Chocks Away Demo

[chocky]

Would anyone happen to have a digital copy of the Chocks Away Demo? I recently got hold of the full game but the demo level is nowhere to be seen. I'd really like to play it again. Thank you!

[Sophira]

The Chocks Away demo is available on the Game Demos disc that was supplied with the November 1991 issue of BBC Acorn User! Here's a direct link to the ADF of it on arcarc.nl.

The demo only runs from the floppy disc, unfortunately - you can't copy it to a hard disc/HostFS.

[chocky]

Wow! Thank you so much. That is exactly the one! Time to go back in time...

[timw]

The demo only runs from the floppy disc, unfortunately - you can't copy it to a hard disc/HostFS.

If you edit the !Chocks_2.ChocksAway BASIC file in a text editor to globally replace "adfs::0.$.!chocks_2" with "<Obey$Dir>" (case insensitive and without the quotes), then you can copy the demo anywhere and it should run OK!

[sa_scott]

Wow! Thank you so much. That is exactly the one! Time to go back in time...

You can also play the demo in Paul Stone's marvellous WASM Archimedes emulator - https://archi.medes.live/ - still amazes me that we can play games with relative ease now!

[chocky]

You can also play the demo in Paul Stone's marvellous WASM Archimedes emulator - https://archi.medes.live/ - still amazes me that we can play games with relative ease now!

Incredible! Thanks so much for that link as well.

[wmd]

If you edit the !Chocks_2.ChocksAway BASIC file in a text editor to globally replace "adfs::0.$.!chocks_2" with "<Obey$Dir>" (case insensitive and without the quotes), then you can copy the demo anywhere and it should run OK!

Thanks for this info, super-useful.

About the actual demo, does it go on forever until you die or are there a finite number of enemies to destroy?

[timw]

If you edit the !Chocks_2.ChocksAway BASIC file in a text editor to globally replace "adfs::0.$.!chocks_2" with "<Obey$Dir>" (case insensitive and without the quotes), then you can copy the demo anywhere and it should run OK!

Thanks for this info, super-useful.

About the actual demo, does it go on forever until you die or are there a finite number of enemies to destroy?

The demo mission ends successfully if you manage to land at your starting base after destroying both cargo aircraft and the enemy control terminal (the flashing targets on the map). In total there are 20 ground targets (press F5 to cycle through) and 20 aircraft targets (F6). If you want a challenge, you can try to destroy them all, but it's not necessary to complete the mission (and quite difficult).

Best idea is to get the first train and the cargo aircraft first, then the second train, otherwise they will soon disappear off the map. You can also land on the enemy bases to repair/refuel, though it's a good idea to destroy the ground guns first. It's a pretty decent mission (and as a free demo, better than a lot of full games, in my opinion!).

[chocky]

I completed the demo!

It was even better than I remember it in 1994. Something about those blocky graphics allows you to imagine a whole world that isn't there. I have also completed the original Chocks Away, however I found the demo mission better than any of the official game missions.

My strategy was to take out the 2 trains first then the 2 cargo aircraft then onto everything else. I am blown away by the fact that the trains move. Don't get me started on the awesome fidelity of the rugby pitch....

[richw]

Don't know if you've seen these?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXwnoiDetgM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7iM__aHnMM

[chocky]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXwnoiDetgM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7iM__aHnMM

I've seen the computer museum one but not the other but I'll watch them again! Cheers!