Spectrum Computing

All right, we know Code Masters's inlay texts were filled with over-the-top claims and hype. But I think the one for KGB Superspy absolutely takes the cake.



"Written by an East German who defected to the West". Also recalled on the front cover illustration, which has nothing to do with the actual game - the player always commands a helicopter shooting everything that moves (so much for spying and covert actions).

By reading the inlay inner text, you discovered the identity of the mysterious defector(s):

This game was brought to you by . . .
Design and Coding Christian Pennycate
Graphics Alex Smith
Music David Whittaker
Sound Effects Mark Rivers
Project Manager Mark Baldock
Production Stewart Regan

If any of them is German, I am Alan Sugar's cousin

I wonder how you could print such loads of nonsense on cassette inlays and get away with it back in the day. Nowadays they would be the target of Epic Fail memes all across the Web in a matter of nanoseconds.

Good spot Alessandro!

Yep, looks like total crap story. Actually I even checked C64 version as there were more German coders on that platform so in theory it was possible that they were talking in the inlay about that version. But nope, not a single German aboard.

By the way the title is nonsense too. As you noticed it's all violent helicopter shootout in the open countryside so no spying factor at all. But KGB Superspy also suggests that you work for KGB while you are working for the West - exactly the opposite.

And I also started to wonder if they realised at all that KGB was a Soviet force, not East German one. The East German equivalent would be Stasi.

Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:24 pmActually I even checked C64 version as there were more German coders on that platform so in theory it was possible that they were talking in the inlay about that version. But nope, not a single German aboard.

Did that myself actually, too, just to be sure of it, although the whole story sounded far too absurd from the beginning.

Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:24 pmAnd I also started to wonder if they realised at all that KGB was a Soviet force, not East German one. The East German equivalent would be Stasi.

I have strong doubts that whoever it was that wrote such amounts of drivel for Code Masters' inlay texts would ever care for such details...

It was the inlay text that was written by the defector. They were just trying to say that the inlay was completely authentic.

I like the little review box that says:
"Brillian [sic] fun - Mega Vehicles and Lethal Weapons! EXCELLENT!" Christian Pennycate
Any relation to:
Design and Coding - Christian Pennycate
?

Haha, nice find, Alessandro!

I only missing a ninja in the plot to be the perfect game!

I've just looked up Christian Pennycate on Google, and if it's the same one who is involved in developing business applications (a common route for ex-games-programmers) then he is based pretty close to me. He speaks German as well as English, so, er... maybe?

Christian's Spectrum softography on this site includes Darius+, Fun School and a few minor Firebird releases.

Well Pete, I too know English and German (certified by the way), but this does not make me a defector

On the other hand, I am surprised to know that in 1992, just one year before the definitive end of Spectrum manufacturing, educational software was still being produced for it!

Alessandro wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2019 4:12 pm Well Pete, I too know English and German (certified by the way), but this does not make me a defector

In an absolutely bizarre 'small world' coincidence, I posted this inlay on my Facebook page, musing about how this couldn't be an East German defector... two local people spotted that this guy is local, one of them actually knows him. There you, I am a friend-of-a-friend of Christian Pennycate.

Alessandro wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2019 4:12 pmOn the other hand, I am surprised to know that in 1992, just one year before the definitive end of Spectrum manufacturing, educational software was still being produced for it!

Oh yes, this is probably how PlayDays got a cover feature in one of the last ever Your Sinclair issues.

On the other hand, I am surprised to know that in 1992, just one year before the definitive end of Spectrum manufacturing, educational software was still being produced for it!

I've heard once that in the final days of Spectrum commercial life teenagers were giving their machines away to their younger brothers and cousins. Maybe somebody hoped that parents will buy some educational software for the kids who have just become Speccy owners.

Alessandro wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2019 4:12 pm Well Pete, I too know English and German (certified by the way), but this does not make me a defector

On the other hand, I am surprised to know that in 1992, just one year before the definitive end of Spectrum manufacturing, educational software was still being produced for it!

Fun School was an incredibly popular series back then, we shifted a ton of copies on the 16 bit machines, so I'm not surprised it was available on the 8 bits too. Don''t remember selling many on those platforms, but by that point as you say most people had moved on.

"It relates to the developer; me" - Just got a response from Christian Pennycate.