Spectrum Computing

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Fri Oct 16, 2020 8:09 pm Mastering Machine Code is a compilation of 5 programs, numbered from 1 to 6.

Is there a program missing, or are they just numbered incorrectly?

If you go to the following link, then scroll to the very bottom of the page you will find a zip with the 8 parts:

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27p ... pourri.htm

Kosmic Kanga's loading screen credits Dominic Wood for the game and JPW for graphics.

According to ZXDB, they are actually the same person. Is this information correct?

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 6:50 am Kosmic Kanga's loading screen credits Dominic Wood for the game and JPW for graphics.

According to ZXDB, they are actually the same person. Is this information correct?

JPW is Julian P Wood, Dominic's brother. Julian should be the owner of the JPW nickname as mentioned by [mention]druellan[/mention] here.

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Tue Oct 13, 2020 4:17 pm Thanks!

I also saw this text before, but I could not see any indication that Cassette Juegos was sold independently. Did you conclude this because there's no explicit reference to any specific magazine number?

Also the instructions transcription reference different magazine numbers for each program, and each one of these programs is currently marked as originally released "on magazine covertape" (except the last one). However the text about "Tu Micro" seem to indicate programs were published as type-ins, instead of covertapes. What's the correct information?

Finally does anyone know where to find magazine scans? Perhaps @Neil Parsons?

Hi, I've already read this post.

I had the complete collection of that magazine, but I ended selling it more than a year ago, unafortunately...

It was quite hard to scan it at all, even with the last five issues (if I remember), with all pages glued to the spine and not stapled as with rest of TM issues. I had plans to work in their scanning. but I let time pass without having done it.

Of course, I could make a listing of all ZX Spectrum type-ins from Tu Micro magazine for my Project BASIC ZX archive/blog, having digitised almost all of them, a part by myself and the rest with some extra help from some readers of my site.

Concerning Cassette Juegos compilation tape, I don't remember having seen any publishing or advertising of this tape inside the magazine, and how much did it cost, but it's possible it was done.

The following games are listed as being re-released by Bumfun Software, however they released recoloured versions by Rafal Miazga, some of which are currently in ZXDB, some of which aren't -- at least, I'm assuming that the versions they released haven't had additional changes made over and above Rafal's previously-released versions, I don't know if anyone's bought them and knows if that's the case?

Rygar is an example of a game where the recoloured version is the one listed as a Bumfun game, not the original, and imho they should all be listed as such.

Spherical - recoloured version not in ZXDB
Rod-Land - recoloured version
Target Renegade - recoloured version
Renegade - recoloured version not in ZXDB

Neil Parsons wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 8:36 pm Of course, I could make a listing of all ZX Spectrum type-ins from Tu Micro magazine for my Project BASIC ZX archive/blog, having digitised almost all of them, a part by myself and the rest with some extra help from some readers of my site.

Yes, I'm very interested. Thanks!!!

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:13 pm

Neil Parsons wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 8:36 pm Of course, I could make a listing of all ZX Spectrum type-ins from Tu Micro magazine for my Project BASIC ZX archive/blog, having digitised almost all of them, a part by myself and the rest with some extra help from some readers of my site.

Yes, I'm very interested. Thanks!!!

All type-ins from Tu Micro magazines are available in TAP or TZX in this corner of my personal blog:

https://proyectobasiczx.wordpress.com/r ... /tu-micro/

Beware with two programs... "El Encierro" (TM #7) and "Spec-Karate" (TM #20) were copied in some way, but they doesn't work at all, because of several difficulties with each one of their machine code listings and a bad written BASIC machine code loader in the first case. Impossible to fix, to be honest.

Dan Dare III was originally called "Crazy Jet Racer" in an early C&VG preview.

There's a note (originally from SPOT as we can see here) that says the game is also known as "Crazy Space Racer". Is this information correct? Or perhaps someone misremembered that it was called "Crazy Jet Racer"?

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:06 pm Dan Dare III was originally called "Crazy Jet Racer" in an early C&VG preview.

There's a note (originally from SPOT as we can see here) that says the game is also known as "Crazy Space Racer". Is this information correct? Or perhaps someone misremembered that it was called "Crazy Jet Racer"?

@Einar Saukas,

Confirmed Crazy Jet Racer (as much of these things can be), in an interview with David Perry:

https://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/rvg-i ... vid-perry/

PeterJ wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:14 pm

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:06 pm Dan Dare III was originally called "Crazy Jet Racer" in an early C&VG preview.

There's a note (originally from SPOT as we can see here) that says the game is also known as "Crazy Space Racer". Is this information correct? Or perhaps someone misremembered that it was called "Crazy Jet Racer"?

@Einar Saukas,

Confirmed Crazy Jet Racer (as much of these things can be), in an interview with David Perry:

https://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/rvg-i ... vid-perry/

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear.

I know it was called "Crazy Jet Racer". This is exactly what's written in the C&VG preview.

My question is, was it ALSO called "Crazy Space Racer" somewhere?

Based on the interview with the author with no mention of that alternative name, I think it's safe (As safe as these things can be) that this information is false.

PeterJ wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:56 pmBased on the interview with the author with no mention of that alternative name, I think it's safe (As safe as these things can be) that this information is false.

I don't think this is a good evidence. If this game was also known by a third title (besides "Crazy Space Racer" and "Dan Dare III"), Dave Perry wouldn't feel obliged to mention it too.

On the flip side of the coin [mention]Einar Saukas[/mention], there is no evidence (other than one comment with no evidential link) to show it ever did have the title of Crazy Space Racer (At least from my searching which probably isn't as robust as others!). We don't store information without something to back it up surely?

This is why all the bug checking is so complicated and I admire all of you who do it!

Two MIA:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... rum/Pack_1
and
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... rum/Pack_2
are recently uploaded here:
http://trastero.speccy.org/2017/111020/ ... ePlus3.zip

From "El Trastero del Spectrum" (http://trastero.speccy.org/2017/111020/111020.htm ).

This Alien Attack
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... ien_Attack

Has it's TAP file under a different Alien Attack
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... ien_Attack

The TZX file on the entry 146 is correct, but the TAP file belongs to 26185

WOS has the same issue, and lists 26185 as MIA.

The Amstrad link for Wriggler currently points to the wrong CPC game -- it should be https://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?pag ... l&num=1111

The entry for Mystery of Arkham Manor
links to reviews & awards for The Mystery Of Arkham Manor (different game).

Nether Earth's genre is classified as "Arcade: Action". But this game is quite famous for being one of the earliest real-time strategy titles. Sources: Wikipedia, MobyGames.

Seems that Sinclair Programs Type-In entries need some attention.
I left and example here as a note to my future self to get into it

4472 FLYING SCOTSMAN has duplicate entries:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... g_Scotsman
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... Scotsman_2

Both of them have missing information about the publication on this Sinclair Program mag: https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-pro ... 6/mode/1up

druellan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 25, 2020 12:28 pm Seems that Sinclair Programs Type-In entries need some attention.
I left and example here as a note to my future self to get into it

4472 FLYING SCOTSMAN has duplicate entries:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... g_Scotsman
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... Scotsman_2

Both of them have missing information about the publication on this Sinclair Program mag: https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-pro ... 6/mode/1up

Beware that #2 has been cracked for the Dutch market.

Stefan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 25, 2020 12:51 pm Beware that #2 has been cracked for the Dutch market.

Yeah, they are not identical, I need to go into it before doing any change, perhaps both entries can be merged into one.

Black & White has no year of release listed.

Looking at the welcome screen it was 2019:

PeterJ wrote: ↑Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:02 pm
Looking at the welcome screen it was 2019:

Hi @PeterJ

The game was developed during 2019. On the El Mundo del Spectrum (EMS) website you can see a preview published on November 4, 2019, and in the text it specifies that it is under development yet.

http://www.elmundodelspectrum.com/prese ... rita-team/

Development continued through the first months of 2020 and the game was not released until the end of March 2020.

http://www.elmundodelspectrum.com/nuevo ... rita-team/

Thank you for the correction [mention]Audionautas[/mention].

"Pat Morita Team", probably the coolest developers' name ever!