Welcome to Utility Heaven: The Cream of PD Utility Software
DLan by Campbell Systems
It's so nice to see some of the Spectrum's past masters of utility software allowing titles to be distributed by the PD darlings. Create screenfuls of scrolling text in various sizes and fonts, expanding box animations etc with this arty tool. Sadly, without instructions (although there maybe a tasfile tutor around somewhere - but I ain't got one!) it is a complicated little bugger but effects can be ravishing!
Graphic Adventure Creator
Did you buy yours in 1986 for 23? Well, 8 years later you can have one on any format for 20p. Having been published on a YS covertape with woeful instructions, Incentive's blinding adventure writer now comes with a packed tasfile tutor so anyone with half a brain, 39 sheets of A4 and a fortnight to spare, can code the next pile of done-to-death middle earth toss that Zenobi will expect to sell for2.99! Why are home grown adventures so over-priced?
Spectrum Globeplotter
Would you like to see one of your own SCREEN files being mapped onto a definable sized sphere and then rotated like a planet? Well, get this then. Downloaded from some 'proper' computer it is, and pretty darn interesting too. Can't think of a use for it though!
Zoom Lens by Chris Pile
Excellent little routine that lets you load in a SCREEN, magnify a portion and then save that off as the new SCREEN. Essential for those interested enough to study font design and how the Codies actually draw Dizzy. In fact any utility by young Pile is worth having as he's from Digital Reality.
Pandagirl Swear Box 128
Using the full capabilities of the tasty RAM Music Machine, let the Spectrum bring instant tension and stress relief to the new man or woman in your life. Everytime something goes wrong and you feel the whole world is against you, load up Swear Box and a stream of digitised obscenity and cursing will flood from your TV. It shows lack of intelligence to actually swear in 1994 so let Amanda do it for you.
All titles available from Alchemist Research and maybe Prism PD too (if they have stopped fighting that is).
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