ÃÏÍÍÏÄÏÒÅ ÆÒÅÅ ÍÁÇÁÚÉÎÅ

ÉSSUE 19 MÁY  2008
WWW.COMMODOREFREE.COM
ÆREE TO DOWNLOAD MAGAZINE
ÄEDICATED TO ÃOMMODORE ÃOMPUTERS

ÁVAILABLE AS ÔEXT, ÈTML, ÐÄÆ, ÓÅÑ AND
ÃOMMODORE 64 Ä64 DISK IMAGE

ÅDITOR

ÁNOTHER ISSUE ARRIVES
ÑUITE EXCITING TIMES AS RECENTLY É
RECEIVED MY ÄÃ2Î AND ULTIMATE 1541
INTERFACE, ALTHOUGH AS OF THIS TIME É
HAVEN'T USED THEM! É AM HOPING TO FIND
SOME TIME TO TEST OUT THESE DEVICES.

×E CONTINUE WITH THIS ISSUE THE
ÂEGINNERS GUIDE TO THE ÃOMMODORE 64,
AND MOVE ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO THE
GOAL OF A COMPETENT USER.  ÁLSO IN
THIS ISSUE É MANAGED TO PIN DOWN
ÒOBERT ÂERNARDO AND OBTAIN AN
INTERVIEW, THAT IS QUITE ENLIGHTENING
ABOUT ÃOMMODORE AND THE Ã1 AND ÄÔÖ
DEVICES THAT WERE DESIGNED BY ÊERI
ÅLLSWORTH FINALLY WE FINISH WITH A
REVIEW OR WRITE UP OF THE RECENT
ÍOSSYCON4 

ÒATHER DISAPPOINTING IS THAT ÎO ONE
ENTERED THE ÐÐÏÔ COMPETITION TO WIN 1
OF 3 ÃÄ ROMS OF THE BANDS MUSIC, SO
DOES THAT MEAN ALL READERS DON'T WANT
COMPETITIONS OR ALL HAVE THE ÃÄS
ALREADY É WONDER IF THE QUESTION OF
PUTTING PEN TO PAPER IS OF PUTTING FOR
SOME USERS SO É WILL RE RUN THE
COMPETITION AT A LATER DATE MAYBE WITH
1 QUESTION YOU NEED TO EMAIL AND ANSWER
TO AND IF NO ONE REPLIES É CAN TAKE IT
COMPETITIONS ARE NOT WANTED IN THE
MAGAZINE

ÒEGARDS
ÎIGEL 

ÈÏ× ÃÁÎ É ÈÅÌÐ ÃÏÍÍÏÄÏÒÅ ÆÒÅÅ
ÏK THE BEST WAY TO HELP WOULD BE
?WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT ÃOMMODORE? (YES
FOR THE OBSERVANT É SPELLED THE
COMPANY CORRECTLY THIS TIME) _GRIN
SERIOUSLY THOUGH ARTICLES ARE ALWAYS
WELCOME,

×ÈÁÔ ÁÒÔÉÃÌÅÓ ÄÏ ÙÏÕ ÎÅÅÄ
×ELL THEY VARY CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE
AN IDEA BUT É AM LOOKING FOR 
ÔUTORIALS ? (BEGINNERS AND ÅXPERT)
ÅXPERIENCES WITH ÃOMMODORE
×HY É LOVE ÃOMMODORE MACHINES
ÉNTERVIEWS ? MAYBE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO
A POWER USER


ÃONTENTS OF ÉSSUE 19 

ÅDITORIAL AND ÃONTENTS ÐAGE 2

ÎÅ×Ó
UÉEC NEWS ÐAGE 3
ÇENERAL NEWS ÐAGE 4
ÂEHR ÍULTICART ÖÉÃ20 ÐÁÌ ÖÅÒÓÉÏÎ ÐAGE 5

ÐÒÏÊÅÃÔÓ
×ILD ÂUNCH PROJECT ÐAGE 6-9

ÒÅÖÉÅ×Ó
ÄÉÒÍÁÓÔÅÒ VERSION 2 ÐAGE 10-13
ÍÏÓÓÙÃÏÎ 4 ÐERSONAL ÒEVIEW ÐAGE 28-30

ÉÎÔÅÒÖÉÅ×Ó
ÉNTERVIEW WITH ÒOBERT ÂERNARDO ÐAGE 14

ÔÕÔÏÒÉÁÌÓ
ÄÍÃ ÍUSIC ÅDITOR ÐAGE 21-22
Ã64 ÂEGINNERS GUIDE 4 ÐAGE 23-27

=======================================


 UÉÅÃ AND UÉÅÃ/ÃÆ ARE PROJECTS

ÊIM ÂRAIN
ÍORE OPTIONS ÁPR 15, 12:26 AM

ÎEWSGROUPS: COMP.SYS.CBM
ÆROM: ÊIM ÂRAIN
ÄATE: ÍON, 14 ÁPR 2008 23:26:16 ÇÍÔ

ÆOR THOSE WHO DO NOW KNOW, UÉÅÃ AND
UÉÅÃ/ÃÆ ARE PROJECTS TO ALLOW AN ÉÅÃ-
BASED ÃÂÍ COMPUTER (ÖÉÃ/64/128/ETC.) TO 
UTILIZE AN ÉÄÅ DRIVE ÆORMATTED WITH A
ÆÁÔ FILE SYSTEM OR A ÃOMPACT ÆLASH (ÃÆ)
CARD WITH SUCH A FILE SYSTEM.

UÉÅÃ DEVELOPMENT TOOK SOME VERY
INTERESTING PATHS THIS YEAR (MORE
DETAILS IF THERE IS INTEREST), BUT É
AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE UNIT IS
WORKING AND É'M NOW CONCENTRATING MY
EFFORTS ON MAKING IT ÃÆ-CARD AGNOSTIC
(TESTING VARIOUS CARDS É HAVE HERE),
AND TRYING TO INCREASE COMPATIBILITY.
É HAVE A DEADLINE TO HAVE UNITS FOR
SALE IN TIME FOR THE ÃÃÃÃ EXPO IN LATE
ÊUNE.


É'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE LONG LIST
OF FEATURES IN ANOTHER PROJECT
(SD2IEC) TO MAKE UÉÅÃ EVEN MORE
COMPATIBLE AND USEFUL. ÓO, HERE IS A
COMBINED LIST OF FEATURES:

O ÓUPPORTS ÉÄÅ AND ÃÆ CARDS (UÉÅÃ
SUPPORTS ÉÄÅ/ÉÄÅ, ÉÄÅ/ÃÆ, OR ÃÆ/ÃÆ IF
YOU HAVE AN ÉÄÅ->ÃÆ ADAPTER FOR THE
SECOND CARD.  UÉÅÃ/ÃÆ SUPPORTS SINGLE
ÃÆ CARD)

O ÓUPPORTS DRIVES OF ANY SIZE, THOUGH
SUPPORT FOR >137ÇÂ DRIVES NEEDS MORE
TESTING. :-)

O ÓUPPORTS ÆÁÔ12/16/32 PARTITIONS OF
ANY LEGAL SIZE
* ÓUPPORTS PARTITION-LESS
CARDS/DRIVES, OR UP TO 4 PRIMARY
PARTITIONS OR   3 PRIMARY AND 12
EXTENDED PARTITIONS. (ÅMAIL ME IF YOU
HAVE MORE THAN  12 EXTENDED PARTITIONS
ON A DRIVE :-)

O ÓUPPORTS ÆÁÔ ÌONG FILENAMES
* ÔRANSPARENT SUPPORT FOR ÐÒÇ/ÓÅÑ/ÕÓÒ
FILE EXTENSIONS, WITH ÒÅÌ SUPPORT
PLANNED.

O ÔRANSPARENT SUPPORT FOR Ð00/Ó00/Õ00
FILES, WITH Ò00 SUPPORT PLANNED.

O ÓUPPORTS READ AND WRITE OF Ä64
IMAGES.

O ÂLOCK LEVEL DISK ACCESS SUPPORTED ON
Ä64 IMAGES

O ÍOST ÃÂÍ ÄÏÓ COMMANDS
(ÓCRATCH,ÉNITIALIZE,ÒENAME,ETC.)
SUPPORTED.

O ÃÂÍ GENERAL CONFIG COMMANDS (Õ0, Õ+,
Õ-, ÕÉ, Õ9, Õ:, ÕÊ) SUPPORTED.

O ÃÂÍ BLOCK LEVEL COMMANDS (Â-Ò, Â-×,
ÕÁ, Õ1, Õ2, ÕÂ) SUPPORTED WHEN IN Ä64
IMAGE.

O ÃÍÄ-STYLE PARTITION ($=Ð) SUPPORT

O ÃÍÄ-STYLE SUBDIRECTORY (ÍÄ,ÃÄ,ÒÄ)
SUPPORT.

O ÃÍÄ ÄÏÓ ÃOMMANDS (Ç-Ð, Ç-<SHIFT-Ð>)
SUPPORT.
* ÌONG FORM ÃÍÄ DIRECTORIES ($=Ô:*,
$=Ô:*=Ì) SUPPORTED

O 1581-STYLE/ÃÍÄ-ÆÄ/ÈÄ-STYLE WILDCARD
MATCHING SUPPORTED ($:ÊÉÍ*ÒÁÉÎ)

O ÊIFFYÄÏÓ FAST LOADER EQUIPPED (ÐÁÌ
AND ÎÔÓÃ SUPPORT).  ÃAN BE ENABLED  OR
DISABLED VIA ÄÏÓ COMMAND. & ÆIRMWARE
CAN BE UPDATED BY COPYING NEW FIRMWARE
FILE TO ROOT DIR OF FIRST DRIVE, FIRST
PARTITION AND RESETTING UNIT.

(* NOTED ITEMS ARE IN MY ×ÉÐ CODEBASE,
& ARE FEATURES IN MAINLINE CODEBASE É
NEED TO ENABLE IN MY VARIANT)

É WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK ÕNSEEN OF
SD2IEC FOR CREATING A VERY IMPRESSIVE
CODEBASE THAT MADE MY FEEBLE ORIGINAL
ATTEMPT PALE IN COMPARISON. ÁLTHOUGH É
WILL REGRET NOT BEING THE ORIGINATOR
OF THE UÉÅÃ FIRMWARE, IT SIMPLY MADE NO
SENSE TO DUPLICATE ALL OF THE FEATURES
AND REQUIRE SD2IEC TO RE-IMPLEMENT
FEATURES ALREADY IN THE UÉÅÃ PROJECT.
É THINK ÕNSEEN ALSO APPRECIATES ANOTHER
DEVELOPER ON HIS FIRMWARE PROJECT. ÍY
ADDITIONS HAVE PRIMARILY BEEN TO THE
ÆÁÔ ÌÆÎ CODE, THE ÃÍÄ ÈÄ COMMANDS, AND
MULTIPLE DRIVE SUPPORT.

ÉN PROCESS IS TIME-BASED DIRECTORY
PATTERN MATCHING (>00:00:00 AND
<00:00:00), SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMS THAT
DETERMINE DRIVE TYPE VIA Í-Ò, AND
Ä71/Ä81 IMAGE SUPPORT.

É'LL REFRAIN FROM LISTING THE IDEAS IN
THE ENHANCEMENT BUCKET, BUT THERE ARE
QUITE A FEW.  ÁT THIS POINT, É AM
PRIORITIZING FEATURES THAT MIGHT MAKE
È× CHANGES NECESSARY, FOR OBVIOUS
REASONS.  ÆIRMWARE-ONLY ADDITIONS CAN
BE MADE AFTER SHIPPING.

É'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IN THE
THREAD.

HTTP://GROUPS.GOOGLE.COM/GROUP/COMP.SYS
.CBM/BROWSE_THREAD/THREAD/9B8EA39E1F5DC
75A?HL=EN


ÎÅ×Ó

ÖINTAGE ÔECHNOLOGY ÍAGAZINE

ÉS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD NOW UP TO
VERSION 6 PRICED AT 0.99 BACK ISSUES
ARE AVAILABLE ÇO TO:
 WWW.VINTAGETECHNOLOGY.CO.UK
TO DOWNLOAD LATEST ISSUE (ÍAY '08).


ÔHIS ISSUE FEATURES:
ÏLD-SCHOOL COMPUTER LEARNING
×ILL MY VINTAGE ELECTRONICS COLLECTION
STILL WORK IN 100 YEARS TIME?
ÆLIGHT SIMS - FLYING WITH HOME
COMPUTERS
ÄEFENDER - THE THINKING MAN'S ARCADE
SHOOT-EM UP
ÃOMMODORE ÐÅÔ COMPUTERS
ÅARLY MODEMS IN THE ÕÓ & ÕË
ÔOMY HANDHELD ELECTRONIC GAMES
ÖINTAGE ÌÅÄ CLOCKS
ÌEARN ABOUT MATHS THE VINTAGE WAY
ÖINTAGE VOICE RECORDERS
ÆIRST 'PERSONAL' RADIOS
ÉNTERVIEW WITH ÒICHARD ÈANSON -ÓUPERIOR
ÓOFTWARE FOUNDER
ÒEPAIRING HANDHELD GAMES
ÈÐ CALCULATOR MEMORIES 

ÆÒÅÅ ONLINE SAMPLE ÅDITION IS
AVAILABLE
HTTP://WWW.VINTAGETECHNOLOGY.CO.UK/DOWN
LOAD.HTM


ÊERI ÅLLSWORTH AT THE ÎOTAÃON
/ÂLOCKÐARTY ÆÐÇÁ ÐROGRAMMING

ÔHIS IS ÊERI ÅLLSWORTH AT THE
ÎOTAÃON/ÂLOCKÐARTY ÁPRIL 4TH, 2008.
ÓHE IS TALKING ABOUT CREATING A DEMO IN
ÆÐÇÁ. HTTP://BLIP.TV/FILE/821819
ÃOMMODORE BRAND NAME IN TROUBLE AGAIN

ÅSCOM PAID $14M FOR THE ÃOMMODORE
NAME, THEN THEY SUFFERED PROBLEMS AND
CLOSED ÔULIP RESCUED THE NAME IN 2004
THEY SOLD THE BRAND NAME TO ÄUTCH
FIRM, ÙEAHRONIMO WHO TRIED TO MARKET
THE BRAND NAME BY SELLING Í3 PLAYERS
AND THE ÇRAVEL, THE COMPANY SUFFERED
POOR SALES AND LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE NOW
IN FINANCIAL PROBLEMS ÔHIS DOESN?T
AFFECT ÃOMMODORE GAMING WHO ARE A
SEPARATE COMPANY ALTOGETHER.

HTTP://WWW.CHANNELREGISTER.CO.UK/2008/0
4/18/COMMODORE_LAWSUITS/PRINT.HTML


#ÁMIGAGUIDE

ÔHE FIRST EDITION OF THIS ÅNGLISH PDF
MAGAZINE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR
DOWNLOAD. ÉN THIS EDITION THE
FOLLOWING: DISK.INFO, ÈOW TO USE
FLOPPIES, ËICK ÏFF 2, ÔILT, ÔRASHCAN,
ÁMIGA ÌAPTOP AND ÓANDNES ÂÂÓ. ÙOU CAN
DOWNLOAD THE PDF AFTER YOU REGISTER
(FOR FREE).
HTTP://AMIGAWEB.NET/INDEX.PHP?FUNCTION=
AMIGAGUIDE

3 ÒEADÍEÆIRST - ÅDITORIAL
4 ÄISK.INFO - ÎEWS
7 ÆLOPPIES...ÆLOPPIES....ÆLOPPIES
- ÅRLEND WRITES ABOUT WHAT WE CAN USE
ALL THOSE FLOPPIES FOR...
8 ËICK ÏFF 2 - ÄID YOU KNOW THERE IS A
VERY STRONG WORLD COMMUNITY GATHERED
AROUND THE FAMOUS ÁMIGA SOCCER GAME
ËICK ÏFF 2? ÌEARN MORE ABOUT ËICK ÏFF 2
×Ã, ÃUPS AND COMMUNITY BY READING THIS!
12 ÔILT - GAME REVIEW - ÍICHAL WRITES
 ABOUT ÓTREET ÒOD 2
13 ÔRASHCAN
14 ÔILT - GAME REVIEW - ÍICHAL WRITES
 ABOUT ANOTHER ÁMIGA GAME
15 ÓANDNES ÁMIGA ÂÂÓ - ÓANDNES ÂÂÓ IS
 STILL RUNNING AFTER 10 YEARS, & STILL
 USES AN ÁMIGA 1200 AS ITS HOST
 COMPUTER. ÓYSÏP ÆIRESTONE WRITES A
 LITTLE COMPUTER HISTORY....
20 ÁMIGA PROMOTION PRODUCTS


ÂEHR ÍULTICART FOR THE ÖÉÃ 20
ÐÁÌ ÖÅÒÓÉÏÎ

É AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT É NOW
ACCEPT ORDERS FOR THE ÐÁÌ VERSION OF
THE ÂEHR ÂONZ MULTICART. ÔHE PRICE IS
THE SAME AS THE ÎÔÓÃ VERSION: 30$
ÃANADIAN. ÓHIPPING TO ÅUROPE OR
ÁUSTRALIA IS 11$ FOR UP TO 5 CARTS.
ÐLEASE VISIT WWW.8BITCENTRAL.COM

(ÃÏÍÍÏÄÏÒÅ ÆÒÅÅ) ÏRDERED AND WAITING
WITH ANTICIPATION WILL DO A REVIEW FOR
THE MAGAZINE ONCE É HAVE MY HANDS ON
THE DEVICE

ÌIST OF GAMES INCLUDED IN THE ÐÁÌ
VERSION:
Á
ÁÅ/ ÁGGRESSOR/ ÁLIEN ÂLITZ/ ÁLPHABET
ÚOO/ ÁMOK!/ ÁRACHNOID/ ÁRTILLERY ÄUEL/
ÁSTROBLITZ/ ÁTLANTIS/ ÁTTACK OF THE
MUTANT ÃAMELS/ ÁVENGER

Â
ÂLACK ÈOLE/ ÂUCK ÒOGERS: ÐLANET OF ÚOOM

Ã
ÃAVE-ÉN/ ÃENTIPEDE/ ÃHOPLIFTER/
ÃLOUDBURST/ ÃLOWNS ÊOYSTICK/ ÃLOWNS
ÐADDLES/ ÃOMPUTER ×AR/ ÃONGO ÂONGO
/ÃOSMIC ÃRUNCHER/ ÃOSMIC ÊAILBREAK/
ÃREEPY ÃORRIDORS/ ÃROSSFIRE/ ÃYCLON

Ä
ÄEADLY ÄUCK/ ÄEADLY ÓKIES/ ÄEFENDER/
ÄEMON ÁTTACK/ ÄIG ÄUG/ ÄONKEY ËONG
/ÄRAGONFIRE/ ÄROIDS

Æ
ÆOURTH ÅNCOUNTER/ ÆROGGER

Ç
ÇALAXIAN/ ÇORF/ ÇRIDRUNNER

É
ÉN THE ÃHIPS

Ê
ÊAWBREAKER ÉÉ/ ÊELLY ÍONSTERS/ ÊUPITER
ÌANDER

Ë
ËEYQUEST/ ËRAZY ÁNTICS/ ËÓTAR ÐATROL

Ì

ÌAZER ÚONE/ ÌODE ÒUNNER/ ÌUNAR ÌEEPER

Í
ÍAZE/ ÍEDIEVAL ÊOUST/ ÍENAGERIE/ ÍINE
ÍADNESS/ ÍINER 2049'ER/ ÍOBILE ÁTTACK/
ÍONEY ×ARS/ ÍONSTER ÍAZE/ ÍOON ÐATROL/
ÍOSQUITO ÉNFESTATION/ ÍOTOCROSS ÒACER/
ÍS ÐACMAN/ ÍUTANT ÈERD

Ï
ÏMAGE ÒACE/ ÏUTWORLD

Ð
ÐACMAN/ ÐARATROOPER/ ÐHARAOH'S ÃURSE
/ÐINBALL ÓPECTACULAR/ ÐIPES/ ÐOKER/
ÐOLARIS/ ÐOLE ÐOSITION/ ÐREDATOR
/ÐRINCESS AND ÆROG/ ÐROTECTOR

Ñ
Ñ-ÂERT/ ÑUACKERS

Ò
ÒADAR ÒAT ÒACE/ ÒAID ON ÆORT ËNOX/
ÒALLY-Ø/ ÒAT ÈOTEL/ ÒENAISSANCE/ ÒIVER
ÒESCUE/ ÒOAD ÒACE/ ÒOBOT ÐANIC/
ÒOBOTRON 2084

Ó
ÓCOTT ÁDAMS: ÁDVENTURELAND/ ÓCOTT
ÁDAMS: ÍISSION ÉMPOSSIBLE/ ÓCOTT
ÁDAMS: ÐIRATE'S ÃOVE/ ÓCOTT ÁDAMS: ÔHE
ÃOUNT/ ÓCOTT ÁDAMS: ÖOODOO ÃASTLE/
ÓARGON ÉÉ ÃHESS/ ÓATELLITE ÐATROL
/ÓATELLITE AND ÍETEORITES/ ÓCORPION/
ÓEA ×OLF/ ÓEAFOX/ ÓERPENTINE/ ÓHAMUS/
ÓIR ÌANCELOT/ ÓKIBBEREEN/ ÓKYBLAZER/
ÓPACE ÒIC-O-SHAY/ ÓPIDERS OF ÍARS/
ÓPIKE'S ÐEAK/ ÓPILLS AND ÆILLS/
ÓPRINGER/ ÓTAR ÂATTLE/ ÓTAR ÐOST/ ÓTAR
ÔREK: ÓTRATEGIC ÏPERATIONS ÓIMULATOR/
ÓUB ÃHASE/ ÓUBMARINE ÃOMMANDER/ ÓUPER
ÁMOK/ ÓUPER ÓLOT/ ÓUPER ÓMASH

Ô
ÔERRAGUARD/ ÔHE ÓKY IS ÆALLING/
ÔHRESHOLD/ ÔOPPER/ ÔURMOIL/ ÔUTANKHAM/
ÔYPE ÁTTACK/ ÔYPO

Ö
ÖIDEO ÖERMIN/ ÖIDEOMANIA/ ÖISIBLE
ÓOLAR ÓYSTEM

======================================


×ÉÌÄ ÂÕÎÃÈ ÐÒÏÊÅÃÔ - ÔÈÅ Ã64 ÃÏÎÖÅÒÓÉÏÎ

HTTP://WWW.GAMESPLAYGAMES.CO.UK/THEWILD
BUNCH/

HTTP://WWW.GAMESPLAYGAMES.CO.UK/THEWILD
BUNCH/MUSIC/JONWELLS_WILDBUNCHSTORY.MP3


ÔÈÅ ÓÔÏÒÙ ÓÏ ÆÁÒ.......
ÉT WAS BACK IN ÎOV 1987 WHEN É GOT
MITTS ON A SHINY NEW Ã64! ÈAVING BEEN
A ÃLASSIC ON THE GOOD OLD ÓPECTRUM
(WHICH É ALSO OWNED) & ÁMSTRAD, & A
FIRM FAVOURITE OF MINE, É WAS VERY
SURPRISED WHEN É FOUND THAT ÆIREBIRD
HADN'T MADE A Ã64 VERSION! ÂY EARLY
1988 É WAS INCREASINGLY GETTING MORE
INTERESTED IN THE PROGRAMMING SIDE OF
THINGS & SO STARTED TO LEARN 64 ÂÁÓÉÃ.
×HAT WITH ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH BEING MOSTLY
WRITTEN IN ÂASIC É QUICKLY DECIDED TO
DO MY OWN CONVERSION AS A SORT OF PET
PROJECT & LEARNING CURVE. ÈAVING
ACQUIRED THE FULL ÓPECTRUM ÂÁÓÉÃ
LISTING OF THE GAME IT PLACED ME IN
GOOD STEAD TO UNDERTAKE WHAT WAS THEN A
MAMMOTH TASK.

É LEARNED A LOT DURING THE CONVERSION,
BUT UNFORTUNATELY É COULDN?T FINISH IT
AS É NEEDED ÁSSEMBLY EXPERIENCE TO
HANDLE THE ÇUNFIGHT BITMAP SEQUENCE &
MUSIC. ÁLSO, AROUND THEN É HAD LIMITED
TIME DUE TO STARTING COLLEGE & ALSO
GETTING CONTRACT WORK WITH ÃULT/Ä+È
ÇAMES. ÁROUND THE TIME THE WORK WAS PUT
ON HOLD (MID 1988) ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH
PROJECT WAS COMPLETED TO AROUND 80% &
FULLY PLAYABLE.

ÎOW 20 YEARS LATER, FOLLOWING AN EMAIL
FROM ÆRANK ÇASKING OF ÇÔ× REGARDING
THE PROJECT & AFTER FINDING THE LOST
DISKS WITH MY ORIGINAL CONVERSION WORK
ON, ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH Ã64 CONVERSION HAS
BEEN RESURRECTED & IS TO BE COMPLETED
ONCE & FOR ALL! ×ITH THE ORIGINAL ×ILD
ÂUNCH APPROACHING ITS 25TH BIRTHDAY AT
THE END OF THIS YEAR THE INTENDED
DEADLINE IS SCHEDULED FOR A ÎEW ÙEAR
2009 RELEASE.


ÏÒÄÅÒÉÎÇ ÉÎÆÏÒÍÁÔÉÏÎ
ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE
AS A ONE-OFF ÓPECIAL ÌIMITED ÅDITION
TAPE FOR THE ÃOMMODORE 64 & WILL COST
ONLY 3.99 + 1.00 ÕË Ð&Ð, OUTSIDE THE ÕË
ÏVERSEAS Ð&Ð IS 2.50. ÏNCE ALL COPIES
ARE SOLD THERE WONT BE ANY MORE
DUPLICATION RUNS SO TO GUARANTEE YOUR
COPY, YOU SHOULD PRE-ORDER SECURELY
USING ÐAYÐAL

 HTTP://WWW.GAMESPLAYGAMES.CO.UK/
  THEWILDBUNCH/

ÎÅ×Ó - 13TH ÁPRIL 2008
ÔHE ÇUNFIGHT STREET SCENE IS COMPLETED!
ÃHECK OUT MY DIARY BELOW FOR
SCREENSHOTS!

ÎÅ×Ó - 12TH ÁPRIL 2008
×ORK HAS STARTED ON THE ÇUNFIGHT STREET
SCENE TODAY, KEEP AN EYE ON THE DIARY
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS É'LL BE
ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE THIS SCENE OVER
THE WEEKEND!

ÎÅ×Ó - 8TH ÁPRIL 2008
ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH ÌOADING SCREEN IS
COMPLETE. ÓEE MY ÄIARY ENTRY FOR MORE
DETAILS!

ÎÅ×Ó - 6TH ÁPRIL 2008
ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH HAS NOW BEEN MADE
AVAILABLE FOR OVERSEAS PRE-ORDERS. É
ÈAVE ALSO ADDED ËENZ'S ÄIARY ENTRIES
IN A NEW SECTION BELOW.

ÎÅ×Ó - 12TH ÍARCH 2008
ËENZ TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROJECT!
ÆOLLOWING A FEW EMAILS TO MY BUDDY &
ALL ROUND Ã64 HERO ÊASON 'ËENZ'
ÍACKENZIE OF ÂINARY ÚONE, ÂÉÔ ÌIVE &
ÂÉÔÓ FAME HE HAS AGREED  TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE PROJECT! ÈE WILL BE HELPING IN
VARIOUS AREAS & DESIGNING THE FULL
COLOUR INLAY & LABEL PACKAGING USING
THE ORIGINAL ÓPECTRUM'S INTO A FULLY
AUTHENTIC Ã64 VERSION! ÏUR INTENTION IS
TO PRODUCE A ONE-OFF SPECIAL LIMITED
EDITION SMALL DUPLICATION RUN ON TAPE
WITH FULL COLOUR AUTHENTIC PACKAGING
FOR Ã64 COLLECTORS. ÔHESE WILL BE
CLOSELY BASED ON THE ORIGINAL ÆIREBIRD
ÓPECTRUM & ÁMSTRAD PACKAGING TO MAKE
IT AS AUTHENTIC AS POSSIBLE.

ÔO COVER PRODUCTION/DUPLICATION COSTS
THIS WILL BE SOLD FOR 3.99 WITH 1.00
POSTAGE FOR ÕË & 2.50 POSTAGE FOR
ÏVERSEAS ORDERS. ÔHERE WILL ONLY BE
ONE DUPLICATION RUN OF THIS PRODUCT SO
TO RESERVE YOUR COPY YOU SHOULD PRE-
ORDER USING THE ÕË OR ÏVERSEAS PAYPAL

ÄÅÖÅÌÏÐÍÅÎÔ ÄÉÁÒÙ
12TH-13TH ÁPRIL 2008
É STARTED WORK ON ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH
ÇUNFIGHT STREET SCENE. É USED THE
ÓPECTRUM SCREEN THAT ËENZ HAD SORTED
OUT FOR ME ON A C64 DISK, WHICH É
CONVERTED ONTO ÐÃ FIRST. ÕSING ÃONGO É
CONVERTED THIS STRAIGHT INTO MULTI-
COLOUR MODE TO SEE HOW IT LOOKED IN 64
MULTICOLOUR FORM AT ITS MOST BASIC. ÁS
YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SCREENSHOT BELOW A
LOT OF WORK WOULD BE NEEDED TO ENHANCE
THIS FULLY!

ÔHE OTHER PROBLEM WITH THIS SCREEN IS
THAT IT'S SMALLER THAN THE 64 SCREEN
SIZE. ÔHE SPECTRUM SCREEN IS 256 X 176
PIXELS, WHEREAS THE 64?S SCREEN SIZE
IS 320 X 200 PIXELS. É DECIDED THE
BEST WAY WOULD BE TO KEEP THE ORIGINAL
SIZE OF THE ÓPECCY'S & JUST ADD THE
EXTRA BORDER AROUND THE OUTSIDE &
CONTINUE THE BUILDINGS INTO THIS AREA.
É DID THIS USING ÐHOTOSHOP & HALF AN
HOUR LATER THE ORIGINAL

ÓPECTRUM SCREEN LOOKED LIKE THIS:

ÆOLLOWING THIS É ADDED IN SOME BRICK-
WORK EFFECTS ON THE BUILDINGS IN
ÐHOTOSHOP BEFORE THE INITIAL
CONVERSION WAS TO TAKE PLACE IN ÃONGO
& UPON DOING THIS IT ACTUALLY WASN'T
TOO BAD AT ALL, BUT IT STILL NEEDED A
HECK OF A LOT OF WORK TO OPTIMISE IT
FOR THE 64. É SPENT THE NEXT 3-4 HOURS
EDITING & TWEAKING, BUT STILL A LOT
OF WORK LEFT TO DO. É DECIDED TO SPEND
MOST OF THE NEXT DAY (ÓUNDAY 13TH)
FINISHING IT OFF. É CONTINUED MORE
WORK ON THE ÇUNFIGHT SCENE TODAY, BUT
BEFORE É BEGAN É CODED A QUICK ROUTINE
IN THE ÃÃÓ64 EMULATOR & LOADED IN
THE EXISTING BITMAP TO GET IT TO
DISPLAY ON THE SCREEN. ÔHIS WAS SAVED
FOR LATER USE. É PROCEEDED WITH THE
BITMAP IN ÃONGO DOING A GOOD 3 HOURS
MORE WORTH OF TWEAKING, CHANGING &
PLAYING AROUND WITH VARIOUS LOOKS &
EVENTUALLY É MANAGED TO GET IT TO A
STAGE É AM HAPPY  WITH. ÎOW DURING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE BITMAP É HAD AN
IDEA TO MAKE THE MOST FROM THE BITMAP
IN WHICH É CAN CHANGE THE COLOURS OF
THE  BUILDING, SKY & GROUND IN-GAME.
ÁBOUT 4-5 COLOURS WERE NOT USED SO É
COLOURIZED EACH BUILDING USING ANY
UNUSED COLOURS INCLUDING PURPLE, GREEN,
RED ETC. ÆOLLOWING THIS É ADAPTED MY
CODE SO É CAN USE A LOOKUP TABLE &
REPLACE THE RED, GREEN, PURPLE COLOURS
WITH ANY COLOUR É LIKE. ÔHE GREAT THING
ABOUT THIS IS THAT É CAN USE THE SAME
BITMAP, BUT MAKE THE SCENE LOOK
DIFFERENT BY MIXING THE 16 COLOUR
PALETTE & BUILDING COLOURS. É CAN ALSO
DARKEN THE GROUND & SKY TO MAKE THE
SCENE LOOK LIKE NIGHT-TIME OR DUSK FOR
EXAMPLE WHICH WILL GIVE EACH ÇUNFIGHT
SCENE A MORE VARIED LOOK!

ÏNCE THIS WAS COMPLETE É DOWNLOADED
ÓPRITE ÐAD ON THE ÐÃ & STARTED WORK
ON THE ACTUAL ÇUNFIGHTER SPRITE. É
SIMPLY MAGNIFIED THE ORIGINAL ÓPECTRUM
ÇUNFIGHTER & COPIED HIM PIXEL FOR
PIXEL INTO 64 SPRITES, BUT É ADDED AN
ADDITIONAL MULTICOLOUR SPRITE FOR
UNDERLYING BEHIND THE ÈI-RES BLACK
OUTLINE. ÔHIS GIVES THE ÇUNFIGHTER
FULL COLOUR FOR HIS FACE & CLOTHING
AND É CAN VARY THESE COLOURS IN THE
GAME DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ARE HAVING A
GUNFIGHT WITH. ÔHIS WILL AGAIN ADD
SOME VARIETY TO THE SCENE. ÁS AN
ADDITIONAL EXTRA É CREATED A ÈI-RES
CACTUS FOR THE BACKGROUND. ÆINALLY, É
BOLTED ALL THIS TOGETHER INTO MY CODE
AND TESTED IT FOR VARIOUS SCENE STYLES,
2 OF WHICH YOU CAN AT LAST SEE BELOW.

É HAVE A FEW PLANS FOR THE ÇUNFIGHT
SEQUENCE WHICH WILL ADD SOMETHING
EXTRA FOR THE 64 VERSION COMPARED TO
THE ÓPECTRUM & ÁMSTRAD, THOUGH É'M
NOT SAYING ANY MORE AS THAT'D SPOIL IT
FOR YOU. ÙOU'LL HAVE TO FIND THIS OUT
YOURSELF WHEN YOU PLAY THE GAME!

8TH ÁPRIL 2008
ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH LOADING/TITLE BITMAP
SCREEN HAS BEEN CREATED! ÔHIS WAS
DEVELOPED OVER A 3 HOUR PERIOD LAST
NIGHT. É USED THE ORIGINAL  ÈI-RES
ÓPECTRUM LOADING SCREEN WHICH É OPENED
INTO ÐHOTOSHOP ON THE ÐÃ. ÆROM HERE É
ADDED A RAINBOW EFFECT ON THE RED SKY,
É THEN SAVED & LOADED THIS INTO THE
ÃONGO ÐÃ GRAPHICS TOOL, THIS ALLOWS
YOU TO CONVERT AN IMAGE INTO ANY Ã64
BITMAP FORM.

ÂEFORE É STARTED É HAD TO RESIZE THE
IMAGE INTO 320X200 PIXELS FOR THE FULL
64 SCREEN. ÆOLLOWING THIS É USED THE
DITHERING FEATURE TO CONVERT THE
RAINBOW EFFECT & HI-RES PICTURE INTO
Ã64 MULTI-COLOURS & SPENT SOME 2 HOURS
TWEAKING THE ROUGH EDGES & ADDING MY
OWN  COLOURING TO THE SUN, CACTUS, &
WORDING. É MAY COME BACK TO THIS AT A
LATER STAGE TO SEE IF É CAN IMPROVE ON
IT FURTHER, BUT FOR NOW YOU CAN SEE THE
RESULTS IN THE SCREENSHOT BELOW!

5TH ÁPRIL 2008
×ILD ÂUNCH PROJECT WEBSITE GOES LIVE!

27TH ÍARCH 2008
ËENZ PRODUCES ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH WEBSITE
LAYOUT FOR ME TO MODIFY & USE FOR THE
PRE-ORDER, NEWS & DIARY OF THE GAME.

26TH ÍARCH 2008
É HAVE CREATED MORE MUSIC FOR THE
GAME, THE JINGLE WHICH PLAYS WHEN THE
MAP IS SHOWN. ÁLSO THE MUSIC THAT
PLAYS WHEN YOU TAKE A SHOT CHARACTER
OR PRISONER TO THE SHERIFFS OFFICE
FOLLOWING THE GUNFIGHT SEQUENCE.

22ND ÍARCH 2008
ËENZ FINISHES FIRST PROOF VERSION OF
ÔHE ×ILD ÂUNCH INLAY. ÓEE BELOW! ×OW,
VERY NICE!

21ST ÍARCH 2008
ÔHE STORY SO FAR INTRO MUSIC HAS BEEN
COMPOSED. É'M USING THE Ã64'S ÄUTCH ÕÓÁ
MUSIC PLAYER TOOL ON MY ÐÃ RUNNING THE
EXCELLENT ÃÃÓ64 ÅMULATOR TO HANDLE ALL
THE MUSIC FOR THE GAME.

ÃLICK HERE
HTTP://WWW.GAMESPLAYGAMES.CO.UK/THEWILD
BUNCH/MUSIC/JONWELLS_WILDBUNCHSTORY.MP3

TO DOWNLOAD AN ÍÐ3 TRACK SNIPPET!

18TH ÍARCH 2008
ÔHE ORIGINAL ÓPECTRUM INLAY & TAPE
LABEL IS SCANNED & SENT TO ËENZ FOR
REDESIGNING & DEVELOPMENT.

16TH ÍARCH 2008
ÕSING SOME HANDY EMULATION TOOLS THE
ORIGINAL ÓPECTRUM 48K ÂASIC LISTING IS
RE-PRINTED & MY Ã64 CONVERSION
LISTING PRINTED FOR COMPARISON &
REWORKING TO ENSURE THE CONVERSION
RETAINS THE SAME STRATEGY ELEMENTS &
FORMULAS AS THE ÓPECTRUM. ×ITH THESE IN
HAND É CAN MAKE ANY CHANGES TO MY OLD
SOURCE TO BRING IT MUCH CLOSER TO THE
ORIGINAL. ÉT'LL ALSO MAKE IT EASY FOR
ME TO READ THROUGH & PICK UP FROM WHERE
É'D LEFT OFF 20 YEARS AGO!

2ND ÍARCH 2008
É FIND MY LOST Ã64 WORK DISKS WITH THE
OLD ×ILD ÂUNCH CONVERSION SOURCE ON!
ÔHIS WAS NO MEAN FEAT, WHAT WITH WELL
OVER 500 WORK DISKS TO SIFT THROUGH IT
TOOK ME QUITE A FEW DAYS TO ACTUALLY
FIND ALL THE DISKS WITH THE ×ILD ÂUNCH
SOURCE ON. ÔHERE WERE SO MANY DIFFERENT
SNIPPETS OF SOURCE & WORK DATA THAT
É'VE DONE ACROSS MANY DISKS OVER THE
YEARS THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO
LABEL & KEEP TRACK. É USE MY OLD
×INDOWS 98 ÐÃ A ÃÂÍ 1541 DISK DRIVE &
ÐÃ TO 1541 CABLE & CONVERT THE ×ILD
ÂUNCH DISKS INTO .D64 IMAGES ON THE ÐÃ.
ÎOW É CAN WORK ON THIS PROJECT USING
THE ÃÃÓ64 ÅMULATOR ON MY MODERN OFFICE
ÐÃ!

ËÅÎÚ'S ÄÉÁÒÙ
22ND ÍARCH 2008
ÍY NEXT JOB WAS TO AIRBRUSH THE FRONT
OF THE INLAY TO CHANGE THE YELLOW
BORDER FROM THE ÓPECTRUM VERSION TO A
RED BORDER TO SHOW IT'S A Ã64 GAME.
ÕSING THE Ã64 ÆIREBIRD GAME 'ÁRCADE
ÃLASSICS' AS A GUIDE É NOTICED THE
BOTTOM SECTION OF THE BORDER ON THE
Ã64 GAME WAS STILL YELLOW BUT THE TOP
SECTION WAS RED SO É CAREFULLY
AIRBRUSHED THE TOP SECTION OF THE ×ILD
ÂUNCH INLAY TO MATCH. É THEN LIFTED
THE Ã64/128 TEXT FROM THE ÁRCADE
ÃLASSICS INLAY & PLACED IT ON THE
×ILD ÂUNCH INLAY. É THEN PRODUCED A RED
BOX TO GO ON THE SPINE OF THE INLAY TO
SHOW THAT IT IS THE Ã64/128 VERSION OF
THE GAME. ÔO FINISH OFF THE INLAY É
RETYPED ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS & ADDED
Ã64 LOADING INSTRUCTIONS. É ALSO
CHANGED THE CREDITS TO SUIT THIS NEW
VERSION OF THE GAME. ÁND VOILA! ÔHE Ã64
INLAY WAS COMPLETE. É THEN PRINTED A
TEST INLAY, TOOK A FEW PHOTOS OF IT IN
A TAPE BOX & EMAILED THEM TO ÊON FOR
HIS FEEDBACK.

21ST ÍARCH 2008
É BEGAN WORKING ON THE ×ILD ÂUNCH
INLAY TODAY! ÍY FIRST JOB WAS TO
REMOVE THE CREASES WHERE THE ORIGINAL
TAPE INLAY HAD BEEN FOLDED. ÔHIS TOOK
A GOOD FEW HOURS AS É HAD TO REBUILD
THE PICTURES OF THE COWBOYS SHOWN IN
THE BACKGROUND ON THE INLAY. É ALSO
HAD TO CAREFULLY RESTORE THE SKY &
GROUND SO IT ALL BLENDED TOGETHER
NICELY. ÉRONICALLY, THIS WAS THE
HARDEST PART OF THE INLAY TO PRODUCE
AND YOU PROBABLY WON'T NOTICE ANY OF
IT AS THE INLAY WILL BE FOLDED ONCE
AGAIN WHEN IT GETS PUT INTO THE TAPE
BOXES! ÁFTER THAT É REMOVED ANY
REMAINING BLEMISHES, CREASES & SMALL
MARKS FROM THE INLAY & THEN SET
ABOUT GETTING RID OF THE TWO HOLES
FROM THE BACK OF THE INLAY. ÔHESE WERE
THE HOLES THAT THE 'TAPE LUGS' ON THE
TAPE BOX WENT THROUGH TO KEEP THE TAPE
SECURE IN THE BOX. ÎOWADAYS YOU CAN
GET CLEAR TAPE BOXES WITH NO LUGS
(WHICH É THINK LOOK MUCH NICER) SO É
GOT RID OF THE HOLES. ÔHIS MEANT MORE
ART WORKING TO RESTORE  THE BACKGROUND
IMAGES & É ALSO REDID THE SCREENSHOTS
AS ONE OF THE HOLES WAS PUNCHED RIGHT
THROUGH WHERE THE SCREENSHOTS ARE
ILLUSTRATED ON THE INLAY. É USED NICE
CRIPSY CLEAR SCREENS FROM THE EMULATOR
ON THE INLAY WHICH LOOK MUCH SHARPER
THAN THE ONES ON THE ORIGINAL ÓPECTRUM
INLAY.

18TH ÍARCH 2008
É RECEIVED THE TAPE INLAY SCANS FROM
THE ÓPECTRUM VERSION OF THE ×ILD ÂUNCH
FROM ÊON TODAY SO É SET ABOUT CREATING
A TAPE INLAY TEMPLATE IN ÐHOTOÓHOP TO
ENSURE MY ARTWORK PRINTS AT THE CORRECT
SIZE. É THEN DROPPED ÊONS SCANS INTO
THE TEMPLATE & WORKED OUT WHAT NEEDED
TO BE DONE TO THE ARTWORK. ÊONS TIMING
WAS PERFECT AS IT'S ÅASTER IN A FEW
DAYS WHICH MEANS É'LL HAVE A BIT OF
EXTRA TIME TO WORK ON INLAY ARTWORK.

12TH ÍARCH 2008
É RECEIVED A VERY INTERESTING EMAIL
FROM ÊON TODAY WHICH MENTIONED HE WAS
RESURRECTING HIS OLD CONVERSION OF THE
ÓPECCY / ÁMSTRAD BUDGET TITLE 'ÔHE
×ILD ÂUNCH'. É WAS RATHER EXCITED BY
THIS NEWS AS É USED TO ÌÏÖÅ THAT GAME
ON THE ÓPECCY AS IT WAS ONE OF THE
EARLY ÆIREBIRD BUDGET GAMES É BOUGHT.
ÁNYHOO, ÊON MENTIONED HE WOULD LIKE TO
PRODUCE A SPECIAL EDITION OF THE GAME
ON TAPE COMPLETE WITH AUTHENTIC
ARTWORK SO É OFFERED MY PHOTOSHOP
SERVICES & REQUESTED THAT ÊON SEND
ME HI-RES SCANS OF THE INLAY TO HAVE A
FIDDLE WITH. ÉT LOOKS LIKE ME & ÊON
ARE NOW COLLABORATING ON A Ã64 PROJECT
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. ÃÏÏÌ!

27TH ÆEBRUARY 2008
ÓO THERE É WAS MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS
WHEN **ÓÈÁÚÁÍ!** AN EMAIL ARRIVED FROM
MY GOOD Ã64 CHUM ÊON ×ELLS. É HAD TONS
OF FUN WORKING WITH ÊON (ALONG WITH
ÁLF ÙNGVE, ÐAUL 'ÆEEKÚOID' ÈANNAY &
ÊASON 'ÔÍÒ' ËELK) ON VARIOUS Ã64
PROJECTS BACK IN THE 90'S SO IT WAS
GREAT TO HEAR FROM HIM AGAIN AFTER ALL
THIS TIME. É WAS ALSO REALLY PLEASED
TO HEAR HE HAD BEEN WORKING ON A NEW
Ã64 RELEASE - THE ÓIDEWAYS  ÓÅÕÃË
ÐROJECT - SO É CRAFTED A LITTLE BANNER
FOR HIM IN ORDER TO HELP PROMOTE IT.
ÂUT THAT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING ... !

ÃOMMODORE ÆREE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
PROJECT ÊON ×ELLS FOR PROVIDING
PERMISSION TO REPRINT THIS INFO.

=======================================


ÄÉÒÍÁÓÔÅÒ VERSION 2
HTTP://STYLE64.ORG


ÄIRÍASTER IS A ×INDOWS GRAPHICAL DISK
MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR MANIPULATING
COMMODORE DISK IMAGES USING WINDOWS
DROP AND DRAG FEATURES AND SUPPORTING
A WIDE RANGE OF DISK IMAGE TYPES, BUT
IT IS A LOT MORE THAN THAT.

ÄIRÍASTER
ÈOW DO YOU IMPROVE ON THE BEST!, É
GUESS YOU JUST HAVE TO LISTEN TO
FEEDBACK AND MAKE YOUR APPLICATION
THAT BIT MORE SPECIAL. ×ELL THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH ÄIRÍASTER.
ÔHIS IS A SUPERB TOOL, THAT HAS
RECENTLY BEEN UPDATED TO VERSION 2.0;
AND ALTHOUGH É LOOKED AT AN EARLIER
VERSION IN Ã= ÆREE MAGAZINE É DECIDED
TO DO A FULL REVIEW OF VERSION 2.0

ÔO INSTALL ÄIRÍASTER YOU WILL NEED A
×INDOWS MACHINE WITH EITHER WINDOWS
2000, ×INDOWS ØÐ OR ÖISTA ALTHOUGH THE
DOCUMENTATION SAYS IT MAY WORK WITH
WINDOWS 98 THERE ARE NO PROMISES TO
THAT EFFECT. ÁS WITH ALL ×INDOWS
INSTALLATIONS YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE
ADMINISTRATOR PRIVILEGE OVER YOUR
MACHINE. ÄOWNLOAD THE INSTALLATION
PACKAGE AND DOUBLE CLICK TO INSTALL
IT'S THAT SIMPLE.

ÂUT HEY AREN'T THERE HUNDREDS OF THESE
TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR CREATING AND
MANIPULATING ÃOMMODORE ÄISK IMAGES?

×ELL YES THERE ARE VERSIONS FOR ÄÏÓ AS
WELL AS WINDOWS AND THEY ALL WORK,
SOME ARE CLUMSY AND SOME DO SUPPORT
DROPPING AND DRAGGING SOME ARE QUITE
GOOD BUT NOTHING SEEMS AS SLICK AS
THIS APPLICATION, READ ON AND YOU WILL
SEE WHY.

ÓMOOTH AS SILK
ÆIRST LET ME EXPLAIN THE DRAGGING AND
DROPPING ON THE APPLICATION, SELECT A
FILE LETS SAY IT'S A TEXT DOCUMENT,
FIRST RUN THE ÄIRÍASTER AND CREATE OR
OPEN A DISK IMAGE NOW LEFT CLICK THE
FILE AND ÈÏÌÄ THE MOUSE BUTTON, DRAG
THE FILE ONTO THE DISK IMAGE AND THEN
LET THE MOUSE BUTTON GO, HEY PRESTO AS
IF BY MAGIC THE TEXT FILE IS NOW IN
THE DISK IMAGE THIS FUNCTION ALONE IS
A REAL TIMESAVER, É AM SURE WINDOWS
USERS WILL APPRECIATE THIS.

ÔHE OPPOSITE ALSO WORKS SO LETS SAY
YOU HAVE A TEXT FILE IN A DISK IMAGE
AND YOU WANT TO EXTRACT IT TO ANOTHER
FOLDER OR YOUR WINDOWS DESKTOP FOR
EXAMPLE, OPEN THE DISK IMAGE, AND LEFT
CLICK THE FILE ÈÏÌÄ THE MOUSE BUTTON
DOWN AND MOVE THE FILE TO ITS NEW
LOCATION ON THE DESKTOP OR IN ANOTHER
FOLDER, LET GO OF THE MOUSE BUTTON AND
THE FILE IS EXTRACTED!  ÄOUBLE
CLICKING ON THE TEXT FILE IN THE DISK
IMAGE WILL OPEN THE FILE FOR READING
AS SHOWN IN THE SCREEN SHOT OF ÉSSUE
17 ÍARCH 2008 ÅDITOR COMMENTS.

ÈEY WAIT THAT'S JUST ONE FEATURE OF
THE APPLICATION; ÙOU COULD FOR EXAMPLE
OPEN 2 DISK IMAGES & COPY FILES BETWEEN
THE 2 USING DROP AND DRAG. ÙOU CAN ALSO
OPEN THE APPLICATION & DRAG A DISK
IMAGE ONTO THE RUNNING APPLICATION;
THIS WILL OPEN THE DISK IMAGE FOR
VIEWING.

ÏR YOU CAN RUN THE APPLICATION AND
SELECT FILE ÏPEN BUT THAT'S JUST A
BIT DULL. ÙOU CAN MULTI SELECT DISK
IMAGES, DRAG THEM OVER THE RUNNING
APPLICATION AND THEY WILL OPEN IN
SEPARATE WINDOWS FOR VIEWING. ÄISK
IMAGES THAT HAVE CHANGED BY ADDING
MODIFYING OR DELETING FILES WILL SHOW
THERE STATUS OF A CHANGE WITHOUT BEING
SAVED BY ADDING AN ASTERISK TO THE
FILE NAME AS SHOWN  THE DISK IMAGE IS
GODOT127.D64 É CHANGED ONE OF THE
FILES BY DELETING IT AND THE DISK
STATUS HAS CHANGED TO GODOT127.D64 *

ÏK É AM GETTING WAY TO EXCITED LETS
LOOK AT SOME OF THE MENU ITEMS
STARTING LEFT TO RIGHT

ÏPEN A ÄISK IMAGE
×ELL FAIRLY SELF EXPLANATORY CLICK THIS
ICON TO OPEN A DISK IMAGE FOR VIEWING
OR EDITING, ALSO WHEN INSTALLED IF YOU
WANT YOU CAN HAVE THE APPLICATION
ASSIGN ITSELF TO D64,D81 ETC SO DOUBLE
CLICKING A ÄISK IMAGE WILL OPEN A DISK
IMAGE

ÓAVE A ÄISK ÉMAGE
ÇUESS WHAT THIS SAVES THE CURRENT DISK
IMAGE, ALSO CLOSING THE DISK IMAGE WILL
PROMPT THE USER 'THE DISK IMAGE HAS
CHANGED DO YOU WISH TO SAVE'

ÆIND DISK
ÖERY NICE FEATURE YOU CAN HUNT FOR A
FILE IN A DISK IMAGE BY SELECTING A
FOLDER TO SEARCH AND GIVING THE
FILENAME AS SHOWN BELOW

ÓHOW ÃOMMODORE TOOL
ÐOPS OPEN A BOX WITH THE ÃOMMODORE
CHARACTER SET, INVERSED VIDEO NORMAL,
SMALL CASE AND COMMODORE CHARACTERS
YOU CAN THEN CLICK ON ONE TO ENTER IT
IN THE NAME OF YOUR APPLICATIONS TITLE

ÓHOW SEPARATOR TOOL
SOME DISK IMAGES USE SEPARATORS
BETWEEN FILENAMES CLICKING THIS TOOL
PROVIDES A PRESET NUMBER OF SEPARATOR
FILES FOR THE USER TO CLICK AND ENTER
INTO THERE DISK IMAGE

ÃHANGE THE CASE
ÔOGGLES THE CASE IN A DISK IMAGE OR IN
A TEXT FILE SO UPPER CASE LETTERS
BECOME LOWER CASE AND VICE A VERSA

ÆILE ÐROPERTIES
ÓHOWS THE PROPERTIES OF A SELECTED
FILE GIVING ÎAME/ÔYPE(PRG ETC.)/FILE-
SIZE/TRACK & SECTOR/DATE ETC.

ÂÁÍ ÅDIT
ÉF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT ÂÁÍ EDIT IS THIS
WON'T BE ANY USE TO YOU,

ÍOVE ÕP OR ÄOWN
ÍOVES THE FILE IN A DISK IMAGE UP OR
DOWN SO IT'S HIGHER OR LOWER IN THE
DISK LISTING ORDER

ÊUMP TO SECTOR
ÏPENS THE ÓECTOR EDITING TOOL

ÃHANGE TO PARENT DIRECTORY

ÔOGGLE FONT SIZE
ÃHANGES THE SIZE OF THE TEXT AND SO
REDUCES THE SIZE OF THE DISK IMAGE
WINDOWS THERE ARE 2 SIZES NORMAL AND
SMALL TO TOGGLE BETWEEN

ÔOGGLES ÈIDDEN CHARACTERS
ÔURNS ON/OFF HIDDEN CHARACTERS IN FILE

ÓHOW ÄELETED FILES
ÔOGGLES ON/OF THE DISPLAY OF DELETED
FILES IN THE DISK IMAGE

ÃOLOURS
ÃHANGES THE DISPLAY BACKGROUND AND
TEXT OF A DISK IMAGE PURELY COSMETIC
THE FIRST SETS THE BACKGROUND COLOUR
THE SECOND THE TEXT COLOUR, AGAIN THIS
IS JUST THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION TO
DETAIL THE PROGRAMMERS HAVE ADDED TO
THE APPLICATION, ITS NOT AN ESSENTIAL
ITEM TO HAVE BUT MAKES THINGS EASIER
ON THE EYE

ÔHESE ARE THE MAIN PARTS OF THE
PROGRAM YOU WILL USE AGAIN ALL VERY
INTUITIVE AND IF YOU CANT REMEMBER
WHAT ONE OF THE ICONS DOES HOVERING
OVER IT WILL SHOW A TEXT HINT,

ÏTHER FUNCTIONS FROM THE PULL DOWN
MENU ARE ÖALIDATE DISK, BATCH
PROCESSING 

ÉF YOU CLICK IN THE DISK WINDOW ON A
ÂÁÓÉÃ PROGRAM FOR EXAMPLE, THEN YOU
ARE SHOWN THE LISTING OF THE BASIC
APPLICATION SHOWN BELOW IS A DISK FROM
ÌOADSTAR, THE LOADER APPLICATION IS IN
ÂÁÓÉÃ AND DOUBLE-CLICKING ON THE FILE
OPENS UP A BOX WITH THE BASIC LISTED,
RIGHT CLICKING ON THE TEXT ALLOWS THE
COPYING OF SELECTED TEXT TO WINDOWS
CLIPBOARD AND PASTING INTO ANY
APPLICATION AS SHOWN BELOW (A SELECTION
OF THE HIGHLIGHTED TEXT) É WOULD HAVE
LIKED TO HAVE SEEN AN OPTION TO PRINT
THE TEXT PRESERVING THE Ã= CHARACTER
SET & SPECIAL CHARACTERS

   ÄÖ=ÐÅÅË(186):ÉÆÄÖ<8ÔÈÅÎÄÖ=8
   5 ÐÏËÅ32767,13:ÐÏËÅ53371,0
   6 ÐÏËÅ65534,1:ÒÅÍ Ó-ËÅÙ ÏÎ
  10 ÐÏËÅ53281,0:ÐÏËÅ53280,0:ÐÒÉÎÔ
    RSTUVWXYZ
    []"":ÉÆÐÅÅË(653)=0ÔÈÅÎÐÏËÅ53265,11:
    ÇÏÓÕÂ100
  11 ÐÏËÅ53265,27:ÔÑ=ÔÉ:ÐÏËÅ198,0:
    ÉÆÐÅÅË(653)=0ÔÈÅÎÇÏÓÕÂ1000:ÇÏÔÏ13
  12 ÐÏËÅ53280,11:ÐÏËÅ53281,11:ÇÏÔÏ50
  13 ÒÅÍ

ÁLSO THE DISPLAY CAN BE TOGGLED
BETWEEN 40 AND 80 COLUMN MODE TO ALLOW
MORE OR LESS TEXT ON THE SCREEN,

ÂUT É AM REALLY OUT OF SPACE IN THIS
WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A MINI REVIEW


ÔHE MINIMISE MAXIMISE & RED CROSS CLOSE
BUTTONS AND THE BORDERS OF THE SCREEN
IN THE ÄIRÍASTER REVIEW ARE COPYRIGHTED
TO ÍICROSOFT CORPORATION AS WELL AS THE
TRADEMARKS ×INDOWS, ×INDOWS 98, ×INDOWS
2000, ×INDOWS ÖISTA & WINDOWS ØÐ & THE
ABBREVIATIONS ØÐ,ÖISTA,98,2Ë

=======================================


ÔNTERVIEW WITH ÒOBERT ÂERNARDO
ÃOMMODORE ENTHUSIAST AND Ã= PROMOTER

ÃÏÍÍÏÄÏÒÅ ÆÒÅÅ - ÐLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF TO OUR READERS.

ÒÏÂÅÒÔ ÂÅÒÎÁÒÄÏ - ÈELLO TO ALL MY
ÃOMMODORE AND ÁMIGA FRIENDS!  É'M
ÒOBERT ÂERNARDO, LONG-TIME Ã=
ENTHUSIAST AND PRESIDENT OF THE ÆRESNO
ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP (ÆÃÕÇ).

ÃÆ - ×HAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING?

ÒOBERTÂ - É'M AN ÅNGLISH TEACHER AT A
MIDDLE SCHOOL IN ÃALIFORNIA.
ÓPECIFICALLY, É TEACH ÅNGLISH AS A
ÓECOND ÌANGUAGE TO STUDENTS IN GRADES
6-8 (AGES 11-14).  É'M IN MY 29TH YEAR
OF TEACHING.

ÃÆ - ÈOW DID YOU FIRST COME IN CONTACT
WITH THE ÃOMMODORE BRAND?  ÃAN YOU
REMEMBER YOUR FIRST ÃOMMODORE MACHINE,
AND DO YOU STILL OWN THE MACHINE?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÂACK IN 1981, É TOOK A CLASS
FOR TEACHERS; IF É REMEMBER CORRECTLY,
IT WAS SOMETHING CALLED, -ÃOMPUTERS IN
ÅDUCATION?.  ÔHIS WAS A WHOLE NEW
WORLD FOR TEACHERS.  ÕSING COMPUTERS
IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING WAS A NEW
AND MYSTERIOUS FRONTIER, BECAUSE THERE
WERE SO FEW CLASSROOM COMPUTERS IN OUR
AREA.  ×ELL, WE MET IN AN OFFICE
SETTING WITH ROWS OF ÔANDY 3 COMPUTERS
READY TO BE USED.  ×E WERE TAUGHT THE
BASICS - HOW TO TURN THEM ON, WHAT A
FLOPPY DISK WAS; HOW TO LOAD, RUN, AND
SAVE; HOW TO USE ÂÁÓÉÃ LANGUAGE.  ×E
MOVED SLOWLY THROUGH THE DAY-LONG
CURRICULUM.  ÂY THE END OF THE DAY, É
RECEIVED A PAT-ON-THE-BACK IN THE FORM
OF A CERTIFICATE, AND É THOUGHT THAT
WAS THAT.

ÉN 1982 É STARTED SEEING MAGAZINE
ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THE INEXPENSIVE
ÃOMMODORE 64.  ÁT THE SAME TIME, É
TOOK ANOTHER TEACHERS' CLASS IN ÍÓ-ÄÏÓ
WHICH HAD ME RELEARN THE BASICS OF
USING A COMPUTER, IN ADDITION TO THOSE
ÍÓ-ÄÏÓ COMMANDS.  ÉN 1983 WITH MORE
AND MORE ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THE
ÃOMMODORE 64, É STARTED FEELING THE
NEED TO GET ONE.  ÍY BEST FRIEND AT
THAT TIME HAD THE SAME NOTION.  ×E
SCANNED THE MAGAZINE AND NEWSPAPER ADS
CONSTANTLY FOR A GOOD DEAL.  ÆINALLY
IN ÁUGUST OF 1983, ÆEDERATED
ÅLECTRONICS, A CHAIN STORE THROUGHOUT
ÃALIFORNIA, ADVERTISED THE Ã64 FOR
$199.95 PLUS IF YOU BOUGHT IT, YOU'D
GET THE ÃÂÍ BONUS CASSETTE PACK FOR
FREE.  ×HAT A DEAL!

ÁT THAT TIME, É WAS STILL A POOR
TEACHER WITH NO CREDIT.  É BOUGHT IT,
BUT IT WAS ABOUT 2/5 OF MY MONTHLY NET
SALARY!  ÔHE COMPUTER WAS SUCH A
BEST-SELLER THAT THE STORE RAN OUT OF
THE BONUS CASSETTE PACK, AND É HAD TO
GET A RAINCHECK TO PICK IT UP LATER.
É WAS SO EXCITED; É BROUGHT THE Ã64
HOME AND EAGERLY PORED THROUGH THE
USER'S GUIDE, KEYING IN THE SAMPLE
PROGRAMS AND WATCHING WHAT THEY DID ON
SCREEN OF THE LITTLE BLACK-AND-WHITE
ÔÖ É USED.  ÈOWEVER, É COULDN'T SAVE
ANYTHING, BECAUSE É HAD NO DISK DRIVE
NOR CASSETTE DRIVE.

ÉT WAS ONLY A MONTH OR TWO LATER THAT
É BOUGHT A CASSETTE DRIVE FOR IT, BUT
NOT THE ÃÂÍ CASSETTE DRIVE BECAUSE IT
WAS MORE EXPENSIVE; É BOUGHT A
KNOCK-OFF DRIVE FOR $30.  É BOUGHT MY
DATA CASSETTES FROM ÒADIO ÓHACK IN THE
BELIEF THAT THOSE Ã-10 OR Ã-20 BLANK
CASSETTES WERE SUPERIOR TO REGULAR
CASSETTES.  É SAVED THE FEW USER GUIDE
PROGRAMS BUT HAD NO SOURCE FOR MORE.
ÆOR WHAT ELSE COULD É USE THIS
NEW-FANGLED WONDER?  ÔHEN É BOUGHT MY
FIRST COMMERCIAL PROGRAM, THE ÑUICK
ÂROWN ÆOX WORD-PROCESSING CARTRIDGE.
ÉTS MANUAL HUMOROUSLY LED ME THROUGH
MY FIRST STEPS IN WRITING A DOCUMENT,
BUT É HAD NO PRINTER TO USE!  ÔHEN
AFTER USING IT A FEW TIMES, É
ACCIDENTLY PULLED THE CART OUT WITH
THE COMPUTER ON; É HAD SHORTED OUT THE
CART, AND IT WAS USELESS.

ÉN 1984, THE COMPUTER MAGAZINES
STARTED COMING OUT - ÈOME ÃOMPUTER,
ÃOMPUTE!, ÃOMPUTES! ÇAZETTE, ETC.. 
ÁLSO THE STORES STARTED HAVING SHELVES
JUST FOR COMPUTER SOFTWARE, NOT JUST
ONE OR TWO PIECES OF SOFTWARE BUT
DOZENS AND DOZENS.  É BOUGHT ÔOTL.
ÔEXT 2.6, A WORD PROCESSOR ON
CASSETTE.  É WAS BACK INTO USING THE
Ã64 USEFULLY.  ÍY BEST FRIEND BOUGHT A
DISK DRIVE AND A 1525 PRINTER, THE
PRINTER CAPABLE OF PRINTING GRAPHICS.
É HAD MY CHOICE - BUY A 1541 DISK
DRIVE FOR $400 OR BUY A ÒOYAL
DAISYWHEEL TYPEWRITER WITH ÃENTRONICS
INTERFACE FOR $400.  Á LETTER-QUALITY
PRINTER... É HAD TO HAVE IT.  ÎOT ONLY
WAS IT A SOPHISTICATED TYPEWRITER, BUT
IT WOULD BECOME A PERIPHERAL FOR MY
ÃOMMODORE.  Ï.Ë., PRINTING GRAPHICS
WAS NOT A HIGH-PRIORITY FOR ME.  ×ITH
THE ADDITIONAL ÃENTRONICS CABLE THAT É
HAD TO ORDER FOR $20 AND A TYPE-IN
PROGRAM INCLUDED WITH THE TYPEWRITER,
ÔOTL. ÔEXT 2.6 WAS ABLE TO USE THE
ÒOYAL TYPEWRITER.  ÂECAUSE MY BEST
FRIEND WAS DEEPLY INTERESTED IN
ÃOMMODORE, TOO, HE WOULD KEY IN
MAGAZINE TYPE-IN PROGRAMS FOR ME AND
SAVE THEM TO CASSETTE SO THAT É COULD
USE THEM.  Á LOT OF THOSE PROGRAMS
WERE GAMES AND UTILITIES, AND SOME
WERE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR
CHILDREN.

ÉN THE SUMMER OF 1984, É TOOK A
TEACHERS' UNIVERSITY CLASS ON WHAT WAS
BASICALLY WORD-PROCESSING CLASS WITH
THE PROGRAM, ÂANK ÓTREET ×RITER FOR
ÁPPLE ÉÉ.  ÙES, THERE WERE ROWS AND
ROWS OF ÁPPLE ÉÉ'S FOR TEACHERS TO
USE, AND THOUGH É DUTIFULLY DID MY
LESSONS ON THE ÁPPLE ÉÉ, É ALWAYS
THOUGHT OF THE ALTERNATIVE OF THE Ã64.
ÆOR OUR FINAL PROJECT, WE WERE TO
WRITE A MULTI-BRANCHING STORY FOR
STUDENTS TO READ.  ÔHE OTHER TEACHERS
USED THE ÁPPLE ÉÉ'S, BUT WITH THE
PERMISSION OF MY INSTRUCTOR, É BROUGHT
IN MY Ã64 AND DATASETTE DRIVE AND
WROTE THE STORY WITH THE Ã64 AND ÔOTL.
ÔEXT.

ÂY ÓEPTEMBER, 1984, É BROUGHT MY ONE
Ã64 SET-UP TO THE CLASSROOM - ONE OF
THE FIRST TEACHERS TO HAVE A COMPUTER
IN THE CLASS.  ×ITH THE TYPEWRITER/
PRINTER AND THE Ã64, É WAS ABLE TO
WRITE LETTER-QUALITY PAPERS AND THEN
MIMEOGRAPH THOSE FOR STUDENTS.  ÔHE
STUDENTS USED EDUCATIONAL GAMES FROM
THE MAGAZINES, LIKE ÓEA ÒOUTE TO ÉNDIA
(A SIMULATION) AND ÈANGMAN.

×HEN THE ÇEMCO DEPARTMENT STORE
DECLARED BANKRUPTCY IN 1985, THE STORE
HAD A CLEARANCE SALE OF EVERYTHING,
INCLUDING A HUGE SELECTION OF
ÃOMMODORE ITEMS.  É BOUGHT MY NEXT
ÃOMMODORE COMPUTER THEN, A ÓØ-64, FOR
$400 PLUS TAX.  É NOW HAD A DISK
DRIVE, AND THAT OPENED UP THE BIGGER
WORLD OF ÃOMMODORE PROGRAMS ON DISK.
ÓTUDENTS WERE NOW ABLE TO USE
COMMERCIAL, DISK-BASED PROGRAMS, LIKE
ÃAVE OF THE ×ORD ×IZARD.

ÇOOD THING THAT É GOT THE ÓØ-64,
BECAUSE THE OLD Ã64 HAD BECOME FLAKY.
É HAD REPLACED THE ORIGINAL POWER
SUPPLY WHEN MY BEST FRIEND HAD HIS Ã64
DIE DUE TO A BAD POWER SUPPLY.  ÔHAT
BIT OF PREVENTION WASN'T ENOUGH.  ÔHE
KEYBOARD BECAME UNRESPONSIVE.  ÓOME
REPLACEMENT 6526 ÃÉÁS AND A KEYBOARD
CLEANING COULDN'T HELP IT.  É HAD TO
RETIRE IT.

ÌATER IN 1985, ÃOMMODORE 128S AND 1571
DISK DRIVES HAD DROPPED IN PRICE TO
$200 EACH.  É WENT TO THE  ÍONTGOMERY
×ARD DEPARTMENT STORE, BOUGHT THE 128,
AND RESERVED A 1571, BECAUSE THOSE
DRIVES HAD SOLD OUT.  Á FEW WEEKS
LATER WHEN É CAME BACK TO PICK UP THE
DELIVERED 1571, É HAD TO SHOW MY
DRIVER'S LICENSE JUST TO RELEASE THE
1571 INTO MY HANDS; THOSE DRIVES WERE
IN SUCH DEMAND.

ÔHE 80-COLUMN DISPLAY WAS A SPECIAL
TREAT; WHAT É SAW ON THE SCREEN WAS
MORE AKIN TO WHAT WAS PRINTED OUT.  É
WAS ON THE HUNT FOR Ã128 PROGRAMS THAT
SPECIFICALLY CATERED TO THE MACHINE'S
ABILITIES.  ÉN THOSE DAYS, É WAS NOT
PART OF A USER GROUP, THE NEAREST, THE
ÓTOCKTON ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP BEING 3
HOURS AWAY, WITH MEETINGS HELD ON A
WEEKNIGHT.  É HAD TO DEPEND ON Ã=
MAGAZINES AND RETAIL STORES TO KEEP ME
INFORMED ON WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH
ÃOMMODORE.  É'D GO TO THE LOCAL
BOOKSTORE TO PICK UP THE MONTHLY
ÌOADSTAR DISK MAGAZINE; É'D GO TO
ÓEARS, ÍONTGOMERY ×ARD, ÓOFTWARE ÅTC.,
OR ÓOFTWARE & ÓUCH TO SELECT Ã64 AND
Ã128 PROGRAMS OFF THE SHELVES.  É'D GO
TO THE GIGANTIC ÃOMMODORE ÂUSINESS
ÍACHINES-SPONSORED ×ORLD OF ÃOMMODORE
SHOWS THAT WERE HELD IN ÌOS ÁNGELES IN
ONE YEAR AND ÓAN ÆRANCISCO THE NEXT
YEAR.  ÔHOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS WOULD
GO TO THOSE SHOWS!  É REMEMBER IN 1986
É WALKED UP TO THE ÃÂÍ BOOTH AND
DIRECTLY ASKED A REPRESENTATIVE IF ÃÂÍ
WAS GOING TO DROP SUPPORT FOR THE Ã128
IN FAVOR OF THE BRAND NEW ÁMIGA
COMPUTER.  ÔHE REP GAVE ME A LOOK OF
DISDAIN AND DENIED THAT THE Ã128
SUPPORT WOULD BE CANCELLED.  ÏF COURSE,
NOW WE KNOW THE TRUTH.

ÂY EARLY 1986, É WAS DOING CLASS
GRADES WITH THE ÉNFO MAGAZINE-RATED
SPREADSHEET PROGRAM, ÖIZASTAR 128.  ÉN
THE MIDDLE OF DOING MY FIRST GRADES
WITH ÖIZASTAR, THE Ã128 SYSTEM DECIDED
TO QUIT WORKING!  ÇRADES WERE DUE IN A
FEW DAYS!   ÎOT KNOWING WHETHER IT WAS
THE Ã128 OR THE 1571 THAT HAD GONE BAD
AND NOT HAVING TIME TO REPAIR THE
SYSTEM AT THE LOCAL ÃOMMODORE REPAIR
SHOP, É ORDERED A Ã128ÄÃÒ FROM ÌYCO
ÃOMPUTER IN ÎEVADA.  ÉT WAS OVER $600!

 ÔHE COMPUTER CAME IN TIME, AND É WAS
ABLE TO FINISH MY GRADES.  ÔHAT
COMPUTER SERVED ME WELL; FROM 1986 TO
2003 É USED IT TO CALCULATE GRADES  ÉT
WAS ONLY IN 2003, WHEN THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT TOLD ME É HAD TO DO GRADES ON
THEIR SYSTEM, THAT É STOPPED DOING
GRADES ON THE Ã128.

ÏVER ALL THOSE YEARS, THERE WOULD
ALWAYS BE A ÃOMMODORE IN THE
CLASSROOM, FIRST WITH THE Ã64, THEN
THE ÓØ-64, AND THEN FINALLY A MIX OF
Ã64S AND Ã128S.  ÄURING THE HEYDAY OF
MY PUTTING Ã= COMPUTERS IN THE CLASS,
É HAD UP TO 4 OR 5 SYSTEMS ON THE SIDE
TABLES, READY FOR THE STUDENTS TO USE.
ÂY 2003, THE DISTRICT WAS POURING
×INDOWS DESKTOP COMPUTERS INTO THE
CLASSROOM, AND THE ÃOMMODORES HAD TO
BE MOVED ASIDE FOR THOSE.  ÈOWEVER, É
STILL HAVE A Ã128ÄÃÒ IN THE ROOM.
ÅARLIER IN 2007, É BROUGHT IN A ÐÅÔ
2001 FOR STUDENTS TO OGLE; WHEN É TOLD
THEM THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT A
30-YEAR OLD COMPUTER, THEY ALL SAID,
"ÏOOOO!"

ÃÆ - ÔHE ÆRESNO ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP -
HTTP://VIDEOCAM.NET.AU/FCUG/  ÔELL OUR
READERS ABOUT THIS GROUP.

ÒOBERTÂ - ÔHROUGHOUT THE MID-1980'S &
THE EARLY 1990'S, THOUGH THE FARAWAY
ÓTOCKTON ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP WAS HOURS
AWAY, É TRIED TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH
THAT GROUP.  ÂY ÄECEMBER 1994, THE
PRESIDENT OF THAT GROUP TOLD ME THAT
THERE WAS A ÃOMMODORE USER GROUP IN
NEARBY ÆRESNO.  ÉN ÊANUARY 1995 É
EAGERLY DROVE OVER TO ÆRESNO AND FOUND
THE ÆRESNO ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP,
MEETING AT THE DOWNTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
ÔHE MEMBERS WARMLY GREETED ME, WERE
HELPFUL TO THE ÎTH DEGREE, & SATISFIED
MY NEED TO BELONG.  É IMMEDIATELY
BECAME A MEMBER.  ÔWO YEARS LATER É WAS
ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF THE GROUP, AND
TO MY CHAGRIN, É'M STILL PRESIDENT. ÉN
ALL THE YEARS THAT É'VE BEEN WITH THE
GROUP, AT VARIOUS TIMES É'VE SERVED AS
DISK-OF-THE-MONTH EDITOR AND AS
NEWSLETTER EDITOR.  ÎINE MONTHS INTO
MY MEMBERSHIP WITH ÆÃÕÇ, É STARTED
WRITING FOR THE CLUB NEWSLETTER, AND
É'VE BEEN WRITING EVER SINCE THAT
TIME.

ÔHE HISTORY OF THIS ÆRESNO ÃOMMODORE
CLUB STARTED BACK IN 1981.  ÏUR OLDEST
MEMBERS TOLD ME THAT BACK THEN THERE
WERE 2 Ã= GROUPS, WHICH FINALLY
COMBINED FORCES TO FORM ÆÃÕÇ.  ×HAT AN
ORGANIZATION IT WAS IN THE EARLY DAYS!
ÍEETINGS WERE HELD AT THE LOCAL ADULT
SCHOOL WHICH HAD BANKS AND BANKS OF
ÃOMMODORE 64S TO USE.  ÁTTENDANCE AT
SUCH MEETINGS WAS 150-200.  ÍEETINGS
WERE BI-WEEKLY.



ÎOWADAYS ÆÃÕÇ MEETINGS ARE MONTHLY,
HELD ON THE THIRD ÓUNDAY OF THE MONTH
FROM 11 A.M. TO 1 P.M. AT THE ÐIZZA
ÐIT ÒESTAURANT.  ÁS MENTIONED ABOVE,
WHEN É JOINED UP, MEETINGS WERE IN THE
PUBLIC LIBRARY.  ÈOWEVER, THE LIBRARY
KEPT RESERVING THE MEETING ROOM TO
OTHER GROUPS, THOUGH WE SUPPOSEDLY HAD
A LONG-TERM LOCK ON THE ROOM.  ÁFTER
BEING FRUSTRATED SEVERAL TIMES IN
GETTING THE ROOM, WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS
TO MEET AT THE PUBLIC MEETING ROOM IN
A SHOPPING MALL.  ÁFTER SEVERAL MONTHS
OF USING THAT, WE WERE MOVED INTO THE
SENIOR CITIZENS' CENTER OF THE MALL. 
×E THOUGHT WE HAD A PERMANENT MEETING
PLACE FOR SURE, BUT AFTER A FEW YEARS
THERE, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ROOM WAS
TO BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES AND SUCH
A SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER WOULD BE
MOVED OUT... SOMEWHERE.  ÔHAT ANSWER
WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR US; IT MIGHT
HAVE BEEN MONTHS BEFORE A NEW VENUE
WOULD BE FOUND.  ×ITH THE HELP OF
ANOTHER ÆÃÕÇ MEMBER, WE DISCOVERED THE
ÐIZZA ÐIT, THE OWNER BEING HAPPY TO
HOST OUR GROUP (AND ALSO MAKE SOME
MONEY FROM OUR HUNGRY MEMBERS, É'M
SURE).

ÔHE ÐIZZA ÐIT IS A GOOD PLACE TO MEET,
THOUGH WHEN THE ÄAYTONA 500 OR THE
ÉNDIANAPOLIS 500 RACES ARE BROADCAST
ON THE BIG-SCREEN T.V.'S THERE, THE
PLACE IS TOO CROWDED AND NOISY TO HOLD
OUR MEETINGS.  ×E THEN MOVE TO A
NEARBY, CALMER ÍEXICAN RESTAURANT AND
ITS MEETING ROOM.

ÍEMBERSHIP IN OUR CLUB HAS STAYED
STEADY AT ABOUT 25, BUT FEW ARE NOW
FROM THE ÆRESNO AREA.  ÔHE REST ARE
SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ÕNITED ÓTATES
AND ÅNGLAND.  ÏUR TREASURY HAS STAYED
STEADY, TOO; IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE
PLENTY OF MONEY IN THE TREASURY.  ÏUR
NEWSLETTER, THE ÉNTERFACE, IS
NOMINALLY A BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. ÉN
THE EARLY 2000'S WE HAD THREE
DIFFERENT NEWSLETTERS COMING OUT OF
THE CLUB; THE ÉNTERFACE FROM OUR
EDITOR, Ã= ÖOYAGES FROM ME, AND ÔHE
ÈALFLING, A MORE FOLKSY NEWSLETTER
FROM ANOTHER MEMBER.  ÙEAH, WE WERE
WRITERS IN THOSE DAYS.

ÉN 2005 ÊERI ÅLLSWORTH, CREATOR OF THE
ÃOMMODOREÏNE AND THE Ã64 ÄÔÖ,
CONTACTED ME ABOUT ORGANIZING A ×EST
ÃOAST ÃOMMODORE SHOW.  É THEN CONTACTED
ÂRUCE ÔHOMAS OF THE ÃOMMODORE ÕSERS OF
ÅDMONTON, WHO HAD THE SAME IDEA OF SUCH
A SHOW, TOO.  ÉF IT WERE NOT FOR THE
BACKING OF ÆÃÕÇ AND THE ÃLARK ÃOUNTY
ÃOMMODORE ÃOMPUTER ÃLUB (OF ÌAS ÖEGAS),
THE ÃOMMODORE ÖEGAS ÅXPO, ÃOMMÖÅX,
WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND
IN 2005 AND WOULD NOT HAVE CONTINUED TO
THIS DAY.

×HEN É JOINED ÆÃÕÇ IN 1995, THERE WERE
SEVERAL CLUBS THROUGHOUT ÃALIFORNIA,
LIKE THE ÃOMMODORE ÈAYWARD ÕSER ÇROUP
(ÃÈÕÇ), ÆREMONT-ÕNIONÃITY-ÎEWARK-
ÈAYWARD ÕSER ÇROUP (ÆÕÎÈÕÇ), Ã= ×EST/
Á×EST IN ÓAN ÆRANCISCO, THE ÄIABLO
ÖALLEY ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP (ÄÖÃÕÇ), Á
ÂAKERSFIELD ÃOMPUTER ÕSER ÓOCIETY
(ÁÂÁÃÕÓ), THE ÖALLEY ÃOMPUTER ÃLUB IN
ÍODESTO, THE ÌONG ÂEACH ÃOMMODORE ÕSER
ÇROUP, THE Ã64 ÐRESERVATION ÓOCIETY IN
ÒED ÂLUFF, ÃÉÖÉÃ 64 IN ÖENTURA, THE
ÓACRAMENTO ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP, AND
THE ÓTOCKTON ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP.  É
VISITED MOST OF THOSE CLUBS.  ÂY 2007,
ÆÃÕÇ WAS THE ONLY ONE STILL IN
EXISTENCE.  ÓURE, THERE ARE TWO ÁMIGA
CLUBS AND AT LEAST TWO RETROGAMING
GROUPS LEFT IN ÃALIFORNIA, BUT IF YOU
WANT NEARLY 100% ÃOMMODORE, YOU COME TO
ÆÃÕÇ.  ×E REMAIN DEVOTED TO ÃOMMODORE.

ÃÆ - ÈOW WOULD OUR READER JOIN ÆÃÕÇ,
AND WHAT WOULD THEY BE ENTITLED TO AS
A USER? 

ÒOBERTÂ - ÃLUB MEMBERSHIP IS ONLY $12
A YEAR.  ÙOU'D SEND US A CHECK/MONEY
ORDER TO OUR CLUB ADDRESS AT 3487 Å.
ÔERRACE, ÆRESNO, ÃALIFORNIA 93703.
ÁLTERNATIVELY, YOU CAN SEND US THE
MONEY THROUGH ÐAYPAL (BUT NO CREDIT
CARDS THROUGH ÐAYPAL).

ÆOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP, YOU GET AT LEAST
6 ISSUES OF OUR ÉNTERFACE NEWSLETTER,
ACCESS TO OUR DISK LIBRARY OF 2,000 TO
3,000 DISKS, AND INTERESTING,
LATE-BREAKING Ã= NEWS BY E-MAIL.

ÃÆ - ÁRE YOU A MEMBER OR PROMOTER OF
ANY OTHER ÃOMMODORE GROUPS? 

ÒOBERTÂ - É ALSO BELONG TO ÔHE ÏTHER
ÇROUP OF ÁMIGOIDS (ÔÏÇÁ), AN ÁMIGA
CLUB OUT OF THE ÓAN ÊOSE AREA OF
ÃALIFORNIA.  É'M AN HONORARY MEMBER OF
THE ÆORT ÃOLLINS ÃOMMODORE ÃLUB (ÆÃ3)
OF ÆORT ÃOLLINS, ÃOLORADO AND OF THE
ÁNYTHING ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP (ÁÃÕÇ)
OF ÁSTORIA, ÏREGON.  ÁLSO É'M TRYING
TO START UP A NEW CLUB IN ÓOUTHERN
ÃALIFORNIA CALLED ÓÃÃÁÎ, THE ÓOUTHERN
ÃALIFORNIA ÃOMMODORE/ÁMIGA ÎETWORK
(FORMERLY KNOWN AS ÃÁÎ).  ÂASED IN THE
NORTHERN AREA OF ÌOS ÁNGELES, WE'VE
HAD MONTHLY MEETINGS SINCE ÄECEMBER
AND NOW THOSE MEETINGS ARE BI-MONTHLY,
THE NEXT ONE BEING IN ÍAY.

ÃÆ - ×HAT MAKES ÃOMMODORE SPECIAL?

ÒOBERTÂ - Á ÃOMMODORE COMPUTER IS A
FRIEND, AND FOR MANY OF US, A LONG-TIME
FRIEND.  ÉT'S A WAY OF LIFE; A MULTI-
FUNCTIONAL DEVICE LONG BEFORE THE 2008
MACHINES WE HAVE TODAY.  ÏN IT, WE RUN
GAMES, COMPOSE AND PLAY MUSIC, WRITE
DOCUMENTS, PUBLISH OUR NEWSLETTERS,
BALANCE OUR PORTFOLIO, KEEP RECORDS,
DRAW OUR ART, DIGITIZE OUR PHOTOS, MAKE
OUR ANIMATIONS, AND CODE OUR PROGRAMS.
ÉT'S A FUN COMPUTER... WITH A DIFFERENT
FEEL WHEN COMPARED TO THE ×INDOWS & ÍAC
COMPUTERS OF TODAY. ÉT HAS ITS QUIRKS,
AS ALL COMPUTERS DO, BUT THESE QUIRKS
ARE FAMILIAR, UNDERSTANDABLE, AND
COMFORTING.

ÃÆ - ÏUR READERS HAVE NOTICED YOUR
PHOTO AND NAME APPEARING EVERYWHERE
RELATED TO ÃOMMODORE. ÃAN YOU COMMENT?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÔHAT IS JUST A MISCONCEPTION.
É CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE IN REGARDS TO
ÃOMMODORE.  É JUST REPORT & RECORD THE
SHOWS AND MEETINGS THAT É ATTEND. É
JUST SPREAD ÃOMMODORE NEWS TO USERS;
WHETHER THROUGH E-MAIL, AT THE FORUMS,
OR IN THE NEWSGROUPS.  É JUST TRY TO BE
HELPFUL, FRIENDLY, AND INTERESTED IN
ALL THINGS ÃOMMODORE AND ÁMIGA.  ÉF
THAT MAKES ME A CHEERLEADER FOR
ÃOMMODORE, THEN SO BE IT.  ÏF COURSE,
WHEN É RETIRE FROM THE TEACHING
PROFESSION, É'LL HAVE A LOT MORE TIME
TO ATTEND MANY MORE ÃOMMODORE & ÁMIGA
EVENTS AND MEETINGS.

ÁT SUCH EVENTS É'VE MET MANY GOOD
PEOPLE AND SOME FAMOUS ONES, TOO.
×HETHER THEY ARE Ã= NEWBIES OR
VETERANS, REGULAR USERS OR INDUSTRY
TYPES, IT'S BEEN A HONOR TO MEET ALL
OF THEM.  ÓPEAKING OF THOSE IN THE
INDUSTRY, IT WAS QUITE EXCITING TO
MEET SUCH ÃÂÍ NOTABLES AS ÊACK
ÔRAMIEL, ÂIL ÈERD, ÄAVE ÈAYNIE, ÂOB
ÒUSSELL, AND ÄALE ÌUCK.

ÃÆ - ÔELL OUR READER ABOUT YOUR TREKS
TO COLLECT AND REDISTRIBUTE ÃOMMODORE
HARDWARE.

ÒOBERTÂ - É USUALLY GET E-MAILS FROM
FORMER USERS WHO HAVE DISCOVERED THE
ÆÃÕÇ WEBSITE.  ÔHEY WANT TO UNLOAD
THEIR COLLECTION OF ÃOMMODORE AND
ÁMIGA GOODS, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO
DISPOSE OF THE GOODS IN THE LANDFILL.
ÔHEY WANT TO DONATE THOSE ITEMS TO OUR
CLUB IN THE HOPES THAT OTHERS MAY
PRODUCTIVELY USE THE ÃOMMODORE AND
ÁMIGA GOODS THEY ONCE ENJOYED.

É'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN THE STATE OF
ÃALIFORNIA, INTO ÏREGON & ÎEVADA IN
ORDER TO RESCUE THE ITEMS; THAT'S A LOT
OF GASOLINE USED AND MANY HOURS ON THE
ROAD! ÕSUALLY, THE RESCUED ITEMS ARE IN
GOOD TO EXCELLENT CONDITION. ÔHOSE
ITEMS ARE PACKED INTO MY LARGE CAR;
SOMETIMES É MUST MAKE SEVERAL TRIPS TO
THE SAME FORMER USER JUST TO FINISH
GETTING EVERYTHING.  ÔHEN THOSE ITEMS
ARE BROUGHT TO ONE OF FOUR STORAGE
PLACES; MY HOUSE, THE RENTAL STORAGE
FACILITY, MY PARENTS' HOUSE, OR THE
"STORAGE" HOUSE.  ÆROM THERE, THEY CAN
BE DISTRIBUTED TO THOSE WHO NEED
HARDWARE/SOFTWARE.

ÉF A ÆÃÕÇ MEMBER NEEDS AN ITEM, THEY
HAVE FIRST CRACK AT GETTING IT.  ÉF AN
INQUIRY COMES FROM SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE
CLUB, É DO MY BEST TO FIND THAT ITEM.
(×E DON'T HAVE A DATABASE OF ALL THE
GOODS WE HAVE.  ÔO MAKE UP SUCH A
DATABASE WOULD TAKE MONTHS OF
CATALOGING!)  ÉF THE ITEM HAS A GOOD
PROSPECT OF BEING SOLD, THEN IT IS
BROUGHT TO THE FEW SHOWS WHERE WE HAVE
A VENDING TABLE.  ×E'VE HAD A VENDING
TABLE AT THE ÖINTAGE ÃOMPUTER ÆESTIVAL
AND AT THE ÃLASSIC ÇAMING ÅXPO.
ÐERHAPS THIS YEAR WE'LL HAVE A VENDING
TABLE AT THE ÃOMMODORE ÖEGAS ÅXPO. 
ÔHE ONLY PROBLEM; WHO IS GOING TO
TRANSPORT ALL OF THAT STUFF ALL THE WAY
TO ÌAS ÖEGAS?!

É THINK OUR VENDING PRICES ARE MORE
THAN FAIR, MAYBE EVEN OUTRAGEOUSLY LOW;
JUST ENOUGH TO COVER THE COST OF THE
TABLE AND PUT A SOME DOLLARS INTO THE
CLUB TREASURY.  $5 FOR A Ã64 WITH POWER
SUPPLY & BOX (IF PROVIDED), $5 FOR A
1541 DISK DRIVE, $10 FOR A FLAT Ã128
WITH POWER SUPPLY, $10 FOR A 1571 DISK
DRIVE, 1701/2 MONITOR OR SIMILAR - $15,
1902 MONITOR OR SIMILAR - $20, PACKAGED
SOFTWARE -$1, CARTRIDGES - $1 TO $2,
EXTRA COMPUTER MAGAZINES & BOOKS, TAKE
THEM AWAY FOR FREE.  ÃOMPARE THOSE
WITH PRICES AT EÂAY.COM, A PLACE É
RARELY VISIT THESE DAYS WHEN É HAVE SO
MUCH IN STORAGE ALREADY.

É REMEMBER ONE YEAR AT ÖÃÆ; WE BARELY
COVERED THE COST OF THE TABLE, HAVING
ONLY A FEW DOLLARS OF PROFIT TO PUT IN
THE TREASURY.  ÉT'S CHANCY; ONE YEAR
SOFTWARE SELLS BIG; ANOTHER YEAR IT'S
HARDWARE.  ÙOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THE
PUBLIC IS INTO.  Á BIG THANK YOU TO
ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BOUGHT ITEMS AT OUR
TABLE!

ÃÆ - "É ÁÄÏÒÅ ÍÙ 64"  ×HAT'S ALL THIS
WITH THE BADGES?  ×HEN WE MET, YOU
PRESENTED ME WITH ONE.  É WEAR IT ALL
THE TIME, BUT THE CLIP IS SLIGHTLY
BROKEN & SOMETIMES FALLS OFF. É REALLY
NEED A NEW ONE; ARE THEY FOR SALE?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÈEY, THE BADGE IS THERE TO
SHOW OUR SOLIDARITY IN ÃOMMODORE!  É
USED TO SELL THE REPLICA BADGES FOR $3
EACH AT SHOWS, BUT NOW É JUST GIVE
THEM AWAY.  É'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER ONE.

ÃÆ - ÖIDEOS AND PICTURES OF MANY Ã=
EVENTS ARE CREDITED TO YOU. ÃAN YOU
TELL OUR READERS WHY?

ÒOBERTÂ - É STARTED TAKING PHOTOS AND
VIDEOS OF THE SHOWS IN THE LATE
1990'S.  ÆIRST AND FOREMOST, THEY WERE
A RECORD TO WHICH É COULD REFER WHEN É
NEEDED INFORMATION.  ÔHEN É FOUND OUT
THAT OTHER PEOPLE WANTED TO SEE THE
PHOTOS.  ÎOT HAVING A PERSONAL WEBSITE,
É RELIED ON THE KINDNESS OF OTHERS TO
HOST THE PHOTOS, ESPECIALLY OUR CLUB
TREASURER WHO HAS PUT UP MANY OF THE
PHOTOS AT HIS WEBSITE. ÉN THE LATE 90'S
AND EARLY 2000'S, WHEN ANYONE WANTED A
COPY OF THE SHOW VIDEOS, É WOULD
TRANSFER THEM TO ÖÈÓ TAPE, ÂETA TAPE,
AND LATER ÄÖÄS FOR A NOMINAL COST (A
DOLLAR OR TWO TO COVER THE COST OF THE
TAPES, SOME CENTS TO COVER THE COST OF
ÄÖÄS, AND A FEW DOLLARS MORE TO COVER
POSTAGE AND TO PUT INTO THE ÆÃÕÇ
TREASURY).  É THINK THE MOST WE HAVE
EVER SOLD WAS 10 AT ONE TIME. ×HO WOULD
HAVE KNOWN BACK IN THE THOSE EARLY DAYS
THAT THERE WOULD BE VIDEO-SHARING
WEBSITES ON THE ÉNTERNET NOW?  (É
DIDN'T KNOW BACK THEN, AND SO, YOU CAN
HEAR MY COMMENTS AND OTHER UTTERANCES
WHILE É WAS TAPING.  ÎOWADAYS, É'M
MUCH MORE CAREFUL.)

ÔHERE ARE THOSE WHO WANT ME TO PUT ALL
THE VIDEOS UP ON THE ×EB NOW. ÈOWEVER,
AS É HAVE EXPLAINED BEFORE TO SUCH
PEOPLE, É ONLY HAVE A DIAL-UP
CONNECTION AT MY HOUSE, AND AT WORK
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD TAKE A VERY
DIM VIEW OF ME UPLOADING HOURS & HOURS
OF VIDEO ON THEIR WORK COMPUTERS. ÆOR
MY FRIENDS OR THOSE WHO BUY THE VIDEOS,
É AM NOT LOATH TO THEM PUTTING UP THE
VIDEOS ON THE ÎET.

ÉN MY CIRCUMSTANCES, É MYSELF JUST
CAN'T DO IT.

ÊUST RECENTLY, ÉAN ÍATTHEWS OF
ÃOMMODORE.CA AND ÄAVE ÈAYNIE (FORMER
ÁMIGA ENGINEER WHO RUNS HIS OWN VIDEO
PRODUCTION COMPANY) HAVE BEEN KIND
ENOUGH TO POST SOME OF MY VIDEOS BUT
NOT ALL.  ÔHEY ASK; É CAN PROVIDE.  ÉF
THEY DON'T ASK, THEN É DON'T FORCE ANY
MORE VIDEOS UPON THEM.

ÃÆ - ×HAT ÃOMMODORE MACHINES DO YOU
OWN AND USE?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÔOO MANY!  É HAVE MY MAIN
Ã128ÄÃÒ SET-UP, SEVERAL BACK-UP
Ã128ÄÃÒS, A COUPLE OF ÓØ-64S (ONE
HIGHLY MODDED), A FEW ÐLUS/4S (ÎÔÓÃ &
ÐÁÌ), A FEW ÖÉÃ-20S, SEVERAL BROWN &
CREAM Ã64S (ÎÔÓÃ AND ÐÁÌ), A ÐÅÔ 2001,
A ÐÅÔ 4032, A COUPLE OF ÐÅÔ 8032S, A
64ÇÓ, A Ã128Ä (PLASTIC, ÐÁÌ), AN
ÁRGENTINIAN ÄREAN Ã64Ã, A CALCULATOR OR
TWO, MANY DIFFERENT DRIVES INCLUDING
ÃÍÄ, Ã64 ÄÔÖS (ÎÔÓÃ/ÐÁÌ, UNMODDED AND
MODDED), ÈUMMER ÄÔÖS, ÃOMMODOREÏNE,
ÁMIGA 1000S, 500S, 200S, AN Á3000, AN
Á4000, & A ÁMIGAÏNE.



ÃÆ - ÄO YOU OWN ANY OTHER "NON"
ÃOMMODORE MACHINES ?

ÒOBERTÂ - É OWN VARIOUS CLASSIC GAME
CONSOLES; TWO ÉNTELLIVISION ÉÉS, A
ÃOLECOVISION, A ÎINTENDO ÅNTERTAINMENT
ÓYSTEM (8-BIT) , AND THE ONE WHICH É
CONSTANTLY FEED WITH HOMEBREW GAMES,
THE ÖECTREX.  É ALSO HAVE A 1978 ÓTAR
ÔREK PINBALL ARCADE MACHINE AND AM
LOOKING FOR A ÓTAR ÔREK: ÓTRATEGIC
ÏPERATIONS ÓIMULATOR ELECTRONIC ARCADE
MACHINE AND THE 1991 ÓTAR ÔREK 25TH
ANNIVERSARY PINBALL MACHINE.  ÉN THE
COLLECTION, THERE'S ALSO A ÔEXAS
ÉNSTRUMENTS ÔÉ-99 FOR WHICH É HAVE THE
ÓTAR ÔREK: ÓÏÓ CART (IT TALKS!) AND AN
ÁPPLE ÉÉÇÓ COMPUTER.

ÔHE ÉÉÇÓ HAS HAD AN INTERESTING
HISTORY.  ÏTHER THAN MYSELF WHO HAS
KEPT 8-BIT COMPUTERS IN THE CLASSROOM,
ONE OF THE VETERAN SCIENCE TEACHERS AT
MY SCHOOL KEPT ÁPPLE ÉÉ'S IN THE HIS
ROOM, LONG PAST THE TIME WHEN OTHER
ROOMS AND LABS HAD SWITCHED TO ×INDOWS
COMPUTERS.  ÈE USED ÁPPLE ÉÉE'S, A ÉÉC,
& A ÇÓ.  ÈOWEVER, BY LAST ÊUNE, HE HAD
DUMPED ALL THE ÁPPLES ONTO THE
SIDEWALK; HE WAS REPLACING THEM WITH
SLIGHTLY NEWER ÍAC ÌÃ'S AND ÐOWER
ÍACINTOSHES (FORMERLY USED BY THE
SCHOOL, TOO).  ÔHE SCHOOL JANITORS
HAULED AWAY THE REMAINS OF THE ÁPPLES,
BUT É WAS ABLE TO RESCUE THE ÇÓ, DUE
IN NO SMALL PART TO WHAT ÊERI
ÅLLSWORTH SAID TO ME, I.E., THAT A ÇÓ
IS A GREAT COMPUTER.  ×HEN É GOT TO
SHOW HER THE ÇÓ HAUL, SHE WAS AMAZED
THAT IT EVEN INCLUDED AN ACCELERATOR
CARD.  ÓHE SAID THAT ALL É HAVE TO DO
IS FIND A HARD DRIVE FOR IT.

ÁS YOU CAN SEE, IN TERMS OF 8-BIT
COMPUTER LONGEVITY IN THE CLASS, THE
ÃOMMODORE & É HAVE EVEN WON OUT OVER
THE ÁPPLE ÉÉ & THE SCIENCE TEACHER.

ÃÆ - ÔELL US ABOUT ÓTAR ÔREK. ×HAT IS
THE LINK WITH ÃOMMODORE?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÓTAR ÔREK HAS HAD A LONG
HISTORY WITH ÃOMMODORE.  ÂEFORE
ÃOMMODORE WAS IN THE COMPUTER BIZ,
ÓTAR ÔREK GAMES WERE PLAYED ON
MAINFRAME COMPUTERS IN UNIVERSITIES.
ÂACK IN THE MID-1970'S, FELLOW
STUDENTS INVITED ME TO GO TO THE
COMPUTER CENTER AT THE ÕNIVERSITY OF
ÃALIFORNIA IN ÄAVIS AND GET ONTO THE
TERMINAL OF THE MAINFRAME IN ORDER TO
PLAY ÓTAR ÔREK. ÔOO BAD É NEVER HAD
TIME BECAUSE OF MY ÅNGLISH STUDIES!

ÔHEN WHEN THE ÃOMMODORE ÐÅÔ CAME OUT,
×ILLIAM ÓHATNER, ÃAPTAIN ËIRK OF ÓTAR
ÔREK FAME, STARTED ADVERTISING FOR IT.
 É DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME.  ×HEN
THE ÃOMMODORE ÖÉÃ-20 CAME OUT IN THE
EARLY 1980'S, É MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE
SEEN THE TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
STARRING THE GOOD CAPTAIN.  ÈE ALSO
DID PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THE
ÖÉÃ-20.

×ITH THE RELEASE OF THE Ã64, THERE
WERE SEVERAL ÓTAR ÔREK GAMES
DEVELOPED, MANY LOOKING LIKE OR
IMPROVING UPON THE OLD MAINFRAME ÓÔ
GAMES.  É THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A MARVEL
THAT THE ÖÉÃ-20 AND THE Ã64 HAD THE
ÓTAR ÔREK: ÓPACE ÏPERATIONS ÓIMULATOR.
 ÂASED ON THE ARCADE GAME OF THE SAME
NAME, THESE 8-BIT VERSIONS HAD THE
SAME, REVOLUTIONARY, 3-WINDOWED SCREEN
OF THE ARCADE VERSION, MINUS THE
VECTOR GRAPHICS AND CERTAIN SOUNDS.

ÓTAR ÔREK GAMES CONTINUED BEING
DEVELOPED, E.G., THERE WAS ÓTAR ÔREK:
25TH ÁNNIVERSARY FOR THE ÁMIGA
1200/4000.

ÔHESE DAYS É STILL ENJOY THE
ÃOMMODORE/ÓTAR ÔREK CONNECTION.  ÁS A
MEMBER OF ÓHATNER & ÆRIENDS,
ÉNTERNATIONAL, WE GET TO MEET WITH
×ILLIAM ÓHATNER ONCE A YEAR, HAVE
LUNCH/DINNER WITH HIM, & FOLLOW HIM IN
HIS ACTIVITIES, LIKE ATTENDING A
FILMING OF HIS ÔÖ SHOW, ÂOSTON ÌEGAL,
OR GOING TO THE ÈOLLYWOOD ÃHARITY ÈORSE
ÓHOW & BANQUET WHICH HE HOSTS.  ÁND
EVERY YEAR É'VE BROUGHT A ÃOMMODORE
ITEM FOR ÂILL TO AUTOGRAPH; FIRST A
1581, THEN A ÖÉÃ-20, THE NEXT YEAR A
ÃOMMODORE TELEPHONE, ANOTHER YEAR Ã64
ÄÔÖS, LAST YEAR A ÓTAR ÔREK: ÓÏÓ CART &
A ÓTAR ÔREK: 25TH ÁNNIVERSARY PACKAGE.
ÔHIS YEAR É WAS THINKING OF BRINGING
HIM A ÐÅÔ 2001 KEYBOARD (BUT NOT THE
ENTIRE CASE!) & A ÓØ-64.

ÔHEN THERE IS THE LONG-PLANNED ÓTAR
ÔREK GAME THAT É WANT TO CREATE ON THE
ÃOMMODORE OR ON THE ÁMIGA.  ÂEING NO
PROGRAMMER, É WOULD DO SUCH A GAME
WITH THE ÓHOOT 'ÅM ÃONSTRUCTION ËIT.
ÙES, GET IT MADE THE DOWN-AND-DIRTY
WAY!  É'VE ALREADY PLANNED A STORYBOARD
FOR IT; NOW WHERE DID É PUT IT?

ÃÆ - ×OULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON WHAT
YOU THINK WENT WRONG WITH ÃOMMODORE?
ÉF ÃOMMODORE DID MAKE A COMEBACK, WHAT
SHOULD THEY MAKE AND SELL AND WHY?

ÒOBERTÂ - É DON'T LIKE TO SPECULATE ON
WHAT HAPPENED TO ÃOMMODORE ÂUSINESS
ÍACHINES NOR ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
IF ÃÂÍ WERE TO HAVE GONE A CERTAIN
WAY.  É FIND IT FRUITLESS TO BE
INVOLVED IN SUCH SORT OF IMAGININGS...
KIND OF LIKE POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS...
NOTHING IS EVER DECIDED, BUT THE
ARGUMENT CONTINUES AD INFINITUM.  É WAS
NEVER A PART OF THE INTERNAL WORKINGS
OF ÃÂÍ AND THUS CANNOT TRULY SAY WHAT
WENT WRONG.  ÁLL É CAN SAY IS THAT
PARENT COMPANY SUPPORT FOR ÃOMMODORE &
ÁMIGA COMPUTERS WAS NEVER REALLY THERE
AND THAT THIRD PARTY COMPANIES & THE
USERS WERE THE PEOPLE WHO KEPT THE Ã=
DREAM ALIVE.

ÁS FOR A RETURN OF ÃÂÍ, THAT WOULD BE
MORE SPECULATION BUT ONE ON WHICH É
WILL COMMENT BRIEFLY.  ÉN ORDER TO
STAY PROFITABLE, SUCH A RETURNING
COMPANY WOULD NEED PRODUCTS THAT WOULD
SELL WELL AND SELL CONSISTENTLY. ×OULD
THOSE PRODUCTS SUPPORT OUR LEGACY
COMPUTERS OR EVEN BE NEW VERSIONS OF
OUR LEGACY COMPUTERS?  ÉT WOULD BE NICE
TO THINK SO, BUT AS PRODUCTS THAT SELL
WELL AND CONSISTENTLY, NO.  ÔHE COMPANY
WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A PRODUCT OR
PRODUCTS THAT WOULD BE THE CORE
BUSINESS, & HOPEFULLY, THE COMPANY
WOULD HAVE THE MONEY TO THEN PRODUCE
LEGACY PRODUCTS THAT SATISFY US LEGACY
USERS. ÓUCH A COMPANY WOULD HAVE TO
HAVE DEEP POCKETS TO AFFORD SUCH MARKET
RISKS.
 ÁT THE END OF ITS PRODUCT LIFESPAN,
THE Ã64 HAD LESS THAN $5 OF PARTS AND
WAS SELLING AT $90 RETAIL.  ÊERI
ÅLLSWORTH HAS MENTIONED THAT THE Ã64
ÄÔÖ HAD LESS THAN $8 OR $9 OF PARTS &
WAS SELLING FOR $30 RETAIL, WITH
600,000 PRODUCED & 100,000 OF THE
ÈUMMER ÄÔÖS PRODUCED.  ÉF YOU DO THE
MATH, YOU ARE TALKING OF LARGE AMOUNTS
OF MONEY AND BIG PRODUCTION RUNS.
×OULD SUCH A COMPANY EXPOSE ITSELF TO
SATISFY LEGACY USERS?  ÔHAT IS THE
QUESTION.

ÌET'S TAKE IT A DIFFERENT WAY. ÍAMMOTH
ÔOYS PRODUCED THE Ã64 ÄÔÖ & THE ÈUMMER
ÄÔÖ.  ×HEN SHE WORKED FOR ÍAMMOTH, ÊERI
PROPOSED A $40-45 LAPTOP COMPUTER,
OSTENSIBLY MARKETED TO CHILDREN, BASED
ON THE ÄÔÖ ÁÓÉÃ CHIP. ÔHINK OF IT... A
NEW Ã64-COMPATIBLE COMPUTER!  ÍAMMOTH
TURNED DOWN HER PROPOSAL.

ÃÆ - ÃOMMODORE ÇAMING. ×OULD YOU LIKE
TO COMMENT ON THIS VENTURE?

ÒOBERTÂ --  ×HEN É'VE TRIED TO CONTACT
THEM AFTER THE ÃOMMODORE ÇAMING ÐARTY
OF ÊULY 2007, THEY'VE EITHER BEEN
EXTREMELY SLOW TO RESPOND OR HAVEN'T
RESPONDED AT ALL.  ÔHOUGH THE COMPANY
DOES NOT REALLY SUPPORT OUR LEGACY
COMPUTERS, É HAVE NOTHING AGAINST
THEM, AND É WISH THEM THE BEST IN
THEIR VENTURES.  ÁT LEAST THEY HAVE A
Ã64 EMULATOR AND A SELECTION OF GAMES
IN THEIR ×INDOWS GAMING COMPUTERS.

ÃÆ - ÍANY ITEMS OF ÃOMMODORE HARDWARE
ARE NOW FAILING FOR USERS (DUE TO THE
AGE). ×HAT WOULD YOU DO IF ALL YOUR
MACHINES AND HARDWARE SUDDENLY STOPPED
WORKING.

ÒOBERTÂ - ÈA, THAT WOULD TAKE A LONG
TIME, BECAUSE É HAVE PLENTY OF Ã=
SYSTEMS IN STORAGE.  ÁLSO WITH REPAIR
CRAFTSMEN AS ÒAY ÃARLSEN AND ÃHARLES
ÇUTMAN, ANY REPAIR NEEDS ARE SATISFIED.
 ÁS FOR ÁMIGA COMPUTERS, THAT IS MORE
DIFFICULT; FEWER SYSTEMS IN STORAGE BUT
THANKFULLY THERE IS A REPAIRPERSON IN
THE ÔÏÇÁ CLUB.

ÃÆ - ÃOMMODORE IS AVAILABLE IN AN
EMULATED FORMAT ON VARIOUS SYSTEMS.
×OULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON EMULATION?

ÒOBERTÂ -- É'VE SEEN A FEW EMULATORS
RUNNING ON ×INDOWS, ÍAC, AND ÁMIGA
COMPUTERS.  ÔHEY ARE INTERESTING, BUT
THEY ARE NOT FOR ME.  É PREFER TO USE
THE REAL THING.  ÈOWEVER, THERE ARE
THOSE WHO ARE BIG INTO EMULATORS, & IF
IT FITS THEIR NEEDS, THEN MORE POWER TO
THEM.

ÃÆ - ÈAVE YOU ANY PROJECTS IN THE WORKS
OR MEETINGS/CONVENTIONS YOU WILL BE
SHORTLY ATTENDING? ×OULD YOU LIKE TO
PROMOTE ANY MEETINGS/CONVENTIONS USERS
CAN ATTEND?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÎATURALLY, THERE ARE THE
MONTHLY ÆÃÕÇ MEETINGS THAT É HAVE TO
ATTEND.  ÉN ADDITION, É TRY TO GET TO
THE ÔÏÇÁ MEETINGS, THOUGH THOSE ARE
ABOUT 3 HOURS AWAY.  ÔHEN THERE ARE
THE BI-MONTHLY ÓÃÃÁÎ MEETINGS, & THOSE
ARE LESS THAN 3 HOURS AWAY.

É HAVE A SLEW OF EVENTS THAT É'VE
ATTENDED OR WILL ATTEND THIS YEAR; JUST
ONE IN THE ÍIDWEST ÕNITED ÓTATES THIS
YEAR, BECAUSE ALL MONIES ARE BEING
DEVOTED TO ÅUROPE AND THE EVENTS OVER
THERE.  ÆIRST UP WAS THE SMALL ÍOSSYÃON
4 IN ÁSTORIA, ÏREGON ON ÍARCH 16. ÔHEN
THERE WAS THE ÂLOCKÐARTY 2008 IN
ÃLEVELAND, ÏHIO ON ÁPRIL 4-6. É'M GOING
TO TRY TO MAKE IT TO THE ÊUNE 13 ÓOUTH
ÅSSEX ÁMIGA ÌINK MEETING IN ×ICKFORD,
ÅNGLAND.  ÔHEN É WILL BE AT THE
ÎETHERLANDS ÃOMMODORE ÓHOW IN ÍAARSSEN
ON ÊUNE 21 (É'VE BEEN ASKED TO GIVE A
PRESENTATION.).  ÔHERE IS A TENTATIVE
ÃOMMODORE ÓCENE MEETING IN ÂRADFORD,
ÅNGLAND, BUT THE ÊUNE OR ÊULY DATE FOR
THAT HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED.  ÔHEN É'LL
BE AT THE ÍONASTERY ÐARTY 2008 IN
ÏPAVA, THE ÃZECH ÒEPUBLIC ON ÊUNE 28-29
ÁFTER THAT IS THE ÄIENGESTRAFF Ã=
MEETING IN ÂOCHUM, ÇERMANY ON ÊULY 1.
Á FEW DAYS LATER É'LL BE AT THE
ÁMIGACLUB MEETING IN ÁNTWERP, ÂELGIUM
ON ÊULY 5.  ÏN ÊULY 27-28 THERE IS THE
ÃOMMODORE ÖEGAS ÅXPO WHICH IS HOSTED
BY OUR CLUB AND THE ÃLARK ÃOUNTY
ÃOMMODORE ÃOMPUTER ÃLUB OF ÌAS ÖEGAS,
ÎEVADA.  ÉN ÏCTOBER É'LL BE AT THE
ÁMI×EST ÓHOW IN ÓACRAMENTO, ÃALIFORNIA.
ÔHE FINAL SHOW OF 2008 FOR ME WILL BE
THE ÖINTAGE ÃOMPUTER ÆESTIVAL 11.0 THE
FIRST WEEKEND OF ÎOVEMBER IN ÍOUNTAIN
ÖIEW, ÃALIFORNIA.

ÃÆ - ÓOME ÃOMMODORE USERS ARE VERY
PASSIONATE TO THE POINT THEY ALMOST
REJECT OTHER USERS WHO DON'T KNOW AS
MUCH.  ÃAN YOU COMMENT?

ÒOBERTÂ - É SUPPOSE YOU ARE SPEAKING
OF THE "ELITE" OR THE ELITE WANNABES.
ÔHEY ARE TOTALLY OPPOSITE OF WHAT É
TRY TO PROMOTE; THEY WANT TO EXCLUDE
PEOPLE; É WANT TO INCLUDE PEOPLE.  ÁS
ÃOMMODORE CHAIRMAN ÊACK ÔRAMIEL SAID,
"ÃOMPUTERS FOR THE MASSES, NOT THE
CLASSES".  ÔHE ELITE TAKE IT UPON
THEMSELVES TO SET UP A CLASS OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE ABOVE EVERYBODY ELSE.

ÃÆ - ×HY WOULD USERS REJECT OTHERS
WITH LESS KNOWLEDGE?  ÓHOULDN'T WE ALL
STICK TOGETHER IN THE COMMON CAUSE?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÉN THE ELITE MENTALITY, SUCH
PEOPLE THINK OF THEMSELVES AS BEING
TOO GOOD, AT A HIGHER PLANE THAN ALL
OTHERS.  ÈAVEN'T DONE A DEMO? ÔHEN YOU
ARE NOT ELITE.  ÈAVEN'T PROGRAMMED?
ÔHEN YOU ARE NOT ELITE. ÈAVEN'T CRACKED
A GAME?  ÔHEN YOU ARE NOT ELITE.

ÔHEN THERE ARE THE CYBER-BULLIES.
ÕNFORTUNATELY, THE ÃOMMODORE COMMUNITY
HAS THEM, TOO.  ×HEREAS, THE ELITE
TEND TO IGNORE THOSE WHO DON'T MEET
THEIR STANDARDS, THESE CYBER-BULLIES
LIKE TO SOCIALIZE AND GET THEIR
JOLLIES BY FEAR, INTIMIDATION, THREATS,
& INSULTS.  ÔHE UNMODERATED Ã= NEWS-
GROUPS HAVE THEM; THE Ã= CHAT ROOMS
HAVE THEM.  ÔHE CYBER-BULLIES REJECT
OTHERS, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO FEEL
SUPERIOR, TO FEEL IN CONTROL.  ÔHESE
CYBER-BULLIES LOVE TO CORNER A VICTIM,
& THEY ARE MOST OBSESSIVE IN CAUSING
EMOTIONAL PAIN TO THEIR VICTIM.  ÔHEY
REVEL IN WREAKING HAVOC; THEY ARE QUITE
PROUD OF THEIR DUBIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
 ÓORRY TO SAY BUT THESE PEOPLE HAVE
SEVERE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS.  ÂEST THING
TO DO IS TO IGNORE THEM BUT DOCUMENT
EVERYTHING THEY SAY.  ÍAYBE ONE DAY,
THERE WILL BE LAWS TO CURTAIL THE WORST
OF THEIR BEHAVIOR.



ÃÆ - ÐEOPLE NOW SEE $$$$ WITH ANYTHING
ÃOMMODORE RELATED.  É HAVE BEEN ASKED
TO REMOVE GAME PICTURES BECAUSE OF
COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENTS.  ×OULD YOU
LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS?

ÒOBERTÂ - ×ELL, É THINK THAT IS JUST
SILLY.  ÉF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CLASSIC
GAME PHOTOS AND SCREEN CAPTURES, É DO
NOT SEE THE HARM IN SHOWING THESE OFF.
ÍY QUESTION IS HOW DO OTHER MAGAZINES
GET PAST THIS COPYRIGHT QUAGMIRE, E.G.,
WHAT DOES ÒETROÇAMER MAGAZINE DO?
ÒETROÇAMER IS FULL OF PHOTOS & SCREEN
CAPS OF CLASSIC GAMES.

ÃÆ - ÈOW DO YOU RATE ÃOMMODORE ÆREE
MAGAZINE?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÃOMMODORE ÆREE IS GOOD AND
GETTING BETTER! ÔHE VARIETY OF ARTICLES
IS NICE TO HAVE.  ÓOME DETAILED PROOF-
READING IS NEEDED.  ÒUN THOSE ARTICLES
THROUGH A SPELLCHECKER OR HAVE A REAL
PERSON (AN ÅNGLISH TEACHER?) FIND THE
TYPOS.

ÃÆ - É KNOW YOU ARE A FRIEND OF ÁLLAN
FROM WWW.COMMODORESCENE.ORG.UK  ÁLLAN
HAD TO CLOSE THE MAGAZINE DUE TO LACK
OF SUBSCRIBERS.  ÐERSONALLY, É MISS
THE MAGAZINE, AND IT'S WHY É STARTED
ÃOMMODORE ÆREE.

ÒOBERTÂ - ÔHANK YOU FOR PUBLISHING
ÃOMMODORE ÆREE.  ÁN ÅNGLISH LANGUAGE
Ã= MAGAZINE IS NECESSARY, BECAUSE THE
ÇERMAN LANGUAGE MAGAZINES JUST AREN'T
ENOUGH.

ÃÆ - ÁLLAN OWES USERS A LARGE AMOUNT
OF MONEY - TAKEN FROM USERS IN ORDER
TO BUY ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS FROM ÍAURICE
ÒANDALL.  ÎOW 3 YEARS LATER, THESE
READERS ARE DEMANDING A REFUND DUE TO
THE TIME IT'S TAKEN.  ÍAURICE SEEMS TO
HAVE GONE QUIET AND REFUSED TO ANSWER
ÁLLAN'S EMAILS FOR A REFUND.  ÓO, ÁLLAN
HAS HAD TO REFUND FROM HIS OWN POCKET.

ÒOBERTÂ -- É WAS TRULY SAD WHEN É
FOUND OUT THAT INFORMATION.  ÎOT ONLY
DID ÁLLAN CLOSE OUT ÃOMMODORE ÓCENE
BECAUSE OF THE SUBSCRIBER SITUATION BUT
ALSO BECAUSE OF THE CUSTOMER REFUNDS HE
HAS HAD TO MAKE DUE TO ÍAURICE NOT
SENDING HIM ANY ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS. É COMMEND
ÁLLAN ON HIS DILIGENCE IN MAKING GOOD
ON HIS CUSTOMER REFUNDS, ESPECIALLY
SINCE HE HAS A WIFE AND CHILDREN TO
SUPPORT.

ÃÆ - ÄO YOU THINK SOMEONE, LIKE ÊENS
ÓCHOENFELD, SHOULD OFFER TO BAIL OUT
ÃÍÄ WWW.CMDRKEY.COM -

ÒOBERTÂ -- ÁS É HAVE MENTIONED TO
OTHERS IN OUR CLUB, ÃREATIVE ÍICRO
ÄESIGNS DOES NOT NEED BAILING OUT.
ÍAURICE HAS MANUFACTURING/DISTRIBUTION
RIGHTS TO ÃÍÄ HARDWARE/SOFTWARE, BUT
ÃÍÄ STILL OWNS THE COPYRIGHTS/PATENTS.

×HEN ÍAURICE TOOK OVER THE ABOVE
RIGHTS, HE MENTIONED AT A CONVENTION
THAT HE HAD TO PAY A HEFTY MONTHLY FEE
TO ÃÍÄ FOR THOSE CONTINUING RIGHTS.
×HEN ÍAURICE BOUGHT THOSE RIGHTS & THE
Ã= INVENTORY OF ÃÍÄ, THE PRICE WAS
$17,000.  ×HOEVER WANTS TO TAKE OVER
THOSE RIGHTS WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE TO
NEGOTIATE WITH ÍAURICE BUT ALSO WITH
ÃÍÄ.

ÃÆ - ÍAURICE SEEMS TO BE A GREAT GUY,
KEEN TO HELP EVERYONE, AND É THINK HE
HAS BITTEN OF MORE THAN HE CAN CHEW. 
×OULD YOU COMMENT?

ÒOBERTÂ -- ×HEN É'VE MET HIM AT
CONVENTIONS, HE WAS ALWAYS AFFABLE, &
IN PAST YEARS HE WAS HELPFUL ON THE Ã=
MAILING LISTS, FORUMS, & NEWSGROUPS.
ÈE HASN'T MADE A PUBLIC APPEARANCE
SINCE THE ÌOUISVILLE ÓPRING ÅXPO OF
2005.  É DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT STORY ON
WHY ÍAURICE IS NOT DISTRIBUTING ÃÍÄ
PRODUCTS, AND É DON'T LIKE SPECULATING
ON THIS SITUATION.

ÃÆ - ×OULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE
Ã=ÏNE MACHINE AND ON THE ÄÔÖ?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÏH, EACH ONE OF THOSE WOULD
BE A MASSIVE STORY!  É'LL LIMIT MY
RESPONSE TO THE CURRENT STATE OF EACH
SYSTEM.  ÔHE ÃOMMODOREÏNE STARTED LIFE
AS A BRILLIANT IDEA; HOWEVER, ITS
EXECUTION WAS DAMAGED BY GREED AND
SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS.  ÉN ORDER TO SAVE A
FEW ÅUROS PER BOARD AND THUS INCREASE
PROFITS, THE BOARD WAS COST-REDUCED TO
BEING HANDICAPPED.  ×HAT WAS EVENTUALLY
PRODUCED WAS NOT WHAT ÊERI ÅLLSWORTH
ENVISIONED.  ÉT IS NOW A BOARD SHORT ON
ÆÐÇÁ SPACE, A BOARD PATCHED WITH
SOLDERED WIRES TO MAKE IT WORK, A BOARD
THAT CANNOT CONTAIN THE SUPER Ã1 CORE
THAT ÊERI PLANNED.  ÉN A SURPRISING
STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT THE Ã1 HAD BECOME,
ÊERI SAID TO ME, "ÔHE ÃOMMODOREÏNE IS
CRAP."

ÆINALLY, IN 2006, ÊENS ÓCHOENFELD
TACITLY ADMITTED THAT THE Ã1 WAS IN
NEED OF A ÆÐÇÁ OVERHAUL SO THAT
DEVELOPMENT COULD CONTINUE ON THE
SUPER Ã1 CORE AND OTHER CORES.  ÈE
WOULD PRODUCE A ÆÐÇÁ -EXTENDER? BOARD,
AND IT WOULD BE SOLD FOR 99 ÅUROS.
ÈOWEVER, LATE IN 2007, THINKING THAT
SUCH AN EXTENDER BOARD WOULDN'T SELL,
ÊENS PULLED BACK ON THE IDEA OF
PRODUCING SUCH A CURE FOR THE Ã1.
ÔHUS, WE ARE BACK TO SQUARE ONE, BACK
TO THE YEAR 2002 IN WHICH THE Ã1 HAS
BEEN STUCK.

ÔHE Ã64 ÄÔÖ 30-GAMES-IN-ONE JOYSTICK
ALSO STARTED LIFE WITH MUCH PROMISE;
ITS EVENTUAL EXECUTION WAS DAMAGED BY
GREED AND SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS, TOO. 
ÔHOUGH OSTENSIBLY A TOY, ÊERI
ÅLLSWORTH HAD SLYLY CONVINCED THE
PRODUCERS THAT INCLUDING MANY ÃOMMODORE
FEATURES WOULD NOT COST THEM ANOTHER
CENT.  ÔO THOSE IN THE KNOW, THE Ã64
ÄÔÖ COULD BE CONVERTED BACK TO A
COMPUTER WITH ENHANCED FEATURES.  ÉT
SOLD WELL. ÈOWEVER, THE PARTNER COMPANY
THAT PAID ÊERI FOR THE ÄÔÖ WANTED MORE.
ÔHEY REFUSED TO PAY ÊERI HER ROYALTY
PER ÄÔÖ JOYSTICK, CITING THAT THE ÄÔÖ
WAS LOSING MONEY!  ÔHOUGH IT WAS
SUPPOSEDLY LOSING MONEY, THEY STILL
WANTED ÊERI TO CONTINUE WORK ON THE ÄÔÖ
ÁÓÉÃ CHIP SO THEY COULD MAKE A NEW RUN
OF ÄÔÖS, POSSIBLY WITH 100 GAMES IN THE
JOYSTICK.  ×ITHOUT BEING PAID HER
ROYALTIES FROM THE FIRST PRODUCTION
RUNS OF THE Ã64 ÄÔÖ AND THE ÈUMMER ÄÔÖ
GAME CONSOLE, ÊERI REFUSED TO WORK ON
ANY MORE MODIFICATIONS AND SUED THE
PARTNER COMPANY.  ÔHE LAWSUIT DRAGGED
ON FOR MONTHS, WITH ÊERI SPENDING QUITE
A BIT OF MONEY OUT OF HER POCKET IN
ORDER TO PAY HER LAWYERS TO PURSUE THE
CASE.  ÉN THE END, THE PARTNER COMPANY
CONVENIENTLY "DISAPPEARED"; THERE WAS
NO COMPANY LEFT FOR ÊERI TO SUE. ÊERI
DID NOT RECEIVE HER ROYALTIES; THE Ã64
ÄÔÖ NEVER WOULD HAVE ANOTHER PRODUCTION
RUN.

ÃÆ - ÄO YOU THINK ÊERI ÅLLSWORTH'S
CREATION OF THE ÄÔÖ AND WORK ON THE
Ã=1 COMPUTER HAS RAISED AWARENESS OF
THE ÃOMMODORE BRAND AGAIN?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÉT HAS MADE CERTAIN PEOPLE
AWARE OF THE ÃOMMODORE AGAIN.  ×ITH
ONLY OVER 100 Ã1 BOARDS SOLD, THE
PUBLIC IMPACT WAS MINISCULE.  ×ITH
OVER 700,000 Ã64 ÄÔÖS & ÈUMMER ÄÔÖS
SOLD, GENERAL PUBLIC'S CONSCIOUSNESS OF
THE ÃOMMODORE BRAND SHOT TO THE
FOREFRONT FOR A SHORT WHILE.  ×HEN THE
Ã64 ÄÔÖ STARTED SELLING ON ÎOVEMBER 26,
2004 AT MIDNIGHT ÅASTERN ÔIME ON THE
ÑÖÃ SHOPPING ÔÖ NETWORK, ÑÖÃ RECEIVED
CALL AFTER CALL LIVE ON-AIR FROM
PEOPLE AROUND THE Õ.Ó.Á. WHO SAID THEY
REMEMBERED THE ORIGINAL Ã64 AND WANTED
TO HAVE THAT SAME GAMING EXPERIENCE
WITH THE ÄÔÖ.  ÔHE NETWORK DID A
STELLAR JOB AT PROMOTING IT,
ADVERTISING IT, AND SELLING IT QUICKLY.

ÔHESE DAYS WITH NO NEW PRODUCTION RUNS
OF THE ÄÔÖ, WITH NO PRESENCE ON THE
STORE SHELVES, THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS
FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT.  ÔIME AFTER TIME
AT SHOWS WHERE WE HAVE A CLUB TABLE
AND WHERE WE DISPLAY ÃOMMODORE ITEMS
INCLUDING THE ÄÔÖ, PEOPLE WOULD COME
UP TO ME AND ASK IF THEY COULD BUY THE
DISPLAY ÄÔÖ OR ASK WHERE THEY CAN BUY
SUCH AN ITEM.  ÎOW É HAVE TO TELL THEM
THAT THE MOST COMMON PLACE IS EÂAY.COM.

ÃÆ - ÁND WITH THIS NEW AWARENESS DO
YOU THINK PEOPLE WHO ONCE OWNED/LOVED
ÃOMMODORE MACHINES ARE "COMING BACK"
AS IT WERE TO THE Ã= COMMUNITY?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÔHIS BRIEF SURGE IN AWARENESS
BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE ÄÔÖ HAS BROUGHT
THE HARDWARE HACKERS INTO THE FRAY. ÔHE
ÄÔÖ BOARD HAS BEEN USED TO REPLACE Ã64
ORIGINAL MOTHERBOARDS, HAS BEEN HOUSED
IN MINIATURE GAME CONSOLES, AND HAS
EVEN BEEN TURNED INTO A HANDHELD
COMPUTER WITH ITS OWN ÌÃÄ SCREEN. ÔHE
INGENUITY OF SUCH HARDWARE HACKERS IS
QUITE AMAZING WHEN YOU SEE SOME OF THE
PRODUCTS THEY DEVELOP JUST BASED ON THE
ÄÔÖ BOARD.
 ×ITH THE HARDWARE HACKING HAS COME THE
SOFTWARE HACKING OF THE ÄÔÖ; VARIOUS
UTILITIES, MODDED GAMES, AND EVEN
DEMOS ARE AVAILABLE FOR IT. ÙET, THIS
FLURRY OF ÄÔÖ HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
HACKING HAS QUIETED DOWN NOW THAT THE
ÄÔÖ IS NO LONGER READILY AVAILABLE.

ÃÆ - ÉF YOU HAD 1 MILLION POUNDS, WHAT
WOULD YOU DO?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÔHAT WOULD BE 2 MILLION
DOLLARS OR SO, BASED ON TODAY'S
EXCHANGE RATES!  ×ELL, IF É HAD SUCH A
LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, É WOULD PAY OFF
MY CREDIT CARD DEBTS, INVEST SOME OF
THE MONEY, SPREAD SOME OF THE MONEY TO
THE FAMILY, DONATE TO CHARITIES, PICK
UP A FEW HIGH-PRICED ÓTAR ÔREK
SOUVENIRS, GET SOME MORE STORAGE FOR
ÃOMMODORE AND ÁMIGA STUFF, AND FUND
SOME ÃOMMODORE PROJECTS.  ÉN THE PAST,
É'VE FUNDED SOME Ã= COMPANIES AND
PROJECTS, AND WITH THAT MUCH MONEY, É
COULD FUND MORE.  ÆOR EXAMPLE, LONG
AGO ÊERI ÅLLSWORTH MENTIONED A
ÃOMMODOREÔWO PROJECT, A NEW BOARD THAT
WOULD BE FREE OF THE FAULTS OF THE
ÃOMMODOREÏNE, A BOARD THAT WOULD BE
MANUFACTURED HERE IN ÁMERICA, BECAUSE
SHE FOUND OUT IT WOULD BE MORE
ECONOMICAL TO DO IT HERE.  ÔHE
ÃOMMODORE ÔWO WOULD BE BUILT THE WAY
ÊERI MEANT THE ORIGINAL Ã-ÏNE TO BE -
NO SHORTCUTS, NO COST-REDUCED
COMPONENTS BUT THE BEST COMPONENTS IN
ORDER FOR ÊERI TO WORK HER Ã= MAGIC ON
IT.  ÓHE WOULD BE GIVEN FREE REIGN TO
DESIGN IT AND NOT A LIMITED VOICE. ÓHE
WOULD HAVE THE TIME, THE RESOURCES,
AND THE MONEY TO ACCOMPLISH HER GOAL.

ÃÆ - ÉS THERE ANY QUESTION YOU WOULD
HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN ASKED AND WHY?

ÒOBERTÂ - ÔHE GENERAL STATE OF
ÃOMMODORE PROGRAMMING AND USER GROUPS
HERE IN THE STATES.  ×HY?  ÂECAUSE É
SEE A SLOW BUT STEADY DECLINE IN
ACTIVITY.  ×HEN É REVIEW MY ARTICLES
FROM THE LATE 1990'S AND THE EARLY
2000'S, THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE Ã=
ENERGY TO REPORT.  ÏVER THE YEARS,
ÍAURICE ÒANDALL AND ÔODD ÅLLIOTT, THE
BEST ÇÅÏÓ/×HEELS PROGRAMMERS,  HAVE
DISAPPEARED.  ÊIM ÂUTTERFIELD, FABLED
Ã= PROGRAMMER, DIED IN 2007.  ÎO NEW
DEVELOPMENT ON ×IÎÇS, THE Ã64
MULTI-TASKING OPERATING SYSTEM
REQUIRING A ÓUPERÃÐÕ.  ÌOADSTAR DISK
MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED IRREGULARLY, AND
IT WILL ONLY HAVE A LIMITED RUN UNTIL
ITS FINAL ISSUE AT #255 OR #256.
ÇENIE, ÄELPHI, AND ÃOMPUSERVE, AND
THEIR DEDICATED Ã= AREAS ARE GONE.
ÆEW NEW DEMOS FROM THE ÎÔÓÃ GROUPS,
THOUGH INDIVIDUAL DEMOSCENERS GO ON.

ÁS REPORTED ABOVE, WHERE THERE USED TO
BE SEVERAL Ã= CLUBS IN ÃALIFORNIA; WE
ARE NOW DOWN TO ONE WITH ANOTHER ONE
TRYING TO GET OFF THE GROUND.  ×HERE
THERE USED TO BE SEVERAL IN ÏREGON,
THEY ARE NOW DOWN TO ONE.  ÔHE SAME IN
×ASHINGTON STATE.  ÏNE IN ÎEVADA.  ÏNE
IN ÃOLORADO.  ÎONE IN ÁRIZONA.  ÔHE
CLUBS THAT STILL SURVIVE DO SO DUE TO
THE DETERMINATION OF A FEW.  ÉF IT
WEREN'T FOR ÁÃÕÇ CHANCELLOR, ÄAVE
ÍOHR, THAT ÁSTORIA, ÏREGON CLUB WOULD
FOLD. ÉF IT WEREN'T FOR 5Ã'S PRESIDENT,
ÁL ÊACKSON, THAT ÌAS ÖEGAS, ÎEVADA CLUB
WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME STAYING
TOGETHER.  ÓEVERAL TIMES, OUR TREASURER
HAS TOLD ME THAT IF É WEREN'T PRESIDENT
OF ÆÃÕÇ, OUR CLUB WOULD HAVE CLOSED
SOME TIME AGO.  ×ITH OLDER MEMBERS
PASSING AWAY OR MOVING AWAY, ALL THE
CLUBS ARE HAVING OR WILL HAVE A MORE
DIFFICULT TIME STAYING TOGETHER.

ÃÆ - ÒOBERT, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND
COMMITMENT.

=====================================
 HTTP://WWW.REDESIGN.SK/TND64/
  MUSIC_SCENE.HTML

ÃREATED BY ÒICHARD ÂAYLISS
WITH ÓPECIAL THANKS TO ÒIO/ÒATTENRUDEL

ÃOMMODORE ÆREE WOULD LIKE TO THANK
ÒICHARD ÂAYLISS FOR HIS PERMISSION TO
REPRINT THIS GUIDE ÍANY USERS WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE MORE OF THERE MACHINES,
WE ALL HAVE VARIOUS TALENTS AND IF YOU
FELT INSPIRED TO CREATE MUSIC ON A
Ã64 WHERE WOULD YOU BEGIN, IN THIS
GUIDE YOU ARE LEAD THROUGH THE VARIOUS
OPTIONS, FOR CREATING MUSIC WITH
VERSIONS OF ÄÍÃ MUSIC EDITOR

ÔHE ÇUIDE HAS BEEN BROKEN DOWN IN
SECTIONS THE FIRST PART WILL COVER AS
HIGHLIGHTED THE DISK IMAGE THAT
ACCOMPANIES THIS SERIES IS AVAILABLE
FROM HERE:
 WWW.REDESIGN.SK/TND64/ÄÍÃ%20ÍUSIC%
  20ÅDITORS%5ÂÔÎÄ%5Ä.ZIP

THE DISK CONTAINS;
ÄÍÃ Ö2.1 (ÇÒÁÆÆÉÔÙ), ÄÍÃ Ö4.0
(ÇÒÁÆÆÉÔÙ) + ÄOCS (ÂY ÒICHARD), ÄÍÃ
Ö5.0, ÄÍÃ Ö5.0+ (ÃÒÅÁÍÄ/Ã64.ÓË), ÄÍÃ
Ö5 ÐÁÃËÅÒ, ÄÍÃ Ö5.0 ÓÃÁÎÎÅÒ AND ÄÍÃ
Ö7.0 (ÇÒÁÆÆÉÔÙ+ÕÎÒÅÁÌ)

1  ÉNTRODUCTION 1.1  ÐREFACE 1.2  ÄÍÃ
ÖERSIONS
2  ÇETTING ÓTARTED WITH ÄÍÃ 4 OR 7 2.1
 ÍAIN ÍENU 2.2  ÓOUND ÅDITOR 2.2.1 ÁÄÓÒ

1  ÉNTRODUCTION
1.1  ÐREFACE
1.2  ÄÍÃ ÖERSIONS

2  ÇETTING ÓTARTED WITH ÄÍÃ 4 OR 7
2.1  ÍAIN ÍENU
2.2  ÓOUND ÅDITOR
2.2.1  ÁÄÓÒ

2.2.2  ×AVETABLE
2.2.3  ÐULSE / Ð×Í
2.2.4  ÆILTER
2.2.5  ÖIBRATO
2.2.6  ÆØ
2.3  ÆILTER ÅDITOR
2.3.1  ÐARAMETERS
2.3.2  ÆILTER ÅNVELOPE
2.4  ÔRACK ÅDITOR
2.4.1  ÃHANNELS
2.4.2  ÏPTIONS
2.4.3  ÃOMMANDS
2.5  ÓECTOR ÅDITOR
2.5.1  ÏPTIONS
2.5.2  ÃOMMANDS
2.5.3  ÔIME ÃONTROL
2.5.4  ÇLOBAL ÆILTER AND ÐULSE
2.6  ÑUICK ÒECAPS AND ÅXAMPLES
2.7  ÐACKER
2.8  ÒELOCATOR

3  ÇETTING ÓTARTED WITH ÄÍÃ 5
3.1  ÉNTRODUCTION
3.2  ÔHE ÓOUND ÅDITOR
3.3  ÍAKING YOUR ÄRUMKIT


3.4  ÍAKING YOUR FIRST PIECE OF MUSIC
3.5  ÔHE ÏTHER ÂITZ!
3.6  ÐACKING YOUR ÍUSIC

1  ÉNTRODUCTION
1.1  ÐREFACE
ÒICHARD'S ÐREAMBLE:
×ELCOME TO THE 'ÍUSIC ÓCENE'
TUTORIALS. ÁLL THE RESOURCES ARE MY
AND RIO'S WORK ? PREVIOUS VERSIONS ARE
APPEARED IN ÃOMMODORE ÓCENE. ×E START
FROM THE ÂÁÓÉÃÓ TO THE ADVANCED MUSIC
COMPOSING USING MY FAVOURITE MUSIC
COMPOSER, WHICH IS ÇRAFFITYS' ÄEMO
ÍUSIC ÃREATOR Ö4.0.

ÒIO'S ÐREAMBLE:
ÒEGARDING TO ÒICHARD'S WELCOME, I WANT
SAY HELLO TOO. ÉNSPIRED BY ÒICHARD'S
ÄÍÃ TUTORIAL AND MY OWN EXPERIENCE
USING THAT EDITOR, I WAS MOTIVATED
ENOUGH TO UPDATE AND TO OVERWORK THE
ARTICLE COMPLETLY (WITH DETAILED
CHAPTERS AND SOME ARTWORK TOO). É
ADDED A TABLE OF CONTENT AND AS WELL
AS FURTHER INFOS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
USING ÓÉÄ AND ÄÍÃ 4 AND 7 (THAT'S MY
FAV EDITOR). ÓOME CHAPTERS ARE UNITED
BY RICHARD'S AND MY WORK, SO THAT
PEOPLE, WHO WANT TO START COMPOSING IN
THESE DAYS HAVE A COMPACT
DOCUMENTATION ABOUT ONE OF THE BEST
EDITORS FOR ÃOMMODORE 64.

×HY WE DO THIS?
ÂECAUSE WE HAVE FUN MAKING MUSIC ON A
Ã64, SHARING SOME KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
ÅDITORS WHICH ARE USE THE UNIQUE ÓÉÄ
SYNTHESIZER FOR COMPOSING TUNES.

×HAT YOU NEED FOR USING ÄÍÃ?
ÙOU CAN START WITH A REAL ÃOMMODORE 64
WITH 6581 OR 8580 ÓÉÄ IN IT (YOU WILL
NEED SOME STORING HARDWARE TOO, LIKE
FLOPPIES ETC.) OR AN EMULATOR LIKE
ÖÉÃÅ OR SOMETHING ELSE, WHICH CAN
MANAGE DISK COMMANDS AND SID EMULATION
ETC. ÎOTICE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE ÓÉÄ TYPES. ÍORE DETAILS
WILL BE GIVEN IN THE CHAPTERS BELOW.
ÎOTICE AS WELL, IF YOU USE AN
EMULATOR, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER KEY
ASSIGNMENT. ÐLEASE READ ABOUT THE
EMULATIONS SOFTWARE FOR YOURSELF. ÔHE
WHOLE TUTORIAL WILL BE REFERENCED TO
ORIGINAL Ã64 KEYBOARD ASSIGNMENT.

ÆURTHER YOU SHOULD KNOW SOMETHING
ABOUT BITS AND BYTES. Á UNDERSTANDING
FOR HEXADECIMAL NUMBER SYSTEM WILL BE
NECESSARY. ÂUT FOR THOSE, WHO DON'T
KNOW: ÉT'S A NUMBER SYSTEM WITH A
CARDINAL NUMBER OF 16
(0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,Á,Â,Ã,Ä,Å,Æ). ÓO
EVERY PARAMETER OR COUNTER HAVE TO
WRITE DOWN AS A HEXADECIMAL NUMBER.
ÐARAMETER OR COMMAND IN THIS
DOCUMENTATION WILL BE DESCRIBED WITH
VARIABLES, LIKE:

ÓÎÄ.XX OR ÆØ: XY

ÉF THERE ARE TWO X VARIABLES - A 8 ÂIT
PARAMETER WILL BE EXPECTED. ÉF I TALK
ABOUT X AND Y VARIABLE, THEN TWO 4
ÂITS (NIBBLES) PARAMETER WILL BE
EXPECTED. ÉN SOME CASES X AND Y
REPRESENT A STATE OF A FLAG FOR EACH
PARAMETER (E.G. ÆØ, ×AVEFORMS). ÔHEN
EVERY BIT OF A BYTE (8 ÂITS) CAN BE
SET FOR A SPECIFIC STATE. ÆOR EXAMPLE,
IF WE WANT TO CHANGE ÂIT 0 (IT'S FIRST
POSITION), WE WRITE A 01 AS
HEXADECIMAL NUMBER. ÉF WE WANT TO
CHANGE ÂIT 1 AND ÂIT 2 WE WRITE DOWN A
06, BECAUSE 0110 (BIN) IS REPRESENTING
A 6 IN HEXADECIMAL SYSTEM. ÉF YOU HAVE
SOME SPECIAL COMMENTS OR ANNOTATIONS,
WE ARE PLEASED IF YOU ADD YOUR QUERIES
IN ÔÎÄ FORUM.

1.2  ÄÍÃ ÖERSIONS
ÔHE PREDECESSOR OF ÄÍÃ IS THE ÇÍÃ -
ÇAME ÍUSIC ÃREATOR, WRITTEN BY ÂRIAN
OF ÇRAFFITY. ÙOU WILL FIND SOME
SIMILAR ELEMENTS IN THAT EDITOR TOO,
BUT THE FOLLOWING ÄÍÃ VERSIONS ARE
MORE IMPROVED. ÔHE WAY OF ÄÍÃ
DEVELOPMENT (2,4,5,6,7) WAS
ACCOMPANIED BY SEVERAL GROUPS AND IS
AT LEAST MAINLY SPLIT IN TWO PROGRAMS:
ÄÍÃ 4 AND 5. ÓOME GROUPS HAVE DONE
MODIFICATIONS IN BOTH ÄÍÃ VERSION, SO
YOU WILL FIND A MASS OF DIFFERENT
RELEASES. ÍOST OF THEM SHOULD NEVER BE
SPREADED. ÄÍÃ 7 (BY UNREAL) WAS USING
THE CODE OF ÄÍÃ 4 AND IT'S FITTED OUT
WITH SOME SPECIAL FUNCTIONS. ÓO THE
FIRST TUTORIAL PART IS FOR UP FOR BOTH
VERSIONS.

2  ÇETTING ÓTARTED WITH ÄÍÃ 4 OR 7
ÓO MANY PEOPLE IN THE Ã64 SCENE USES
ÄÍÃ 4 AND WE ARE TWO OF THEM. ×ELL, IF
YOU WERE EXPECTING THE OLD ÍUSIC ÓCENE
BY ÁNDREW, THINK AGAIN. ÔHIS IS
BECAUSE ÒICHARD HAS DECIDED TO TAKE
OVER 'ÍUSIC ÓCENE' AND NOW I (RIO)
HAVE UPDATED THE WHOLE TUTORIAL
(ÒICHARD HOPES ÁNDREW DIDN'T MIND).

×E HAVE DECIDED TO TEACH YOU ALL HOW
TO TURN YOURSELVES INTO COOL Ã64 MUSIC
COMPOSERS. ÆOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE
INTERESTED IN LEARNING TO USE ÄÍÃ 4,
WE'LL BE TEACHING YOU HOW TO COMPOSE,
USING SID FX'S AND DMC COMMANDS. ÙOU
WILL GAIN A SMALL AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT SYNTHESIZERS AND OF COURSE USING
Ã64 ÓÉÄ CHIP FOR YOUR OWN STYLE OF
MUSIC. ÁNYWAY, LET'S FORGET ALL THIS
NITTY GRITTY AND GET ON WITH SOME
SERIOUS EXPERIMENTING. ÔHE ÄÍÃ 4 & 7
PLAYER HAS VARIOUS OPTIONS & EDITORS,
WHICH CAN HELP YOU CREATE YOUR OWN DEMO
SONGS BY USING THE 3 ÃHANNELS OF ÓÉÄ.
ÙOU CAN EVEN USE UP TO 8 DIFFERENT
TUNES IN ONE FILE, BY USING TUNE
SWITCHING. ÆURTHERMORE ÄÍÃ 4/7 ALLOWS
YOU TO MONITOR PLAYING NOTES IN 'ÌÉÖÅ
ÐÌÁÙ ÓÙÎÔÈÅÓÉÚÅÒ' ÍODE (LISTEN TO
NOTES, BY TOUCHING KEYS) AND TO RECORD
SEQUENCES IN A TIME-DEPENDENT 'ÒÅÃÏÒÄ
ÍÏÄÅ'. ÄIRECT ÍONITORING (ÖÏÉÃÅ ÏÎ/ÏÆÆ)
ALLOWS YOU TO LISTEN TO EVERYTHING YOU
TAP IN. ÄÍÃ 7 IS FITTED UP WITH A TRACE
PLAY MODE.

ÉF YOU START THE EDITOR, IT WILL LOOK
SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

2.1  ÍAIN ÍENU
ÔHE ÄÍÃ HAS VARIOUS MENU OPTIONS
INVOLVED. ÔHERE ARE SOUND AND FILTER
EDITORS, A MUSIC SETUP, A DISK MENU
(OR É/Ï MENU) AND DIFFERENT PLAYER
SETUPS. ÂY PUSHING ? (ÄÍÃ 4) OR ÃÔÒÌ
(ÄÍÃ 7) YOU WILL GET INTO THE MAIN
MENU. ÕSE THE ÃÒÓÒ KEYS TO HIGHLIGHT
AN OPTION, USE ÒÅÔÕÒÎ TO CHOOSE ONE.

ÔHE ÓOUND ÅDITOR IS FOR CREATING YOUR
INSTRUMENT SET. ÔHE FILTER EDITOR IS
FOR EDITING FILTERS, WHICH CAN BE
ASSIGNED TO A SPECIAL INSTRUMENT FROM
ÓOUND ÅDITOR.

ÉN MUSIC SETUP (TUNE SETUP) THE GLOBAL
SPEED AND GLOBAL VOLUME CAN BE
DEFINED. ÁCTIVATING THE DISK MENU OR
É/Ï MENU WILL SWITCH INTO FILE
OPERATING MENU, WHERE YOU CAN LOAD AND
STORE YOUR TUNES OR USE SOME ÃOMMODORE
ÄÏÓ COMMANDS. ÉN MOST ÄÍÃ VERSIONS ARE
DIFFERENT PLAYER ROUTINES INTEGRATED.
ÙOU ARE ABLE TO CHOOSE A PLAYER (E.G.
Á OR Â). ÓOME ARE BETTER IN QUALITY,
OTHERS HAVE A BETTER RASTER TIMING.

2.2  ÓOUND ÅDITOR
ÆIRST OF ALL, YOU NEED TO BUILD THE
INSTRUMENTS YOURSELF. ÈIGHLIGHT THE
'ÓOUND ÅDITOR' OPTION IN MAIN MENU.

ÏKAY, NOW TAKE A LOOK AT THE IMAGE
BELOW. ÉT SHOWS YOU WHAT THE ÓOUND
ÅDITOR LOOKS LIKE. ÉF WE GO THE FIRST
TIME IN THE ÓOUND ÅDITOR THE FIRST
INSTRUMENT WILL BE CHOOSEN
AUTOMATICALLY. ×ATCH OUT AFTER ÓÎÄ: XX
PARAMETER AT THE RIGHT-UPPER CORNER.
XX SHOWS THE CURRENT SELECTED
INSTRUMENT NUMBER. ÕP TO 23
INSTRUMENTS ARE POSSIBLE (16H), WHICH
WE CAN SELECT WITH +/- KEYS. ÙOU ARE
ALSO BE ABLE TO COPY AND PASTE
INSTRUMENTS BY PUSHING: ? ÁRROW (ÃOPY
- PART OF THE SCREEN FLICKER IN GREEN)
AND @ (ÐASTE - PART OF THE SCREEN
FLICKER IN RED). ÔHE ÔÒÏ: 0X VALUE
BELOW, REPRESENTS THE TRANSPOSE OF A
PLAYING TEST NOTE (Ã-X) BY PUSHING
SPACE. ÔHE TONE TRANSPOSE CAN BE
SELECTED WITH ÓÈÉÆÔ_Ò AND +/-. ÁS YOU
CAN SEE, THE SOUND DATA ARE FULL OF
ZEROES, THEREFORE THERE IS NO SOUND.
ÐRESS SPACE TO TEST THE SOUNDS. ÙOU
CANNOT HEAR THE SOUNDS AT ALL, DUE TO
NO DATA.

ÉF YOU WANT TO CHANGE A PARAMETER, YOU
CAN SELECT IT BY USING ÃÒÓÒ KEYS ÌEFT
AND ÒIGHT. ÔO SET UP A PARAMETER,
SIMPLE PRESS A KEY (0..Æ). ÐOSSIBLE
PROPERTIES FOR AN INSTRUMENT IN THE
ÓOUND ÅDITOR ARE AS FOLLOWS
ÁÄÓÒ: 00ÅÁ

ÔÏ ÂÅ ÃÏÎÔÉÎÕÅÄ ÎÅØÔ ÍÏÎÔÈ?


======================================

ÍOSSYÃON 4 ÐERSONAL ÒEVIEW

×RITTEN BY ÌORD ÒONIN FROM Ñ-ÌINK
ÅDITED BY ÒOBERT ÂERNARDO


 "ÄA FULLOWIN IZ RITTEN DA NEXT MURN
AND WTH LIDDLE SLEEP UN NAH COFFEIEEEE
YUT."

ÓUNDAY MORN AT 3 AM. ×E ARE STILL ON
THE PHONE WITH OUR DEDICATED #8
(WEIRDWOLF) WHO THROUGH THE MEGA-GRACES
OF THE BUS SYSTEM IN THE ÐORTLAND
ÍETROPLEX MISSED THE BUS FROM THERE TO
ÁSTORIA. #8 WILL HAVE HIS RANTS ON THAT
ONE É AM CERTAIN. 'ÃAUSE É GOTS MINE
ÅÇ.

ÅXPECTED HERE AT 9 PM ÓATURDAY NIGHT.
×AS NOT A PLEASANT THING TO SEE HIS
NICKNAME SHOW UP IN THE CHAT AROUND
THAT TIME, AS WE WERE TO BURN THE ÃÄS
FOR ÍOSSYÃON AND HE WAS GOING TO SHOW
US HOW THAT WAS DONE, PLUS A FEW OTHER
COMPUTER RELATED PROBLEMS WERE TO BE
RECTIFIED WITHOUT ÌORD ÒONIN (MYSELF)
USING THE EVER-PRESENT BIG AND HEAVY
HAMMER.

ÂETWEEN 9 PM-ISH & 3 AM, USING ØCHAT
FOR ÉÒÃ SWITCHING BETWEEN SCREENS,
CREATING A MINUTE PROBLEM FOR #8'S
PHONE AND HAVING TO RECHARGE IT, WE
DID BURN THE 10 ÃÄS FOR THE ÃON.

Á LOT OF THANKS GO TO #8
(SUPERCOMMODORE-ÄESTINED!/WEIRDWOLF...)
FOR TAKING ALL THAT TIME TO WORK WITH
US ON HOW TO BURN A SMEGGING ÃÄ WITH
THIS NEW ÌINUX FLAVOUR. ÆINDING OUT
THAT THE ÃÄ/ÄÖÄ BURNER ISN'T WORKING,
AND WE HAD TO REPLACE IT WITH THE OLD
ONE FROM THE PREVIOUS SET-UP. ÔHEN,
FILES THAT WERE DOWNLOADED NOT
INSTALLING FOR THE BURN, AND É GUESS
THOSE THAT USE NON Ã=64/128S ARE
FAMILIAR WITH THIS SCENARIO A LOT MORE
THAN É.

ÕP AT 10 AM, OR EARLIER. ÃOFFEE ON THE
BOIL, CATS DEMANDING FOOD. ÓET-UP TIME
WAS TO BE 10 AM AT THE PIZZA PLACE.
ÒEMINDS ME SOME OR A FEW OF US
ATTENDEES SHOULD SEND SOME LETTER OF
THANKS IN SOME FORMAT TO THEM. ×ELL,
AT 12:10 PM, OVER AN HOUR AFTER THE
EVENT WAS TO START & 2 HOURS AFTER THE
SET-UP TIME, NO RIDE YET, & THAT WAS A
BIT WORRISOME, AFTER LAST YEAR'S
MEDICAL PROBLEM FOR ÒOBERT. ×ORRIES
STARTED TO CROSS OUR MINDS. ÎOPE,
THINGS WERE JUST RUNNING A BIT LATE. É
CALLED THE PIZZA PLACE... YEAH, ME
USING A PHONE... HEY, IT WAS A REAL,
ROTARY DIAL Ã= PHONE. ÔALKED TO ÇENE
×OODS, WHO TOLD ME ÒOBERT WAS ON HIS
WAY. ÓHORTLY AFTER THAT, ÒOBERT WAS AT
THE SHOP.

ÃOUPLE OF BAGS OF THINGS FROM US,
ALONG WITH #30 AND MYSELF, CRAMMED
INTO THE BOAT OF A CAR OF ÒOBERT'S.
×ELL, COMPARED TO THOSE ÔONKA TOYS
THAT ARE ON THE ROAD NOW, IT HAS BEEN
CALLED A BOAT, EVEN IF THE BACKSEAT
HADN'T BEEN STACKED WITH ITEMS. ×ELL,
THE INTERIOR OF THAT CAR IS MADE FOR
ÒOBERT. ÎOT 6'2" ME OR 6'7" #30. ÁND É
HATE SEATBELTS AS WELL. ÏREGON
MANDATES THE USE OF THEM. ÐOLITICAL
RHETORIC ASIDE.

ÓTOPPING AT THE BACK BOOR OF THE PIZZA
PLACE, É SHOWED ÒOBERT THE BACK WAY
THERE (REALLY, IT IS LEGALLY HIGHWAY
30) TO AVOID THE CENTRE OF TOWN
TRAFFIC. ×E OFF-LOADED OURSELVES & THE
BAGS. ÎOW É MUST ADD HERE THAT THROUGH
A MISUNDERSTANDING, WE HAD PREVIOUSLY
COLLECTED A SUPPLY OF ÁMIGA ITEMS.
ÔHESE WERE ORIGINALLY TO BE FOR
ÒOBERT. ÔHEY WERE PUT IN THE TRUNK &
BACK SEAT. ×ANT TO THANK ÒOBERT HERE
FOR BEING SO UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE
MIX-UP AND THEN SEEING THAT MANY OF THE
ITEMS WERE DUPES FOR HIS GROUP &
ALLOWING US TO KEEP THOSE ITEMS IN
ORDER THAT WE MAY START TO REBUILD THE
ÁMIGA SECTION AFTER THE SHO-VAH STOLE
THE CLUB'S STUFF.

ÔHERE WAS A LINE OF TABLES THAT HELD
MANY ITEMS THAT WERE JUST FOR THE
SHOW. ÒOBERT HAD THE ONE THAT ÊACK
ÔRAMIEL SIGNED AT THE ÃÍÈ EVENT IN
ÄÅÃ. ÒEALLY, THAT Ã=64 SHOULD HAVE BEEN
UNDER GLASS WITH AN ALARM SYSTEM. ÁN
ÁMIGA 4000 WITH SEVERAL AUTOGRAPHS AS
WELL AS A 128ÄÃÒ KEYBOARD ALSO AUTO-
GRAPHED BY SOME OF THE ENGINEERS.
Á LOVELY PRESENTATION OF A COLLAGE OF
THE LATE ÊIM ÂUTTERFIELD. ÇOING PAST
THAT TO THE RIGHT WAS A COLLECTION OF
ELECTRONIC CONTROLS THAT REMINDED ME
OF MY HOMEBREW DAYS IN ELECTRONICS,
THOUGH CLEANER AND NEATER. ÔHIS WAS
CONNECTED TO A ÓØ-64. ÁLONG IN THAT
AREA WAS A ÌT. ËERNAL SYSTEM THAT AS É
UNDERSTAND HAS A FEW ADDITIVES AND IS
WORKING. ÁT THE END OF THE LINE PAST A
ÆÄ-2000 WAS A ÖÉÃ-20, FOR WHICH #30 &
ÓTEVE ÊONES HAD TO RETURN TO THE SHOP
IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE ÐÓ THAT WENT
OUT ON IT.

ÂUT AT THE START OF THE LINE, RIGHT
NEXT TO THE BACK DOOR WAS A Ã= ÐÅÔ
2001. ÎOT WORKING AND WAS SLATED FOR
ÒAY ÃARLSEN FOR REPAIR. ÎEITHER #30 OR
MYSELF HAD EVER SEEN A REAL ÐÅÔ 2001 IN
REAL LIFE BEFORE. ÎOW É UNDERSTAND THE
REASON FOR THE TERM THAT WAS USED TO
DESCRIBE THE KEYBOARD. ÂUT HEY FOR US
LEFTIES, THE CASSETTE THING IS ON THE
LEFT SIDE OF THE KEYBOARD.

ÍET ÓTEVE ÊONES AND A MAN WHOSE NAME
ESCAPES ME, BUT É THINK IT WAS ÂILUD, &
HIS HANDLE IS ÎIGHTLORD. ×ASN'T HIS
ACCENT THAT TOSSED ME AS HIS ÅNGLISH IS
VERY GOOD. ÂUT THAT IT JUST HAD TO
HAPPEN THAT DAY. ÓINUS PROBLEMS BLINDED
MY LEFT EYE (É'M LEFT-EYED DOMINANT),
& THE EAR INFECTION RETURNED SO É WAS
DEAF IN THE RIGHT EAR. ÐLUS É AM
HORRIBLE AT REMEMBERING NAMES. ÔHERE
WAS ALSO ÇENE ×OODS, WHO HAS POPPED BY
THE SHOP FROM TIME TO TIME SEEING HOW
THINGS ARE GOING WITH US, EVEN THOUGH
IT IS A FEW HUNDRED MILES & SEVERAL
HOURS DRIVE FOR HIM. ÇOOD THAT HE COULD
COME TO THE EVENT, AS ORIGINALLY THAT
WASN'T IN THE PLANS FOR HIS SCHEDULE.
ÂAD THAT HE COULD COME TO THE EVENT,
BECAUSE HIS MAIN SCHEDULE GOT FRELLED.
ÒOBERT HAD SET UP A TAB AT THE PIZZA
PLACE FOR US. ÄIDN'T KNOW THAT AT THE
START. ÁT THE FIRST, SINCE MOST OF US
HAD NOT MET EACH OTHER AT LEAST IN
REAL LIFE, WE SORT OF JUST TALKED
ABOUT OURSELVES AND Ã= RELATED THINGS.
ÈAD SOME PIZZA AND DRINKS, MAINLY SODA
POP FOR THE GROUP. ÏF COURSE, É HAD TO
BE DIFFERENT & HAVE BEER, BUT AS THE
OLDEST ONE THERE, É CAN BE ECCENTRIC
AT TIMES (MOST OF THE TIME). ÔALKED TO
ÎIGHTLORD ABOUT ROLE-PLAYING GAMES. ÈE
HAD PLAYED SOME IN THE PAST, 2ND
ÅDITION ÁÄ&Ä, AND ÉÉÒÃ HE HAD DONE
THAT IN COLLEGE WITH FRIENDS IN HIS
NATIVE ÔURKEY. É THINK THAT É WENT
OVERBOARD ON THE DESIRES WE HAVE TO
CREATE Ã= ÒÐÇ GAMES AND TOOLS ON THE
Ã= FOR ÒÐÇ GAMES, BUT HE DID SEEM
INTERESTED IN THE IDEA.

×ILDSTAR ARRIVED, HAVING TO WALK OVER
THE HILL, AND IT IS A MEAN HILL; É
CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE. ÐLUS IT WAS A
NICE COOL DAY WITH DRIZZLE. ÏË, PEOPLE
FROM ÓOUTHERN ÃALIFORNIA MAY CALL IT A
RAIN, BUT THOSE OF US IN THE ÎORTHWEST
WOULD CALL IT A LIGHT DRIZZLE.

ÄID HAVE THE ENJOYMENT OF A COUPLE OF
DEER GOING PAST THE WINDOWS, AS THEY
CAME UP FROM THE BAY AND BACK INTO THE
WOODS ON THE HILL. ÎICE TOUCH FOR THE
DAY. ÅVENTUALLY, WE HAD TO SETTLE DOWN
SOME TIME AROUND 2-ISH. ÎIGHTLORD (HOPE
É HAVE HIS HANDLE CORRECT) DID THE
FIRST PRESENTATION. ÎOW É COULDN'T HEAR
WELL SO SOME OTHERS SHOULD GO INTO THIS
ONE. ÁLSO THE TECH LEVEL WAS NOT THE
SAME AS MINE. ÉN ESSENCE, HE CREATED
SOME DEMOS IN THE SCENE WHICH HE HAD
SHOWN EARLIER ON A NON Ã=LAPTOP WITH
THE EMULATOR. ÌOOKED VERY GOOD & THE
SPEED WAS SMOOTH. ÁT THAT TIME HE WAS
EXPLAINING MANY POINTS OF HOW IT WAS
DONE. É CAUGHT THE PART OF USING THE
ÃÐÕ & MEM IN THE 1541 AT THE SAME TIME
THINGS ARE BEING DONE IN THE 64.

ÂUT THAT WASN'T HIS MAIN PRESENTATION.
ÔHIS WAS HIS COMPILER THINGGY; É CAN'T
DO THE NAME JUSTICE. ÓO BASICALLY, É
CAN SAY THAT HE HAS CREATED A Ã= Ã++
COMPILER. ÄOES ONLY WORK IN EMULATION
FOR CREATION. ÂUT AS É UNDERSTAND, THE
WORK CAN BE PLACED ON STOCK 1541 DISKS.
ÈE KNOWS HIS TECH & WAS PRESENTING IT
WELL TO THOSE OTHER HARDWARE PEOPLE WHO
ASKED SOME POIGNANT QUESTIONS. ÍOSSYÃON
WAS HONOURED WITH THE DISPLAY OF A
ÔETRIS CLONE THAT RUNS AT A GOOD SPEED.
ÃREATED WITH THIS NEW COMPILER FOR US.
ÓADLY, HE COULD NOT RELEASE IT YET.
ÓTILL WORKING ON THE DOCUMENTATION
FIRST. ÈE WISHES THAT TO BE DONE
BEFORE THE ITEM IS RELEASED.

ÎEXT UP WAS THE FAT, OLD, HIPPY FREAK.
ÍY PRESENTATION WAS ON THE USE OF ÇEOS,
SUCH AS ÇEO×RITE, ÇEOÐAINT, ÇEOÐUB,
ÐOSTÐRINT & ÇEOÄOS. ÉN THE CREATION OF
THE ITEMS THAT É WAS ABLE TO CONVERT
INTO .PDF FILES & BURN ONTO THE ÃÄ.
ÏNLY THE BURNING & CONVERTING WAS DONE
ON THE ÌINUX SYSTEM. ÔHE REST, EVEN THE
ZIPPED .Ä64S, WERE DONE ON THE Ã= WITH
THE ÓÃÐÕ. ÐASSED OUT MOST OF THE ÃÄS WE
HAD MADE. ÆEW GAMES AND A LOT OF THE
WRITINGS THAT É HAVE DONE FOR THE
GROUP. ÓHOWED OFF ACTUAL RAW 96-PAGE
COPY OF A 1ST ED ÁÄ&Ä ADVENTURE
COMPLETELY CREATED & PRINTED ON THE Ã=.

ÓÍÊ (ÓTEVE) WAS UP NEXT. ÈE DESCRIBED
HIS ÐROPHET 64 THING. ÎOW É COULD
FOLLOW SOME OF THIS, BECAUSE É DO HAVE
AN ANCIENT BACKGROUND IN ELECTRONICS
& ONCE COULD PLAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
ÂUT THERE WAS THAT HEARING PROBLEM, &
MOST OF HIS PRESENTATION HAD A CRYING
BABY & AN IRATE CHILD SCREAMING IN THE
OTHER PART OF THE PIZZA JOINT. ×HAT É
COULD SEE, & THE SCREEN WAS ON A ÓØ-64,
WAS A BIT SMALL FOR MY EYES. ×ELL, THE
SCREEN SHOWED A LOT OF ITEMS THAT WERE
TO ME IMPRESSIVE. ÂUT THE SOUNDS THAT
HE WAS ABLE TO CREATE WITH HIS HOME-
BREW BOX & SOME OTHER MODDED ELECTRONIC
EQUIPMENT, WELL, É HAVE NEVER HEARD ÓÉÄ
SOUND SO CLEAN... AS IF IT WAS ONE OF
THOSE MEGABUCK SYNTHESIZERS. ÔRUE, HE
HAD MODDED THE ÓØ TO BE A STEREO WITH 2
ÓÉÄ CHIPS. ÓTARTED OFF HIS PRESENTATION
WITH HIS LAPTOP, WHERE HE HAD
DOCUMENTED IN PIX THE DIFFERENT STEPS
& ALTERATIONS OF THE ÓØ-64. É COULD
FOLLOW THAT PART. ÂUT EVEN DEAF IN ONE
EAR, THAT SOUND WAS FANTASTIC.

ÒOBERT FOLLOWED BY SHOWING DIFFERENT
UNITS HE HAD BROUGHT. ÓTARTING WITH THE
ÐÅÔ & GOING THROUGH THE DIFFERENT
AUTOGRAPHED Ã= ITEMS. ÎOW IF É HAD MY
OWN TRANSPORT & COULD RUN FAST ENOUGH,
HE WOULD HAVE HAD LESS TO TAKE BACK
WITH HIM ÖÂÇ.

É LEFT OUT THAT THERE WAS A FRAMED SET
OF STAMPS. ÒOBERT HAD SENT A PIC OF
ÊERI TO A PLACE THAT PLACES THE IMAGE
ON A REAL, USABLE, 41-CENT ÕÓÐÓ STAMP.
ÔHIS ONE IS FRAMED FOR DISPLAY. ÈE
DONATED ONE SHEET FOR THE RAFFLE, AND
É UNDERSTAND ANOTHER WILL BE FOR
ANOTHER CON/EXPO RAFFLE.

ÂUT FOR THE ACTUAL HANDS-ON WORK, WE
HAD TO BORROW MY ÓÃÐÕ IN ORDER TO SEE
THE ÍETAL ÄUST GAME. ÔHIS WAS PLACED
ON ÒOBERT'S ÓØ-64, THE ONE THAT É
WOULD LIKE TO LIBERATE FOR THE ÁÃÕÇ. É
MEAN IT DOES HAVE IN THE SECOND DRIVE
BAY A ÆÄ-4000. ÂUT É AM ADDICTED TO
Ã=. ÂY USING A CORD, THIS WAS ABLE TO
BE CONNECTED TO THE 1702 MONITOR AT
THE ÖÉÃ-20. ÎOT SURE ABOUT THE ENTIRE
GAME. ÁROUND THREE 1581 DISKS IN A
NICE BOX. ÒOBERT DID STATE THAT IT HAS
A TENDENCY TO TRY TO SAVE THE HIGH
SCORE, BUT WHEN IT DOES THAT, IT SMEGS
UP A FILE ON THE DISK, AND THE GAME IS
DEAD. ×HAT É SAW WITH A COUPLE OF
VOLUNTEERS WAS A MULTI-COLOURFUL,
FAST, SIDEWAYS SCROLLER. ÓPACESHIP
SHOOTING AT THE ASTEROIDS & PLANETOIDS
THAT RACE FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE
SCREEN. ÍY WORKING EYE HAD TROUBLE WITH
THE BACKGROUND AND THE FOREGROUND.
ÔHERE IS JUST SO MUCH ON THE SCREEN, AT
LEAST SEEN ABOUT 7' AWAY, THAT É
COULDN'T TELL WHAT WAS WHAT. ÂUT É'LL
ACCEPT THAT THE EYE PROBLEM WAS TO
BLAME.

ÁNOTHER HANDS-ON DISPLAY WAS A SET OF
FINGER JOYSTICKS IN A BOX. ÔHIS IS AN
ACTUAL Ã= GAME, FROM ABOUT 1984 ÉÉÒÃ
WHAT WAS ON THE PAPERWORK. ÄOES USE A
DISK, AND ONE CANNOT USE REGULAR
JOYSTICKS. É WAS STRUCK AT THE SIGHT
ON THE TABLE OF HOW THE BOX AND
JOYSTICKS REMINDED ME OF A ÒÃ PLANE
SET-UP. ÇOOD THING É DID, AS THAT IS
WHAT THIS GAME IS ABOUT. ÙOU ARE
FLYING A ÒÃ MODEL PLANE. ×ELL, THE
TESTERS DID GIVE IT A TRY. ÈIGH MARKS
FOR INNOVATIVE CRASHING ALL AROUND.ÌÏÌ

ÌAST IN THAT DEMO PRESENTATION WAS THE
ÖÉÃ-20. ÔHERE WAS ONE CART THAT HAD
ÉÉÒÃ 38KB OR ÒÁÍ, BUT A SWITCH OUT OF
THE THREE BROKE OFF, CANCELLING THAT
ONE. ÂUT WE DID SEE AND PLAY WITH THE
100+ GAMES IN ONE CART FOR THE ÖÉÃ-20.
ÁH, NO ONE GOT EVEN CLOSE TO FINISHING
THE FIRST LEVEL OF ÄONKEY ËONG, AND
PLAYING ÃONGO ÂONGO WITH THE KEYBOARD
WAS A BIT HARD, THOUGH THERE IS A
JOYSTICK OPTIONS.

ÏNE LAST THING, AND IT IS OUT OF PLACE
IN THE DEMO PART. ÒOBERT SHOWED OFF
THE NEW ÍÍÃ2ÉÅÃ ÉÉÒÃ IT IS CALLED. ÈE
HAD BOTH SETS, BUT LOST HIS ÐÓ UNIT
FOR THE DISPLAY. É WAS IMPRESSED AT
NOT ONLY THE FACT THAT HERE IS ANOTHER
NEW PIECE OF Ã= RELATED ÈARDWARE, BUT
LOOKING AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A
MICRONISED ÄREAMÃAST MEMORY CART AND
FINDING IT WAS AT LEAST A GIG IN SIZE.
ÔHEN LEARNING THAT ONE CAN PLACE 1541S
ONTO IT AND USE IT LIKE A 1541 DRIVE.
É THINK THAT É WILL LEARN MORE AND
SAVE UP.

×ELL, A LOT MORE HAPPENED, BUT THIS IS
VERY LONG. ×E LEFT THE PLACE AROUND 8
PM. ÌATER, ÒOBERT & ÓÍÊ ARRIVED AT THE
COMMUNE, WHERE, YES THEY DID SEE AND
ÒOBERT HAD SOME OF THE ËITTYBOX CAKE.
ÍORE PIX WERE TAKEN. ÔALKED ON GAMES &
THE LIKE. ×ENT TO THE SHOP, THE ÁÃÕÇ
ÇÈÑ. ÓPENT TIME THERE TALKING ABOUT Ã=
THINGS & LOOKING AT THE ITEMS IN THE
SHOP. ÅVENTUALLY, AT SOME POINT PAST
2 ÁÍ, THE GUYS HEADED BACK TO THE
MOTEL. É CRASHED, & FOR SOME INANE
REASON, WAS UP EARLY IN THE MORNING.
ÏH, YEAH, É AM UP. AS ÒOBERT WAS
BRINGING SOME ÁMIGA THINGS FOR US.
ÇREAT TIME, MET NEW Ã= FRIENDS ÉÒÌ, &
HOPE WE WILL BE DOING THIS NEXT YEAR.

ÂÃÎÕ
ÌORD ÒONIN FROM Ñ-ÌINK

ÃÏÍÍÏÄÏÒÅ ÆÒÅÅ
ÍESSYÃON WAS RECORDED BY ÒOBERT & IS
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON 2 ÄÖÄ-Ò IN
ÎÔÓÃ FORMAT, ÔHE PICTURES IN THIS
REVIEW WERE EXTRACTED FROM THE VIDEO,
YOU CAN CONTACT ÒOBERT AT:
 HTTP://VIDEOCAM.NET.AU/FCUG/
   ÆRESNO ÃOMMODORE ÕSERS ÇROUP

=====================================


ÉN THE ÂEGINNING
ÂY ÌORD ÒONIN FROM Ñ-ÌINK

 ÈAD SOME FUN WITH THE KEYS, AND
PLAYED SOME WITH THE COLOURS. Á GOOD
PART OF THAT IS FROM THE MANUAL. ÊUST
PRESENTED A BIT DIFFERENTLY <WEIRDLY>
THAN THE MANUAL. ÍOST ÂÁÓÉÃ BOOKS THAT
É HAVE SEEN DO ABOUT THE SAME INCOME
FORM. ÎOW LETS GO INTO SOME OF THE
FEATURES FROM THE MANUAL.

 ÔHIS FIRST STUFF IS GOING TO SOUND &
SEEM LAME. ÁT LEAST TO TODAY'S READERS.
ÒEMEMBER THE TIME THAT THIS WAS WRITTEN
& FOR THE PEOPLE AT THAT TIME. ×E ARE
GOING TO START WITH ONE OF THE MOST
COMMONLY USED TERMS IN ÂÁÓÉÃ, ÐÒÉÎÔ.
ÃORRECT THAT IS THE TERM AND FOR THIS
MOMENT IN TIME. ÃONSIDER THAT IS
EXACTLY WHAT IT DOES. ÁS É UNDERSTAND
IT IS A BIT OF A HANG OVER FROM THE
EARLY DAYS OF ÂÁÓÉÃ BACK IN THE 60S.
×HERE WHEN YOU SAID ÐÒÉÎÔ. ÔHAT IS WHAT
HAPPENED. ÔHE STUFF PRINTED ON PAPER.

ÍAY SOUND WEIRD TO YOU. ÂUT THERE
WASN'T REALLY ANYTHING THAT LOOKED LIKE
A MONITOR IN THOSE DAYS. ×ELL WHAT WE
TODAY WOULD CONSIDER A MONITOR. ÍY
CLASS IN THE COMPUTER LANGUAGE ÆÏÒÔÒÁÎ
IN 1974CE, IN COLLEGE. ×ELL IT WAS DONE
ON PUNCH CARDS THAT WAS FED INTO SOME
MONSTER OF A HOPPER. ÂIG REELS OF
MAGNETIC TAPE SPUN & A GIGANTIC PRINTER
WOULD PRINT OUT THE RESULT ON FAN FOLD
PAPER. ÏH YEAH AND THE ROOM THAT ALL
OF THIS WAS IN, WELL IT WAS AS STERILE
CLEAN AS POSSIBLE. ÂEING A SLOB, IT
REALLY IRKED ME TO BE IN THAT ROOM.
ÆUNNY THING IS THAT THERE IS MORE POWER
IN THE 64 THAN IN THAT MACHINE & THE 64
IS FASTER. ÏË IT IS ONE HELL OF A LOT
FRIENDLIER & FUN TO USE.

 ×HAT É WANT YOU TO DO NOW IS DO A
LITTLE SCREEN TYPING IN THE START OF
PROGRAMMING. ÄON'T FREAK OUT. É'M
TELLING YOU IN ADVANCE THAT THIS IS A
SORT OF PROGRAMMING. ÂOOK DOESN'T DO
THAT, IT SNEAKS IT UPON YOU. ÏH RIGHT
É FORGOT TO SAY EARLIER. ×HY YES, YOU
CAN PROGRAMME, CODE, OR JUST PLAIN
WRITE YOUR OWN PROGRAMMES FOR WHATEVER
YOU WANT ON THE Ã=64. ÂOOKS AND
MAGAZINES THAT CAME OUT WHERE FULL OF
THESE, AND IT IS HOW MANY PEOPLE
LEARNED TO PROGRAMME. ×HO TODAY ARE IN
COMPUTER FIELDS ON OTHER PLATFORMS.
ÇOOD NEWS FOR YOU IS THAT É AM NOT AT
THAT OR EVEN NEAR ANY ASPECT OF THAT
LEVEL OF PROGRAMMING. É AM JUST A USER
AND LAMER PROGRAMMER.

 ÏË HERE IS WHAT TO DO. ÔYPE ON THE
SCREEN AS FOLLOWS.

ÐÒÉÎÔ"ÓÍÅÇ ÈÅÁÄ" ×ELL YOU CAN TYPE
ANYTHING YOU WANT. ÊUST MAKE SURE YOU
HAVE THE WORD ÐÒÉÎÔ AND WHAT YOU WANT
IN THE QUOTATIONS. ÎOW PRESS ÒÅÔÕÒÎ.
ÕSING MY EXAMPLE YOU SHOULD SEE ON THE
SCREEN.

ÐÒÉÎÔ"ÓÍÅÇ ÈÅÁÄ"ÓÍÅÇ ÈÅÁÄ

ÒÅÁÄÙ<CURSOR SITTING HERE>


ÉF YOU SEE THE SCARY WORDS OF ?ÓÙÎÔÁØ
ÅÒÒÏÒ. ÃHECK TO SEE IF YOU HAVE THE
QUOTES CORRECTLY. ÁLSO SEE IF THERE IS
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT LINE. ÌIKE OTHER
TEXT OR GRAPHICS.

 ÃOMPUTERS DEAL WITH MATH. ÁT LEAST WE
DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT MESS OF
BINARY AND OTHER FORMS OF MATH. ÂUT
NOW YOU GET TO TURN THE Ã=INTO A BIG
CALCULATOR. É'LL TELL OUT HIS POINT,
THAT É HAD A ÌÅÄ DIGITAL WATCH THAT
DID MOST OF THE SAME MATH FUNCTIONS.
ÂUT THIS POINT WILL SHOW YOU THE MATH
PART THAT YOU CAN USE, STRAIGHT OR IN
PROGRAMMING. ÔYPE THE FOLLOWING.

ÐÒÉÎÔ 15+15 <PRESS RETURN>

 ÙOU SHOULD SEE A 30 RIGHT UNDER THE
ÐÒ IN THE WORD PRINT. ÁT THIS POINT
YOU CAN TRY MORE NUMBERS. ÂIG ONES,
LITTLE ONE AND SEVERAL OF THEM AT
ONCE, RATHER THAN JUST TWO. ÊUST PRESS
RETURN AT THE END OF THE LIST OF
NUMBERS. ÁS YOU CAN GUESS BY NOW YOU
CAN ALSO DO SUBTRACTION. ÓAME AS ABOVE
BUT WITH THE - SYMBOL. ÙEAH YOU CAN DO
MULTIPLICATION. ÔHIS USES THE *
SYMBOL. ÄIVISION USES THE/ SYMBOL.
ÅXAMPLES FOLLOW <Ç>

ÐÒÉÎÔ 15+15+35+16.89+.11

ÐÒÉÎÔ 300-150

ÐÒÉÎÔ 25*4

ÐÒÉÎÔ 10/5

 ÂASIC 4 PARTS OF MATH. ÂUT THE
CRIPPLED HANDED OLD MAN IS ALSO LAZY.
ÍEANING THAT TYPING ÐÒÉÎÔ EACH TIME IS
A BORE. ÇOOD NEWS, THERE IS A SHORT
CUT. ÊUST TYPE ?.

?15+15

IS THE SAME AS

ÐÒÉÎÔ15+15

 ÎOW A WORD ON WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN.
ÍOST PROGRAMMERS DO IT THE WAY THAT É
HAVE PLACED ABOVE. ÂOOK SHOWS IT AS
FOLLOWS ÐÒÉÎÔ 15 + 15. ÅACH OF THOSE
SPACES DO TAKE UP MEMORY SPACE IN THE
COMPUTER. ÙOU CAN TYPE ABOUT 80
CHARACTERS IN A PROGRAMME LINE. ÎO
SPACES KEEP IT SO YOU CAN HAVE MORE
CHARACTERS IN THE PROGRAMMING LINE.
ÔHIS WILL MAKE MORE SENSE LATER ON.

 Á THING THAT YOU MAY NOT EVER NEED IN
YOUR ENTIRE USE WITH THE Ã=, COMES
NEXT. ÅØÐÏÎÅÎÔÉÁÔÉÏÎ, THIS IS THE
ABILITY TO RAISE A NUMBER BY A POWER.
ÏK MORE SIMPLY STATED, YOU CAN SQUARE
OR CUBE A NUMBER. ÔRY THIS ONE...
?22 <TWO TO THE SECOND POWER OR TWO
SQUARED> ÐRESS RETURN. ÎOW GO AHEAD
AND TRY OTHER NUMBER LIKE ?2734. ÏË
THAT IS A BIT OF FUN, AND É HAVE NOT
EVER REALLY NEEDED IT IN MY WORK. ÂUT
IT IS A FEATURE OF THE Ã=64.

 ÈOWEVER THE NEXT PART É HAVE USED A
LOT. ÓINCE É HAVE THAT USELESS DEGREE
IN ELECTRONICS. ÔHIS IS ÓCIENTIFIC
ÎOTATION. ÏN THE Ã= IT IS READ THIS
WAY, 1.76Å+9. ÂASICALLY THIS MEANS
THAT THERE IS A TOTAL OF 9 PLACES TO
THE RIGHT OF THE DECIMAL POINT. Á WAY
OF WRITING VERY LARGE NUMBERS IN A
SMALL SPACE. 1.76Å-9 WOULD BE, RIGHT
NEGATIVE NUMBERS. ÙOU MAY OR MAY NOT
NEED THIS FOR YOUR WORK. ÁLL THE MATH
OPERATIONS WILL WORK WITH THIS FORM.

 ÍANUAL DOES GO INTO THE IDEA OF
PRECEDENCE. ÏR THE ORDER IN WHICH MATH
FUNCTIONS? ARE DONE IN FORMULAS. É?LL
TAKE IT THAT YOU READ THIS SORT OF
STUFF BEFORE, OR CAN ACCESS IT IN SOME
WAY. ÓO WE CAN BYPASS IT FOR NOW.ÈERE
IS SOMETHING FROM THE BOOK THAT IS
INTERESTING. ÃOMBINING SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE HAVE COVERED. ÔYPE IN

?"5+5 = ";5+5PRESS RETURN AND YOU
SHOULD SEE...

 5+5 = 10

 ÁND NOW LETS STOP FOR A BIT. ÔAKE A
LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE NOW AT IN THE
Ã=64. ÂECAUSE AT THIS POINT WE ARE AT
THE DIVERGENCE.

 ÆANCY WORDS TO MEAN THAT WE ARE GOING
TO MOVE IN MORE THAN ONE DIRECTION IN
THIS SERIES. ÂECAUSE THE BOOK GOES ONE
WAY AND YOU MAY NOT WANT TO GO THAT
WAY. ÔO MAKE MYSELF CLEARER, THE BOOK
GOES INTO THE RANK BEGINNINGS OF
PROGRAMMING. ÇREAT FOR THOSE OF YOU
THAT WANT TO LEARN SOME LEVEL OF ÂASIC
V2 PROGRAMMING. ÈOWEVER, NOT EVERYONE
IS INTERESTED IN LEARNING TO
PROGRAMME. ÓOME PEOPLE LIKE A LITTLE
UNDERSTANDING OF PROGRAMMING.

ÐERHAPS TO APPRECIATE THE WORK DONE TO
CREATE THE PROGRAMME. ÏTHERS, SURE
WANT TO LEARN EVERYTHING ABOUT
PROGRAMMING AND START RIGHT OFF. ÂUT
THERE IS A LARGE GROUP EVEN TODAY THAT
JUST WANT TO PLAY WITH THE Ã=64. ÕSING
"CANNED? PROGRAMMES FOR THEIR
INTERESTS. ÆOR THOSE READERS, É AM
STOPPING THE BOOKWORK AND GOING INTO A
BIT OF DRIVEL ABOUT THE Ã=64
PROGRAMMES. ÔHEN É SHALL RETURN TO THE
MANUAL LITTLE PROGRAMMING ITEMS.

 ×HAT DO YOU WANT FROM THE Ã=64? ÂY
THAT É MEAN WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO
WITH IT? ÏH, BALANCE THE CHEQUE BOOK,
KEEP A JOURNAL OF IMPORTANT THINGS,
PRINT OUT A CALENDAR, LEARN ALGEBRA,
TEACH THE LITTLE ONES SHAPES AND
COLOURS AND, WELL THAT GOES ON AND ON.
ÎATURALLY YOU WANT TO PLAY SOME SORT
OF GAME AS WELL. ÆUNNY É HAVE MET ONLY
FEW PEOPLE THAT ADMIT THEY HAVE A
COMPUTER TO USE FOR DIFFERENT THINGS,
INCLUDING GAME PLAY.

 ÇAMES ARE ONE OF THE MOST NUMEROUS
PROGRAMMES FOR THE Ã=64. ÆACTORY ,TYPE
IN, HOMEBREW AND THE LIKE. ÔHESE RANGE
FROM SIMPLE LITTLE GUESS THE NUMBER
GAME <WE WILL DO THAT ONE FROM THE
MANUAL> INTO 15+ DISK SIDE ADVENTURES,
WITH GRAPHICS AND SOUND. ÎOW É AM NOT
GOING TO SAY WHAT ARE THE BEST GAMES.
ÍY OPINION IS MINE AND WILL MOST
LIKELY NOT REFLECT OUR INTERESTS
EXACTLY. É LIKE ÒOLE ÐLAYING ÇAMES.
ÓEMI-ENJOY STRATEGY GAMES, GET BORED
WITH CARD GAMES, AND LOATH TEXT
ADVENTURES. ÙET É KNOW PEOPLE THAT
HAVE THE REVERSE FEELINGS.

 ×HAT É INTEND TO PRESENT HERE IS SOME
COMMENTS ABOUT THE GAMES FOR THE Ã=64.
ÂECAUSE FROM MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE
YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE WRONG IDEAS ABOUT
THE Ã=64 GAMES. ÓO LETS JUMP IN AND
GET TO IT.

 ÍOST OF THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF GAMES
THAT YOU ENJOY ON CONSOLES AND
COMPUTERS. WELL THEY WERE DEVISED,
DEVELOPED AND LABELLED ON THE
Ã=64.ÍANY OF THEM WERE ALSO PORTED
OVER TO OTHER PLATFORMS. ÅXAMPLES
WOULD BE ÐOOL OF ÒADIANCE AND
×ASTELAND. ÔHE LATTER WAS MADE FOR THE
ÉÂÍ SYSTEM AND IS ON A ÃÄ OF GAMES FOR
IT TODAY. ÔHERE IS A YAHOO GROUP LIST
FOR IT THAT DEALS WITH THE DIFFERENT
PLATFORMS FOR THAT GAME. ÏN THE 64 IT
IS JUST ONE DOUBLE SIDED DISK OF PLAY.
ÄON'T THINK THAT YOU WILL FINISH IT IN
A DAY. ÔRY WEEKS OF PLAYTIME. ÔHERE IS
JUST SO MUCH TO TRYOUT IN THAT GAME.
ÐOOL, WAS PORTED TO THE ÁMIGA ÐÃ
PLATFORM. ÈEARD OF BUT NOT SEEN COPIES
FOR THE ÉÂÍ SYSTEM. ÔHAT IS THE GAME
THAT TOOK ME THREE WEEKS OF 6 HOURS A
DAY, 6 DAYS A WEEK TO COMPLETE.

 ÓID ÍEIR'S ÐIRATES, ALSO JUST CALLED
ÐIRATES, IS ANOTHER ONE THAT COMES TO
MIND. ÃOMMODORE TO A GAME CONSOLE TO
AS É UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY AN NEWER GAME
CONSOLE BUT A NON Ã= COMPUTER
PLATFORM. ÏR AT LEAST THAT IS THE
IMPRESSION É GAINED FROM A FRIENDS
COMPUTER GAME MAGAZINE.

 ÊAPANESE GAME OF ÇO IS OUT THERE FOR
THE Ã=. ÁS ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF CHESS
GAMES. ÏNE OF THOSE EVEN ALLOWS FOR
DIFFERENT BOARDS <É LIKE THE 3Ä
ONE>AND SET UP PLACEMENT. ÎOT A BIG
ÃHESS PLAYER, ÏË, A LAMER LEVEL CHESS
PLAYER. É THINK THAT THE PART ABOUT
SETTING PIECES IS LIKE FOR THOSE CHESS
BOOKS, AND MOVES THAT ARE IN THE
NEWSPAPERS OF MY YOUTH.

 ÃARD GAMES EXPLODE WITH THE Ã=64.ÏNE
OF THE FIRST THINGS É DID FROM A TYPE
IN BOOK WAS A SIMPLE CARD GAME. ÎO
GRAPHIC, ONLY TEXT. Á 21,BLACKJACK
GAME. ÁLL THE WAY INTO SPECIFIC
GRAPHICS CREATED IMAGES ON THE FACE
CARDS. ÉN BETWEEN ARE THE SIMPLE ONES
JUST USING THE Ã= GRAPHICS OFF OF THE
KEYBOARD FOR THE CARDS. ÃAN'T TELL YOU
THE GAMES. ÔHERE ARE SO MANY, É MEAN A
COUPLE PEOPLE USED TO MAKE A FEW CARD
GAMES EACH MONTH FOR THE DISK MAGAZINE
LOADSTAR <BACK ISSUES ARE AVAILABLE
FROM LOADSTAR>AND THIS WAS DONE FOR
SEVERAL YEARS. ÂESIDES É AM A DUM ORK
AND DON'T KNOW THAT MANY CARD GAMES BY
NAME AND OR RULES.

 ÂOARD GAMES, BESIDES THE ABOVE CHESS
AND GO ARE OUT THERE, OR EVEN IN YOUR
COLLECTION. ÍONOPOLY, OFFICIAL ÐARKER
ÂROTHERS ONE, AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT
EXACTLY OFFICIAL. É LIKE THE ONE THAT
IS ÌONDON AND THE MONEY IS IN ÂRITÃIT
POUNDS. ÃLUE IS ANOTHER GAME. ÈAVE TO
ADMIT THAT THE GAME, ON THE DISK, AND
É MEAN THE OFFICIAL GAME. ×ELL IT IS A
BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE BOARD GAME É
PLAYED IN THE 60S. ÍORE ROOMS AND
CHARACTERS AS É REMEMBER. ÏF COURSE
THERE IS AN ALMOST INFINITE LIST OF
THESE GAMES. ÓOME THAT ARE COMPUTER
BOARD GAMES. É DIDN'T KNOW THEY WHERE
BOARD GAMES WHEN É FIRST FOUND THEM.

 ÓORT OF BOARD BUT NOT EXACTLY ARE A
SET OF THE ×AR GAMES. ÈARD TO EXPLAIN
THESE TO THE NON PLAYER AND NEWBIE Ã=
USER. ÍANY ARE SIMULATIONS FROM
ÖICTORY AND OR ÁVALON HILL. ÎOTHING
FANCY IN THE GRAPHICS. ÍOSTLY A GRID
LOOKING THING AND YOU COMMAND THE
FORCES. ÇOTTA TELL YOU THAT É
PERSONALLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS
STYLE. ×HEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE DOX, OR
INSTRUCTION. Á PROBLEM THAT É HAVE ON
MOST OF THE COPIES É HAVE FOUND.
ÁNYWAY SHOULD SAY THAT THERE ARE
ONLINE PRESERVATION SITES OF THE
MANUALS AND DOX FOR MANY OF THE
Ã=PROGRAMMES. ÔHEMES FOR THIS ARE JUST
ABOUT ANY MAJOR BATTLE OF CAMPAIGN IN
HISTORY.

 ÂUT THERE IS ANOTHER STYLE OF THIS
WAR GAME THEME. ÐERHAPS NOT AS
HISTORICALLY ACCURATE. ÆOR MY TASTES
,A BIT MORE FUN. ÎOT TO SAY THAT THEY
ARE ANY EASIER. ÔHIS STYLE MAY HAVE A
PROPER NAME, BUT É NEVER LEARNED IT,
SO THEY ARE SORT OF ACTION SIMULATIONS
FOR A LACK OF THE PROPER WORD. ÉN THIS
TYPE YOU ARE A MORE INTEGRATED PART OF
THE WAR GAME. ÄAM ÂUSTERS IS A GREAT
ONE FOR THIS. ÄOING AN ACTUAL ×× ÉÉ
MISSION FROM THE ÂRITISH. ÙOU ARE
FLYING A SPECIAL ÂOMBER. DODGING ENEMY
& YEAH THERE ARE ALSO DIFFERENT VIEWS
THAT YOU CAN SELECT. ÒIGHT IT IS ALL IN
GRAPHICS. SOME SOUND EFFECTS AS WELL.
ÁND NO IT ISN'T EASY. É'VE NEVER
FINISHED IT, WELL IF IT WAS THE ÇERMAN
SIDE É WON. <ÂÇ>

 ÔHERE IS EVEN A GAME WHERE YOU AN
EXPLORE THE ÔITANIC ON THE FLOOR OF
THE SEA. ÐICTURES ARE FROM THE EARLY
REMOTES THAT ÂALLARD DID ON THE WRECK.
Á GAME WHERE YOU CAN RUN A SUBMARINE.
ÔHE BOOK OR IT SAYS YOU CAN BE ALLIED
OR ÇERMAN NAVY. ÂUT MY USED COPY IS
CORRUPTED AND NEVER GOT TO PLAY IT,
NEED TO FIND ARE PLACEMENT COPY IN
SOME FORM.

 ÔEXT ADVENTURES DESERVE TO BE
MENTIONED BY THEMSELVES. ÆIRST É MUST
SAY THAT THERE ARE TWO MAJOR TYPES.
ÏNE IS JUST PLAIN TEXT, THE OTHER IS
ONE THAT HAS TEXT AND SOME GRAPHICS.
ÔHE LATTER PART BEING ILLUSTRATED
PICTURES ON THE SCREEN.

 ÔHIS TYPE OF GAME HAS ITS POINTS AND
FANS. ÁLSO ITS DRAWBACKS AND
DETRACTORS. ÔHERE ARE STATEMENTS THAT
THIS FORM OF GAME WAS THE FIRST STYLE
FOR COMPUTERS AND GOES BACK TO THE
60S. É'VE READ THE STORIES ABOUT THAT
IN DIFFERENT BOOKS AND ONLINE. ÔODAY
YOU MAY NOT HAVE A CLUE TO WHAT THE
GAME LOOKS LIKE OR HOW IT FUNCTIONS.
ÓO É'LL EXPLAIN AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
ÆIRST OFF É DISLIKE THESE GAMES WITH A
PINK AND PURPLE PASSION. ÇOOD GOT THAT
OUT OF MY SYSTEM. ÌETS MOVE TO THE
POSITIVE POINTS. ÔHIS FORM OF GAME WAS
EXCEPTIONALLY POPULAR FOR THE 8 BIT
REALM OF EXISTENCE. ÔRUE TEXT
ADVENTURES ARE JUST THAT, THEY ARE
NOTHING BUT TEXT. ÁLL THE SOUNDS AND
PICTURES MUST COME FROM YOUR MIND. 

ÏË É'LL ADD THAT FROM SOME COMPANIES,
SPECIFICALLY ONE CALLED ÉNFOCOM, WOULD
ADD A MESS OF PROPS TO THE GAME BOX. É
DO HAVE SOME OF THESE IN MY
COLLECTION. ÉN SIMPLE TERMS YOU ENTER
THE GAME WORLD. ÒEAD THE STORY LINE,
THEN MAKE CERTAIN CHOICES AT EACH TEXT
ENTRY. ÔHINGS LIKE PICKING UP
SOMETHING, GOING IN A DIRECTION, USING
AN ITEM. ÏH YEAH AND LOOKING/EXAMINING
THINGS IN THE AREA THAT YOU ARE
LOCATED.

 ÁN IMPORTANT THING TO DO IN THIS GAME
STYLE IS TO MAKE A BLOCK MAP OF YOUR
TRAVELS. ÏTHER WISE YOU WILL BE LOST
AND GO IN CIRCLES IN THE GAME.
ÃREATING A GIGANTIC SENSE OF
FRUSTRATION ALONG WITH THE FEELING
THAT THE PROGRAMMER INTENTIONALLY DID
THIS TO YOU. <WHAT HE DIDN'T?>

 ÉT HAS BEEN SAID THAT A PICTURE IS
WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. ÉN PROGRAMMING
IT IS WORTH A LOT MORE IN MEMORY
SPACE. ÔHAT É GUESS IS THE REASON WHY
TEXT ADVENTURES WHERE VERY POPULAR.
ÉNSTEAD OF HAVING A MESS OF IMAGES AND
SOUNDS. Á HUGE GAME WORLD WITH TWISTS
AND COMPLEXITIES COULD BE CREATED.
ÌETTING YOU PAINT THE PICTURE IN YOUR
OWN MIND. ÓORT OF LIKE AN INTERACTIVE
BOOK É WAS TOLD. ÖARIATIONS ON THIS
WOULD HAVE PERHAPS AN IMAGE AND A
SOUND EFFECT AT A SPECIFIC PLACE IN
THE STORY. É HAVE SEEN A COUPLE THAT
USE WHAT APPEAR TO BE Ã= COLOURED
DIGITAL IMAGES. Á FEW SECONDS OF SOUND
TO SET THE MOOD, AND THEN BACK TO THE
TEXT PART OF THE GAME. ÁNOTHER VERSION
USES JUST THE Ã= KEYBOARD GRAPHICS
<GFX> FOR THE INFORMATION. ÔHIS TYPE
IS IN ONE OF MY TYPE IN PROGRAMMING
BOOKS FOR TEXT ADVENTURE GAMES. ÉN
THIS EXAMPLE THERE IS A KEYBOARD
COMMAND THAT WILL SHOW YOU A MAP.
ÄISPLAYING THE AREAS YOU HAVE
EXPLORED. ÁLL DONE WITH KEYBOARD
GRAPHICS. Á REAL BIG HELP IN GAME
PLAYING FOR ME.

 ÂEFORE É EXPLAIN ANOTHER TYPE OF TEXT
WITH GFX GAME, AND ONE THAT É CAN
PLAY. ÍUST TELL YOU THE DOWN SIDE TO
THE STOCK TEXT ONLY GAME. ÔRYING TO
NOT WAX ON THIS TOO MUCH ON THE PSYCH
OR CULTURAL STUFF. ÂIG PROBLEM IS
"×ÈÁÔ ÁÒÅ ÔÈÅ ÆÒÅÌÌÉÎÇ ×ÏÒÄÓ?". ÏË
SOME OF THE GAMES HAVE A COMMAND
CALLED "ÖÏÃÁÂ", OR SOMETHING CLOSE TO
THAT TYPE OF WORD. ÔYPING THAT IN WILL
GIVE YOU A LIST OF THE ACCEPTED WORDS
FOR THE GAME. ÎOT ALL THE GAMES HAVE
THAT OPTION. ÓOME DO HAVE A? ÈÅÌÐ"
COMMAND. ÁGAIN NOT ALL OF THEM.
ÐERSONALLY É FIND MY SELF LOST EARLY
ON IN THE GAMES. ÂECAUSE ÈAVEN?T A
CLUE AS TO WHAT WORDS TO USE AT THAT
TIME. ÁS AN EXAMPLE THE GAME ÍIST FROM
ÉNFOCOM. ÔHAT COMPANY WAS CONSIDERED
TO HAVE THE BEST TEXT GAMES.

ÍY CHARACTER IS AT THE GATES TO THE
GROUNDS OF THE MANSION. ÈOW-TO GET
THROUGH THE LOCK GATES ON THE STORMY
NIGHT. ÕNDERSTAND THAT É HAVE THE
PROPS FOR THIS GAME. É HAVE THE STORY
AS WELL IN THE MANUAL. ÅVEN A HANDFUL
OF THE WORDS. ÔHOUGH ÉNFOCOM HAD A WAY
TO USE A LOT OF WORDS IN THEIR GAMES.
ÔOOK ME HOURS OF REAL TIME TO MAKE IT
PAST THAT GATE. ÏH IT WAS BLOW THE
HORN OF THE CAR. ÌIKE É WOULD THINK OF
THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT? ÎOT THAT IT
WOULD BE DONE, BUT THAT IT COULD BE
DONE IN THE GAME. ÂÔ×: THAT WAS THE
FIRST ENCOUNTER IN THE GAME. É NEVER
GOT PAST THE SECOND ENCOUNTER.

 ×ORDS, THE RIGHT ONES AND THEIR USE
IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS. ÁNOTHER IS THE
RIGHT THINGS TO DO. ÔHAT IS NATURALLY
BASED ON THE AUTHORS SENSE OF VALUES.
ÂUT ALSO THE TIME FRAME OF THE GAMES
CREATION. ÓORT OF A TIME CAPSULE OF
THE WORLD. ÓOME GAMES OF THIS NATURE
USE A BIT OF THE CURRENT POP FAD
LANGUAGE JARGON IN THE TEXT. ÎOT IN
WHAT YOU NEED TO TYPE IN, BUT IN THE
WORDS IN THE DESCRIPTIONS. ÁS YOU CAN
TELL É HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS SORT OF
GAME. ÂUT TO BE FAIR. É HAVE MET PEOPLE
THAT LOVE THESE GAMES. ÔHEY HUNT TO
THIS DAY, FOR ONES THAT THEY HAVE YET
TO PLAY.

 ÎOW THEN THERE ARE TWO VARIATIONS TO
THIS TYPE OF GAME. ÔHESE HAVE ACTUALLY
GFX IN THEM. ÏNE HAS A STATIC PICTURE
AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN. ÉLLUSTRATING
SOME POINT OF THE GAME. ÂASED ON YOUR
LOCATION. ÔHERE IS A BIT OF
DESCRIPTIVE TEXT AT THE BOTTOM HALF.
ÎOW THERE IS EITHER A BLANK LINE FOR
YOU TO ENTER THE WORDS. ÏR THERE IS A
SET OF WORDS FOR YOU TO SELECT. ÔHIS
TYPE É HAVE PLAYED WITH SOME SUCCESS,
AND REMEMBER FONDLY THE ÌORD OF THE
ÒINGS IN THIS FORM. Á MORE ADVANCED
TYPE IS SET UP THE SAME WAY. ÈAVING
THE TOP PART OF THE SCREEN WITH THE
SCENE. ÔHE BOTTOM PART WITH THE WORDS.
ÍANIAC ÍANSION IS THE FIRST ONE OF
THIS STYLE THAT É PLAYED. ÄIFFERENCE
HERE IS THAT THE TOP SCREEN IS
ANIMATED. ÉN GAME PLAY  YOU MOVE THE
CHARACTER AROUND THE SCREEN(S) WITH
THE JOYSTICK. ÁT FIRST YOU MUST SELECT
THE TEAM OF CHARACTERS FOR THE
ADVENTURE. ÄONE WITH THE JOYSTICK.
ÎEXT YOU TAKE THEM, ONE BY ONE, TO THE
FRONT OF THE MANSION. ÎOW TO GET IN
YOU NEED TO SCORE THE KEY FROM UNDER
THE MAT. ÔHIS REQUIRES LOOKING AROUND
AND READING THE TEXT INFORMATION THAT
IS PRESENTED. 

ÇETTING THE CLUES FOR THAT ACTION. ÂUT
TO DO IT, YOU MUST SELECT THE ACTION
IN A SET OF COMMANDS AT THE BOTTOM OF
THE SCREEN. ÙOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS
THAT É LIKE THIS GAME. ×ELL É ONLY
FINISHED IT WITH THE HELP OF A COUPLE
OF WALK TROUGHS?. ÌIKE MOST OF THE
GAMES É HAVE EXPERIENCED ON THE Ã=.
ÔHEY ARE MORE IN DEPTH AND TAKE LONGER
THAN EXPECTED.

 ÒEST YOUR EYES A BIT. ÔHAT IS A LOT
OF INFORMATION TO DIGEST AS WELL.
ÐOINT IS TO ACCEPT AND UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE IS A WIDE VARIETY OF GAMES.
ÁSTEROIDS, ÄEFENDER, ÍARIO ÂROTHERS
AND MORE CLASSIC COIN OP ARCADE GAMES.
ÌIKE ÆROGGER, AND ÄONKEY ËONG <EVER
FIND THE ÄONKEY?>,ÐAC ÍAN AND THE
CLEVER ONE CALLED ÐLAQUE ÍAN THAT WAS
A SPECIAL DENTAL CARE GAME FOR KIDS.
×ELL ASSUMING É SPELLED IT CORRECTLY.
ÓHOOT' ÅM ÕP GAMES. ÉN FACT THERE IS A
CONSTRUCTION SET TO MAKE THAT TYPE OF
GAME. ×AR GAMES, AND YES THERE IS A
CONSTRUCTION SET TO MAKE THEM AS WELL.
ÁDVENTURE GAMES, YOU KNOW THE TYPE
WHERE YOU EXPLORE THE WORLD, DEFEAT
THE BAD THINGS AND EVENTUALLY SAVE THE
DAY.

ÙUPPERS THERE IS A CONSTRUCTION SET TO
MAKE THEM AS WELL. ÏH É WAS JUST
REMINDED THAT SOME READERS MAY NOT
KNOW WHAT EXACTLY IS A CONSTRUCTION
SET. ÓIMPLY STATED IT IS A UTILITY
TOOL. ×HICH WILL ALLOW YOU TO CREATE
THE ABOVE TYPES OF GAMES. ÔHEN PASS
THEM AROUND TO YOUR FRIENDS AND OTHERS
THAT USE THE Ã=. ÙEAH A CREATIVE
THING.

 ÔHAT BRINGS ME TO OTHER THINGS THE Ã=
CAN DO FOR YOU. ÂESIDES THE GAMES.
ÑUADRATIC <SPELLING?> EQUATIONS, MAY
NOT BE YOUR BAG. ÂUT É HAD A PROGRAMME
THAT TAUGHT THEM TO YOU. ÉN FACT BASIC
MATH INTO ÇEOMETRY É HAVE ON DISKS FOR
THE ÃOMMODORE. ÈAD ONE THAT WOULD
TEACH YOU THE BONES OF THE BODY.
ÔYPING OF COURSE, AND THAT IS ONE THAT
É SHOULD REALLY USE MYSELF. ÇRAMMAR,
AND THAT TOO IS ANOTHER ONE THAT É
SHOULD USE MYSELF. ÈAVE A FEW ÅNGLISH
ONES. ÓIDE NOTE THEY SPECIFICALLY
STATE THAT THEY ARE ÃANADIAN ÅNGLISH,
NOT ÁMERICAN. É'LL STOP THERE WITH THE
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES.

ÐRETTY MUCH YOU NAME IT, AND THERE WAS
SOMETHING FOR IT ON THE Ã=. ÏNE PART
THAT É WILL ADD. ÓOME OF THESE WERE
ADJUSTABLE. É MEAN THAT IF YOU WANTED
TO SAY UPDATE THE INFORMATION FOR THE
LESSONS. ÙOU COULD DO THAT IN THE
PROGRAMME.

 ÐRINT ÍASTER+ & ÐRINT ÓHOP, THESE ARE
THE TWO MOST WIDELY SEEN PROGRAMMES
FOR CREATING, GREETING CARDS,
STATIONARY, BANNERS, CALENDARS AND A
BIT MORE. ÅACH ONE HAS ADDITIVE DISKS
TO THE MAIN PROGRAMME. ÁDDING MORE
GFX, FONTS AND BORDERS FOR YOUR USE.
ÔHERE ARE SOME OTHERS, BUT YOU SEE THE
POINT. ×E HAVE THREE VOICES AND 9
OCTAVES FOR THE Ã=. ÙES THERE ARE
PROGRAMMES TO CREATE MUSIC ON THE Ã=.
ÍANY HUNDREDS OF THESE WHERE ON Ñ-ÌINK
FOR FREE DOWNLOAD. É HAVE AN ALMOST 2
MEGA BYTE FILE IS ZIP FORMAT OF AN
UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF THE SONGS. ÔHAT A
GUY SAVED FROM Ñ-ÌINK AND SENT TO ME.

 ÔHE ÎEWS ÒOOM, THAT IS A PROGRAMME
THAT ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE YOUR OWN
NEWSLETTERS. ÃONTAINS FONTS AND GFX
IMAGES. ÔHE LATTER YOU CAN ALTER A
BIT, OR CREATE YOUR OWN. ÔHERE ARE A
FEW ADDITIONAL DISKS OF FONTS AND GFX
THAT YOU CAN PICK UP AS WELL. É HAVE
MOST OF THIS SET. ×ANT TO DRAW YOUR
OWN THINGS? ÔHERE IS A WEALTH OF ART
PROGRAMMES. ÎO IDEA HOW MANY ARE OUT
THERE FOR YOU. ÈOWEVER THE MOST
POPULAR ONES THAT É KNOW ABOUT AND
HAVE USED ARE, ËOALA <WHICH SEEMS TO
HAVE BEEN A STANDARD HI-RES ART PRG
.ÓINCE IT IS USED IN A LOT OF INTRO
SCREEN THINGS> ÂLAZING ÐADDLES,
ÁNIMATION ÓTATION, ÄOODLE, ÆLEXIÄRAW
ARE THE ONES THAT É HAVE USED. ËOALA
AND ÁNIMATION ÓTATION ARE BOTH TABLET
STYLE DRAWING PROGRAMMES.

ÔHERE IS A CRACK RUNNING AROUND FOR
ËOALA THAT ALLOWS THE USE OF A
JOYSTICK OVER THE TABLET. ÆLEXIÄRAW
HAS A MESS OF EXTRA PROGRAMMES, THAT É
HAVE YET TO USE. ÃAN BE USED WITH
OTHER INPUT DEVICES. É THOUGH HAVE
ONLY USED IT WITH THE LIGHT PEN. ÅACH
OF THESE HAS ITS OWN PLUSES AND
DRAWBACKS. ÁS WELL AS THEIR DEDICATED
FANS. ÁLL É CAN TELL YOU IS THAT É
HAVE SEEN SOME REALLY GREAT ART WORK.
ÎOTHING THAT É COULD ATTEMPT TO CREATE
MYSELF.

 ÇAMES, EDUCATIONAL, CREATIVE
PROGRAMMES. ÔHOSE ARE JUST MAJOR
CATEGORY TITLES. ÎOW THEN, THE THING
THAT É DO MOST OF THE TIME, WRITING.
ÈONESTLY É THOUGHT AT FIRST THE
Ã=64WOULD BE A GAME MACHINE FOR ME.
ÅNDS UP É DO MORE WRITING STUFF THAN
ANYTHING ELSE ON IT. ÎO É AM NOT GOING
ON ABOUT WHAT TO WRITE OR HOW-TO
WRITE. É AM A RATHER POOR EXAMPLE OF
THAT STUFF. ÎOR CAN É TELL YOU WHICH
IS THE BEST PROGRAMME TO USE.

 ÉN FACT SINCE SPACE IS RUNNING OUT.
ÁLL OF THAT WILL BE IN THE NEXT PART.
ÁT THIS TIME É WANT TO IMPRESS ON YOU
THAT THERE IS A GIGANTIC AMOUNT OF
PROGRAMMES OF AN ALMOST ENDLESS
VARIETY OF STYLES AND SUBJECT MATTER
FOR THE Ã=. ×HEN YOU ADD THAT PEOPLE
ARE STILL DOING PROGRAMME WRITING ON A
25+ YEAR OLD ÐÃ. ×HAT ELSE CAN BE
CREATED? ÏBVIOUSLY NOT EVERYTHING AS
OF YET. ÏË NEXT SESSION CONTINUES WITH
THE PROGRAMME OVERVIEW AND THEN BACK
TO SIMPLE FROM THE MANUAL ÂASICÖ2
PROGRAMMING.

END...