It's been yonks since I posted in our Software sections so here is a utility that is the bee's knees. Yet Another Atari RAM Test, by Christian Zietz, rolls through a number of intense tests that execute algorithms to help diagnose potential problems with our beloved Atari computers. Let's hope it finds nothing!
I won't pretend to understand its wizardry but I love utilities like this. I want my ST healthy so, I've had it running for what feels like a lifetime and it's still not (yet) found any errors. This is excellent news but, I'm thinking that this program could be helpful to anyone experiencing weird anomalies or peculiar crashes?
I enjoy finding programs like this lurking in the ST archives and I hope YAART proves helpful if you're suffering any hardware problems? The download comes ready to support the ST/STe/TT/Falcon but take a moment to read the text file and try to boot cleanly with as much spare RAM as possible (read YAART.TXT)
I hope you guys have healthy Atari computers? Let me know in the comments below. Good luck!!
'Unnamed Intro' is a remarkable screen created by The Fingerbobs and used by Ripped Off for their 87th disk. This is one of those intros I have always loved because it's one of the most bewitching things I have ever seen. An astounding animated journey for dozens of little men, each one running around their whacky world is simply fascinating. It's different and I love that, so this makes for a mesmerising and entertaining treat.
Go on, pick any guy and follow him throughout his journey. Brilliant STuff, I'm sure you will agree!! :-)
Today is a great day - I've just been given the honour of playtesting a
preview of Jonathon Thomas' enhanced Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge for the
Atari STe. He's been working on this project for a while, on and off, to
improve the original racer in different ways using the often idle
enhancements of the Atari STe.
After "mulling it over", he's returned to this project with fresh ideas and
assistance from our (fantastic) community over on Atari-Forum. In fact, he
came back stronger and managed to develop a playable release after only weeks!! Oh, and for those wondering yes, he is the same racing fella behind
Pole Position.
Let's stop and take a deep breath. Do you feel better now? Good.
Let's view some screenshots...
The practice track. I need this more than you realise...
We begin in Italy and Mmm look at that sky!
In fact, Italy is looking a little better these days all thanks to the
Atari STe palette.
Put the pedal to the metal!
Yes, everyone loved and still loves Lotus Esprit. It's a frantic racer
with fast graphics, cool music, great driving mechanics, and even allows
another player to join in. Those collisions might lose precious speed
and I hate the person who decided to leave dangerous rocks on the road but,
this is a thrilling racer alright. Who doesn't enjoy zooming passed cars or
sliding around each of the curvy and hilly corners?
However, there are a few limitations in the ST game that aren't immediately
obvious during the frantic racing. These have obviously bugged Jonathan
enough for him to take on the challenge of fixing them...
"It wasn't until recently that I realised how much of a massive difference
there is between the Amiga and ST versions - the magazines of the time
didn't seem to make much of this difference in their reviews
of the time. I've been meaning to take a closer look at the Lotus code on
the ST for a number of years now, but it was upon realising the degree of
difference between the two versions (along with a relatively quiet period
at work) that I decided something needed to be done!"
There is no excuse for a lame port. Is this that? I'll let you decide while
you view these screenshots...
Mexico now has a skyline quite apt to the feel of this country.
Okay, let's try not to crash into any objects when trying to grab a
screenshot!
Oh, bummer!! Playing and capturing screenshots is a tough job.
Judder be gone!
It's funny, but I hadn't paid much attention to these issues myself. It wasn't until I returned to the original I could tell what had been going
through Jons' mind. For me, the nicest improvements are to the sky and how the
cars move across the track. This game feels fresh and is far better
than I ever imagined.
1) The tracks are quite barren and devoid of much detail so the Blitter will
now render the road and pit lanes with extra details to lane markings and
widened rumble strips.
2) The sky was one solid colour which was okay but that has now been
replaced by a 16-step gradient that makes full use of the enhanced STE
palette.
3) Cars and scenery move smoothly without the old judder of side to side in
16-pixel blocks.
4) The already zippy framerate has been improved with more tweaks on the
way!
5) Thankfully, the Ben Daglish chiptunes are staying but the effects are
going to be replaced with samples pumped through the DMA hardware. (with a
possibility of DMA sounds and YM music together!)
Also, minor improvements are being considered to the rev counter, fuel
indicator and player two will soon have the new sky gradient. There is also
the possibility of new and extra trackside scenery being added. Heck, he's
even mentioned that there might be a few new tracks on the way too - oh
yes!!
Okdoke, it's time for the last run of screenshots of this wonderful new
version. Try not to drool...
Iceland and everything looks rather chilly.
Ahem, there was ice on the road. Honest.
Check out those widened
rumble strips!
The CryptO'pinion?
Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge was originally programmed by Shaun Southern and
Andrew Morris and is an excellent racer. However, Jon has improved it to the
level Lotus should have been all along for the Atari STe. I cannot express how exciting it's been to see this project develop, especially over
recent weeks.
The new colours, speed, and smoothness all help give this racer a new coat of
paint. Bring on the extra framerate and sampled DMA sound effects! Yes, it's
shocking how renewed it feels running on the Atari STe so I'm looking forward to what comes next. My greetings to Jon. Watch this space for
the next release.
