The URL for the forum has changed to www.stairwaytohell.com/sthforums.

Please note that from now on, any *new* registrants must email me to have their accounts activated.

News:

• Just over a week ago, Tom Walker updated the Windows version of B-Em to version 1.3.
  
  It features the following changes:
  
  
  • Better sound in Windows version
  • Better CSW support
  • Bugfix in mode 7
  • Bugfix in cursor handling - Frogman works again, no more random crashes in some games
  • Periodic noise pitch now correct - see Icarus, Cute To Kill
  • Video can now use hardware scaling - should be faster
  • Removed colour errors with 2xSaI filter
  • File dialogs now (finally!) work properly.

Tom anticipates an updated DOS port being ready by the end of the year.

• John Kortink has finalised the design of the Acorn Electron interface for GoMMC and it is now available for purchase directly from John (priced 15 EUR plus 75 EUR for the actual GoMMC unit itself).

Thomas Harte has updated ElectrEm Future to v0.6b.

Main fixes (which are for the Windows version):

• your preference for "fast tape" emulation is now correctly saved
• file associations work properly again, i.e. double click a UEF/DSD/whatever to launch the emulator and the UEF

Other changes:

• big shuffle of the Preferences dialogue for both platforms so that they're much easier to follow
• added a helpful warning and assistance for people who try and set a printer target without Plus 1 emulation enabled
• disabled caps lock as a mapping for FUNC due to ongoing SDL weirdnessadded BASIC importer and exporter so that BASIC code can be imported and exported as regular ASCII

Direct file links:

• Windows version: http://electrem.acornelectron.co.uk/files/future/ElectrEmWin32v06b.zip
• OS X version: http://electrem.acornelectron.co.uk/files/future/ElectrEmv0.6b.dmg
• Source code: http://electrem.acornelectron.co.uk/files/future/ElectrEmSource-20061210.zip

Thomas Harte has uploaded the full release of ElectrEm Future v0.6 to http://electrem.acornelectron.co.uk.

The emulator features the following changes since v0.5c:

• added BASIC importer and exporter so that BASIC code can be imported and exported as regular ASCII
• paste text function added; you can paste text into the emulator from your OS
• save state function added
• very basic Plus 1 printer port and Epson FX-80 printer emulation added
• fast tape now works correctly with 64 kB mode, 64 kB mode works correctly even if fast tape is enabled
• switched to an E00 ADFS for greater compatibility
• autoconfigure bugs fixed
• GUI enhancements make managing floppy disc drives easier
• configuration change fixes, no more problems switching in and out of 64 kB mode, for example
• lots of memory and concurrency fixes
• [Mac OS X only] disc drive write protection can be turned off
• Max OS X] command keyboard shortcuts added for reset and break, since F keys aren't very convenient on Apple laptops.

Direct file links:

• Windows version: http://electrem.acornelectron.co.uk/files/future/ElectrEmWin32v06.zip
• OS X version (Universal Binary): http://electrem.acornelectron.co.uk/files/future/ElectrEmv0.6.dmg
• Source code: http://electrem.acornelectron.co.uk/files/future/ElectrEmSource-20061204.zip

The acornmags site has been updated with scans for another seven editions of Micro User.

Updates:

• Lost & Found updated with some interesting information about Retrogue from Chris Knight
  
  
• Added a BBC Disc Image of The Viking Collection (a collection of PD games written by Tim Matthews between 1985-88).
  
  Tim notes that "the second part of A 32k Universe is pretty much unplayable (due to bugs) and the first half just rubbish!".
  
  Go here for a review.
  
  

News:

• Martin Mather has made some updates to his MMC Interface webpage:
  
  
  • finally finished the "Games Menu" program
  • simplified the MMC interface hardware
  • Improved the DFS (e.g. now supports the TUBE, having acquired a 6502 second processor c/o ebay).
    
    
• Dave Eggleston updated BeebEm UNIX to version 0.13
  
  
• Dethmer Kupers updated his GoMMC Explorer utility to version 0.3.

Dave Hunt provided some Pokes for Starship Command  [ Cheats ].

A couple of months ago, John Kortink posted the following to the BBC Micro Mailing List:

GoMMC now works on the Electron, via a small interface plugged into the expansion port, and using a patched version of the (Plus 3) ADFS 1.00. Bottom line, if there's enough interest for 'GoMMC for the Electron', I may take this little interface into production. Get it touch if such interest lurks within you.

John needs at least four Electron-owners to pre-order a GoMMC (75 EUROS) and Electron Interface (10 EUROS) in order to justify the time and cost of production. However to date, only three people have made the commitment (and I'm one of them!).

So come on people ... surely there's got to be at least one more Electron fanatic out there who would like to own one of these awesome devices!! Just think, you could load it with ALL of the Electron software from this website, and still have room for Dave E's disc images from www.acornelectron.co.uk

If you want to play a part in the development of what would undoubtedly be the most incredible piece of Electron kit ever, then get in touch with John at this address: kortink AT inter.nl.net

This is slightly outside of the remit for this site, but I'm sure that some visitors would be interested to know about the 3 x Archimedes/BBC A30x0 promotional videos that I've just uploaded to the Acorn Preservation Project:

Micro News Parts 1 + 2

The Learning Curve (BBC A3000)

The Home Computer Minefield

News:

• Issue 30 of Retro Gamer magazine features an article on the making of BBC/Electron classic, Exile
  
  
• Dave Eggleston has released v0.0.12 of BeebEm Unix.
  
  Changes:
  
  
  • UEF and CSW tape support ported
  • Support for Brilliant Computing touch screen enabled (untested)
  • You can now also create blank disc images via the GUI
    
    
• Jo Holbourn's Educational Games Site has received its October update.
  

On Thursday, Mike Wyatt updated the Windows version of BeebEm to v3.5.

Changes:

• Added text to speech support and screen reader compatible text view for use by visually impaired people
• Fixed support for MOS 3.50 in Master 128 mode
• Fixed a bunch of compiler warnings thrown up by VS2005
• Fixed some odd keyboard behaviour associated with AltGr key presses
• Fixed bug with speech output changing speed/pitch
• Fixed problem of saving to ADFS hard disc under 65C02 emulation
• Fixed user defined keyboard support so that shift key re-assignments.

Updates:

• Added Cover Scans of the following BBC Master Compact titles, with thanks to Kevin of mysterymachine-uk eBay Auctions.
  
  
  • Micro Power Magic II  (Micro Power)
  • Play It Again Sam 9  (Superior)
  • Repton 2  (Superior)

FDI files for the above (plus other Master Compact titles) should appear on acornpreservation.org before the end of the year ...

• Jonathan Parkin updated his Repton 2 FAQ to v1.1  [ Game Help ].

News:

• "Critical" has released a port of BeebEm for the GP2x.
  
  Version 0.1.0 was released October 6th and yesterday, version 0.2.0 was released.
  
  Go here for the download and here to read the thread on the gp32x.com site.
  
  Thanks to Dave Eggleston for the news.
  
  
• Ventzislav Tzvetkov has released a new port of BeebEm for AmigaOS 4.
  
  Again, thanks to Dave Eggleston for the tip-off.
  
• From Jon Welch:

I have had a dabble over the past couple of days and added a few more features to my Mac BBC Games List program. Recent additions include: Added option to download missing disc/tape images off STH website Added option to merge existing games/tapes into database Added edit context menu to text fields Added more display filter options Minor bug fixes You can download the new program from: http://www.g7jjf.com

Added UEF Tape Images and Cover Scans of two of the rarest BBC Text Adventures that you're ever likely to see!

 

Super Gran - The Adventure
Tynesoft

Had no idea a Beeb version even existed!

Temple of Terror
U.S. Gold

Only seen this on eBay once, so quite a find!

News:

• From Peter Edwards:

If it's of interest to anyone, I recently uploaded a recently-unearthed design for the never-made but planned sequel to Chuckie Egg from the original Spectrum author, Nigel Alderton: Chuckie Egg Alternate Sequel - Chuckie Apple Considering this is quite a big announcement in the CE universe, I've also put together a small, open-ended competition with a few token prizes for anyone who fancies going to the trouble of implementing the game, either on PC or an 8-bit format like the beeb: Chuckie Apple 2006 Implementation Challenge

• From Jon Welch:

After the recent release of BBC List by P.Jones, he has kindly given me permission to write a compatible version for the Mac. This has now been written and is available for download from my web site at http://www.g7jjf.com Mac BBC Games List is a games database front end for Mac BeebEm. The program displays a list of games that can be sorted by name, year, publisher or genre. A screen shot is also displayed if available. Double clicking a program will launch BeebEm with the disc loaded and automatically start the game. Numerous filter options are available to allow you to find the game you want. Options are also available to add or edit the information in the game database. If there is any interest, it should be fairly straight forward to create a version for use with Mr. Bunn's Unix BeebEm port. To support this new program, Mac BeebEm 3.0v is now available.

Updates:

• removed the Instructions area
• moved the contents of the Adventures page to the Articles area
• removed the Hardware area (only the early BBC Micro reviews have been salvaged, under Articles)
• removed the Publications area
• removed the Game Ads area
• removed the Software page from the Acorn Atom area
• moved the link to the old Guestbook to the Miscellaneous page
• moved the link to the old Credits page to the Miscellaneous page.

The Game Help pages have been blessed with a plethora of screenshot maps all of which were created by "Bill Carr" (current forum user-id: billcarr2005).

Featured titles:

Baron Exile Infinity

Jack Attac StarQuake ThunderStruck.

News:

• Neil Crutchlow has converted the BBC version of Chuckie Egg to the GP2x. Get it here.
  
  
• Dave Eggleston has released v0.0.11 of BeebEm Unix.
  
  Changes:
  
  
  • Code updated to Windows version 3.3:
    • New menu options added to enable/disable Teletext adapter and hard drive emulation
    • Removed ADFS and ATS ROMs from Model-B configuration as they were causing a few problems
    • Improved VIA and interrupt timing and fixed instruction cycle count for branches
    • Added "Eject Disc" buttons to the file menu
    • Added exponential sound volume
  • Code updated to Windows version 3.4:
    • Problem of ESC key not always being detected fixed
    • Problem of accessing files when ADFS and DFS discs loaded side by side fixed
    • Minor VIA timing tweak to make Snapper work again
    • Interrupt clearing issue in 8271 disk emulation fixed
  • 'Ignore illegal instructions' tick box added - previously was always set
  • File path is now saved when you click 'Save Configuration'
  • Linux fullscreen toggle crash fixed
  • Source code now compiles correctly with GNU G++ version 4 compilers (tested in SuSE 10.1)!
  • Keyboard 'freeze' some people have encountered now fixed!

Writes Dave:

I think I've successfully fixed the bugs shacken out by G++ version 4 and am very happy to release BeebEm UNIX version 0.0.11! Everything seems to work fine now on SuSE 10.1 and the source code is as ever available on my website. If anyone finds any other problems, please either advise me here, or via email <frutbunn AT gmail DOT com>.

Updates:

• Danny Nicholas (forum user-id: dnichola) provided a collection of software which he wrote in the late 1980s on his Acorn Electron.
  
  He's tested everything under emulation and made his work available in two formats: DFS Disc Image for BBC use and ADFS Disc Image for Electron use.
  
  Each disc image contains the following programs:
  
  

  Percy II - Percy's Revenge Percy III - Super Spy Graphics Demo Q-Jump (development) The Quest for the Gobal (64k) The Supermarket Firm Invatron

  Queue Noughts & Crosses The Beastie Adventure Dano Software Demo Invatron 2 Intro (development) Invatron 2 Demos (development) Space Exporation Probe (M128)

  
  I've created an entry for the "Dano Soft Collection" in Lost & Found where you can download both DFS & ADFS disc images as well as an .rtf file containing a comprehensive write-up of each program.
  
  
  
• The BBC UEF Archive has been updated with a set of Tape Images from the Early Number series of educational programs published by Mr Chips:
  
  
  • Betty the Butterfly
  • Clarry the Caterpillar
  • Dippy the Dinosaur
  • Floppy the Fish
  • Sidney the Snake
  • Spiro the Snail
  • Tommy the Tortoise.

The Acorn Preservation Project has been updated with more scans from Ash W's collection of Show leaflets.

                

                

                

All of today's additions were collected at the March/April 1984 Micro User/Electron User Show in Westminster.

Andrew Skipper (forum user-id: vbbc) supplied BBC Disc Images for the following educational titles (the first and third of which were requested on our forum):

• Mickey's Magic Mixture  (Selective Software)
• Transylvanian Terror  (Selective Software)
• Yellow Brick Road  (MEP North).

---

 

... should be with us this weekend, so I'm told!

Update:

• P Jones has written a brand new emulator Front End called BBC List.
  
  You can download Version 1.0 from our Essentials page.
  

News:

• Speaking of Front Ends, Brian Jones quietly updated BBC Connect to v2.2 a few weeks ago
  
  
• Dave Eggleston released a development snapshot for v0.0.10 of BeebEm Unix (see bottom of page):
  
  Changes:
  
  
  • GCode updated to Windows 3.4 (no new features enabled yet)
  • Linux fullscreen toggle bug fixed.

Development has been switched from GCC & G++ version 3 (in FreeBSD 6.1-STABLE) to GCC & G++ version 4 (in SuSE 10.1) but according to Dave, this has caused many problems. So he is currently trying to upgrade to the new compilers, in the hope that soon, BeebEm UNIX will work as well on most of the newer Linux distros as it does on BSD.

• Joel Roelbottom has recorded some AMPLE Music 5000 tracks to 160khz MP3 format.
  
  Check them out at http://www.joel.co.uk/ample.

STH Forum User AshW (Ashley Wong) recently passed on a huge collection of promotional material (e.g. catalogues, brochures, flyers) which he acquired whilst attending no fewer than eleven Acorn shows between 1983-1987.

                  

                  

Scans of the documents he collected from the December 1983 Micro User Show at Westminster, including the actual Programme itself (pictured right), are now available to download at The Acorn Preservation Project website.

Scans of items obtained from subsequent shows will follow over the course of the next few months.

On Wednesday, both the Windows (v3.4) and MAC (v3.0u) versions of BeebEm were updated with the following fixes/improvements:

Changes:

• Added preliminary support for loading CSW format tape images
• Added emulation of Microvitec touch screen (can be used with software from Brilliant Computing)
• Added user port breakout box
• Added digital mousestick option
• Fixed joystick emulation in Master 128 mode
• Fixed problem of ESC key not always being detected
• Fixed problem of accessing files when ADFS and DFS discs loaded side by side
• Fixed a couple of tape related game loading problems
• Minor VIA timing tweak to make Snapper work again
• Fixed interrupt clearing issue in 8271 disk emulation (fixes save/restore state in Twin Kingdom Valley).
  

Steve Humphreys provided a BBC DFS Disc Image of the retail version of XOR (Logotron).

Unlike the "cracked" demonstration disc, this version features a "chunkier" logo in the top-right corner of the main screen.

XOR - Demo version

XOR - Retail version

Updates:

• Greg Cook devised a screenshot map for Thunderstruck II  [ Game Help ]
  
  
• Jonathan Parkin compiled an FAQ for Repton 2  [ Game Help ]
  
  
• forum-user Sentinel produced three icons in .ICO format  [ Miscellaneous ]
  
  
• James Roberts supplied a Rom Image of the system Rom from the Sound Expansion Cartridge which was available for the Acorn Electron from Project Expansions
  
  
• updated the Zarch entry in Lost & Found with an interesting bit of info from Andrew Weston
  
  
• added an MP3 of the theme from the Electron version of Xor, which was requested by Martin Stevens. This is the first update to the Electron Music Page in almost 6 years! ;)
  
  Can anybody identify the name of the original piece of music?
  
  
• I've revamped the Emulators page a little ...
  
  

News:

• Stephen Scott updated his homepage with downloads and docs for two BBC Micro games he wrote in the 1990s: Androidz and Headcase Hotel

Androidz

Headcase Hotel

• Thomas Harte has issued a Universal Binary of ElectrEm which should be of interest to owners of Intel-based Macs.

Update:

• Chris Johns supplied a RISC OS archive containing CAVE - a multi-user text-based adventure game that was published by XOB and ran over Econet.
  
  I'm hoping we'll have an .ssd version available before too long ...
  
  A later version of the game (entitled Arena II) is available on J G Harston's site, here:
  http://mdfs.net/Apps/Networking/NetGames.
  

News:

• Dave Eggleston released v0.0.9 of BeebEm Unix.

News:

• Mike Wyatt released BeebEm v3.3.
  
  Changes from v3.2:
  
  
  • Added menu options to enable/disable Teletext adapter and hard drive emulation. When enabled they cause corruption of Alien8 data
  • Removed ADFS and ATS ROMs from Model-B configuration as they were causing a few problems
  • Improved VIA and interrupt timing and fixed instruction cycle count for branches. The following programs now run: Nightshade (tape), Lancelot, The Empire Strikes Back, Dabs Fingerprint, Yie Ar Kung-Fu (tape)
  • Added "Eject Disc" options to the file menu. The name of the currently loaded image file is shown next to the menu option
  • Added two new debugger commands:
    • "c" to change memory contents
    • "w" to write the debug output buffer to a file
  • Change sound volume to be exponential (suggested by Rich Talbot-Watkins). Seems to be a definite improvement on the linear scale. There is a menu option to switch between the two.
    
    
• Jon Welch has also updated the Mac Port of BeebEm.

Updates:

• Andy Krouwel provided an interesting update to the Zarch entry in Lost & Found
  
  
• Link added to Jo Holbourn's BBC Site which will focus specifically on Educational Software for the BBC Micro.

Michael S Repton (author of the Repton 3 FAQ) produced a similar FAQ for The Life of Repton, which I've added to the Game Help section.

Dave Eggleston released v0.0.8 of BeebEm Unix.

New features:

• GUI improvements/polish
• Now supports lower rendering resolutions for video output
• Can now emulate Windows MFC message boxes
• Floppy Disc Controller GUI now completed
• Fullscreen toggle is no longer X11 dependent.

Richard Wilson has added BBC Model B emulation to his Java multi-platform emulator, JEMU.

Update:

• Last month, Andrew Hayes (AJH) provided a version of Xor (Logotron) that he'd ingeniously managed to patch with the Procyon level-set from the Amiga release.
  
  Unfortunately, it had to be swiftly withdrawn when some map errors were detected (as they made it impossible to complete certain levels).
  
  Well, since then both he and Mick Waites have been busy uncovering and addressing all of the issues, and after a lot of hard work, Andrew finally has the following to report:
  
  

The Problem ========== Well it's been a long hard slog fixing this but such things were sent to try us. First - After Michael Waites found map errors there was no other choice but to play ALL the levels to find if there were any more. We shared the work between us, but it still took what seemed a looooong time! Eventually we found three maps with definite errors on them two of which were not completable (If other maps have errors they do not prevent them from being completed). I even played it in an emulator with the same result. At this point I sourced my own Amiga disk of 'Prospector' to extract the maps myself. This took ages to do! (by the way the only hardware you need to extract the disk on a PC is a second floppy drive attached to the cable and some free software, So I had bits from two PC's floating about!) Eventually I got the map files off to find they were identical to the ones you supplied me with (Michael downloaded images and found the same). So at this point the only conclusion is that the various Amiga releases had faulty Procyon maps! The Solution ========== The task now was to fix them: Level 5 was easy as it was obvious what was missing. Level 14 was much harder and I had to try and guess what they had intended to do by a process of elimination. Level 13 was completable but had missing map pieces, so it was just a case of adding them in where they didn't get in the way (mind you we had two goes at that one!). Taking the view of making the minimum amount of changes the fixes amount to adding in two bombs and three missing map pieces. Not too bad over 15 levels. The Electron ========== With a heavy heart I looked at the Electron version as you asked and the text "Protection (c) Kevin Edwards 1987" was ominous! Reading the message board thread made me depressed, but fortunately he must have coded it on an off day as he doesn't use any VIA timers at all (just good old EOR)! So I decrypted it, added in the maps etc, changed the loader screen, re-encrypted it (Ha-Ha!) and recreated the UEF file (It's all done manually you know!). The Conclusion ============ So there you have it (as if by magic!) Procyon's Mazes ready to go. I must give a big thanks to Michael Waites (expectant Father!) who found the initial problem and put in loads of time play-testing the levels. At the end his GBA XOR game allowed him to quickly replay saved moves to double check all the new levels I compiled. This is something I found that XOR Designer does NOT do as it saves the map with the replay data so you end up replaying the previous map state!

And here they are!

BBC Micro DFS Disc Image:
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/bbc/archive/diskimages/Logotron/XOR-Procyon.zip

Acorn Electron UEF Tape Image:
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/electron/uefarchive/Logotron/XOR-Procyon_E.zip

So THANK YOU to Andrew and Mick for bringing us these very special releases ... if you'd like to show your appreciation for their remarkable achievements, please leave a message in the appropriate thread on our Forum.

Finally, Andrew would like to hear from anybody who manages to complete the new levels and solve the anagram: either send a Private Message to Andrew via our Forum (registration required) or email me and I'll forward your mail directly to Andrew.

News:

• Following on from the above, Mick Waites has released v1.03 of Xor for the Gameboy Advance, which too features the [corrected] Procyon level-set.

Writes Mick:

I am pleased to finally announce that I have released Xor version 1.03 for GameBoy Advance. This version has a fix for the three new levels that had problems in version 1.02. If I'd got round to testing the levels before uploading the build then it would have helped... Anyway, this new version, as before, works with your old saves. IE all you progress won't be lost by downloading this new version. There is also one other fix in this version. I'd managed to revert the level "The Decoder" back to it's original state when I added the new levels to version 1.02. This meant that the clues you get to decoding the password in version 1.02 are absolutely useless for my password. If you've finished this level in version 1.02 - first of all "Well done!" it's a difficult game. Secondly, complete the level again on version 1.03 and you'll be able to see the correct clues for my password.

• Tom Walker released v1.2 of the B-Em BBC Micro emulator (Win ver).
  
  Here is a summary of the improvements:
  
  
  • Preliminary CSW support  [go to acornpreservation.org for CSW Tape Images!]
  • Improved timing, more protected tapes work (e.g. Nightshade, Tapper, Galaforce 2, Hyper Sports, Beach Head etc)
  • E00 DFS now supported
  • Disc writing works properly again.
    
    
    
• Dethmer Kupers released v0.2.1.5 of GoMMCExplorer (note the new url).
  
  This version adds support for the Watford DFS 1.44 filing system (id 8 and 88) and for 62-file catalogues.
  

---

On Wednesday I forgot to mention that a UEF Tape Image for Dominoes (Garland Computing) had been added to both the BBC and Electron Tape Archives.

Michael S Repton has updated his Repton 3 FAQ to v1.2, which features an improved solution to Finale screen G.  [ Game Help ]

Though Michael anticipates this to be the final version of the FAQ, he informs me that he's already commenced work on a similar FAQ for The Life of Repton.

Updates:

• Added Cover Scans for:
  
  
  • Alien Dropout from Superior  (Early Packaging)  [ BBC ]
  • Alien Dropout from Superior  (Early Coverart)  [ Electron ]
  • Beeb-Beep from IJK  (Early Packaging)  [ BBC ]
  • Chess from Micro Power  (Alternative Early Packaging)  [ BBC ]
  • Chukee from Bit Twiddlers  [ BBC ]
  • Circus from Digital Fantasia  [ BBC ]
  • Commonwealth Games - Disc Version from Tynesoft  (Cardboard Packaging)  [ BBC ]
  • Corpuscle from Micrograf  [ BBC ]
  • Cosmic Asteroids from Alligata  [ BBC ]
  • Cowboy Shootout from Micro Power  (Early Packaging)  [ BBC ]
  • Cowboy Shootout from Micro Power  (Early Coverart)  [ BBC ]
  • Dominoes from Garland Computing  [ BBC/Electron ]
  • Kingdom of Hamil - Disc Version from Acornsoft  [ BBC ]
  • Philosopher's Quest - Disc Version from Acornsoft  (40/80T)  [ BBC ]
  • Poker Dice from Micro Power  [ BBC ]
  • Rick Hanson from Robico  [ Electron ]
  • Snapper - Disc Version from Acornsoft  (40/80T)  [ BBC ]
  • The Valley from ASP  [ Electron ]
  • Triple Decker 4 from Alternative  (Correct Coverart)  [ BBC/Electron ]
    
    
• Added BBC UEF Tape Images for:
  
  
  • Chukee  (Bit Twiddlers)
  • Corpuscle  (Micrograf)
  • Halley's Comet  (Basil Blackwell)
  • Laser Letters  (Shards)
  • Monaco  (Alligata)
  • Poker Dice  (Micro Power)
    
    
• Added Electron UEF Tape Images for:
  
  
  • Caveman  (Kansas)
  • Maniac Mower  (Kansas)
  • Peeko Computer - German  (Acornsoft)
  • Primary Art  (Alligata)
  • Rick Hanson  (Robico)
  • The Valley  (ASP).

Well believe it or not, the above near-enough constitutes nine months worth of collecting BBC and Electron software. Not very impressive is it?!? :-/

The thing is, very few 'Missing In Action' titles seem to appear on eBay nowadays. And when something interesting does crop up, more often than not I am outbid by another BBC/Electron collector with considerably deeper pockets than me! :o(

So seeing as we're struggling to find new items to add to our archives, perhaps now might be a good time for all STH visitors to go through their collections of original BBC/Electron cassettes*, and check to see if they have any that are missing from our BBC or Electron UEF Tape Archives. We can worry about the logistics of how to transfer them later! ;o)

* = that's if you didn't chuck 'em all out 15 years ago! ;o)

Updates:

• "Bill Carr" supplied a BBC Disc Image containing a version of Ricochet with a cheat mode that lets you see the ending. Very cool!
  
  
  
• Added a Cover Scan of the Disc version of Quondam (Acornsoft) thanks to Colin McDougall.
  
  
  
• Added a few more non-standard UEF images to the BBC and Electron UEF Archives, as follows:
  
  
  • Cassette 50 from Cascade  [ Electron ]
  • Caveman Capers from Icon  [ BBC ]
  • The Hacker from Firebird  [ Electron ]
  • Star Drifter from Firebird  [ BBC ]

These are hq.uef versions taken from yesterday's update at the Acorn Preservation Project.

A fourth batch of CSW & HQ.UEF Files have been added to the Acorn Preservation Project.

The update includes tape dumps plus high quality 600dpi scans of the following titles:

[ BBC Micro ]

747 (Doctor Soft), Beach Head (US Gold), Carousel (Acornsoft), Felix in the Factory (Micro Power), Ghouls (Micro Power), Killer Gorilla (Micro Power), The Mine (Micro Power), Moonraider (Micro Power), Repton (Superior), Snapper - First Release (Acornsoft), Star Drifter (Firebird-Super Silver), Star Striker (Superior), Super Invaders (Acornsoft), Twin Kingdom Valley (Bug-Byte), Ultron (Icon), Volcano (Acornsoft).

[ BBC Micro / Acorn Electron ]

Awari (Understanding), Caveman Capers (Icon), Combat Lynx (Durell), Redcoats (Lothlorien), Roman Empire (Lothlorien), Special Operations (Lothlorien).

[ Acorn Electron ]

Action Pack (Alligata-WH Smith), Bumper Bundle (Alligata), Cassette 50 (Cascade), Crystal Castles (US Gold), The Hacker (Firebird), Moonraider (Micro Power).

Yet another update from Jon ... !

More DFS Explorer news from Jon Welch:

Jon Welch posted the following on our forum:

Check out yesterday's update to our sister site - the Acorn Preservation Project - which includes scans of catalogues and brochures for various Acorn products.

             

Updates:

• Michael S Repton has updated his Repton 3 FAQ to v1.1  [ Game Help ]
  
  It now features the *correct* password to Finale screen F, improved solutions to several levels and finally, some of the difficulty ratings have been revised.
  
  
• John K's maps for Labyrinth have been updated (the first set hadn't registered a second type of forcefield)  [ Game Help ].

The Game Help page has been updated with a pair of "screenshot" maps for Labyrinth (Acornsoft).

Thanks to John Kortink for generating the maps.

Update:

• The BBC UEF Archive has been updated with the German-language versions of the following Acornsoft titles:
  
  
  • Peeko Computer
  • Sentence Sequencing  ("Satzsalat")
  • Tree of Knowledge  ("Baum der Weisheit")
  • Word Sequencing  ("Wortsalat").

News:

• Whilst there's been little movement on the Thunderstruck and Exile 2 threads, a quick perusal of the 2006 WIP Retro Remakes Competition category reveals that two more Acorn-inspired remakes may be on the way ...
  
  
  • Plan B Redux by Dudleysoft

• Great Britain Limited by Hoskas.

Updates:

• Added a Tape Image of the astoundingly rare German Welcome Cassette to the BBC UEF Archive
  
  
• Added an entry (no download) to Lost & Found for Destiny - an unreleased arcade adventure that was due to be published by Superior Software.
  
  Thanks to Andrew Weston for pointing me towards the info.

Added the Support Discs for the Torch Graduate to the Essentials page (thanks to John Henville).

John has also scanned in the documentation for the Graduate, which I will be sending to the BBC Documentation Project. But for now, I've made them temporarily available here (18Mb ZIP).

Updates:

• Colin Moffat provided scans of the fourth and fifth Vine Micros REPLAY Datasheet.
  
  The scans have been added to the Replay page within the Cheats section
  
  
  
• Added some non-standard UEF images to the BBC and Electron UEF Archives.
  
  These are hq.uef versions taken from the Acorn Preservation Project, though I have only added files that have been confirmed to work under emulation
  
  
  
• Andy Welburn supplied a Coverscan and UEF Tape Image for the Electron version of Revenge of Zor (Kansas)
  
  
  
• Dave Hunt supplied the following [replacement] BBC Disc Images:
  
  
  • Master-compatible versions of 180 Darts, Copter Caper, Orpheus and Painter (all A&F)
    
    
  • a cleaner version of Mission (Acornsoft)
    
    
  • a working copy of Defender (Acornsoft), that even runs on a Master!
    
    
    
• Pete Edwards supplied a BBC Disc Image containing Rich Talbot-Watkin's mod of Chuckie Egg which adds extra colours
  
  
  
• Added BBC Disc Images for two more A&F releases: Bouncer and Tower of Hanoi (thanks again to Pete Edwards and Jeremy Grayson)
  
  
  
• Pete also supplied DFS Disc Images of Dust (Resource), which I've added to the BBC Educational Archive
  
  
  
• f U R SOME1 hu lIkz puzzle gAms U wiL b plsed 2 knO my m8 Colin McDougall snt n Sliding Block Puzzles 4 our BBC Disc Image Archive
  
  
  
• Colin also supplied a set of UEF savestates 4 Codename: Droid  [ Miscellaneous ]
  
  
  
• Link added to Neil Crutchlow's Flash Conversions of classic BBC Micro games.

News:

• A second batch of FDI Files have been added to the Acorn Preservation Project.
  
  The update includes FDI dumps and high quality 600dpi scans of the following titles:
  
  [ BBC Micro DFS ]
  
  A Question of Sport (Superior), Airwolf (Elite), Attack On Alpha Centauri (Software Invasion), BBC Bonanza (Audiogenic), Birdie Barrage (CDS), Bismarck (BBC Soft), Black Queen Bridge (BBC Soft), Blue Ribbon Games Disk No 1 (Blue Ribbon), Blue Ribbon Games Disk No 2 (Blue Ribbon), Blue Ribbon Games Disk No 3 (Blue Ribbon), Brian Clough's Football Fortunes (CDS), Cholo (Firebird), Colossus Chess 4 (CDS), Commonwealth Games (Tynesoft), The Dam Busters (US Gold), The Empire Strikes Back (Domark), Goal (Tynesoft), The Gold Collection (US Gold), The Graphic Adventure Creator (Incentive), Holed Out !! (The Fourth Dimension), Holed Out !! - Extra Courses Vol 1 (The Fourth Dimension), Holed Out !! - Extra Courses Vol 2 (The Fourth Dimension), Hyper Sports (Imagine), Infinity (White Panther), The Ket Trilogy (Incentive), Kingdom of Hamil (Acornsoft), Klax (Domark), Licence to Kill (Domark), Mega-Apocalypse (Martech), Mexico 86 (Qualsoft), Mission Icarus (Powerhouse), Nevryon (The Fourth Dimension), Omega Orb (Audiogenic), Phantom Combat (Doctor Soft), Philosopher's Quest (Acornsoft), Plague Planet (Alpine), Powerplay (Arcana), Q-Master (The Fourth Dimension), Repton Infinity (Superior), Revs Plus Revs 4 Tracks (Superior), The Sentinel (Firebird), Sphere of Destiny (Audiogenic), Stairway to Hell (Software Invasion), UIM (The Fourth Dimension), Waterloo (Lothlorien), XOR (Logotron), XOR Designer (Logotron), Yie Ar KUNG-FU (Imagine).
  
  [ BBC Master Compact ADFS ]
  
  Colossus Chess 4 (CDS), Elite (Superior), Holed Out !! (The Fourth Dimension), Holed Out !! - Extra Courses Vol 2 (The Fourth Dimension), Micro Power Magic (Micro Power), Q-Master (The Fourth Dimension), Steve Davis Snooker (CDS), UIM (The Fourth Dimension).
  
  
  
• What do you get if you cross Zarch with Pacman?
  
  ZarchMan, that's what!  ;o)

News:

• The twinkingdomvalley.com website has now been populated and finally, all is revealed!
  
  From the homepage:
  

Silicon Magic, in association with Trevor Hall, bring you an extended version of this classic text & graphics adventure game for your mobile phone & pda. Explore a world in which you battle with Dragons, Trolls, Guards, Witches & Kings. With 200 locations, treasures to find & puzzles to solve, you're sure to have "a mobile adventure"™. Originally released on the BBC Micro in 1983, and subsequently ported to all popular 8-bit home computers, Twin Kingdom Valley was an instant hit. 23 years on, players will be able to experience this brand new, extended edition of the game with additional locations, puzzles & creatures, right on their mobile phone. Conversions are underway for Nokia, Motorola, Sony - Ericsson and other makes of mobile phone. A pda version is also in development.

• The latest issue of EDGE features an interview with TKV author, Trevor Hall.

Updates:

• Michael S Repton provided a very detailed solution/walkthrough for Repton 3  [ Game Help ]
  
  
  
• Replaced the UEF Archives for:
  
  /bbc/archive/tapeimages/hardware/Cumana/CumanaSketchPad_B.zip  *
  /bbc/archive/tapeimages/Qualsoft/Mexico86_B.zip *
  /bbc/archive/tapeimages/Micropower/Adventure-Micropower_B.zip  **
  /bbc/archive/tapeimages/MRJ/Inu_BE.zip **
  /electron/uefarchive/MRJ/Inu_BE.zip  **
  
   * = .txt file in previous ZIP archive had a .uef suffix
  ** = .uef file in previous ZIP archive was not gzip compressed
  
  
  Thanks to John "GoMMC" Kortink for the heads up!
  
  
  
• Link added to Colin Moffat's BBC pages which currently contains coverscans, screenshots and documentation for Escape From Moonbase Alpha, Kane, Killer Gorilla, Stock Car, Warehouse and Weetabix Versus the Titchies.
  
  You'll also find a screenshot map and a hand-drawn map for Warehouse.
  
  
  
• Today it's Jeremy Grayson's turn to play Name That Tune!
  
  
  • Caveman Capers = Theme from Pipkins
    
    
  • Hopper = Greensleeves, Yankie Doodle + one other
    
    
  • Sorcerer = Tubular Bells
    
    
  • Where? = Rule Britannia
    
    
  • Nemesis = Teddy-Bears’ Picnic (deviates a bit towards the end, though)
    
    
  • Barbarian II = Axel F by Harold Faltermeyer
    
    
  • Last of the Free = The Can-Can
    
    
  • Yoyo = The Can-Can
    
    
  • Mineshaft = Theme from Lassie
    
    
  • Jet Set Willy = If I Were A Rich Man (from Fiddler On The Roof).

All of the "file packs" from the Acorn Preservation Project have been uploaded to various file hosting services and as a result, each pack can now be downloaded directly.

News:

• This month's Retro Gamer magazine (Issue #26) features a really good, three-page interview with Nick "Orlando" Pelling, author of Frak, Zalaga, Arcadians, Firetrack and 3D Pool.
  
  Thanks to Lee T for the news!
  
  
• Bill Gardner provided some more input regarding the origins of BBC Music Themes:

Thanks to Jack Welsby for IDing many more tracks from our Sound & Music page:

• Hypersports = Chariots Of Fire by Vangelis
  
  
• Goal = The Stars And Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa
  
  
• Crazy Caves = Road To Nowhere by Talking Heads
  
  
• Dare Devil Denis = Serenade by Joseph Haydn
  
  
• Dr Who & The Mines Of Terror (in-game) = Prelude from Carmen by Georges Bizet
  
  
• Mr Ee = Can-Can from Orpheus In The Underworld by Jacques Offenbach
  
  
• Network = Fanfare For The Common Man by Aaron Copland
  
  
• Omega Orb = Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba by GF Handel
  
  
• Spy Hunter = Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini
  
  
• Sword Master = Nimrod from the Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar
  
  
• Who Dares Wins 2 = theme from The Great Escape by Elmer Bernstein.

And thanks once more to Bill Gardner who noted the following:

• Citadel is based on the well-known children's song, Frere Jacques
  
  
• Ghouls is Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme, a cantata by Bach
  
  
• Kissin' Cousins, though not on the music page, is The William Tell overture by Rossini.

No news to report of today (yet!) so I'll take this opportunity to give our Forum a quick plug ...

There's been lots of activity recently, with the following topics proving to be popular at the moment:

• Most advanced BBC game?
• What is the Best 8-bit Magazine Type-In Game Ever?
• Worst BBC games ever?
• Twin Kingdom Valley
• Nightshade protection [technical]

If you have yet to join the forum but would like to participate in the discussion, all you need to do is:

1. Click here to create a forum account
2. Activate your account via email
3. Introduce yourself in the designated forum category
4. GET POSTING!!!

So what are you waiting for?!?  ;o)

N.B. When registering, it'd be appreciated if you could enter some information into the Location, Occupation & Interests fields (just so I know you're not a "spambot"!).

Roger Bright identified the original titles of two more songs from our Sound & Music page:

• Bonecruncher  =  Rondo Alla Turca by Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart
  
  
• Crazy Painter  =  Fig Leaf by Scott Joplin

Why not download some tracks yourself and see if you can nail down the names of any of the other pieces?!

N.B. Roger has a feeling that the theme to Sabre Wulf may have originally been written by Mozart too, but he is unsure of the title ... so, any ideas?

---

Update:

Thanks to Guy Bearman, Bill Gardner and Rich Talbot-Watkins, all of whom confirmed that Sabre Wulf was actually a 'remix' of a piece of music by Bach ("Prelude in C Major" from book 1 of the "Well Tempered Clavier").

Bill also notes that the themes to Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy are from Grieg's Peer Gynt suite no 1; the piece used is called In the Hall of the Mountain King.

---

Update #2:

Blotwell chipped in with the following:

• the Castle Quest loading music is The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas
  
  
• the Syncron title music is the overture to Mozart's opera The Magic Flute
  
  
• the Repton 2 in-game music is The Chrysanthemum by Scott Joplin.

Thank you all for the great response so far, but let's keep these song titles rolling in!!

I've temporarily removed the link to Xor - Procyon's Mazes as there appears to a map error on level five, making it impossible to complete the screen (FYI the omission also exists on the original Amiga version).

Hopefully we will be able to make a corrected version available soon ...

Update:

• Andrew Hayes supplied a BBC Disc Image of Xor which he has modified to include the Procyon level-set that was only supplied with the Amiga version.

The direct link is:
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/bbc/archive/diskimages/Logotron/XOR-Procyon.zip

If you manage to complete all 15 new levels and solve the anagram, please let myself and Andrew know by either emailing me directly, or by leaving a message in the appropriate thread on our forum.

News:

• Mick Waites also updated his Gameboy Advance conversion of Xor to include the Procyon levels.

Added a Rom Image of Slogger's Tape to Plus 4 Rom for the Acorn Electron.

Thanks to Steve O'Leary.

Dave Eggleston released v0.0.7 of BeebEm Unix.

New features:

• Econet support code converted (untested)
• Better control of the busy-wait
• Support for all user files in $HOME/.beebem.

Not strictly BBC/Electron news, but some of yous may be interested to read that Stevie Goodwin recently updated his PC clone of Archimedes classic Zarch, to Version 2.0.

Steve's version, which is entitled Z-Virus, was created using Blitz Basic and was originally developed for the 2004 Retro Remakes Competition.

Sprow has updated the design for his second serial port BBC Micro addon.

From the BBC Mailing List: