¢8-BIT NEWS - NOV/DEC 1993¢by S.J.Murray¢¢¢* Page 6 issue 66 is due out on 31st January, 1994. Remember to send your 2.50 to: Page 6, P.O. Box 54, Stafford ST16 1DR. They also have a number of ROM cartridges at bargain prices, e.g. Ace of Aces at only 7.95! This is a much more realistic price than some other sources I could mention! Page 6 obviously understand the necessity of keeping the Atari 8-bit user base interested in their XL/XE systems by offering low cost software. Les has told me recently that he does his best to keep the price of ROM cartridges below 8 pounds whenever possible. Why not show him your appreciation and buy a ROM from the lists?¢¢¢* The Atari Classic Programmer's Club (ACPC) - Hi David! - are set to release a number of new and interesting products. Out now is the Atari Swift Spreadsheet, formerly released by Audiogenic. The President of ACPC, David Davies, gave me a review copy of Swift at AMS7 last month. I've passed it on to a local NOSAUG member (and accountant!) for review - look out for this review in issue 11 (hopefully, eh Gary?). The price of Swift is only 9.95 (that's 15 pounds cheaper than the original P&P!). If you're a member of ACPC you get Swift for only 7.99, a saving of an extra 20%! Good to see that ACPC also share my view that all new software releases for the Atari 8-bit should be priced at under 10 pounds! This price is even more pleasing when you consider that the disk is a powerful utility package!¢¢ Also, look out for Menu Print Elite and Bomb Blaster from ACPC in February 1994. Other titles in the pipeline are Helter Skelter and Loopz. Well done David! Keep 'em coming! To become a member of ACPC send 3.50 to: David Davies, Pen-Tyddyn, Capel Coch, Llangefni, Anglesey, Gwynedd, LL77 7UR, Wales.¢¢¢* Don Bell sent me his last Bellcom Catalogue and Supplement a few weeks back. Unfortunately, by the time you read this he will have ceased accepting orders for his PD disks (the deadline was 15th Dec). Don is set to move onto the 16-bit PD market due to lack of support from the Atari 8-bit community. Bellcom is offically closed on December 31st, 1993.¢¢ This is very sad news but we must thank Don for his commitment to the cause over these past seven years! I'd also like to thank Don myself for his promotion of Futura in Canada and te USA! I have received some new orders as a direct result. Thanks Don and good luck with your future projects!¢¢¢* Atari Classics is still going strong and the issue disks are getting better and better! Steve Hoffee and OHAUG must be congratulated for this rapid improvement. I think we can safely say that AC is now on a par with the sorely missed Antic and Analog. A compliment indeed, when you consider that AC is only just moving into its second year of publication.¢¢ For a sample issue of AC send $4 cash to: Atari Classics, Unicorn Publications, 3487 Braeburn Circle, Ann Arbor, MI 48108-2619, USA. Back-issue AC disks are $4 each. I suggest you order Vol.2 No.5 (October 1993).¢¢¢* Well, KE-Soft have finally released Brundles, albeit a 60-level version (with the option to upgrade to the 100-level version available soon). I purchased a copy from Kemal at AMS7 for 15 pounds. After examining the disk I have to say that this price is a little expensive. The gameplay is very similar to the ST version but the graphics are a bit blocky in comparison! When you consider that the original (and wonderful!) Lemmings is available on the ST for under 10 pounds at some mail-order stores, Brundles looks a little over-priced. Still, it is good to see the game finally reach the Atari 8-bit! Look out for another Lemmings clone from ANG Software - Tommies will be priced at only 4.50 pounds and will feature "sharp grafix with very good animation".¢¢¢* Keep a look out for the new Atari Jaguar 64-bit game console! The system has just been released in the USA (it's been sent to all the computer magazines for review) and is expected to arrive on these shores next Spring. However, there are usually one or two mail-order firms who get their hands on some early shipments! I've started saving already!¢¢¢* Gralin International's Xmas 1993 software list contains many bargains! They're selling off game cartridges at reduced prices, e.g. Deluxe Invaders = 4.00, Defender = 3.50, Pengo = 3.50, Tennis = 3.00, Super Breakout = 2.00, etc. P&P is 1.50. They're also offering special reduced rates for XLent Software titles, Zeppelin disks, etc. Contact: Gralin Int., 11 Shillito Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, BH12 2BN. Send a SAE for lists.¢¢¢* The TWAUG Newsletter issue 7 will be out in mid-January. Send 1.95 to: TWAUG, P.O. Box 8, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, NE28 6DQ.¢¢¢* ANG Software (Holland) are rapidly expanding their product range. They are currently marketing many European smash hit disks including Operation Blood, Adax, Darkness Hour, Special Forces, Hans Kloss, etc. All their game disks are priced from 3 to 6 pounds, with the vast majority around the 4 pound mark! Great value for money!¢¢ They expect to add many new titles soon, including Aurum, Major Bronx, Streets, Axilox, Top Secret, Knock, Ship, Tron, Magia, Smus, Tusker, Spy Master, Zeus, T-34 and Tommies (a Lemmings clone priced at only 4.50!). ANG also sell Mega-Mag, Atari ROMs, stereo upgrades, etc. Send a couple of International Reply Coupons to: ANG Software, Ridderkerksestraat 60, 3114 RK SCHIEDAM, NETHERLANDS.¢¢¢* BOOT! is the quarterly newsletter of the London Atari Computer Enthusiasts (LACE). You may recall that I gave you some brief info about it within last year's AMS report (Futura issue 4). Well, my girlfriend was given a recent back issue of Boot! by a friendly bloke at AMS7 last month. I've just read through the 24 pages and I must say that it was very good! The issue I read was 3rd Quarter 1992 and featured a BASIC programming column, comms info, DIY SIO2PC interface, etc. A 4-issue subscription to Boot! is priced at 7 pounds. Send to: LACE, 143 Richmond Road, Leytonstone, London, E11 4BT. Tel: 081-960-1605.¢¢¢¢That's all the news for now!¢
