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The main news this month as you probably know if you phone the
hotline, is that Samco has reduced the price of the Sam plus
drive. The complete setup of a Sam 256k, a drive and the
upgraded ROM package, will now cost 199.95.
ooOO OOoo
I've been in touch with Enigma Variations, who have kindly given
me the list of software that they are getting ready between now
and Christmas. There should be Multi-pack I and The Famous Five
Adventure available, by the time you read this. They are also
working on "PIPEMANIA", "TRIVIAL PURSUIT", "KLAX", "ZYBOX" and
one called "ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE ROBOT MONSTERS", or
somesuch name!!!! cont....
Also in the pipeline is a scrolling Shoot Em Up, which should
be ready around November, and a little bird tells me that MIND
GAMES II is floating around somewhere.
While on the subject of software, don't be misled by PCB's
advert for thier Desk Top Publishing package for the Sam. We
have been informed that it uses none of the extra memory of the
Sam, and is only a Spectrum version with the extra Sam keys. I
think that you will find that Brian Mumford has a few things to
say about this elsewhere in this issue. I have also contacted
Elite Software, who are local to me, and asked about their views
on the Sam. They weren't exactly falling over themselves to talk
to me about it, and the only quote they said I could use was "We
have no plans for the Sam in the forseeable future". I will
leave you to make your own mind up about that. I have also
written to Ocean and Firebird, but as yet they have ignored me.
SAMTAPE 3 first impressions by B.Mumford
Lerm have improved and added to their Spectrum emulator, SAMTAPE
2, the new version has some added features such as now you can
save a screen only,anywhere in the game you are playing. Also
they have improved the reliability of the snapshot button, and
now when you press F8 to use the the second set of loading
numbers to make loading more reliable, you are shown you have
done so on the screen. Also added is the option for loading SNAP
shot files from +D/Disciple. If you bought a copy of SAMTAPE 2
and would like to upgrade to SAMTAPE 3 you can by sending your
tape and £4.50p. The conversion from one to the other is very
simple and is well documented. SAMSPEC is not altered, but also
included in the instructions is how to convert PCG's Desk Top
Publisher. If you have not already bought SAMTAPE 2 or 3 then if
you have lots of software for the Spectrum you would like to
convert this is the program for you.
----ooOOoo----
ADDRESS MANAGER 2
This is a database program for the Coupe, it will store over 200
addresses and phone numbers, it will let you select the ones you
wish to print out, and whether you print out the full address or
just the name and telephone number, or just the names, it will
sort your names in alphabetical order, and will also let you
print labels, as many or as few as you require. Lerm use this
program to run thier mail order business. Lerm are to be
congratulated for the time and effort they are putting into
production of Sam software, it is a pity a few more software
companies have not got the guts of a small outfit like this. I
think we should all give Lerm the support they deserve.
LERM SOFTWARE
11 BEACONSFIELD CLOSE,
WHITLEY BAY, TEL:-(091) 2533615
TYNE AND WEAR,
NE25 9UW.
Review of 007 DISASSEMBLER £6.95 on disc from G.A.Bobker,
29,Chadderton Drive, Unsworth, Bury, Lancs. BL9 8NL.
The 007 Disassembler is an extremely easy to use programme,
designed to reside at address 16384 below the user basic, a
second version residing at address 62000. This programme doesn't
have the advanced functions of packages like Devpack, but is
designed to make disassembly of addresses below 65535 as easy as
possible. The dissassembler works on all roms and both 256 and
512k Sams. The print routine uses a screen print routine which
means those unable to use the dump utility are catered for. The
function keys reprogrammed are F4 to run disassembler and F2 to
print screen.
Loading 'Delta' enables you to relocate the disassembler to
the address of your choice. Also on the disc is a printing
utility which allows you to select which side of the paper you
print to, allowing you to get two columns on each page, for
economy, convenience or to tie up called routines.
The major points are ease of use,(the instuctions won't be
needed after the first use), display of addreses and values in
Dec or Hex, changing from one to the other at a touch of a key.
Entering S you are prompted for a 5-digit start address which
displays one screenful of disassembly and then waits for N to
pressed to display the next screenfull. Pessing S at any time
allows you to restart or change start address. Pressing D or H
permits the switching of the displayed screen between Hex and
Dec or continue disassembly in either. To get hard copy you must
press E for exit and then F2 for screen copy. The disc also
contains 007 Reveal which will be reviewed separately.
VERDICT :- very easy to use and well worth buying.
D. Hall 77,Newton Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk. IP14 5AE.
007 REVEAL REVIEWED BY K.PURCOCKS
********************************************
This utility is a must for people like me, who like to find out
just what's lurking inside a program. 007 REVEAL will reveal
bytes of a program in HEX,DECIMAL or ASCII characters. It also
accepts +D,DISCIPLE discs or snapshots. Very useful if you've
upgraded to a Sam and still have any +D stuff left. The program
first asks you for the true start address of the file you wish
to look at, (I.E.SAMDOS 229385).It then asks you what would you
like to view the file in, HEX, DECIMAL or ASCII, you just press
H,D OR A (OR R TO RESET).
The first file that I tried it on was SAMDOS. As I looked
through the DOS, I saw all the ERROR codes (most of which I've
never seen before and hope never to see again!!!). I found that
towards the end of the file (237462) there was no code, so
saving CODE 229385,8078, I can save nearly 2k, thanks to 007
REVEAL.
VERDICT:-IDIOT PROOF AND A VERY USEFUL UTILITY FOR "DABBLERS".
007 DISC DOCTOR by G.Bobker Reviewed by D.Tonks
Another program from the prolific utility writer, G.Bobker. This
one is a particularly useful one, as it lets you get the files
on your discs into some kind of order.
When loaded, a menu is displayed, giving you the options at the
press of a key. Everything is self explanatory and the manual
that is provided, is hardly needed most of the time.
There are routines to RENAME your files (even ERASED ones!), you
can unerase a file, ERASE a file, close up gaps in the DIRectory
and swap files around on the DIRectory.
There are a couple of options to map out a disc and alter any
sector or track, which I think must be used with great care!!
Also included is a ZAP routine, which will erase a bad sector,
to allow the DIRectory to read past it.
All in all, I found this to be a very well written and very
useful program. Well worth the 9.95 asking price.
Geof Bobker can be contacted at:- 29 CHADDERTON DRIVE,
UNSWORTH, BURY, LANCS
SAM-IBU Reviewed by Rob Evans
Sam-IBU is a utility for backing up discs, but with a
difference.Say you have backed up a disc, then at a later date
you add a file (or a number of files), to the main disc, you now
have to work out which are the new files to add to the backup.
This is were Sam IBU is clever. It checks the directory of the
first disc against the directory of your backup disc and then
only copies the files that are not on the second disc. This a
very easy to use program and the only real fault that I found,
is it doesn't Format a disc for you! which means that if you are
using it to copy a whole disc you must remember to FORMAT a disc
before you load this program. This can be a pain in the backside
if you forget to do it, as you have to clear the machine, and
reload Sam IBU after FORMATting.
Now I must give you a WARNING......
If you try to use this program to copy files to a disc that
contains files that are not on the source disc, then the files
on the target disc will be overwritten.
VERDICT:-
ALL IN ALL NOT A BAD PROGRAM, and well worth having in your
collection.
Program available from:- S D Software
3 Mitchell Place
Falkirk
Stirlingshire
Scotland FK1 5PJ
PRICE 4.90 plus 50p P&P
EDITORs NOTE: Rob has sent in instructions for putting a FORMAT
routine into Sam IBU. See the Sales Wants and Help section.
MULTIPACK ONE by Enigma Variations
Reviewed by A.Rigley
There aren't a lot of them about at the moment are there? Coupe
games, and let's be honest, games sell a computer. Well things
seem to be hotting up now, with Enigma at the forefront of it,
all set to release a string of titles in the coming month.
The first of these (available now) is the Sam Multipack 1
containing two original titles which promise to take full
advantage of the Coupes capabilities, and they do.
First of there's Sam Strikes Out, a strightforward "we've seen
this before" Jet-Set Willy type platform game. The first thing
that hits home on loading up, is the title screen and the great
theme tune, first impressions suggest a Megadrive type tune yet
with more "depth".
When starting the game the graphics are the real stage-stealer
with the title tune playing away in the background. This is one
of those games where you spend the first few goes exploring the
large play area and finding the weird creatures which are
intricatly drawn and very amusing.
Getting down to gameplay, you control a smartly drawn and well
animated Sam who must collect what are known as "energy blob
things",Boring? Well no,what makes this a more playable game are
Sams 'POWERUPS' allowing him to perform such tasks as Jumping
high,falling far (using a cushion), invulnerability and opening
doors (with keys).
There is a certain amount of strategy involved as in knowing
where and when to use your power-ups.I found this a very
playable,quite addictive fun game to play which does Sam credit.
Next,Futureball.Another original title with the same things
going for it as above,and more besides.
This is a fast paced arcade action game. Wit, an overhead (ish)
view of play areas, you take control of a "football" player who
must cary out a number of challenges if he is to be accepted
into the team. (This isn't a football simulator,it just
borderlines on the general idea.)
There are four challenges, each taking on a different gameplay
and each needing to be finished before the Final Challenge, a
mix of the four.
The graphics and animation 'zip' along at a great speed
adding to the difficulty and addictivness of the game.
So with Sam Strikes Out And Futureball in one package there's
plenty to keep you playing for a long time.These games certainly
overpower any other 8-bit machines by a long shot and even creep
up against 16-bitters with relative ease and as Christmas comes
around the more good software we see the better.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
ODDS and ENDS OF LATE NEWS
For you Opus users out there, Ian Vaudrey tells me that at the
moment he is working on an Opus disc emulator. He has decided
to make it compatable with Ian Spencers "Specmaker" files so
that programs can be loaded straight off Opus discs into
"Specmaker". Hopefully it will be ready by next issue.
____________________________________________
Don't forget the All Formats Show, at the Horticultural Halls,
on November 4th. Samco and Enigma will be there, as well
as Geoff Bobker and the Supplement. Brian Mumford and myself
will be there, and we will be pleased to meet some of our
members there.
The Samco hotline reports that Samco will have prototypes of the
Sam mouse and a 1meg upgrade, as well as a multi socket edge
connector.
....
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