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1992-02-26
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THE AMOSZINE INTERVIEW #1
LEE BAMBER
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
@3
Lee Bamber is a highly respected and talented Amos coder. He has programs
released as P.D and Licenceware with CLR and F1. His two latest blockbusters
FORTRESS and RELICS OF DELDRONEYE are distributed by F1. Both these titles
are due for a preview release on magazine cover disks shortly. It is only
a matter of time before Lee hits the big time commercially and it couldn't
happen to a nicer bloke. Currently he is learning some new languages so
has put game writing on hold for a while. Lee also writes articles for
Totally Amos disk mag and hopefully will be a regular vistor to Amoszine
as well. Good luck Lee.
@2
AMZ: How did you first get into computing?
@1
LEE: My first computer was a Commodore VIC-20. Getting into computing
wasn't a priority when I was only 10 years old, and so I used it
for games. That's if you can imagine a game under 3K. It was my
uncle that triggered my interest in computing, when he could break
into BASIC-written games and alter them. It must have been this
that started me on the long road. From there, I bought a C64
and later on, an AMIGA 500. Some ten years later, I find I am
still loyal to the Commodore banner with the AMIGA 1200.
@2
AMZ: What prompted you to try and learn to program, and how difficult did
you find it?
@1
LEE: I never really tried to learn to program, it was just there one
day. One minute I was playing games, the next I was programming.
I found it extremely easy. Not that I didn't have the same kind
of problems everyone else has. Syntax Errors, Runtime Errors,
Logic Errors, the lot. It wasn't until I started using 6510+
Assembly Language that I really appreciated those error messages!
But like everything else, I got through it and start enjoying
my newly aquired machine code skills.
@2
AMZ: What did you initally think of Amos compared to other languages you
had used in the past?
@1
LEE: When Amos came out, I was plodding along with AMIGABasic. It was
ok, when you considered the alternatives back then. I heard about
Amos at college, and how great it was. When I got it, I wasn't
disappointed. The editor was brill, the functions were endless
and I was literally buzzing with new ideas. I had used quite
a few basics before then. VIC20 & C64 BASIC, VIDI-BASIC, WHITE
LIGHTNING and GMBASIC, but Amos left them for dust, and so had I.
@2
AMZ: What was your first complete program and how did you feel about it?
@1
LEE: My first complete program was called 'Memory Scanner'. I guess
it was luck more than anything else, but it was accepted by the
'Commodore Disk User' magazine for the C64. With a full page
spread and 50 quid for my trouble, it was one of the best days of
my life.
@2
AMZ: What do you think of Blitz Basic?
@1
LEE: Er, Blitz Basic? My view of Blitz Basic is complete ego on my
part and Blitz worshippers should not take me seriously. For I
am not an informed advocate and if I think it's all hype, then
that's my problem. It is a good language, but it's by no means
a Beginners Language. I've still to see a Blitz game written by
a layman, to the standard the Amos community have aspired to.
@2
AMZ: What other languages do you use or intend to use?
@1
LEE: I am currently learning 68000 Assembly. Admittedly, this is to
prepare me for the commercial sector, when I have to start making
some sort of living. Not at college you understand, at home. The
college still seems to think Pascal and Cobol are a pretty good
idea. And I'm only sparing 'C' from this onslaught because it's
one of those nasty languages that everyone likes.
@2
AMZ: What Amos commands do you find the most difficult to use?
@1
LEE: I am perfectly at ease with every Amos command I know. The only
one that gave me trouble was the interface to the parallel and
serial ports. Ultimately, I acknowledged my defeat, and side
stepped straight onto the hardware registers.
@2
AMZ: What improvements or add-on's would you like to see in Amos?
@1
LEE: Not many. Amos is already capable of virtually any function with
a bit of thought. Some commands would be handy though, like a
localised bob priority routine to set only a range of bobs for
Y-axis sorting. Support for the new chipset. Some screen effect
commands like wipes, mode 7 fades, zoom, etc. Much more sound
control, fading of individual tracks, select note on which to
start a piece of music, etc. Things that can't really be done
with the existing commands.
@2
AMZ: How do you rate Amos Classic against Amos Pro?
@1
LEE: AMOSPro is vastly superior to the AMOS Classic. Not that it will
appeal to everyone. Some are comfortable living in the dark ages,
and good luck to them. For me however, AMOSPro takes AMOS, and
clamps it in pure gold. It's not the commands that make Pro
better, it's the way it's presented. Not even Blitz BAsic can
touch it for ease of use!
@2
AMZ: What do you think the future holds for Amos?
@1
LEE: Amos certainly has plenty of run-time left. With extensions all
over the place and more to come, the support is certainly there.
The Blitz boys have certainly worked the system well. They offer
a NEW language with AGA support, and a selling example of what
can be achieved. And it is certainly a threat. But I can't see
it like that. I see a language that has a servicable editor,
awful manual and complicated commands. It may offer AGA, but so
does Assembly and 'C'. I enjoy programming so I use Amos, it's
as simple as that.
@2
AMZ: Will you buy the AGA extension if it ever gets written and released?
@1
LEE: The Amos AGA Extension WILL get released, and yes I will buy it!
As long as the author(s) ensure it is fully compatable with the
existing screen handling system.
@3
LEE BAMBER
Softography
-----------
Date Title Description On Where
-------------------------------------------------------------------
09-03-90 Memory Scanner BASIC Utility C64 CDU Magazine
22-08-90 CDU Menu BASIC Menu Driver C64 CDU Magazine
14-09-90 Amiga Show Demo of Workbench C64 CDU Magazine
18-10-90 Memory Transfer BASIC Utility C64 CDU Magazine
27-03-91 Probe Warrior Machine Code Game C64 CDU Magazine
10-12-92 Shoot'em Baddies Shooting Gallery AMIGA Deja Vu
19-01-93 The Viking Saga War Strategy AMIGA Deja Vu
06-01-94 The Viking Saga (as above) AMIGA CLR
06-01-94 Knight Fight Fighting Game AMIGA CLR
12-01-94 Shoot'em Baddies (as above) AMIGA NBS SW
22-01-94 Calculus Combat Maths Brain Blast AMIGA Software Exp.
29-01-94 Placebo Invaders Space Invaders AMIGA NBS PD
23-02-94 Fortress Arcade Strategy AMIGA F1
04-03-94 Obliteratives Seek and Destroy AMIGA F1
10-03-94 AMOSEyes V1.0 Frontend Maker AMIGA 17-Bit@3
21-03-94 Fortress (demo) Demo Version AMIGA Logic PD
24-03-94 Duel Sword Doods Fighting Duel AMIGA Amos PD
12-04-94 Relics Arcade Adventure AMIGA F1
12-04-94 Relics (demo) Demo Version AMIGA Everywhere!
@1
If you have any comments to make on Lee's opinions then write in.
Next issue we interview another quality programmer.