==(((((((((( == Z*MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL 8-BIT ONLINE MAGAZINE =========(( === ---------------------------------------------- =======(( ===== April 30, 1991 Issue #193 =====(( ======= ---------------------------------------------- ==(((((((((( == (c)1986-87-88-89-90-91, Z*Net Publishing Rovac Industries, Inc Post Office Box 59 Middlesex, New Jersey 08846 BBS: (908) 968-8148 Publisher/Editor: Ron Kovacs Contributing Editor: Stan Lowell Columnist: Eugene Case ATARIUSER MAGAZINE DEBUTS - UPDATE ================================== by John Nagy ATARIUSER MAGAZINE will be the Guest in the Real-Time-Conference on GEnie this coming Wednesday night, May 1, at 10 PM, 7 PM Pacific time. AtariUser is the new FREE Atari monthly magazine, formerly ST JOURNAL. John Nagy, John King Tarpinian, and Steve Lesh will be on hand to discuss the new all-Atari magazine. Attendees will get an extra free offer... be there. The crew of AtariUser will be attending the conference from the CODEHEAD QUARTERS BBS, at the birthday party for the first year of operation of the BBS. Ron Berinstein, host of the CodeHead Quarters system and PD/ Shareware reviewer for Z*NET and AtariUser, also manages the Vine Street Bar and Grill in Hollywood, California, and the conference will end in an appreciation party for all the system users. As the name implies, CodeHead Quarters BBS is the home base for support of John Eidsvoog and Charles F. Johnson's CODEHEAD SOFTWARE. Here is the Editor's Viewpoint column from the May issue of AtariUser magazine, now on newsstands, dealer shelves, and user group meeting tables. (Reprinted by permission, Copyright 1991 by Quill Publishing, all rights reserved.) HIGH RESOLUTION: Viewpoints and Responses from our Atari Community Welcome to ATARIUSER MAGAZINE by John Nagy, Editor In Chief You are holding a rare commodity in today's world: an Atari specific monthly magazine. In fact, ATARIUSER may be the U.S.'s ONLY monthly commercial Atari magazine-format publication. That's both an exciting opportunity and a heavy commitment. We USED to be ST JOURNAL, a widely praised but relatively low-production ST specific glossy magazine. Despite ST JOURNAL's popularity (where it could be found), we could not afford to print more than 10,000 copies with the ad revenues we were earning... and couldn't raise more revenues without increasing circulation. Even while our acceptance and quality increased with each issue, the numbers just weren't going to work. Enter ATARIUSER MAGAZINE. Steve Lesh of Quill Publications and I had been kicking around the concept of doing a dealer-distributed free computer magazine for quite a while. There are several non-specific computer regional magazines that have done well in the -free- format, particularly on the West coast. We decided to risk trying to do the first national (international, really) -free- distribution magazine. By a series of trade-offs of production numbers against printing and binding methods, ad rates, and distribution schemes, we think it is going to work. We even figure to be able to clinch the title for largest circulation Atari magazine in the USA... and provide a FREE product. Every month! I agreed to become the editor and Steve will provide his outstanding layout and art direction. Also from ST JOURNAL are Kevin Horn heading up advertising, Gantry Gappmayer, John King Tarpinian as Assistant Editor, and a number of contributors from the old JOURNAL staff. You may have noticed the $1 -Bookstore Price- on the cover... and some of you may have had to pay it. Sorry, but some major bookstores and businesses simply can't and won't cope with a totally free magazine. Rather than have to give up the substantial potential circulation, we allow them to charge meagerly, if they must. This is not an uncommon solution for other, similar -free- publications... but see -Getting AtariUser, below! AtariUser will cover the ENTIRE Atari computer product lineup, including the TT, STe, ST, MEGA, MEGA/STe, Portfolio, Lynx, and even the out-of- production Atari 8-bit series of computers. And as Atari's product family grows in the coming months, so will we. We'll focus on the facts that will make life easier for ATARI USERS. Every month we will try to cut to the meat of what is happening, what is available, what it can do for you, and how to get it. And we'll do it FAST, with less than two weeks between final edits and distribution. We are maintaining close alliances with other magazines and news agencies to be sure our information is as current as possible. We'll exchange material with Z*NET INTERNATIONAL ATARI NEWS SERVICE, Germany's PD JOURNAL, and several other foreign magazines. Our departments will regularly include all Atari product lines, plus rotating focuses on DTP, communications, graphics, MIDI applications, new software and game reviews, top PD and SHAREWARE software, user group news, emulation, hardware hacking, etc. And I'll be keeping you current with ATARI NEWS AND COMMENT, continuing the column I've done for years in COMPUTER SHOPPER magazine. You'll find two specific constructs recurring throughout our pages: * the ALERT BOX This will be at the top of each department's column with quick news and facts about the subject in general. You'll be able to keep up with developments in each department with a glance. * the RESOURCES Each month we'll feature a RESOURCE FILE for one or more of our departments, giving a comprehensive listing of available products, dealers, user groups, BBS's, etc. We're continuing the advertiser and product indexes that were popular in ST JOURNAL. We'll even do something unheard of since Kris Kringle suggested MACY's in MIRACLE ON 34th STREET...recommend you to the OTHER Atari publications, let you know what each of them feature in their current issue, and how to subscribe! We want to make it easier to be an ATARI USER. Our concept and goal is to be your standard monthly reference for all Atari interests... at a price Atari Users can truly say is POWER WITHOUT THE PRICE... FREE! Let us know how you think we're doing! John Nagy, Editor in Chief, AtariUser Magazine GETTING ATARIUSER We distribute bundles of ATARIUSER to dealers and user groups upon request in increments of 50. Registered Atari User Groups get ATARIUSER completely free, all others pay only shipping costs. Individual introductory copies are $1.00 by first class mail. Preferential home delivery is available for a limited time price of $15 per year. Contact ATARIUSER for details... 800-333-3567, 113 West College Street, Covina, California, 91723. FAX 818-332-2869. BIO John Nagy has been writing professionally for five years, mostly about Atari Computers. He has been a columnist for Computer Shopper Magazine, editor of Z*NET Atari Monthly, and a contributor to most Atari magazines both in and out of print. He served for several years as an officer, newsletter editor, and BBS system operator for CHAOS, an Atari User Group in Lansing, Michigan, and was the creator and editor of MICHIGAN ATARI MAGAZINE. John's -other- calling is as an attorney and administrator. He presently works for the State Bar of California, after leaving a position at Michigan State University. John says California is groovy. TRANSKEY NEWS From MICRO SOLUTIONS ================================== Press Release TRANSKEY, The Keyboard Adapter Product for use with ATARI 8-Bit Computers and IBM style keyboards, is now to be produced and distributed by DataQue, creaters of the TURBO-816 system. Price, Availabilty, and Options are subject to change as dictated by DataQue. All rights to the product, including the TRANSKEY name have been assigned to DATAQUE Systems. I encourage all those loyal ATARI 8-bit owners to help make this a profitable venture for Charles Steinman of DATAQUE and to reward him for breathing new life into this product, and ultimately into your computer. For those of you that thought they had missed out on being able to purchase this product, Now's your chance. For those who already own a MICRO SOLUTIONS version, stay tuned for details on a REALLY GREAT revision to be forthcoming. Michael St. Pierre President MICRO SOLUTIONS Petaluma, CA. UPGRADES AND OTHER TID-BITS --------------------------- by Eugene R. Case Please NOTE: This text may be copied for distribution, as long as the Authors name, and Text have not been altered. This is (C)1991 ERC Products for the Public Domain. Well this is my first attempt at writing for Z*Mag/a\zine. I have a few things to offer first, and that is, thanks for the Online Mag/a\zine, and the continued support for the XL/XE computers. I am currently waiting patiently for the Newest Version of BobTerm XE, or 1.22 as it is dubbed. This version may only work on XE's, and upgraded XL's. 128K+ will be required to use the full functions of this program. Also in the wings, as most of you know, is TextPro 5.0, and all source codes will be included for those that program, who want to make it do more that the Initial Release version. This text, however, is being written with TextPro 4.54, and the Atari 800XL with the RamboXL (C)ICD, Inc. installed. Speaking of upgrades, there is a company in Texas, Newell Industries. I am sure most of you have heard of them, and may have even purchased their 256K upgrade, instead of ICD's. Well in the newest, or most current, Atari Explorer, they have an ad for thier products now available. In it, is the 256K upgrade, and also a 1MB (One Mega Byte) upgrade, that even supports 4MB. As you all ask, -What am I going to do with 1MB of RAM in my Atari?-. Well there are many applications that access the Ram area of your computer before it can actually run itself. If your computer doesn't have the RAM available, then it may not even boot up. Another upgrade is from Data-Q Software. The Turbo-816, if this and the Newell 1MB upgrade are in your computer at the same time, well you'll need to upgrade the casing too. It just won't fit. The 1MB upgrade requires you to cut away, or remove the RF Shield, and then the T816 is another OS alltogether. I have a friend that has the 1MB upgrade in his XL, and it takes up some space. It's larger than the RamboXL, and needs more connections. I personally like this, as it allows the computer to be -Shut OFF-, and then turned right back on, with NO Bootup problems, just like your 64K computer did. Then there's a BASIC Switch to install, and this allows you to have BASIC on or off, your choice. So, as I said, the 1MB is a great tool, and will put you up there with the BIG Boys. Now, there's also a Memory Management problem. The ORIGINAL OS that Atari has installed in your XL/XE just won't handle this 1MB very well, it has to access -Banks- of memory. Now for the good news, you probably know about an OS from Synergy Concepts. It's no longer available as I can see. It was at one time, from Best Electronics, in California, but I haven't seen one, nor do I know what it does. Then the Newell Industries RAMROD XL OS that allows you to have Fastchip Floating point routines, and is compatible with the 400/800 OS. For more Information Write: Newell Industries P.O. Box 253 Wylie, TX 75098 (214)-442-6612 Now for the next OS, there's the CSS (Computer Software Services) upgrade called -Ultra Speed Plus-, and this will manage 2MB of RAM easily. Also has that ability to use 400/800/800XL/130XE OS too. Yes CSS are the ones that have the -Super Archiver II- for the 1050 drive. Anyway, the US+ is in my opinion a good OS to have too. It is however, the only one that says you can FORMAT your RAM-DISK in True 256 Byte Per Sectors, Double Density. Call CSS for more Information at: (716)-586-5545 9 to 5 EST. The last here, is the Turbo-816, from Data-Q Software. There are MANY things needed for this OS. It will manage 16MB of RAM, and it's Linear Decodeing of the RAM select, is best, better than ANY of the other OS's. There is even Software out that supports it, and a NON Modified Computer too. I would suggest that you get intouch with Chuck Steinman, of DataQue, and discuss it with him. It would do me no good, other than to -REVIEW- it, to let you decide what you want to do with your XL/XE computer. The Address is: DataQue Software Post Office Box 134 Ontario, OH 44862 Well that's about all for this time, so have fun with all this information, and Remember to Support Your Atari. Buy products, and upgrades, maybe Atari will look at this, and start supporting it. Who Knows? Z*NET ATARIWATCH 1991 CALENDAR ============================== Here's the schedule of 1991 Atari appearances as scheduled at this time. Entries marked -Bob Brodie at...- are typically speaking engagements or appearances at clubs, dealers, or small non-Atari specific shows. April 27 Bob Brodie in Glendale California, addressing 10 groups in a theater setting. An open house follows at a local Atari dealer with several developers appearing also. Contact John King Tarpinian, 818-246-7286. May 4-5 The Windsor Atari Users Group of Windsor, Ontario, Canada and the Washtenaw Atari Users Group of Ann Arbor, MI are hosting the Windsor/ Detroit International AtariFest on May 4 and 5 at the St. Clair College of Arts and Technology in Windsor. Atari Canada and U.S. will both attend. Contact Craig Harvey, WAUG - Ann Arbor at 313-994-5619 or Brian Cassidy, WAUG - Windsor at 519-966-0305. May 18 Bob Brodie in Orlando Florida June 1-4 Summer Consumer Electronic Show (CES) Las Vegas Nevada June 12 Bob Brodie in Sacramento California June 15-16 PACIFIC NORTHWEST ATARIFEST June 15th and 16th at the Steveston Senior Secondary School, 10440 Number Two Road, Richmond B.C. Canada. This is the first major Canadian Atari show west of Toronto, and is just across the US border from Seattle. Contact Terry Schreiber at (604) 275-7944, T.Schreiber1 on GEnie, or Node #505 Atari West BBS on F-Net. July 20 Bob Brodie at BRACE, Asheville North Carolina (Sheldon Winnick) July 27 A third AtariFest is planned at Indianapolis, Indiana on Saturday, July 27th, sponsored jointly by the user groups at Indianapolis and Bloomington known as MIST (Mid-Indiana ST). MIST AtariFest III will be held at CADRE, Inc., 6385 Castleplace Drive, Indianapolis, In. Leave mail on GEnie to (Bill) W.LORING1, or call 812-336-8103. August 8-11 GENCON Gamers Convention in Milwaukee Wisconsin August 23-25 Dusseldorf Atarimesse. This is the huge all-Atari show held annually in Germany. Contact Alwin Stumph, Frankfurterstrasse 89-91, 6096 Raunheim. Phone 49-6142-2090 fax 49-6142-209180 September 14-15 The Southern California ATARI Computer Faire, Version 5.0, also known as THE GLENDALE SHOW has been confirmed for September 14 and 15, 1991. Contact: H.A.C.K.S., 249 N. Brand Bl. #321, Glendale, CA 91203, or call John King Tarpinian, Faire Chairperson, 818-246-7286. October 12-13 WAACE show Washington DC October 21-25 Fall COMDEX Las Vegas Nevada November 23-24 Chicago Atari Computer Show BY ATARI. Contact Larry Grauzas, P.O. Box 8788, Waukegan, IL 60079-8788, phone 708-566-0671. Administrated by the Lake County Atari Computer Enthusiasts (LCACE). Z*MAGAZINE GENIE INDEX ====================== Captured from the Atari8 RT The following is a capture of ALL files related to Z*Magazine which are available. 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This issue is just a test issue, so if you find this newsletter interesting, please send us a message. This is a monthly newsletter for both Portfolio and Lynx users. We will try to cover all the new software that is being released for both machines, but we are also planning to do tips, previews, news and a letter page. To test all newly released software for the Lynx, we have made a nice little deal with the local Fun Tronics store. They are now officially supporting us. On the Portfolio front we have a PC expert. He calls most BBS' every day, so if new Portfolio software is released, you'll be the first one to know. Y.T.Kohl - Editorial assistant ALL THE LATEST NEWS...(AND GOSSIP) ---------------------------------- The NEC TurboExpress will not be released in Europe. This is done because the Lynx is far more popular over here, and because the PC Engine never made it to Europe! This means that here, in Europe, NEC is out of the race and the Lynx has won again!!! Hurrah!!!! More and more shop's are selling the Lynx in Holland, the shop's that are selling the Game Boy are now selling the Lynx along with it. It will not be long untill the Lynx will have won definately (The price has already dropped from HLF 500 to HLF 300, the Lynx II will be HLF 200) A Portfolio II is in production. The only thing we know about it is that it will be an improved version of the old model. More info when we have it. Release dates for the Lynx II have yet to be set(for Europe), but we expect to see it in England this Christmas, and early 1992 in the rest of Europe. In the US it has already been released, at $99,-. Here follows a list of the Lynx games currently available. If a game is not yet for sale at your local dealer, you know that the game is on it's way. Here comes: California Games Rampage Chip's Challenge Klax Zarlor Mercenary Gates of Zendocon Xenophobe Electrocop Gauntlet III Blue Lightning Slime World Paperboy Road Blasters Ms.Pacman Rygar Shanghai RoboSquash RoboSquash - LYNX Review - OUT NOW ---------------------------------- Remember PONG? No? Well, think back, about ten years back. Pong, a game where you slide your bat to the left and to the right to catch a ball, which then bounces away the blocks above. RoboSquash is exactly the same, except for some gameplay enhancements, and the addition of an extra demention. In other words, RoboSquash is 3-D Pong with power-ups. You can play against the computer, or challenge a friend. The latter is the only thing that makes RoboSquash reach the AVERAGE accolade. And this is indeed a very average game, almost below average. PONG was great when it was released.... in the beginning of the '80s! But please, leave these games in the decade where they were born! Get real! It's 1991 and an improved version of Pong is just not enough to keep today's gameplayers happy! Graphics _6 : Simple but functional Sound _3 : Sound hasn't improved much since Pong!!! Playability _7 : Quite playable at first Lastability _4 : After a few goes inerest starts to wane Overall _5 : A pathetic attempt at resurrecting an ancient game Blue Lightning - LYNX review - OUT FOR A LONG TIME -------------------------------------------------- Blue Lightning is out since the beginning of the Lynx, it's a good flight-simulator and demonstrates the great scaling features of the Lynx. The game play is good (very fast play), but it does not really stand out from the other flight simulators. There are nine missions, each with a different goal like attacking radar bases, nightflights and dogflights. There is no music, but who wants to hear music, you're supposed to be flying an airplane, the only sound you hear are those of the plane and your gun. Overall it's quite nice (graphics are stunning), but it's adviced to buy it at a reduced price, unless you really want it. Graphics _8 : Beautyfull, detailled and fast Sound _6 : No music but it does not bore Playability _7 : Game play is very good/fast Lastability _7 : Missions are just right (not to easy and not so hard so you give up Overall _7 : Great, one of the nicest simulators I've ever seen SWAPPING SERVICE ---------------- Here follows a list of games that are for sale, if you want to buy or sell games please mail to the address below (please state your address when you place an add, your address will be printed too). FOR SALE: Gauntlet III Rygar Xenophobe These games cost $18,- including postage and packing, if someone wants to TRADE them for NINJA GAIDEN or BLUE LIGHTNING that's ok. All our games are brandnew and are beeing legaly imported! Internet-address: a15@nikhefh.nikhef.nl GAMING TIPS ----------- Chip's Challenge The code for level 144 is GVXQ. also worth a try if you are a maths freak, is the code MAND. This will enter the hidden Mandelbrot explorer. A tip on using it: all buttons have a function! Xenophobe The Poofer gun is the most powerful. It may have a very short range, but if you want to survive till the very last level, give it a try! Zarlor Mercenary - a players guide: At the start of the first level you'll find a laser, an auto fire and speed. To destroy the most aliens you must put the palm of your hand on the lowest A-button and press the B-button with your thumb, so you shoot your cannons and laser at the same time (autofire is needed). End of level guardians: The first and second guardians are easy, just keep moving to avoid the bullets (and lasers on, level 2) and don't stop shooting. On level 3 there are 3 end of level guardians, just keep flying above the center, so you can't be hit by the lasers, you'll be hit by all the mines and bullets but if you use mega bombs you'll make it through. On level 4 you must shoot all the balls first (watch out, when they explode they will shoot one bomb at you) after you've done that you must shoot the big ball in the center, there will be about ten ships coming out of it (mega-bomb is adviced). Level 5 is not special, just shoot it and watch out for the alien ships that fly around. Use all your megabombs on the last end of level monster, when it still lives use your laser, so you can hit it any time you like. Shopping: Buy whatever you need, if you have money left, use it to buy extra things on the first 3 levels. Sell every thing you don't need after level 5, that's where you make the most profit. My high-score is 3,56 million Zarbits (Supreme Mercenary). PORTFOLIO --------- This month only a small section, but we will have large reviews next month. A hot item to look out for is the harddisk for the portfolio. This 20 MB harddisk is about 1cm high and easily clicks under the portfolio itself. This makes the portfolio about 2cm high, but it doesn't make it any bigger. The only problem with this item is the fact that it runs on batteries. The harddisk does make the storage capacity of the portfolio quite large, and therefore makes it more like a PC. If you just love small machinery, you'll love this harddisk, but we doubt it very much if normal people will really find this thing worth the bucks. Here's some hot news for programming freaks!!! A basic has just been released for the portfolio. PBasic, as it's called, is saved in compressed, downloadable form on CIS and GEnie, in a file called PBas1.zip. You'll need the archiving tool called zip to unzip the file first. To order PBasic 3.0 on RAM card (if you don't have access to a PC), send a RAM card of 64K or bigger size, and a self-addressed stamped mailer for return posting to the following address: BJ Gleason The American University CSIS 4400 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. Washington D.C. 20016 We'll have a full review on it next month. All I'll tell you now is that PBasic is compatible with Quickbasic, so that means that you can now program while on the run!!! Mega great!!! There are also some extra portfolio-only commands!! Just wait one month and you'll hear all about it!! P.S. There is also a Basic in production made by Atari self (this will not be a public domain basic!). Well that's all for this month. If you have any suggestions or tips for improvements in this newsletter, just mail us. Yiri and Tjerk. (P.S. If you want to join us you're welcome) a15@nikhefh.nikhef.nl Yiri Kohl and Tjerk Heijmens Visser c/o Peter Heijmens Visser National Institute for Nuclear Physics and High Energy Physics (NIKHEF-H) Computer Department Postbox 41882 1009 DB Amsterdam - Netherlands. SENDING MAIL VIA COMPUSERVE TO INTERNET ======================================= Copyright (c)1991, CompuServe Internet is an electronic mail system connecting governmental institutions, military branches, educational institutions, and commercial companies. There is no surcharge to send or receive messages through Internet. Only ASCII (text) messages up to 50,000 characters can be sent through this system. The service agreement for utilizing Internet follows: The Federal Research Internet Coordinating Committee requires us to make users aware of the following terms and conditions prior to sending electronic mail via Internet. 1) Not to advertise by means of the Internet. An example of this type of prohibited traffic is a message offering goods or services for sale. 2) Not to solicit by means of the Internet. An example of this type of prohibited traffic is a message offering a job to a user of Internet. CompuServe recommends customers follow these guidelines while utilizing Internet. SENDING MESSAGES FROM COMPUSERVE TO INTERNET USERS To send a message to an Internet address you must use a special addressing format. The command is: Send to (Name or User ID): >INTERNET: user@organization.domain For example: Send to (Name or User ID): >INTERNET:Jdoe@abc.michigan-state.edu Where ->INTERNET:- is required to send your message to the Internet system. -Jdoe- is the valid address for this user on the Internet system. The -@- tells the system that the domain address is following. The -abc.michigan-state- is the organization address. The -.edu- is the domain address. Note: - Domain address elements must be separated by periods and the domain must be separated from the recipient's address by the -@- character with no spaces. - The ->INTERNET:- is essential. It alerts the CompuServe system that your message is going to a remote mail location. Remember to include the ->- sign. - You can have a space after the ->INTERNET:- or have no space. - The correct valid address used by the member on the Internet system is essential. Without the exact address used by the recipient, the message will not be delivered. - The amount of time it takes to deliver an Internet message varies from a half hour to two days. This is a function of Internet and CompuServe is not responsible for this time frame. - Internet and non-Internet addresses may be included in the same SEND, separated by semi-colons. - Messages sent to some Networks via Internet require special addressing formats. For example, messages sent to: Bitnet addresses - .BITNET must be appended to the Internet address. Example: >INTERNET: Harryw@EDUNAB.BITNET UUNET addresses - Generally, the regular Internet address format can be used. However, occasionally, the more complex form is needed, such as: >INTERNET: user%organization.domain@UUNET.UU.NET Example: >INTERNET:harry%edunab.msu@UUNET.UU.NET Undeliverable messages If your message is undeliverable, it usually will be returned to you along with the text of your message. Whether the message is actually returned to you depends on the remote mail system, but you always will receive notification if your message cannot be delivered. Confirmation/Receipts Requests for receipts will be generated only when the message leaves CompuServe and is transmitted into Internet. Receipts to indicate when the user actually receives the message are not available through Internet. RECEIVING MESSAGES FROM INTERNET CompuServe allows a message to be received from the Internet system to your mailbox. Format The Internet user needs your correct Internet address to send a message to your mailbox. Your address is: 1 - Your User ID with the comma changed to a period. 2 - The CompuServe domain which is -compuserve.com- 3 - The correct addressing format to send the message. This format varies from one system to another. Typically, the address is shown as -User ID@COMPUSERVE.COM-. For example: 70002.002@COMPUSERVE.COM The sender should check at his/her mail location for the correct format. Remember - the format may vary, but the essential elements of the address will stay the same. NOTE: - Your User ID MUST be addressed using a period NOT a comma - -COMPUSERVE.COM- is essential - Messages sent through Internet to CompuServe mailboxes include routing information and headers which are added to the top of the message before it reaches CompuServe's system. ======================================================================= Z*MAGAZINE ISSUE #193 APRIL 30, 1991 Copyright (c)1991, Rovac Industries, Inc. =======================================================================