Adventurer #08: Новости: Обновления из Рыбинска и подготовка к FunTop

Our news

The latest news from the glorious city of Rybinsk is mostly dedicated to the preparation for the FunTop party: as you may have already noticed, we have prepared a fresh issue of "Adventurer" for release at FT, as well as works for gfx, music, and demo compos. Well, let's start naming names.

Auryn

Ray - is currently sitting on his A1200 and is only writing texts for the magazine for Speccy, for the simple reason that to set up his new machine (axel, memory, etc.) he was forced to sell his Pent, and he has no Amiga emulators for Spectrum. For the same reason, work on his game has been suspended indefinitely.

Cav - is writing a ton of texts for us and for Deja Vu, and the creation of his game is progressing very slowly, although we sent him the graphics drawn by Ant and Miguel a long time ago.

Flex - still in the army now.

Elf - coded the demo, the shell for the magazine together with Shaitan, and also checked and colored the texts, for the reason that half of the people had broken machines, and the other either got sick or went on vacation out of town. He also worked on pressuring people regarding effects, graphics, and music for the demo and texts for the magazine.

Surdakar

Shaitan - coded most of the effects for the demo and upgraded the shell for the magazine. In collaboration with the rest of the people from CPU, he started working on the quest "Gnomon" (coding). Together with Elf, he made a gift for Veka and Miguel.

Andrey Smirnov - back to the future from pC!!! Mostly made the intro for the magazine, as well as part for the demo, and all this was done on pC using emulators and Copper Feet assembler.

D. J. Dens - came back from the army, where he spent the last year on a PC. Coded a bunch of intros there and wrote a lot of music. He forgot all the Spectrum asm, so he suggested writing the demo on pC to Stellerex.

The other former members of the group have completely given up on computers, although Mad Max was thumping his chest (when we got drunk at the Crossroads) that if he got a Speccy, he would write a bunch of cool music.

Infosoft

Never - has become Never again, and also within half a year composed music for the music compo, which is present in the demo in its upgraded version.

Shrsoft - exclusively uses Amigas. One at work (the television studio Alfa) and also at home. And does nothing for Spectrum.

Chasm - wrote articles for the magazine, and also participated in the demo as a project designer and music remixer.

Surgeon - we tried to get him to work on the demo, but we were greatly disappointed, for the simple reason that he shoved his Speccy under the couch, and on his A600 he isn't doing anything worthwhile.

Protecvision - are working on pC and constantly let us down regarding the Internet.

Groboclone

Stellerex - the only one left from the entire team. Drew graphics for us for the gfx compo and for the demo. He also rallied us all to work on "Gnomon", he drew all the graphics, Shaitan together with Elf will handle the technical part, and Chasm will write a hilarious script.

Volume 4

Blind - barely drew a font for the demo and is unlikely to do anything on Speccy since he is busy working at "Gnome" (a local tech center for selling and servicing household appliances and computers), where he assembles PCs and writes programs for them.

XLPRDG97 - promised to create a bunch of effects for the demo, but let everyone down again due to rampant drinking.

Experience

A new promising team joining CPU. The team includes:

Ant - an artist (our old good acquaintance).

Mr. Vano - also an artist, draws on a PC under an emulator. You could see his graphics at FT.

Demon - a coder, recently returned from the army and immediately got to work. He is currently coding their joint project - a quest-style game. It's turning out very cool.

Let's move on to the individually working people:

Miguel - this is Infected Pixels who changed his nickname and became who he is now. Drew graphics for the demo, but didn't draw a lot due to his computer breaking down and illness. Participated in processing articles for the magazine.

Veka - participated in the work on the demo as a coder. He also decided to fix the glitches and refine RDM.

Steel Rat - has a lifelong affair with Scorpio hardware, so he hasn't done anything worthwhile besides an article for the magazine.

Contents of the publication: Adventurer #08

• От автора - Shaitan
  Technical details of a new program interface for ZX Spectrum. Discusses improvements and features like scrolling and color change. Provides keyboard and button navigation instructions.
• От автора
  Introduction by the author and editorial team details.
• Presentation
  The article presents a software installer for creating autorun disks and introduces a new adventure game created with QUILL by Dr. Laser.
• Presentation of TRICK Software
  The article presents TRICK, a new software for program protection developed by Eternity Industry, and discusses its beta and commercial versions. The author, Alexander Kalinin (aka Paracels/EI), addresses previous shortcomings in the software and emphasizes its improved interface. It includes purchase details for the software and invites readers to request it.
• Presentation
  The article provides a detailed user manual for HELP_Z80, a free utility for ZX Spectrum that serves as an electronic guide for Z80 microprocessor commands. It outlines how to load and use the software, including command explanations, search functions, and integration with assemblers. Additionally, it includes memory distribution, operational features, and references for further reading.
• Interface
  The article discusses reader feedback on the magazine's interface, addressing concerns about pricing and software trends in the ZX Spectrum community. It features a letter from a reader expressing thoughts on game pricing and the declining number of users on the platform. Additionally, there are discussions on software developments and user engagement.
• Interface
  The article shares the author's experiences after purchasing an Amiga, comparing it with a PC, and discussing its usability for games, graphics, and music, while noting some software limitations.
• Interface
  The article discusses user support issues faced by hardware manufacturers SCORPION and NEMO for ZX Spectrum devices. It critiques SCORPION for poor customer service despite being a market leader, while praising NEMO for responsive support. The author expresses concerns about the overall market direction for ZX Spectrum hardware.
• Interface
  Article discusses the future of the Spectrum platform, addressing user demographics, software production challenges, and hardware evolution possibilities.
• Interface
  Article discusses the frustrations of a Speccy user regarding hardware issues, the challenges of modern computing, and the dedication to maintaining the Speccy platform.
• Interface
  Статья рассматривает жизнь и судьбы пользователей ZX Spectrum, включая личные воспоминания автора о друзьях и их взаимодействии с компьютерами.
• System
  The article reviews various software for ZX Spectrum, including text editors, audio players, and graphic utilities. It provides independent opinions on their features and usability, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses. The piece emphasizes the evolution and improvement of software tools available for this classic platform.
• Overview of Games
  Overview of notable games for ZX Spectrum, highlighting their graphics, sound, and gameplay mechanics. Each entry includes a brief summary and rating. Recommended for fans of retro gaming.
• Review of Demos
  The article reviews demo versions of various games, highlighting their potential and unique features. It emphasizes the scarcity of such releases in the market and evaluates the quality and gameplay mechanics of selected titles. The author shares insights into the progress and expectations for future full versions of these games.
• Guests
  The article discusses the formation and activities of the Eternity Industry group, its members, projects, and future plans for releases and competitions.
• Гости - Dr. John
  An interview with Felix from Virtual Brothers discusses his transition from ZX Spectrum to PC, development of the game 'Winnie the Pooh', and future plans.
• Guests
  Interview with the musicians Mарат and Демон from the band 'Disgust', discussing their musical evolution, influences, and perspectives on life and creativity.
• Promotion
  The article provides a detailed manual for the game 'ENCYCLOPEDIA of WAR', explaining army selection, unit types, and battle mechanics.
• Promotion
  The article provides a walkthrough for the game, detailing necessary items and strategies for progressing through various challenges, including dealing with dinosaurs and navigating villages.
• Promotion
  Статья представляет собой обзор arcade adventure игры 'ELOPEMENT' от Omega HG, выделяя ее особенности и советы по прохождению.
• Promotion
  Статья описывает текстовую адвентюру 'Остров тьмы' на QUILL, предлагая советы для игроков. Упоминаются механики и персонажи, включая загадки и взаимодействия. В конце представлена карта острова.
• Promotion of 'Knightmare'
  The article describes the game 'Knightmare', detailing its commands, gameplay mechanics, and initial quests. Players control a knight who must interact with characters and solve puzzles to progress. It serves as a manual for navigating the game's environment and objectives.
• Experience Exchange
  The article critiques the adventure game 'Island of Darkness' by Paul Moskow, highlighting its illogical design, lack of detailed item descriptions, and absence of helpful hints for players.
• Experience Exchange
  The article provides a detailed manual for enhancing the ZX ASM 3.0 assembler, introducing debugging features and functionalities for better program execution control on ZX Spectrum.
• Experience Exchange
  The article describes a phenomenon observed with the ZX Spectrum video controller, where switching between two screens can create unexpected visual artifacts. It outlines a specific program that demonstrates this effect through rapid screen toggling. The author discusses the implications and potential applications of this behavior.
• Обмен опытом - Иван Рощин
  The article is a programming guide on porting the 'iris.ss' screen saver effect from Dos Navigator to ZX Spectrum, including source code and modification tips.
• Обмен опытом - Иван Рощин
  Description of the OPEN_W procedure to create window borders. Includes details on customization of symbols and dimensions. Utilizes PRSYM for symbol printing.
• Обмен опытом - Maximum
  Introduction to long integer operations for game development on ZX Spectrum, including addition, subtraction, and conversion to ASCII.
• Experience Exchange
  The article discusses the customization of the ART STUDIO graphic editor by creating additional modules that enhance its functionality, including features like music playback and cursor coordinates display.
• Experience Exchange
  The article describes a program developed to improve the visual quality of a pixel-by-pixel moving attribute message on ZX Spectrum. It provides details on the implementation, including the use of data arrays for motion trajectory and image rendering. The program includes comments for easier understanding and can be modified for different effects.
• Оттяг
  The article features humorous sketches and commentary on various aspects of life and technology, including anecdotes about a fictional character's experience with a Pentium processor.
• Pharmacist Test
  The article presents humorous tests designed to identify whether someone is a real pharmacist or a fraud, featuring situational questions and scoring to gauge knowledge of pharmacy.
• Oddities and Self-Reflection in 'Оттяг'
  The article 'Оттяг' presents a humorous and critical self-reflection of the author, exploring various life experiences and quirks that highlight his unusual personality traits.
• Humorous Quiz: Assess Your Sense of Humor
  The article presents a humorous quiz to assess one's sense of humor and sexual attitudes through various situational questions, revealing absurd and comedic perspectives.
• Student Types Quiz
  The article presents a humorous quiz to determine what kind of student you are, ranging from a party animal to a diligent scholar. It features a series of questions regarding typical student activities and responses. The results categorize students based on their score, from carefree to nerdy.
• How to Properly Torture Windows 95 - Maximum
  Статья описывает иронический подход к установке и эксплуатации операционной системы Windows 95, включая способы ее 'мучения' и троллинга. В тексте используются гиперболизированные примеры взаимодействия с ОС для создания комичного эффекта. Это развлекательный материал с элементами юмора.
• Ottyag
  The article is a humorous narrative featuring Winnie the Pooh and his friends returning to the Hundred Acre Wood, where their carefree life turns chaotic. It describes their antics, including drinking and misadventures, as they reunite and encounter various challenges. The story showcases the characters' personalities and interactions in a comedic light.
• Novella
  The article describes a humorous novella featuring Corporal Johnlan recounting his first military mission and his interactions with a young grandchild over beers.
• Novella
  Novella recounts an adventurous escape from a Glot base using a vintage spacecraft, highlighting the protagonist's encounters and clever maneuvers.
• Novella
  The article describes a whimsical story about two hedgehogs, Pukhly and Zaraza, who, after a strange event, develop wings and must navigate their new reality. The story blends fantasy and humor as the characters face unexpected changes and challenges. This is a novella showcasing imaginative storytelling.
• News
  The article discusses recent updates from Rybninsk related to the FunTop party, detailing contributions from various individuals and teams for the 'Adventurer' magazine and demo competitions.
• News
  Статья сообщает о событиях в сообществе Спектрумистов Ярославля, включая информацию о разработчиках программного обеспечения и их текущих проектах.
• Advertisement
  The article is a collection of advertisements and announcements related to ZX Spectrum, inviting collaboration from programmers, artists, and musicians, and detailing how to acquire the journal and software.