Tag Archives: home computer

Ultimate’s 16k Driving Marvel

For many, the ZX Spectrum was a gift from parents that believed it would be an educational tool, like the Sinclair ZX81 before it, but in reality it was used by everyone for gaming. One game that stands out is Tranz Am, a top-down game set in a post-apocalyptic USA. Developed by Ultimate Play the Game (the developers who later became Rare), Tranz Am wasn’t just another game; it was a test of reflexes, strategy, and sheer willpower.

Background of Tranz Am

Tranz Am was released in 1983, a time when the ZX Spectrum was still relatively new but already a household name among gamers. Ultimate Play the Game had already established itself with titles like JetPac, but Tranz Am was different. It combined the thrill of racing with an open-world map, something quite ambitious for its time, particularly as it was written to squeeze into only 16k of memory.

I remember first loading up Tranz Am on my trusty WH Smith data cassette player, grateful that I didn’t have to adjust the tone to improve the quality of the signal. I’d actually bought this game, rather than using a “backup copy” acquired from a friend, so it worked first time….

Gameplay Mechanics

Objective and Controls

In Tranz Am, your mission is simple: survive a Mad-Max style apocalyptic world in your dune-buggy car. You start with a limited amount of fuel and must traverse a vast map to collect the “8 Great Cups of Ultimate” while avoiding obstacles and enemy cars. The controls are straightforward: left and right to steer, forward to accelerate, and backward to decelerate. For those who preferred joysticks, the game supported that too, though many stuck to the trusty keyboard. I was always a keyboard fan, even though I had a Kempston joystick and interface.

Tranz Am gameplay screen — Tranz Am Gameplay

The Game Environment

The game’s map is a sprawling depiction of the United States, albeit a very pixelated one. Major cities are represented by clusters of buildings, where the name of the city would appear at the bottom of the screen, giving you another navigation reference. You’ll often find fuel pumps scattered around which you need to run over to refuel your car. Enemy cars, represented by different colored sprites, roam the map, ready to crash into you and end one of your 3 lives. There were also trees and boulders to avoid, as well as the occasional tombstone and oil derrick.

Fortunately for you, your radar shows the position of the approaching cars allowing you to avoid them or plot your escape. The radar also shows the cups, although they look the same as an enemy car. As an added twist you couldn’t just smash the accelerator to outrun your enemies, as this would cause the engine to overheat and the car to slow down.

This created a certain tension as you constantly monitored your fuel gauge while trying to outmanoeuvre rivals, and not overheat the engine.

Tranz Am Graphics and Sound

Visual Style

Considering the hardware limitations of the ZX Spectrum, Tranz Am’s graphics were impressive. The car sprites were detailed enough to be recognizable, and the map, though simplistic, conveyed the vastness of the environment effectively. Compared to other games on the Spectrum, Tranz Am’s visuals were quite advanced, with a good use of the limited color palette.

To provide a bit of variety, there was a “Night Driver” mode which would randomly occur at the end of a life, inverting the screen colours to provide a black background. This would have required a very low programming and memory overhead but was a great effect.

Sound Effects

The sound effects, while basic, added to the immersion. The rising hum of the engine as you accelerated, and the crash sounds when you hit a car or boulder were all part of the experience. Unlike modern games, there wasn’t much in the way of background music, but the minimalist sound design worked well, keeping you focused on the gameplay.

Cassette art for Tranz Am on the ZX Spectrum

Tranz Am Difficulty and Replayability

Level of Challenge

Tranz Am was no walk in the park. The difficulty curve was steep, especially for beginners. The controls were responsive but unforgiving, and it took a few crashes before you got the hang of maneuvering your car. However, this difficulty was part of the game’s charm. It felt rewarding when you finally managed to outlast your rivals and gather enough fuel to keep going and start collecting cups.

Strategies for beating Tranz Am

One tip is to always keep an eye on your fuel gauge. It’s tempting to speed ahead, but managing your resources is crucial. Another strategy is to learn the map layout. Certain routes are safer and have more fuel canisters, so memorizing these paths can give you an edge.

My personal strategy involved a lot of trial and error. I found that sticking to the edges of the map often yielded more fuel and fewer enemy encounters. It wasn’t foolproof, but it worked more often than not.

Complete the game by collecting all 8 cups, and you will be presented with a score and a time, with a game being completed in around 10 minutes.

Replay Value

Trans Am on the Spectrum garnered praise for its substantial replay value, a sentiment echoed by gaming magazines of its era. Reviews highlighted the game’s dynamic gameplay mechanics and the unpredictability introduced by its open-world format.

Magazines often emphasized how each session felt fresh due to the random placement of fuel canisters and enemy cars, keeping players engaged and challenged. This variability not only added to the game’s excitement but also encouraged strategic thinking and replayability, making Trans Am a standout early title in the ZX Spectrum’s library of games.

Comparing Tranz Am with other ZX Spectrum Racing Games

Chequered Flag

Chequered Flag, developed by Psion and released in 1983, is a classic racing simulation game for the ZX Spectrum. It offers a surprisingly deep experience given the hardware limitations of the time. Players can choose from a variety of cars and tracks, each offering unique challenges and requiring different strategies to master.

The graphics, though simplistic by modern standards, are impressive for the ZX Spectrum, with detailed car sprites and well-designed tracks. The game employs a first-person perspective from behind the wheel, which was quite innovative for its era. The controls are responsive, allowing for precise handling, which is crucial in navigating the tight corners and straightaways of the tracks.

Chequered Flag for ZX S-ectrum — Chequered Flag by Psion

One of the standout features of Chequered Flag is its realism. The game simulates different car dynamics, such as acceleration, braking, and skidding, adding a layer of depth that was uncommon in many racing games of the time. The inclusion of a gear shift mechanism further enhances the simulation aspect, making the gameplay both challenging and rewarding.

The sound effects, while basic, complement the action well. The engine noise changes pitch as you accelerate and decelerate, adding to the immersion. However, the absence of music might make the experience feel a bit stark to modern players.

Pole Position

Pole Position, ported to the ZX Spectrum by Atarisoft in 1984, brings the classic arcade racing experience to home computers. As one of the earliest racing games, it set a high standard with its blend of fast-paced action and competitive gameplay.

Graphically, the ZX Spectrum version of Pole Position is quite basic, but it retains the essence of the arcade original. The car sprites and track elements are simplified, yet they convey a clear sense of speed and motion. The first-person perspective from behind the car adds to the excitement, and the colorful backgrounds, though rudimentary, are effective in creating a dynamic racing environment.

The controls in Pole Position are responsive, which is crucial for navigating the twists and turns of the Fuji Speedway track. Players must qualify in a time trial before competing in the main race, adding a strategic layer to the gameplay. Successfully weaving through traffic and avoiding obstacles while maintaining high speeds is both challenging and exhilarating.

Sound effects in the ZX Spectrum version are minimal, primarily consisting of engine noises and collision sounds. While these are rudimentary, they serve their purpose in enhancing the racing atmosphere.

Overall, Pole Position for the ZX Spectrum captures the spirit of the arcade original despite the hardware constraints.

Enduro Racer

Enduro Racer, ported to the ZX Spectrum by Activision in 1987, brings the off-road motorbike racing excitement of the arcade original to the home computer. While it can’t fully replicate the arcade experience, it offers a fun and challenging ride.

Graphically, Enduro Racer is impressive for the ZX Spectrum, with detailed sprites and varied terrain. The game uses an isometric perspective, providing a clear view of the track and obstacles. The bikes and riders are well-animated, and the sense of speed is effectively conveyed, even with the Spectrum’s limited graphical capabilities.

The gameplay is straightforward but engaging. Players control a motorbike, navigating through a series of tracks filled with jumps, bumps, and other hazards. The controls are responsive, allowing for precise handling, which is essential for avoiding obstacles and maintaining speed. The game requires a mix of speed and strategy, as players must manage their bike’s position and momentum to tackle the various jumps and rough terrain effectively.

Sound effects are minimal but functional, consisting mainly of engine noises and crash sounds. While not particularly immersive, they do add to the overall experience.

Enduro Racer’s difficulty level is well-balanced, offering a satisfying challenge without being overly frustrating. The game captures the essence of off-road racing and provides a good sense of progression as players advance through the increasingly difficult tracks.

Overall, Enduro Racer for the ZX Spectrum is a solid racing game that effectively translates the excitement of the arcade original to the home computer.

Pros and Cons of Tranz Am Compared to Peers

Pros:

Huge open-world map
High replay value due to randomised environment
Simple arcade-like controls

Cons:

Steep learning curve
Lacks driving realism compared to traditional racers
Lack of graphical variety

Tranz Am’s standout feature is its combination of racing and exploration. The post-apocalyptic setting adds a layer of excitement and tension, making it more than just a race against the clock. The game’s ability to mix adventure and survival is what makes it memorable.

Conclusion

While not a household name today, the 1983 ZX Spectrum game Tranz Am left its mark. This overhead racer, with its smooth controls and post-apocalyptic setting, was praised for its originality and accessibility. It helped establish developer Ultimate Play the Game as a force in early gaming and showcased the potential of the ZX Spectrum platform.

Old Computers, ZX Spectrum

Sabre Wulf: ZX Spectrum Classic by Ultimate

June 22, 2024 rolyretroadmin 1 Comment

In the golden age of 8-bit computers, the Stamper brothers, Tim and Chris, carved their niche with innovative and action-packed titles for the ZX Spectrum. One such game, released in 1984, was Sabre Wulf, a unique adventure game that captured the imagination of gamers with its exploration, combat, and a touch of mystery. This article delves into the world of Sabre Wulf, exploring its origins, variants, critical reception, and the gameplay that made it a classic.

Gameplay gif of Sabre Wulf on the ZX Spectrum — Sabre Wulf Gameplay on the Spectrum IGIF)

Exploring the Jungle: Unveiling the Gameplay

Sabre Wulf placed players in the role of Sabreman, tasked with finding 4 pieces of a mysterious amulet, in order to pass the titular Sabre Wulf and escape the Jungle. The gameplay revolved around:

Maze Exploration: Sabreman navigated a vast, 256-screen jungle maze filled with obstacles, enemies, and hidden paths. The game used a “flick screen” mechanic, so effective in earlier game Atic Atac, where the background was static and the screen would “flick” to the next when the player approached the edge.
Combat: Using his trusty saber, Sabreman fought off various foes like bats, snakes, and spiders. Strategic use of the saber and careful timing were crucial for success. Some enemies could not be killed so had to be dodged or completely avoided.
Power-Ups: Scattered throughout the maze were orchids with random effects, some beneficial and some detrimental, adding an element of surprise and risk-reward.
Treasure: Score extra points by finding treasure, as well as gaining extra lives.
Amulets: The key to escaping the jungle lay in collecting four hidden amulet pieces scattered across the maze. Oh and finding the exit, a centrally located cave guarded by a mysterious native.

Sabre Wulf presented a unique blend of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving, offering a satisfyingly, if a little repetitive, open-ended experience.

Sabreman attacks some innocent creatures

Sabre Wulf: Home Computer Variants

The game wasn’t confined to the ZX Spectrum. Here’s a look at its adaptations for other platforms:

Acorn BBC Micro (1984): A faithful port retaining the core gameplay but with slight graphical tweaks. The primary benefit over the Spectrum version was the avoidance of the colour clash that plagued the Sinclair machines graphics. This was however at the cost of a lower graphical resolution, and a strange “wide” screen layout.
Commodore 64 (1985): Developed by a different team, this version featured somewhat different visuals and sound effects. Zzap!64 magazine slated this version as having disappointing graphics, as well as being poor value for money, having been released 8 months after the original Spectrum version.
Amstrad CPC (1985): This port maintained the gameplay but with some limitations in color palette compared to the original Spectrum version.
TI99/4A (2014): A belated and unofficial conversion for the popular US home computer.

Sabre Wulf box for Spectrum — “Big Box” Sabre Wulf Packaging

Critical Reception: A Roar of Approval (Mostly)

Sabre Wulf on the ZX Spectrum received generally positive reviews, with some reservations. Crash Magazine (1984) awarded Sabre Wulf a respectable 83% score, praising its addictive gameplay,challenging puzzles, and atmospheric graphics. However, the reviewer noted the repetitive nature of the combat and the lack of a clear story. Reviews in other publications echoed Crash Magazine’s sentiments, highlighting the game’s strengths and acknowledging its limitations.

Despite some critiques, Sabre Wulf garnered a loyal following, becoming a cornerstone title for the ZX Spectrum and solidifying the Stamper brothers’ reputation for innovative game design.

Pond screenshot of Sabre Wulf — Sabreman avoiding some spiders

Guide to Playing Sabre Wulf

Sabre Wulf on the ZX Spectrum is known for its challenging gameplay and lack of explicit instructions. Here’s a breakdown to help you complete it:

Goal

Collect four pieces of an amulet scattered throughout the jungle maze. With the complete amulet, approach the guardian at the cave entrance in the centre of the maze to win.

Exploration

The maze is large and interconnected. Explore every nook and cranny to find the amulet pieces and other helpful items such as treasure and extra lives. Avoid the Wulf who patrols a lane at the bottom of the maze and can’t be killed, only outflanked. With very little direction you will either need a good memory, or like most gamers of the time, draw a map!

Avoid Danger

The jungle is full of enemies like spiders, scorpions, and the elusive Sabre Wulf himself. Touching them will lose you a life. Using your sabre you can kill most of the baddies, but remember you can only swing your sword to the left or right, so you need to be careful running up or down the screen. Watch out for the sleeping hippos which block the paths, they can be poked awake but will stampede! Avoid loitering in a screen too long, this creates roving forrest fires which kill Sabreman on contact and can’t be destroyed.

Power-ups

Sabre Wulf on the ZX Spectrum doesn’t have traditional power-ups in the sense of permanent upgrades. However, it features Orchid flowers that provide temporary benefits, some of which have nasty side-effects:

Yellow: Destroys all enemies on screen but leaves Sabreman briefly incapacitated (immune to enemies during this time).
Red: Grants temporary invincibility but slows Sabreman down.
Purple: Provides invincibility for a short time but inverts controls (left becomes right, up becomes down).
Cyan: This is the one to have – offers both invincibility and increased speed (turbo boost).
White: Neutralizes the effect of any other active orchid.

Trial and Error

There’s no in-game map or guidance. Learning the maze layout and enemy patterns comes through exploration and repeated attempts. Think of it as an 80s Roguelike but without the pervasive power-ups!

Sabre Wulf sequels from Ultimate

Ultimate (later Rare) released a number of titles in what became the Sabreman series between 1984 and 1986, although they followed very different formats:

Underwurlde (1984): Following his escape from the jungle, Sabreman finds himself in a hostile underground world. This side-scrolling platformer tasks him with finding three weapons to defeat three guardians and ultimately escape the Underwurlde.
Knight Lore (1984): Sabreman is infected with lycanthropy after escaping the Underwurlde, and must find a cure for his condition. This isometric adventure game puts him in a castle filled with traps and puzzles, and where he turns into a werewolf during full moon.
Pentagram (1986): Now a seasoned adventurer and a fledgling wizard, Sabreman embarks on a quest to find the powerful magical artifact known as the Pentagram. This isometric adventure game features magic-based combat and puzzle-solving elements.

Knight Lore for the Spectrum — Knight Lore Isometric Graphics

Mire Mare: This planned sequel to Underwurlde or Pentagram never saw the light of day. Little is known about its intended gameplay or story, as it was cancelled around the time of the partial takeover of Ultimate by US Gold. It is however mentioned at the end of the aforementioned games.

Gameboy Advance Remake. In the Rare (Ultimate sister company) 2004 remake for the Game Boy Advance, Sabre Wulf takes Sabreman, the explorer, on a treasure hunting adventure once again. This time, a shattered amulet frees the villainous Sabre Wulf, and it’s up to Sabreman to recapture him and reclaim stolen riches.

GBA version of Sabre Wulf — Sabre Wulf remake on Gameboy Advance

Lasting Impact of Sabre Wulf

Sabre Wulf for the ZX Spectrum introduced some interesting concepts for it’s time, while not necessarily packed with groundbreaking technical innovations:

Price and Packaging: Ultimate Play the Game priced Sabre Wulf significantly higher than their usual games. This bold move aimed to combat piracy by making owners more protective of the expensive software. It also established their now-iconic unadorned “big box” packaging style.
Storytelling: The game didn’t hold your hand. There were no tutorials or explicit instructions. Players had to figure out the goal (collecting amulet pieces) and mechanics through trial and error. This approach to storytelling became more prominent later on, but was less common in 1984.
Large, Colorful Game World: The 256-screen maze offered a vast and visually appealing environment for a ZX Spectrum game. This created a sense of exploration and discovery for players. The Stamper brothers claim that Sabre Wulf’s exploration and item collection mechanics might have influenced The Legend of Zelda (1986), although this is very much up for debate.

While not revolutionary, these elements helped shape Sabre Wulf into a memorable and influential title for the ZX Spectrum.

Sabre Wulf Links

Crash Magazine Review https://www.crashonline.org.uk/06/sabre.htm

Zzap!64 Review http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=007&page=054&thumbstart=0&magazine=zzap&check=1

Did The Stampers Really Think Miyamoto Copied Sabre Wulf With Zelda? https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/05/did-the-stampers-really-think-miyamoto-copied-sabre-wulf-with-zelda

BBC Micro, Old Computers, Projects

My BBC Micro Model B Restoration Project

January 31, 2016 rolyretroadmin 1 Comment

What’s so special about the BBC Micro?

I’ve long been a fan of the BBC Micro, having first been introduced to the machine at School in the early 80’s. As the owner of a primitive ZX81, the full colour graphics and proper keyboard made the BBC Micro seem so advanced compared to what I could use at home. I would go along to computer club at lunchtimes to learn more about programming, but more often than not we would end up playing games such as Snapper and Planetoid – arcade perfect conversions of the titles we queued for in the local arcades at the time.

Snapper for BBC Micro like PacMan — Snapper (Pac-Man) for the BBC Micro

Eventually I would end up owning an Acorn Electron, a cut-down version of the BBC Micro that delivered most if not all of the BBC experience, but I still felt I was missing out, so ineventually saved up to buy a BBC Master Series computer, a more advanced version of the original. This was the computer that got me through my A-Levels, including a Computer Science qualification that formed the basis for my degree, again in Computer Science.

So for me the BBC range of computers have always been special, and over 30 years after my first computer club, I decided to go out and find myself an original Beeb.

Which is the Best BBC Micro?

The Beeb came in two flavours, the Model A and the Model B, which differed based on the amount of RAM available, having 16k and 32k respectively. The budget model A also had less hardware connectivity options, with various ports removed, and due to the lack of RAM could not support all of the available video modes. After the model B came “plus” models with greater memory, and ultimately the Master Series range which had 128k memory and ROM cartridge ports, as well as a separate numerical keyboard.

For me though it has always been the Model B with its iconic beige case, and the square footprint, which represented the BBC at its height, and also the first computer I truly listed after. So off to eBay I went to look for a perfect working model.

BBC Micro Buying Advice

Like many aging home computers, there are a couple of things to look out for when considering your purchase. The first is the keyboard – whether it be the Spectrums fragile keyboard membrane or the BBC’s well used buttons, these are often victims to the passage of time. The second is the case, which can be subject to nasty yellowing with age: Vic 20’computers and BBC micros both suffered from this affliction, which is linked to flame retardants used to protect the machine’s plastics. The final thing in the case of the BBC in particular is the power supply which can often fail. The BBC has an on-board supply which features capacitors which can dry out with age, resulting eventually in a nasty but non-fatal “pop” accompanied by acrid smelling smoke.

Faulty Power Block Capacitor on my BBC Micro

So finding a good one is a case of trawling eBay for a cosmetically clean machine with a good keyboard that shows little signs of being fiddled with, and a pale cream rather than yellowy brown case. If the seller shows the BBC working then then is is obviously a good sign, but it doesn’t mean the power supply isn’t fragile and could let go at any time. Fortunately this is an easy fix (more on this later).

My first BBC Micro Purchase

After being unsuccessful bidding on a “perfect” machine, mainly because I didn’t want to pay the silly money being asked for fully reconditioned boxes, I decided I would go for a fixer-upper that I could add some value to. The first purchase was a fully working model B that suffered from a bit of yellowing to the case, and as such fell into my budget – I picked this up for £30 plus postage. After a nervous wait for delivery, I powered up the machine (which actually looked better than advertised) and plugged into a LCD monitor via a an RGB to Scart cable purchased online. The classic twin tone beep told me things were going to be OK, the aging BBC Micro presenting me with the minimal start screen prompt.

bbc micro in polystyrene case — My BBC Micro

At this stage I couldn’t do much more with the machine as we were in the middle of a house renovation, so I stored the machine away with the intention of cleaning up the case in the summer after building work was complete. I’d found a secret recipe online for renovating yellowed plastics, and as well as getting the power supply reconditioned, this would be my next step on the way to getting my perfect BBC Micro.

While the BBC Micro seemed to be working fine, something was missing and I realised that in order to truly recreate that 1982 Beeb experience I would need an appropriate display, namely a Microvitec Cub monitor.

The Microvitec Cub Monitor – The Perfect BBC Micro Companion

Back in computer club, there were 2 flavours of monitor, with both green-screen and full colour versions available. The Microvitec Cub Monitor had the benefit of being painted the same colour as the BBC Micro, and would sit on a stand above the BBC Micro keyboard, it’s 14″ screen the perfect size in proportion to the computer case. Connectivity was via an RGB cable which provided a perfectly stable image, much better than the TV connection, but still with the lovely CRT scan lines than would be missing from a modern LCD monitor.

After a few failed bids on some overpriced examples (obviously these devices are in huge demand from Beeb owners like me) I managed to find not one but two examples in an auction, the owner being local to me in Essex so having the advantage of not requiring postage. In the end I picked up both at for £50 – a steal assuming I could offload one of them for the same and make this essentially a “free” monitor.

A quick trip to Southend, and I was in the possession of 2 very nice monitors, which both worked first time when plugged into my BBC micro via an RGB cable which came with the original BBC micro auction. With building work still going on I packed them safely away in the loft until I had the space to assemble them properly.

BBC Micro Tape, Disk Drive or Flash Card?

The traditional BBC Micro gaming experience involved a portable cassette tape player and an agonising wait for your game to load (or not) into memory, the BBC like many early home computers not having any internal storage device such as a hard disk drive. Given the fragile nature of cassette tape, or any 30 year old magnetic storage media for that matter, I decided that this would be a step too far, albeit the most authentic experience. The disk drive approach was also rejected, which whilst quicker to load was not desirable due to the lack of original games still available to play on 5.25″floppy disk.

In the end I resorted to the most practical alternative, that of a custom flash drive connected to the original equipment via a special adaptor, to allow original BBC Micro games to be played without the need for more mechanical (and fallible) input devices and media. Whilst there are potential objections to the use of copied disk images of these games, which are freely available on the Internet, my view is that I will only be playing games that I had already bought in the 80’s, so no harm is being done.

After a bit of research I settled on an MMC based solution, which would allow me to play all of my old favourite games with the minimum of effort. This method also requires no permanent modification of the BBC in any way apart from the insertion of a bespoke EPROM chip in an empty slot on the motherboard.

Repairing a Poorly BBC Micro

The time had come to assemble the respective components of my BBC Micro based system, which had actually grown in size since my original purchase, having found another mint but only partially working example on eBay. I figured I should be able to make at least one perfect BBC out of my two purchases.

I decided that I would actually get both working, so I sent off my Beeb to Mark at Retro Clinic (www.retroclinic.com) for a service and for the all important capacitor replacement. I’ve subsequently become a lot more confident with a soldering iron but in this case I wanted a professional job. A couple of weeks later and my BBC Micro was back with me and ready for installation of the MMC card interface.

The flash drive installation process ended up being very simple – open up the BBC Micro, find a spare ROM slot and carefully seat the custom ROM, taking care not to bend the pins. Plug in the card to the serial interface, and turn her on. The usual BBC prompt now featured the words Turbo MMC!

A quick instruction to call up the menu and the screen instantly showed the MMC Card Menu, with a list of installed games already in place. No lengthy loading, quicker than a tape or even a floppy disk!

The Games – is the BBC Model B as good as I remembered?

First stop – Chuckie Egg! Followed by a huge list of my old favourites including Elite, Mr Ee!, Knight Lore, Daredevil Denis, Snapper, Planetoid and Killer Gorilla. So many great memories, and the instant access of the MMC Card interface soon made up for the lack of loading screens. And yes the BBC Model B can still recreate some of those early arcade games better than any home computer before or since. Certainly up to the arrival of MAME on the PC.

I would highly recommend getting hold of one of these machines while they are still being found in lofts and garages. With bomb proof build quality and easy modification to solid state drives, it’s a great way to experience these classic games all over again.

Many thanks to Mark Haysman of RetroClinic, and Chris Pitts the creator of the MMC Interface

ZX81

Sinclair ZX81 old school computing

April 28, 2011 rolyretroadmin 2 Comments

It’s 1981, and I’m an 10 year old boy fascinated with the emerging world of personal computers. My dad would bring home a Commodore Pet machine from work, the same shape and size as a small car, over the Christmas period. I would spend hours playing Snake (yes, years before Nokia got in on the act) and various dungeon based games punctuated by, well punctuation, as the character “sprites” on screen were all “$”s and “&”s.

At the weekend I would lurk around the local Tandy store (UK equivalent of Radio Shack, now long gone) and marvel at machines like the TRS-80 and TI994A, looking through the software catalogues and imaging how good the colour screens on these machines would be, and how advanced the graphics looked.

From here I would head off to John Menzies (another long forgotten chain of stores) and see what computer magazines were out. It was here I found the mythical Sinclair ZX81, on sales amongst the typewriters and led calculators. This was a chance to own my first proper computer, and for less that £80. My 11th birthday came, and so did the little black box with my new ZX81 inside. After unpacking the hefty manual, and plugging in to my black and white TV (tuned to channel 35) I was good to go.

So what next? Well, you were presented with a little blinking cursor, and that’s it. No hard drive, no windows, no mouse, no idea what day it is, who you are, or what it was doing yesterday. Every day was day 1 for a ZX81, and you had to tell it what to do, from scratch, every time.

So I read the manual. And I started programming, got my name printed on the screen, tried some FOR..NEXT loops, played with input and output, and then when I got to line 15 of my programme – “OUT OF MEMORY”. Yes I’d reached the 1k RAM threshold of the standard machine. Yes 1K – that’s 1,000 bytes. I’ve just saved this document in Word and so far it’s 12K. My toaster has more memory. Dad is promptly dispatched to Menzies for a 16K RAM pack and I can complete my program, albeit very gingerly, because whenever you bash the plastic membrane keyboard too hard the RAM pack wobbles and you lose all the code.

Master program completed (a question and answer session that tells a “knock-knock” joke), I want to save my magnum opus. Enter the cassette recorder, a new C90 tape, press play and record and type “SAVE”. A wobbly screen and a few seconds of squawking later, and the programme is saved for eternity – or until you tape over it with the Top 40 on Sunday.

Looking for some hardcore gaming action, I would peruse the back pages of the computer magazines, and send off a cheque or a postal order for the latest game – no online reviews, no screen shots, just the programmers often exaggerated description of the gaming delights on offer. Eventually the tape would arrive and you would spend several hours trying to get the tone of the recorder right in order to load the game correctly. It was pot luck if the game was any good or not, personal highlights for me were John Ritmans Namtir Raiders, and my all time favourite 3D Monster Maze. What these guys could do with a black and white low-res screen was amazing. Much of the rest were variations on letters chasing other letters around the screen in complete silence.

Time passed by, and I moved on to the Spectrum, what with it’s “real” rubber keyboard and flashy full colour graphics, and the ZX81 became redundant. I can’t however forget how it introduced me to the world of computing, and that I knew this was the start of something big.