Thursday, June 29, 2017

Flying Shark



Flying pixels!

Following on from Deathbringer, the next piece of wonderful Atari ST Pixel Art is Firebird's Flying Shark which is a belting example of 16-bit artistry. Just look at the title screen with that sinister face as it flies over the landscape. Yep, this screen is superb and so are the in-game graphics with gorgeous landscapes and sprites by Robert Hemphill and Jason Lihou.

I remember getting this on an ST/Amiga Format cover disk back in my college days - much to the envy of my Miggy mate!! It's actually a pretty faithful representation of the coin-op with great graphics, ace music and excellent gameplay. The play area doesn't slide left/right (like in the arcades) but that's not required due to our wider resolution ratio.

I personally think Firebird released a cracker and it's a blast on the Atari ST. You will love it!!


- SCREENSHOTS & LINKS -


Klaz's Hideaway has a HDD and floppy version w/ trainer!
Stonish has Flying Shark on Zuul #37 floppy disk.
ST/Amiga Format cover disk #7 can be downloaded from ST Format.








Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Zone Warrior



Wanna be a Timecop?

I love platform shooters and this one was developed in 1991 by Imagitec Design Ltd for Electronic Arts. The storyline is simple - once again, pesky aliens are giving us Earthlings lots of grief. They have managed to pinch a time machine and are using that to alter history and wreak havoc by taking crucial hostages from each period in an attempt to halt their influence. From the invention of the wheel to England's King Arthur uniting the Britains and Japan's technical wizardry.

Yep, we cannot allow this - the fight is on. So, brace yourself because it's our job to travel the various time zones and rescue everybody we can. Thus saving the timeline and protecting our future. Whilst there, we may as well kill each and every bad dude that gets in our way. Yup, it's time to save the day again so let's lock and load!!

Before we begin, check out this screenshot and tell me what other run & gunner it reminds you of...



Pick-ups are pretty cool but something like the Map parts is essential for this huge platformer!!


Are you ready for a challenge?

Zone Warrior is a MASSIVE horizontally scrolling platformer that reminded me of Psygnosis' Baal in looks with (more than) a hint of Turrican-style action. Each zone is a labyrinth of large rooms interconnected by a series of complicated doorways. There is a total of five timezones that need to be saved from the dreaded aliens and they are:

  • Prehistoric - I really enjoyed this zone because it introduces you nicely into the gameplay style plus there are lots of power-ups and strong map designs compared to most other levels. I also thought the graphics were the best here with great use of the palette.
  • Egyptian - This is is little disappointing for me because it's basically more of the same design but with a different graphics. However, I found it to be a lot harder and rather frustrating instead of anything close to an enjoyable challenge...
  • Medieval - Saving the medieval Britons from their alien fate is a brilliant level and definitely on par with the Prehistoric Zone. I must admit, the music here is so gorgeous!
  • Japanese - I would rate this as the best level of all because it is really challenging, with some great mechanics. Unlike the finicky Egyptian Zone, I found it tough but without the frustration. And the chipmusic is out of this world!!
  • Holocaust - Sadly I didn't care for this zone... Very frustrating and ultimately annoying!

Travelling through most zones is a neat experience with constant action to keep your trigger finger happy. During this onslaught, look for hostages to free and a key for a final battle before you can progress to the next zone.

Each of these periods has its own nasties to contend with and some cannot be killed so avoid them - like the Venus flytraps and sharp spikes. However, most have legs or teeth so have your trusty Turrican-inspired weapon at the ready. This is a rapid-firing gun that performs well and can even be upgraded with a wider spread. Also, the spacebar is used to cycle through any extra weapons you may have picked up like bombs and mines. Experiment but use wisely.

Okay, let's check out another screenshot of Tur...Erm, no, I meant Zone Warrior...



I really enjoyed the prehistoric levels with dinos and cool methods used to avoid them!


Aesthetics?

The visuals aren't the best I've seen from my lovely Atari ST which isn't due to their quality but the lack of variety. The backdrops are nice but could have made better use of the palette for things like destructible blocks. Most sprites are well-drawn and detailed, especially the stripy dinos from the Prehistoric Zone. The scrolling is very good and perfectly responsive to our hero's fast/leaping movements, which is obviously essential to a running-gunner-shooter like this.

Overall, the Medieval and Japanese zones looked the best, I thought. Sexy visuals!

The audio is a blast with great sound effects used throughout. However, it's the music I really loved because everything is composed by Barry Leitch who created a wealth of fantastic chiptunes. Show-stompingly brilliant audio!!

Variety is certainly the spice of life <sarcasm incoming> so if you like yellow, you will love this next screenshot...



The graphics and music may change but the gameplay is pretty darn familiar for each level...


The CryptO'pinion?

The trouble with Zone Warrior is that it's all too easy to lose your bearings. The levels are absolutely huge and wandering from "room to room" can be overwhelming. This is also due to the lack of distinctive visuals so each region begins to feel repetitive. Thankfully, our little zone warrior can collect pieces of a map to help prevent him from getting lost but I personally thought this was poorly implemented. Yes, I lost my bearings... a lot... and that spoilt the fun somewhat.

Okay, with a little more variation in the graphics, to help distinguish between the locations, this would have knocked the spots of other platform shooters. This is a great game with interesting mechanics and incredibly responsive joystick controls. Okay, it might whiff of cheap Turrican perfume but I must say I have really enjoyed being a Zone Warrior.

Yep, Zone Warrior is a fantastic shooter and comes highly recommended by yours truly. Play it!!

 Update: we now have a hard drive installable game thanks to Peter @8BitChip.
 Stonish has the floppy disk download thanks to the Fuzion #80 disk :-)
  

Monday, June 26, 2017

Criminals In Disguise #22


I love anything with swirling dots and especially sine scrollers so this intro by Criminals In Disguise is right up my street. The fx are very nice with a beautiful hum-tastic chipmusic that I can leave playing all day. My video recording is fine but (you know what I'm going to say) it's best experienced using a real Atari computer for perfection and better sound. Especially on the Atari STe, so connect it up to your speakers and crank up the volume!!

This disk contains Jetpac, which is an awesome conversion of the Speccy original.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Sinister Developments



Cheap & nasty shareware!

Sinister Developments were one of the best shareware groups in the 90s and released five fantastic arcade games. Each was their own take on the classic original and it was obvious that a lot of love went into their creation. Fantastic graphics, audio and ultra-smooth gameplay which felt authentic yet somehow regenerated and fresh.

Only recently I stumbled upon the Sinister Developments website and was surprised they still had their Atari ST software featured. That was both a shock and a pleasure to see such Fuji wonders listed on a website (that also looked like it hadn't been updated in a generation). Sadly, the download links didn't work so I decided to send them an email and kept my fingers crossed. After all, I did not expect to receive any reply from such an old website...

Surprisingly, I got a reply straight away from Gordon Gibson who not only fixed the broken links but he also kindly supplied the full (registered) version of each title. Yep, all for free without any strings attached (is it my birthday?). Yeah, how cool are Atari ST folk? For reference, the incredible Atari Mania has each game featured within its archives.

Okay, you've probably watched the Space Invaders video and been blown away! Well, check out Galaxians...





The Sinister archive!
  • Centipede - Gordon said they wanted a mix between Centipede and Millipede which worked out well. I found a few bugs but nothing to stop the fun as this is a frantically zany and frenzied version of the classic. A superb conversion. (To bypass the shareware message just press "ESC" key on the language screen).
  • Painter - I personally thought this was the weakest of the bunch but it's still enjoyable and very difficult with killer AI (literally). There is also funky stereo music on the Atari STe - yeah!!
  • Asteroids - This begins with a familiar intro supporting stereo playback for the Atari STe. Inintially, I found it difficult but, after a few tips from the man himself, I got to grips with it. I still suck at it, but at least I'm "better"!! (To bypass the shareware message just press "F10" key on the language screen).
  • Space Invaders - This is my favourite of the bunch. It's a beauty and feels perfectly authentic it screams brilliance. Yet again, the Atari STe features DMA music with stereo sound effects too. (To bypass the shareware message just type in "PEPSI MAX" on the language screen).
  • Galaxians - I've always been rubbish at this gamr but it's such a great conversion. I think that Sinister have created one of pure gold and it had me feeling that I'm back in the 1980s. (To bypass the shareware message just press "INSERT" key on the language screen).


The CryptO'pinion?

Sinister Developments' history proves their talent and each game is a brilliant arcade conversion in its own right. What's even more impressive is the use of various Atari STe enhancements, which is always cool. Oh, did I mention that all these games are now free? :) Come on, that is incredibly generous. Do you feel that Atari-love in the air?

Five outstanding arcade games which I know every Atari ST/e player is gonna love. Which is your favourite??

To safeguard this precious archive of Atari ST gaming history, I have also stored them in my Dropbox. So, what are you waiting for? Get these Atari ST/e games downloaded right now? I'm sure you're gonna love 'em all!! :-)

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Archer Maclean Pool



Fancy a few beers and a game of pool?

Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker is terrific and technically superb but it wasn't long before I was falling asleep at my keyboard. Sorry, but that's snooker... and then I realised I had never played Archer Maclean's Pool.

Pool is an exciting, fast-paced pub game and nothing like the dullness of snoozeville snooker. American and English variations of this game are playable with the added option to play through tournaments or to set up trick shots. If you've played Whirlwind then you'll instantly take to this but I doubt any newcomers will struggle with the interface, which is instinctive and easy to grasp. In fact, some might say this is the same snooker game and a rip-off?



What a whiz I am at this game! Go on, watch me clear up lol


Pool is illegal without beer! #fact

Well, ignore them and play this using the mouse to alter your viewing angle but don't forget to chalk the cue before setting up the shot with the right amount of power, spin and direction. There is a wide range of computer opponents from the amateur to the godlike, so it's best to practice before taking on the pros. They. Are. Tough!

Graphics are... well... it's a table with balls on it, so there isn't much to drool over, but the framerates are very smooth and prove just what 8MHz can deliver. The 3D engine works well with fantastic first-person-like views when lining up a shot. Let's not forget the game's comical side with taunting balls, evil-eyed fans or the flies on the table!! Sound effects are nice and rather varied with clinks, plops and oddly humorous cue-chalking moments.

What I love about this game is the superb design which feels natural and realistic. After your first shot, you realise how incredibly superior the hidden mathematical calculations are that make the physics appear so believable. There are near-limitless possibilities for each shot you make, which is quite incredible.



You know from the very start this is gonna be good. Then the balls get very rude... Ahem!!


The CryptO'pinion?

Sure, this is a game best experienced with friends in a pub with heavy double-vision but, let's be honest, we're all getting old plus the wife won't be best pleased. So, let's stick to this virtual take on the game which comes in as a close second.

I cannot imagine anyone having anything to complain about because this is superb and one of the best Atari ST games out there. It's fast, entertaining and completely faultless. Absolutely love this virtual pub game so much!!

Waste no more time and get this downloaded for floppy disk from Stonish.
Those with a hard drive device should consider this version by 8BitChip!!

Friday, June 23, 2017

Phobia




Busy box art and insane gameplay. Great!

ImageWorks released Phobia back in 1989 with a gorgeous retro-themed cover. The artwork is stunning with lots of colour, action and a cruel glare from evil eyes which reflects the game itself perfectly! Phobia has all the hallmarks of a potentially outstanding shooter but it's impossible to get very far without a trainer because of its choppy framerate. Probably a poor port and it pales in comparison to shooters like R-Type, Alien World, or Menace.

Well, I bought Phobia for only 99 pence and it was sealed too. The box and contents are in superb condition but I wonder why nobody ever bought it? <yes, sarcasm!>. Maybe I'll be brave and record a video? Maybe...

LINKS

 - ST Format #1 reviews Phobia but wasn't too impressed with the difficulty - lol wimps!!
 - D-Bug has a download with a trainer and hard drive support.
 - Stonish has the floppy disks and I liked Timelords #29 Menu CD (1MB).
 - Here is a fantastic video recording by Stefan Lindberg.
 - My tweet after playing Phobia for a few minutes... ARGGHHHHHH!!!


I should have known this was going to be hard with such a hideous screen.
Annnd this next screenshot is of me and my ship being blown up! Again.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Deathbringer



The Atari ST has many great games that feature superb pixel art and figured I should start a new section specifically for them. Let's kick things off with Colin Swinbourne's artistic skills for Empire Software's Deathbringer! And the first thing you see is the hideous loading screen with those teeth and the hatred from that evil glare!! The pixels don't stop being awesome because the intro is cool with great sounds and a fantastic comical ending.

I hope you agree that Colin's skills are a superb way to kick off a new Pixel Art section? Let me know!

Update: we now have a game review!

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Automation #496


Press 1 for...
Nope, there's none of that with Automation #496 because this intro is based on Rick Dangerous. Well, there's no interaction and little to do other than walk and climb ladders but it's still a cool alternative compared to what we would have expected back then. Control Ricky D. with the joystick and entering a doorway selects a game to play!!

Monday, June 19, 2017

Roger



Another Atari STe game, anyone?

Spot... Erm, sorry, Roger is a fast-paced 25-level platformer released by Tobe of MJJ. It offers a frantic run through various Sonic-like levels collecting jewels for our rather demanding girlfriend, Georgette. However, this "platformer" has many jewels - without any ladders or (very few) ledges... So how will Roger complete her task?

Bubbles, of course! All he needs to do is jump on one and, when it bursts, the force thrusts him upwards. If there's another bubble, then the cycle continues and he uses that speed and momentum to reach each of the jewels. Roger has limited health, so it's advisable to avoid the sharp spikes that burst on contact to drain valuable energy. Thankfully, power pills can be collected to compensate for that but they are few and far between.


This is what it's all about and Georgette is pretty much a babe with her luscious red lips!


Quick Reactions R Needed!

Use the joystick to walk left or right and the fire button helps Roger leap with joy via the bubbles. Once you begin bubble-jumping, it's "simply" a matter of altering your trajectory towards the next bubble, whilst collecting the nearby jewels, as you zoom through the air. Previously burst bubbles will reappear after a second or so and that aspect cunningly allows you to revisit the areas that you might have missed during your insane journey.

Want a tip? Learn the level layout as you're hopping about like a crazy fool!

Are you getting a little worried about how deranged this game sounds? It's not nearly as stupid as you are thinking because the mechanics of bubble-hopping work brilliantly. In some ways, I got a Sonic vibe from it but, unlike that silly hedgehog, Roger is zooming around your screen in all directions. It's a maddening thrill and you'll love it.


Check out that stride, gotta love those lanky legs!


How's it look and sound?

The graphics are a mixed bag; Roger's sprite is superb with side-splitting animation and I could watch those lanky legs for hours!! The framerates are frighteningly fast with smooth scrolling thanks to the Blitter coprocessor. Sadly, the in-game decor is quite a disappointment thanks to drab backgrounds that only change every 5 levels.

Sound effects are crisp and perfectly suited to the style: I like the explosion sound for the spikes and magnificent chipmusic plays throughout. Well, I say magnificent but that's because I cannot think of a better word - WOW - I could listen to them all day long!! This certainly proves that chip music will last forever and rightly so.



Finally, a different background after the first few levels and it's much nicer too.


The CryptO'pinion?

Roger is quite a unique experience and feels like an airborne Boulder Dash meets Sonic. Yes, it's weird and something I would never have expected but it's also easy to pick up and play. Just learn the location of those jewels: that might take some practice and will be a little disorientating at first, but stick with it and I guarantee you won't be able to put down the joystick. Hopping from bubble to bubble is stupid but frantic fun.

Roger's gameplay is legendary. Extremely addictive with an extreme adrenalin rush!! Play this.

Roger can be found lurking on Demozoo and Pouet for floppy disk and hard drive installation.
Tobé excellent archive is fully detailed on Demozoo, although he did stray a little ;-)

Saturday, June 17, 2017

BLAT


I sometimes enjoy the occasional brain teaser and Blat is a twist on the Columns genre which was released for the Atari STe by The Infamous Cabbage, aka Chris Vance. Yep, I'm sorry STF dudes but this game is only playable on an STe because of the cool samples which are played using the DMA hardware. Interestingly, this brain-blaster was released on June 17th, 1992 so is 25 years old today. So let's sing, "Happy Birthday, BLAT"

Falling columns of coloured blocks will need reordering during their descent and, if we can successfully match them up, then it's KABOOM!! This explosion earns us lots of points and helps clear the board space for the oncoming blocks, so the more we match the greater the points. Diagonal rows are the most rewarding and you will receive a smart bomb when matching five or more. It's advisable to keep these until the later (faster) levels!

There are 15 levels in all but it won't be long until you're grateful for keeping a stockpile of smart bombs because this isn't an easy game and it soon picks up the pace for an extremely harsh difficulty. Thankfully, there are other items to help, like the clocks which can slow the pace right down - two is good but three is much better. There are also sticks of dynamite, lightning bolts and even indestructible blocks. Many of these can be paired so try positioning a light fuse next to the dynamite for a massive explosion that conveniently destroys many other blocks.

This is a polished product with gorgeous sound effects and is so addictive. Actually, I'm surprised it's PD and not shareware. I've thoroughly enjoyed playing BLAT even if I couldn't get anywhere near level 15 - and it's doubtful I ever will. Highly recommended, especially for those wanting a REAL challenge!! Great game.

Stonish have Serenade #1 floppy disk (it features Teserea, another which you may like).
AtariMania has Blat listed in their database with the readme conveniently available.

Friday, June 16, 2017

Amiga!!



Hell froze over!

Sorry guys, I'm leaving the Atari ST scene because I prefer a slower computer and have therefore decided to switch. Okay, okay, don't sweat it because this image shows a clip from the infamous "Amiga Emulator" by Philip Nelson. It's really nothing more than a bit of fun and found on the Stonish website - I recommend Quartet #30.

Right then, enough of this silliness... let's boot up the ST and enjoy a faster and better 16-bit computer!!

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Whipper Snapper's Race



Hang on, this ain't Cannon Fodder!

What do you get if you merge together "Horace Goes Skiing" with Cannon Fodder? Easy, it's called Whipper Snapper's Race by Petr Sumbera of New Design. This was developed using Omikron Basic and stars Max - a dude who goes skiing through many vertically-scrolling levels through places that look (umm) very familiar...

Navigate left/right to pass each obstacle as you ski - but don't bump into anything otherwise, you fall flat on your bum! Pushing up will reduce your speed whilst pulling down will increase it and fire will perform a leap into the air. Passwords are used to access the "missions" without having to start over from the beginning. Yes!!

Graphically, I could never complain because it looks just like Cannon Fodder and has superb attention to detail. Of course, it's all ripped and unoriginal but I do not care! The music is in stereo by Tomas Kucera and sounds funky - I'm sure you will leave it playing for a long while. In-game sound effects are ace but I won't spoil that surprise for you!

Skiing in Cannon Fodder... never been so much fun... (sorry!). Thanks to the great controls, this is so easy to pick up and play but also remains very challenging too. Whipper Snapper's Race is a very silly skiing game and shockingly addictive!!


I've made a floppy disk for those stuck in 3.5" hell :^)
Download the hard drive-installable game from Demozoo!
Wow, Petr's website is still up and running after all these years!!






Monday, June 12, 2017

Virtual Escape



Jaw-Dropping!!

After about 6 years, Equinox eventually released Virtual Escape in 1999 and it's one of my favourite demos. The tunes are utterly sexy and there are also some of the most incredible visuals that will blow your socks off!! Those swirling dots are gobsmackingly beautiful and I love the super-duper fast 3D. It's hard to believe this is all on a stock 512KB 8MHz Atari ST. An incredible production that oozes class and is definitely one of the beST 16-Bit demos out there.

Don't emulate - experience this using a real Atari ST and crank up the volume!

Credits and Downloads
Furax - Music
Jedi - Music
Keops - Code, Graphics (design)
Mad Max - Music (endpart)
Nova - Graphics
Starlion - Code

You can download Virtual Escape right now off Demozoo.
Democyclopedia mentions each effect, along with the awesome Skyline (see above).

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Jetpac



16Kb is all you will ever need

I'm sure everyone knows that Jet Pac was originally released in 1983 for the ZX Spectrum by uber-gaming legends, Ultimate Play The Game. It's one of the most iconic 8Bit games from that era and our conversion was developed by Pete J. Whitby in 1992 for Budgie UK. Heck, he also made all the graphics and sound effects.

Interesting tidbit, I owned Jetpac on cassette and cartridge (ZX Spectrum) and I also had a huge collection dating back to 1981 and had an Interface II (such a geek). Sold the lot when I got a mortgage! :/

Jet Man is a lucky fella working as a space pilot for Acme Interstellar Transport Company. They're sending him to fifty planets to assemble (and playtest) their technological creations. Sadly, his luck ran out when he discovered each planet is being bombarded by a variety of hostiles ranging from fiery comets to fluffy aliens.



There are so many different baddies to blast and many new ones too...


Planets, aliens and lasers!!

Playability is impressively legit from the start with tight controls that feel instantly familiar - if a tad quicker than I remember. Jet Man's movements are exactly as you would expect but he oddly cannot wrap around the screen anymore, which is strange. However, he compensates for that lost ability with a new one - shield power-ups.

The range of nasties is wide and they use differing attack patterns that help to keep the gameplay engaging. Many are new and some require several shots whereas others are invulnerable. Also, watch out for deadly platforms that can zap Jet Man into an early grave. There is even an end level that is something missing from the original. If only I had better gaming skills to witness that for myself... Yeah, I know. Not gonna happen!



Jet Man is one lucky dude who gets to play with all the cool new rockets!


Aesthetics

There wasn't much to the original game that somehow fit inside a puny 16Kb Ram. The Atari ST game is pretty much the same but now features extra colours and the sprites feel so much smoother than they did previously. This is a good thing! Sadly, we appear to have gained a background image which I feel wasn't necessary at all.

The sounds are fine. Okay, at best, so it's disappointing to hear the ST out-bleeped by the inferior ZX Spectrum. Thankfully, there is the option for music and guess what? It's absolutely outstanding so leave it on!



Come on, Zip Zap those aliens as much as you can and refuel that rocket!


The CryptO'pinion?

Jetpac is Jetpac and will always be superb. Okay, this remake wasn't going to beat the original but I feel Pete has captured authenticity and successfully implement new ideas. What's not to love about frantically zapping a relentless alien hoard and gathering fuel pods? Sound effects aside, this is an utterly excellent game!!

Okay, waste no more time and get it downloaded - Jetpac is available for both floppy disk and hard drive.
Play the original ZX Spectrum game on your Atari ST using an emulator:
             > Artemis is a great (albeit colourless) emulator that only works on 8MHz Atari ST/e computers.
             > Speccy is another emulator w/ support for colours and also faster Atari computers too.

Saturday, June 10, 2017

HUNTER


Finally, I am the proud owner of HUNTER and I couldn't wait to add it to our BoxArt section. Everyone knows that this is one of my favourite Atari ST games and is also in my all-format's Top 10. If you haven't played Hunter then slap yourself - right now!! Is that better now? Okay, now click here for enlightenment. Go on, click it and read all about it.

Friday, June 09, 2017

Oids [upgraded]



It's Oids, but better!

Oids is a shooter set deep in outer space and has us rescuing little metallic men from captivity. Like Dungeon Master, every ST guy has played this at some point in their life. It's a classic, simple as that, and nothing similar comes close. I've probably spent hundreds of hours on it over the decades so check out our review from last year.

However, I must admit that I was shocked to discover that it only runs at 10/12fps (PAL/NTSC). I'm sure today's kids will probably laugh at such a low framerate! Oddly, it doesn't feel that low, but that didn't stop Peter Putnik from developing an upgraded version running at 25/30fps and he even improved the controls too.

This is a fascinating upgrade that enhances the original game - without spoiling it in any way. Check out the upgrade for yourself as it's added a whole new dimension to our iconic thruster. And I love it to bits!!

Wednesday, June 07, 2017

C64



Commodore 64?!!

Okay, I'd bet good money that this was the last thing you expected to see here on an Atari website? Well, I've had this C64 emulator on my drive for a long while and figured that it was about time did something with it. So I started my day by trawling through Old Games Finder looking for cool games which I remembered seeing in C&VG magazine in the early/mid-80s. I really wanted to play Pitfall, Manic Miner and Staff Of Karnath but sadly, I had zero success.

However, others did work (with a caveat of displaying text instead of jazzy pixels) and some crashed the emulator. Yes, I should have read the docs first - lol - yeah right. Basically, almost all games aren't supported if they demand fancy scrolling, sprites or joystick control, etc. What might work are applications, educational titles and so on. Including magazine Type-Ins and many text adventures (impressive, but hardly worth my hassle over the last few hours?)

Okay, I'm no Commie 64 expert but these basic commands might help to get you playing their version of Jetpac...

   LOAD "$",10               (this loads the disk's directory into Ram)
   LIST                      (this lists that directory to screen)
   LOAD "filename.prg",10    (you've guessed it, this loads a program)
   RUN                       (go on, take a stab at what this might do!)

Please note:
     - The "10" is the device ID for my Atari ST's hard drive.
     - If you are running the emulator from floppy disk then you should instead use "8".
     - Copy the Commodore ".PRG" programs into the same directory as the Atari file: "C64.TOS".
     - C64 emulation was tested on my 8MHz Atari STe and then Hatari (same spec) for the animation, above.

I'm not sure who to credit for this emulator but he/her did a great job and the docs indicate many useful intentions. This has been fun and the Commodore 64 is a decent machine (shush don't tell anyone). However, there is no real support for anything more than tinkering, so seeing pixels or playing games was never gonna happen. Plus it would need a faster processor to do much more than you can see in the animation. Having said all that, as is, this is a great emulator and has been a bunch of fun to play with the C64 operating system and some programs.

Sadly, I'm not sure how much longer I can stand the pain of having C64 software stored on my Atari ST's hard drive... it hurts bad! Yes, I think I should delete this evil software and get back to playing properly with my computer ;)

If you fancy a dollop of Commodore fun, the best download (that I've found) is on disk LAN-0066 via Floppyshop and it has the emulator's documentation too. Additionally, Old Games Finder can link to zillions of C64 stuff in the .PRG format. Go on, give it a playtest and enjoy experimenting and running technical code like this...

Tuesday, June 06, 2017

Onslaught



Want more Box Art?

Okay, it's time for another hardcopy trip down memory lane and I can remember lifting this one of the shop's shelves. At first, it was only to admire its gorgeous artwork with medieval imagery that is so captivating - I love those lush colours which are in stark contrast to the brutal warriors. I think this is great artwork and quite scary too, so it perfectly illustrates the savage gameplay ahead. So, if you feel brave enough, shall we open the box?

Onslaught was programmed by Chris Hinsley, he of Custodian fame, and is a horizontally-scrolling hack and club 'em all to death battle. This exciting platformer has us killing everything in sight with massive explosions that beautifully light up the colourful backdrops and grungy medieval scenery. The music is perfectly suited for the theme and accompanied by meaty sound samples for all the grunts, booms, and metallic weapon clangs!!

This is a tough game that requires lots of practice so stick with it. Onslaught is superb with tons of colours, loud effects, and gameplay stuffed with brutal carnage!! This is a fun action kill 'em all and one of my favourite Atari ST games. Here are a few screenshots to drool over before getting to the all too necessary download links...


Download the floppies - I love FOF #51.

Sunday, June 04, 2017

Monster Business



The demoscene does it again?

Monster Business is a fun-themed platformer released in 1991 by Eclipse and produced by incredibly talented people you may recognise from the ST scene. As storylines go, this one is a Christmas cracker!!

Crazed "mad meanies" have been loosed from their forest habitat and are pinching items from Bob's construction site. You are Leroy The Beast Buster who must help Bob blow-up these cheeky invaders. Yep, this might sound like diarrhoea, but we should still help Bob because we are the only beast buster in Tin Town. Yep... O_o



Each level is big and uses smooth vertical scrolling to hunt down the freaky monsters!


Olde gameplay and it works!

Each level follows a familiar Bounty Bob design of platforms, slippy slopes and chasing monsters. Be careful because they kill with one touch so I'm grateful that we carry an air pump weapon to inflate them for a bloated and cruel death. This is nothing short of hilarious and once they begin floating away you are able to nudge them into oblivion, leaving behind their stolen goodies. If you're lucky, they might drag along others for multiple killings.

The joystick controls are spritely and I like how there are two heights we can jump - this depends on how long you push upwards. Repeatably pressing the fire button activates the weapon to bloat the monsters - so I appreciated the autofire function. Two-players are supported but sadly not for co-op, which would have been superb...



Blown the sucker up for a cruel, yet hilarious end to his life!


A pleasure for your eyes and ears!

The graphics are nice with simple backgrounds any 8-bit owner would have drooled over back in the early 80s. The scrolling is ultra-smooth but its the sprites which shine the most: I dare anybody not to laugh when seeing a ginormous duck waddle across your screen. I loved their expressions and bloated deaths. Hilarious pixel art.

Audio is immensely impressive with a superlative range of gorgeous chiptunes by Laurens Tummers, aka Lotus! The sound effects are also great but even so, are completely overshadowed by the music. Wow!!



Taken from behind and check out his expression. This game is brilliant!!!


The CryptO'pinion?

Bloating animals is shockingly entertaining and I guarantee you will enjoy hunting down cute prey. However, it's quite repetitive and this might reduce any long-term enjoyment. I also thought the time limit was too harsh... Monster Business is best with friends and I promise that everyone will be giggling like school kids. A superb game!!

Monster Business can be downloaded for floppy & hard drive.

Saturday, June 03, 2017

Pure Energy #42


I love this Menu Disk! It was released by Pure Energy early in 1993 and has a gorgeous plasma whilst playing excellent chip music by Crawdaddy. The text might have a simplistic feel but did you notice anything a little different? Look closer... Do you see now?? Oh yea, pretty awesome, right? Anyhow, the disk features Centipede which is an excellent game.

Credits:
B.F.G - Text
Crawdaddy - Music
Mick - Code

Thursday, June 01, 2017

Sebastien Larnac

I thought it was about time we featured another interview on AtariCrypt and who better than my mate Sebastien Larnac! He's better known as ST Survivor (STS), a name you might have seen credited in many wonderful Atari ST demos. Also, he's created many other screens - such as images for programs like gwEm's STj and MaxYMiser.

Compared to most of us, he became an ST nutter quite late in the day. But it wasn't long before he was testing the waters of the demoscene with doodles - and then writing for diskmags. He's actually a modest dude, yet his hiSTory is more impressive than he realises!!

So, I had a bright idea to interview the dude behind those funky glasses to see what makes him tick. Some details I found quite surprising but overall this is an extremely talented young gent, even if he is French (what?). Seriously folks, take a gander at Demozoo to see his outstanding 16-colour art collection.



ST Survivor - The Interview


What’s your STory?

I received my Atari STe as a Christmas gift in 1990 and spent a couple of years copying games. Until one day one of my floppies was filled with something called a “demo”. What the heck was that? I instantly loved the idea behind it and got in touch with the creators (I phoned one of them!). I already doodled on paper, so why not on a computer? I joined NLC at a time when some people were leaving the demoscene (damn me, for being late!).

I worked on a GFA megademo (Back In France) with my friend Thyrex, who ran the French diskmag ToXic. I had the opportunity to make more pictures for various demo crews and took the position of the main editor of UnderCover Magascene. I also founded aLiVe! with CiH/Maggie Team and that’s it. I left the Atari Scene around 2003 because I was pi**ed off with life and finally got back to my second family somewhere around 2013.


Your favourite work?

It may sound silly but definitely, my best memory and true pride remain for our GFA megademo with Thyrex/NLC. It was started in 1994 as a multi-crew project, then, of course, everyone left and the two of us remained, wondering what we would do. Oddly it did not kill our motivation! Sure it took us another four years, and the final result was far from perfect, yet it is a demo made with a lot of passion and friendship.

Moving onto more recent artwork, I am very proud of the work we did on POOZ along with Cooper, Exocet and DmaSc. I personally think the game looks and plays like a true commercial game!


  
From scary to funky, Sebastien's style is always amazing.


Inspirations?

I am not inspired, graphics-wise, by anyone but me and this must be the reason why I know/feel that most people don’t like my art. Well, sorry folks, art is a matter of taste :) I truly admire people like Evil/DHS who have brought us so many great demos. I don’t admire but have a lot of respect for the friends I have worked with because -most of the time- it was a great opportunity to share ideas and artistic passion. I am still impressed by people like Niko, Mic, Prowler or Slayer, you know the kind of dark-inspired graphics ;)

For a very long time, I have been a fan of Niko with his tortured and highly detailed style. Now I see that most of his pictures were mostly copies of existing paintings, not that it takes away any of his pixel art qualities. Yet today I would rather admire people like Mic/Dune and Exocet who not only have a very specific style but can also work either with very limited palettes or with wider ones. Exocet is also very well known for painting on a lot of platforms, thumbs up! They are true artists who manage to bring art whatever the challenge they need to face.


Favourite demo?

I've had my Atari STe since 1990 so I have never been either fond of or familiar with what the early years produced. Sorry guys, but I’m not in love with demos from the 1980s. In the nineties, demos started showing technique AND style and I have some favourites from this era, as well as some others from more recent years.

If I had to choose only one it would be… Wait, only one you say? Tough choice but I think I would go for Froggies Over The Fence. Not because of some national pride but because it’s a huge megademo showing different styles - “classic” demo parts, an animated story, a Tetris-like game featuring the Jess tunes (I’m a huge fan!), an awesome high colour slideshow and a very long end scroller. Of course, there are tons of other demos I love.


  
As a guy without any artistic skills, I cannot imagine how you would create images like these!


Favourite demo group?

To me, a good group is formed by a bunch of friends who enjoy working together. Dead Hackers Society prove this with their many impressive demos and I am always amazed to see new effects from them, things we thought could not be done. Yet it is not my favourite demo crew, I don’t think I have one, to be honest.

I like the guys of Cream though, they seem to embody the true essence of a crew: each individual does something important, none is ahead, it’s a thing that could not be done without every member. It may sound silly, but this is how I feel this group works (and their latest demo Stresstest proves this perfectly).


Any funny demoparty tales?

Yeah, sure! The very first demoparty I attended was Place To Be again in 1994. I had no driver's licence so my father offered to drive me (+900kms) to the place! I was thrilled, like a kid on Christmas morning, being amongst the last of the great French demosceners. Guys like Dune, Holocaust, Niko/OXG, EXA…

I spent three sleepless days running all around the hall room and then went to get some rest on the compo night… only to eventually wake up the following morning! Yes, I had completely missed the compo! In the end, it was a mixture of joy and disappointment but undoubtedly a great memory :)


  
What personality and mindset must someone require to create such fascinating art!


Pick your favourite Atari ST year!

Again, I would choose 1994 because it was –in my humble opinion- a turning point in the Atari ST history: famous ST crews left for PC or even fewer for the Falcon, while I was only just starting my “scene” life. The ST demoscene died in 1994 and was reborn, even stronger, a few years later. The death of a generation and the birth of another one!


Are you STill doodling?

These days it’s a bit tricky to find time and motivation to work on things and I don’t even doodle that much on paper anymore. I have never been too fond of Art Studies so I missed the basics... I went back to pixelling in 2013 but I haven’t really been too productive and the few things I did, well, I don’t think anyone will remember them? I don’t own an Atari ST anymore (gosh, it tore my guts out to give it away!) yet even though I’m using Peecee, it’s only to run Steem and CrackArt. The only way I know is: 16 colours, STf palette, nothing more, nothing less.


  
From a tripped out colour-scheme to something that is bold and striking. Love 'em!!


Will you remaster any artwork?

I have never thought about reworking my Atari pics on the peecee. Firstly, because I like to paint on such limited retro hardware and within the STf limitations (I don't need STe palette). Secondly, because peecee is no fun, I don't ever want to mix Atari with peecee. Thirdly, I don't have the knowledge nor the will to do so. Basically, the answer is "no Steve" :-)


The future of the Atari ST?

Over the last 3 decades, I have claimed the demoscene to be dead more than once! Obviously, we probably cannot expect fresh blood from the younger generation and we are all growing older and have busy lives. However, there is still room for newcomers and I hope that people find some motivation to do something over the years. Big Atari events, be it Sillyventure or STNICCC (2032?) or God knows what else is needed. We are quiet but we are still here and for a long time!

You are invited to visit my blog: democyclopedia.wordpress.com or visit me on Twitter @stsurvivor.