Your Computer type-ins

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:11 pm

In the spirit of the PaperSoft type-in thread, here are Vic 20 games from the UK magazine "Your Computer".

I have two years' worth of magazines here from Jan 83 to Dec 84 so I may update this periodically. I may also "upgrade" the games slightly when I feel like it (in a separate prg).

If anyone wants to help out, World of Spectrum hosts a partial archive of Your Computer.

I posted the first some time ago in another thread.

Steve

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:17 pm

SPACE RUNNER
by David Browne

Data entry and and debugging by Kweepa

Your Computer, January 1983.

Screenshot:

Instructions
Flee through the cosmos in this engrossing game of pursuit written by David Browne.
Malignant alien beings seek tirelessly to destroy your vessel.

THIS PROGRAM for the unexpanded Vic makes economical use of the user-defined character facility. Fifteen characters are defined in data statements and 10 of these redesign the numbers 0 to 9. It would be easier to read the definitions for numerals from the character set in ROM into RAM - but less pleasing to the eye.

In hot pursuit
The object of the game is to manoeuvre your ship around the screen avoiding two saucers in hot pursuit. Use the keys Z and X to turn left and right, and the function keys F1 and F3 for up and down. Watch out for the deep space mines laid by the pursuing alien hostiles.

One problem with redefining a limited character set is that if the program crashes you will not be able to read the error message to find out at which line an error has occurred.

The solution here is to key in

POKE 36869,240

and then press return. This will send the Vic back to the standard character set in ROM and turn the garbage on the screen into letters. Be careful to key it in correctly since the letters you type will not appear as such on the screen.

In line 16 the border and screen colours are set by Poking the value 8 into 36879. Changing this value will set up other colour combinations.

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:41 pm

THE VIC OPEN
by Vikki Allsopp

Data entry and and debugging by Kweepa

Your Computer, September 1983.

Screenshot:

Instructions
THIS IS A program for the unexpanded Vic-20. The first part, GOLF CHARS, contains the title, instructions, and data for special characters. This must be entered and run first and should be SAVEd on cassette before typing NEW and entering the second part, GOLF GAME. The program uses nearly all the available memory, so do not add any spaces when typing in. Some of the lines are very long and must be entered using the standard abbreviations.

The game consists of a series of nine holes, which will be different every time. The object is, of course, to get the ball into each hole in as few strokes as possible. The fairway is shown in plain green, the bunker in yellow and the water hazard in blue. The hole is marked by a flag in the centre of the green. The ball can be hit in any direction, including diagonally, but only when the man is next to it. The direction of the hit is determined by the relative positions of man and ball, the latter moving directly away from the man.

When the man is in the position you want, press T and then enter the required club size, which will be a number from 1 to 9. Number 1 will hit the ball furthest. If the ball is in the rough it will not move as far as it would on the fairway and if you try to use your putter - number 9 - from the rough it will not move at all. It can also hit trees, get stuck in the bunker or lost in the water but it cannot be hit off the screen, nor will it scroll around the sides. The man cannot stand on the trees or the flag or in the water.

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:57 am

I've been through the Your Commodore archives at WoS and found a couple of games already in GB20: Space Runner (which you just typed) and VICMan. I think Catacombs is also present but I had a look at the listing and it differs quite a bit from the printed version even though the game mechanics and type are identical. So a "properly" written version of that would be appreciated too.

I pulled off all the listings from WoS just to put them on the backburner to type out at some point, but if someone else is going to help...!

nbla000 · Post by **nbla000** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:17 am

Thank you for your work, i'm happy that our italian "Paper-Soft" work has inspired you, i hope that other "British" users will help you and why not some italians too

Do you have a link to download type-ins scans ?

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:47 am

I downloaded all the relevant Vic20 listings in Your Commodore from the WoS archive that are not in GB20 currently, if you're interested in being passed them for possible typing up...?

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:39 am

Great!
Here's a list I made of the Vic-20 games from the WoS archives:
http://sleepingelephant.com/ipw-web/bul ... 4&start=43
The archives are here:
ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sincl ... rComputer/

I also have the missing issues June-November 1983 and February and June 1984.
Scram-20/Nalin Sharma: Jun 83 pp66,67,69 (mostly machine code)
Ladders/Martin Lightfoot: Jul 83 pp98,99
Flying Saucer Attack/Martin Donaghy & Damian McComb: Aug 83 pp94,95,99
Golf/Ray & Stephen Nolan: Sep 83 pp90,91 (not the one above: another, 8k, game)
Grid Mania/Damian McComb: Oct 83 pp105,107 (mostly machine code)
Sky Hop/Nick Sharp: Nov 83 pp108,109
Chequered Flag/Neil Kirk: Feb 84 pp100,101,104 (BIG block of UDG and music data)
Guardian/Dirk Lampe: Jun 84 pp117,118

Are any of these in GB20?

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:31 pm

Of that list I have Scram20, but it was actually picked up by Artic and released commercially! Also have Ladders. But just those two.

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:34 pm

I believe a few of those games were reprinted in Swedish magazines, but with little or no original credits. I strongly recognize Space Runner, but can't put my finger on which mag it reappeared in.

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:00 pm

Mayhem wrote:Of that list I have Scram20, but it was actually picked up by Artic and released commercially! Also have Ladders. But just those two.

Interesting:
http://www.puzzlekings.com/html/nalin_sharma.html

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:03 pm

Wow, is that guy 40+ years old on the picture?

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:20 pm

carlsson wrote:Wow, is that guy 40+ years old on the picture?

It's probably one of the pictures he had taken for Zoocube, so I'm guessing he'd be 34 or so at the time.
But don't we all look that good?

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:47 pm

Back on topic, I notice that some of the WoS scans are quite hard to read. If you need a more legible copy I can take pictures with my digital camera.

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:36 pm

THE GUARDIAN
by Dirke Lampe

Data entry and and debugging by Kweepa

Your Computer, June 1984.

Screenshot:

Instructions
Beware of the dreaded Guardian and his cronies in Dirk Lampe's quest for treasure. 3k+ expansion required.

DEEP IN AN immense, dark and unexplored jungle, far away in another Galaxy stands a house whose unearthly builders have long since been forgotten. Rumours ooze forth from the house, rumours of horror and oppressing terror - and consistently, a tale of incalculable wealth and a treasure trove of wisdom hidden deep within the evil recesses of the house.

The treasure is guarded by a completely evil and merciless creature - the Guardian - who needs never sleep or rest, and watches constantly over the safe containing the treasure. You have learnt also that the safe is on the fifth floor of the house, and even that it is in room seven of that floor.

In the house lie 10 other treasures which may help you in your quest for the treasure, but each treasure is guarded by a servant of the Guardian - goblins, vampires, trolls, giants and wizards in increasing order of strength and power - who must be killed before the treasure they guard can be stolen.

The house itself is made up of five floors of 10 rooms, organised as follows:

__0
123
456
789

There are 10 items of treasure, as already mentioned, scattered around the house, which may be of use to you. They are:
0 Cloak of Invisibility: No goblin, vampire, troll or giant can see you when this is worn.
1 Sword of Invincibility: Helps kill your adversaries.
2 Glass of Prophecy: Tells you the first number of the safe's combination.
3 Ring of Strength: Reinvigorates you.
4 Ring of healing: Heals your wounds.
5 Key of Treasures: In combination with the safe combination, will open the safe.
6 Staff of Wisdom: Glows when enemies are present on your floor.
7 Shield of Defence: Protects you from your foes' blows.
8 Helmet of Sight: If used within 30 seconds of the Guardian's death in the room containing the safe, the last number in the combination is revealed to you.
9 Mask of Power: Subdues all goblins, vampires and trolls.

In order to open the safe, you must reach the Guardian's room, kill him, and then place the Key of Treasures in the lock, and enter the combination. The key is placed in the lock by facing the safe and typing U5. The combination is a five digit number. The first digit is obtained from the Glass of Prophecy, the next three on arrival at the top floor, and the last on the Guardian's death - as described above. The safe must also be opened within 30 seconds of the Guardian's death, or else the treasure turns to dust.

The following are the commands:
<-(Stab): stabs an enemy standing directly in front of you - several are needed.
1(Walk): Moves forward one pace.
U(Use): followed within 1 second by a number from 0 to 9, and then the corresponding item - see previous list - will be used, eg: U3 uses the Ring of Healing. This must be renewed each time a new room is entered.
I(Inventory): Tells you which items you are carrying - and can hence use.
O(Open): Opens a door in front of you.
P(Put): Followed within 1 second by a digit, and the corresponding item is placed on the floor in front of you.
S(Shoot): Fire an arrow - several are required.
D(Drink): Drinks an elixir which helps you to recover your strength and from wounds - but knocks 50 off your score.
L(Left): Turns you left.
[:]: Turns you to face the opposite direction.
[;](Right): Turns you right.
G(Grab): Grabs an object in front of you.

* An item of treasure (0-9).
[Spade] A servant of the Guardian, or the Guardian.
[+] The safe.
[X] A door.
[] The wall.
Steps leading upstairs.
[D] Steps leading downstairs.

Post by **Jeff-20** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:58 pm

These look great! I find type in programs so much more interesting than carts for some reason!

Maybe someone (maybe a mod) should separate program postings and discussion like the Italian type-in threads.