718 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
718 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
_____________________________________
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ZMAGAZINE MAY
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HOT ATARI NEWS AND REVIEWS ISSUE 51
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_____________________________________
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May 11, 1987
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_____________________________________
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Zmag Staff:
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Publisher/Editor in Chief: Ron Kovacs
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Managing Editor: Alan Kloza
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Columnist: Eric Plent
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Asst Publisher: Ken Kirchner
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_____________________________________
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This week in Zmagazine New Jersey
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<*> Commentary from JACG
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Zmag User Group of the Month.
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<*> JACG Newsletter and BBS info.
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<*> Zmag Flashback...
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Warner Sells Atari to Tramiel
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<*> Zmagazine Library
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This week we discuss ARC!!
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<*> Plent's Page
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Review of Koronis Rift
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<*> Compact Disk Update
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<*> Computer Predicts Future
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_____________________________________
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Xx Zmag User Group of the Month
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...Jersey Atari Computer Group...
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_____________________________________
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***An Editorial View***
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from
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the
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JACG
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by Dave Noyes
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Editor - JACG Nesletter
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-------------------------------------
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WHY A USER GROUP????
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Two and one half years ago I
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purchased my first computer. It was
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an ATARI 800XL...supported by a TRAK
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ATD2 disk drive, a PANASONIC KXP-1090
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printer and a SYLVANIA 13- color TV
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for a monitor. Believe me, I knew
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from nothing...when I got the package
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home - I didn't even have a DOS and,
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consequently, didn't get much
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accomplished. On my own, I
|
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discovered various books, and of
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course, ANTIC and ANALOG. In due
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course ( year later) I came across a
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JACG newsletter. A user group, I
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thought, -what a splendid idea-. I
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bought the newsletter, attended the
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next meeting, joined the JACG...and
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I've been a member ever since.
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I would not be exaggerating to say
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that I learned more in the first two
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meetings that I attended than I did
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in my first year of ATARI ownership.
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I discovered a resource to answer
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every question that I had, learned
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where to buy and not buy, what to buy
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and not buy, and where to go and who
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to call when nothing with the ATARI
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was going right. If only I had known
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of JACG's existence when I first came
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into contact with ATARI!
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Now, through editing the JACG
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Newsletter...I can see first hand the
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dynamics of a user group - a GOOD
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user group. Symbiosis between those
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with a certain skill or knowledge,
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and those in need of that skill or
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knowledge. One in need at one point
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may very well be a purveyor of
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knowledge or skill at another point.
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There is give and gain - unselfishly.
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There is no -stupid- question, there
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is no -ridiculous- answer. From -just
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bought an ATARI- to a long time
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owner, from -400- to the -ST-...
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there is room for all, there is need
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for all - A USER GROUP - and the JACG
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sets well among the best of them.
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_____________________________________
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Xx JACG Information
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...Newsletter and BBS...
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_____________________________________
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If you are interested in receiving
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the JACG monthly newsletter, or even
|
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interested in membership, please send
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a letter with your name, address,
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city, state, zip, home phone number,
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along with the date and prefrence of
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1st class or third class mailing to:
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Robert P. Mulhearn
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8 Crescent Road
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Pinebrook, New Jersey 07058
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Membership for one year is $20.00.
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Add $6.00 if you chose 1st class
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mailing. Foreign memberships are
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$30.00 in US currency.
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For more information on the JACG,
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you can give them a modem call at
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(201) 298-0161.
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Stay in-touch with Zmag all this
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month for more information on JACG.
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_____________________________________
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Xx Zmag Flashback
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.....Warner Sells Atari to Tramiel...
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_____________________________________
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NEW YORK (AP)-- Warner Communications
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Inc. said today it sold the main
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parts of its loss-plagued Atari Inc.
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consumer electronics unit to a
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company led by Jack Tramiel, the
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former head of Commodore
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International Ltd.
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As a result of the sale, Warner said
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it expects to post a $425 million
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loss for the second quarter.
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Warner sold the home-computer and
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home-video segments of Atari, but
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retained its coin-operated games unit
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and other assets.
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Warner said Tramiel and his
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associates had invested $75 million
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in their new company, which acquired
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warrants giving it the option to buy
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1 million Warner common shares in
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addition to the Atari assets
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involved.
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In exchange, Warner received $240
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million in various debts of Tramiel's
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group. Warner also received warrants
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to acquire common stock of the new
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company, Warner said.
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Meanwhile, Warner said it would incur
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the $425 million second-quarter loss
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because of operating losses by Atari
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and because Warner reduced on its
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books the value of the Atari assets
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being sold.
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Atari, bought by Warner in 1976 for
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$27 million, made its video game
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-Pac-Man- a household name as the
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company led the video-game craze of
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the early 1980s. It also moved
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heavily into home computers.
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In 1982, Atari earned $323.3 million
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on sales of $2 billion, making it one
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of Warner's key profit centers.
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But then the video-game business --
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scarred by bulging inventories, price
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cutting and declining consumer
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enthusiasm -- stalled and Atari's
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fortunes skidded.
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Last year, Atari lost $538.6 million
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on revenue of $1.12 billion,
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resulting in a net loss for Warner
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Communications of $417.8 million on
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revenue of $3.43 billion.
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Tramiel turned Commodore from a
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typewriter importer 25 years ago into
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the nation's leading maker of home
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computers. The New York-based company
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is estimated to account for more than
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30 percent of the home-computer
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market.
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Tramiel stunned the industry last
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January by abruptly resigning, saying
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Commodore needed a more -professional
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executive- to take it over the $1
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billion sales mark.
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Atari's red ink continued in the
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first quarter of this year -- its
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operating loss was $34.9 million,
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although Warner managed a profit of
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$30.9 million.
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Tramiel also issued a statement today
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saying, -Both the home-computer and
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video-game marketplaces continue, in
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my view, to offer great
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opportunities.-
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_____________________________________
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Xx Zmag Library
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...ARC Discussion...
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_____________________________________
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ARC-FILE.INF, created by Keith
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Petersen, W8SDZ, 21-Sep-86, extracted
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from UNARC.INF by Robert A. Freed.
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From: Robert A. Freed
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Subject: Technical Information for
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ARC files
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Date: June 24, 1986
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Note: In the following discussion,
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UNARC refers to my CP/M-80 program
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for extracting files from MSDOS ARCs.
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The definitions of the ARC file
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format are based on MSDOS ARC512.EXE.
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ARCHIVE FILE FORMAT
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-------------------
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Component files are stored
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sequentially within an archive. Each
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entry is preceded by a 29-byte
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header, which contains the directory
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information. There is no wasted
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space between entries. (This is in
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|
contrast to the centralized directory
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used by Novosielski libraries.
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Although random access to subfiles
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within an archive can be noticeably
|
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slower than with libraries, archives
|
|
do have the advantage of not
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requiring pre-allocation of directory
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space.)
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Archive entries are normally
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maintained in sorted name order. The
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format of the 29-byte archive header
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is as follows:
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Byte 1: 1A Hex.
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This marks the start of an
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archive header. If this byte is not
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found when expected, UNARC will scan
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forward in the file (up to 64K bytes)
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in an attempt to find it (followed by
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a valid compression version).
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If a valid header is found
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in this manner, a warning message is
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issued and archive file processing
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continues. Otherwise, the file is
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assumed to be an invalid archive and
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processing is aborted. (This is
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compatible with MS-DOS ARC version
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5.12). Note that a special exception
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is made at the beginning of an
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archive file, to accomodate -self-
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unpacking- archives (see below).
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Byte 2: Compression version, as
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follows:
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0 = end of file marker
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(remaining bytes not present)
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1 = unpacked (obsolete)
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2 = unpacked
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3 = packed
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4 = squeezed (after packing)
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5 = crunched (obsolete)
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6 = crunched (after packing)
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(obsolete)
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7 = crunched (after packing,
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using faster hash
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algorithm) (obsolete)
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8 = crunched (after packing,
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using dynamic LZW
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variations)
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Bytes 3-15: ASCII file name,
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nul-terminated.
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(All of the following numeric values
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are stored low-byte first.)
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Bytes 16-19: Compressed file size in
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bytes.
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Bytes 20-21: File date, in 16-bit
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MS-DOS format:
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Bits 15:9 = year - 1980
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Bits 8:5 = month of
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year
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Bits 4:0 = day of
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month
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(All zero means no
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date.)
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Bytes 22-23: File time, in 16-bit
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MS-DOS format:
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Bits 15:11 = hour
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(24-hour clock)
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Bits 10:5 = minute
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Bits 4:0 = second/2
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(not displayed by UNARC)
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Bytes 24-25: Cyclic redundancy check
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(CRC) value (see below).
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Bytes 26-29: Original (uncompressed)
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file length in bytes. (This field is
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not present for version 1 entries,
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byte 2 = 1. I.e., in this case the
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header is only 25 bytes long.
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Because version 1 files are
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uncompressed, the value normally
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found in this field may be obtained
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from bytes 16-19.)
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SELF-UNPACKING ARCHIVES
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-----------------------
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A -self-unpacking- archive is one
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which can be renamed to a .COM file
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and executed as a program. An example
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of such a file is the MS-DOS program
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ARC512.COM, which is a standard
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archive file preceded by a three-byte
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jump instruction. The first entry in
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this file is a simple -bootstrap-
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program in uncompressed form, which
|
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loads the subfile ARC.EXE (also
|
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uncompressed) into memory and passes
|
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control to it. In anticipation of a
|
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similar scheme for future
|
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distribution of UNARC, the program
|
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permits up to three bytes to precede
|
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the first header in an archive file
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(with no error message).
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CRC COMPUTATION
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---------------
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Archive files use a 16-bit cyclic
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redundancy check (CRC) for error
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control. The particular CRC
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polynomial used is x^16 + x^15 + x^2
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+ 1, which is commonly known as
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-CRC-16- and is used in many data
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transmission protocols (e.g. DEC
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DDCMP and IBM BSC), as well as by
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most floppy disk controllers. Note
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that this differs from the CCITT
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polynomial (x^16 + x^12 + x^5 + 1),
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which is used by the XMODEM-CRC
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protocol and the public domain CHEK
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program (although these do not adhere
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strictly to the CCITT standard). The
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MS-DOS ARC program does perform a
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mathematically sound and accurate CRC
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calculation. (We mention this because
|
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it contrasts with some unfortunately
|
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popular public domain programs we
|
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have witnessed, which from time
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immemorial have based their
|
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calculation on an obscure magazine
|
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article which contained a
|
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typographical error!)
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Additional note (while we are on the
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subject of CRC's): The validity of
|
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using a 16-bit CRC for checking an
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entire file is somewhat questionable.
|
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Many people quote the statistics
|
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related to these functions (e.g. -all
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two-bit errors, all single burst
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errors of 16 or fewer bits, 99.997%
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of all single 17-bit burst errors,
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etc.-), without realizing that these
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claims are valid only if the total
|
|
number of bits checked is less than
|
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32767 (which is why they are used in
|
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small-packet data transmission
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protocols). I.e., for file sizes in
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excess of about 4K bytes, a 16-bit
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CRC is not really as good as what is
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often claimed.
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This is not to say that it is bad,
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but there are more reliable methods
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available (e.g. the 32-bit AUTODIN-II
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polynomial). (End of lecture!)
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Bob Freed
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62 Miller Road
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Newton Centre, MA 02159
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Telephone (617) 332-3533
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_____________________________________
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Xx Plents Page
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...Koronis Rift...
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_____________________________________
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Koronis Rift
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Lucasfilm Games Division
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Created By Noah Falstein
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Atari Version Requires 48K RAM
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24 Febrius, 2249
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----------------
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-For three days your Scoutcraft has
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been traveling through empty space,
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on it's way from one forsaken part of
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the galaxy to another. You're a
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technoscavenger, making a living
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searching for abandoned technological
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systems - but for all the luck you've
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had in the past month, you might as
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well be an intergalactic drifter.
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Psytek, your Science Droid Analyzer,
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is monitoring the instruments. There
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isn't much to do - not much, that is,
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until suddenly Psytek flashes an
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urgent message:-
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-POWERFUL RADIATION FLUX DETECTED:
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COORDINATES 45:90 RELATIVE AZIMUTH
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AND ELEVATION.-
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Powerful is right! Your instruments
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indicate rads in the ten thousand
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range. -Any idea what it might be?-
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you ask.
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-NEGTIVE. CHARTS INDICATE EMPTY SPACE
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FROM HERE TO STAR SYSTEM 583.-
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And so the game goes. This is how you
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stumble on to the strange and little
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known planet called Koronis Rift...
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From movies to computer software,
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Lucasfilm has always been there with
|
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some of the best in entertainment for
|
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all ages. With the smash hit movie
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Star Wars, Lucasfilm started the ball
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rolling into the business. A few
|
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years ago Lucasfilm branched off once
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again and started the Lucasfilm
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Computer Games Division, bringing
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forth hit games such as BallBlazer,
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The Eidolon and this one, Koronis
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Rift.
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Koronis Rift places you in the pilot
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seat of a small land Scoutcraft,
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searching for the wreckage of
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abandoned technolgical systems that
|
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you can raid for old parts. Since
|
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these parts are worth something in
|
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the space junk market, you plan to
|
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sell them for credits. Of course,
|
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there are always SOME of the units
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that can be used for your ship. After
|
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all, you can expect the Guardian
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Saucers to put up a fight for those
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old abandoned hulks, since they are
|
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there to protect the Ancient
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technology from people such as you.
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Watch out! Two of them coming in!
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Shield at full power! Hellllpppp...!
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Enough of this. On to the actual
|
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program and game play. Koronis Rift
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is a little like the old Arcade
|
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program BattleZone. You pilot your
|
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ship over the scrolling playfield
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while shooting everything in sight
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(at least, all of the Guardians in
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sight...don't shoot the Hulks.)
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Since most of the time you will want
|
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the lowest level of play, the program
|
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will default to Rift 1. This level
|
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will give you a taste of the action
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without TOO many Guardians attacking.
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Drive around a bit to get used to the
|
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feel of the game. You will mostly
|
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need your trigger thumb, since you
|
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will almost always be attacked while
|
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trying to raid a hulk. The program
|
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will beep to let you know the
|
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Guardians are coming. You can move
|
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your target sight (a small crosshair)
|
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around the screen with the joystick.
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To fire, press the fire button.
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Now you are ready to play. Re-start
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the game and get to level one. You
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will be lowered to the planet by a
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tractor beam, controlled by Psytek
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the robot. When you hit the ground
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the game has started. Press your
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joystick up and you will start moving
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forward. Notice the large object in
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front of you. This is your first hulk
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of the game (they put it there to let
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you get the hang of the game faster).
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Run right up to the ship and stop by
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pulling the joystick backwards. Now
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pull down again and press the fire
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button. You should see a little
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cursor light up on either -Call Ship-
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or -Loot Hulk-. Select -Loot Hulk- to
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send the little Repo-Tech Robot out.
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It will collect anything it can from
|
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the ship and return it to you. You
|
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can than place that module in to your
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ship's system now, or wait and have
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Psytek examine it later (by 'Calling'
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the ship).
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Let's have Psytek examine the module
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now to see what it is worth. Pull the
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joystick back again and select -Call
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Ship-. The tractor beam will pull you
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in to the ship.
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The seen will change now, showing you
|
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Psytek and his work area. This is
|
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where you come to find the value of a
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module, or to replace a Repo-Tech
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Robot (in case you happen to shoot
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it...it can be done (hehe)).
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Position your cursor on the module
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you would like examined and press the
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fire button. Psytek will remove the
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unit from your ship and give you a
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status report of that unit's power
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level and value on the market. If you
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choose to sell that module, select
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-Disassemble- to get the credits. Now
|
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you can return to the game, save your
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position (in case you have a REALLY
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good game and would like return there
|
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the next time you play) load a saved
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position or quit the game.
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|
|
Overall, Koronis Rift is a fast paced
|
|
game that will keep you at the
|
|
joystick for hours. If you liked
|
|
Battle Zone in the arcade, I would
|
|
recommend this game to you. While not
|
|
quite up to the Vector graphics of
|
|
the arcade version, this will do very
|
|
nicely. Highly recommended!
|
|
|
|
Happy gaming!!!
|
|
-- Eric Plent
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx Compact Disk Update
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Don't look now, but the new CD's you
|
|
just purchased are already obsolete.
|
|
|
|
That's right, it's almost as if
|
|
little mischievous elves crept into
|
|
the laboratories in the middle of the
|
|
night and invented something better.
|
|
|
|
Only the elves in this case work for
|
|
Mobile Fidelity Labs.
|
|
|
|
And what they've done is take your
|
|
already-costly aluminum compact disc
|
|
and coated it with a poly-carbonate
|
|
bonded in pure gold.
|
|
|
|
The latest in tip-toppermost of the
|
|
poppermost sound innovation boasts
|
|
increased lifespan, no sonic gaps,
|
|
higher engraving and reading
|
|
capabilities, and overall better
|
|
quality.
|
|
|
|
The elves at Mobile Fidelity Labs
|
|
call it Ultradisc.
|
|
|
|
Source: Copley Radio Network
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx COMPUTER PREDICTS FUTURE
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
A Computer designed to analyze trends
|
|
based on recent events, has scrapped
|
|
it's own programming and started
|
|
predicting the future.
|
|
|
|
Some predicitons include: a new
|
|
religion from the U.S., a 10th planet
|
|
is discovered, superbeings from tibet
|
|
and the usual Atlantis stuff and
|
|
meteor crashes.
|
|
|
|
A Dr. Gunter Telemann in East Germany
|
|
reportedly told the magazine,
|
|
-Tomorrow's Computer- the machine
|
|
abandoned logic and started making
|
|
wild guesses...just like a psychic.
|
|
|
|
BELIEVE IT OR LEAVE IT!
|
|
(strictly for laughs)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Copley Radio Network
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx Zmag Weather Safety Report
|
|
...Tornado Safety Rules...
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Tornado Safety Rules
|
|
--------------------
|
|
|
|
WHEN A TORNADO APPROACHES -- YOUR
|
|
IMMEDIATE ACTION MAY MEAN LIFE OR
|
|
DEATH
|
|
|
|
Seek inside shelter, preferably in a
|
|
tornado cellar, underground
|
|
excavation, or steel-framed or
|
|
reinforced concrete building of
|
|
substantial construction. Stay away
|
|
from windows!
|
|
|
|
IN CITIES OR TOWNS
|
|
|
|
In Office Buildings -- Stand in an
|
|
interior hallway on a lower floor,
|
|
preferably in the basement.
|
|
|
|
In Factories -- On receiving a
|
|
tornado warning, post a lookout.
|
|
Workers should move quickly to the
|
|
section of the plant offering the
|
|
greatest protection in accordance
|
|
with advance plans.
|
|
|
|
In Homes And Small Buildings -- Go to
|
|
the basement or to an interior part
|
|
of the lowest level (a closet,
|
|
bathroom, or interior hall). Get
|
|
under something sturdy. Mobile homes
|
|
are particularly vulnerable to
|
|
overturning during strong winds.
|
|
Trailer parks should have a community
|
|
shelter. Appoint a community leader
|
|
responsible for constant radio
|
|
monitoring during threatening weather
|
|
or during watch periods. Leave mobile
|
|
homes or vehicles and go to a
|
|
substantial structure. If there is
|
|
no shelter nearby, lie flat in the
|
|
nearest ditch, ravine, or culvert
|
|
with your hands shielding your head.
|
|
|
|
IN SCHOOLS
|
|
|
|
Whenever possible, go to an interior
|
|
hallway on the lowest floor. Avoid
|
|
auditoriums and gymnasiums or other
|
|
structures with wide, free-span
|
|
roofs.
|
|
|
|
If a building is not of reinforced
|
|
construction, go quickly to a nearby
|
|
reinforced building or to a ravine or
|
|
open ditch, and lie flat.
|
|
|
|
KEEP LISTENING
|
|
|
|
Your radio and television stations
|
|
will broadcast the latest tornado
|
|
advisory information. Call the
|
|
Weather Service only to report a
|
|
tornado.
|
|
|
|
REMEMBER: Tornado watch means
|
|
tornadoes are expected to develop.
|
|
Tornado warning means a tornado has
|
|
actually been sighted.
|
|
|
|
<The programs of the American Red
|
|
Cross are made possible by the
|
|
voluntary services and financial
|
|
support of the American people>
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
ZMAGAZINE May 1987 Issue #51
|
|
Please contribute!!
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
(c) Copyright 1987 Syndicate Services
|