• For white commands on the key, press the letter key.
• For red commands on the key, hold down RIGHT CTRL, and press the letter key.
• For green commands above the key, press LEFT SHIFT and RIGHT CTRL at the same time, and then press the letter key.
• For red commands beneath the key, press LEFT SHIFT and RIGHT CTRL at the same time, and then hold the RIGHT CTRL and press the letter key.
Yet another quirk applies to the special ‘graphics’ characters in the code – pressing the LEFT SHIFT key and then ‘9’ will change the cursor to a ‘G’, whereupon keys ‘1’ to ‘8’ will print graphics; pressing ‘9’ again will turn this off. It takes a while to get used to, but of such idiosyncrasies British gaming was born.
The emulated computer will read the code quite pedantically, so it has to be entered precisely and to the letter. It is vital to include the numbers at the start of each line of the program, and to press ENTER after each line, as if beginning a new paragraph. If there’s a mistake the computer recognises, it will highlight this with a question mark – simply delete the code and try typing that line again. Unfortunately the computer won’t spot all errors though, so take care, making sure that every line has been included.
At any time, you can see what you have done so far by typing ‘K’ for ‘List’, and pressing ENTER. To change any line, simply retype it – the computer will spot that it has the same line number, and overwrite the previous version. In fact, the lines can by entered in any order you choose, as the computer always sorts them automatically, although going through the listing as it is displayed below is probably the surest way to complete it accurately.
On an emulator, you can save your progress at any time by taking a ‘snapshot’ of the computer’s memory – the command can be found under the ‘File’ menu, and it instantly saves the code as a file on your PC or Mac. Have sympathy for those users of the original hardware who had to laboriously save their work to cassette, and even then couldn’t be sure that it had been recorded properly. Of course, for the authentic bedroom coding experience, you should try writing this game on a genuine ZX Spectrum – there are still plenty to be found on auction websites and in specialist shops, and although its keyboard is wilfully cheap, it still holds a special magic.
However you choose to play, once the listing is complete and checked, press ‘R’ for ‘Run’, then ENTER, and enjoy the version of Snake that industry legend David Perry wrote in 1983 – at the age of sixteen.
20 GO SUB 210
25 REM ***Start display
30 LET I=0: INVERSE 0: BRIGHT 0: FLASH 0: BORDER 0: PAPER 0: INK 7: CLS
40 PRINT “ ”
50 PRINT “ ”
60 PRINT “ ”
70 PRINT “ ”
80 PRINT “ ”
90 PRINT “ ”
100 PRINT “ ”
110 PRINT AT 14,1; “Use keys Q,Z,I&P for up, down.”: PRINT “ left and right. Each time you”: PRINT “ eat a toadstool the snake will” : PRINT “ grow longer.”: PRINT “ BE CAREFUL NOT TO BUMP INTO”
120 PRINT “YOUR OWN BODY OR THE FENCE!!!”
130 PRINT :PRINT INK 3;“GOOD LUCK”
140 PRINT AT 10,6; INK I; “ENTER LEVEL OF PLAY”
150 PRINT AT 12,11; INK I/2; “(1 TO 9)”
155 REM ***Input Level
160 LET A$=INKEY$: IF A$=“” THEN LET I=I+1: IF I>7 THEN LET I=0
170 IF A$<“1” OR A$>“9” THEN GO TO 140
180 LET L=VAL A$
190 INK 0
200 GO TO 350
205 REM ***User defined Chrs
210 FOR A=1 TO 5
220 READ A$
230 FOR N=0 TO 7
240 READ B
250 POKE USR A$+N, B
260 NEXT N
270 NEXT A
280 DATA “A”,189,102,195,153,153,195,102,189
290 DATA “B”,0,60,126,153,24,24,24,24
300 DATA “C”,90,36,189,102,102,189,36,90
310 DATA “D”,0,34,34,85,85,85,136,136
320 DATA “E”,28,96,28,3,26,96,28,3
330 LET HS=0
340 RETURN
350 LET B$=“p”
360 BORDER 7
370 PAPER 7
380 LET A=0
390 LET SC=0
400 CLS
405 REM ***Screen set up
410 PRINT AT 0,0; INK 1; “”; INK 5; “
420 FOR N=1 TO 20
430 PRINT AT N,0; INK 1; “M M”
440 NEXT N
450 PRINT AT 21,0; INK 1; “MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM”
460 LET X=20
470 LET Y=19
480 LET A$=“”
490 FOR N=10 TO 19
500 LET A$=A$+“10”+STR$ N
510 PRINT BRIGHT 1; INK 2;AT 10,N; “O”
520 NEXT N
530 GO SUB 800
540 LET D$=INKEY$
545 REM ***Key input
550 IF D$=“p” OR D$=“q” OR D$=“i” OR D$=“z” THEN LET B$=D$
560 LET X=X+(B$=“z”)-(B$=“q”)
570 LET Y=Y+(B$=“p”)-(B$=“i”)
580 IF X=21 OR X=0 THEN GO TO 850
590 IF Y=31 OR Y=0 THEN GO TO 850
600 IF ATTR (X,Y)=122 OR X=22 OR Y=32 THEN GO TO 830
610 GO SUB 750
620 LET C$=STR$ X
630 IF X<10 THEN LET C$=“ ”+STR$ X
640 LET D$=STR$ Y
650 IF Y<10 THEN LET D$=“ ”+STR$ Y
660 LET X1=VAL A$( TO 2)
670 LET Y1=VAL A$(3 TO 4)
680 IF ATTR (X1,Y1)<>122 THEN GO TO 700
690 PRINT AT X1,Y1;“ ”
695 REM PRINT SNAKE
700 PRINT BRIGHT 1; INK 2; AT X,Y;“O”
710 LET A$=A$+C$+D$
720 IF A=0 THEN LET A$=A$(5 TO )
730 LET A=A-(A>0)
740 GO TO 540
750 LET M=ATTR (X,Y)
760 IF M<>60 THEN RETURN
770 LET A=A+L
780 LET SC=SC+L
790 PRINT AT 0,0; INK 5; “
800 PRINT PAPER 7; INK 4; AT INT (RND*10) +2, INT (RND*29) +2; “T”
810 FOR n=50 TO -20 STEP -10: BEEP .01,n: NEXT n
820 RETURN
830 LET X=X-(X=22)+(X=-1)
840 LET Y=Y-(Y=32)+(Y=-1)
850 FOR F=50 TO -20 STEP -5: BEEP .02,F: NEXT F
855 REM ***End of game
860 IF SC>HS THEN LET HS=SC
870 PRINT AT 10,10; “HIGH SCORE: ”; HS
880 PRINT AT 12,11; “Press a key!”
890 LET I=0
900 PRINT AT X,Y; INK 1; “%”: BEEP .01,I*2
905 REM ***Print scores
910 PRINT AT 8,6; INK 1; FLASH 1; “>You scored ”;SC;“ points.<”
920 LET Q$=INKEY$: IF Q$=“” THEN LET I=I+1: IF I>7 THEN LET I=0
930 IF Q$=“” THEN GO TO 900
940 CLS
950 GO TO 30
Once the game has been run for the first time, the code can be upgraded. In lines 430, 450, 510, 800 and 900, ‘M’, ‘O’, ‘T’ and ‘%’ can be replaced by graphic characters – enter the ‘graphics’ mode by holding down the LEFT SHIFT key and ‘9’ while retyping the line; pressing the keys ‘A’ to ‘E’ will print more attractive alternatives directly into the code.
Appendix 2:
Further Gaming
Over three decades, British games developers have published tens of thousands of titles, and in telling the history of the industry this book has been necessarily selective. We don’t pretend to be canonical though – there are plenty of other titles that are rightly considered masterpieces of their time and would sit proudly in a more encyclopaedic tome.
Fortunately, it i
s still possible to play most of the games featured herein – as well as those left unmentioned – at very little cost, and many for free. The Internet is well stocked with libraries of old games, and there are numerous websites which feature reviews and scans of magazines from the 8 and 16-bit eras. A large number of the older titles are considered ‘abandonware’ – games whose authors made no attempt to enforce their copyright, or have openly encouraged gamers to copy them. With emulators, a PC or Mac owner can easily replay thousands of games, many of which once held a generation rapt with anticipation. What follows is a short guide on how to find and play them.
Pre-home computer era
The original MUD game can be played in a browser window at www.british-legends.com. For the technologically adept, the MUSH client (www.gammon.com.au/mushclient) is a portal to a universe of multi-user games. A long dormant site for the MK14, complete with an emulator, can be found at www.robsons.org.uk/archive/members.aol.com/mk14emu/index.htm.
8-bit era
There are a large number of enthusiastic sites devoted to 8-bit nostalgia, but a particular few stand out. World of Spectrum (www.worldofspectrum.org), an astonishingly comprehensive resource for ZX Spectrum gamers, features a directory of games, complete with the files required to run them in an emulator, and scans of contemporary reviews, articles and adverts. Planet Sinclair (www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/contents.htm) provides a wealth of history on the Sinclair computers – as well as Sir Clive’s earlier products – while the ZX Spectrum Museum (www.zxspectrum.net) offers hundreds of games, all ready to play in a browser. Stairway to Hell (www.stairwaytohell.com) is a repository of games and interviews covering the milestones of the BBC Micro; its job now more or less complete, the site is now no longer updated, but it remains a superb resource.
It’s certainly worth exploring more widely though. Almost anything from the era can be found in some form, and the fans who maintain such sites invariably bring a passionate knowledge to their subject.
16-bit computers era
There are a great many websites devoted to the Amiga and the Atari ST, certainly too many to list. Unlike the 8-bit era, however, some publishers are still protective of their copyright, so these sites often focus on articles and discussion instead. Little Green Screen (http://lgd.fatal-design.com) features a good collection of both, while Amiga.org (www.amiga.org) has a thriving forum, ready to offer plentiful guidance to gaming historians – as well as historians of gaming.
Most of the era’s magazines have been scanned, at least partially – try the Amiga Magazine Rack (http://amr.abime.net) for the originals. The spiritual successor to Amiga Power, AP2.com (http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/ap2) is a wonderfully witty reminder of the character of the gaming press at that time.
Consoles and beyond
Console emulators exist, but are rarely indulged by the manufacturers. Consequently the best way to replay old titles is to run them on their original machines. The games themselves can be found on auction sites or in specialist shops – they usually cost no more than a few pounds each. Ebay is probably still the most useful online source, but a fine selection can be found at Retrogames (www.retrogames.co.uk), which is also a good site for whiling away an hour or two window shopping. Do check out independent and charity shops as well, but stumbling across a prized second-hand game is sadly an increasingly rare pleasure.
Many gamers find that they already possess the necessary hardware for playing retro games. In the case of disc-based consoles, their successor platforms are often capable of playing older titles – PlayStation 2 games, which won’t play on most PlayStation 3 consoles, are a notable exception. However, to enjoy cartridge games, Sega Saturn, or Dreamcast titles, an original console is usually essential, although Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all offer services to download and play titles from past decades on modern consoles, usually for a reasonable price.
Mainstream gaming sites are often the best place to start looking for forum discussions and retro reviews of games from this era – IGN (www.ign.com), Gamespot (www.gamespot.com), Eurogamer.net (www.eurogamer.net) and Edge (www.edge-online.com) are all worth trying. Moby Games (www.mobygames.com) is a very comprehensive directory of information on the creators of games from all eras.
Physical media
While there are some excellent books on retro gaming and computing – Digital Retro: The Evolution and Design of the Personal Computer by Gordon Laing (ILEX, 2004) is particularly strong on the hardware – the best coverage of individual games is still to be found in magazines. In the UK the market-leading title is Retro Gamer, which features interviews with developers and overviews of computers, games and genres, often in extraordinary detail. Visually very rich, featuring screenshots and box art, it’s an indulgence for casual nostalgia seekers and obsessives alike. GamesTM magazine also carries an enthusiastic retro gaming section which occupies the last quarter of each issue, and both titles periodically publish thick compilation editions of reprint material. The ever authoritative Edge magazine features ‘making of’ interviews, along with reflections on the creators and content of landmark titles – it’s an ideal place to see modern games put in the context of the medium’s young and frenetic history.
Bibliography And Sources
Interviews
Overwhelmingly, the main source of material for this book was a series of interviews conducted during 2011 and early 2012. In almost all cases where quotes are not credited in the text they have been taken from these interviews, although in a few instances, to avoid needless repetition, interviewees also gave permission to use material that they had published previously themselves, often on their own websites.
A number of existing interviews by third parties also proved useful, and are well worth exploring further:
A&B Computing magazine: Martin Edmondson and Nicholas Chamberlain interview, October 1987
Acorn Programs magazine: Geoff Crammond interviewed by Nicole Segre, June 1984
BBC website (www.bbc.co.uk): Toby Gard interviewed by Alfred Hermida, June 2004; Rick Dickinson interviewed by Stephen Tomkins, March 2011; Richard Altwasser and Rick Dickinson interviewed by Leo Kelion, April 2011
Bits Channel 4 website (www.channel4.com/bits/bitslater35elite1.htm, available as archive only): Ian Bell and David Braben answering questions, 2000
Bruce on Games website (www.bruceongames.com): Jez San interviewed by Bruce Everiss, August 2009
Crash magazine: Paul Anderson and Bruce Everiss interviewed by Roger Kean, December 1984; Peter Cooke interviewed by Sean Masterson, November 1985; Peter Cooke interviewed by Richard Eddy, July 1987; Chris and Tim Stamper interviewed by Roger Kean, April 1988
Edge magazine: Ian Bell and David Braben interview, September 2000; Mike Singleton interview, October 2000; Les Edgar and Peter Molyneux interview, March 2002; Julian Gollop interview, December 2003; Martin Edmondson interview, August 2011
Ellee Seymour blog (http://elleeseymour.com): Chris Curry interview, February 2012
Forbes website (www.forbes.com): Geoff Crammond interviewed by David Einstein, August 2000
Gamasutra website (www.gamasutra.com): Toby Gard interviewed by David Jenkins, October 1998; Dave Jones interviewed by Alistair Wallis, December 2006
Gamespy website (www.gamespy.com): Roy Trubsaw and Richard Bartle interviewed by David Cuciz, 2001
Giant Bomb website (www.giantbomb.com): Peter Molyneux interviewed by Patrick Klepek, April 2012
Guardian: David Darling interviewed by Bobbie Johnson, May 2008
Independent: Toby Gard interviewed by Johnny Davis, April 2004
Massively website (http://massively.joystiq.com): Richard Bartle interviewed by Justin Olivetti, April 2011
Observer: Sir Clive Sinclair interviewed by Simon Garfield, February 2010
Popular Computing Weekly magazine: David Potter interviewed by David Kelly, March 1983
Retro Gamer magazine: Mike Singleton interviewed by Chris Wild, May 2004; Geoff Crammond interviewed by Damien
McFerran, 2009
Sinclair User magazine: Matthew Smith interviewed by Chris Bourne, December 1984; Sir Clive Sinclair interviewed by Graham Taylor, August 1986
Spong website (http://spong.com): Charles Cecil interview, November 2009
Stairway to Hell website (www.stairwaytohell.com): Sophie Wilson interviewed by Stuart Goodwin, 2007
Sunday Telegraph: Sir Clive Sinclair interviewed by Celia Walden, May 2010
Super Play magazine: David Darling interviewed by Matt Bielby, February 2003
Your Computer magazine: Tony Baden interviewed by Meirion Jones, August 1982
Your Spectrum magazine: David Potter interview, January 1984; Bruce Everiss interviewed by Paul Walton, June 1984
Broadcast documentaries and programmes
Anything We Can Do: ‘There’s a Micro in That’, Channel 4, 1985
Brits Who Made The Modern World: ‘Computer Games’, Raw TV for Channel 5, 2008
Commercial Breaks, BBC,1984
Horizon: ‘Now the Chips Are Down’, BBC, 1978
Horizon: ‘Clive Sinclair: The Anatomy of an Inventor’, BBC, 1989
ITN News at Ten: Sinclair C5 launch, ITV, January 1985
Making of the 7th Guest, Virgin Games, 1992
The Saturday Show, ITV, 1983
Thumb Candy, Talkback for Channel 4, 2000
Time Shift: ‘Hard Drive Heaven’, BBC, 2004
Visions, BBC, 1990
Public talks and lectures
David Allen, Christopher Curry, Steve Furber, Hermann Hauser, Nick Toop and Sophie Wilson, speaking at the Beeb@30 event, March 2012
Richard Bartle lecture to Trinity University, April 2010
Ian Bell and David Braben, speaking at the Nottingham Game City Festival, October 2009
David Braben – A BAFTA life in Video Games, BAFTA, September 2009
David Braben lecture to the Game Developers Conference, March 2011
Peter Molyneux lecture to the Games Developers Conference, March 2011
Matthew Smith speaking at CGE UK, July 2004
Matthew Smith interviewed by Paul Drury at the Screenplay Festival, February 2005
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