Zoom 2/Zoom - Release 2 (1996)(Active Software)[!].iso/programming/amos/amossible/gen

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      The Bits We din't write much about-So They're all in one File
      *************************************************************

-AMOS's "Pro","Easy" and "1.3".

There are now three distinct versions of the AMOS programming `package':
"AMOS 1.3","Easy AMOS" and "AMOS Professional"-Now heres what they are:
"AMOS 1.3" is the original AMOS.`1.3' is the latest version of it
available,although there were several before that.
   The original AMOS was released in 1990 after the runaway success of
"STOS"(The Atari ST version of AMOS).
  AMOS was(And still is)a revolutionary piece of software-Allowing the
`amateur' programmer to access the powers of the Amiga in a relatively
`easy' way.
    The package allowed the use of Sprites,Bobs,a special animation language
called AMAL,sampled sound,music and many other things that were thought to
be impossible or too complicated to access through the rapidly ageing "Amiga
BASIC"-The only other alternative for beginners.
    AMOS's main fault was its manual-Which assumed the user already knew how
to program in at least BASIC-This was fine if you did,but what did real
beginners do?Well,not alot actually-Until "Easy AMOS" arrived in 1992.
   "Easy AMOS"(Not "AMOS Easy",as some people call it)was a new creation
from the recently formed Europress(It was really AMOS's
creators,Mandarin,with a funkier and more 90's name).
    It promised to be able to guide the very beginner through the minefield
of their early programming days.
  Did it succeed?
Well,sort of-While praise was heaped upon it,it didn't quite work
wonders-But this is understandable,as it would have needed a 1000 page
manual,several tutorial videos and an experienced programmer,all in the box
with it to do so!
  The manual itself is very good-Its only bad point is that it can be very
good and explain everything fully at one point,to assuming that the reader
already knows something and not explaining it-Leaving many people behind.
   Its still the best beginners package around-Lacking in only a few things
present in AMOS(Like Sprites and AMAL)-And is worth £35 of anybodies money
if you're looking for a good start.

    But when you've had quite a bit of experience with AMOS(Or programming
in general)you could spend £60 on "AMOS Professional".This is the latest
incarnation of AMOS;It has all the features of the original,with even more
presentation improvements than "Easy AMOS"-You can now play IFF
animations(From software like "Deluxe Paint"),create even more complex
menu systems and play music modules from the MED music maker.
(All the differences are actually too numerous to mention here)
This is not a purchase for the beginner,because its very expensive,but is
certainl a `professional' package.

How Do I Get That?????

A small guide to computer art,sampled sound,and music.

Okay,this stuff is flipping OBVIOUS,but this is for total beginners.

Art work(Graphics)
------------------
 You've got a great idea for a title screen in your latest program,but how
do you go about getting it from your head to an AMOS program?
  What you'll need to do is aquire a computer paint package such as one of
the Delux Paint series(Versions 3 and 4 are the recommended ones).And then
following the instructions within,you can `draw' a picture and save it onto
a disk.
   When you load in AMOS,utilizing AMOS's various graphic commands,you can
tell it to load in your picture,which-Via a variety of commands-Can be
manipulated in many ways.

Sampled Sound
-------------
  If AMOS can't simulate a sound that you want,then don't despair,as you can
`grab' any(Well,virtually any)sound that you want by using a sound
sampler(Which is a small cartridge that fits into your Amigas printer port).
  What a sound sampler does is digitally record sound-From a variety of
sources(Such as a tape player,CD or LP,connected by a selection of
leads)-Converting it into information the computer can understand.These
sounds can be altered with the various tools in the samplers software.
   Sound samplers can range from the inexpensive "StereoMaster"from
Microdeal(£39.99)to the "Clarity 16"(Which somehow simulates 16 sound
channels),which costs about £105.
  To play samples in AMOS,you first have to load them into AMOS's Sample
Bank maker,make an actual sample bank-Which is in turn loaded into AMOS via
several commands,and finally each sample can be played at will.

Music and Tracker tunes
-----------------------
  Have you ever thought about how dull a film would be if it had no music in
the background?
  Well,think what a tense shoot `em up would be like without an
action-packed soundtrack.
 Never fear,AMOS is here!
    Music can be created using something called a `tracker'(it plays
sounds in each of the Amigas four sound channels-or `tracks' as they are
called)-In which the user enters musical notes via the keyboard,the
`instruments' are sound samples.
   Once a tune has been composed,it can be saved to disk.From there,it can
be loaded into AMOS and played when you want.
   Typical trackers are "MED" and "Soundtracker" which are both available in
most Public Domain libraries.



Confused-We Don't Blame You.....
--------------------------------
  If you're still confused after all the help we've tried to give you,then
heres a tip.
  If you see a command or example that you can't work out,then try and find
another similar program(In your AMOS manual or a magazine),find the
AMOSSIBLE example(Or where ever it comes from)-Look at both of them aned
note down the similarities between the two-For example,they could both
affect screens-One loading a picture and then fading it to black,and the
other could load a picture and then clear it.By observing the
similarities,you can usually work out what you have to do (look out for any
similar commands especially).


Where To Go From Here......A guide to future AMOS-ing
-----------------------------------------------------
Okay.So you may have learnt one or two things from this disk,but thats not
going to make you a programmer,so what can you do?
  Well,if you found this disk quite handy,you can always order our other two
"AMOSSIBLE" disks-"AMOSSIBLE" is a general tour around AMOS for those who
are a little familiar with AMOS.
"AMOSSIBLE 2" is a game makers guide,tackling the tricky subject of putting
together games in AMOS-As always,we try to be as simple as possible-There
are many examples;We tackle a small program showing one main idea,and then a
`game' is made using several of the smaller ideas,so you can see how they
work together.
  Both disks have sold many copies and "AMOSSIBLE" has been given great
reviews in "CU Amiga" and "Amiga Mart".
  If you want to order them,they cost just £1.50 each-Cheques or P.O.'s for
the correct amount should be sent to Mark Wickson,at
49 Perrott Close
North Leigh
Witney
OXON
OX8 6RU


  There are a large number of AMOS Public Domain disks which you can find in
almost any PD library.In a similar manner to this disk,they have several
programs which you can load into AMOS,examine,muck about with and then run.
  Unfortunately,theres no real quality level-So one good program might be
accompanied by five bad ones.
  But don't let this put you off,as there are alot of weird and wonderful
examples to look at-If you're lucky to get the best disks.

  You could do alot worse than reading the AMOS tutorials in a number of
Amiga magazines.
  A great deal of people will have become AMOS users because of the recent
AMOS `giveaways' on the covers of Amiga Format(Issue 42) and CU Amiga(Issue
April 1993).
   These tutorials take the time to explain whats happening in each program
they print,and this makes it worth investing a few pounds in a copy of
"Amiga Format","CU Amiga","Amiga Shopper" or "Amiga Computing".
      If you want a good bedside read,then Phil Souths "Mastering Amiga
AMOS"(£19.95-Bruce Smith Books)is something to look at,it has plenty of
examples,attempting to explain each one-Theres nothing revolutionary
here,but if you've got £19.95 to spare,then its worth investing it in a copy
just to have a very broad guide to AMOS.
 "The Amiga Game Makers Guide(£16.95-Sigma Press)is the work of Stephen
Hill(The man who wrote the AMOS manuals)-Its not a beginners book,because
games aren't really a beginners subject-You can type a whole game in,but you
might not learn much from it if you're a beginner,but more experienced
AMOS-ers will pick up a few new tricks.