##############################################################################
ISSUE No.10. 							JUNE.1985.
##############################################################################
CHAIRMAN & TEMPORARY EDITOR: Paul Grade, 6,Navarino Road, Worthing, Sussex.
Telephone: Worthing 207585.

SOFTWARE EDITOR: Neil Scrimgeour, 125, Occupation Road, Corby, Northants.
##############################################################################

THE EDITORIAL WHINE.
I just don't believe this.....I've been running this group, in one capacity or another, for the past nine months, and there has ALWAYS been the same problem...lack of material......This month the unbelievable has happend...you've sent me not only enough material for THIS issue, but some left over for issue 11 as well!!!!!. It has to be an illusion, I know it does.....someone must have spiked the Editorial Vodka or something, but I don't care!!. I don't know what I said, but whatever it was, I like the result, so all I'm going to say THIS time is THANK YOU...... PLEASE KEEP IT UP!!.

To those of you who are wondering why I haven't printed your material in this issue, I can only plead lack of space, and promise you that it will certainly be in next month's Update.

There's only one complaint from me this month (Honest!!)....No one, as yet, has been masochistic enough to volunteer for the Editorial job. So OK, I KNOW that my work is perfection, I KNOW that I'm a genius (and so modest, too!), and that of course you feel that it would be impossible to improve on such perfection, but you COULD AT LEAST TRY!!!.

Seriously, I'm sure that someone out there could do a better job than I am doing, and I really don't have the time to handle the Admin. and enquiry work and the Editorial side of things as well, which means that BOTH suffer. So please, if you can spare the time and think that you could do a reasonable job of putting "Update" together and getting it out on time, write or phone and let me know. OK?.

Just a couple of points I want to mention here:-
[1].I.d like to thank Anne Milstead for taking on the copying work, and for making such a good job of it.

[2]. Bob Hall asked me to mention that if anyone needs copies of any of his routines that we have printed (or will print in future issues), just write to him enclosing a blank tape and a stamped addressed envelope. His address is:
20,Windsor Court, Clifton, Bristol.BS8-4LJ.

Finally, don't forget that if you have any queries, problems or complaints...or just feel like talking Dragons...write or phone me any evening. If I can't help personally I can almost certainly find someone who can.

Don't forget to write to Eurohard and let 'em know what YOU think of being ignored by a bunch of Spanish peasants!!!..Surely we're entitled to more than ONE distributor, and a little news about what's going on?!.

Carry on computing....and PLEASE keep the material coming in!....Paul G.

0 Anyone written any AI programs?...Eliza type stuff?.

Modem software.

Remember the letter from Jim Bell in the last issue of Update?...Well, Jim has generously sent the following listing which ought to get you Modem owners on line to most 300/300 boards:-

1 CLS:PRINT"DRAGON64 BASIC LOADER":PRINT:PRINT"DOWNLOAD TERMINAL UTILITY"
2 PRINT"PROGRAM IS 7 BIT EVEN PARITY.":PRINT"PPRESSING BREAK RETURNS TO BASIC"
3 PRINT"PRESS ANY KEY"
4 IF INKEY$=""THEN 4
5 CLS:PRINT:PRINT"WHEN DOWNLOADING FROM COCO.BBS OR ANY OTHER BOARD SELECT THE
AUTO-BUFFER AND END OF LINE DELAY OPTION....AND THEN SIT BACK AND WATCH
IT ROLL IN!!"
6 PRINT:PRINT"PRESS ANY KEY"
7 IF INKEY$="" THEN 7
8 CLS:PRINT"UPLOAD IS FULLY SUPPORTED.":PRINT"LOAD ANY BASIC PROGRAM AS USUAL
  THEN EXEC THE TERMINAL.":PRINT"PRESSING [SHIFT][RIGHT ARROW] SENDS CTRL R, THE
  PROGRAM, CTRL T, AND CARRIAGE RETURN"
9 PRINT"SINCE MANY BOARDS (INCLUDING COCO-BBS) DON'T ECHO DURING UPLOAD, THE
  CHARACTERS YOU'RE SENDING WILL APPEAR TOP LEFT."
10 PRINT"AFTER THE LOADER HAS FINISHED SAVE THE PROGRAM WITH SAVE/CSAVEM 'DRGCOM'
   ,&HE00,&HFC6,&HE00"
11 FOR X=&HE00 TO &HFC6
12 READ A$:POKE X,VAL("&H"+A$):NEXT
13 CLS:PRINT"***PROGRAM LOADED***"
14 DATA BA,77,17,01,1C,86,16,B7,FF,07,86,0B,B7,FF,06,7F,0F,C5,8D,22,B6,FF,05,84,
08,27,F7,B6
15 DATA FF,04,7D,0F,C5,27,03,7E,83,7A,81,12,26,07,8D,39,73,0F,C5,20,E1,BD,80,0C,
20,DC,BD,80,06
16 DATA 26,02,20,27,81,03,26,05,32,62,7E,83,71,81,5D,26,14,8D,5F,17,00,A6,20,13,
32,62,34,02
17 DATA B6,FF,05,84,10,27,F9,35,02,B7,FF,04,B7,04,00,39,B6,01,6A,B7,0F,BC,BE,01,
6B,BF,0F,BD,86,7E
18 DATA B7,01,6A,30,8D,00,11,BF,01,6B,39,B6,0F,BC,B7,01,6A,BE,0F,BD,BF,01,6B,39,
32,62,81,14,26
19 DATA 0A,32,62,7F,0F,C5,8D,E6,16,FF,77,34,74,0F,70,B6,FF,05,84,08,27,F9,B6,FF,
04,35,F4,B6,01
20 DATA 76,B7,0F,C2,BE,01,77,BF,0F,C2,30,8D,00,1F,BF,01,77,B6,01,67,B7,0F,BF,BE,
01,68,BF,0F,C0
21 DATA 86,7E,B7,01,76,B7,01,67,30,8D,FF,7B,BF,01,68,39,32,64,B6,0F,C2,B7,01,76,
B6,0F,BF,B7,01
22 DATA 67,BE,0F,C3,BF,01,77,BE,0F,C0,BF,01,68,39,86,12,17,FF,59,0F,2B,0F,2C,BD,
83,FF,CE,FF,FF,DF,2B,BD,8E,D6
23 DATA 86,14,17,FF,45,8D,06,86,0D,17,FF,3E,39,34,I0,8E,FF,FF,30,1F,26,FC,35,90,
30,8D,00
24 DATA 0A,A6,80,27,05,BD,80,0C,20,F7,39,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,
2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A
25 DATA 0D,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,3D,3D,3D,44,52,41,47,43,4F,4D,3D,3D,3D,3D,
0D,20,20,20,20,20,20,20
26 DATA 44,52,41,47,4F,4E,20,36,34,20,54,45,52,4D,49,4E,41,4C,0D,20,20,20,20,20,
20,20,20,43,29,31,39,38,35,20,4A,49,40,20,42,45,4C,4C,0D,0D
27 DATA 2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,
2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A,2A
28 DATA 00,BE,06,25,30,1D,EC,84,43,53,C3,00,00,00,00
29 REM THATS THE LOT

I haven't tried this program personally, but Jim knows his subject, and if he says it works then I'll believe him!.......Paul G.

A.S.C.I Corner......Neil Scrimgeour.

Today we are going to the Olympics, in fact we're going to two lots of Olympics...Microdeal's and Blaby's.

Last year micro Olympics fever hit all the software companies bar those firms who wrote for the 6809, but now we have TWO different programs which, apart from being priced in two different areas, cheapo and dearo (Oops!!), are also designed differently. Firstly let's take a look at the cheapo version.

Blaby's program is called Olympia, and is priced at 3.99. Control is via the keyboard and you have to gain the qualifying score in order to progress to the next event. There are, I assume, ten events. Now let's look in more detail. I assume that the program is in total m/c as you type in CLOADM, but nowadays some BASIC programs are disguised. When you get into the program it seems as though it were either written in BASIC or converted into compiled form as the animation is anything but smooth. I digress. Back to the begining!. The first thing you see is the text screen, to put in your name from a selection of letters. Simple, you may think, but the arrow keys have been programmed to work in the wrong direction!. Not a good start. Next you hear a corny tune that after a while gets on your wick (or mine, anyway!), as you have to go through the sequence whenever you fail an event. Then, eventually, you are into the first event, the 100 metres. Metres is spelled METERS!. This gets worse! As soon as the starter fires his gun you are away, and now you come up against a REAL problem. Control is via the spacebar and in order to build up speed you have to tap it as hard as you can!. My guess is that if you play it for more than a couple of hours you aren't going to have much of a keyboard left, let alone a spacebar!. This is a really bad choice of controls and as such I decided that half an hour of bashing was all my Dragon could take. I only managed to get through the fourth event before I gave up. The actual graphics are not too bad, and are obviously copied from Daley Thompsons's Decathalon, but as I said earlier, the speed is slower than a setting jelly!. I think that about sums up the program...It could have been a cracker but for the total lack of thought by the programmer. A really messy game.

OK, now let's turn our attention to its rival, Athletyx, by Microdeal. Again it is in m/c, and this time the author is the well established Ken Kalish. Things are looking up, I thought. Let's get into the game.

Control is by joystick this time. In fact you have to waggle it about from side to side. A much better choice!. He can spell too!!. Magic!!!. The graphics are about the same size as Blaby's but they are quicker...not much though. So off goes the starter's gun, and you're away!..I wasn't though!...I could hardly get any response from my joysticks, and I daren't think what would happen to a Quickshot 2 joystick after a few goes. With Olympia you went back to the start if you failed an event,, which was annoying, but with Athletyx you just go on to the next event. I didn't get the qualifying score again!. in fact I never got a qualifying score in ANY of the events. the high jump and long jump were a farce as I went UP but never ALONG!. The javelin wasn't too good either. The thing that really put me right off was the scrolling or lack of it, to be specific. As you went off the right edge of the screen you waited a second or two and reappeared on the left. This caught me out several times especially on the high jump. Blaby's solution was to cram it all onto one screen and a much better idea it was too!

After six events and gave up. I hadn't scored any points and I was totally pi***d off with it, so I pressed RESET!. If the program sold at 3.99 then it might just be worth it, but at double that price, NO WAY!.

The best simulation I have seen is Paramount's offering, and that was late last year. More to the point it was mainly in BASIC. Unfortunately I don't have their address, so I can't publish it.

If you've seen daley on the Spectrum (sorry!) or Amstrad you will be totally disappointed, as I was. Me?..I'm just going to sit back and have another go at JSW.

Willy's Map....Neil Scrimgeour.

In Issue Eight I gave up ASCI space to review JSW, as I thought it was/is one of the beet games available. Now that I've mapped out all the rooms, our Chairman/Editor has agreed (he doesn't like arcades) to publish my map.

You will notice that none of the rooms are named. I decided that much of the enjoyment would be taken away if I labeled them. However, you will notice that one room has an "S", and this is where you start every time.

The big room at the bottom with four entry points should be avoided unless you want to lose all your lives!. I suppose that curiousity will get the better of most players though.

Although the rooms are linked by only one line there may be more than one way to go between them. Finally, there is one link I have not included, the Drain to the Bathroom. Happy Adventuring.

Complaint from Alan Cook!!!

TO ALL GROUP MEMBERS:- Thank you. A couple of issues ago I asked if anyone could give me some tips on writing a machine code Adventure. You could say that the response was small....I got exactly NO relpies at all!

Come on, all you out there. This Group has several hundred Membersand surely ONE of you must know something about m/c adventure writing!. All I ask for is a few tips, a hand with technique...no need for a complete tutorial! A computer expert and genius (who had better remain anonomous!) once cited that "bitchy letters get folk moving". Well, I hope this one is "bitchy" enough to get YOU lot moving!.

Editors note: I have to agree with Alan...how about some of you "professional" writers taking time out from inventing protection routines and giving him a hand?.

Alans address is: 272,Mearns Road, Newton Mearns, Glasgow. G77-5LY.

Do any of you think you could handle queries on specific subjects?
If so, please write and let me know and I'll pass relevant queries on to you.

64k Upgrades........ Bob Hall.

I'd like to make a few comments on the 64k upgrade you published recently. There are three important points, and a number of hints and tips:-

Firstly I think you may have done P.de Witte a serious injustice in claiming that his upgrade will work for ANY 32. (Not guilty!..it wos Jeremy wot dunnit' P.G.). The majority of 32's have been 16+16 machines, ie they contain 16 4116 memory chips arranged in two banks of 16k each. To modify these boards not only must all 16 chips be removed and the 8 in the first bank then replaced with 64k chips, but MOST IMPORTANTLY 3 voltage sources on the chips must be changed and an additional signal line rerouted (see appendix). Failure to do this will CERTAINLY destroy the new memory chips.

Secondly, in my limited experience the decoder mod. I described in Issue 5 MUST be added.(The internal mod I suggested is, I've recently discovered (courtesy of the Chairman!) identical with the arrangement used on the 64.).

Thirdly, and rather subtly, note that the commonest 64k RAM chip on the market, the Texas 4164, is not suitable. This is because it is a !256 refresh cycle! chip. The Dragon SAM chip is designed to use 128 cycle chips, and I list some suitable ones below.

Some less important points:- 200ns are cheaper than150ns chips, and should by my reading of the data sheets be plenty quick enough (the 4116's are 300ns!). The series two boards which use 8 nominally 32k chips have 5 blue jumpers; these enable, amongst other things, different voltages to be placed on pin 1 of the memory chips, (see below), and also enable/disable an inverter in the topmost address line from the SAM to the memory chips (this was presumably included so that D32's could use imperfect 64k RAMs in which either the upper or lower 32k was OK- anyway, it matters little whether it's left in circuit when intact 64k RAMs are installed). Finally, do take the normal measures against static (or worse, unearthed soldering irons!)when handling IC's.

APPENDIX: Figs.1&2 show the pin arrangement for the 16k RAM usually used in the D32 (MK4116), and for a typical 64k RAM (these are 'industry standards', but there are some variations in the use of pin 1 in the 64k package. See below). Keen minds will immediately spot that there are only 7 address lines on the 4116, and 8 lines on the 64k RAM, but that a 16k address range needs 14 bits, and a 64k range needs 16 bits. The act of squeezing a quart into a pint pot is performed by 'multiplexing' the address in in two parts, called the Row address and Column address, and it is from its performing this function that the SAM takes its name. In the first part of an address cycle the lower half of the address is presented to the RAM and the Row Address Strobe (RAS) asserted. If writing to memory, then Write Enable (WE) is also activated and data presented on pin Din; if reading, WE is not asserted, and data appears at Dout.

All this is by way of preamble!. To return to the problems of converting a (16+16) machine to a 64 - clearly the supply voltages on pins 1,8,and 9 must be removed and a 5v supply connected to pin 8. Nearly everything else looks OK then, except for finding the 8th address line (A7). Where is it?!. The answer is that its dutifully playing the role of RAS signal on the second bank of 16k RAMs (which were just going to remove). To be explicit, on the board I modified the two banks of 4116's were IC1-8 and IC36-43. IC1-8 are strobed by RAS1, which in 64k mode becomes the 8th address line (denoted A7 or Z7 on the SAM data sheet). So clearly we move the signal over from bank 2 to bank 1., with a patch wire. (NB. there may be smoothing capacitors on the pin 9 line, if so, remove them.). Finally, to ensure that the SAM sets itself in 64k mode, not 16k mode on startup, we have to detach pin 12 on IC35 from R73 and wire it to ground. (This controls bit 2 of &HFF22, familiar to readers of my article in Issue 4). Clearly, all this is an adventure, and is only to be recommended to those used to handling NMOS logic. If all goes well you save 30.00 and gain a good working knowledge of Dragon hardware - if things go awry you will certainly lose out on the money, but probably gain even MORE knowledge of Dragon hardware!!.

NOTE:- The following chips are either [1] used in the D64.[2] have been used by me. [3] appear from the data sheets to be suitable.

Other stockists whose current wares may be seen listed in 'Electronics & Wireless World' are Technomatic (London) and Midwich (Norfolk). Their prices for small quantities are generally better than those of the big stockists. However, Manhattan Skyline are cuurrently selling 3764-20s for 3.15 (+p.p and vat.)

Note again that ONLY 128 refresh cycle RAMS are suitable (NEC 4164s are OK, Texas 4164s alas are NOT!. Confusing, isn't it?). Check also on the connection for pin l; on the 4864,4564,& PD4164 data sheets the pin is marked "no connection"; on the 6665 the pin floats at Vcc (+5v) and so should be left unconnected or tied via a resistor to Vcc. I don't have a data sheet for the 3764, however, Dragon Data pull up pin 1 to +5v.

JIGSAW (VIDIPIX).......Ken Grade.

If you like doing jigsaws,but you don't like the pieces scattered all over the table,floor,eaten by the dog (or anyone else),then you'll probably like this program. It is the first(as far as I know!) set of computerised jigsaw puzzles-or 'on screen jigsaw simluation',if you want to be technical. To begin at the,by now,obligatory loading screen,it appears to be a jumbled set of pixels. When the last part of the program has loaded,this 'jumble' re-arranges itself to form the title of the program,author etc.,which I thought was a neat touch.

There's a choice of doing a jigsaw from one of the ready-drawn pictures,(more loading,unfortuately),or drawing one using 'Designer'. The ready-drawn pictures are really worth the money for this program in themselves. Examples such as these,of what can be done with the BASIC graphic commands on the Dragon should have gone out when the machine was launched...but that's another story.

Doing the jigsaw really needs a colour television or monitor. The picture is divided into squares and shuffled around by the program,and the object of course,is to re-arrange these squares into the right positions. On a monochrome telly or monitor,it's very awkward to pick out which square relates to its rightful part of the picture.

Next.you need a joystick capable of fairly fine control,so that the various pieces can be 'picked up' and 'dropped' exactly where you want.The rate of cursor movement can be altered by pressing the spacebar-it speeds up every time it is pressed until it reaches maximum,then drops down to minimum, which is agonisingly slow,but about right for beginners(or people with lousy joysticks, like mine). The trouble is,if you press the spacbar, as you are instructed to do at other stages of the program(after looking at the finished picture,for instance),the program recognises that as another 'speed-up' instruction,so that you have to reset the rate when you get back to doing the puzzle. That is hardly a serious fault-I wish more established firms could turn out programs which run as smoothly as this one.

When you've had enough,you can save what you've done to tape,or abort it altogether,load another picture,or dump the picture to printer. There's a choice of printer dumps,as well - including Shinwa,Epson and Seikosha.

I like this program,even if I didn't get very far with any of the jigsaws(but I don't do ordinary jigsaws,so probably don't have the patience). Despite the review in Dragon User(June'85),I think there is a market for this TYPE of program,a market which hasn't,as yet,been exploited. Who say's all video games have to be either arcade,simulation or adventure(or a mixture of all three)? The other point,snidely remarked at by the Dragon User reviewer,is that the program is written in Basic-is that so terrible? The program works extremely well,and very efficiently,which many machine code programs do not-and not all are compatible with ALL Dragons,as some of you have found out. I hope Vidipix carry on the good work,and move on to disc software (hint,hint)-it would be nice to have some decent software coming out for disc.

"Jigsaw" is of course available from Vidipix,125,Occupation Road,Corby,Northants.Special offer to the Group-3.50+50p p+p.

WAXWORKS 2.....PAULINE HAMPSON.

I decide to explore the woodland again, via the cave. I examine Guy, and find that he is hiding something. After many tries I try "move Guy", and find a barrel of gunpowder. I examine piper,who has a flute. I decide to get the rats by playing the flute at every turn in the sewers.....I leave them, exhausted, in the lounge.

Back via the cave to the enchanted woodland I wait, because the sign says "no waiting", and at last I find another location - a well with a rope. I "get rope" and "climb rope" and am plunged into darkness and death. I try again, with my torch this time. I "go tunnel", and horror of horrors, I am tied up with a pendelum above me and rats below!. Dead again!!. I try again, this time with the flute and cheese. The flute has no effect, but when I drop the cheese the rats free me.

I find an execution chamber with a trapdoor and a door beyond. This must be the trap that I fixed on the other side. I must have done something right!!. I "go door", and enter a jewellery exhibition and find a casket which is locked, but I remember the tiny gold key which I left in the lounge.

Exploring further I see a morgue and a zombie. I can't deal with him, so I run away. I examine the altar and find a talisman, which I wear. Alas, it doesn't frighten the zombie, who is guarding a door.

After days of fruitless search I ring the Helpline and find that a pistol and silver bullets are in a jacket behind the toilet door....I never even thought of looking there!.

Fully armed I set off, also taking the gold key. I kill the zombie with my last bullet and find a blocked passage. Back I go for the gunpowder and the matches, and find that I can only light the fuse if I hold the barrel, which seems rather dangerous!!!. I drop the barrel and retreat. At last the passage is clear. I find an Egyptian temple and a sarcophagus, which I could open if I'd brought the crowbar!. Finally I find the mummy inside. It's a good thing that I am wearing the talisman. Incidentally in the chest were Tannal leaves which the mummy seems to like as it gives me a mask. I put on the mask and the game ends. Most enjoyable, but rather hard.

Next month's UPDATE includes:-
'C' Compiler review; Microdeal's 'Composer'; Notes on reading material; Hints on the Return of the Ring, and all the usual articles and features, Plus adverts, more complaints from the Editor, and a whole lot more.

CLASSIFIED AND SPECIAL OFFERS PAGE

FOR SALE:
EX GAMING MACHINE MICRO PROCESSING UNITS.
These are mainly 8060 and 6802 CPU's and most have built in power supplies and sound boards.
Also available: various video game logic boards, EPROMS, etc.
All of the above are exceptionally cheap....well below production cost, and are ideal for anyone interested in hardware experiments and / or constructing Dragon "add-ons". For further details please telephone 0463-220174.

FOR SALE
TANDY 4 COLOUR GRAPHIC PRINTER. (CGP-115). 71.00 including 10.00 worth of pens and 5.00 worth of paper and postage/packing.
CENTRONICS lead for the above... 9.00.
Please contact:- D.Bateman, Orchard House, Cleator Moor, Cumbria. CA25-5LN.

WANTED
Help with writing a machine code adventure program. All hints and advice welcome.
Please write:Alan Cook, 272,Mearns Road.Newton Mearns. Glasgow.

VIDIPIX SPECIAL OFFER.
Vidipix are making a special offer to Group Members again this month:-
JIGSAW (A completely new game for the Dragons) is on offer at 3.50 plus 50p postage and packing.
Those of you who were at the Show will know what a good and original program this is.
Orders to:- VIDIPIX. 125, Occupation Road, Corby, Northants.

5.25" FLOPPY DISCS.
We can still offer you top quality discs at the price of grotty ones:-
SS/DD Soft or hard sector.......usually 22.00.......Group price 14.50.
DS/DD Soft or hard sector.......usually 27.00.......Group price 15.50.
or we can get 80 track discs (OK for DragonDOS) equally cheaply:
SS/DD 80 track..................usually 42.00.......Group price 22.40.
DS/DD 80 track..................usually 46.50.......Group price 24.00.
All prices are inclusive of postage but PLUS VAT @ 15%.

We still have a few hundred labels, the same type as used on the envelope that this Newsletter arrived in. Single column tractor feed self adhesive.
3.00 per 500 inclusive of postage and vat. or 5.75 per 1000.
This is well be1ow the uusual price for quantities of less than 8000, so buy them while you have the chance!.

Orders for discs and labels to Paul Grade, Cheques made payable to the Group, pIease.

MONITORS....Hi-Res, ex News agency green screens.
We have managed to get one more batch of 12" green screen monitors. These aren't the usual "uncased mysteries", they are very neat aluminium cased professional units, no bigger than the average portable television. Some of them have slight "screen burns", but these do NOT affect the display in any way, and I've checked them all personally, and tested them on my own Dragons.
Price to you...25.00 plus carriage (which depends on how you want them sent!)
Also available are some teleprinter KEYBOARD units, which consist of a very nice "QWERTY" board, plus a row of function keys and numerics pad.
The boards have their own circuitry, which can be adapted to just about anything you feel like attempting, plus a fully stabalised 5v power supply built in.
Price to you.....5.00 each plus carriage.....the power supply alone is worth three times that!!.

If you want a monitor or keyboard, please phone Paul on Worthing 207585, and we can arrange how you want them despatched. But please note, this is likely to be the last batch of monitors we will be able to get, so this is your last chance!.

No further news as yet on the cheap disc drives and modems, but I'll let you know as soon as there's something definite.

FOR SALE
One never used Dungeon Raid disc...(unwanted duplicate). DragonDOS version. Price 3.00 plus a first class stamp.
Write to: J.D.Bateman. Orchard House, Cleator Moor, Cumbria.CA25-5LN.

FOR SALE
Dragon 32 complete with all leads and power supply. Price 50.00.
4116 memory chips 50p each. 6821 chips 1.00 each.
6809E CPU chips 5.00 each. 74LS783 SAM chips 10.00 each.
6847 chips 2.00 each. Modulator and power supply board (D32) Price 5.00.
Write to: S.Bashir. 79, Mayola, London E5.

Screen Editor...Arne Eriksson.

For those of you that keep complaining that the Dragon has no screen edit facility, the following ought to solve your problem.
This program was sent in by Arne Eriksson of Sweden.

1 REM SCREEN EDITOR BY ARNE ERIKSSON
2 REM TO USE,EXEC 21000
3 REM ARROW KEYS MOVE EDITOR CURSOR(WHICH APPEARS IN TOP LEFT CORNER)
4 REM THE 'COPY'(DARK COLOURED)CURSOR APPEARS 3 LINES UP FROM BOTTOM OF SCREEN
5 REM SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW COPIES CURRENT POSITION OF EDITOR CURSORTO THE COPY
  CURSOR
6 REM SHIFT+LEFT ARROW BACKSPACES(AND DELETES) COPY CURSOR POSITION
7 REM TYPE NORMALLY TO CORRECT WHAT IS NECCESSARY(INCLUDING THE LINE NUMBER!)
8 REM PRESS ENTER TO STORE LINE AND LEAVE EDITOR
9 REM CORRECTED LINE WILL THEN BE LISTED
10 CLEAR 400,20999
11 FOR M=21000 TO 21315
12 READ A$:A=VAL("&H"+A$)
13 CS=CS+A
14 POKE M,A
i5 NEXT M
16 IF CS<>31329 THEN PRINT"DATA ERROR":PRINTCS:STOP ELSE PRINT"OKAY:SAVE'EDIT,
   21000,21315,21000"
17 DATA 8E,00,00,BF,53,4A,BF,53,46,BD,52,A1,8E,04,00,10,8E,03,FF,10,BF,53,44,E6,
84,F7,53,42,C6
18 DATA 9F,E7,84,BD,80,06,27,FB,81 0D,26,07,BD,52,B2,BD,52,E4,39
19 DATA 81,09,26,07,BD,52,B2,30,01,20,DC,81,08,26,07,BD,52,B2,30,1F,20,D1,81,0A,
26,08
20 DATA BD,52,B2,30,88,20,20,C5,81,5E,26,08,BD,52,B2,30,88,E0,20,B9,81,5D,26,0A,
BD,52,B2,BD,53,14
21 DATA 30,01,20,AB,81,15,26,54,34,12,86,60,A7,9F,00,88,9E,88,30,1F,9F,88,BE,53,
44,30,1F,BF,53
22 DATA 44,BE,53,46,30,1F,BF,53,46,35,12,BD,52,B2,BD,53,37,16,FF,7E,34,12,BD,52,
BA,8E,05,C0,9F
23 DATA 88,86,80,B7,05,C0,35,92,F6,53,42,E7,84,1F,98,39,34,12,8E,05,A0,86,60,A7,
84,30,86,8C,06
24 DATA 00,25,F7,35,92,34,16,BD,53,14,35,16,16,FF,52,34,10,BE,53,46,A7,89,53,4C,
7C,53,47,35,90 
25 DATA 34,12,30,8C,0A,BF,01,6B,86,7E,B7,01,6A,35,92,32,62,34,11,B6,53,4B,B1,53
26 DATA 47,24,0C,BE,53,4A,A6,89,53,4C,7C,53,4B,35,91,86,39,B7,01,6A,86,0D,35,91,
34,26,81,60,25
27 DATA 02,84,3F,BD,80,0C,BD,52,D6,BD,53,37,10,9E,88,10,BC,53,44,24,03,30,88,E0,
10,BF,53,44,35
28 DATA A6,34,12,9E,88,86,80,A7,84,35,92,12,39,00,END
29 PRINT "CHECK IS";CS

We're not the Times, but.......

The first person to send in a correct entry will receive a mint copy of JSW and M.Miner. The first entry recieved (correct or not!) containing the correct answer to 7 DOWN gets a copy of JSW. (That's better than you'd get from the Times!!).

ACROSS...1)Bespectacled Adventurer [8]: 9)To complain persistently [3]: 10)Language not in the medal placings [5]: 11)Exponential Arrow [2]: 13)Mathematical Food [2]: 14)Rotate A Right [4]: 15)A car, not a Preecious Stone [4]: 17)A mixed up 6 down [3]: 18)A small bite [6]: 19)A monitor perhaps [3]: 21)A binary device [8]: 26)Tea possibly prefered by the Editor [2]: 27)Dragon's cousin [4]: 28)For example [2]: 30)Small Alien Visitor [2]: 32)and a 64 as well [6]: 34)Allow [3]: 35)Erase [3].

DOWN...2)-----Minus [5]: 3)Diminutive Thanks [2]: 4)Backward caveman [3]: 5)Handy in Adventure [4]: 6)In three parts [7]: 7)IT WAS IN UPDATE SOMEWHERE [11]:8)Cuthbert's record of events [9]: 12)Insert in memory [4]: 16)Physical Training [2]:17)Dorado or Diablero [2]: 20)Trades Union Congress [3]:22)Low Level Languuage [2]: 23)Hole [4]: 24)Famous Barber [4]: 25)Not artificial Time [4]: 29)A childish horse [2]: 31)First and last of Mr Atari [2]: 33)With reference to [2].

"Screaming Abdabs"..........J.D.Bateman.

As we all know, when the Dragon first appeared it was highly criticised for its poor graphics. This was not the fault of the poor old Dragon but of the software authors themselves!.

It has taken firms like Software Projects, A & F, and others to show what can be achieved. I play Chuckie Egg quite regularly but with very little success (,tho more than with "Miner" or "Willy"). On seeing that A & F had produced a new game I assumed that it would be similar to "Chuckie", and duly sent off my money.

Not quite knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was in PMODE4, with scenes just like "Willy" or "Miner". There are 35 screens (with a short preview of each one at the begining if you delay making your choice from the menu). Play commences either on screen 1 or on a random one chosen by the computer if you so desire. Up to four players can play in turn, each one having five lives initially, although more may be awarded for high scores (At the moment I am not in a position to say!!). Control is either by keyboard or joystick, and the graphics are certainly as good as JSW or MM. You have to move your little man anound the screen collecting food and a key before progressing to the next screen. This may sound quite easy, but each screen has a number of hazards which make it very difficult indeed!.

Food consists of pears, apples, cherries, sweets, fish, scrambled egg, pints of beer, etc....a very varied diet!.

Hazards include screws, balls, discs, skulls, daggers, wheels, tea-pots, scissors, electric sparks, etc. Throw in a few col1apsing floors, moving floors, moving platforms and time ports,(I think!!), and things become VERY difficult!.

There is no musical accompaniment, which is no great loss, and the only sound effects are used for the little man jumping, falling, or getting "splatted". To conclude,I think that it is graphically as good as MM and JSW, and even more difficult to play....Well worth 6.95. The only small criticism it doesn't load properly, in fact the first copy I received was a blank tape!, but it has a five year guarantee covering non-loading, etc. Just before I go and try to complete screen one yet again...in case you haven't guessed, the program is Screaming Abdabs.

REDUNDANT INFORMATION DEPARTMENT

Two lots of Redundant Info. this month, the first from David Marsden, the second from D.J.Bonham.

Another tip to increase file space on the 32 is POKE 25,6:POKE 27,6:POKE 29,6:POKE 31,6.......This gives you 31015 bytes.
CLEAR0 will give you an extra 200 bytes.
If using the old 65495,0 POKE to increase speed the cassette interface cannot be used until you reset the speed with POKE 65494,0.
..........................................................................

If you have problems with READ...DATA statements then PEEK(49)*256+PEEK(50) will return the line number of the last DATA statement read.
To use lower case (inverse) text from within a program POKE 329,0....POKE 329,255 will revert to upper case.
If your Dragon will accept the 65495,0 POKE then it may well be able to work to disc without reverting to normal speed. Most can SAVE, LOAD annd RUN at least at this rate using Dragon Data drives.
Keyboard can be disabled by POKE 65281,50.
EXEC41194 can be used as a "hold" instead of INKEY$. (use 57578 on 64's in 48k mode). EXEC41184 can be used where TWO keypresses are required.
Disable LIST by using POKE383,158...POKE 383,0 returns things to normal.
POKE359,60 will slow the list/scroll speed, and POKE359,0 returns this to normaI.
To boost sound output to cassette for more reliable CSAVing POKE 144,3.....POKE 144,0 to return to default setting.
EXEC&H8015 turns on the cassette relay...EXEC8018 turns it off.
The simplest way to avoid continually having to remove the remote jack to rewind/fast foreward cassettes is to wire a min. single pole switch across the remote socket contacts.
To avoid "lockup" caused by inadvertant selection of "printer" option when printer is not connected, use the following line inserted into the printer sub-routine.........IF PEEK(&HFF22)AND 1<>0 THEN RETURN
Mr Bonham has included some other material on retrimming the Dragon modulator unit to improve sound/picture quality, and keyboard maps for the Dragon and Tandy, but owing to lack of space I have to hold those over for Issue 11.
Sorry. Paul.G.

Cumana DOS.

I had intended to do a review of the new Cumana DOS cartridge this month, but unfortunately the one they lent me for review was "bugged", and until I get a corrected copy it would be unfair to coment.
I hope that I will be able to tell you more in the next Update.

No reply as yet from Compusense, re John Cox's comments ...nothing from Microdeal, either.

WHY.................?

WHY do writers of "Adventure" games always pick the same tired old scenario?.....when are we going to see an adventure that starts..."You are in the Street of a Thousand Ar......"?!!!

WHY do the same writers, and those who claim to write Arcades STILL seem to think that Dragon users don't run discs?....Over 65% of our Members use a DOS, and most of them simply refuse to unplug it just to run some grotty games tape, yet the software morons still try to sell programs that wont run with DOS engaged, and they have the nerve to complain about lack of sales!!!.

WHY are Compuusense failing to advertise the Dragon more widely?....don't they WANT it to sell too well in case Eurohard decide that sales warrant appointing more distributors?

WHY is the 64 being offered for sale at such a ridiculous price?...Prices of 64k machines have dropped over the last year, and the current price makes even a good machine like the Dragon uncompetitive.....Who is making the excessive profit?.

WHY can't anyone get a reply from Eurohard?.......I'm damned if I'll deal with distributors, however good, when I want information, and it's about time the Spanish learned about basic good manners!.

WHY do Microdeal and several lesser firms keep on turning out Tandy programs and claiming that they're "Dragon" programs?....In most cases they don't even bother to sort out the keyboard conversion correctly. It's insulting, not to mention bad business.

WHY do magazines keep refering to the Dragons as being defunct?.....if they're really so ignorant and misinformed then obviously they can't have anything to say that is worth paying money for... if it's a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, who is paying whom, and how much?!.

WHY aren't more computer hardware and software companies "nicked" under the Trade Descriptions Act?........some firm's advertising certainly amounts to "attempting to obtain by deception"!.

WHY doesn't someone tell those software firms that bleat about "copying" that it is 100% LEGAL to do whatever you like with something you have purchased, except to attempt to PUBLISH copies or offer them for sale as original work. All those threats about "copyright" you see on the inside of the package, and on the title page are meaningless UNLESS they are clearly visible to you BEFORE you purchase.....you can't impose a retroactive condition of sale AFTER the sale has taken place!!. THAT ain't legal!.

WHY do so many writers worry about "Piracy"?....in three years of Dragon Bashing I have still to see a program that I consider worth the price of a tape or disc to copy it onto!, and as for reselling it...I'd be ashamed to market such rubbish!.

WHY are so many people still so damned "snobby" about m/c ?....Unless they were told, most of 'em couldn't tell the difference between a well written Basic program and the average m/c one, yet they still rabbit on about programs being written "only in Basic" as though this were some kind of perversion!. Maybe because they are too stupid to 1earn to use Basic PROPERLY???.

WHY am I writing all this?..Is it because I can't think what else to use to fill the page?, or is there some ulterior motive like maybe I'd like some answers?!.... or is it just that I'm sick of the mealey mouthed crawlers who seem to do most of the magazine Editorials, and I want to try a bit of plain talking for a change?!

Form your own conclusions, (or even better, send me the answers...I'll print 'em), and read the next thrilling instalment of this cure for insomnia in the next issue of "UPDATE"!.

If you have any "WHY's of your own, send ,em in, and they'll go in the next issue,,OK?.

That's all for this month........Keep on writing, we need YOUR material.

Paul Grade....Worthing 207585. June 1985.