The other day, Chris Wilkins, author of The Story of Ocean, The Story of US Gold and finishing the last touches to his last book The Story of ZX Spectrum in Pixels, commented in his facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/spectrumpixels/641035106018981) if there was interest in making a similar book about the CPC.
Aside of the typical c64 idjit, the people liked the idea a lot, and a few guys, me included, commented that the game story of the CPC can not be understood without the games from outside of UK, mainly France and Spain. And it would be a great opportunity for aside of the typical Gryzor, Renegade, Chase HQ, ... for showing games as Skweek, Zombi, AMC, BAT, Bumpy, Eden's Blue, Sapiens, ...
He liked the idea a lot and i promised to help him with this task, aside of the game reviews (between 80 and 100 games), he will have a few interviews with CPC personalities, i suggested him: Roland Perry (Check), Richard Clayton (Check and he will try ask him about the ANT), the Oliver Twins (Check), the Pickford Bros (Check), John Brandwood (CHECK, CHECK, CHECK!!! :D :D :D At last we will have an interview of Johnny "Amstrad" ;)), Richard Aplin, more Ocean/US Gold employes, ...
Am i forgetting any interesting CPC personality to be interviewed???
With respect to the games, i have been thinking in a few possibilities:
1.- 30 best games of UK, 30 best games of France, 10 best games of Spain, 5 best games of Australia/Germany/..., 15 best budget games and 10 best PD/modern CPC games (thinking in Black Lamp, Atomic, ...).
2.- Or choosing the 3 or 4 most representatives games from the best CPC companies, but including not only Ocean, Gremlin, ... , because we need to add ERE, Infogrames, Ubi, Dinamic, Melbourne House, ...
3.- Or choosing games by category, the best racing games, the best puzzles, ...
.
.
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But if i have one thing clear, it's that the games in this book should be chosen by the community. Because that, guys, we are going to make a big game list, put your favourites CPC games here, remember not only from UK, and you are free to choose one or a hundred, choose by categories or what you like... And in two weeks, i will pass to Chris this link and my list of favourite games.
His idea is start a kickstarter campaing early the next year (january or february) and then publish the book.
Can we not use the word 'best'? It's rarely ever true and seemingly just opinion deluded into believing it's fact.
Hi,
You could add :
John o'Brien (coding)
Raffaele Cecco (coding)
David Whittacker (music)
Ben Daglish (music)
David Perry (coding)
Elmar Krieger (coding)
Some guys from Loriciels (i'm french and i can't give their names, quelle honte)
Maybe Demo Makers...
Eric Chahi because he did Infernal Runner !
:)
- Laurant Weill (ex loriciels boss)
- Eliott Grassiano (microids boss)
- lankhor guys (jean-claude lebon etc..)
- Infogrames ex-boss (Bruno Bonnell)
For me Zap't'Balls, Xyphoes Fantasy and Megablasters would be important as some kind of link between demoscene and traditional games industry. The story of R-Type an it's remake would also fit in this context.
Concerning interviews maybe it could be interesting to talk with one of the famous crackers (XOR, Chany, BMC). They also belong to this history, though they represented the other side.
Oh... And I also think Pirates! was a cool game on CPC.
Remember, i will only accept the BEST CPC games, you can love Bionic Commando, but i will not recommend that shameful game to Chris :P
@Xifos (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=186), @dlfrsilver (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=137) and @villain (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=210) thanks for the suggestions, i will pass them to him, but i think the number of interviews is a lot more limited, maybe a dozen or less, because the goal of the book is showing the most representatives CPC games, the interviews are an extra.
Even if i would love a full book of interviews and with special detail in the french CPC developers, the french side of the CPC is for me the most interesting and not very well known out of France, with all those talents guys as Eric Chahi (Infernal Runner is the second game that i recommended Chris to convince him to support more than UK games ;) ).
Dennis and the rest of french people, is there anybody writting a French CPC Story? We need that book and i would read even i would be using a dictionary all the time ;)
Quote from: villain on 22:15, 18 November 14
For me Zap't'Balls, Xyphoes Fantasy and Megablasters would be important as some kind of link between demoscene and traditional games industry.
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.
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Oh... And I also think Pirates! was a cool game on CPC.
Yes, i feel the same :)
With respect to the story of R-Type remake or the demoscene and cracker guys interviews, well this is not the definitive CPC book, the idea is to make a nice CPC games book with something more than the usual retro gamer references and there is limitation in space... but Chris is open to make extra books if the first one is a success.
More of your favourites games please or i will make the list and put THE BEST CPC GAMES EVER as Mobile Man or Billy La Banlieue I and II or Johnny Quest or ...
Ask to iXien, he should help a lot about french videogames and editors stories on CPC...
beside of that, some french developpers as "cpcplusplus" (on the cpcrulez forum) should relate his story about EXIT and Defender of The Crown.
(and his "size 6" floppy protection)
Quote from: SyX on 01:57, 19 November 14
With respect to the story of R-Type remake or the demoscene and cracker guys interviews, well this is not the definitive CPC book, the idea is to make a nice CPC games book with something more than the usual retro gamer references and there is limitation in space... but Chris is open to make extra books if the first one is a success.
I would say that it´s a must that a book dealing with the best CPC-games mentions this great remake. :-) So it would also be a must that it refers to the original. But of course I also understand your arguments.
There are a few other games in my mind atm, that I (! :-)) like. But that´s of course subjective. Winter Games is a great multiplayer, Super Cycle is a really fast racing game, Paperboy was a nice arcade conversion, P47 was fast and well designed... If I remember more, I will post them here and then it´s your choice.
Wait - this is actually happening? ? ?
Quote from: Gryzor on 10:08, 19 November 14
Wait - this is actually happening? ? ?
Yes, Chris asked in the FB and the CPC facebook guys answered with a sound YES!!! ... but put those pesky nisky frenchie games (and spanish, australian, ...). As the rest of Chris's books, the process is Kickstarter it, to see if it's viable and then GO TO PRINT!!! :)
Quote from: villain on 09:53, 19 November 14
I would say that it´s a must that a book dealing with the best CPC-games mentions this great remake. :-) So it would also be a must that it refers to the original. But of course I also understand your arguments.
I can not be partial, because i put my grain of sand in R-Type. But i'm positive and i will think that this is the first book of many more and not only from Chris ;)
Quote from: villain on 09:53, 19 November 14
There are a few other games in my mind atm, that I (! :-)) like. But that´s of course subjective. Winter Games is a great multiplayer, Super Cycle is a really fast racing game, Paperboy was a nice arcade conversion, P47 was fast and well designed... If I remember more, I will post them here and then it´s your choice.
Hehehe, but i'm not the person choosing, i will pass the list to him, with the links for he can test them, and then he will take the decision about which games go to the book (Captain Blood, Le Manoir de Mortvielle, Prince of Persia, ... pleaseee xDDDD).
PS: Even Mev Dinc thinks is a good idea, hahaha. He has put in the FB this: "Chris Wilkins, it seems Amstrad CPC deserves a book of its own! :) "
Guys, I really suggest everyone gets on that Facebook thread and express their interest. Unfortunately, as always when there's a thread about the CPC c64 and Speccy fanboys are jumping in to trash the machine. I really just can't understand the level of complex these guys have, trying to turn every CPC discussion into a flame war...
So: get on there and ask for it :)
Just looked at some of the comments on there . Had to piss my self laughing at the Comment Crystal Castles was good on the Amstrad ! :o Did I miss the sarcasm or what . That game is fucking abysmal on the Amstrad.
Quote from: Gryzor on 19:42, 19 November 14
Guys, I really suggest everyone gets on that Facebook thread and express their interest. Unfortunately, as always when there's a thread about the CPC c64 and Speccy fanboys are jumping in to trash the machine. I really just can't understand the level of complex these guys have, trying to turn every CPC discussion into a flame war...
So: get on there and ask for it :)
I'm not going on Facebook.
Here's an idea, why doesn't the books author come here and ask us?
Yeah I don't use my Facebook thing for my geekier interests like I do with my Twitter (my FB is mainly just for my acting group and staying in touch with my 'family'). And by sounds of it I'd probably get annoyed with those jerkasses on that thread. As mr chin says, ask him to come here (not on the topic there or else the fools may follow)
edit: POST 777 *flashbacks of Amsoft's Fruit Machine*
Hi Chaps - thanks for the input :D . I have been reading this thread throughout the day. I would rather keep discussions on here as that group is one I made for the Spectrum book and I was questioning interest in the Amstrad - thus the heated debate. It does look though that the Amstrad has a great following.
Quote from: Gryzor on 19:42, 19 November 14
Guys, I really suggest everyone gets on that Facebook thread and express their interest. Unfortunately, as always when there's a thread about the CPC c64 and Speccy fanboys are jumping in to trash the machine. I really just can't understand the level of complex these guys have, trying to turn every CPC discussion into a flame war...
So: get on there and ask for it :)
Well, Facebook Zombies!!! Thanks god I don't have an account on that CcIiAa owned platform.
Funny story at the side (someone told me): Kangaroo got even kicked out there.
Can't you guys move the discussion to a serious space? Maybe even here?
So people who are actually interested could contribute. :)
From what I read, rich Stevenson sure has a lot of stories to share as well, would be nice to get some proper interview, if he has time...
You can't do the story of the CPC without Amsoft. They published the first games and totally dominated the CPC software scene for the first 18 months of the machines life. Everything from Harrier Attack to Lords of Midnight was published by Amsoft. Even big US Gold games like Raid went out on the Amsoft label.
Which brings us to Sorcery and Sorcery +. Sorcery + being the CPC exclusive version. Any of the Gang Of Five able to speak?
The Oliver Twins started out on the CPC. The Pickfords did some great games on the CPC as well. Feud on the CPC is the best version and Ste Pickfords CPC graphics even made it to the IBM PC version (although whoever ported them used some very bizarre colours).
The Freescape system was first demoed on the CPC and Driller wowed when it first hit the scene. The Freescape games arguable worked best on the CPC with good use of colour combined with speed.
The CPC was the top selling home micro in France for many years and so many high quality games were published for it there. Some of them came out in the UK as well. North and South, Get Dexter, Iron Lord are all big French CPC names.
The GX4000 is part of the CPC story. Many of us remember when we first saw Burning Rubber both in print and actually running. Hard to believe it was our humble CPC
The C64 and Speccy are just games machines. The CPC was never intended as just a games machine. You have to consider if you want to include some serious packages. Art Studio, Protext and remember Open Office started life on the CPC as Star Writer (which later became part of Star Office).
And add ons. The CPC was bristling with expansion capabilities. The Spectrum had one expansion port and that was on. On a CPC 6128 you have 3 edge connectors and the possibilities were endless. Hard disk, Rom boxes, digitisers, printers, 2nd disk drives, RAM expansions, silicon disks, you name it, the CPC had it.
If this book is going ahead, I'd love to see some space devoted to the PD/demo coders. Some of the most powerful software came out of those scenes and really pushed the CPC to its limits. I know Zap'T'Balls has already been mentioned (and damn, that game still holds up well today) but back in the day things like the Ultimate Megademo were amazing.
Oh, and no book about the CPC is complete without talking to the AA people about the pantomime they performed in one of the Christmas issues. I'd love to know what the hell they were smoking to come up with that. ;)
I wonder if Cliff Lawson might be interesting to talk to? Was he involved in the plus machines? He may know something about why they chose the particular feature set that they did?
QuoteThe GX4000 is part of the CPC story. Many of us remember when we first saw Burning Rubber both in print and actually running. Hard to believe it was our humble CPC
Well, can't really call a PLUS an humble CPC, more like a CPC somewhat on steroid...
= the huge 4096 palette simply goes well with Mode0 and is incredibly richer than the classic 27 colours. THIS s what visually makes all the difference. Mode0 can now really look like Atari ST graphics. For other modes, too few colours on screen so it doesn't change a lot actually, just you can do proper grey mode1 perhaps or whole monocolour Mode0 as well.
= some interrupts can help, some things here and there...
But yeah, still some sort of "CPC". :D
QuoteThe C64 and Speccy are just games machines.
wasn't Sir Clive pissed off that his creation would only serve for snotlings to play Manic Miner ?
Clive intended the speccy to be somewhat bizness oriented... but hey, 640x200 is where it's at concerning CP/M. :laugh:
Quote from: MacDeath on 23:41, 20 November 14
Well, can't really call a PLUS an humble CPC, more like a CPC somewhat on steroid...
It's only a larger palette, a few hardware sprites and some DMA sound. Hardly what I would called "steroids". If it had been that ground breaking they might have actually sold some!
CPC (464, 472, 664, 6128)
PCW (8256, 8512, 9512)
PLUS (464, 6128)
GX (4000)
PCW (9256, 9512+)
PCW (10, 16)
Does the PCW really fit into a story about the CPC? To me it's a completely separate line of computers.
It not. The same for the PLUS... 8)
Except, if peoples wants to write the Amstrad story.
agreed TotO ;)
Quote from: TotO on 09:40, 21 November 14
CPC (464, 472, 664, 6128)
PCW (8256, 8512, 9512)
PLUS (464, 6128)
GX (4000)
PCW (9256, 9512+)
PCW (10, 16)
The PCW is a different machine. I have no idea what you are proposing!
The PLUS too.
Quote from: TotO on 13:13, 21 November 14
The PLUS too.
Go on, tell me why the Plus machines aren't CPC's. Despite being CPC's with an ASIC and a new case. Most interested.
There are enough to said about the CPC, to include the anectotic PLUS range.
When a book is about the Master System, they don't speak about the GameGear or the Megadrive, because back compatible.
When a book is about the PC-Engine, they don't speak about the SuperGrafX.
When a book is about the Playstation 2, they don't speak aout the PS1.
...
PLUS is not CPC. It's just backware compatible with.
PLUS programs don't work on CPC. That is the reason why it is not.
Quote from: TotO on 13:13, 21 November 14
When a book is about the Master System, they don't speak about the GameGear or the Megadrive, because back compatible.
To run Master System games on a Megadrive you need a Power Base Converter.
A Power Base converter is essentially a Master System that plugs into the Megadrive. The Megadrive is not backward compatible without this. It is a poor comparison.
As this is the "CPC" wiki forum, therefore if we go along your train of thought all discussion of Plus machines should be banned here as well.
Why you don't speak about the other examples that not require any adapters? (PC-Engine, Super Grafx, Playstation 1/2, GC and Wii, ...)
When you want to run a 464 game on a 6128, you need a tape drive... Where is the poor comparaison it this case? :-X
Have you seen somewhere printed "CPC" on "PLUS" computer?
No... Because it is not a CPC, just a backware compatible hardware.
PLUS programs don't run on CPC... How it is possible to speak about games that not run on CPC in a CPC book? :-\
Quote from: TotO on 13:55, 21 November 14
Why you don't speak about the other examples that not require any adapters? (PC-Engine, Super Grafx, Playstation 1/2, GC and Wii, ...)
When you want to run a 464 game on a 6128, you need a tape drive... Where is the poor comparaison it this case? :-X
Have you seen somewhere printed "CPC" on "PLUS" computer?
No... Because it is not a CPC, just a backware compatible hardware.
PLUS programs don't run on CPC... How it is possible to speak about games that not run on CPC in a CPC book? :-\
The Plus machines are just enhanced CPC's. A motherboard revision with a new ASIC chip and a new case. You don't get Amiga 1200 owners being excluded from Amiga publications because they have a few different chips in their machine.
Oh wait they aren't Amiga's as you can't play games that require the AGA chipset on a bog standard A500. Come to think of it you can't play games that require Kickstart 2.0 on the earliest A500's. In your logic an Amiga book would only feature the original A1000!
Madness.
Madness?? This... is... THE CPCWIKI!!! :P
Getting back to topic, the PcW16 seems to be an interesting beast that combines the original PCW high resolution, memory management and purpose with the screen modes of the CPC. That with a much faster processor, lots of RAM, VGA output, and support for IDE drives.
Strictly not a CPC, but as close to it as a Plus.
On top of that, it's nice to have the other machines for reference, as there's software that run on several different machines. (Many CP/M programs and SymbOS, for example. Btw @Prodatron (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=13) , still waiting for SymbOS Mobile on the PDA600 ;D ).
That's my two cents.
Quote from: TotO on 13:55, 21 November 14
PLUS programs don't run on CPC... How it is possible to speak about games that not run on CPC in a CPC book? :-\
6128 programs don't run on a 464 (which always pissed me off as a kid until I got a chip-swapped 464).
That is wrong. Most of the 6128 programs run on an 464 w/o problem.
Just add a floppy drive and for few of them a memory expansion...
The plus are backward compatible with the cpc, the pcw is a different architecture.
Quote from: TotO on 15:17, 21 November 14
That is wrong. Most of the 6128 programs run on an 464 w/o problem.
Just add a floppy drive and for few of them a memory expansion...
The phrase "having your cake and eating it" comes to mind..........
You just don't understand what is a hardware and backware compatible hardware.
Quote from: TotO on 15:33, 21 November 14
You just don't understand what is a hardware and backware compatible hardware.
No, I just don't understand what are getting at.
Quote from: TotO on 15:17, 21 November 14
That is wrong. Most of the 6128 programs run on an 464 w/o problem.
Just add a floppy drive and for few of them a memory expansion...
Wrong. Totally wrong.
There are programs that will not work on a CPC 464 because it lacks the updated AMSDOS/Locomotive BASIC/whatever that the 6128 has. There are also programs that won't work on a 464 even if you switch out its cpu for a 6128. I know this
because I have one sitting right next to me right now.
Quote from: TotO on 13:34, 21 November 14
There are enough to said about the CPC, to include the anectotic PLUS range.
When a book is about the Master System, they don't speak about the GameGear or the Megadrive, because back compatible.
When a book is about the PC-Engine, they don't speak about the SuperGrafX.
When a book is about the Playstation 2, they don't speak aout the PS1.
...
PLUS is not CPC. It's just backware compatible with.
PLUS programs don't work on CPC. That is the reason why it is not.
Well written ones do. Albeit with the extra colours and sounds turned off. Prehistork 2, Stryker in the crypts of Trojan, bumpy's arcade fantasy all run perfectly on Both Cpc and plus. If you take this route, then only 64k only games should be included because the 128k games don't run on all machines.
The plus machines are definately cpc's in the same way as an a4000 with a ppc processor and an a500 with a 68000 are both amigas.
You might not like them for whatever reason but they are definately still cpc's.
Quote from: TotO on 15:17, 21 November 14
That is wrong. Most of the 6128 programs run on an 464 w/o problem.
Just add a floppy drive and for few of them a memory expansion...
I think Zoe is talking about BASIC programs. BASIC 1.1 (6128) had commands that the 464 (BASIC 1.0) didn't have.
Bryce.
Quote from: Bryce on 16:06, 21 November 14
I think Zoe is talking about BASIC programs. BASIC 1.1 (6128) had commands that the 464 (BASIC 1.0) didn't have.
Oddly enough, it's not limited to BASIC programs. There was one game (I forget which one) that wouldn't accept keyboard input from my chip-swapped 464/6128. I recall the explanation being that it was confused when the keyboard layout was different but that may be incorrect.
Quote from: Zoe Robinson on 16:02, 21 November 14
There are programs that will not work on a CPC 464 because it lacks the updated AMSDOS/Locomotive BASIC/whatever that the 6128 has. There are also programs that won't work on a 464 even if you switch out its cpu for a 6128. I know this because I have one sitting right next to me right now.
Which game? I have patched a few ones (Rocky/Rocco was the last one) , because the programmer decided to use the firmware 1.0 variables or calling to the firmware rom directly, instead of using the firmware jumpblock. Although they are easy to fix, it's so boooooring process :P
Quote from: Zoe Robinson on 16:02, 21 November 14
Wrong. Totally wrong. There are programs that will not work on a CPC 464 because it lacks the updated AMSDOS/Locomotive BASIC/whatever that the 6128 has.
It's less than 1% of all programs than perfectly run on all 464/664/6128... And you can fix that sometime with few pokes or by using the good peripherals.
You complain using exceptions to make a generality... It's just invalid arguments. :-X
Obvious troll is obvious.
Quote from: CraigsBar on 16:05, 21 November 14
The plus machines are definately cpc's in the same way as an a4000 with a ppc processor and an a500 with a 68000 are both amigas.
Exactly.
Obvious is the fact that PLUS is not CPC... :laugh:
Now, I have better to do than wasting my time here with closed minds.
I don't see the problem of the classic PCWs being in such a publication, given that many Amstrad magazines back in the day had PCW sections or submagazines within. I think the NC100/200 could have a page or two too.
The roof is on fire ! :o
lol
Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 20:25, 21 November 14
I don't see the problem of the classic PCWs being in such a publication, given that many Amstrad magazines back in the day had PCW sections or submagazines within. I think the NC100/200 could have a page or two too.
Yes, and maybe the PDA600, also the Amstrad PCs, I mean the Euro PC looks like a CPC, oh wait that was from Schneider. So all Amstrad and Schneider PCs, then the best is to add all PCs from that era and CPC similar systems maybe too. Well, why not make a book about PCs and forget about the CPC. >:(
QuoteWhich game? I have patched a few ones (Rocky/Rocco was the last one) , because the programmer decided to use the firmware 1.0 variables or calling to the firmware rom directly, instead of using the firmware jumpblock. Although they are easy to fix, it's so boooooring process
Wasn't Rocky/rocco on CPC coded by Richard Stevenson ? should ask him, he may even have the source...oops, too late... you already patched it.
;D
About 464 and 6128 compatible programs... My first CPC was the 6128 and I'm damn glad that I never had to deal with cassettes. I saw people doing that on the c64 and they grow an inch of beard while loading a crappy game.
Now whenever a journal printed a great listing for the CPC; more often it did run only on the 464. Once in a while some month later a patch was released to make it 664/6128 compatible. That worked 50% of the time :(
Now if 464 people complain about 6128 programs not running - no mercy - welcome in my early years! :P
But a bit more serious, go to CPC power or where ever and you get 99.7% compatible to all CPCs and also the Plus series (most often).
SyX and others did a great job fixing things. Thank's guys! :) :) :)
I have a beard, was my 464 to blame? :D
Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 20:25, 21 November 14
I don't see the problem of the classic PCWs being in such a publication, given that many Amstrad magazines back in the day had PCW sections or submagazines within.
This was done when the machines were very new, as a precursor to splitting the machines out into their own magazines. It was a smart piece of business practice to establish new magazines, not an indication than the PCW was part of the CPC range.
If you want another example, Zzap 64 had Amiga coverage at one stage before it was split out. That doesn't mean the Amiga and C64 are the same machine.
Quote from: steve on 22:30, 21 November 14
I have a beard, was my 464 to blame? :D
No, it was watching c64 tape loading. ;)
Basically what could cause 464 and 6128 not being compatible ?
=Ram
=ROM/firmware used by program
=CRTC models/tricks
is that all ?
Concerning the PCW : it is not a CPC but quite a cousin...
Many similarities and many differences as well.
Most PCW games were somewhat CPC ports.
Just watch head over heels, Sol Negro and others...
Just they somewhat turned the 4 colours Mode1 into "3 colour dithered Mode2 equivalent.
So the PCW may have some mentions over the fact Amstrad failed to make the CPC and PCW merge at one point.
To me the PLUS should have been compatible with both systems but yeah, would have been quite more expensive.
Lets see :
=More ASIC features/settings so PLUS could also use the same memory map as PCW and a firmware to emulate it.
=a beeper added with extra features to run samples in DMA.
=memory slots to upgrade into at least 256k on mainboard via extra cards.
Yeah, looks like an 8bit Atari STe...
Any machine closely related to CPC specification wise should be mentionned indeed.
Enterprise64/128 as well, even NEC PC6601... and clones of course. ;D
What a weird argument that all was.
I don't like the Plus machines much (I wouldn't mind owning one to play about with if I was given one but I've absolutely no desire to buy them or produce anything for them) but they are certainly part of the CPC range even if they lack that acronym in their model names. That was the main reason they were a failure. They were TOO similar to the old machines in the age of the Amiga. Now if they'd had the specs of the Amiga but still be able to play CPC games too... that would have been nice...
Quote from: Carnivac on 13:29, 22 November 14
What a weird argument that all was.
It certainly brought about a short and (only slightly) off topic exchange. I think I have learned that we will never all agree on the Plus machines. I personally prefer them to the CPC range. they look better, are nicer to type on for extended periods of time (I did my entire University degree course on my 6128plus and Brunword Elite) thay have the ability to play 'Pang!' and I know this will open a whole new can of worms but Zap't'balls the advanced edition is not even close to being as good a game as that.
While I do agree that Amstrad made some fundmental mistakes with the plus range (Tape Ports & Disk interfaces missing, 8 bit printer ports present but not really usable etc) to me they are superior simply for the One or 2 fantastic cart games, better looks and nicer Keyboard angle and height..
Craig
Quote from: CraigsBar on 14:04, 22 November 14
they look better
That's still an opinion though. Personally I always found them bland and not having as much 'character' (something I really like about vintage computers compared to modern). I also really dislike all that extra bulk they have at the back. It's also one of the many reasons I far preferred my A1200 to my friend's A500. Can't have the monitor as close to the back of the computer as I'd like without using a particular desk that has a shelf for the monitor but still allows easy access to the sides of the computer itself to insert media and cables and such. Despite the height of my 464's keyboard I've never had any real issues typing on it and I'm pretty fast on it when I need to be and never had any wrist pains or anything like that (which I had a lot of with a god-awful 'gaming keyboard', a term I still find pathetic, that came with one of my old PCs).
Anyways point is I've no problem with the Plus range being in a CPC book even if I think they were a big mistake by Amstrad.
I have said it before with the Plus range Amstrad should have gone 16 bit, added an emulator, and offered a 3 inch disc drive kit as an optional extra.
Guys, please put the discussion in some perspective: yes, we occasionally (ahem) drift off-topic, but this thread supposedly exists to bolster some interest for the book. If we veer too far towards technicalities about swapped CPUs or arguments about the Plus (they certainly were CPCs btw :D ), what will we have accomplished? Please do open a new thread if you want to discuss those and keep this clean.
Now, where were we? Oh yes, the BOOK!
And that thread in Facebook is transforming in a meeting of old CPC developers, with people like Brian Beuken or Roger Womack speaking really proud of why they loved the CPC :)
to continue/end the PLUS debate :
Quotelook better
mater of taste.
ORIC ATMOS is still the best looking machine ever...
Quotebetter keyboard?
the exact same as on the CPC6128 actually...
QuoteFar more powerfull
well, on pure graphicals, just to choose on the 4096 instead of the 27 RGB cubes makes a lo of difference for pixel art in Mode0. some would stick to old palette, it is more challenging and definitaly has its style...
PLUS graphics looks like ST/STE/aMiga larger pixeled version, simply... which is good but almost "too easy" for 8 bit style...
Otherwise those few scrolings or hardsprites or interrupts or sound DMA can surely add some CPU time here and there and be put in good use. So some cartridge games managed to be awesome finally...
(PanzaKickB., Pang, Robocop2, NavySeal, Plotting, MagicPinbal, any tennis game, even Switchblade despite being mode1.
But it remains mostly a CPC so have to have its mention in any CPC related book anyway...
Its true potential actually was just scratched so slightly.
but to be fair, the software legacy for PLUS is not as huge as the CPC's one, so...
QuoteAnd that thread in Facebook is transforming in a meeting of old CPC developers, with people like Brian Beuken or Roger Womack speaking really proud of why they loved the CPC
actually a lot of old devs did post on the facebook "Amstrad CPC464" group...
would be quite interesting to compile all their quote indeed.
Rich stevenson (amongst otehrs I guess) recently posted quite a lot of stories or anecdotes, be it here or there, and others oldtimer devs as well.
Could be nice source/material to track and compile those casual yet interesting comments.
Also would be nice that many of those old timer official devs would come back via internet to share their point of view and experience.
Now we have an interactive community that wasn't possible in the 80's... great to (re-)write history and share the story.
Hope this will become a trend.
Could it be possible to have a standard interview template for such case ?
So we may compare them all by submiting this to all of them..
Quote from: SyX on 00:07, 23 November 14
And that thread in Facebook is transforming in a meeting of old CPC developers, with people like Brian Beuken or Roger Womack speaking really proud of why they loved the CPC :)
Brian Beuken proud of coding Rastan from Taito for ocean on amstrad CPC ? AHAH XD
Really, CNGsoft has corrected the big flaw in the game loader which for a start doesn't allow to load the boss levels either disk and tape.
To make the game load correctly, you must chop off the error routine inside the loader to force the game to load them XD !
/off topic - end
You can think what you like, but i have been speaking a while with those amazing guys and others as James Higgins, and one thing is that they had a lot of pressure from the publishers to finish those games in a few weeks and other very different one that they declare themselves as CPC lovers, sorry, this thread has degenerated in a way, that is shameful, very shameful... i only asked about a few games for a book of cpc games and everybody has been speaking about the genitals of angels or another ON-TOPIC themes.
And fixing programs is nothing (i have fixed a LOT without making so many noise) when you compare it with making full games.
PS: Sorry, if it sounds too strong, but you must understand that in this freaking moment i am speaking with James Higgins about John Brandwood, sorry but this fanboy is going to piss himself of emotion xDDDDD
Quoteeverybody has been speaking about the genitals of angels
what is this I don't even... :blank:
(they don't have genitals but some of them may have boobs and hips...)
yeah, many games had big unfixed bugs on release, seems like Deadline was a real pleague in those times and editors wouldn't even patch to save their life.
Remember the Green issue with rick dangerous 2 ? not like it couldn't be seen nor easily fixed.
Quote from: SyX on 21:10, 23 November 14
You can think what you like, but i have been speaking a while with those amazing guys and others as James Higgins, and one thing is that they had a lot of pressure from the publishers to finish those games in a few weeks and other very different one that they declare themselves as CPC lovers, sorry, this thread has degenerated in a way, that is shameful, very shameful... i only asked about a few games for a book of cpc games and everybody has been speaking about the genitals of angels or another ON-TOPIC themes.
And fixing programs is nothing (i have fixed a LOT without making so many noise) when you compare it with making full games.
PS: Sorry, if it sounds too strong, but you must understand that in this freaking moment i am speaking with James Higgins about John Brandwood, sorry but this fanboy is going to piss himself of emotion xDDDDD
(Well about higgins, i wonder if D. Ward was hard to work with guy, has he talked about him ?). btw, you heard about The apprentice from Rainbow Arts ? It was Brian Beuken if i remember well who was in charge of it on CPC.... maybe you could ask him ?
About J. Brandwood, aka Elmer fudd, i had since many years the Ocean custom sprite and map editor, thanks to a french at Ocean France ;)
These tools are the roots of Batman the movie and robocop on CPC (those 2 games were made graphically on atari ST for CPC).
Quote from: dlfrsilver on 16:39, 25 November 14btw, you heard about The apprentice from Rainbow Arts ? It was Brian Beuken if i remember well who was in charge of it on CPC.... maybe you could ask him ?
He has said that in that FB thread or the other one where the old coders are speaking about their old projects (i have added the credits to 10 sheets in CPC-Power with the info that they have spoken in that threat), he said that it was his best game and it was finished, but he only has spoken about the ZX version, i will ask him about the CPC one.
Quote from: MacDeath on 17:52, 24 November 14
what is this I don't even... :blank:
(they don't have genitals but some of them may have boobs and hips...)
yeah, many games had big unfixed bugs on release, seems like Deadline was a real pleague in those times and editors wouldn't even patch to save their life.
Remember the Green issue with rick dangerous 2 ? not like it couldn't be seen nor easily fixed.
it is the same of modern games. Released with bugs.
On tablets you get many updates to fix problems etc.
On xbox and other consoles you can also download patches to fix bugs.
Quote from: dlfrsilver on 18:45, 23 November 14
Really, CNGsoft has corrected the big flaw in the game loader which for a start doesn't allow to load the boss levels either disk and tape.
To make the game load correctly, you must chop off the error routine inside the loader to force the game to load them XD !
A friend of mine used to write protected loaders for the spectrum back in the day. He'd get a copy of the game saved as a normal speccy file about 9am, told where he had a spare couple of KB of RAM and be expected to have produced a protected loader by 12 noon when the courier guy would arrive to take his tape to the duplicators.
As he often spent quite a bit of time filling any spare memory with "humorous" messages, there wasn't much time to actually test the game very much. This particular game won't have been his work, but I know he worked on multiload games with a similar timeframe, so I'm not at all surprised to hear that some games got made with buggy loaders and made it out to customers...
I don't care much about Facebook, but I'll make an exception here - the project has its own FB group now :)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/378021049024479/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/378021049024479/)
Quote from: Gryzor on 19:38, 30 November 14
I don't care much about Facebook, but I'll make an exception here - the project has its own FB group now :)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/378021049024479/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/378021049024479/)
I always used fb for family things, but this group is amazingly addictive!!! :D :D :D
I have been speaking today with another legend, Stefan "Pirates" Walker, and he has so many to talk. For example, for porting Pirates to CPC, he was sent to USA during a full year for working directly with Sid Meier and because the big maps and the complex logic, he decided that the game would be exclusive for 6128.
He converted the code from 6502 to z80, line to line and in moments of doubt he had the input of the original designer :)
Now i understand better why Pirates is one of the best CPC games and even beat to the original C64 version.
Quote from: SyX on 23:40, 30 November 14
I always used fb for family things, but this group is amazingly addictive!!! :D :D :D
I have been speaking today with another legend, Stefan "Pirates" Walker, and he has so many to talk. For example, for porting Pirates to CPC, he was sent to USA during a full year for working directly with Sid Meier and because the big maps and the complex logic, he decided that the game would be exclusive for 6128.
He converted the code from 6502 to z80, line to line and in moments of doubt he had the input of the original designer :)
Now i understand better why Pirates is one of the best CPC games and even beat to the original C64 version.
I loved Pirates on the CPC and I loved Origin's Times of Lore, EA Bards Tale not so much
I believe Stefan worked at Odin. He did some work on the Spartacus game that was never released.
I think I also met him when I was working at Eurocom.
Quote from: Zoe Robinson on 16:02, 21 November 14
Wrong. Totally wrong.
There are programs that will not work on a CPC 464 because it lacks the updated AMSDOS/Locomotive BASIC/whatever that the 6128 has. There are also programs that won't work on a 464 even if you switch out its cpu for a 6128. I know this because I have one sitting right next to me right now.
You can use an expansion to upgrade the 464 basic etc too. Either a standard ROM expansion + Bryce's LowerROM, or just an X-MEM.
Quote from: SyX on 23:40, 30 November 14
He converted the code from 6502 to z80, line to line and in moments of doubt he had the input of the original designer :)
Now i understand better why Pirates is one of the best CPC games and even beat to the original C64 version.
If that description is correct, then I assume that if the game had been written by someone like Sid Meier from scratch on the CPC it would have been even better.
Quote from: ivarf on 10:35, 01 December 14If that description is correct, then I assume that if the game had been written by someone like Sid Meier from scratch on the CPC it would have been even better.
Maybe i don't explain well, english is now my third language, hehehe.
I sincerely doubt that Sid could do a better work than Stefan in the CPC version, he never touched the z80 and because that and because he was involved in his next project (Red Storm Rising, if i remember well), he made the best thing he could think, brought to the Microprose headquarters a Z80 expert, Stefan; gave his sources of the C64 version; and was there for clarifying any doubt that it could rise during the project.
For me the most amazing thing and something that i need to ask Stefan, it's why all that effort for a CPC version? A machine unknown for the USA guys, it's the only Z80 Pirates version (no speccy version) and having a guy working a full year in it. Why did they take that risk? And of course, thanks for taking that risk... and do you have the sources? xDDDD
I am still amazed when I see Starstrike 2 that was an amazing game
And Starfox. as impressive!!!
Quote from: SyX on 13:15, 01 December 14
For me the most amazing thing and something that i need to ask Stefan, it's why all that effort for a CPC version? A machine unknown for the USA guys, it's the only Z80 Pirates version (no speccy version) and having a guy working a full year in it. Why did they take that risk? And of course, thanks for taking that risk... and do you have the sources? xDDDD
You could ask Stefan about
Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer as well. That game also originated in the USA, and as it's a flight simulator (and a pretty impressive looking one at that), I'm sure that converting it to the CPC would not be an easy task either - and I'm sure flight simulators wouldn't have sold in large quantities back then.
Gunship did.
Quote from: Nich on 20:38, 01 December 14
You could ask Stefan about Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer as well. That game also originated in the USA, and as it's a flight simulator (and a pretty impressive looking one at that), I'm sure that converting it to the CPC would not be an easy task either - and I'm sure flight simulators wouldn't have sold in large quantities back then.
Yes, he spoken me very proud about Chuck too, but i was sincere with him and told him that i never had the patience to play a flight simulator. Although i have put a Chris in the track of Stefan and maybe he can interview him for the book, too :)
I had that Chuck yeagers game I was awed and Activisons Fighter Bomber the solid 3D graphics
http://www.retroshowcase.gr/index.php?id=AmstradCPC&p=games&gameid=68&model=AmstradCPC (http://www.retroshowcase.gr/index.php?id=AmstradCPC&p=games&gameid=68&model=AmstradCPC)
Did plans for this book fall through or will it still be going ahead? I see the Spectrum got 3 books and there's a Kickstarter for the C64 but it I don't see much activity on a CPC book.
Second that...
Quote from: SyX on 21:26, 01 December 14
Yes, he spoken me very proud about Chuck too, but i was sincere with him and told him that i never had the patience to play a flight simulator. Although i have put a Chris in the track of Stefan and maybe he can interview him for the book, too :)
I am sure I had a CPC version of Chuck yeagers. Flight Simulator
Quote from: Zoe Robinson on 02:22, 18 July 15
Did plans for this book fall through or will it still be going ahead? I see the Spectrum got 3 books and there's a Kickstarter for the C64 but it I don't see much activity on a CPC book.
A few days ago Chris said in Facebook that he is working on an Oliver Twins book, so my guess is this is in standby (if not cancelled).
I definitely had this on disk and it was hard
http://www.genesis8bit.fr/amstrad/game-rom/amstrad-game.php?prog_id=983 (http://www.genesis8bit.fr/amstrad/game-rom/amstrad-game.php?prog_id=983)