30th Anniversary BBC and Electron Collection

[Michael Brown]

Hi,
Disc142 has now been reposted in Section 19.
I have sorted both issues. The text now does not overlap and both you and the computer will end your turn if you get a pair. This is in line with the Britannia release of the game.

Hope this is OK.
thanks
Mick.

[mad]

Thank You!
Quick bug fixing as always.

[mad]

Aviator #003

small typo in Instruction keys.
should be...

E - Power Up
W - Power Down

[Michael Brown]

Wow! you are right.
I have checked the actual inlay booklet and also found that the 7 and 8 for volume were the wrong way round too.
I have amended and re-posted D003 with the correct instructions.
I have also included a note that the instructions were not part of the original tape release but added by someone else.
I am not sure where these came from and may have been from the disc version, but can't confirm.

NOTE: this only affects the version on D003. The Colour version on ALTD003 has the correct instructions.

good spot.
thank you,
Mick.

[Michael Brown]

Post removed.

[mad]

DiscA10
Paradox (AKA Timeslip) (AKA Time Run)
Selecting "Extra Time" causes BAD PROGRAM error when SPACE is pressed after main game has loaded.

version on Disc104 without trainer option works perfectly.

[Michael Brown]

Hi,
I have found the issue.
It goes back to the original disc.
There was a line in the "Paradox" file that asked if you wanted extra time and if you answered Y then it tried to load a file called "Ch't" instead of the "GAME" file. The "Ch't" file is not included on any copy of the game I could find.
Therefore, I have removed this cheat option from the game and it is now OK.

ALTD010 now re-posted.

Thanks for spotting the issue,
regards,
Mick.

[lurkio]

There was a line in the "Paradox" file that asked if you wanted extra time and if you answered Y then it tried to load a file called "Ch't" instead of the "GAME" file. The "Ch't" file is not included on any copy of the game I could find.

Looks like Arcadian might have a copy of the Acorn Computing cover disc (March 1995) that the game was apparently given away on..?:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2723&p=21701&hilit= ... 995#p21701



EDIT: I'm not sure that Paradox really was included on that specific disc, though. The Notes on bbcmicro.co.uk say it was, but I don’t know what evidence there is for that..? The PDF of that issue of the mag (from 8bs.com) doesn't seem to mention it.

EDIT2: Looks like the Centre for Computing History might also have a copy of the AC disc:

http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/ ... ppy-discs/

[Michael Brown]

Created in December 2021... here is Games Disc 160.

Disc160.zip

(126.7 KiB) Downloaded 931 times

The disc is called Disc160.dsd so it can be loaded into a Datacentre on a real BBC without having to rename it.

The 18 games on this disc include...

Chasm from Personal Computer World (PCW Aug 86).
Sine City from electron.greg
Grid Runner (AKA GridRunner) (V2) by Shaun Lindsley.
Urban Upstart (STD) by Darren Higgs.
Get Rich, Or Die Trying (Ten-Liner Game) by 0XC0DE.
Nightmare Park from Beeb Developments User Group.
Blast'Em (Unreleased) by Rob Walmsley.
Mabwar from A & B Computing (3.04).
Backgammon from Beebug (5.08).
ASCII Invaders (Ten-Liner Game) by 0XC0DE.
Island Game from A & B Computing (3.04).
Pursuit (The Giant Book Of Games) from Fontana Publishing.
Magic Mazes from Popular Computing Weekly (6.17/19).
Santa's Parcels (E) from Elbug (1.02).
Mines (AKA Minefield) from The Home Computer Advanced Course (Issue 25).
Ivasive Action (Cassette 50) from Cascade Games Ltd.
Alphaswap (E) from The Electron User (2.01).
Bandit (Unreleased) by Mike Goldberg.

NOTE: Urban Upstart allows you to save your score/position to disc.
Also, Santa's Parcels is an Electron title that has been amended to run on a BBC Micro.
Lastly, Alphaswap is an Electron title that seems to work OK on a BBC Micro.

COMPILATIONS: Ivasive Action from Cascade was released as part of their "Cassette 50" compilation.

INSTRUCTIONS: The instructions for both Get Rich, Or Die Trying and ASCII Invaders were not part of their original releases and were created from sources off the internet.

SPECIALLY CREATED INSTRUCTIONS: The instructions for both Backgammon and Santa's Parcels were not part of their original tape/disc releases and were created specially from their Beebug and Elbug magazines.
Also, the instructions for Bandit were not part of the original release and were created specially from scratch.

MAGAZINE TYPE-IN GAMES: Chasm, Mabwar, Island Game, Pursuit, Magic Mazes and Mines were only available as a type-in from their magazines/books.

EASTER EGGS: If you press ESCAPE during some of the loaders and instructions, then you can skip to loading the game... This works on Grid Runner and Mabwar.

All original filenames have been kept where possible, but some have been changed where they conflict with the limitations of the Disc Filing System. Copy protection routines have been removed.
This disc has also been checked for *KEY related issues and is OK.

Enjoy!
Happy Xmas!
and Happy 40th Birthday of the Beeb!
Mick.

Discs 161 and 162 are in the works for 2022!

[mad]

Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you as well.

stay safe people!
Let's hope next year is a better one.

[Michael Brown]

Created in January 2022... here is Games Disc 161.

Disc161.zip

(115.12 KiB) Downloaded 1076 times

The disc is called Disc161.dsd so it can be loaded into a Datacentre on a real BBC without having to rename it.

The 18 games on this disc include...

Hiss (E) from The Electron User (5.06).
Orbitter (Cassette 50) from Cascade Games Ltd.
Bomber Raid from What Micro?
Untitled Dungeon Game (RAMx2) (STD) by Chris Bradburne.
Citadel Revenge by Rob Jeffs.
Tunnel Escape (Cassette 50) from Cascade Games Ltd.
Bounce-Ball (2P) (E) from The Electron User (2.12).
Connect 4 from Popular Computing Weekly (2.24).
Pacman from Let's Compute! (No.10).
Dominoes from Beebug (3.01).
Submarines (Cassette 50) from Cascade Games Ltd.
Hangman (V1.2) from MP Software.
Odd One Out (2P) (E) from The Electron User (5.05).
Catch-Me from Popular Computing Weekly (2.24).
Cribbage Player from Computing Today.
Skulls Of The Pyramid by electron.greg
Flip-Flap (E) from Elbug (1.07).
Reverse from What Micro?

NOTE: Hiss, Odd One Out and Flip-Flap are Electron titles that seem to work OK on a BBC Micro.
Also, Untitled Dungeon Game allows you to save your score/position to disc.
Lastly, Bounce-Ball is an Electron title that has been amended to run on a BBC Micro.

COMPILATIONS: Orbitter, Tunnel Escape and Submarines from Cascade were released as part of their "Cassette 50" compilation.

INSTRUCTIONS: The instructions for Pacman were not part of the original release and were created from the Let's Compute! magazine.

SPECIALLY CREATED INSTRUCTIONS: The instructions for Hangman from MP Software were not part of the original tape release and were created specially from its inlay.

RAM: Untitled Dungeon Game by Chris Bradburne requires 2 spare banks of sideways RAM in order to work. It was released on disc with files that load into RAM. It works OK with BeebEm 4.14 upwards and B-em 2.2 and should work OK on a real BBC Micro with 2 spare banks of Sideways RAM available. It may not work, however, on a real BBC Micro that has a Datacentre fitted as this normally only has 1 spare bank of Sideways RAM available.

MAGAZINE TYPE-IN GAMES: Bomber Raid, Connect 4, Pacman, Catch-Me, Cribbage Player and Reverse were only available as a type-in from their magazines.

EASTER EGGS: If you press ESCAPE during some of the loaders and instructions, then you can skip to loading the game... None on this disc.

All original filenames have been kept where possible, but some have been changed where they conflict with the limitations of the Disc Filing System. Copy protection routines have been removed.
This disc has also been checked for *KEY related issues and is OK.

Enjoy!
Happy New Year!
Mick.

Discs 162, 163 and 164 are in the works for later in the year!

[lurkio]

here is Games Disc 018 … Disc018.zip … Night Shade from Ultimate Play The Game

Possible bug in Nightshade:

viewtopic.php?p=347584#p347584

[lurkio]

... here is Games Disc 060 ... Vertigo (PIAS 16) (P) from Superior Software ...

The version of Vertigo on Disc 060, from which the original bbcmicro.co.uk version is derived, doesn't seem to work on a Master — unlike the STH version (now added to bbcmicro.co.uk as a temporary .SSD), which does work on a Master.

Spotted here: viewtopic.php?p=348832#p348832

[Michael Brown]

Hi all,
Sadly BITD I only had a BBC B so all the games I collected were for THAT machine only (except for any Electron ONLY titles that could be converted).

I Do remember that Vertigo came on a PIAS disc and had both a BBC B version (which I used on my Disc060) and separate Master 128 version which contained some different and extra files (which sadly won't fit onto my disc).

hope this helps explain.
BTW the BBC version has 5 level files and the instructions say there are 50 screens with 10 per level file.
However on the original PIAS disc there were 7 level files, so does the Master version have extra screens too???

Mick.

[lurkio]

I Do remember that Vertigo came on a PIAS disc and had both a BBC B version (which I used on my Disc060) and separate Master 128 version which contained some different and extra files

The so-called “Master 128 version” also runs on a Model B. [EDIT: What I mean is that the disc-image that contains a version of the game that runs on a Master is the same disc-image that also contains a version of the game that runs on a Model B.]

Here it is, running on a Model B:

http://bbcmicro.co.uk//jsbeeb/?autoboot ... ssd&noseek

[dr.grim]

BTW the BBC version has 5 level files and the instructions say there are 50 screens with 10 per level file.
However on the original PIAS disc there were 7 level files, so does the Master version have extra screens too???

Well, I had to do *something* with all the free memory washing around...

I think I dropped a Thing-On-A-Spring animation homage into the TV set if I recall, just to show we could do nicely animated sprites. Can't recall what else was added. Music per end-of-level sequence?

Question is, the password to trigger the animation. Probably lurking on the net somewhere as I've forgotten, but I'll find out now I can bulk scan DDOS 720k floppies again! [ref: viewtopic.php?f=84&t=24196&p=348972#p348972]

Ian

[Rich Talbot-Watkins]

I remember at least one of the secret passwords was GADGET

There was some kind of Inspector Gadget thing going on there.

[dr.grim]

I remember at least one of the secret passwords was GADGET

There was some kind of Inspector Gadget thing going on there.

Respect! Yes, that was one - it responds with "TutTut" or similar.

The Master version had a crazy long scrolling message that included the cheat code. After a few bogus ones, like "CHEATA" which just ate your lives and killed the controls if I recall..

[dr.grim]

BTW the BBC version has 5 level files and the instructions say there are 50 screens with 10 per level file.
However on the original PIAS disc there were 7 level files, so does the Master version have extra screens too???

Mick.

Minor source code rummage later.

LEVEL 6 I think was the end-of-level animation levels (so a place to park some other balls), but LEVEL 7... try:

MASCOT

[Michael Brown]

Hi Ian,
Thanks

Just one question, BITD I copied the BBC B only version off the PIAS disc and only copied levels 1 to 5, not 6 and 7. Having not played the game through to the end, do you remember if the BBC version just ends/restarts or does it load anything from levels 6 and 7 to display a message or are they only loaded if playing the Master version?

regards,
Mick.

[billcarr2005]

ISTR that at the end of each set of 10 levels a message appears, and this requires
LEVEL7 after 10 and 20, 50 (finishing with passwords) and Shades
LEVEL6 for 30,40,50 (without passwords)

I suppose the easiest way of testing is using
MUSEUM (1-10)
DANGER (2-10)
HEIGHT (3-10)
ZAPHOD (4-10)
QUINCH (5-10)

finishing that level and checking whether it breaks

Seems like it out displays the messages when all 10 levels in a set are completed together

[dr.grim]

Seems like it out displays the messages when all 10 levels in a set are completed together

Yes, you only get the end-of-level animations when you don't use a password, so you have to play it through from screen 1, level 1.

Level 6 IIRC was the partial levels that aren't playable, but make a canvas to shaw the animations on. I had a quick rummage but couldn't find the game logic the triggered the animations. Level 7 was just spare eye candy from "MASCOT".

When I've got the discs all onto my laptop I'll start organising the files (soooo many duplicates between the discs, the (eg) electron version only has a few tweaks but for some odd reason I didn't use conditionals to keep the sources combined....)

Look on the bright side, you didn't have to play test it repeatedly to confirm the end of level 5 screen 10 animation triggered correctly! Egad that took some practice...

I'll post when I've got the sources in a vaguely legible state, they'll get posted to GitHub - they were built with System Software's ADE+ from 2 RAM discs, it was really very nice to use. Great bit of tool s/w. I'll see if I can port it to beebasm.

Ian

[billcarr2005]

using Disc060.dsd...

Code: Select all

*DRIVE 2
*LOAD BBCmcde 1100
MODE4
CALL &4F91 (for finishing levels 1 - 10)
CALL &4F9B (for finishing levels 11 - 20)
CALL &4FB3 (for finishing levels 21 - 30)	Requires V.Level6 for graphics in animation
CALL &4FDE (for finishing levels 31 - 40)	Requires V.Level6 for graphics in animation
CALL &4CF0 (for finishing levels 41 - 50)	Requires V.Level6 for graphics in animation
CALL &500A (for finishing with passwords)

CALL &1572 (Shades)					Requires V.Level7 for graphics/code

[Michael Brown]

thanks Bill,
I will amend my version asap.
BTW what is shades and how/when does that get triggered?

Mick.

[billcarr2005]

BTW what is shades and how/when does that get triggered?

Mick.

"Shades" as the password

"IANLTD" is for more lives on the BBC B version

[Michael Brown]

Hi Bill,
Can't get shades as a password on either version.

I now know the BBC B version needs Level6 but does the BBC B only version require Level 7 as well or is that just for the Master version?

Mick.

[billcarr2005]

Hi Bill,
Can't get shades as a password on either version.

I now know the BBC B version needs Level6 but does the BBC B only version require Level 7 as well or is that just for the Master version?

Mick.

Did you carefully type "S h a d e s" as written, capital S, lowercase for the other letters?
I tried on Disc060.dsd and got an attempted disc load followed by a screen of Err, since V.Level7 doesn't exist...

[Michael Brown]

Hi Bill,
It works.
Thanks,
Mick.

[Michael Brown]

Hi All,
Disc 018 has been re-posted in Section3 after amending the instructions for Night Shade.
The error was actually in the original tape loader which was incorporated into the instructions.
It will now correctly print the info at line 230 if not using OS1.2

Mick.

[Michael Brown]

Hi All,
Disc 060 has now been re-posted in Section 4 after sorting the issues with Vertigo.
Levels 6 and Levels7 have now been added so that the graphics work correctly.
This is the BBC B version of the game off PIAS16 and not the Master copy from that disc. They are 2 different versions. The BBC B is in Mode 4 and the Master uses Mode 1. Sorry, but there just was not enough space on this disc to have both versions and my discs are for BBC B games.

Try using "IANLTD" to get extra lives or "Shades" to load the graphic display in Level7

Mick.