The comp.sys.sinclair Crap Games Competition 2021: 25th edition extravaganza!

[+3code]

Oh, my totally realistic Fishing Simulator is missing (but the screenshot is now in Seven/Eleven, so only half missing).

https://www.rickdangerous.co.uk/csscgc2021/entries.html

Edit: ah, no, it is here, sorry.

[TMD2003]

Oh, my totally realistic Fishing Simulator is missing (but the screenshot is now in Seven/Eleven, so only half missing).

https://www.rickdangerous.co.uk/csscgc2021/entries.html

Edit: ah, no, it is here, sorry.

The website is completely sorted out to reflect the removal of the cancer. WOS, SZXW and the QL Forum are now also clean. Peter is a busy man and is going to perform all the surgery on this thread over the course of the next few days - I've sent him all the required corrections (and maybe more, because I've inevitably made mistakes - being riled by unnecessary drama does that).

Meanwhile, I have two more entries to review (I wonder, can we get back to 60?) And a kitchen to clean. What fun I'm going to have with that...

Three days to go! I'll post the week 50 round-up at the usual time, then if I have any more entries in the last few hours, I'll post those alongside the BONUS GAMES! I'm looking forward to those. Well, one of them, anyway.

[TMD2003]

So we are done. And by "we", I mean me and [mention]PeterJ[/mention]. Cheers for the extra effort going above and beyond the call of duty, even if the overall effect has been to replicate a particularly alarming scene from George Orwell's 1984 (the book or the film, your choice). However, in this case, I will say that New History is an improvement over the original. In this year's competition there have only been seven demerit points awarded in total, four of them to the same person with a fiery-sounding username, and all for the same reason.

I'm just cleaning up my records, and this is now how the competition has beaten previous landmarks, working from the start of August:

#37 - Codenames (19 August): as many entries as Adam D. Moss' 2001 competition.
#38 - Zoggle (30 August): highest ever number of Z88 entries.
#41 - Mines of Magrathea (29 September): as many entries as Chris Young's 2007 competition.
#42 - Ricky Gervais' Simon (2 October): as many entries as BloodBaz's 2010 and Alastair Nelson & Graham Goring's 1999 competitions. And the game was astounding as well.
#43 - Old Bones (17 October): as many entries as John Connolly's 2020 competition.
#45 - Twinkle Twinkle (29 October): as many entries as deKay's 2005 and the Mojon Twins' 2011 competitions.
#46 - Fall Palo T (5 November): highest ever number of ZX81 entries.
#49 - Highway Robbery 2001 (1 December): double-digit ZX81 entries.
#52 - Find Easter Bunny (3 December): as many entries as Lee Tonks' 1997 and Barry Salter's 1998 competitions.
#55 - A very basic CHR$mas NOT IF e.t. (10 December): as many entries as Graham Goring's 2000 competition.

So right now, this competition stands at 8th in the all-time list - but, probably later today, and tomorrow if not, Myke Pickstock's 2014 competition will be picked off - he had 57 entries and I was sent two more yesterday in the midst of all the DRAMA. And now it's all over, I've written one review, but because I've spent so long editing and re-editing and re-re-editing the Entries page, I'll most likely post them both at once.

THREE DAYS (and a bit) TO GO. I can still get back to 60. Lee Tonks' first competition is in my sights. MUSH!

[Guesser]

Are you saying I'm not sane?

As a former CGC host myself: No. It comes with the territory

[Guesser]

...Though I can see the merit of torturing the host as an Art Piece itself though!

Like ASSTS you mean?

[TMD2003]

Let's get this show back on the road after a brief foray down Disaster Drive within sight of the finish line. "Luny", from t'other forum (mainly), was promising me a game a while back. There were problems sending it. Finally, I got my hands on Psycho 3, and...



...judge for yourselves.

Meanwhile, #58 is going to take a fair bit longer to review than I'd bargained for. I will get it done, even if it takes me all night!

[R-Tape]

Bugfix report - sandwich is spelled wrong.

[TMD2003]

#58 didn't take me all night, because I made an executive decision to play as much of it as I could before either (a) it ground to a halt or (b) I had no idea what to do next.

I'm officially crediting Dragon Tale as a playable demo, because [mention]+3code[/mention] admitted up front that it was unfinished and had been kicking around doing nothing for ages. Amazingly, given how it looks, it's made mostly in BASIC (about 22K of it) with machine code embellishments. It gives an impression of what a Dragon Ball Z game would look like on the Spectrum - the tile-based game mechanics seem tailor-made for it, to keep away the dreaded colour clash.



No hablo español, so I didn't get very far - there was something about going northeast and then to a castle, where I was told to go away. I've looked in the listing and found other lines I'd have no hope of understanding without a lengthy session on Google Translate (or other such services if they were available from outside Big Tech), so I don't think I've seen everything by any means, but it would need far more of my attention than I can give at this late, late stage in the competition.

It has approximately 71 hours left to run.

[TMD2003]

Just under 55 hours left in this competition. And the other day, in the midst of the drama and a couple of new reviews, [mention]equinox[/mention] told me of an RZX that wasn't working. I'd been having a few problems with the recordings occasionally, and I only found out that it was because I'd left the +D connected, and RZXs apparently don't like it.

The RZX of Catch the Frankonstins was the only one I'd let through the net this way - it could usually be relied on to run second time, but I thought I'd replace it anyway. So the number of Frankonstins I've caught (not entirely legitimately) has gone up to 31.

Rubik Code was the one Eq pointed out - I haven't replaced this one, I've added a second RZX. I'd recorded the original with the Currah Microspeech attached, intentionally, and I have only now found out that it'll only run in Spectaculator, and the Microspeech must be manually switched on before loading the RZX. For those who don't use Spectaculator, there is a "silent" version that only makes any sound when my eventual victory is confirmed and it plays "Ode to Joy". [mention]uglifruit[/mention] said this game was far too hard. I solved the grid in 14 moves, and there's now evidence that everyone can see.

Preparation for the big party at the end of the competition goes on...

[Hedge1970]

You ran a cracker of a comp, I am not surprised that you’ve broken records. Have a great Xmas, in fact have a year off . Already planning my 2022, it’s dry jan I’ve nothing else to do but code

[TMD2003]

You ran a cracker of a comp, I am not surprised that you’ve broken records. Have a great Xmas, in fact have a year off . Already planning my 2022, it’s dry jan I’ve nothing else to do but code

Of course, it could all have been so different. Mono... d'oh!

28½ hours to go. I could write something in that time, and I already have, for next year's host - but the chances are, this is where it's going to end, unless there's a big surprise. I'm checking the other forums to see if anything not from a certain person is parked where I haven't seen it yet, but so far this hasn't turned up anything.

58 entries is more than 2017 and 2018 put together, and if you combine my competition and [mention]PROSM[/mention]'s, we've had 101 Crap Games in the Twenties. Note that this is not an argument in favour of more lockdowns, just in case there was anyone who might think that it might be taken that way...

[Hedge1970]

You ran a cracker of a comp, I am not surprised that you’ve broken records. Have a great Xmas, in fact have a year off . Already planning my 2022, it’s dry jan I’ve nothing else to do but code

Of course, it could all have been so different. Mono... d'oh!

28½ hours to go. I could write something in that time, and I already have, for next year's host - but the chances are, this is where it's going to end, unless there's a big surprise. I'm checking the other forums to see if anything not from a certain person is parked where I haven't seen it yet, but so far this hasn't turned up anything.

58 entries is more than 2017 and 2018 put together, and if you combine my competition and @PROSM's, we've had 101 Crap Games in the Twenties. Note that this is not an argument in favour of more lockdowns, just in case there was anyone who might think that it might be taken that way...

True 8bit, cut you in half you’ll look like a battenburg cake

[TMD2003]

True 8bit, cut you in half you’ll look like a battenburg cake

Or an undefined texture in Minecraft.

[equinox]

You ran a cracker of a comp, I am not surprised that you’ve broken records. Have a great Xmas, in fact have a year off . Already planning my 2022, it’s dry jan I’ve nothing else to do but code

Agreed, it has been a good one. TMD has managed a long essay on every game (I just checked my 2002 compo and most of them got about four sentences) but fortunately this is okay because he is quite a funny man. Thanks for the work!

(now you have to give me a prize)

[TMD2003]

And here's everyone's prize...

This competition is forging towards the sunset. There are only 24 hours left to run. In fact... we're beyond midnight, so it's less than that. And yet, not only have I had a late, late 59th entry, but it's broken what I believe to be another new boundary...



...no, your eyes do not deceive you. [mention]+3code[/mention] has updated a previous entry, retitled it Advanced Fishing Simulator and resubmitted it, which usually grinds my gears, but this time I'll let it go, because... ULAplus! Unless I am as very much mistaken as Murray Walker had a habit of being, that's the first ever entry with this extra-colour enhancement. It doesn't look like much to start with, but pull the right prey out of the sea...

I'm also mildly annoyed because I thought I'd be the first to make a ULAplus Crap Game. Technically, I am the first to make it, because I've had it finished since June, but I can't enter my own competition.

So, [mention]uglifruit[/mention]. You know I said "make sure you know something about ULAplus and how to use it"? That's why. MUSH!

[Pobulous]

I blame Sinclair for the RANDOMIZE USR n problem - as that's the suggested way in the manual, without mentioning the side effect.
I guess there are two issues - firstly BASIC should allow you to ignore results, so that USR n is perfectly valid without being assigned.
Secondly, the example would have been better as LET a=USR n, if the above wasn't possible, or in case the return value was required.
I remember that I thought at the time that the RANDOMIZE was actually required.

[equinox]

I blame Sinclair for the RANDOMIZE USR n problem - as that's the suggested way in the manual, without mentioning the side effect.

I was thinking about this the other day. Like you could fully learn BASIC and then pick up the RAND USR thing and then wonder why your fruit machine game is giving you two pears and an apple every time. Clearly there is the typical 8-bit "storage constraint" issue here, like we only have so many slots... but ****ing VAL$ got in.

A few game loaders (not many) have something like LET l=USR 3e4. I assume they used l because it was already under the finger after typing LET. Also, it reminds me of "old-skool" (1990s) Visual Basic, which made the distinction between (value-returning) function calls, called "functions", and (non-value-returning) called "subs" or subroutines. So that you literally can't just "call" a function minus assignment, even though it may inherently have side-effects. The absolute opposite of say, C, where you can discard a value without even realising it, due to an accidental comma or something.

am i sober yet

[AndyC]

I blame Sinclair for the RANDOMIZE USR n problem - as that's the suggested way in the manual, without mentioning the side effect.
I guess there are two issues - firstly BASIC should allow you to ignore results, so that USR n is perfectly valid without being assigned.
Secondly, the example would have been better as LET a=USR n, if the above wasn't possible, or in case the return value was required.
I remember that I thought at the time that the RANDOMIZE was actually required.

I suspect Sinclair would have gone with allowing USR on its own, were it not for the fact that it would completely break the single keyword entry system - which needs K mode commands to be distinct from functions, otherwise you wouldn't be able to enter them at the correct time.

[uglifruit]

USR has two uses doesn't it...

1. to call a m/c routine, and return a value to BASIC

2. a function to return the memory address of a UDG

(USR "a" giving 65386 unless you've changed the system variable for where UDGs are stored.)

I like that USR "z" (or any string that isn't "a"-"u"/"A"-"U") gives the "A invalid argument" error.

[1024MAK]

Wow!

Code: Select all

RANDOMIZE USR n 

is just an example. Just like any numerical function, the function (and result) can be used in any suitable expression.

I’ve certainly seen

Code: Select all

PRINT USR n

plus a few less popular variations.

And besides, if you do want to have randomness in your machine code program, then either manage FRAMES yourself, or use your own random generator.

Mark

[TMD2003]

I suspect Sinclair would have gone with allowing USR on its own, were it not for the fact that it would completely break the single keyword entry system - which needs K mode commands to be distinct from functions, otherwise you wouldn't be able to enter them at the correct time.

Counter-examples: READ, RESTORE, DATA, LPRINT, LLIST, DEF FN, OPEN #, CLOSE #, MOVE, ERASE, CAT, FORMAT, VERIFY, MERGE, OUT, CIRCLE, BEEP, INK, PAPER, FLASH, BRIGHT, OVER, INVERSE...

Something, somewhere (probably VAL$) could have made way for a CALL or EXEC command, but I suppose Sinclair must have thought "well, RANDOMIZE USR worked OK on the ZX81 and the ZX80 (if anyone ever tried it), if it ain't broke, don't fix it...", and, if Micro Men is to be believed (careful now), the programmers would have had Sir Clive breathing down their necks to have it ready now or preferably yesterday, thus further destroying any chance of change.

It's an odd coincidence, isn't it - only a few days ago on t'other forum, someone there was lamenting the use of RANDOMIZE USR and the havoc it wreaks on the not-so-random number generator, and before I know it I have cause to mention it in what I expect to be the last review of the competition. Agrajag would go mad at the revelation.

I wonder if I'll get anything in the last dying throes of the competition? 12½ hours to go!

[equinox]

I suspect Sinclair would have gone with allowing USR on its own, were it not for the fact that it would completely break the single keyword entry system - which needs K mode commands to be distinct from functions, otherwise you wouldn't be able to enter them at the correct time.

Yesh some absolute ****ing idiot BASICs use "CALL" to turn it into a thing.

[equinox]

Much as I am enjoying the collapse of the CSSCGC thread into basically grammar (what is the transitivity of RANDOMIZE?) -- also let's be fair, I've been trolling all night on the zine thread and should be swiftly murdered -- I do want to say one more thing, that is relevant:

I had the excellent CSSCGC idea of doing "50 games in one BASIC program" (instead of "50 games on one cassette"), and I mentioned this to our good host, but said I might not have time. 'cause even equinox occsaionally has to work.

I did get as far as writing down 50 tiny one-shot games (have you played Wario Ware?) that would work -- and could share subroutines -- but I didn't actually write any code. So maybe next year. I'd like to share a bit but it would ruin the fun. But, anyone steals this and I will cut them bad!!

Thread now back on topic. You're welcome.

[TMD2003]

Yesh some absolute ****ing idiot BASICs use "CALL" to turn it into a thing.

Ever wondered if there's a version of BASIC out there that has a CALL and requires a direct ROM access just to clear the screen?

I know of one, and the evidence is on its way.

I had the excellent CSSCGC idea of doing "50 games in one BASIC program" (instead of "50 games on one cassette"), and I mentioned this to our good host, but said I might not have time. 'cause even equinox occsaionally has to work.

I did get as far as writing down 50 tiny one-shot games (have you played Wario Ware?) that would work -- and could share subroutines -- but I didn't actually write any code. So maybe next year. I'd like to share a bit but it would ruin the fun. But, anyone steals this and I will cut them bad!!

Realistically, it wasn't going to emerge this year - too much to do at the late stage that you mentioned it - but I'll be keeping an eye on next year's competition and see how my entries stack up against the rest.

I have a very, very crap version of Gamex in my head for how this would appear, without the trading sub-feature. Under 800 bytes for each game? It'll be VALs and NOT PIs aplenty. Mow crack on! Mush!

Ten hours to go for the rest of you...

[+3code]

Secondly, the example would have been better as LET a=USR n, if the above wasn't possible, or in case the return value was required.

Yeah, or INPUT USR n works fine too, I dont thought in the cross interference between RAND USR and the RND seed, sorry, a small bug.