• Commodore Free, Issue 68 - Part1

    From Stephen Walsh@39:901/281 to all on Tue Mar 26 19:53:09 2013
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    Commodore Free Magazine
    http://www.commodorefree.com/
    *************************************

    Issue 68

    Free to download magazine
    dedicated to Commodore computers
    Available as PDF, ePUB, MOBI, HTML,
    TXT, SEQ and D64 disk image

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    CONTENTS
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    * Editorial
    * Commodore Free E-Cover Tape #4
    * NEWS
    - Commodore 64 Asteriods Emulator
    - TrackmoLinker V1.2 Released
    - Bongo Cruncher Released
    - Revenge of the Tomato
    - Picture Ripper
    - Hoxs64 v1.0.8.1 Released
    - Blok Copy - PETSCII Edition
    - Sheep vs. Fox
    - Retro Asylum - Top Ten C64 Games
    - Plus/4 Hires Pictures
    - Fluffy Amiga Boing Ball Available
    - VideoClipper v1.1 for the Amiga
    - Stefan Egger's "Edition 30"
    - Street Battle for the VIC
    - Forest Glider for the VIC
    - Olympic Dash Released for the VIC
    - VIC Game Dont Blow It Released
    - magiTOOL Released for the VIC
    - Retron Phase On
    - Digital Talk Issue 96 Released
    - S-Blox V1.0 Released
    - Diesel Duel Released
    - RGCD Newsletter February 2013
    - IndieGO! Open Video Game Console
    - Dickinson on the C128, GEOS,
    Altman, and the SX-64
    - TAPClean Front End
    - Cinemaware is Back on AmigaOS!
    - SuperPet .D80 Images
    - Amazon Selling Deathbed Vigil
    - Revival Studios News
    - Barry Altman Dies
    - C64List
    - C64 File Browser
    - Floppy Disk Table
    - Vintage Computer Festival SE
    - Retro Related
    - THYX Album "Below The City"
    - 64 Commercial (Amateur)
    - TND New Game SUECK Compo Game
    * Review: Assembloids RGCD Cartridge
    * Review: Spike/Minestorm Cartridge
    * Review: The Last Amazon Trilogy -
    Affectionately Called The LA
    Trilogy

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    EDITOR
    Nigel Parker

    SPELL CHECKING
    Peter Badrick

    TXT, HTML & EBOOKS
    Paul Davis

    D64 DISK IMAGE
    Al Jackson

    PDF DESIGN
    Nigel Parker

    WEBSITE
    www.commodorefree.com

    EMAIL ADDRESS
    commodorefree@commodorefree.com

    SUBMISSIONS

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    passed on details that will interest other Commodore enthusiasts.

    NOTICES

    All materials in this magazine are the property of Commodore Free unless otherwise stated. All copyrights, trademarks, trade names, internet domain names or other similar rights are acknowledged. No part of this magazine may
    be reproduced without permission.

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    Magazine.

    COPYRIGHT

    Copyright (c) 2013
    Commodore Free Magazine
    All Rights Reserved.


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    EDITORIAL
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    AHHhhh I still seem to be playing catch-up on all the new releases for Christmas and the New Year, Many thanks to all the people who sent me information; or pointed me in the right direction for the News section of the magazine (yep its the largest section this month again). I did have 2 people volunteer to submit material; so I thought I would be home and dry with this issue, and maybe even push it out as an early release! Sadly; and even after various emails; the contributions never materialised, emails dried up and have left me with a very empty magazine this issue.

    So.... in this issue we have lots and lots of a news and a few games reviews; and that's about all sorry! Although I have been asked to provide more
    reviews; so at least someone will be a happy bunny when they read the magazine this month. It would seem we have loads of new Vic 20 games being released,
    and or worked on or appearing for the first time after completion many years ago! So some new releases are older titles that have raised their heads,
    again; having just submerged their heads above water for the second time and been just sighted on the radars of Commodore users worldwide!

    Interesting too (and you will read about this in the news section) that the Commodore club FCUG decided to do a remake of the original Commodore sx64 commercial "keeping up with Commodore" I think this commercial was never released in the UK. (well I don't remember seeing it in my "Ahem" youth or youf) the remake is quite an amusing tribute to the machine, personally I was never taken with the original advert anyway; as it all seems a bit to camp for me! Also in the news in a link to the original advert so you can see how good or bad it was when originally released.

    COMMODORE POWER PROBLEM

    I recently ventured back into my Den/Man cave/Computer room; not that unusual but this year it's been some time since I went in to check on my Commodore setup. I have one machine at the door with uIEC and cables ready to hook up to the downstairs TV and do some testing as and when I see or review titles for the magazine. However the rest of the room homes about; 5 commodore 128D computers a couple of 128 CDr machines, 2 vic20 computers an Amiga 600 Amiga 1200 and an Amiga 4000/25, I sold my 500 and wished I never had done! oh and
    of course a few breadbin c64`s and 4 c64 mark 2 or c64c a c64GS that seem to develop a new fault each time I try to power it on! And various cable boxes
    and drives and accelerators; along with cupboards stuffed full and bulging of games paperwork and educational titles.

    Every time I enter the room; I play around on the premise that I am actually tidying up the room, although after 30 minutes; it normally sees me loading a game on a system, just really to test everything is working; as if it would stop because I have tided a cable up or a piece of paper. Either that or to
    get out of the act of physically tidying up of the room; I think in reality
    its the later of the 2 operations. Because as soon as a machine is on; you can stride over all the clutter and seem to put on "man blinkers" and forget the room looks like one of those Hoarders rooms on cable TV. Piled high in the
    miss guided conception that at some point in time; I will use all the stuff I have; well let's just say; "collected from various sources over the previous years."

    Anyway; after a small amount of play tidying; I got on with the real reason I went into the room, and that was to check everything was working! I turned on the Commodore 64 at the mains and then turned on the TV, Now the TV is an old CRT that I found in a skip; well ; actually the owner was throwing it away; when I went to relive our house of some recyclable products. I asked the owner "what was wrong with the TV". he said they "bought a flat panel" and no one wants these old things now! I asked if it working "yes" he said; so I relived him of the TV. and quickly headed back home; setting it up in my room before
    my good lady found out I went to get rid of "stuff" but came back with more "stuff" in its place! (at least I took a car full and just came back with 1
    TV)

    The TV was cleaned up and took place in the "Man cave" after it had been checked to see if it worked,(and it did) the picture is excellent using an s-video connector from the c64`s AV port; its actually a better picture than
    my 1084! and the new TV has a flat faced screen so the glare is less. Anyway I am moving away from the topic here... which was.............ermm

    So.... With the TV turned on; I flicked the power switch on the side of the Commodore 64 and .... "nothing"! no power no light "nothing"; I tried another Commodore and this was just the same! So after some trouble shooting; you know the usual; like looking at the fuse in the extension lead; then the fuse in
    the C
    --- CrashWrite 2.0
    * Origin: --:)-- Dragon's Lair BBS --(:- (39:901/281)