Commodore User (March 1984)

Commodore User (March 1984)

Commodore User was a long running magazine published in the U.K. that covered the VIC-20, Commodore 64 and other Commodore computers. The first issue was published in October 1983 and the final issue was published in February 1990 for a total of 77 issues. The March 1984 issue includes:

• Eye on Commodore - Intrepid Commodore-watcher Henry Deckhand visited the recent Which Computer Show to check out any and every product linked, however tenuously, to our world.


• Insuring your home computer - From Burglary to a manic coffee-cup, your micro needs protection. Bohdan Buciak has been wading through the small-print of insurance policies to come up with some viable alternatives.


• Lightpens reviewed - Lightpens might appear to be very attractive devices, but they do carry a weighty price-tag. What can they do? Are they worth the money? We put three through their paces.


• User Profile: Fred Reid and the Fretful Pet - Fred Reid's enthusiasm for building and repairing guitars is matched only by his passion for computers. Bohdan Buciak went along to his diminutive workshop to find out how an ageing Pet helps to make his guitars sound better.


• Letter from America: a miscellany of Vic tidbits - Vic enthusiast Mike Apsey ("who needs a 64?") has been using Vics of various demeanor for a while now. We prevailed on him to assemble a potpourri of tips and tricks from what he's learned.


• Screen Scene for the Vic - Our regular round up of Vic games.


• Forth on the Vic - Richard Hunt reviews The Complete Forth by Alan Winfield: a tome for both the novice and the seasoned Forth programmer - it's British, and it's good too!


• Go with Gortek - Gortek and the Microchips is the first of Commodore's unique Basic programming series for youngsters. A good story, fun to use, effective teaching...we helped Gortek fend off the nasty Zitrons.


• Victuals - Get in tune for Monte Carlo - Give the function keys some meaning...and more!


• Screen scene for the 64 - Our reviewers with Joystick Thumb and Blistered Fingers report from the 64 games room.


• WP road test: Paperclip 64 reviewed - Chris Durham continues his mammoth word processing roundup with a critical look at Paperclip for the 64. It's a little pricey but displays a wealth of features.


• Another Extended Basic - Mike Todd has already looked at Simons' and BC Basic. Now he gets to grips with Ultrabasic 64, similarly promising enhancements for the Basic on the 64.


• Retail management on tape? - Most business software for the 64 comes on disk, but Quick Count sells its Bookkeeping System for the Cash Trader on tape. Tony Harrington blew the dust off his datasette to check its program.


• Tommy's Tips - Another interesting batch of elucidations straight from Tommy Towers. This time, Tommy's dealing with variables, hi-res graphics and joystick operations.

...and more!

Commodore Format (July 1995)

Commodore Format (July 1995)

Those in the U.S. might find it hard to believe, but Commodore Format was a Commodore 64 magazine that was still being published in the U.K. in 1995. This issue from July 1995 includes:

Features

• News special: C64 reborn! - ESCOM, the second largest European PC manufacturers are to relaunch the C64 in the developing countries. Simon Forrester gets out his atlas and looks at the implications of this announcement.


• Win!Win!Win! - Take yourself to the edge, a very sharp edge. We have five copies of the spectacular beat'-em-up Sword of Honour to give away. Turn to page 8 to see how to win a copy NOW!


• 1993 and all that - No sooner said than spun. Your favorite Commodore story teller, Simon Forrester, sits himself under a tree, takes out his big picture book and begins... Once upon a time... And all because one curious CF reader asked Simon to tell him more about the history of the C64.


• On The Powerpack
  • Capture - Simply board Capture may be, but it's never dull. Capture is a game of strategy and skill. Move your tiles around: preferably on to squares which are already occupied by your opponent. Well, do you have any cause to be nice to him or her?
  • Trashman

Regulars

• News/C64 Scene Directory - Did you win a JiffyDOS upgrade? A Shoot-'em-up-destruction Set? And, what's the C64-wise?
• The Mighty Brain - You ask. We give as good as we get. No, better.
• Back to BASICs - You are under mortarboard attack from Simon Forrester who is determined to teach you BASIC.
• Buy-a-rama - Sold on the idea of CF classifieds? You should be!
• Contact points - The fanzines, the clubs, the lowdown.
• Next month: - What you can look forward to in CF59.
• CF back issues - Keep up with the issues that were.

Reviews

• Sword of Honour - It's spectacular. It's a beat-'em-up. It's got ninjas.

Games

• Gamebusters - Squarescape, Superstrike, Spacewar and SEUDS.
• Public Domain - Succumb to Lethargy and Contraflow.

Serious

• GEOS - Go faster gripes? You can speed up your printing.
• True ROM-antics - TALK, LISTEN, UNTALK, UNLISTEN.
• Techie Tips - Stuck? Glue yourself to techie guru Jason Finch.

...and more!

Commodore Format (May 1995)

Commodore Format (May 1995)

Commodore Format was a popular but very late magazine dedicated to the Commodore 64 published in the U.K. The first issue was not published until late 1990. However, despite this, it had a relatively long life lasting well into the mid 1990s. The May 1995 issue includes:

Features

• Get animated! - Inside everyone there's a budding Walt Disney. Untap your hidden potential


• Grin and repair it! Part II - Do you run to the casualty department with a cold? Do you ignore gaping, gushing wounds? Course not! Jason Finch talks you through diagnosing a sick C64, assessing the gravity of the situation and suggests remedial action - where appropriate.

Reviews

• Games arena - Andy Roberts straps on his ungainly yet protective reviewer's helmet to visit the unpredictable world of the latest C64 games.


• Be calculating! - GEOS is a neat windows and menus-based system, but what's it like to actually work with? Andrew Fisher brings you GeoCalc and shows you how powerful and easy it really is.

Games

• Games round-up II - Andy Roberts sorts the wheat from the chaff, and eventually sees the wood for the trees.


• Public Domain - The world of all-you-can-get-for-almost-nothing. Andy Roberts goes in and returns, triumphant.

Serious

• True ROM-antics - Baffled by the error messages. Read this.


• Techie tips - Problem plus Jason Finch equals solution.

Regulars

• C64 News - Info from the around the C64 world, presented in bite-sized chunks just for you.


• The Mighty Brain / C64 Directory - Your letters, TMB's replies. Also your one-stop guide to whom to contact, C64-speaking.


• Well 'ard III - RAMLink - store/load/access data quicker.


• Buy-a-rama - Buy, sell or just simply interact with your peers.


• Contact Points - Clubs and essential reading for C64 users.


• On The Powerpack...
• Frost - Learn to animate with this powerful, yet easy-to-use utility. It's neat, fast and your imagination is the only limit, almost.
• Harrier - Flying a jump jet has never been such fun, especially during war.
• Space War - 3D blasting action is all yours in this fun game.
• Superstrike - Trigger finger not tired yet? Then try this manic shoot-'em-up for size. But wait a minute - no one's saying it's going to be easy.
• Darkest Road (Part II) - Darkest Road is a chilling fantasy text adventure which is sure to set your pulse a-rattlin' and your brain a-thinkin'.

...and more!

Your 64 (August 1985)

Your 64 (August 1985)

Your 64 is a magazine that was published in the U.K. and dedicated to the Commodore 64 (as well as the VIC-20 in earlier issues). It only lasted for 14 issues before being rolled into Your Commodore. The August 1985 issue includes:

Megagames

• Elidon - Follow our frantic, fun-filled fantasy through the forests of fairyland.
• Bombs Away! - Confuzion will have you bombing around in cirlces!
• Sportsware - Get a piece of the action with our grandstand view of the summer's topsports games!

Programming

• Get Plotted - Get to grips with 64 Hi-res. We build a complete set of supporting routines, starting with setting up the screen and plotting points...
• Basic Blues? - Cop hold of one of these compilers for fast programs without the fuss of machine code.

Games

• Arcade Ace - Joystick lunacy from the man who puts your back up as well as your score.
• Miss Adventure - The goblins got you? Our damsel in this dress to the rescue.
• Chart Challenge - The good, the bad and the ugly faces in our top ten charts.
• Action Replay - Summertime and the playing is easy. The boys born with joysticks in their hands take on the latest games.

Competitions

• A Call to Arms - Think what you could do with a robot arm - then win one.
• 64 Programmer of the Year - Is your program worth a Commodore 128?

Offers

• Soft Wares - Get your cheap tapes here - we're so soft-hearted.
• Y64 Megabasic - Sharpen up that 64 Basic.

Open Access

• News - All things new and 64.
• Networds - News from the Compunet and Micronet.
• Off the Hook - Any questions? The helpline has the answers.
• In Gear - News on the latest add-ons.

Core Material

• Missives - You won't letter us alone, will you?
• Classified Info - Bag a bargain on the back-page.
• Scratchpad - Stuff these in your computer and run them!
• Subscriptions - Get hitched for life.
• Back Issues - Complete that collection...
• Binders - ...and keep it safe.
• Hack Attack - POKE into our new hacker's spot.

...and more!

Info (March/April 1989)

Info (March/April 1989)

Info is a magazine that was dedicated to Commodore computers and published using Commodore computers. The March/April 1989 issue covered the Commodore 64, Commodore 128 and Amiga and includes:

Features

• Animation on the Amiga - From simple rotating tiles on your home videos to show-stopping professional animation, these 20 products offer Amiga users unprecedented access to the fascinating world of Computer Animation.


• Dr. Rodney Chang: Artist on the Edge - INFO interviewer, Mindy Skelton, tracks down the prolific and provocative "conceptualist of the internationally renowned discotheque-dental office environment".

Departments

• Editors' Page
• Reader Mail
• New Products & Reviews
• Copy Corner
• News & Views
• Magazine Index
• Public Domain
• Amiga Games
• C64 Games
• geoStuff
• Show Report

ETC.

• BRYCE
• Real World
• INFO Update
• Back Issues
• Unclassifieds
• Ad Index

...and more!

Your Commodore (December 1985)

Your Commodore (December 1985) : Your Commodore (December 1985)

Your Commodore is a U.K. published magazine covering the Commodore line of computers, including the Commodore 64 and Amiga. It was published from October 1984 through October 1991 for a total of 84 issues. The December 1985 issue includes:

Features

• Sprite Right - We show you how to create original sprites.

Series

• Mastering Your C-16 - Programming for the little guys.
• Programming Projects - Another project to get those brain cells working.
• Reliable Routines - This month we deal with the Exclusive-or routine.
• Mach 2 - Part two of our machine code development system.
• Language Lab - ADA - David Janda analyzes ADA.
• Top Draw - Get those backdrops scrolling.
• Build a Better Basic - Yet more commands to add to your Basic extension.

Regulars

• Data Statements
• In Arcadia
• Scratch Pad
• Game of the Month
• Sense of Adventure
• Business File
• Teachers Pet
• Action Replay
• Reference Library
• Listings

Games and Utilities Your Commodore (December 1985)

• Toy Trouble - Toy terror for the C64.

Competitions

• US Gold Competition - Adventure packs for 10 lucky readers.
• Sprite Ideas - Design a sprite and earn some cash.
• Win a C128 - Five C128s to be won in our jig-saw competition.

...and more!

Commodore Horizons (July 1984)

Commodore Horizons (July 1984)
Commodore Horizons was a magazine covering the Commodore 64 and other Commodore 8-bit computers published in the U.K. The first issues was December/January 1984 and the final issues was March 1986. Starting with issue 27 (April 1986) it became Commodore and Amiga Horizons. The July 1984 issue includes:

• Letters - This month Beaver Software bites back, we've some programming tips and the chart debate is revived.
• News - The Evil Dead reach for your 64, games prices plummet and new hardware abounds.
• Games software - Peter Gerrard among the spaceships, monsters, aliens and - plumbers?
• Business software - Mike Grace reviews word processing packages for the 64.
• Which printer - Daisywheel or dot matrix? Ken Casemore compares the merits of budget printers of each type - Commodore's MPS801 and the Smith-Corona TP1.
• Profile - Taskset's Andy Walker explains his "64 only" policy to Chris Jenkins.
• Star game - Ever fancied yourself as a space pilot? Test your skill with this 64 listing.
• Super expander expounded - Colin Walls explains just what you can do with the Vic 20's Super Expander.
• Software file - Readers' programs let you shoot, draw, print, calculate and more!
• Clubnet - New clubs from Ireland and France and a list of your local groups.
• Market view - Commodore's current plans and policies.
• Answer back - Jack Cohen tackles your questions.
• Classified ads - Your free marketplace for CBM goodies.

...and more!

Commodore Microcomputers (September/October 1985)

Commodore Microcomputers (September/October 1985)



Commodore had it's own publications for most of the life of the life of the company (the computer years anyway). Early on, they had two bi-monthly publications. Commodore Microcomputers was the more serious/business oriented one. The October 1985 issue includes:

• Letters
• News


• Software Reviews
• Injured Engine
• Forcast!
• Dream House
• Fast Loaders
• SwiftCalc
• Loadstar
• S.A.T. Preparation Program
• Vizastar
• Build a Book About You
• BASIC-64
• Word Pro 64
• Trio


• Behind the Programs
• The Man Behind the Muppets with a review of Welcome Aboard


• Computer Wizard
• Commodore 128 Sound


• Programmer's Tips
• Simple Window
• Modem/300 File Translator
• Getting SuperMon to Print


• Book Reviews
• Commodore 64 Family Helper
• Getting the Most Out of CompuServe
• Can I Play with the Computer, Too?


• Commodore 64 Users Only
• Fabulous Figure Maker
• SID Plays Bach


• Technical Tips
• Random Thoughts
• The Computer Scientist

Features
• Buyer's Guide to Voice Synthesis - Your Commodore 64 can talk - and listen - using relatively inexpensive speech devices.
• Update Amiga - A first look at Commodore's revolutionary new 68000-based computer, with graphics and sound like you've never seen or heard from a micro before, windowing, icons - and speed.
• Become Radio-Active With Your Commodore 64 - The Commodore 64 has helped advance the art of amateur radio.
• The Electronic Cottage Controversy - Should computer work at home be banned? The AFL-CIO thinks so. Here, an electronic journalist offers his opinion on the controversy.
• Ergonomic Accessories For Comfortabe Computing - Paying attention to the ergonomics (the relationship between man and his environment) of your equipment set-up will make your computer more enjoyable.


• User Groups
• How To Enter Programs In Commodore Microcomputers
• Advertisers' Indes

Personal Software (Summer 1983)

Personal Software (Summer 1983)



Personal Software was one of a multitude of U.K. based computer magazines from the 1980s. From the few issues I've seen, this magazine typically features a different computer or computer family in each issue and offers a variety of type in content in addition to some editorial content. This issue from the Summer of 1983 features various Commodore computers and includes:

• Getting Converted - Hints on how to convert programs from one Commodore machine to another.
• Leapfrog - Our micro version of that old pub game played with coins.
• Power Boat - Have all the fun of power boating without feeling seasick!
• The Valley - Save the kingdom of the Valley by combating dragons, Balrogs, and Wraiths. Choose your character with magic or physical strengths and do battle in our epic game, The Valley.
• Towers of Brahma - Moving rings from one pillar to another may sound easy but just try it!
• Micro Examination - Test your friends and children with this multiple choice program.
• Quiz Time - Assess your performance in terms of speed and accuracy with a multiple choice program.
• Multipurpose Records - Set up your own filing system which enables you to store, search, edit and retrieve data.
• VIC Editor - Take one VIC-20 and add this program and what do you have? A VIC-20 with an "enlarged" screen.
• Commodore Communications - Get Commodores talking to each other using this application.
• Address Book - Compile an address book, or any other similar list, and throw away those bits of paper.
• Multicolumn Records - A multipurpose data base program for use at home or in the office.
• Subroutine Library - A library of BASIC subroutines.
• Toolkit Program - A simple toolkit program for the Commodore 64.
• Tailoring VIC's Characters - Create your own characters on your VIC-20.
• Maxi-Mander - Bomb-proofing your software against unskilled fingers.
• VIC Blow Up - Find out how characters are made up and generate giant versions on the VIC-20.
• Program Protection - Simple tips on how to protect your program from being easily copied.
• Bibliography - A brief perusal of some of the multitude of books on Commodore computers.

...and more!

Commodore Horizons (May 1984)

Commodore Horizons (May 1984)



Commodore Horizons is one more of a seemingly endelsss number of magazines that covered the Commodore 64 (and VIC-20) in the U.K. in the 1980s. The May 1984 issue includes:

• Letters - Taking issue with our games reviews, more on converting your computer, and the saga of tape versus disk continued.
• Clubnet - This month Chris Jenkins visits the North London group.
• News - Commodore's art competition, the latest hardware and software, and advance information on the CBM show.
• Making music on the C64 - Computer music expert David Fox makes the 64 sing for its supper
• Games software - Intrepid Pete Gerrard takes on the aliens, cavemen, charioteers and assorted baddies in this month's look at the latest games.
• Business software - Mike Watts gets organized with databases.
• Profile - The Hungarians are coming! We talk to David Bishop of Andromeda Software and reveal plans for a game invasion.
• Fred goes Eatabout - Basic games programming made easy with the help of Steven Brain and a hungry caterpillar named Fred.
• Basicmon - A powerful machine language code programming aid from M C Hart.
• Software file - More readers' programs for you to enjoy, featuring colors, crashes and catastrophes for the Vic and 64.
• Mains noise - Beat the buzz with these hardware hints from K Garwell.
• Market view - All the latest on Commodore's performance in the competitive world of computing.
• Answer back - Technical problems tackled by our exper Jack Cohen - this month more on monitors, printers and graphics.
• Competition - Win a remote controlled turtle from Valiant Designs.

...and more!

Commodore Power Play (August/September 1984)

Commodore Power Play (August/September 1984)



Commodore Power/Play was one of Commodore's two official publications that eventually merged into one to become Commodore Magazine. Power/Play was the publication targeted towards home users. In 1984, the Commodore 64 was still working its way towards becoming the world's most popular computer and the VIC-20 was fading away. The November 1984 issue includes:

Features

• Computers, Computer Groups and Who Needs Them
• Confessions of a User Group Newsletter Editor
• Incorporating Your Group as a Non-Profit Corporation
• Jim Butterfield: Commodore User Par Excellence
• A User Group Software Library
• Profile: The Cal Poly User Group

Games & Recreation

• Game & Recreation
• Kid Grid
• Moon Shuttle
• One-on-One Basketball
• Repton
• DROL
• Joystick Lunatic - A Trend Indeed
• For Gamers
• Children of Kong
• Game Gripes
• High Scores - How do you measure up in our ongoing competition?
• Game Programs
• Tic Tac Toe for Two
• Traffic in the Fast Lanes

Computer Know-How

• No More Pencils... - Write Your Own "Pick-A-Path" Adventures
• Kids' Corner
• Dear Kids
• Kids, Commodores and - Robots!
• KODRAWLA
• Everything You Wanted to Know About Sprites
• Obfuscode
• How to Submit Things to Kids' Corner
• Computer Tutor
• Letter to My Grandchildren, Part 2: Finger Multiply
• All You Need to Know to Begin Programming in Machine Language, Part 2
• Jiffies - MERGER: A Disk Utility

Departments

• Letters
• Braindrops - From the Editor
• News From the Front - What's happening in the world of micros? Find out here.
• Product Review
• The MicronEye Digital Imaging System
• PowerPad
• Book Review - Three From Birkhauser Boston
• User Groups - A complete list of Commodore user groups around the world
• Glitch Fix - When we make a mistake this is where we fix it
• Advertisers Index

In The Chips (Commodore 64, VIC-20, DOS)

https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2020/04/08/in-the-chips-commodore-64-vic-20-dos/



In the Chips is a somewhat obscure game released in 1983 and for good reason. It is a business simulator in which you are in charge of running a software company. This game was available for the Commodore 64, VIC-20, Apple II and DOS based PCs.



In the Chips is business simulator that was marketed as an educational game. You are in charge of a software company that must juggle marketing, prices, advertising and other factors in order to make your company successful. The length of the game is user selectable in quarters. Your goal is to outperform your competition in that time period. There is also a "monopoly" mode in which you try to force your opponent out of business by undercutting them. You can play against the computer or a human opponent.



Business simulators are not exactly the most exciting type of game to play. I like turn-based strategy games but pretending to run a software company doesn't appeal to me all that much. There's nothing particularly wrong with this game but I imagine that they could have replaced "software" with virtually any product and the game would have been the same.



If you do want to give this a try, you'll have to track down an original or use emulation. I doubt the version matters all that much. The VIC-20 version is unique in that there is a cartridge version (if you can find it).

The ad above appeared in the May 1984 issue of Creative Computing. It does not mention the Apple II version so imagine it was released later than the other version. Screen shots above are from the Commodore 64 version of the game.

Info (September/October 1988)

Info (September/October 1988)



Info (or .info) was a magazine published for Commodore computers. Originally it covered the Commodore 64 but expanded to cover the Commodore 128 and Amiga later on. It was unique in that it was published using Commodore 8-bit and then Amiga computers. The September 1988 issue includes: Features

• Info at Five - A nostalgic look at the first five years of Info.
• Digitizing Made Easy - The "Digitizing Demon", Oran Sands, shares his secrets and sheds some light ("you need lots of it") on this elusive graphics technique.
• The MAC vs. the AMIGA - Bob Lindstrom puts the two powerhouses on the same track for a side by side evaluation. You may be surprised at his conclusions!
• CES Show Report - The biggest show on earth was a feast for gamers in Chicago!

Reviews

• C64
• The Write Stuff
• COMAL Power Driver
• Flexidraw 5.5
• C64/C128
• Brown Boxes
• Super Graphics
• Symbol Master
• C128 Only
• C128 Developers' Kit
• Brainstorm
• Amiga
• Deluxe Help
• Excellence
• ARexx
• WordPerfect Library
• TxEd Plus
• 3-Demon
• Color Commander
• Micron Memory Board
• Mathmation
• Graphics Studio
• Flicker Fixer
• Intellitype
• 3D Spex

Departments

• Editors Page
• Reader Mail
• The Gallery
• Midnite Gazette
• Eye on Education
• News & Views
• Rumor Mill
• New Products
• Leemon at Large
• Copy Corner
• GeoStuff
• Magazine Index
• Best of Public Domain
• User Group Forum
• Real World
• INFO Update

Etc.

• Back Issues
• Unclassifieds
• Advertiser Index

...and more!

Compute! (March 1987)

Compute! (March 1987)

Compute! was, in my opinion, the best multi-format computer magazine of the 1980s. I still preferred the Commodore 64 specific magazines but if you were looking for coverage of multiple computers, this was a great magazine. The March 1987 issue includes: Features

• Commodore's New, Expandable Amiga 2000: A Hands-On Report
• New Peripheral Technologies
• An introduction to Hard Disk Drives
• The New High-Quality Dot-Matrix Printers
• The Big Picture: Advances in Screen Display
• A Buyer's Guide to Printers
• Euchre

Reviews

• Little Computer People
• Certificate Maker and Walt Disney Cart & Party Shop
• Roadwar 2000

Columns and Departments

• The Editor's Notes
• Readers' Feedback
• Computers and Society: Demons and Events, Part 2
• Microscope
• Telecomputing Today: Packet-Switching Rule Changes
• The World Inside the Computer: When Buying a Computer: Don't Ask Me!
• The Beginner's Page: Getting Started with a Printer
• ST Outlook: Who Is That Man, and Why is He Smiling?
• AmigaView: The Sidecar Arrives
• IBM Personal Computing: Two Winners and a Laser
• INSIGHT: Atari - Corrected File Conversions

The Journal

• 3-D Surfaces for Amiga
• Fixing Atari Revision-B BASIC
• Custom Characters for Atari XL and XE
• Applecoder
• 128 File Viewer
• Filedump for IBM PC/PCjr
• DOS Calc
• Diskcheck: Apple Sector Editor for DOS 3.3
• 128 Editing Functions for Commodore 64
• Amiga Banner Printer
• Using PUT and GET on the PC/PCjr
• Superplotter

...and more!

Zzap!64 / Commodore Force (February 1993)

Zzap!64 / Commodore Force (February 1993)


Zzap!64 turned into Commodore Force at the beginning of 1993. It would last for another almost year and a half before ceasing publication. I wish that we had a magazine like this here in the U.S. There were some excellent Commodore 64 specific magazines and some excellent gaming magazines but no gaming magazines dedicated exclusively to the Commodore 64. The February 1993 issue of Commodore Force (the 2nd issue under that name) includes: Regulars

• What's Happening - Touch-sensitive joypads? Brand-new joysticks? The Dyna Blaster controversy?
• Reel Action - Get the low-down on your great covertape classics here!
• Review of the Month - We rave over Rampart, Domark's mega medieval marvel.
• Lloyd Mangram's Mail Bag - Back by popular demand, here's the world's favourite fuddy-duddy.
• The Tipster - Chris is back, and it ain't a repeat! THE TIPSTER has all the latest games sussed, and a few old favourites too!
• The Mighty Brian - Professor Brian Strain solves all your technical troubles - it's the ONLY regular techie feature in any C64 mag!
• Public Sector - Once again we bring you the very best in free software.
• Whatever Next? - UGH! and Robin Hood previewed - a great way of finding out what's in the next month's mag!
• Bash Yer Brains - Large as life and twice as smelly, Bash batters his way through this month's batch of adventures!
• Forcefield Plaza - Every month someone asks, 'Where can I get such-and-such a game?'. You can get anything currently available at the PLAZA!
• Fast Forward - With such a great magazine perched in your right hand waiting to be read, how can we top it next month? I bet you can hardly wait...

Features!

• Handhelds From Hell - We'eve got five corking Quickshot Supervision handheld consoles to be won; will you ever forgive yourself if you don't enter?
• Cerebral Fix - Head-scratching heaven! We bring you the very best in C64 puzzle games, from the good Puzznic, the not-so-good Tetris, to the downright awful Que-Dex.
• Classic Calendar Poster - Generous to a fault, we give you a sizzling slice of Oil Frey artwork - enough to see you through twelve long months!

Reel Action

• First Strike - Ace airborne shoot-'em-up that wee-wees over Afterburner and G-Loc.
• Relax! - Perplexing match-'em-up two-player puzzler that could easily start domestic wars!
• Monsters - You can't beat the old classics, can you? From the dawn of time comes Monsters, an ageing arcade hit brilliantly captured by Richard Smith.
• Snowball Sunday - Is this the world's first animated Christmas card? Merry Christmas to you too, Ash & Dave!
• Duel Cassette 2 - Another Ash & Dave outing, this one's a brilliant music demo - ear-shattering stuff!
• Magic Rufus Demo - Alternative Software proudly presents their latest cutsie platformer with ace arcade adventure overtones!

Review Index

• Big Box 2
• Cool World
• Crazy Cars III
• Gazza's Super Soccer
• Graeme Souness International Soccer
• Grandslam Collection
• Hook
• Int. Tennis
• Jimmy's Super League
• Kids Pack 2
• Locomotion
• Rampart
• Santa's Xmas Capers
• World Rugby

...and more!

Commander (June 1984)

Commander (June 1984)


Commander was a magazine dedicated to the VIC-20 and Commodore 64. However, it was short-lived only lasting from 1982 to 1984. The June 1984 issue includes: Education Sector

• Electronic Blackboard - Children can learn more than just the 3 'R's with Matchboxes, Brain Strainers, Telly Turtle, and Samson & Delilah.
• The Music Instructor - A unique approach to learning pitch recognition. Intonation and interval identification are included in the program.
• Explorations with Assembly - Assembly language is put to use in this month's column; A screen dump program is dissected to show you how it works.
• BASIC Training: A Beginner's Introduction to Commodore BASIC Programming - Lesson 4.

Reviews and Recreation Sector

• News, Views, Previews & Reviews - Disk drives! Colin reviews the new MSD dual disk drive.
• Apple Pick'n - Racing against the clock, you must find the way through the labyrinth to your food supply.

Feature Sector

• Command Post - Exchanging programs with friends around the world? Yes! Your computer and ham radio equipment can do just that.
• The Newsletter Editor - This program takes some of the work out of publishing a newsletter. NED reads disk text files written on any word processor, without the program that generated the text.
• Modify Your 8K Cartridge to include ROM's - Step by step instructions for upgrading a VIC-20 expansion cartridge.
• Screen Dump 64 - After you create a picture with your computer graphics, how do you show it off? You give your friends a printed copy of your creation, of course.
• Functionally Yours - The mysterious four keys on the right side of the keyboard are explained.
• Func*keys = A utility to bring those function keys to life.
• BASIC + ML = ? - Examples showing how BASIC and Machine Language can live and work together.

Hard Sector Departments

• Key Mander
• User Groups
• REMs to Readers
• New Products
• Command Board
• News Releases
• Letters
• Advertisers Index

Compute!’s Gazette (March 1986)

Compute!’s Gazette (March 1986)



Compute!'s Gazette was one of the most popular Commodore 8-bit magazines in the U.S. and the most successful spin-off of Compute! The March 1986 issue includes: Features

• What's New Online for Commodore
• The Commodore SIG
• A Buyer's Guide to Modems

Reviews

• Movie Maker
• Perry Mason: The Case of the Manderin Murder
• Dambusters
• Fighter Command
• Spellbreaker
• Touchdown Football

Games

• Survivor
• Shifter

Education/Home Applications

• Computing for Families: Storytelling to Read
• Number Construction Kit

Programming

• Hints & Tips: Timesavers
• BASIC Magic: String Variables in READ and DATA Statements
• Machine Language for Beginners: Machine Maps
• Power BASIC: Keyboard to Joystick Converter
• The Coordinator
• Storage and Display: Using Peripherals with the 128
• ASCII Teleconverter
• Cataloger
• VICDump
• 128 Auto Boot
• Clavier 64

Departments

• The Editor's Notes
• Gazette Feedback
• User Group Update
• Simple Answers to Common Questions
• News & Products
• Bug-Swatter: Modifications and Corrections

Program Listings

• MLX: Machine Language Entry Program
• COMPUTE!'s Gazette Author's Guide
• How to Type In COMPUTE!s Gazette Programs

...and more!

Commodore World (October/November 1996)

Commodore World (October/November 1996)




I generally consider the last mainstream stand-alone Commodore magazine issue to be published in the U.S. as the final issue of RUN in November/December 1992. However, disk only publications and a subscription only magazine or two lingered on for several more years. One example is Commodore World. The October/November 1996 issue includes: Feature

• CMD's New Time Machine - What advantages might the SuperCPU have for your applications?
• All About SuperGEOS - GEOS and the SuperCPU work well together - and here's why.
• Commodore Demos Part 3 - Our final look at the demo-scene... for now!
• Cleaning Out The GEOS Closet - Sometimes getting better organized really is worthwhile.
• It All Adds Up to geoCalc - Take a look at using GEOS for your spreadsheet applications.
• FileSplitter - A handy type-in program for dealing with oversized files.

Reviews

• Hardware: Morse Coach - Forgotten Worlds, Grand Prix Circuit, and Death Sword.
• Games - Karate Champ/Kung-Fu Master, the Ghost of Genghis Khan, and Zamczysko.

Columns

• Just For Starters - There's more than one way to win at computer games.
• Graphic Interpretation - Looking for more geoWrite goodies?
• Carrier Detect - If you thought online chatting died with Q-Link, better check this out...
• Hard Tips - Keep your mouse one step ahead of the cat!
• GeoProgrammist - Learn the in's and out's of creating and modifying GEOS data files.
• Assembly Line - 6402 vs. 65816: The added benefit of using 16-bit routines.
• Basic Instincts - Once upon a time subroutines...
• Over The Edge - Warning: Computing Can Be Hazardous to Your Health.

Departments

• From the Editor
• BackTalk
• Commodore Trivia
• On The Horizon
• Classified Ads
• Advertiser's Index

...and more!

ActionSoft (1988)

ActionSoft (1988)

This ad is sort of odd in that it is more of an introduction to the company making the games than an ad for the games themselves. This ad appeared in the U.K. based magazine The Games Machine in 1988. ActionSoft (or Action Soft...it is written both ways in the ad) was a U.S. based companies and their first two games, Thunderchopper and Up Periscope were originally released in 1986. As far as I can tell, these are the only two games released by ActionSoft though here they are two years later selling them in the U.K. Both of these games are simulations and that seems to be what ActionSoft was going to be all about. Thunderchopper is a flight simulator. The ad says that it "simulates the flight characteristics of high performance scout/rescue/attack helicopter". In addition to being grammatically incorrect, it's also sort of vague. This doesn't appear to be a simulation of a specific helicopter. I never though flight sims worked very well on 8-bit or even 16-bit computers. The graphics weren't really good enough and more importantly the frame rates were usually pretty abysmal. Having said that, there were a number of pretty realistic ones at that time given the hardware that was available. This one seems to have been a pretty average one overall.
Thunderchopper (Commodore 64) Up Periscope! is a World War II submarine simulator. Like Thunderchopper it is kind of non-specific in terms of what is being simulated. It is a generic World War II sub that has the equipment and weapons of subs of that era but if it is simulating a specific sub, it isn't specified. This game is somewhat similar to the earlier Silent Service. It isn't a bad game and I think this kind of simulator works a lot better than flight simulators on computers of that era. I don't really know what happened to ActionSoft. I remember their ads in the U.S. for these two games but I don't remember any other games coming from them nor can I find a reference to any. They seemed to have milked these two for a while and even marketed them internationally (at least in the U.K.) but they just sort of disappeared after that. I did find a reference that says ActionSoft licensed the graphics for Thunderchopper from subLogic. Also, there is a later DOS version of Thunderchopper that seems to have been released by subLogic and is compatible with Flight Simulator scenery disks. So perhaps subLogic acquired them....
Up Periscope! (Commodore64) Thunderchopper was available for the Commodore 64, Apple II and DOS. Up Periscope! was available for the Commodore 64 and DOS. The screenshots above are from the Commodore 64 versions of Thunderchopper and Up Periscope! If you want to play either one you'll have to find original copies or resort to emulation. While it matters less for Up Periscope!, DOS is probably better for simulations during this time. At least you will get better graphics and frame rates.

Grappler CD (Commodore 64)

Grappler CD (Commodore 64)

This ad is from the June/July issue of Commodore Power/Play and advertisers an add-on for the Commodore 64 that most people don't think of being an add-on today (because it isn't usually). It's for a printer interface.

The Commodore 64 did not provide a standard printer port out of the box. However, it had a user port that could be adapted to a number of uses, including as a printer port. Unfortunately, this required buying a separate adapter. These typically cost in the neighborhood of $30-$50 depending on the brand and time period we are talking about.

There were printers by Commodore and other 3rd party vendors that would connect directly to your Commodore 64 without an adapter but your choices would have been very limited. Adapters like these would allow you to connect your Commodore 64 to most major printers of the time. These would have been printers that connected to a parallel port (this was pre-USB) and usually either dot matrix or daisy wheel though an expensive laser printer was also a possibility.

I never heard of this particular printer interface and have no idea what the "CD" stands for in Grappler CD. However, Orange Micro was a major vendor at the time so I assume this would have been a quality product. I had a different and I think more generic brand but it always worked okay for me.