|
Table of contents: |
| COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE Issue #60 | Home | Index | Magazine | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Articles in section: ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE |
| "ABOUT
CFDM" ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE |
| Back to top |
"ABOUT CFDM" COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE is dedicated to those who still enjoy running under RS DOS. It will deal with that format exclusively. A primary goal is to keep the COCO community strong. By providing a unique means of communication, maybe old fires will be rekindled as you and I share our knowledge and experiences! The success of this effort depends on each one who becomes a subscriber. Everyone must contribute his/ her two cents in the form of articles, programs, opinions, experiences, etc. If this happens we will all look forward to the next issue. (Check out the manual with your starter kit for details on how to submit material.) Now let's have some fun!!! =* |
ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE is the creation and property of Rick Cooper. It is distributed solely by RICK'S COMPUTER ENTERPRISE. The material which makes up each issue remains the property of the author(s) or contributor(s) unless an agreement has been made otherwise. COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE is dedicated exclusively to those who enjoy the COCO3 operating under RS DOS. It is hoped that this publication will encourage the continued usage of our favorite computer. Neither CFDM nor RICK'S COMPUTER ENTERPRISE will be responsible for the submission or publication of any material that does not belong to the submitter. WE DO NOT ADVOCATE OR SUPPORT PIRACY! =* |
| Articles in section: ABOUT THIS ISSUE |
| ABOUT
THIS MONTH'S COVER BONUS DIRECTORY (i22) CONTENTS...PART 1 (i60) CONTENTS...PART 2 (i60) PROGRAM DIRECTORY (i60) |
| Back to top |
ABOUT THIS MONTH'S COVER This month's cover picture is by Norm Barson. As
any good CFDMer knows the cover picture has been an
almost exclusive domain for our friend Jim Gibbons.
Unfortunately Jim has not been well for quite some
time now. We have featured the work of a number of
our other talented artist friends during that time
period.
I contacted Norm and asked him to fill in for Jim
until he can resume his work. Norm has been
graciously consented and this beautiful cover is
his first cover picture. Thanks Norm for your help
in our hour of need!!!
I guess we can call this picture "SPRING." Although
it's been a mild winter in Kentucky, we recently =>
____________________________________________________
received an unexpected 18 inches of snow. This
caused a cancellation of school for 5 days. Maybe
we can still get out by the first of June!
=*
|
Here's a description of the files on the BONUS DISK.
File names preceded by an asterisk are data files
or program files used by other programs. Do not RUN
or EXEC files preceded by an asterisk.
----------- SIDE 1 -----------
NAME.........COMMAND..SECTION OR DESCRIPTION
DART .BAS..RUN...Programs of the Month
MATHSET .BAS..RUN...Programs of the Month
NIBSHOW .BAS..RUN...Art Gallery
SONGBOOK.BAS..RUN...Potpourri
STORY .BAS..RUN...Potpourri
TRUCK .BAS..RUN...Potpourri
XMAS1997.BAS..RUN...Art Gallery
* COMEYEFA.BIN........ see next entries
* ILOVETHY.BIN, JOYFUL.BIN, OURGODOU.BIN, =>
____________________________________________________
PRASLORD.BIN, RING OUT.BIN, SIMPLGIF.BIN, and
WHENMORN.BIN are music files. Use SONGBOOK.BAS
to hear these files.
* NIBLOADR.BIN........NIB picture utility
* PIXMOVER.BIN........Used by DART.BAS
* SCREEN01.CM3........Picture file for XMAS1997.BAS
* SAVESEQ .DAT........Used by XMAS1997.BAS
* COCONUT .NIB........Programs of the Month
* DART1 - DART8.NIB...Used by DART.BAS
* FLYACE .NIB........Art Gallery
* GATE1 - GATE5.NIB...Articles of the Month
* PRISON .NIB........Letters to the Editor
* RING .NIB........Art Gallery
* COMEYEFA.TXT, ILOVETHY.TXT, JOYFUL.TXT,
OURGODOU.TXT, PRASLORD.TXT, RING OUT.TXT,
SIMPLGIF.TXT, and WHENMORN.TXT....... =>
____________________________________________________
These files are used by SONGBOOK.BAS
---------------- SIDE 2 ---------------
PACDEMO .BAS..RUN...Programs of the Month
* SND-A.BIN - SND-F.BIN
AND
* GFX-A.BIN - GFX.B.BIN
AND
* PRG-A.BIN........are all used by the PACDEMO.BAS
=*
|
ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE (2)
1) "ABOUT CFDM"
2) ABOUT COCO FRIENDS DISK MAGAZINE
ABOUT THIS ISSUE (5)
1) ABOUT THIS MONTH'S COVER
2) BONUS DIRECTORY (i22)
3) CONTENTS...PART 1 (i60)
4) CONTENTS...PART 2 (i60)
5) PROGRAM DIRECTORY (i60)
ACTIVE COCO (3)
1) 7TH "LAST" CHICAGO COCOFEST
2) NO PA FEST THIS YEAR
3) RCE AT THIS YEARS CHICAGO FEST!
=>
____________________________________________________
ADVERTISEMENTS (5)
1) ALMOST TIME TO RENEW !!!
2) CFDM SUBSCRIPTION
3) COCO REGISTRY IS NOW AVAILABLE
4) FOR SALE OR TRADE
5) PACMAN BY NICKOLAS MARENTES
ARTICLES OF THE MONTH (5)
1) COCO CHRONICLES 11 PART 1
2) COCO CHRONICLES 11 PART 2
3) CREATING GRAPHICS
4) CREATING GRAPHICS 2
5) WAYS OF THE EARLY TRIBE!
COCO FRIENDS ART GALLERY (10)
1) Belated Xmas =>
____________________________________________________
2) CHRISTMAS 1997
3) Calvin
4) Fractal Set 1
5) Fractal Set 2
6) LONESOME PINE
7) RING
8) The Flying ACE
9) VIEWING THE CFDM ART GALLERY
10) WHERE'S BEN?
FAMILY TREE (2)
1) Another Move?
2) CONGRATULATIONS AND GOODBYE!
FORUM (5)
1) RE: THE COCO MARKET (SEE PART 2) =*
|
2) RE: THE COCO MARKET II 3) THE COCO MARKET 4) WILL CFDM CONTINUE? 5) WILL CFDM CONTINUE? (PS...) FROM THE EDITOR (3) 1) FROM RICK... 2) KUDOS FOR ISSUE #60 3) THE NEW SUBSCRIPTION NUMBERS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (6) 1) CoCo Registry (Late?) 2) EMULATOR SUCCESS! 3) EXCUSE MY BLUSH! 4) LA BELLE LUCIE VISITED AGAIN 5) SEND A PACMAN... => ____________________________________________________ 6) WELL WISHES POTPOURRI (7) 1) From SWG Word2-ELEMENTS 2) HOW OLD WAS GRANDPA? 3) Novel progress report 4) SONGBOOK revised 5) TRUCK 6) Web Pages and Email 7) What kind of Recipe Is That? PROGRAMS OF THE MONTH (10) 1) CoCo Setup in Basic 2) GLOOM DEMO 3) GLOOM PART 2 4) HIT THE SPOT => ____________________________________________________ 5) MATHSET - simple Math demos 6) SPACED INVADERS REVISITED 7) SPACED INVADERS TECHNICAL 8) STORY (FOR SPEECHSOUND PAK) 9) THE PACMAN DEMO 10) VIRUS - A Sherlock Adventure REVIEWS (2) 1) PAC-MAN FOR THE COCO3 2) PROJECTOR 3.C QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (4) 1) ANSWERS TO MY OWN QUESTIONS 2) CLEAN YOUR DISK DRIVES? 3) SOCKMASTER - IT HERZ! 4) SPEECH/SOUND PAK =* |
Here's a description of the files on the PROGRAM/
SIDE. File names preceded by an asterisk are data
files and are not to be RUN or EXECed!
NAME.........COMMAND..SECTION OR DESCRIPTION
* GLOOMA*1.ASM........Programs of the Month
NIBSHOW .BAS..RUN...Art Gallery
READGLOM.BAS..RUN...Use to read GLOOMT*1.TXT
SPACED .BAS..RUN...Programs of the Month
VIRUS .BAS..RUN...Programs of the Month
* GLOOM2 .BIN..LOADM:EXEC..Programs of the Month
* NIBLOADR.BIN........NIB picture loader utility
* SPACED .BIN........Used by SPACED.BAS
* 3WISEMEN.NIB........Art Gallery
* BEN? .NIB........Art Gallery
* BIGGAP .NIB........Art Gallery =>
____________________________________________________
* CALVIN .NIB........Art Gallery
* NUM01 .NIB........Art Gallery
* NUM02 .NIB........Art Gallery
* NUM03 .NIB........Art Gallery
* NUM04 .NIB........Art Gallery
* PINE .NIB........Art Gallery
* TWISTED .NIB........Art Gallery
* GLOOMT*1.TXT........Use READGLOM.BAS to read
* VIRUS .TXT........Use VIRUS.BAS to read
NOTE: On side 1 of the CFDM disk you will find
COCOSTP.BAS..RUN...Programs of the Month
=*
|
| Articles in section: ACTIVE COCO |
| 7TH
"LAST" CHICAGO COCOFEST NO PA FEST THIS YEAR RCE AT THIS YEARS CHICAGO FEST! |
| Back to top |
7TH "LAST" CHICAGO
COCOFEST The Glenside Color Computer Club of Illinois will be
presenting the SEVENTH Annual "Last" Chicago
CoCoFEST on April 18th and 19th, 1998. The Sat.
show will go from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. The Sunday
show will go from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
This years fest will be held at HOLIDAY INN ELGIN
(A Holidome Indoor Recreation Center) 345 W. River
Road Elgin, Illinois. (A city block from I-90 &
IL-31)
The overnight room rate is $65 (plus 10% tax).
Call 1-847-695-5000 for reservations. Be sure to ask
for the "Glenside" or "CoCoFEST!" rate.
Admission fee is $10 for the whole show. Children =>
____________________________________________________
10 and under get in FREE.
For further information, general or exhibitor,
contact:
Tony Podraza, VP, Special Events, GCCCi
847-428-3576 (voice) 847-428-0436 (BBS)
OR
Mike Knudsen, President, GCCCI
630-665-1394 (voice) email: Mknudsen@lucent.com
=*
|
NO PA FEST THIS YEAR Ron Bull recently sent word that there will be no
Pennsylvania Fest this year. Lack of vendor interest
was the reason given.
It is sad that our CoCo fests are quickly becoming a
thing of the past. I can understand Ron's decision
because without the vendors a great part of a fest's
attraction is missing. On the other hand I can see
that vendors must very carefully decide on expenses
that travel, food, lodging, and other expenses can
mean especially if they are trying for a profit
with their business.
I have enjoyed attending the Atlanta Fest for about
four years and the Pennsylvania Fest last summer. I
also applaud the Glenside Club for keeping =>
____________________________________________________
their fest alive. Hopefully the PA Fest and the
Atlanta Fest may meet again someday.
=*
|
RCE AT THIS YEARS CHICAGO FEST! I'm happy to announce that our CFDM friend, Jim
Davis, will be representing Rick's Computer
Enterprise at this years Chicago Fest on April 18th
and 19th. (See entry in this section for more
details.)
We hope to supply Jim with a good number of items
from our product line. We will send all remaining
PACMAN disks in hopes of getting support for this
great CoCo game from Nickolas Marentes.
Thanks for your help Jim!
- Rick Cooper
=*
|
| Articles in section: ADVERTISEMENTS |
| ALMOST
TIME TO RENEW !!! CFDM SUBSCRIPTION COCO REGISTRY IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE OR TRADE PACMAN BY NICKOLAS MARENTES |
| Back to top |
ALMOST TIME TO RENEW !!! The next issue of CFDM (#61) will be the last on
this quarterly subscription year. A number of you
have already subscribed for Q3 (that's quarterly
year #3) which runs from issue #62 to 65.
Please check out your mailing label on the package
these disks came in. If the last the characters are
Q2 then its time to renew. The cost is the same as
before; that's $30 for the quarterly year.
Those subscribing to Email CFDM are still good for 9
more issues. If you are a postal subscriber and
would like to go to Email CFDM, you can send in $20
at this time to make the change. Please include
your email address with your order.
=*
|
CFDM SUBSCRIPTION Is your subscription running out? Here's how to check: On your mailing label next to your name is a number. The number after the last dash (-) is the last issue on your present subscription. Please don't let your subscription expire. CFDM is offered only by yearly subscription. Each subscription consists of 4 regular disks issued at 3 month intervals and starts with the September issue for that year. With each issue you will also receive a Bonus disk and a copy of HARDCOPY. The cost for the subscription is $30. Back issues are available for $3 each. Please include $2 s/h on back issue orders. COCOs FOREVER!! =* |
COCO REGISTRY IS NOW AVAILABLE The latest and probably final version of the CoCo
Registry is now complete. Current owners of the
Registry can get the update for $7 when they send in
one of their current Registry disks. Those who
don't have the Registry can get their copy for $12.
The original CoCo Registry had a data base of over
300 records of then current active CoCoists. On the
back of the disk was a program with ads for CoCo
vendors. The latest version has 500 records of
CoCoists. The vendor program has been retained on
the current disk even though many/most of the listed
vendors are no longer in business. I've placed in
on the disk for historical correctness. I hope
everyone will enjoy this latest Registry disk!
=*
|
FOR SALE OR TRADE I have the following CoCo stuff in my inventory. I
will sell or even trade. I am interested in a CoCo
controller to drive cable if someone has one!
HARDWARE:
1 Tandy Deluxe Joystick - $5
1 regular Joystick - $3
1 Hi-resolution Joystick Interface - $3
2 each misc DIN connectors
(used for making IBM to CoCo modem cables)
1 cassette cable
1 CoCo printer cable
=>
____________________________________________________
SOFTWARE:
Tandy MultiVue package w/disks and Tandy book.
Like new. - $10
Other misc. programs, games, etc... - $3 each.
CALL FOR DETAILS
Toby Cropper
(210) 674-9395
email: tcropper@ringer.cs.usa.edu
work email: asltd@intersatx.net
=*
|
PACMAN BY NICKOLAS MARENTES PACMAN is here! The new game by Nickolas Marentes arrived shortly after CFDM #59 was issued. You can get your copy for only $20 from Rick's Computer Enterprise. At this time 14 copies have already been sold. I hope many of you will encourage Nick's efforts by ordering a copy for yourself! There are not many capable programmers left in the CoCo Community and we need to encourage those remaining to create new quality programs for us. Nick has intimated that he will do another (maybe other) programs if this one is well received. You can get an idea of the quality of PACMAN by trying out the PACMAN DEMO on side 2 of the Bonus Disk that came with this issue of CFDM. Hope you like it! =* |
| Articles in section: ARTICLES OF THE MONTH |
| COCO
CHRONICLES 11 PART 1 COCO CHRONICLES 11 PART 2 CREATING GRAPHICS CREATING GRAPHICS 2 WAYS OF THE EARLY TRIBE! |
| Back to top |
COCO CHRONICLES 11 PART 1 A premature ad for the SAMPO COLOR COMPUTER ran in BYTE magazine but, this CoCo clone never saw the light of day (in this country) although, a year later, I was told the machine was sold in Korea. With various disk systems available for the CoCo, the poor timing award went to JPC PRODUCTS CO. for their high-speed cassette system. I wonder how many systems were sold at the $129.95 price? Lonnie Falk announced plans for a big CoCo show for the Spring of 1983 in Chicago. It will be called RAINBOWFEST! Lonnie also hints at an "electronic" RAINBOW in conjunction with Bob Rosen's BBS. November also gave us the first look inside => ____________________________________________________ the new TDP-100 computer, and the first review of Eigen's disk COLORCOM/E. When I subscribed to CCN, it contained a lot of "basic" CoCo information but, with the magazine stalled at the 90-100 page size and Bill Sias devoting more ad and column space to FLEX, OS-9, GIMIX, and ham radio operations, I felt that the "basic" information was being squeezed out. The opening item in the December issue was a tour through the GIMIX plant! Gimmie a break!!! The last straw, for me, was the review for Radio Shack's POLARIS ROM-PAK. Now, don't get me wrong, I thought POLARIS was one of Radio Shack's best games but, why a SECOND review? The first review => ____________________________________________________ appeared in the May/June issue. Maybe Bill Sias was was trying to get on Tandy's good side??? He sure wasn't doing anything for me!! RAINBOW announced support for the DRAGON-32 in its December issue, its first "paperback" type square binding. TOM MIX's king of the Donkey clones, DONKEY KING, is released just in time for Christmas. This was the best game ever done for the CoCo. Thanks Tom!!!! (See COCO CHRONICLES 11 PART 2.) =* |
COCO CHRONICLES 11 PART 2 DON'T BUG ME!
1982 closed out with a tip of my hat to the very
inventive folks in Natick, Massachusetts for coming
up with a very imaginative idea..... DEBUG, as it
was called, worked like this: You send these folks
a program you wrote tht may have bugs. If the
program is interesting enough, they send your
program to "people who like to stomp on other
people's bugs". The understanding being that the
program is sold, if debugged, and everybody shares
in the profits! The ad asks for $5.00 to accompany
your "bugged" program, or $9.00 for a cassette
containing 20 or so "bugged" programs from other
people, or $12.00 for both. The thought of "buying"
someone elses problems is a bit too bizarre, =>
____________________________________________________
even for me.
JAKE COMMANDER, in January, predicted the arrival,
early this year, of the British made DRAGON
computer.
CCN started 1983 with a new cosmetic look including
a new cover ("The Color Computer Magazine for 6809
users") and newspaper quality pages. I liked the old
"feel" better.
Peter Stark, one of the pioneer CoCo supporters,
started including little "tips" in his ads. Peter is
a real innovator both in software and advertising.
Cosmetic changes also appeared in the RAINBOW'S =>
____________________________________________________
January "ADVENTURE" issue with the first FRED
CRAWFORD cover artwork! Fred brings a NORMAN
ROCKWELL "feel" to the pages of the RAINBOW and I,
for one, look forward to many more of FRED's works
of art! This issue probably had the first centerfold
ever in a computer magazine.
MORE COCO CHRONICLES NEXT MONTH!!!
=*
|
CREATING GRAPHICS
In Issue 57, Augie Barre asked how to generate
graphics such as appear in CFDM. Since he apparently
has had no other responses, let me see if I can
help.
First, get thoroughly familiar with CoCoMax 3,
which is what most of us employ. Learn how to use
the various drawing tools -- the line, circle, arc,
etc., and especially the UNDO.
Then, there are a few techniques used in all art-
work to make a flat picture look three-dimensional.
I learned these by watching painting programs, such
as The Joy of Painting by the late Bob Ross, on
public TV. The same principles apply whether you are
working on a computer or with oils on a canvas. I'll
try to point these out at the appropriate place.
=>
____________________________________________________
While working on one picture, Golden Gate, I made
periodic SAVEs as I went along. These can be viewed
in NIBSHOW as GATE1 through GATE5. You may want to
print out this article so you can follow the
descriptions while looking at the pictures.
I usually create a frame as the first step to
define how much space I have to work with. This is
shown in GATE1. In GATE2, I started to block in the
main subject, the bridge. I used the line tool,
primarily, and did some detail work in the ZOOM
mode. I added some shading on the towers to indicate
that whatever light there was came from the right. I
got some perspective by making the left tower (more
distant) smaller and by letting the bridge roadway
structure appear to converge to the left.
=>
____________________________________________________
In GATE3, I filled in the details of the bridge
structure. I used the arc tool to rough in the
support cables. In the ZOOM mode, I smoothed out the
cables and defined the construction of the roadway.
In GATE4, I completed the bridge details -- the
vertical support cables and the lights on the
roadway and the towers. This was all done in the
ZOOM mode. Keeping perspective in mind, the spacing
of the vertical cables and the roadway lights was
made greater at the right and less going to the
left. In adding the water, I used a darker shade in
the foreground and a lighter shade in the distance.
This adds depth to the picture. I then put the
shadow of the bridge in the water. I also made a
start on the glow of the city lights in the sky.
(CONTINUED IN CREATING GRAPHICS 2) =*
|
CREATING GRAPHICS 2 GATE5 is the final picture. In the ZOOM mode, I
added the buildings in the background, again using
darker in front and lighter receding into the
distance. I reworked the sky, shading from a lighter
color to successively darker shades toward the top
(the foreground). To get the intermediate colors for
the sky, I made up simple checkerboard patterns of
two colors. This allowed me to blend colors or
create new ones. I modified the shadows in the water
slightly and put a hazy moon in the sky.
Other techniques, which I haven't mentioned are:
1) Put the principal subject near the center of
the screen to focus attention on it.
=>
____________________________________________________
2) Balance the picture when other objects are
used, such as trees. Put some at the right
and some at the left, but not the same
number. That is, do not use exact symmetry.
3) Where objects meet the background, make them
contrast -- light against dark, and dark
against light.
The best advice I can give is to jump right in and
try your hand at graphics. You don't have to be an
artist -- and I am certainly not! But, with a little
practice, you can reproduce something from a photo,
a calendar, etc. Or, better still, create something
original.
=>
____________________________________________________
Before CFDM, I had only played with modifying
clipart using CoCoMax 3. I wanted to participate, so
I tried composing a picture. I shudder when I look
back at some of my earliest efforts, but you have to
start somewhere.
In the future, if I come up with an appropriate
picture to illustrate techniques, I'll do the same
thing -- SAVE some of the intermediate steps and
write another article to discuss what I might have
done that is different.
Meanwhile, don't procrastinate. If you are
interested in graphics, don't hesitate to try. We
might just find some budding artists in our group.
(Use the NIBSHOW.BAS to view these pics on side 1
of the Bonus Disk.) =*
|
EARLY COCO RATING In the process of cleaning out the bookcase in my
office, I found Consumer Report Annual Buying Guides
from the 1980's. And yes, cleaning out the bookcase
was long overdue. The CoCo appears in the 1984 and
1985 issues while the CoCo2 appears in the 1985
issue. By 1986, the IBM PC's and Apple's Macintosh
push the CoCo out of the ratins. In 1984, the CoCo's
competition in the 'learning' computer category were
three Atari's, two Commodores, including the
Commodore 64 and Texas Instruments TI-99/4a. The
Apple IIe and IBM Personal were rated in the
'general purpose' category. The learning category
works well with the CoCo. Much of my computer
knowledge was acquired while playing the CoCo.
=>
____________________________________________________
Consumer Reports recommends the CoCo. "The models we
think deserve the most consideration are the TRS-80
Color Computer and the Atari 800." "The TRS-80
Color Computer strong points are its relatively low
price and the wide variety of uses to which it can
be put ... without an inordinate investment in
peripheral equipment." "There are many games and
educational programs available for the Color
Computer." "The main weakness of the Color Computer
we tested were its calculator-like keyboard and its
narrow shallow display (32 columns and 16 rows)."
Amazingly the CoCo came with "an extensive tutorial
in the BASIC programming language." It's remarkable
to me that many CoCo-ists including me actually
programmed. I can't conceive of programming anymore
but I certainly appreciate the dedicated CFDM-ers =>
____________________________________________________
who carry on the ancient traditions of the tribe. I
think of CoCo-ists as a tribe bacause we built
canoes (programmed) and shared beads with one
another (enjoye the social aspects of CoCo-ing).
Besides I'm a Cleveland Indians fan, so Tribe is a
good word.
- Ted Kitsos
=*
|
| Articles in section: COCO FRIENDS ART GALLERY |
| Belated
Xmas CHRISTMAS 1997 Calvin Fractal Set 1 Fractal Set 2 LONESOME PINE RING The Flying ACE VIEWING THE CFDM ART GALLERY WHERE'S BEN? |
| Back to top |
Belated Xmas
This one I drew for 1996 and then I drew another
for 1997, and now due to those mixed up disks, I
haven't yet located the CM3 copy -- what a mixup.
Sometimes I wonder was the move worth while?
(See 3WISEMEN.NIB by using NIBSHOW on the back of
this disk.)
Vic N.
=*
|
CHRISTMAS 1997 Here's a wonderful Christmas picture that our friend
Jim Davis sent. I just had to share it with the
group.
This is a CM3 picture and must be viewed by RUNning
"XMAS1997.BAS" on side 1 of the Bonus Disk.
----
Rick:
We appreciate our many talented CoCo friends and
encourage all to participate by using your skills
and knowledge to produce CoCo material to share with
us!
=*
|
Calvin
A recent move seemed to cause no little mixup
with my disks -- can hardly find anything without a
great amount of search. This Calvin cartoon seems
to fit the situation well. Another copied from the
collection on that lab wall I see every month or so.
(See CALVIN.NIB by using NIBSHOW on the back of this
disk.)
Vic N.
=*
|
Fractal Set 1
Everytime I notice fractals submitted to CFDM, they
always are symmetrical and full-screen. What fractal
program are you using? I used Stuart's SFRACTAL and
IFRACTAL, but they always leave a right hand gap for
the numerical information. I recently have started
using Terry Laraway's beta version of M41996.BIN to
draw fractals, because it draws them full-screen and
saves them in the CM3 format for easy handling.
In this set, there are two fractals drawn with the
SFRACTAL program. TWISTED and BIGGAP are, to me, not
detailed enough. But I submit them for your viewing
pleasure.
(See these pictures on the back of this disk.)
=*
|
Fractal Set 2
Using Terry K. Laraway's M41996.BIN fractal program
is a real ease of use. All machine language code and
simple questions to follow.
NUM01, NUM02, NUM03 & NUM04 are some of the better
fractals I have drawn. If you put in the wrong
values, you could actually drawn a complete one
color screen!
(See these pictures on the back of this disk.)
=*
|
LONESOME PINE
This picture was taken from a calendar photo -- a
good source of inspiration for pictures. The site is
identified as Rattlesnake Mountain, Holderness, NH.
Little did I know when I decided to do this one
what I was getting into. After about three full days
of drawing hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of
pine needles (pixel by pixel), I was anxious to get
it over with. But, I persevered and finished.
Select "Pine" in Nibshow on the back of this disk.
=*
|
RING
Here is a drawing that football fans will know about
and maybe enjoy, because you either love'um or
hate'um. Sorta starts at the top and it runs down
hill.
I have another drawing started, but I don't know
when I will finish it. I will be moving within a
month and probably move again within six months.
Since my wife had a stroke, our home place is too
large for me to take care of and her also. I do
live on a farm. I will at least try to get the
drawing for the June issue. Don't know how many
there will be after that.
- Ben Walker
(See RING.NIB on side 1 of the Bonus Disk.)
=*
|
The Flying ACE
Here's a picture of Snoopy as The Flying Ace! I
found an old greeting card with this picture on it
and decided to draw it with CoCo Max.
(See FLYACE.NIB on side 1 of the Bonus Disk.)
=*
|
VIEWING THE CFDM ART GALLERY Please use NIBSHOW to view the .NIB pictures on this
month's disk. As you recall, NIBSHOW was featured
in issue #18 and a more complete documentation can
be found there. NIBSHOW is the contribution of our
Friend Stuart Wyss-Gallifent. Thanks Stuart!
After RUNning NIBSHOW, press D for a directory of
the NIB pictures on the disk. Use the arrow keys to
choose a picture and press the spacebar to view it.
Press BREAK to leave the picture. Press X at the
MAIN MENU to exit NIBSHOW.
=*
|
WHERE'S BEN?
I've been wondering did Ben Walker get his CoCo3
fixed or did he get a new one?
(See BEN?.NIB on the back of this disk.)
=*
|
| Articles in section: FAMILY TREE |
| Another
Move? CONGRATULATIONS AND GOODBYE! |
| Back to top |
Another Move? To update my family tree requires only to list
the newest address and phone numbers. We moved for
several reasons and this one requires my revamping
a built-in book case for my CoCo -- had to dispose
of other cabinets etc. For Christmas one son (the
same one to introduce me to the CoCo) sent us a Fax
machine -- it seems easier than "E" mail for lots of
things. Can copy and send a letter in just a few
seconds and sometimes even cheaper than a stamp.
My new address is: Vic Neufeldt
5080 SW Normandy Place
Beaverton OR 97005-3633
Tel (voice) (503) 646 3048
Fax (503) 627 0959 =*
|
CONGRATULATIONS AND GOODBYE! I received a letter from one of our wonderful CFDM
editors today. It was with great regret that I
accepted the words, but also with a great deal of
appreciation and respect for its writer. H Allen
Curtis has been one of our most faithful supporters
and contributors since Day 1 of CFDM. I think it
altogether proper to ask all of you to write Allen
a letter of congratulations and thanks. His address
is:
H Allen Curtis
172 Dennis Drive
Williamsburg, VA 23185
Here's Allen's letter:
=>
____________________________________________________
Hi Rick,
As you may recall, it was my intention to be with
the CFDM to the very end. At that time I was
thinking that the very end referred to CFDM but now
I know that it refers to my CoCo 3 which after
suffering some intermittent problems a couple of
months ago, finally became inoperable.
Thus, I am announcing my resignation both as an
editor of and as a contributor to the CFDM. It has
been a pleasure being associated with you - a
spirited man of integrity.
The resignation comes at a time when I would be able
to supply a Family Tree story that is a true =>
____________________________________________________
genealogy. Two weeks ago, I received a telephone
call from the Ohio historian of the Mayflower
Society. She happily gave me the exciting news that
I have been accepted as a member of the General
Society of Mayflower descendants. My membership will
not be official until March when I will receive a
certificate and a membership number. Finding
satisfactory proof for each of 11 generations from
George Soule, Mayflower pilgrim to me has been a
real challenge and fun but time-consuming - three
years of research.
Best wishes for your continued success with CFDM,
H Allen Curtis
RICK: Congratulations Allen and all blessings! =*
|
| Articles in section: FORUM |
| RE:
THE COCO MARKET RE: THE COCO MARKET II THE COCO MARKET WILL CFDM CONTINUE? WILL CFDM CONTINUE? (PS...) |
| Back to top |
RE: THE COCO MARKET The following was posted by Jeff on the CoCo list.
--------------
Re: The CoCo Market - $20 Ripoff Games?
(Jim Cox wrote in a message: Regarding the issue of
developing games for the CoCo, one has to consider
that according to industry estimate, it takes over
200 people to develope a "HOT" computer game. Sure
there are exceptions such as Myst, but, do you
realize that the two brothers who originally created
Myst pretty much had to mortgage everything to get
that title out?)
Jeff: I beg to differ on that. Many trend-setting
games are the vision of a small team or even one or
two people. Not that they've been "mega-hits", =>
____________________________________________________
but I've worked on and/or contributed to 13
commercial games for PC and game consoles (which,
except for the two for the Sega Saturn, have all
been considered successes in the eyes of our
publisher), and not one of them has had a develop-
ment team larger than seven people and typically its
been less. Our publisher had more play testers in-
house on the game than we had programmers and
artists.
Development costs go through the roof when you start
making live-action FMV the focus of the game, or
similarly if you have lots of 3D polygron modeling.
Artists are expensive.
On the main issue of debate - how much CoCo =>
____________________________________________________
programmers charge for their products - this is
simply the way free enterprise works. The person who
creates the product sets a price, and you decide
whether it's worth it to you or not. If it is, and
you want it, buy it. If it's not, it sends a
message to the person creating the product that it
is not viable as it has been presented. The
publisher then has the choice to decide if it's
worth it or not to try a different scheme. (The
thing that can get me really worked up about this is
that, though it's not come up here, "its not worth
$xx" is the argument some use for justification of
piracy, but that's a whole separate debate...)
(See Part II.)
=*
|
RE: THE COCO MARKET The point is that the consumers speak through their
purchases or lack thereof. The publisher is the one
who sets the price based on a multitude of reasons.
It seems that many have taken it upon themselves to
explain supply and demand and points of diminishing
returns to Chet et al. I'm sure he understands
market pricing. Moreso, he understands his costs for
the product -- both in material and emotional
investment -- better than the rest of us. That
definitely has to factor into his decision. I don't
think any of us are qualified to make that judgment
for him. (At a basic level, the suggestion that
going to $5 would net more profit is naive. Even if
it was only about money and ignoring everything
else, if, for example, he had $4 in expenses per
sale then now he's got to sell 16x as many =>
____________________________________________________
copies at that price to make the same profit.)
It's a sad thing if the community dissolves, but on
the other hand, if you're not willing to make the
commitment to keep it alive, then that's what's got
to happen. All the same, I don't mean for that to
sound as if anyone should be "blamed" for it though;
I don't believe in being indiscriminate about your
purchases. If it isn't something that appeals to
you, or if it isn't "worth it", don't buy it. What's
the point in a community surviving on disingenuous
enthusiasm?
Anyway, if you only have $5 and not $20 that you'd
like to contribute to the CoCo community to show
support, send it to the CoCoPS or something. =>
____________________________________________________
BTW, on the subject line, to *me*, "rip-off" means
something for which you paid x dollars and were
sorely disappointed for doing so. I haven't seen
anyone post saying they actually purchased any of
the games in question and were disappointed. Though
I'm not purchasing the games myself (since I write
games all day, I've grown rather tired of them), but
I do think that $20 is quite reasonable for a small
market like this. Ever wonder why Mac stuff is more
expensive than PC stuff? Smaller market.
- Jeff
=*
|
THE COCO MARKET I saw this (and other) discussion on the CoCo List,
and asked this writer, Les, if I could include his
comments in CFDM. He said, "Okay."
I am not a professional programmer. I have however
10-15 years of accumulated coco knowledge. If I want
to write a simple program to show my kids how
computers work I can. I have no want, or desire to
spend 1-15 more years (spare time) to learn how to
write Mega code. Jeff (Vavasour) may have only sold
300 units of coco3 (emulator) but I would guess
there are many times that of the freeware 2s'
working out there. There is a diminished interest in
the coco, but I believe that if the product will
appeal to those still using the coco it will have a
larger market. If for instance, instead of a =>
____________________________________________________
pac-man, if a RS hard drive plug in were written for
the emulator I think that those still using the
coco/emu would be much more apt to get that than a
game no matter how well written. Those still using
the coco are usually rather sophisticated computer
users and that an emulator/coco platform is the way
to go if possible.
Programs to link the coco emulator with the windows/
dos system, new innovative exiting ways to meld the
two systems together seems to me to be future of
coco commercial programming. Face it if you can pick
up a box full of software at a yardsale for $5, $20
for a single game IS a hard sell, but if you have a
unique product available nowhere else it does give
you an edge. =>
____________________________________________________
Polling groups like this before setting out on a
project, getting commitments to measure the
viability of a product, of course will help. You
won't get rich coco programming but there is still
a viable market out there, enough to pay you for
your "hobby" and that's not bad because I usually
end up paying for my hobbies.
=*
|
WILL CFDM CONTINUE? The question that is on my mind at this time is,
"Can CFDM continue?"
Our stated objective has been to continue CFDM for
two more quarterly subscription years. That is to
keep our group together until the year 2000. I had
always felt that it was a matter of keeping our
membership numbers up to a level that would finance
the production of CFDM. At this time our numbers
are fine; about 125! That is still very good.
But...with about 30 days left until this issue was
to be completed and sent to the editors there was
hardly any material submitted. I sent word to the
editors and a number of them quickly came to the
rescue. Then I received a few other items =>
____________________________________________________
from some of the other friends, such as Ben Walker
Ray Berney, and Harold Moenich.
I had been working on a Basketball Scorebook program
over Christmas break (and I hope to have that
finished to the point of usefullness by the time
this issue is to go out). Nickolas Marentes allowed
the inclusion of his PACDEMO and Sockmaster gave
permission to include his GLOOM demo. Stuart sent
in some great stuff as did Norm.
But...can we continue to receive enough material to
make good, meaningful issues?
Hopefully the period between this issue and #61 will
answer this question. I encourage everyone to =>
____________________________________________________
do your best to produce something to share with the
group. This call has gone out a few times before
and it has always been answered.
The decision on whether we can continue is now
awaiting an answer...
Rick Cooper
=*
|
WILL CFDM CONTINUE? (PS...) About a month ago I wrote the entry "Will CFDM
Continue?" Today, I'm putting the final touches on
the current issue #60...and...IT'S FULL!!
30 days ago I had my doubts! But material started
coming in at about the same time that I made a plea
to the editors for their help. I can also say that
we again have another good issue.
Thanks to everyone for your continuing help.
Now, about issue #61...please start working on some-
thing now and then send it in early. We've done a
great job for 60 issues; let's continue for at least
another 9!!
=*
|
| Articles in section: FROM THE EDITOR |
| FROM
RICK... KUDOS FOR ISSUE #60 THE NEW SUBSCRIPTION NUMBERS |
| Back to top |
FROM RICK... Dear Friends,
Another issue of CFDM is almost complete as I write
this entry. It's another good one I think! I hope
you will enjoy it. (A round of applause for those
faithful Friends who continue to make CFDM work and
thereby keep the CoCo community alive!)
I mentioned in another entry that I've been working
on a basketball scorebook program. I have not been
able to finish it, but hopefully you'll see it in
issue #61. It's been very hectic around here, and
this new program is the first major (at least minor-
major) work I've done in quite some time!
We have had a relatively mild winter until about =>
____________________________________________________
the 1st week of Feb. when we received about 21
inches of snow! We haven't had that much snow at
one time in years. Now I know what you folks up
north (and east) do in the winter...shovel your
driveways! Except for the 8 hour power outage I
rather enjoyed being out of school for a week!
Please keep your CFDM Friends in mind during the
next 3 months. Send in some material and let's keep
things going.
May God bless each and every one until the next
issue of CFDM!!!
=>
____________________________________________________
This Month's Holy Scripture
One of the things that is hardly ever discussed, but
which should be if we are to ever understand human
beings and how to solve our problems, is the evil
(sinful) nature of man. This verse says it very
well!
The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9
=*
|
KUDOS FOR ISSUE #60 Many thanks go out to the following CFDM Friends who
have made this issue possible.
Norm Barson, Ray Berney, Robert E. Bruhl, Larry
Bryant, Ron Bull, Brenda Cochran, Toby Cropper,
H Allen Curtis, Jim Davis, Herb Forger, Glenside
CoCo Club, Steve Hatcher, Keiran Kenny, Ted Kitsos,
John Kowalski, Nickolas Marentes, Harold Moenich,
Victor Neufeldt, Steve Ostrom, Dave Otis, Al Santos,
Jeff Vavasour, Ben Walker, and Stuart Wyss-Gallifent
THANKS THANKS THANKS THANKS THANKS THANKS THANKS
=*
|
THE NEW SUBSCRIPTION NUMBERS A few of the Friends have written to say that they
are unsure of when their subscription runs out.
This is probably because of the new method I'm using
for your subscription number. I'll try to make that
clear below. Please remember that everyone who has
a postal subscription has subscribed for 1 year, 4
issues, and that all subscriptions run from Sept. of
the year to June of the following year. So if your
subscription number ends in:
Q1 ... then your subscription ran out with the
June issue of 1997.
Q2 ... then your subscription is good through the
June issue of 1998.
=>
____________________________________________________
Q3 ... a few of you have already resubscribed and
have the Q3 at the end of your number. Your
subscription is good through the June issue
in 1999.
For email subscribers: If you have taken the email
subscription of CFDM, you are good for 9 more issues
after this issue. That means your subscription ends
with the June issue 2000. At the current time my
feeling is that that issue will be the last. That's
not written in stone, but that is the plan at this
time. I'm sure much more will be written about that
in the issues to come. For now we must concentrate
on the continuance of great issues. That means we
must have quality and quantity of contributions of
material. I hope all will help!! =*
|
| Articles in section: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
| CoCo
Registry (Late?) EMULATOR SUCCESS! EXCUSE MY BLUSH! LA BELLE LUCIE VISITED AGAIN SEND A PACMAN ... WELL WISHES |
| Back to top |
CoCo Registry (Late?) Dear Rick -- seems I'l always late. Finally got
around to reading the rest of CFDM 59 and noted the
remarks about your new "Registry disk." Enclosed
with this entry is my disk and the requested am't.
I'll have to read that again -- forgotten what it
was, but a bargain in any sense just to be in the
company of all of you. If I'm too late, Ok, but if
I can still get one -- great. Still love my CoCo.
Vic N.
----
RICK: Not too late to get a Registry Vic...just to
late to change data or to get in it. Your's is on
the way! Thanks!
=*
|
EMULATOR SUCCESS! Hi Rick,
...After success yesterday with the latest version
of the CoCo3 Emulator, I want to receive CFDM via
email. I have included a third check for the
trade-in cost.
I haven't tried to run the word processor, TW128,
on the emulator, but I think I'll try. The main
reason is that I have a lot of stored forms that I
have made with the TW128, but can't type them out.
I gave my old color printer (that was hooked up to
the CoCo) to one of my sons. If this works on the
PC, I can print them off on my inkjet.
- Herb Forger =*
|
EXCUSE MY BLUSH!
I am sure I do not deserve the fulsomeness of your "special thanks" and I am sure that there are many Friends who are more deserving. I have been telling myself that I will go PC someday but somehow I always put it off because I am certain that I have not yet tried all that here remains to try on CoCo. Sadly, I have seen many CoConuts who were active programmers or CoCo artists go PC and drift off into web-browsing unproductivity. Sorry my MICRODIR submission was glitched. A re- peat is on this disk. It is not intended as a disk label for CFDM submissions, but I use it a lot for my own disks. Four columns and ten rows with a title and four-line address will fit (just) neatly onto a 4 x 1.5 inch label. Five columns fits a 5.25 disk or jacket. Enclosed is a sample copy from a => ____________________________________________________ forty-file utilities disk. Usually, I prefer to use paper and glue my labels onto disks. ---------------------------------------------------- The expiry reminder on my mailing label reads Q2. I have always renewed in January and I enclose pay- ment for this year. ---------------------------------------------------- Friend Ray Sami of Alphen a/d Rijn (Alphen on the Rhine) surprised me with two large boxes of software and peripherals for CoCo recently. I am still trying to work my way through all those goodies but it will keep me busy for a long time yet. ---------------------------------------------------- I often wish I could turn up a Friend's Family Tree just for background info when I am prompted to write or answer a letter. TRES1>59 is an ASCII => ____________________________________________________ list of Family Tree entries from disks #1 to #59. If you are looking for a name use your wordprocessor's FIND facility to ascertain which issue of CFDM it appears in. I have not deleted any names nor omitted any, even when the entry was, in fact, an obituary. I will leep the list updated. ---------------------------------------------------- A picture, PRISON/NIB, is on the disk but needs no explanation or critical acclaim, so I'm mentioning it here rather than intrude into perhaps limited GALLERY space. ---- RICK: Thanks for all you do Keiran! And thanks for the new copy of MICRODIR..actually it was the entry instructions that were glitched! =* |
LA BELLE LUCIE VISITED AGAIN I want to apologize for listing the wrong person
as the author of LA BELLE LUCIE. I have played the
game enough times to know that GEORGE QUELLHORST is
the author.
I also went back and played the game from CFDM #12
until the end-of-game screen appeared. Pressing
BREAK at this point does absolutely nothing. If
SHIFT and BREAK are pressed at the same time the
game will be ended. This version is evidently not
GEORGE's final version.
Again, I am sorry about the mix-up.
=*
|
SEND A PACMAN ... Hi Rick,
Happy Holidays!
Please send me a copy of PACMAN. My kids have
rediscovered my CoCo3 ever since I bought Digger II
for them a few weeks ago. There is no longer a fight
over who gets to use my Pentium PC now!
- Steve Ostrom
----
RICK: Thanks for your order Steve, and it's great to
hear that children are still enjoying the CoCo!!!
=*
|
WELL WISHES Hi Rick,
Hope this finds you and your family OK! We are all
doing fine here. Not sure exactly when my sub
expires so am sending a renewal check anyway. Don't
want to miss any issues if I can help it. Finally
had to break down and get an IBM compatible this
past June, but still use my CoCo a lot. Have lots
& lots of files on it that I have to refer back to
all the time. I have the CoCo emulator but haven't
tried it, just enjoy working with my CoCo3 too much.
I think my subscription # is H3-21-??. (Not sure
what the last two numbers are.) I'm still enjoying
the magazine, both Hardcopy and the disk. Well must
go. You all have a wonderful Christmas & New Year!
- Larry Bryant =>
____________________________________________________
----
RICK: Hi Larry. Thanks so much for your nice card
and message. And ... by the way, thanks to everyone
for the many and beautiful holiday cards we received
from you over the holiday season! They are much
appreciated!
I've written a little entry in the FROM THE EDITOR
section to try to explain the subscription numbers.
As for your subscription Larry; you are good through
June 1999! Thanks for your faithful support!
=*
|
| Articles in section: POTPOURRI |
| From
SWG Word2-ELEMENTS HOW OLD WAS GRANDPA? Novel progress report SONGBOOK revised TRUCK Web Pages and Email What Kind Of Recipe Is That? |
| Back to top |
From SWG Word2-ELEMENTS M D Q B D Z E F D W M U N I M U L A Y L E K C I N F X D N W N M U I H T I L N O R I M G P R N N W E K D A T N X M U E M J N O B R A C U C U G E O P N S M N R I S G Z A Q B T O Y O Z P I O P E G D F I Z J U S S N U G R K F B Y D T R O D P B S O A S R Y I X I N E N R C E N I M O R B T A P E R R R F O N C H W N E N I O B C A R G O N A L E R U D K C U O S F J S E O I R H O H R V C T S L R Y X Y S U L M O C I D B L N C I P R L J T R S A T L M H L R F I S U X P L C E A P D S O O E R I P G L U F V I G T M D L O G D W S S L I O N R D U G D I N G U U M N Z B M Q C E S I U M Q U H F I M Z M U E A N M U A T M E S E N A G N A M O M P X N B U M D L M M I X X M U N I T A L P Q L E A D F X E I M B L U U M O N A S T A T I N E N I T R O G E N D U Y I I I O C O C O B A L T O X Y G E N V U U Y A I L U R N R => ____________________________________________________ L Y J Z X Y N Z N S K S A X Y Z T T R L O M A A H B I S M U T H J Q O T E D E N I D O I E M G B M C L F L T P Y R U C R E M W F X E G I Y H K U Z R E T K R Y P T O N S W A V O O C Q X S I J J N D E G F M U I C L A C L Z R C A D M I U M X W Q C Y G M Aluminum Antimony Argon Iron Arsenic Astatine Barium Lithium Beryllium Bismuth Boron Mercury Bromine Cadmium Calcium Nickel Carbon Cesium Chlorine Palladium Chromium Cobalt Copper Potassium Curium Fluorine Gallium Selenium Germanium Gold Helium Krypton Hydrogen Iodine Iridium Magnesium => ____________________________________________________ Molybdenum Nitrogen Phosphorus Radium Tin Lead Manganese Neon Oxygen Platinum Radon |
HOW OLD WAS GRANDPA? Here's a neat little puzzle that one of my
secretaries gave me the other day. The creator's
name is not given. You'll find the answer on page
3 of this entry.
How Old Was Grandpa?
Take the number of commandments........
Add the number of Job's daughters.....+
Add the number of the plagues
Ere God dried the Red Sea's waters....+
Add the number of the Psalms...........+
Add the chapters of Isaiah,...........+
And the number of brave men
Who went through the furnace fire.....+
=>
____________________________________________________
When you've figured this correctly
And divided by eleven................/11
Add the number of days
In which God made earth and heaven...+
Add the windows of the ark............+
And the days and nights it rained....+
Now, if you've made no mistakes
Grandpa's age you've ascertained.....=
FOR THE ANSWER ============>
____________________________________________________
The answers are 10
+ 3
+ 10
+ 150
+ 66
+ 3
= 242
/ 11
= 22
+ 6
+ 1
+ 40
= 69
Grandpa was 69!
=*
|
Novel progress report 9-5-97 Last page of last chapter finished.
9-7-97 Last page rewritten.
9-10-97 Epilogue page added. Later same day,
expanded.
9-11-97 "1998 Writer's Market" book previously
ordered, arrives. VAST collection of publishers, how
to's and guidelines for submitting manuscripts to
book publishers.
9-13-97 First requests for publisher's submission
guidelines sent out.
9-15-97 Rest of requests for publisher's submission
guidelines sent out.
9-16-97 CFDM #58 received.
October-November 1997 4 rejection notices received.
December 1997 3 vanity/subsidy publishers contacted
for self-publication. =>
____________________________________________________
12/27/97 This page written.
Still waiting for replies...
=*
|
SONGBOOK revised View text file associated with this article My SONGBOOK program was published in two issues
of CFDM, #50 and #53, along with several songs in
each issue: Gypsy Rover, Santa Lucia and We Gather
Together in #50 and A-Roving, Derby Ram, Robin Hood
and Blest Be the Tie That Binds in #53. I have now
revised the program a little, which I think will
make it a bit easier to use and less confusing. As
before, when you RUN "SONGBOOK.BAS" it displays a
Menu showing all the BIN files on the disk. On my
own music disks all the BIN files are MUSIC3+ files
created by George Quellhorst's great MUSIC3+ pro-
gram, but if there are other BIN files on the disk
(non-music) don't try to load them into SONGBOOK!
Move the cursor to the song you want to play and
press P (for Play). The program loads a MUSIC3+ BIN
file and then a TXT file with the same name. =>
____________________________________________________
When it has finished loading both files, it dis-
plays a new screen with three lines of instructions
at the top, a row of stars and five lines with the
full title of the song, its writer and composer (if
known) and the name of the CoCoist who transcribed
the music. After playing the music once, it then
displays the words, one verse at a time, as the mu-
sic plays. The song can be interrupted, if desired,
at the end of any verse, by pressing and holding
<BREAK> just before the end of the music for that
verse. The PREVIOUS version had some rather con-
fusing screen flipping between the first playing
and the display of the first verse. Also, the in-
structions now shown at the top of the screen were
visible only before the first verse was displayed,
which could be baffling to a new user! =>
____________________________________________________
The MUSIC3+ program allows you to transcribe
music in four part harmony and save it to disk as
a BIN file. That program will also play the music.
The PLAYER program, also by George Quellhorst, will
play the music more conveniently, though. Any MUS-
IC3+ BIN file can be played by SONGBOOK, as well,
but its real purpose is to display the words so you
can sing along if you would like to.
Any word processor program that can save its
output as TXT files can be used to make a file of a
song's words so they can be displayed by SONGBOOK.
The spacing is critical: the top five lines are for
the title of the song, names of author, composer,
transcriber. Verse 1 is line 7-19, 2nd 20-33, etc.,
following the pattern of any SONGBOOK TXT file.
(See Bonus Disk Side #1 for SONGBOOK & songs.) =*
|
TRUCK
As people get old they recall things that happen to
them, some funny, and some a pain in the neck or a
pain in the feet. Here is a sample of my sore feet
some many years ago -- Can't walk but a few blocks
at a time now however. Thanks to my good friend
Ben Walker, this disk was possible to put together.
I don't have to say anything more here since I have
said enough at the end of this disk !
Please, CoCoers, help me in my hour of need.
HAROLD J. MOENICH 11-17-97
(Run "TRUCK.BAS" on side 1 of the Bonus Disk.)
=*
|
Web Pages and Email Just a reminder to everyone that the CFDM and my home page are at: http://www.voicenet.com/-swyss (don't forget, that "hypen" is actually a "tilde", or "wavy hyphen"). Using a "hyphen" won't work. and I can be reached at: swyss<at>voicenet.com (Don't forget, that "<at>" is actually the little a with a circle around it.) -* |
What Kind Of Recipe Is That? What kind of bizarre concoction is this mixture?
1 quart 3% Hvdrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1 teaspoon liquid dish soap
Mix well. Use immediately.
=*
|
CoCo Setup in Basic Here's a picture of a typical CoCo Setup done using
BASIC. This isn't my "exact" setup of my own system,
but it is quite similar...except this one is MUCH
better organized than mine! :)
RUN COCOSTP.BAS on this side of the disk.
=*
|
GLOOM DEMO View text file associated with this article The GLOOM program, GLOOM2.BIN, and it's associated files, READGLOM.BAS - GLOOMA*1.ASM - GLOOMT*1.TXT, are found on the back of this diskette. The original text addresses readers of a web archive, so some of the statements may seem out of place and some of the files are not included in this issue. Thanks to John for his permission to include GLOOM in this issue of CFDM! To see the GLOOM demo, type LOADM "GLOOM2" and at the OK prompt type EXEC. Use the arrow keys to move through the maze. There are some technical notes that you can read by RUNning READGLOM.BAS. Here are John's introductory=> ____________________________________________________ notes. This program is an example. There has been talk on the CoCo listserver about 'Doom' for the CoCo, and most people's impression was that it was completely impossible. It was my opinion that is WAS possible, though it wouldn't be as fast or as graphically complex as the PC version. I don't have the time to make a game, but I did manage to scrape up a little demonstration of a first person perspective '3D' walk through maze program. I've kept it as elementary as possible to save time. (You can still walk right through => ____________________________________________________ walls. The minimum size of a 'square' on the map is very large. There is no 'anything' to this demo other that walking in a 128x64 map.) I've also kept it strictly 6809 code to make a point. If a stock 6809 can do THIS, imagine what a 6809 version would run like? The program runs in 256x192 in 16 colors. The graphics engine writes BYTES to the screen to improve performance, but that limits the effective resolution to 128x192. Overall it runs at about 15 frames per second, give or take a bit for variations in CPU power demanded. (See GLOOM PART 2.) =* |
GLOOM PART 2 The program breaks down to: 96K of 'RADAR TABLE' (Data table used to eliminate on the fly calculations) 16K of 'MAP' (The 128x64 playing area) 1K of program code (actually, it's less that 1K.) I don't have the time to make a game, but I just felt I had to make a point. If anyone wants to make a first person perspective game out of this, contact me and I'll send you the source code. John Kowalski (Sock Master) =* sock@axess.com http://www.axess.com/twilight/sock |
HIT THE SPOT
Just a few lines to say that I enjoy the CFDM so
very much, and to an old timer (Raymond Berney calls
me that), three months is like an eternity.
I can only submit animated graphics, but certainly
would like to be able to program like some of you
"dudes". I would like to thank the following gents
for helping me with the "SPEECH/SOUND" pak:
John Clemons, Arthur Hallock, & John Pendleton. I
would like very much to have as many programs as
concerning "SPEECH/SOUND" as I could get. Since, the
new CoCo Registry is not out yet, I cannot find the
CoCoers who have a "SPEECH/SOUND" pak! I have
learned that Frances Farr has been interested for
quite some time in the "SPEECH/SOUND" pak and I hope
she can help me in some way.
H.J.MOENICH 715 GREENLEAF DR.MONROEVILLE,PA15146 =>
____________________________________________________
See Harold's animated "DART.BAS" on side 1 of the
Bonus Disk.
=*
|
MATHSET - simple Math demos I first began working on his listing long, long ago in 1984 when I had only a CoCo 1.1 and a cass- ette recorder. I was intrigued by the possibility of combining text and graphics on a PMODE4 screen. For this I had to compose graphic strings for each num- ber and letter and most of the math symbols on the keyboard. These are in lines 2300 - 3200 at the end of the listing. The string for each character is labelled Z$ plus its ASCII number in parenthesis. I gave a few less used characters strings for math symbols not accessible directly from the key- board: thus, CHR$(64) will give you degree sign. The root signs have their own labels (LR$ and SR$). The demo screen (lines 200-250) show all charac- ters and illustrate how to put them onto the screen. Set your horizontal coordinate (B) and vertical => ____________________________________________________ coordinate, C, and then GOSUB2210. This subroutine will give you about 28 characters per screen line with wraparound if a text string is longer than 28 characters. See lines 1810 and 1820. Essential in any math program is an input facil- ity like subroutine 60. What you type in response to a prompt as in line 1000 will appear on the screen immediately after the preceding ZL$ text string. To put a value or text string on the screen without a preceding prompt, set B and C and GOSUB70. Text is returned as V$ and values as V. Given the left coordinate of the base (adjacent), the hypotenuse and the base angle, subroutines 1890, 1900 and 1910 will draw a triangle. SIMPLE ARITHMETIC (lines 1530 - 1800 is intended for young children: hence the face in subroutine => ____________________________________________________ 2040 and changing mouth expressions in subrou- tines 2070 - 2010. If this helps a child to exer- cise in the almost lost art of mental calculation then I hope somebody will find this worthwhile. Perhaps you are wondering why my obvious affec- tion for PMODE4 graphics when the luxury of HSCREEN graphics and HPRINT is available. But I think the quality of this PMODE4 letterset is very good. Also, as I mentioned in my note to GTPTTEXT (CFDM #58) flexible positioning of alpha-numeric characters is not easy. In this listing, subroutines 1980 and 2130 make it simple. Note the "eraser": subroutine 1840 much used for selectively erasing text next to graphic figures. B and B(2) are horizontal limits and U and C+3 are the vertical limits of the eraser rectangle. =* |
SPACED INVADERS REVISITED My computer game from a year or two ago, SPACED
INVADERS, has been so popular in my fourth-grade
class! Several kids have asked if they can get a
copy, which sadly I cannot give them, due to ROM
copyrights.
But they play it at school on my laptop during snack
and before and after school.
Several kids went on to beat the game, made some
suggestions, and asked for some features to be
added.
I have done this, and can now present the next
version of....
=>
____________________________________________________
******** SPACED INVADERS ********
For the CoCo 2, 3, or Emulator
This new version has a high-score roster, a routine
written in BASIC (since it saves to disk). So you
will need to RUN"SPACED" to get this version to
work. Of course, SPACED.BIN should be on the same
disk when you run SPACED.BAS.
If you're running it the first time, it will create
a blank Top-10 list, otherwise you'll see the
current Top-10. After you die playing the game (or
beat it), you can enter your name (assuming you made
the Top-10). If you want to clear the Top-10, just
delete the file TOPSCORE.DAT from the disk. ->
____________________________________________________
A few more enemies have been added to each screen,
so to win, you'll need to get about 250 points,
versus 225 in the old version. The resolution has
been improved slightly. I hope it makes it easier
to see the bombs while you're shooting them.
A few other subtle changes have been made in the
coding of the program, such as flipping the enemies
over depending on the direction they travel, and a
few other "behind the scenes things".
PLEASE READ SPACED INVADERS TECHNICAL!
=*
|
SPACED INVADERS TECHNICAL For CoCo 2 Users:
If the game runs really slowly, try this:
LOADM"SPACED"
POKE &H110C,3
EXEC &H0E6E
If the speed is better, but not good, try poking
a number like 2 or even 1 into &H110C. If the
speed is satisfactory, you can resave the game so
you don't need to re-poke it everytime by typing:
SAVEM"SPACED",&H0E00,&H25FF,&0E6E
For CoCo 3 Users:
See above
Emulator-------->
____________________________________________________
Emulator Users:
I have found it best to make the Emulator run at
full speed, and adjust the internal program timer
with POKE. So...
Set the Emulator on maximum speed
LOADM"SPACED"
POKE &H110C,40
EXEC &H0E6E
and see how that speed is. Too fast? POKE a number
higher than 40(the default is 6). Too slow? POKE a
number lower than 40.
After POKEing, do the EXEC thing as above. Once the
speed "feels" right (playable, not too fast, not too
slow), you can save the changes permanently by doing
the SAVEM listed under For CoCo 2 Users. -*
|
STORY (FOR SPEECH/SOUND PAK) Since I knew nothing abou the "SPEECH/SOUND" pak, I had to get help. Who came to my rescue? John D. Clemons. Thanks a million John. Without your help there just would not have been this program. I just hope that there are enough CoCoers out there who have a "SPEECH/SOUND" pak. Please let me know who you are, and please send me a letter using the pak on a disk. It would make this old old man very happy. RUN "STORY.BAS" on side 1 of the Bonus Disk. If you don't have a "SPEECH/SOUND" pak you'll have to wait a few seconds while the sound routine plays silently on your CoCo. Then you'll see Harold's graphic. HAROLD J. MOENICH 11-17-97 =* |
THE PACMAN DEMO On side 2 of the Bonus Disk you will find the demo
version of Nickolas Marentes newest CoCo program,
PACMAN. RUN "PACDEMO.BAS" to get a look at and a
feel for this great game.
A joystick is needed to play the demo. The "real"
program allows use of joystick or arrow keys.
We applaud Nickolas for his hard work on a new
quality program for our Color Computer. I hope
everyone will show their appreciation for his
efforts by ordering a copy. The cost is $20 with no
shipping and handling charge. Get your copy from:
Rick's Computer Enterprise
P.O. Box 276
Liberty, KY 42539 =*
|
VIRUS - A Sherlock Adventure View text file associated with this article Yep, it's time for another wacky adventure with Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes. This one is based somewhat loosely on an actual story by Conan Doyle, called "The Adventure of the Dying Detective". If you are familiar with the story, you'll notice some parallels. Even if you are not, the story is fun to read. It's written as tongue in cheek, and meant to be read that way, too! I hope the cliffhanger ending makes you look forward to the next episode. I am certainly looking forward to writing it. It may be set in Panama, where I am planning to visit in July. -Stuart -* RUN "VIRUS.BAS" on the back side of this disk. =* |
| Articles in section: REVIEWS |
| PAC-MAN
FOR THE COCO 3 PROJECTOR 3.C |
| Back to top |
PAC-MAN FOR THE COCO 3 I must admit - I've played so many different versions of Pac-Man over the years on several different computer platforms...that I almost forgot how much fun the original game was! That is until now! With the arrival of Nickolas Marentes' Pac-Man for the CoCo 3...all the memories of the Original Arcade Classic came rushing back! When my registered version arrived...I quickly opened the disk mailer and inspected the contents. The first thing that caught my eye was the commercial quality of the diskette jacket. The front contains a printed overview of Pac-Man and the back has the game instructions. This is handy in two --> ____________________________________________________ ways:one you won't lose your manual and two...it also makes a good quick reference for points and bonuses during play. Pac-Man requires a CoCo 3/512k with a Disk Drive and RGB or CMP Video. Keyboard and Joystick control are both supported. Upon running Pac-Man you are greeted with a brief message from the author along with background information on Pac-Man. A title screen follows and a button press starts the action! The crisp colorful graphics are pleasing to the eyes and the musical intro sets the stage for play. Earn points eating dots that line the maze pathways ...while avoiding the pursuing Ghosts. Eat 1 of 4 Energy Pills and quickly chase down your fleeing --> ____________________________________________________ predators before the power wears off! Additional points can be earned by collecting various bonus objects during play. Gameplay is Quick and very Engrossing. Clear a maze and advance to increasingly more difficult levels. The Action is non-stop and the Animated Intermissions add to the Fun! I'll leave out the unique details of gameplay...so you can discover them for yourself! Pac-Man is an excellent game and it's as close to the Original as you can get! It's also one of the best CoCo 3 games in recent years. A true Tribute that is worthy of the Original...except you won't need a pocket full of quarters to play! :) MY HIGH SCORE - 53,600 =* |
PROJECTOR 3.C A while ago, I got a notice from Roger Taylor that
Projector 3.B was available and that upgrading was
only $3.00. I thought that was reasonable, but other
things came up and I never acted on the offer.
Then out of the blue, Roger sent me ver 3.C. along
with a bill for $6.00, due 12/16/97. So I thought,
What the hey, I'll buy it. Then I started reading
the enclosed page listing all the features and was
startled to find out this was virtually a BETA
version! The very first line proclaimed that is
"Superbly displays pracically all variations of:"
"CoCoMax, 6k/12k Bianry" This is not true. Ver 3.C
wouldn't load ANY binary file from my SUPER COMICS
disk. It stated it was an "Incompatible Format". You
can't get any more elementary than BIN files!
If someone goes to all this =>
____________________________________________________
trouble to code a program and then it doesn't live
up to its billing, that's CRIPPLEWARE! (Software
claiming to do something that it obviously does
not.)
Further more, Roger's 3.C only allows conversion to
CM3, MGE, 640, RAT, VEF & GIF. I'm being limited? If
this is such a powerful graphics processor, then it
should be able to convert BIN, ART or MAX to CM3 or
MGE, the two most common CoCo3 editors. I'm getting
a little tired havign to constantly switch back and
forth between disks with my other, BETTER conversion
programs. He also repeats the error of saying "80 x
28 line format for the main menu". Balderdash! It's
still 80 x 24 expanded line. This is quite
frustrating.
=>
____________________________________________________
Lastly, there are no instructions on how to use the
Epson 24-bit printer driver.
I hate to write such a bad review, but when someone
stomps on your toe, you become unhappy.
=*
|
| Articles in section: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS |
| ANSWERS
TO MY OWN QUESTIONS CLEAN YOUR DISK DRIVES? SOCKMASTER - IT HERZ! SPEECH/SOUND PAK |
| Back to top |
ANSWERS TO MY OWN QUESTIONS In Issue 51, I had a picture of a Goldfinch
perched on a flower. I asked if anyone knew what
kind of flower it was.
I found the answer in a recent front-page article
in the Newark Star Ledger. It's name is Echinacea
purpurea, commonly called the purple coneflower. It
is native to the North American prairie -- and it is
also found in New Jersey. It grows 2-4 feet tall.
Now, why would this be the subject of a newspaper
article? It seems that echinacea is sweeping the
country as a remedy for the common cold. It is the
best-selling herbal remedy in the United States
today. The plants are harvested for their roots,
flowerheads, seeds or plant juices which can then be
made into capsules, extracts and teas.
=>
____________________________________________________
In Issue 38, I had a picture titled, "If winter
comes, can spring be far behind?". I couldn't
remember who wrote the poem containing this line.
I have since found out it was the English poet,
Percy Shelley. You probably had his works as
required reading in high school.
Norm Barson
7 Ridge Court
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
Ph. (732) 254-7767
(Please note my area code has changed.)
=*
|
Clean your disk drive? I wonder if the rest of you clean your disk
drives on a regular basis or just when they act up?
I cleaned my disk drives regularly with Diskette
cleaning disk and solutions but then one day it
didn't help -- thought my CoCo was dead. Finally
thought to remove end plug and cleaned contacts
with pencil eraser. Now it worked OK again. Once
Terry Larraway mentioned a cleaner made by "Caig."
I happened to find it at a local Electronic Store.
Now when a problem occurs, I first clean those
contacts -- they can cause some weird things. After
my latest problem I've decided to "note" and clean
contacts regularly. Might save time and WORRY.
Vic N.
=*
|
SOCKMASTER - IT HERZ! Yes, John, it herz when I think of US and Canad-
ian CoConuts enjoying your 64COLOR rabbit while I
get garbage (very pretty garbage, I must admit). My
Australian CoCo 3 operates on 50 herz / 220 volts.
The same system applies here in Europe.
I am no hacker, but I remember reading somewhere
that POKEFF98,&H03 generates 60 herz and one can get
50 herz with POKE&HFF98,0B. I took a blind shot with
your RAINBOW (CFDM #58) and changed a value 0003 in
DATA line 110 to read 000B. I got uniform, equally
spaced bars across the screen as I think you inten-
ded .But I had no idea of where to poke and no luck
with 64COLOR. Any suggestions?
RICK: It will probably take 3 months before John
sees this query. I don't have his address so could
you mail the enclosed hard copy. Excuse my puns.=>
____________________________________________________
----
RICK: How's this for service! I emailed Keiran's
question to John and immediately received the reply
below.
--------------
John Kowalski (Sock Master): You got it right. The
problem is that the program times the palette
updates so that they're syncronized with the video.
When a 50Hz video rate is used, the timing changes
and the palette updates happen in the wrong place -
resulting in a big mess of colors.
Here are two solutions: Add POKE 65432,128 to the
beginning of line 240 to switch the video to 60hz.
(This works okay if your monitor allows you =>
____________________________________________________
to view 60Hz video.) OR you can change the 0C70 at
the end of line 100 to 0AC0, and then change the
86EA at the beginning of line 110 to 8600. This
patch alters the timing in the program to work in
50Hz. The only glitch is that there are 4 scanlines
at the bottom of the screen that don't get their
colors updated because the routine can only be
adjusted so far without getting a rewrite. Don't try
both patches simultaneously because they cancel each
other out.
- John Kowalski (Sock Master)
http://www.axess.com/twilight/sock/
=*
|
SPEECH/SOUND PAK Once more I am into something new--SPEECH/SOUND PAK. I get a kick out of hearing a mechanical voice------ of course it haaad to be a male voice--since a man must have invented it ! A great deal of work goes into programming it, but I think it is well worth the effort-- comments from everyone please. I would appreciate any programs with "SPEECH" from anyone who would sent them to me -- Just ask for any kind of disk from me in exchange. I am working on another kind of letter to sent to Rick in the near future. Thanks again for all who have helped me, but I will be looking for new friends for help. HAROLD J. MOENICH 01-20-98 715 GREENLEAF DRIVE, MONROEVILLE,PA 15146-1133 =* |
