. (F7.) INand BBC by G Woolridge of 780 MOVE A7. ( F7. ) , U7. ( F7. Handsworth, Birmingham you 790 VDU alien7. 800 NEXT must manoeuvre your sights around the BIO GCOL 0.3 :MOVE XX, Y7. : VDU space scanner, picking out enemy craft iightX and blasting them to the other side of 820 ENDPROC ^5 830 the universe before they get you. When B40 DEF PROCstart_wave(WX) you think you have got rid of them 850 GCOL 0,7. another wave of marauding attackers 860 MOVE 480,512 870 PR I NT "Wave " W7. arrives. Use the Z, X, : and / keys to 480 FOR F7.=0 TO N7. 880 FOR F7.=0 TO -15 STEP -1 move your sights and RETURN to fire. 490 REPEAT 890 FOR G7.=0 TO 1 500 CX (F7.)=RND(6> 900 SOUND 0,F7., 100+GX. 1 50 *TV 255 510 UNTIL C7.(F7.)<>3 910 NEXT 60 MODE 2 520 A7.(F7.)=RND(1279) 920 NEXT 70 PROCinitialise 530 U7. (F7.)=RND(1023) 930 GCOL 0,0 80 540 G7. (F7.)=TRUE 940 MOVE 480,512 90 REPEAT 550 NEXT 950 PR I NT "Wave " W7. 100 PROCnew_wave 560 X7.=608 :Y7.=4BO 960 ENDPROC 110 PROCscreen 570 all_dead=FALSE 970 120 REPEAT 580 -fuel_gone=FALSE 980 DEF PROCstars 130 FOR F7.=0 TO N7. 590 ENDPROC 990 FOR FX=0 TO 3 140 PROCsights 600 1O0O FOR C7.=8 TO 15 150 PR0Calien(F7.) 610 DEF PROCscreen 1010 GCOL 0,CX 160 IF all dead OR fuel_gone F 620 VDU 23;B202;0;0;0; 16,4, 17, 1020 A7.=RND(XM7.-XN7.)+XN7. 7.=N7. y 1 030 U7.=RND ( YM7.-YN7. ) +YN7. 170 NEXT 630 PRINT TAB (1,1) "Score :" 1040 PLOT 69,AX,UX " 180 UNTIL all_dead OR fuel_gon 640 PRINT TAB (1,3) "Fuel : 1050 NEXT e 650 COLOUR 2 : PROCscore (O) 1060 NEXT 190 IF all dead f uel _gone=FALS 660 COLOUR 5 :PROCfuel(0) 1070 tFX 10.20 E 670 VDU 5 :BCOL 0,6 1080 tFX 9,20 200 UNTIL fuel.gone 680 MOVE XN7.-8, YN7.-32 1090 ENDPROC 210 6C0L 0,7 :MOVE 300.512 690 DRAW XN7.-B,YM7.+4 1100 220 PRINT "No Fuel Left" 700 DRAW XM7.+64, YM7.+4 1110 DEF PROCsights 1120 :D7.=0 : E7.=0 230 6C0L 0,6 : MOVE 4O0.450 710 DRAW XM7.+64.YN7.-32 GCOL 3,3 240 PRINT "Game Over" 720 DRAW XN7.-8. YN7.-32 1130 IF INKEY(-67) D7.= I7. 730 D7.=-I7. 250 6C0L 0,15 : MOVE 100,300 VDU 24.XN7.:YN7.-28:XM7.+56sY 1140 IF INKEY(-9B) 260 PRINT "Space_bar to start" M7.; 1150 IF INKEY(-73) E7.= I7. 270 *FX 15 740 PROCstartwave(waveX) 1160 IF INKEY(-IOS) E7.=-I7. 280 REPEAT UNTIL GET=32 750 PROCstars 1170 MOVE XX, YX :VDU sightX 290 RUN 300 END 310 320 DEF PROCinitialise 330 dif7.=ll 340 DIM A7.(dif7.),U7.(dif7.) ,C7.(d

~~i*X) , G7. (di-f7.)~~

~~350 XN7.=64 :XM7.= 1215 : YN7.=64 : YM7.=880 o~~

360 wave7.=0 :N7.=0 :SX=0 : I7.= 16 370 S7.=0 :sight7.= 128 :alien7.= l 29 380 VDU 23, si ght7., 231, 129, 129, *F -rue Ca>MX nee Upon us yfitary 24,24, 129, 129,231 , sreeb- 390 VDU 23,alien7., 102, 195, 165, 153, 153, 165, 195, 102 400 ENVELOPE 1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1 26,-10,-5,-1, 126, 126 410 ENVELOPE 2,1,5,1,0,-1,-1,- 1, 126,-50,-10,-1, 126,80 420 *FX 229, 430 ENDPROC 440 450 DEF PROCnew_wave 460 waveX=waveX+l 470 IF waveX<6 N7.=wave7.*2 :PT7. =(waveX DIV 2) *25+25 ELSE PT7.= 10 O

~~December ACORN PROGRAMS 1984 45 1 ) ",~~

1180 X7.=X7.+D7. :Y7.=Y7.+E7. 1380 GCOL 3,C7.(P7.) 1580 ENDPROC 1190 IF XXXM7. X7.=XM7. 1400 VDU alienX 1600 DEF PROCscore (PX) 1200 IF Y7.YM7. Y7.=YM7. 1420 ENDPROC 1620 SX=(SX+PX) MOD 1000000 , 1210 MOVE X7.,Y7. :VDU sightX 1430 1630 S*=STRING*<6-LEN(STR*SX>

~~1220 IF NOT INKEY(-74) ENDPROC 1440 DEF PROCalien(FX) O" )~~

1230 SOUND 1,2,100,1 1450 D7.=0 1640 PRINT TAB (8,1) S* SX CHR* ( 1240 PROCfuel(-l) :hit=FALSE 1460 FOR P7.=0 TO N7. 5) 1250 FOR P7.=0 TO N7. 1470 IF GX(PX) PX=N7. ELSE D7.=D7. 1650 ENDPROC 1260 IF G7.(P7.) AND AX (PX) +16>= +1 1660 X7. AND AX(PXX = XX+16 AND UX(P7.)- 14B0 NEXT 1670 DEF PROCf uel (PX) 16<=Y7. AND U7. (P7.) >=Y7.-16 hit=P7.+ 1490 IF D7.>N7. al 1 _dead=TRUE 1680 COLOUR 5 :VDU 4 1 :P7.=N7. 1500 IF NOT G7. (F7.) ENDPROC 1690 PTX=PTX+PX 1270 NEXT 1510 GCOL 3,CX(FX) 1700 S»=STRING* (3-LEN (STR*PTX)

~~1280 GCOL 3,7 : MOVE XN7.,512 1520 MOVE A7. (F7.) ,U7.(F7.) : VDU al "0")~~

~~1290 DRAW X7.+32,Y7.-16 : DRAW XM7. ien7. 1710 PRINT TAB (8, 3) S* PTX CHR* +64,512 1530 A7. (FX) =A7. (FX) +32* (RND (3) -2 (5)~~

~~1300 IF hit PROChit(hit-l) ) 1720 IF PTX=0 fuel_gone=TRUE 1310 GCOL 3,7 :MOVE XN7.,512 1540 U7. (F7.) =U7. (F7.) +32* (RND (3) -2 1730 ENDPROC~~

1320 DRAW X7.+32.Y7.-16 : DRAW XM7. ) +64,512 1550 IF A7. (FXXXNX A7. (F7.) =XM7. E 1330 ENDPROC LSE I F A7. (F7.) >XM7. A7. (F7.) =XN7. 1340 1560 IF UX(FXXYNX U7. (F7.) =YM7. E 1350 DEF PR0Chit(P7.) LSE I F U7.(F7.) >YM7. U7. (FX) =YN7. 1360 G7. (P7.)=FALSE 1570 MOVE AX(FX) ,U7. (FX) : VDU al 1370 PR0Cscore(wave7.*10> ienX Programs must be your own work

FOLLOWING recent problems involving readers sending be repeated in each issue, and send it with your program, programs which were not their own work, we aim to ensure which should be sent on cassette or disc to the address which that does not happen again by deciding that only programs appears at the front of the magazine. which are accompanied by a Program Voucher will be With your co-operation we can make sure that Acorn considered for publication. Programs continues to the best source for interesting and All you have to do is complete the form below, which will original games on the BBC B and Electron.

~~1 Please complete this form and enclose it with any program which you send to us for possible publication.~~

~~To: Acorn Programs, 2 Newington Green Road, London Nl 4AQ.~~

~~I enclose program(s) for the .computer.~~

~~I guarantee that each program submitted is my original work. Signed Name Address~~

46 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 Jeremy Richards' programming series guides you through the first steps in creating animated graphics Moving pictures THE BIGGEST attraction of 30 NEXT 30 PRINTTAB(10,10);CHR$(240) home computers is in the graph- What is the program doing? It is As you can see, we have created a ics and animation produced by printing-out some of the internal char- simple matchstick-man-type figure. The them. As an owner of an Electron or acter set which is represented inside the clever work is all in line 20. The charac-

BBC computer, you have at your finger- machine firmware as an ASCII number ter to be created is assigned to one of the tips a machine with many graphical — ASCII stands for American Standard available user-definable figures — 224 commands to use. This month I intro- Code for Information Interchange. It is to 255. In the case of this program I duce the subject of graphics, which in one. of the few standards virtually every have used character 240. The remaining itself is worthy of a book, and show how computer implements and is about the eight figures define the shape of the to create simple but effective graphics only thing different machines have in figure. Imagine an eight by eight grid. on your screen. common. It allows the machine to have Each column of the grid has a number

~~The place to start is with the differ- a set of numbered codes to assign to a assigned to it; from left to right they ent screen modes available to the user. given character. Therefore typing: read:~~

BBC owners have a range of eight PRINT CHR$(65) 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1 modes from which to choose, Electron will produce the letter A. Program one To create the figure you should draw users seven. The screen mode missing prints-out all the characters between 32 an eight by eight grid and then draw the from the Electron is MODE 7, which is and 126. You will no doubt have required figure. Every box in the grid often referred to as the teletext mode. worked out that it is the command you fill should then be added. So if you By teletext mode I mean that the dis- CHR$ which tells the machine which draw a line in the top row of the grid, play is compatible with the teletext character to print. Characters 224 to the VDU23 statement will read: screen display of systems such as Ceefax 255 have been left undefined and you VDU23,245,255,0,0,0,0,0,0,0. and Prestel. On the BBC that also can create your own characters. To do The 245 refers to the character to be occupies the least memory — IK — and that we use the VDU23 command. defined and the remaining eight figures is therefore often used. Type-in program two. each row, working from top to bottom. Program 2 The other seven modes, numbered Therefore the top row is 255 because 10 MODE 2 from to 6, are the same on both 20 VDU23,240,28,28,28,8, 1 27,8,20,34 continued on page 48 Electron and BBC. They are shown with their respective display sizes, number of colours and memory usage: MODE 6, 40x25 text, two colours, 8K; MODE 5, 20x32 text, 160x256 resolution, four colours, 10K; MODE 4, 40x32 text, 320x256 resolution, two colours, 10K; MODE 3, 80x25 text, two colours, 16K; MODE 2, 20x32 text, 160x256 resolution, four colours, 20K; MODE 1, 40x32 text, 320x256 resolution, four colours, 20K; MODE 0, 80x32 text, 640x256 resolution, two colours, 20K. To change modes you type MODE followed by the number of the screen mode you wish to use. Try it and you will notice that the size of the cursor alters depending on the screen display mode you are using. The smaller the cursor, the greater the screen resolution - compare MODE and MODE 5. It is all very well changing between screen displays but how do we create graphics? Acorn thoughtfully has left room in the character set of the computer for users to design their characters. If you are not sure what I mean by character set, type-in program one.

~~Program 1 10FORx = 32 to 126 20 PRINT CHR$(x);~~

~~ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 47 1~~

continued from page 47 prints the two characters at the given every square is filled. That is because, screen site, which is defined by the working from right to left: PRINTTAB statement. 1+2 + 4 + 8+16 + 32 + 64+128 = 255 Note how the two characters are To understand that try drawing a few placed next to each other, the com- simple figures and working out the mands being separated by a semi-colon. VDU23 command. Line 70 causes the program to return to All well and good, but the figure is line 50 where a tree is printed at a new small. We can, however, make figures position. Also note that once a character better by joining more than one CHR$ has been defined it is unnecessary to re- line 100 does but even that is not command. So, for instance, on a season- define it every time you need to use the sufficient. Because of the speed of the al note, create a Christmas tree. To do character. machine we would see nothing, so a that I use two user-definable characters, We have now displayed a very simple delay procedure — PROCdelay — is 241 and 242. Draw two 8x8 grids, side piece of graphics but what about mov- called between the two printing com- by side. Then draw half of the tree in ing graphics? That is not difficult. Let mands. That causes the computer to one box and the other half in the sec- us make use of everything we have done pause for a short time before over- ond. I have done that in program three so far. Before typing-in program four, printing the figure with a space. By and you can fill the squares according to see if you can write a program to make doing that we can create the effect of a the numbers I have used. the little matchstick man move from left moving object. Program 3 to right in front of the Christmas tree. There are, of course, more graphics 10 MODE 2 Make use of characters 240 to 242 commands. The three main Basic 20 COLOUR 2 which we have already defined. Once keywords to consider are DRAW, 30 VDU23,241, 1,2,6,12,24,127,3,3 40 VDU23,242,128,64,48,24,12,255,192,192 you have tried that, type-in program MOVE and PLOT. Program five shows 50 X = RND(20):Y = RND(32) four. a short example of their use. 60 PRINTTAB(X,Y);CHR$(241);CHR$(242) Program 4 Program 5 70 GOTO 50 10 VDU23,240,28,28,28,8,127,8,20,34 10 MODE 4 If run the will see 20 MODE 2 you program you 20 MOVE 400,400 30 COLOUR 2 the screen fill with Christmas trees. I 30 DRAW 400,100 40 VDU23.241, 1,2,6,12,24,127,3,3 have used 2 which gives 16 40 DRAW 100,100 MODE 50 VDU23,242,128,64,48,24,12,255,192,192 colours choose. 50 DRAW 100,400 from which to Line 20 60 PRINTAB( 10, 1 0);CHR$(24 1);CHR$(242) 60 DRAW 400,400 uses the COLOUR command, which 70 FORx = TO 19 70 PRINTTAB(10,10); "Press SPACEBAR to 80 VDU23,1,0;0;0;0; assigns the drawing colour. In this case continue" 90 PRINTAB(x,12);CHR$(240):PROCdelay I have used 2, which is the code for 80 REPEATUNTILGET = 32 100PRINTTAB(x,12);" " green. colour codes are: 90 MOVE 100,100 The 110 NEXT BLACK: Modes: 100 PLOT81,0,300 0,1,2,3,4,5,6 120 END RED: 1 0,1,2,3,4,5,6 130 DEFPROCdelay The program draws a square and GREEN: 2 1,2,5 140 FOR delay=l TO 200:NEXT then fills-in one half of the square — a YELLOW: 3 1,2,5 150 ENDPROC triangle. The MOVE command moves BLUE: 4 1,2,5 You should already understand lines the graphics cursor to a point on the MAGENTA: 5 2 CYAN: 6 2 10 to 60. The movement of the match- screen. The draw command then draws WHITE: 7 2 stick man is carried out by lines 70 to a line between two specified points on Flashing colours 110. Line 90 prints the man at a posi- an X-Y axis. The PLOT81 command in BLACK/WHITE: 8 2 tion somewhere along the twelfth line of line 100 causes a triangle to be filled-in RED/CYAN: 9 2 the screen. That is determined by the GREEN/MAGENTA: 10 2 between the points specified, i.e., 0,300. There are many PLOT commands, some of which are summarised: 'If we print the man at every PLOT number: Effect: Move relative to last point position we would have a 16-23 Use a dotted line 64-71 Single point plotting

~~continuous line of matchstick 72-79 Horizontal line fill~~

~~80-87 Plot and fill triangle men across the screen, rather like 88-95 Horizontal blanking of line a paper chain of figures' Experiment with those numbers to see the effects you can create. A fuller~~

~~list of plotting commands can be found~~

YELLOW/BLUE: 1 2 value of 'x' which is incremented every in the user guides. BLUE/YELLOW: 12 2 time round the loop. Therefore every The commands I have described are MAGENTA/GREEN: 13 2 CYAN/RED: 14 2 PRINTTAB statement prints the man the basis for the outstanding graphics WHITE/BLACK: 15 2 in the next position along the line. That capabilities of the Acorn machines. Try Change the number in line 20 to see would be no good. Why? Well, if we to create your own moving graphics

~~the effect of the colour command. I print the man at every position we programs. As a test, why not draw a~~

suppose it is cheating a little to say that would have a continuous line of match- house on the screen with a man walking there are 16 colours in mode 2. Really stick men across the screen, rather like a into the house? Or devise a series of there are eight, with another eight being paper chain of figures. characters which show a man in the a flashing on-off pair of colours. To prevent that happening we must different stages of walking, therefore

Lines 30 and 40 define characters 241 blank-out the position in which the giving the impression of movement. I and 242. Line 50 chooses a random character is printed before moving to will return to the subject of more ad- number for the X,Y plot and line 60 the next printing point. That is what vanced graphics later in the series.

48 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 pIliALj>S§*

~~Exclusive to Acorn Programs readers 20% reduction on the Extron carrying case for the BBC micro~~

If you have just bought a BBC micro for computer, the carrying case incorporates a Christmas, here is the ideal way to protect desk-top console to hold your tape or disc it from the knocks and bumps of travel unit and a detachable lid to serve as a and to give your computer equipment a base stand for your TV set or monitor, truly professional air. Normally retailing at £35, the Extron Made of tough, durable ABS, the Extron carrying case is available to Acorn carrying case is built to withstand the Programs readers at only £28. weight of a fully-grown man. A safe and Don't miss this exceptional offer — send convenient way to transport your the coupon below for your carrying case.

~~Send to: Extron Software, 99 m Westgate, Grantham, Lines. % f{, Please supply Extron carrying case(s) at £28 each Total remittance enclosed Name Address~~

~~Offer applies to U.K. readers only. Allow 28 days for delivery. Offer applies while stocks last.~~

~~ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 49 AYRSHIRE CO DURHAM LEICESTERSHIRE~~

DARLINGTON D. A. COMPUTERS LTD. WEST COAST Official BBC dealer and service centre. Every- COMPUTER SHOP thing you require for the BBC computer inc. Official BBC Microdealer and service cen- Canon Printers, Epson Printers, Selection of PERSONAL COMPUTERS Disc Drives, P. L. Digitiser, Colour and tre. Full range of monitors, disc drives Acorn and Torch dealers. Range of Monochrone Monitors. Full range of games BBC, and printers, including Torch Z80 disc software and books. Disk Drives, Printers and Monitors on pack. Available for demonstration. display. 104 LONDON ROAD, LEICESTER. 75 Bondgate, Darlington, Co Durham. TEL: (0533) 549407 47 Kyle Street, Ayr. Teh 0325 487478 (0292) 285082

~~NORTH LONDON SUFFOLK WORCESTERSHIRE~~

Suffolk Computer Centre SPECIAL OFFER JOYSTICKS STATIONS TO COMPLIMENT BBC Microcomputer Service & Information Centre HIGH QUALITY WORK YOUR ACORN COMPUTER FOR BBC MICRO at an amazingly low price. Microcomputers • Disc Drives • Monitors Teak finish, with lockable storage and slide out ONLY £10.95 A PAIR including P&P Matrix & Daisywheel Printers • Joysticks Cassettes • Light Pens • Graphics Tablet shelving. Easier to handle and faster than others costing twice as much. Books & Software Size: 48" x20" x34J" — 27" W/H Priced at only £1 19.95 inc. P&P Cheques/P.O.s to 3 Garland St., Bury St Edmunds. Telephone: 0284 705503 Send CHQ or P.O. to Cound Marshall Assoc, PERITRON Telephone: 0284-60041 PO Box 2, Bromsgrove, Worcs., or send for London 9EN. - - Dept. AP, 21 Woodhouse Road, N12 Open: Mon Sat 9 5.30. colour brochure.

To Buy or Sell DUST COVERS New or Used BBC & ELECTRON Made-to-measure in quality natural vinyl Computers . . . with cut-outs for terminals and leads. Dial 100 Just send £2.95 (no stamp required) to: & ask for ALLEN ENTERPRISES FREEFONE Freepost, Luton LU2 8BR D TRADE ENQUIRES WELCOME

The start of a full range of products for the serious BBC Micro user CROSS ASSEMBLY WITH THE BBC MICRO CROSSWARE 6801 X now provides the professional programmer with ORDER COUPON the ultimate low cost software development tool. CROSSWARE 6801X combines cross assembler facilities with BBC Basic to allow the full preparation of machine code for the 6801 and 6301 series of single chip microcomputers (including the latest 6303X chip from Hitachi). 3 ISSUES OF The full range of facilities of BBC Basic: - two pass assembly, evalution. procedures, local variables, string handling, arithmetic, logical and bit-wise operators, etc, etc. ADVERTISING The enhanced assembler options available in Basic II: - assemble for specified origin, equates. Additional features provided by CROSSWARE: FOR ONLY £30 - Binary number entry, intelligent selection on assembly of short and long jumps, help facility giving opcode syntax and other guidance. Brings together a package to compete with many of the most expensive micro processor development systems . . . and it could not 3 FOR 2 OFFER be easier to use. CROSSWARE 6801 X is provided on disc for £39.95 fully inclusive

Please state whether Basic I, Basic II or HiBasic and specify 40 or 80 track disc. PLEASE PLACE A ENHANCED 65SC02 ASSEMBLER DEALER BOX IN YOUR CROSSWARE 65SC02 adds the missing instructions to the BBC Basic ACORN PROGRAMS Asembler to allow you to utilise to the full the enhanced instruction set of the GTE 65SC02 Second Processor. Once loaded CROSSWARE NAME recognises and assembles all of the additional instructions provided by the 65SC02 just as though they were already included in Basic. A Help ADDRESS facility describes the new operations possible with 65SC02 and also the additional facilities, eg. binary number entry, provided by CROSSWARE. CROSSWARE 65SC02 is provided on disc for use with HiBasic for £14.95 fully inclusive. Please specify 40 or 80 track disc. CROSSWARE PRODUCTS CHEQUE/PO ENCLOSED FOR £30 Melbourn, Royston, Herts. SG8 6BA Tel: 0763 60838

~~50 ACORN PROGRAMS December 1984 A FreeTraining Course with Every Plotter or Disc Drive~~

~~Our Sweet-P, high resolution graphics plotters come with free computer based demonstration and instruction programmes which not only show you what the plotter can do, but teaches you how it does~~

it. Our high quality floppy disc drives are supplied with a utilities disc that includes not only the usual file handling and operating software, but a teaching programme for each utility as well. HAL makes it easy for you to upgrade and teaches you how to get the best from your system.

~~Nashua Monitors- Floppy Monochrome Discs~~

~~Price Reference Description per 10~~

~~MD1 SSSD 21.30 Plus a full line of BBC MD1D SSDD 22.75 compatible products MD-2D DSDD 26.95 MD-1F SSDD 96TP1 30.05 MD-2F DSDD 96TP1 31.25~~

~~To HAL Computers, Invincible Road, Farnborough, Hants. GU14 7QU Please send me: Delivery & VAT Total~~

~~Sweet-P Plotters plus support pack & software at £575.00 £96.00 £671.00~~

~~200K double-sided disc drives at £216.00 £42.20 £258.20~~

~~KDC FT 5001 Matrix printers at £249.00 £47.15 £296.15~~

~~TECO Monochrome monitors at £99.00 £24.65 £123.65~~

~~Nashua model diskettes at£ per box of 1 + 60p per box postage & VAT~~

~~Free details on HAL's BBC Micro compatible products plus a commemorative Schneider Trophy winner's poster. Q Please Tick * Other capacities also available~~

~~I enclose a cheque for £ or debit my Access Account No:~~

HAL Computers Limited, Invincible Road, Farnborough, Hants. GU14 7QU Telephone: (0252) 517171 TH€ B€ST ABC MICRO SOFTWflftC * PAODUCCD BY AN !ND€P€ND€NT SOFTWAAC HOUSC * S3 * TOP QUALITY MACHIN€-COD€ PAOGAAMS * 0®'<)VJCJ MICRO ,ette> toS»

~~^9ia ."•..,~~

~~HgjgMHgta~~

AMX ON TH€ MOON (32K) £7.95 Smooth scrol ling-screen arcade action. In this game you control a moon cycle which you use to patrol the surface of the moon. Vou must avoid the rocks on the surface, and also the monsters bouncing high in the low gravity. Vou should try to shoot down the spaceships which fly overhead dropping bombs onto the moon surface-. A further hazard are the flying barrels which are often just too high to shoot or jump over, and just too low to squeeze underneath. • ••N€WR€l€flS€»»»

Many of our titles ore available in Boots, UJ.H. Smiths, John Menzies, Rumbelows, laskys, \Vl HMV, Greens at Debenhams and Spectrum Shops. Also at all major computer dealers - €ltec Computers, Micro Management, West Coast Personal Computers, Microstyle, Clectronequip, 3D Computers, Computerama, GTM Computers, etc. Our software is also available through oil the major distributors, and directly from us by mail-order.

UIINGCD WARLORDS (38K) £7.95 A fascinating arcade-style game for one or two players. €ach player rides an ostrich, and the aim is to knock the enemy riders off by colliding with them. In a collision the rider with the highest jousting pole will be victorious. If you are successful, the enemy will revert to its original form: an egg. The egg must be collided with to prevent it from hatching. Avoid the lava bath at the bottom of the screen, and remember: you can fly better by using stronger strokes - imagine you ore an ostrich trying to fly I (K6VBOARD OR JOV5TICKS) • ••N€WR€l€flS€«««

mt superior sonuinnc ltd. OUAGUARRNTCC Dept AP12, Regent House, (1) fill our software is available before we advertise. m (2) fill our software is despatched within 48 hours by first-class post. \ Skinner Lane, Leeds 7 (3) In the unl ikely event that onu of our software foils to load, return your ^ cassette to us and we will immediately send a replacement. ^E_ Tel: 0532 459453