Retrospective.
(From Peter's perspective)
music by DNK
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Pa lot of time has passed since our pre-
next meeting. And we decided to remember what
marked the last year in history
Spectrum...
The life of the platform was still busy
on events. As before and, alas, in the same
At this rate, domestic authors continue
or working on your projects. Apparatus-
the chicks slowly continued to move their
development. Some things have been completed.
There have been some market changes. Te-
now we can say for sure that Moscow
finally gave up its position, and the capital
St. Pe-
Terburg. Inforcom has ceased
its existence, in connection with which the unified
real place where you can order by
mail Spectrum's software (and hardware!) OS-
Petersburg was in sight.This year were completed (brought to
counter) several author's projects.
Let's look at the ones that shook the market the most.
Magic Stripes. VB; St.Pb. - Puzzle with
pictures for an entire disk. Enough
honestly done. AY and Digital
music and animations provide nice variety
a series of “PC-converted” pictures. Game
leaves a pleasant impression.
Return To Home. 4 K.Kav; Yaroslavl - By
in essence - a ZD-shooter. Introduced into the game
some element of the strategy in the form of ctpou-
repair of equipment and issuance of public
military orders. Unfortunately, the engine is not
at height - turn only 90 degrees -
owls, inexpressive sprites... And
graphics could be better. However, the game
whiteness is good enough for lovers
wander/shoot game is undoubtedly
I liked it.
Technodrome. published by SV; Kharkov
- Quite a decent variation on the theme
Laser Squad. In general, LS is just that - LS.
You can play if you like games
such a plan. Mortal Kombat. published by SV; Kharkov
- The so-called "Little Mortal" -
MK-I with small figures. The authors implemented
remove almost all the chips from the PC MK-I,
even control of 9 keyboard buttons.
In connection with the latter, it is difficult to fight
with a person. Many fans of fighting games
I liked it.
The last two projects were distributed
with assistance from Code Busters. Nice to see you
Guess that in addition to hacking and demomaking
this famous team decided to do
helping young authors.
X-Reversy. published by XLD; St.Pb. Class
Siche "board" game, really too
from the family - collect and look. Full
disk of pictures made using the technique
"X-Color" (8 colors per dot), good AI
computer and the ability to play with a partner
via modem, it is distinguished from many similar
new "logics". This program was the first
a full-fledged game "under the modem", because work
melts with any modem (via driver).
Operation R.R. published by XLD; St.Pb.
Or simply “Operation pp”, as they call it
among the people. DIZZY-like quest, released-
ny under the brand name "GALAXY". The game was created but
members of the team and are very profitable from
differs from "48 Irons" in better quality
graphics and smooth (realtime) motion
nyami of her original hero.
Undoubtedly, the main event in the market
ke software was the appearance of the long-awaited
"Black Crow". Judging by the sales
well, we can safely say that the game
is a huge success. And there is something -
this is the first on Spectrum realtime ctpate-
gia in the style of "War Craft".
However, this success is quite natural,
after all, starting from UFO-I, all the works of Vya-
Cheslav Mednonogova were hits on the platform
Spectrum. Many users are already
Patiently waiting for the promised new levels...
As for system programs - you can
note one event - the appearance of tepmu-
national program of the new generation - Mas-
ro Modem. (see ZF-6) In addition to the presence of mass
specific "modem" options, this program
frame is different from all its predecessors
behhukob competent organization of work with
iron - working with the modem happens the same way -
res external driver. Thanks to this special
MMD can be used with any
type of modems (except hayes).Riff Tracker - music. editor under General
Sound. What do musicians say about him?
"Of course, you can write music in it..."
The long-awaited editor is not only
came out with a mountain of bugs, but it just turned out to be
not up to par.
Now let's remember the events of "Iron"
front.
The brainchild of Dmitry Lomov came off the stocks
(X-Trade) - XTR-modem. At the moment
this is the most advanced and publicly accessible method
dem for Spectrum from non-Hayes-compatible ones.
Modern design (for slot), com-
compact size and good software
support at a low price steel is good
a great start to life for this device -
twa.
Received fairly wide recognition
SMUC - hard drive controller for Speccy
from the company "Scorpion". At the moment this is
the only system that allows the use
call the hard drive in the TR-Dos system (optional
the ability to emulate disks). Now feel free
you can say - on the Spectrum there are Vinces-
ter!
At the beginning of the year appeared a long time ago (a very long time ago)
but) expected General Sound. Byhis
In terms of capabilities, this is a very powerful card. He
can really compete with sound
great capabilities of the Amiga 1200. But for
throughout the considerable time of its existence under
GS was adapted only about 8 programs
ramm with the participation of X-Trade and one program
- Robin of the wood - independent auto-
rum Specially for GS X-trades was on-
written playfep (more precisely loadfep) MODs and
STS (Volga Soft) music. editor. Development
the bots didn't put in enough effort,
to interest software manufacturers in
support for your invention.
Not in any of the new big GS projects
not supported. He is not in Black Raven. He
it will be in "Plutonia" - but this is a game,
claiming the laurels of a failed
second "Star Legacy". It's not in
"Operation R.R." The position of many programs
muctob is something like this: "My program
it will be good anyway. And GS support has increased
popularity only comes from GS itself, but not
my program."
At the end of last year a map appeared
GS memory expansion up to 512k. Now on
GS can be played more or less decently
new fashions. (Because alas - 100 kb for MOD -
this is very little) It’s hard to say how this
the new product will influence the future of GS. Since
the price of an expansion card is almost 1/2 the price
G.S.Last year didn’t happen without any
initial events. Stopped going out
Russia's largest Spectrum magazine
SPECTROFON. The STEP group left its
grandiose projects (Special Force, Vir-
tual syndrome, Star Legacy - 2)
unfinished.
As already mentioned, Inforcom is discontinued
founded its existence as a company, and instead
those with him ceased to exist
ZX-review as a printing Spect-
rum's edition. Latest numbers Pe-
Vu was released on discs in a form that did not pull
even for an electronic newspaper...
ISKRASOFT parted ways with iS-DOS. Now
the custodians of this tradition do not have an office in
Iskrasoftovskaya office and do not receive
salary for system maintenance. On
at the moment the system exists sluggishly
naked enthusiasm.
And the last (in this list) event
last year - this is undoubtedly - EN-
LiGHT-97.
At this party it was noticeable that demoma-
king on Spectrum unfolded in all its
her grotesque beauty. Now on Speccy
exactly the same picture is observed as
and on all other platforms: 80-90%
works - rubbish created on the basis of past-
year-old technologies. Of course, inthis year,
as in every previous one, there were 3-4
demos with truly new ideas. And
as always, next year these ideas will be
are used by everyone. Demos is very
contribute to the spread of high technology
nologiy, but they practically stopped
be art.
Let us only add that judging by the number
participants and submitted works can be concluded
Read what level of programming for
Speccy has increased significantly this year...
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