Little bugs in the database 2

[Einar Saukas]

Is Skate Wars really turn-based?

✓ Reviewed

[StooB]

Allison Kerr, author of 1983's Spectrum Darts should be listed in the team Mr Chip Software rather than Magnetic Fields as Mr Chip wont become Magnetic Fields for another five years.

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

S.A.V.E seems to be the same person. The signature on the loading screen is almost identical (check Power Pyramids and International Cricket re-release).
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=12811
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=12810

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... bel_id=420
Adrian Sumera (Sauron) is not the author of:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=12728 - Ten Fingers
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=12817 - Doom.

Not sure about Pink Pills - Manic Moritz and the Meds. If the game music is taken from the public archives then it's most likely to be the other Sauron. Th other Sauron is Alexander Vasilyev, from Digital Reality group, Velikiy Novgorod, Russia

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... el_id=3686 - Denis Ryabtsev, not Ayabcev
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... el_id=3052 - D.J.Dens is alias of Denis.

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=12328 Rind.Wasquez is not a real man.
These are two people:
https://zxart.ee/eng/authors/r/rind/ - Rind, Dmitriy Danilov, Moscow, Russia. Sometimes - Rind Soft.
https://zxart.ee/eng/authors/w/wasquez/ - Wasquez, Maksim Morozov, Moscow, Russia

Both are from same group - Legion Of Steel Warriors, Moscow, Russia.

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=13142
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=13145
Sergey Hanzis and Sergey Khantsis is the same person, just different transliteration

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=11863 R.B. is Richard Beston.
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=11917 this RB is also Richard Beston

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=12068 - Egons Upītis, Latvia, Ogre.
There was also "raver" from Moscow, Russia, but that's the other one.

✓ Reviewed

[8BitAG]

The entry for Magic Treasure Adventure needs correcting...
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=6632

As referenced in the magazine links to Popular Computing Weekly #17 - 1984/4/26,

Magic Treasure Adventure should have a publication date of at most 1984. It was originally a separate release (not a compilation) at the price £2.95 from T. D. Frost directly. (Not yet calling himself Tartan Software)

There is a further reference to this game in Micro Adventurer issue 11 and various references to the game being Tom's first in two of Samara's Sinclair User adventure columns.

✓ Reviewed

[Stefan]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=11863 R.B. is Richard Beston.
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=11917 this RB is also Richard Beston

How to handle this in the database? It looks like RB 'only' created the loading screen for the Zeppelin Games Deathchase re-release - so he should not be attributed 'author' status on the original.

✓ Reviewed

[Einar Saukas]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=11863 R.B. is Richard Beston.
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=11917 this RB is also Richard Beston

How to handle this in the database? It looks like RB 'only' created the loading screen for the Zeppelin Games Deathchase re-release - so he should not be attributed 'author' status on the original.

This is tricky. A publisher is associated to each specific game release, but an author is associated to the game itself. There's no concept of "author in certain re-releases only".

For now, I suggest adding him as "load screen" author, and adding a comment like "Original load screen by ?, Zeppelin load screen by Richard Beston". Kinda like we currently differentiate between multiple music authors using comments like this:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=30148

If we find out later that there are many entries with authors of specific releases only, then I will modify the ZXDB model to support this information. However it's not worth it to increase ZXDB complexity if that's something that only happens in very few cases.

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=12148 Renascence is a group from Ukraine (Luganskaya district).

According to info from War of Old World:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=15187 - Vitaly Gerasin used alias "Underlain", part of Renascence. Lysychansk, Ukraine.
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... bel_id=599 - Alexander Boloto used alias "Alex Bat". Pryvillia, Ukraine
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=13124 - Sergey Gura used alias "Dexter". Pryvillia, Ukraine
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=15198 - Vlad Cheremison. Lysychansk, Ukraine.

✓ Reviewed

[moroz1999]

If we find out later that there are many entries with authors of specific releases only, then I will modify the ZXDB model to support this information. However it's not worth it to increase ZXDB complexity if that's something that only happens in very few cases.

According to my practice this is only required for cracks and unofficial re-releases in 99% of cases.

[moroz1999]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... l_id=12333 - RinsSoft is not a company, it's an alias of Stanislav Nikonov, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia.

✓ Reviewed

[8BitAG]

Golf Scorecard from Tom Frost...
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=15902

..is currently listed as MIA in the database.

But, in fact, it is bonus game/last program on both versions of the Spy Trilogy already held in the archive.
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=10236

It is also listed on the linked compilation anyway,
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=10818

So not MIA at all.

The same goes for Magic Pairs
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=15903

another compilation-only freebie which is held on the compilation in the archive.

✓ Reviewed

[StooB]

Pulsoids

Release year should be 1989 rather than 1988 - it says 1988 on the title screen but "© Mastertronic Ltd 1989" on the inlay.

✓ Reviewed

[StooB]

Wham! - The Music Box
The Music Box

"Wham! - The Music Box" does not come as a "bonus" with "The Music Box", "The Music Box" comes with 48k and 128k versions of "The Music Box" so should have a machine type of "ZX-Spectrum 48K/128K".

✓ reviewed

[Frankie]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=17492

The programmers behind the game ‘Dishmaster’ isn’t from Germany. It says on first screen that they are from Vienna, capital of Austria

✓ Reviewed

[8BitAG]

IMPORTANT....

The file labelled the +3 version of the Professional Adventure Writer https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=6825
in the database is NOT the +3 version of the PAWs... it is the CP/M version (for Amstrad CP/M machines, such as the CPC and PCW).

This continues to cause confusion in the community.

The correct +3 version can be downloaded in other places, including the official Gilsoft repository at
http://8-bit.info/the-gilsoft-adventure-systems/
Where the file is listed in the A17 zip file, together with documentation, here: http://cl.8-bit.info/0I0j4500442v/downl ... sk_A17.zip

We never did manage to get this file changed/updated on WOS, despite trying several times.

✓ Reviewed

[8BitAG]

Amazon Adventure...
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=28085

The entry in the database lists Robert Bergstrom as the author.

The title screen says the author was Roberth Bergstrom

The publisher and date of publication are listed as Robert Bergstrom and 1986.

There is a reference on the title screen to (c) 1987 AMIS

✓ Reviewed

[Einar Saukas]

IMPORTANT....

The file labelled the +3 version of the Professional Adventure Writer https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=6825
in the database is NOT the +3 version of the PAWs... it is the CP/M version (for Amstrad CP/M machines, such as the CPC and PCW).

Do you mean this file?

ProfessionalAdventureWriterB03+3(AventurasADS.A.).dsk.zip

[8BitAG]

Do you mean this file?
ProfessionalAdventureWriterB03+3(AventurasADS.A.).dsk.zip

No, that's the Spanish version.

It's this file that is incorrect...


That file is the CP/M version. (You may wish to keep it in the archive, but label it as such)

✓ Reviewed

[8BitAG]

The game in the database...

Borrowed Time
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=9558

Doesn't have much information for it.

A tentative date of publication is listed as 1992, seemingly to match the reference in a 1992 issue of Sinclair User where some tips are given in the adventure column. (Although the ACE magazine reference, also on that page, is listed as being 1988)

The tips for the game given in Sinclair User match up exactly to the solution we have over at CASA for the Activision/Mastertronic game Borrowed Time...
http://solutionarchive.com/game/id%2C57 ... +Time.html

No Spectrum version is currently listed there. It's inclusion in SInclair User's adventure section might suggest that a Spectrum version was actually released... but it wouldn't be the first time (iirc) that hints for a game not available on the correct format had appeared in a single-format magazine.

Another reference for it's existence needed?

✓ Reviewed

[StooB]

Another reference for it's existence needed?

It seems very unlikely that Activision could convert a disk-only point & click C64 game to a cassette based Spectrum game in 1985.

✓ Reviewed