Spectrum Computing

Already typed and checked this Pac-Man clone for the ZX Spectrum, from the magazine Sinclair Programs issue 6 of March 1983 by Duncan Anderson. Not preserved here, yet. In few seconds, I've uploaded it to ZXDB.

1-min later... I've just realised it was uploaded at Jim Grimwood's site... well, it doesn't really matter. It was worth messing around with BASIC type-ins from magazines again.

Found at TTFn another Spacman game, still MIA at SC. In short, I'll upload corresponding files for Spacman 2 by Nicholas Lock (also from Sinclair Programs magazine)

Neil Parsons wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 9:22 pm Already typed and checked this Pac-Man clone for the ZX Spectrum, from the magazine Sinclair Programs issue 6 of March 1983 by Duncan Anderson. Not preserved here, yet. In few seconds, I've uploaded it to ZXDB.

1-min later... I've just realised it was uploaded at Jim Grimwood's site... well, it doesn't really matter. It was worth messing around with BASIC type-ins from magazines again.

Do you mean The Type Fantastic? Because the link to it there is broken.

Neil Parsons wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 9:22 pm 1-min later... I've just realised it was uploaded at Jim Grimwood's site... well, it doesn't really matter. It was worth messing around with BASIC type-ins from magazines again.

Don't worry - I did the same thing with Hang Out The Washing! some time ago. It didn't bother me because it was a good way to recollect on which keys all the keywords are located.

It seems there are quite a few type-ins that are on Jim's site but not uploaded to SC. Some of them have entries in ZXDB but no uploaded files. I'm in the process of working through Sinclair Programs Aug '83 and recovering missing files from Jim's site. If they are unavailable I'll type them out as time permits. Will try typing out the ZX81 games too.
I was wondering - what format/s should type-ins get uplpoaded in? I imagine it should be at least in TAP format. For each game I send, I'm uploading a TAP version (Saved with the starting LINE number), a converted TZX file (TAP -> .WAV -> TZX) as well as a pristine .z80 file (pristine based on @SkoolKid's definition:- A library of tap2sna.py recipes. Any thoughts?

cmal wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 10:20 pm It seems there are quite a few type-ins that are on Jim's site but not uploaded to SC. Some of them have entries in ZXDB but no uploaded files.

All information from TTFn is stored in ZXDB, but not the files. This will require going through them one by one...

cmal wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 10:20 pm I'm in the process of working through Sinclair Programs Aug '83 and recovering missing files from Jim's site. If they are unavailable I'll type them out as time permits. Will try typing out the ZX81 games too.

Thank you!!!

cmal wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 10:20 pm I was wondering - what format/s should type-ins get uplpoaded in?

TAP only.

Decades ago, many people preferred snapshots because they were more "convenient". But there's no reason anymore, since every emulator supports TAP/TZX with fast loading now.

StanVanman wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 10:15 pm Do you mean The Type Fantastic? Because the link to it there is broken.

True. But if you manage to modify link address (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/type-ins/sincprog/sp8301-02_005.zip) by typing "sp830102.zip" for file name on your browser, it downloads correctly. So the same happens with other broken links, like the one to get "Specman 3": http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/type-ins/sincprog/sp8303-04_006[2].zip (rename zip file into "sp830304.zip")

Neil Parsons wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 4:22 pm True. But if you manage to modify link address (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27p ... 02_005.zip[/b]) by typing "sp830102.zip" for file name on your browser, it downloads correctly. So the same happens with other broken links, like the one to get "Specman 3": http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27p ... 006[2].zip[/b] (rename zip file into "sp830304.zip")

Good to know, cheers

There was a Spacman at Mini Micro's:

https://planetasinclair.blogspot.com/search?q=spacman

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 11:42 am TAP only.

Decades ago, many people preferred snapshots because they were more "convenient". But there's no reason anymore, since every emulator supports TAP/TZX with fast loading now.

Thanks @Einar Saukas . For ZX-81 titles, are .p files the preferred way to go?

How about running screens for ZX-81 games? What's the preferred format to use? I've been saving them in both PNG and GIF format (using InkSpector emulator).

cmal wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 4:05 am For ZX-81 titles, are .p files the preferred way to go?

Yes!

cmal wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 4:05 am How about running screens for ZX-81 games? What's the preferred format to use? I've been saving them in both PNG and GIF format (using InkSpector emulator).

PNG.

GIFs are frequently generated using lossy compression to reduce file size, thus the image may not be accurate.

Thanks for your replies, @Einar Saukas . It was helpful.

All the type-ins from Sinclair Programs Issue 10, August 1983 are now available. It includes all Spectrum and ZX-81 type-ins.
I took whatever was available on Jim Grimwood's TTFn site, tested, checked for bugs, typos e.t.c. and made corrections where applicable.
For the entries that weren't on Jim's site, I typed them out and double-checked. Today I started uploading to SC (TAP files, TXT, SCR, .p, PNG). There were some new entries that I had to create, but most of them existed in ZXDB.

@Einar Saukas One more question I have: There's an entry called Hit Star. There's an entry for it in ZXDB, but it's listed against the incorrect issue of Sinclair Programs.
It should be listed for Issue 10 (Aug 1983) instead of 1984 Oct. Is there a way to correct this using the upload tools?

Download the complete set here

cmal wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 3:42 am @Einar Saukas One more question I have: There's an entry called Hit Star. There's an entry for it in ZXDB, but it's listed against the incorrect issue of Sinclair Programs.
It should be listed for Issue 10 (Aug 1983) instead of 1984 Oct. Is there a way to correct this using the upload tools?

No. You have to report this kind of problem here in this forum.

This correction will be in the next site update.

The type-ins from Sinclair Programs September 1983 (issue 11) are complete, uploaded and tested. You can get the full set here
If you missed the August 1983 set, here it is

Thanks to Jim Grimwood for his Fantastic site. It saved me a lot of time!

@Einar Saukas, could you please fix this issue in the database. There are two entries for "4472 Flying Scotsman". It looks like the Dutch version of the game is stored as a separate entry but should probably be included in the first entry as a different version of the same game.

The correct "official" entry:
4472_Flying_Scotsman

The same game, with no publisher and an unknown release date and translated to Dutch:
4472_Flying_Scotsman_Dutch_version