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PIC=TRUE Data/Recent ÿ ü New Program Reviews ------------------- ý Welcome to this month's review sections. Here are some of the new additions to the Mushroom PD library Mushroom disk section, as well as a couple of older reviews. We have new programs from Paul Burkey, Asa Margetts, as well as myself. None of the reviews of my programs were written by me, so I can't rig the review and say it is the best program to buy. I have decided to let others criticize my work for now. The games we shall be reviewing today are : û Contentious by A. Margetts - Review by A. Kellett - Page 4 Emotional Conflict by A. Margetts - Review by A. Kellett - Page 6 Jelly Othelly by P. Burkey - Review by A. Kellett - Page 16 MMPlay by A. Kellett - Review by A. Margetts - Page 8 Sneech by P. Burkey - Review by A. Kellett - Page 26 Twinz PRO by A. Kellett - Review by P. Gumsley - Page 19 ÿ þ Some of the above reviews contain screenshots within the review. When the picture has finished drawing, press the left mouse button to return the mouse pointer and the reader options. If the screen is bigger than the reader screen, then the bottom bit of the picture will be "Chopped off" to retain the NTSC form. If a screenshot is going to be shown, it will be loaded from the disk and drawn on the screen. In order for you to get the system back, press the left mouse button, when you have finished looking at the image, so the computer can cut it and return back to the reader. ù Have you done a review of a recent AMOS game, or has someone reviewed one of your games, and you would like it entered here? If the answer is yes, then why not send it in to me at the Mushroom PD address so that I can include it in the next edition. If you want me to review your game, then send me a working copy. Please state if it is shareware or not, to determine wether I can put it in the library. ú [Andrew "Mushroom" Kellett] ÿ ü New Review ---------- ý Game - Contentious Author - Asa Margetts Format - Hunt down and kill opponent þ Available from - Saddletramps PD Compatability - Any Amiga with 1Mb of RAM. û Contentious is the latest game to come from Asa, and his first to become licenseware. The game is extremely simple - hunt down the opponent and shoot him dead. The game is for 2 players only, and you play a dude who has to wander around a small maze looking for the other player, who is also looking for you. On the way around, you can collect various weapons, which can do anything from increase the size of your bullets, to add speed to your shot, as well as shoot through the walls to hit the opponent. The gamescreen is split into 2 halves, and both screens scroll rather ÿ û well, and will both update the sprites rather well when they appear on the opponents screen, which looks rather confusing when you are trying to concentrate on a particular screen, when the above is doing exactly the same. To top it all off, you also receive a special level-editor in the program, in which you can design your own mazes, and save them to the disk for future use. There is a whole array of different kinds of walls and barriers to choose from to try and outsmart your opponent. You can even design your own player, and save that to the disk. This game is very typical of one of Asa's programs, taking oodles of space on the disk even when crunched, yet there appears to be nothing in the actual program that should be the length on the disk. The program runs very fast, and an updated version is already underway, with a whole new array of weapons and new playing tactics. ý Overall rating - 7 out of 10 ÿ PIC=TRUE Screenshots/Contentious ÿ ü New Review ---------- ý Game - Emotional Conflict Author - Asa Margetts Format - Graphic Adventure þ Available from - Mushroom PD (Disk No. 44) Compatibility - Any Amiga with 1Mb of RAM ù This is the 3rd in the series of graphical adventures by Asa, if my memory serves me correctly. In this game, I supplied him with the plot, although he changed the original idea slightly. The objective of this small PD game is to try and capture a bad-ass renegade by the name of Mutant Mickey, and retrieve an invaluable golden coin he has stolen from a museum. The game is played with the mouse, as is all of the graphic adventures written by Asa, and basically, you just click on the screen at what you want, and all actions are automatically performed. ÿ ù There is some thinking involved however, such as where you get a particular key from, or how to recover a map. The game itself is actually quite small, which is hardly surprising for one-disk freeware production. The games he did after this have got slightly bigger in length, and also have more of a variety of puzzles to try and solve. Graphics wise, the game is very good. You can tell the artwork of Asa a mile off by the way he draws his cartoon images, as he has a character font of his own. Have YOU ever seen your mom with a yellow face? or maybe a paranoid scitzafrenic with a purple face? Well, there you have it. This is a puzzle game which should keep you going for a couple of hours. The entire game was made into a programming diary, and featured in WAC (the Whitby AMOS Club magazine) and covers all areas of writing these kind of games. For more information on this, Contact P. Gumsley. ý Overall rating - 8 out of 10 ÿ PIC=TRUE Screenshots/Emotional_Conflict ÿ ü MMPlay Review ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ý Coded by - Andrew "Mushroom" Kellett Reviewed by - Asa Margetts Type of Program - Music Player Module types supported - AMOS Music banks, Tracker modules, and OctaMED on the registered version. þ Minimum requirements - Amiga 500 with 1/2Mb of RAM and upwards Available from Mushroom PD (Utils disk No. 58) ú Okay, this is a music module player, a utility coded in Amos Professional with no extra extensions. The first thing that strikes you upon loading the program is that it uses full Intuition (E.g. a CLI like Interface) which for Amos is unusual and bloody difficult to do (with no command extensions!). ÿ ú Anyone who has seen the program MultiRipper will notice a resemblance in the presentation. MMPlay will support many types of music module: Noise Tracker, Sound Tracker, ProTracker, Amos Banks and the registered version also supports OctaMED modules. There are many available options which aren't really necessary, but useful none the less. Some of the extra features include: Displaying ASCII within the memory, being able to search the memory for certain ASCII keywords, typing an ASCII file from disk to screen, creating directories and resaving your loaded modules to new locations. There are other options that will allow you to customise MMPlay to your own liking. These preferences will be stored to disk and be loaded in every time you run MMPlay. You can even adapt the coordinates of the Window size displayed on screen (Shows attention to detail!). A more original option is being able to set Preset modules, therefore allowing you to load in more then one module at a time and storing them until you wish them to be played. Another option which I really like is the built in ScreenSaver! Very original for a music player. Draws a series of lines on screen and moves them around creating artistic ÿ ú patterns! As you can imagine Andrew Kellett has obviously tried to make this as original as possible by adding options that no other module player has. Loading and playing a module from disk couldn't be easier. The program automatically detects what type of module it is and plays it, so all you have to do is type "Load" followed by the path and name of the module. The program will display the modules internal name and size. Certain commands such as "Dir" and "Type" require the C: commands to be in the C: of the boot disk or hard disk as it calls and executes them from within the program. Presentation wise, this program is near perfect for a CLI based utility. Text is not just one boring colour, but uses all four of the Workbenches colours (Standard Amiga). As the program supports the Operating System, it obviously and happily Multitasks along side your Workbench, so permits you to listen to your favourite module at the same time as painting on DPaint. You can switch back to MMPlay any time and change modules simply and easily. ÿ ú If you are an experienced AMOS user, you will know that AMOS takes a lot of processor time even when it is dormant - not MMPlay ! You can run any other utility whilst it is running, and not lose ANY processor time. You can even powerpack files whilst it is running !! As with all programs however, there are minor problems or downsides to things. The program commands are displayed on screen by entering "Help" or more simply "?". During the use of the program, you'll find you have to do this quite often, so it may have been a better idea to let the user just tap the "Help" key. If you're like me and have loads of modules scattered on many disks and you want to search each and every one of them for a certain module, then you'll find this rather time consuming as you'll have to keep entering the command "Dir (Path)" each time. A requester would have been a lot easier to search disks and a lot quicker to load in the actual modules too. However, in the registered version, he has entered a file requester to load in music modules, as well as setting up preset ÿ ú modules. See what a bit of nagging can do !! The program is infact shareware with a couple of features diabled such as the OctaMED module option and a few other useful options are also disabled. However, for the small sum of £2.00, Good old Mushroom will send you the full version with your name encrypted and all options enabled. He'll also listen to any comments or improvements you'd like him to make to the program. This isn't another boring old module player, but one with attention to detail and has some very nice options (Got the point yet?), it was well written and for the money, it is worth every penny. I thank you all! A GUI version is currently being coded, and many requests from previous registered users have been implemented, and a demonstration version is available when you register, and you will also receive the full GUI version. Not bad value for money, methinks !! ÿ ú And the scores on the doors: ý Conclusion: A decent music module player, well worth buying if you have a collection of music modules and require a steady multitasking music player. þ Coding Ability: How well was it coded? 92% Ease of Use: Is it user-friendly? 81% Features: What options does it support? 89% Presentation: Does it look good? 87% Value for Money: Is it well priced? 93% ý Overall: A little (in size) but big in value program: 89% ÿ ü Jelly Othelly ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ý Written by Paul Burkey (C) Daisy Software Price - £5.00 Reviewed by Andrew "Mushroom" Kellett Available from - Paul Burkey þ Demo available from Mushroom PD (Disk No. 1) along with other Paul Burkey demo's û Jelly Othelly. Bit of an odd name this for a game, but the game is exceptional. It is based on the classic "Othello" game, and you must try and outwit the computer opponent by placing a jelly dow, and trying to capture the opponents jelly's. Paul has certainly changed the whole outlook of the classic Othello game here, by implememnting lot's of comical manouvers into the game, including a highly entertaining system of performing your ÿ û move. You can play at either 1 or 2 players on this game, and you can also choose the computer opponents difficulty level, ranging from simps, right through to damn near impossible. As you play the game on the difficulty levels, you can see the different ways the computer works out it's moves. Each time you go to play a move, your "Jelly", which replaces the traditional black and white tiles, is squeezed out of a tube onto a spoon, which you then move around with the mouse. Lot's of detail has been added here, including the jelly that blinks at you as it is sat on the spoon. When you go to place your actual tile, the spoon tilts and launces the jelly at the wall, splatting it into the playing tile, and transferring any of the opponents tiles in your path of the move into your colour. Plus, the more tiles you win off the opponent, the computer will make a totally wild and outrageous sound effect, ranging from the simple "Splat" sound if you get one or two tiles, to a wierd rhino call, and several other wild and wonderfull sound effects if you get over 5. The more you win, the wilder they get. This goes on until all the spaces on the board have been taken up, ÿ û and the computer then counts all the colours and decides a winner. There are several different board layouts in the full version, with just the traditional Othello board on the demo version. For this game, I would definately give the graphics a good nine out of ten, and the same goes for the sound effects, as there are some crazy sounds genarated the more tiles you win off the other player. ý Overall rating - 9 out of 10 ÿ ü Twinz Pro V3.39 --------------- ý by Andrew "Mushroom" Kellett (C) Kellett productions Ltd. 1995 Review by Paul Gumsley þ Demo available from Mushroom PD (Disk No. 47) Compatability - Any Amiga with 1Mb of RAM. ù What is Twinz? -------------- Twinz is very similar to the old "Pairs" game, in which you must uncover 2 tiles at a time from a grid. If the tiles match, then they will stay where they are. If they are non-matched, they are to be turned back over, and you must choose another 2 tiles, bearing in mind where any other cards are that you have turned over, so that you can go back to them. ÿ ù The round is then completed when all the cards have been turned over and then the computer goes on to the next round. Playing the game. ----------------- Like we mentioned earlier, the idea of the game is to match up two identicle pairs of objects in the alloted time and moves. Every time you match up a pair of tiles, you will gain 3 extra moves, as well as 5 seconds extra time, plus a small addition to your score, depending on your skill level. If you run out of time or moves, then it is game over. If you manage complete the round, then you go onto one of the 2 bonus rounds in the game. The game structure is not difficult to master but it's all a question of remembering where you last saw that matching pair. ÿ ù The bonus round. ---------------- Well the bonus round is to be blunt a bugger. Some of the pairs are all the same at first glance. But looking again quickly you discover that there are indifferences to the tiles. Tiles such as different coloured cirlces, coloured electrical resistors are amonst the tiles featured. I actually found myself leaving the the bonus rounds as i thought they were off putting. Others will disagree with me but thats life. Features. --------- There are 5 different tile sets in the game ranging from Aliens, Letters + Numbers, People and others. So there is a few tiles to choose from if you get bored of seeing the same old tiles game after game. Other features include upto 3 difficult settings. Namby Pamby, medium ÿ ù and Difficult. The other option is to choose whether you require the SFX on or off. Basic, but functional features for a basic but challenging game. Conclusion. ----------- Well i have seen some of Andrew's work before and i can say that his programming technique is improving with each program he does. This is a very well programmed game indeed. It does not pocess stunning graphics or a thumping rock music track, but what it does have if instant appeal. It's a simple, no fuss game that you can play as soon as you press your mouse button. A very good game. û Graphics 7 Clear and functional. Just what we need really. Sound 6 Annoying count down drone and decent effects. Gameplay 8 Nice and easy to play that will get you going quicly. Lastability 7 Can get boring after a long playing session. Have a break every so often. ÿ ý Overall 8 A well programmed think'ers that will kepp everyone quite for a while. ú STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS ù Just as we were going to press, Andrew Kellett sent in these ammendments to Twinz. These make the game a lot more playable and less annoying. I increase the overall mark to 9 out of 10. ý * In the old demo, the computer made a sound telling you what bonus you got. It was hard to work out what it was with no sound, so now a box flies across the screen giving the name of the bonus. * The size of the playing board now increases and decreases depending on the difficulty of gameplay which you choose. * Lots more bonus levels !!! I have made one out of eyes and it is even more difficult than the resistor level !!! * You can now choose between music and FX when you are playing. ÿ ý * A hell of a lot more boards, although I am struggling a bit to make new levels than the ones already done. The old levels have lots more tiles added on to them. * I have removed the rather annoying moves system, allowing you to do any number of moves in the time limit you have. * Basically, an overall better-looking and smoother running engine. Improved speed factors are the score and time bars, to minimize the amount of time taken to draw. The program has been genarally smartened up graphics wise, with 3D vectors popping up now and then, and the ENTIRE program has been re-written from scratch, with ideas from registered users included. * If you are already a registered user of any of Andrew's games or utilities, you can pick the full version of this game up for 3 pounds, instead of the regular 5 pounds register price. ÿ PIC=TRUE Screenshots/TwinzPRO ÿ ü New Review ~~~~~~~~~~ ý Game - Sneech Price - £5 Available from - Paul Burkey þ (Demo available on Mushroom disk No. 1) Reviewed by Andrew "Mushroom" Kellett ú Sneech has to be the best game that has come out of Paul Burkey's Amiga. It is known everywhere in the AMOS world, and has even appearead on several coverdisks. Paul took a very basic idea, and transformed it into one of the most addictive games to date. In this case, he took the traditional "Worms" style game, you remember the ones, where you have to crawl around the screen, collecting the dots, and trying not to crash into the other player, or yourself. Well, Paul has certainly given this traditional game a bit of a flare. ÿ ú He has added many, many new weapons and ideas to the game, to make it much more challenging. For starters, you can have up to 8 computer players on-screen at the same time, chasing after all the goodies that are around. You can also play as "Teams" to try and kill the opponent's team. When you start a game, you get 1,000 pounds, which you can go into the shop and buy all sorts of possible weapons, which you can use to help beat the opponent. These include speed boosters, extra size, shields, bomb deflectors, stunners, bombs, auto-turn, as well as loads more. As you progress through the game, you can win money, as well as gain interest on what you have already got. If you start to run a bit low on cash, you can take out a player loan from the bank, but you must pay it back with interest. Each game starts off the same, in an empty arena. Every so often, dots start appearing. If you collect a black dot, you will increase your speed slightly for a while. If you collect a white dot, your snake will grow slightly (if you are not using auto-grow). You can also collect various different amounts of cash which keep appearing now and then, as well as new weapons, such as bombs, stunners, and my favourite, the virus, which slowly kills you when you collect it, and ÿ ú to get rid of it, you must pass it on to another player before you run out of body segments. Blocks also start appearing, which reduce the length of your snake when you crash into them. If you have auto-turn, then the computer will steer your snake out of any situations where you can lose size, unless there is no possible way out. You can use your bombs etc. straight away by colliding into the player who you wish to harm. If he/she has any kind of shields or deflectors, your bombs could prove to be useless, but if they work, you will blow a hole in the middle of the players snake. Stunners temporarily halt the players snake in one spot. Ideal for stealing lot's of on-screen bonus's. When the time runs out, you must make your way to the exit. The first in is the winner, and takes most cash awarded for the win. If you don't get inside the exit fast, you will die. Every so often, a random arena crops up, which places certain objects in certain places to make your job a lot harder. These range from blocks strategically placed on the screen, to whole areas of the ÿ ú screen being cordened off. Sometimes, the only way around the screen is to use the side doors. Sneech has had a lot of detail added to it, including lot's of different high score tables, for things like biggest worm made, and most money collected, plus lot's more. You can even change the colour and skill level of your worm, to loads of different possibilities. This is one game I definately recommend to everyone. ý Overall rating - 9 out of 10 ú A demo version of Sneech is available from the library, along with several other of Paul Burkey's programs. Look under Mushroom disk 1 for more information. ÿ PIC=TRUE Screenshots/Sneech1 ÿ PIC=TRUE Screenshots/Sneech2 EOF