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Title: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-28
My first ever computer game.

Played throughout Christmas in the early 80s and now in progress as a code project.  Any ideas proposed to improve or update it welcome.

Cheers

Mark.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: bigsofty on 2013-Jul-28
It was a bit like Galaga/Space Invaders? Good game IIRC!
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Jul-28
Interesting in Spain Amsoft sells the computer whit a similar game, but a bit wors - "La plaga Galactica" the galactic plague...
The game you say it's more like the arcade machine... This it's very new for me, I always thinked Amstrad sells whit the same games in UK and here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RRjbngNG9c

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-28
It is new to me too. No CPC in brasil.

I have watched a few yotube links about this game.
I love the pattern the enemies go by. One of my very first arcade experience was Moon Cresta.

The star wars music on the game start is great! Kind of thing that would no be on these days. :)

I can´t really come up with any ideas Brick, I need to see what you have in mind and design first so to formulate something.
Keep us posted! :good:
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Jul-28
I remember (and had) both games for my CPC - Galactic Plague and Space Hawks. IIRC I preferred Space Hawks. I got GP as part of the 12 free games pack (which I luckily got when my first CPC died after a couple of months and we got a refund and bought another machine, which came with the freebies). Roland On The Ropes was my fave out of all of those IIRC. Roland In The Caves pissed me off big time and Bridge-It was the crappest game I've ever played.

TBH Space Hawks was jut a Galaxian clone. Gameplay improvement wise you could add new enemies, attack waves, power-ups and maybe a boss or two. Obviously the graphics could be improved and smoothed and the sound could be redone from scratch. But doing all of that would make it a new game entirely...
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-28
Galactic Plaque was a very frustrating game as i recall it.  I hacked into it to increase the number of lifes - but it was still a game that made you scream!

Im thinking of keeping the graphics blocky, with plenty more colour and lots of animation (to keep it retro looking).  Ive got the formation and original swarm movement already coded. Each distinct type of hawk to have its own unique attack,flight method .  I might add the crab thingies from another CPC game called Alien Break in, into the mix. ( they used to crawl onlong towards you once they had landed).  Im also adding a boss stage every 3 levels to juice it up, power-ups, hawks with various hit points etc.

Thanks for the input.

Brick
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Jul-28
Ian in UK you was a lucky guy 12 games... I think my CPC only comes whit 6... and I think the only "playables" was oH Mummy and Plaga Galactica , Sultan Maze, and fruit machine (WTF, this guys want whit 5 years old make "lodupatas"  =D =D )

Thanks Sir Alan Sugar for this computer!!!
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Jul-28
We might have had 12 games, but most of them weren't actually worth playing! The ones you mentioned were the best of a bad bunch really (except for Roland On The Ropes, obviously).
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-28
Good improvements, Brick.  One good game you could check to get inspiration is Beamrider. The coleco version is the best IIRC.

I plan to do a space invaders shooter too later on. I will take the opportunity to try using/learning TYPE and it will be more of a bullet-hell kind of mini-game with some gfx I posted on another thread.

Do you have a video or screen shot of the action going?
I said enemy patterns up there but what I meant is enemy movement style, really nice.

One good idea from Beamrider is a second limited weapon that can go through every hazard.   
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-29
Thanks Erico, I`ll look that game up.  Ive played a few games on that old system in my past - Mr WIMPY being a personal fave

I think giving the players ship a temperature that builds the more you fire is a good idea too.

TYPES - I can help you with that.  I`ll post an example here based upon your rain demo.

Code (glbasic) Select
GETSCREENSIZE screenx,screeny
//LIMITFPS -1
// Your demo displayed rectangles, so I call the TYPE "rect"

TYPE rect // Here we lay out the variables BUT do not give them values.
X // xpos on screen
Y // ypos
SPEED //
// SIZE // rain[a].SIZE=number
// COLOUR // rain[a].COLOUR=rgb(,,)
ENDTYPE

// Now we need to assign a Dim array which I have chosen to be called "rain".

GLOBAL rain[] AS rect // rain[] will use X,Y,SPEED from TYPE rect...see below

DIM rain[100] // 100 rain drops - 50 will move slow, the rest - quicker.

// Now we give DIM rain[] values as its now linked to the TYPE.

FOR a=0 TO 49 // first 50 of DIM rain[]

rain[a].X=RND(screenx) // rain[0-49] linked to TYPE rect X = random xpos on screen
rain[a].Y=RND(screeny)
rain[a].SPEED=1

NEXT

FOR a=50 TO 99

rain[a].X=RND(screenx) // rain[50+] linked to TYPE rect X = random xpos on screen
rain[a].Y=RND(screeny)
rain[a].SPEED=2

NEXT

// create a loop

WHILE TRUE

// lets read the rain[] array and display a DRAWRECT from it.

FOR a=0 TO 99

DRAWRECT rain[a].X,rain[a].Y,5,5,RGB(255,255,255)
  //DRAWRECT rain[a].X+RND(5),rain[a].Y,5,5,RGB(255,255,255) ------ Creates a wobble
INC rain[a].Y,rain[a].SPEED // like saying ypos=ypos+speed

IF rain[a].Y>screeny // As it gone beyond the display?

rain[a].Y=-1 // Above the display.

rain[a].X=RND(screenx) // New Xpos

ENDIF

NEXT

SHOWSCREEN

WEND
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-29
Heres a use of TYPE to move a group of blocks Erico.

Code (glbasic) Select
[code=glbasic]GETSCREENSIZE screenx,screeny
//LIMITFPS -1
// Invader formation.

TYPE alien // Here we lay out the variables BUT do not give them values.
X // xpos on screen
Y // ypos
ENDTYPE

// Now we need to assign a Dim array which I have chosen to be called "invader".

GLOBAL invader[] AS alien

DIM invader[17] // 8x8 formation

xpos=100; ypos=100 // Start point for the invaders.

FOR a=0 TO 15

invader[a].X=xpos
invader[a].Y=ypos

INC xpos,20 

IF a=3
xpos=100
INC ypos,22
ELSEIF a=7
xpos=100
INC ypos,22
ELSEIF a=11
xpos=100
INC ypos,22
ENDIF

NEXT

// create a loop

WHILE TRUE

// lets read the invader[] array and display a DRAWRECT from it.

FOR a=0 TO 15

INC invader[a].X,0.2 // Move the formation.

DRAWRECT invader[a].X,invader[a].Y,5,5,RGB(RND(255),0,RND(255))

NEXT

SHOWSCREEN

WEND
[/code]
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-29
Uau Brick! SUPER thanks for those examples. It does make it easier to understand! I will give it a go in a few days. But I´m sure bookmarking this thread for when the time to use it comes by. It would greatly improve my current game, but I fear I better not mess with the code as it pretty much lacks only some images and music. It is about 4k lines, and using types would sure get it more compact and easy to read.

Again, I´m really greatfull for those examples, they will help me a lot! :good:

Back on the subject, how is the game going? Do you have an image of it? I´m curious.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-29
(//)
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-29
No probs erico, if theres anything I can help you with just ask.

Not much to see Im afraid  (above) as its still early days.

The formation movement and swarm movements work fine.  Collision detection is complete, the hawks fall as fodder once hit but Ive not drawn those sprites in yet.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-30
That looks great Brick! Ain´t the ship a bit too big? But really beautifull none the less!
Are you checking collisions by numbers or by using some commands?

I thought you wanted more blocky gfx, I really like what I see.

The ´fodder´ idea is great! Adds up an extra object to avoid.

My invaders idea can´t be destroyed, they all fall as indestructible carcasses and so produces a rain to be avoided. That together with an unlimited spray of bullets is what I plan.

Keep it up, and keep us posted, did you check beam rider?

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: BdR on 2013-Jul-30
Quote from: Ian Price on 2013-Jul-28
TBH Space Hawks was jut a Galaxian clone. Gameplay improvement wise you could add new enemies, attack waves, power-ups and maybe a boss or two. Obviously the graphics could be improved and smoothed and the sound could be redone from scratch. But doing all of that would make it a new game entirely...
I don't know Space Hawks, but if it's a Galaxian clone then you can improve it by making it more like Galaxian :P

Seriously, play the MAME version, or the NES port is pretty good too, and see how the Galaxians swoop down with gracefully smooth (sinus?) patterns. The trick is to cross their path as they attack, that is; when they swoop from left to right, you should move from right to left passing underneath them and shoot. You get extra points for shooting them in mid-air and this is a very subtle risk-reward system, which makes Galaxian such a great game.

The "swoop down" algorithm is pretty subtle but I think it can be done using bézier curves. If you can get that to work nicely you've got half of the game done.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-30
Quote from: erico on 2013-Jul-30
That looks great Brick! Ain´t the ship a bit too big? But really beautifull none the less!
Are you checking collisions by numbers or by using some commands?

I thought you wanted more blocky gfx, I really like what I see.

The ´fodder´ idea is great! Adds up an extra object to avoid.

My invaders idea can´t be destroyed, they all fall as indestructible carcasses and so produces a rain to be avoided. That together with an unlimited spray of bullets is what I plan.

Keep it up, and keep us posted, did you check beam rider?

Cheers erico.  Yep the ship is little too big, was trying to match the size of the original one.   Blocky - smooth graphics, not sure at the mo.

Why dont you make you invader fodder or bullets fall at different speeds to increase the challenge.  Please post an image of you game here too, would like to see it.

Ive checked out Beamrider (not come across it before) its a unique game.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-30
Quote from: BdR on 2013-Jul-30
Quote from: Ian Price on 2013-Jul-28
TBH Space Hawks was jut a Galaxian clone. Gameplay improvement wise you could add new enemies, attack waves, power-ups and maybe a boss or two. Obviously the graphics could be improved and smoothed and the sound could be redone from scratch. But doing all of that would make it a new game entirely...
The "swoop down" algorithm is pretty subtle but I think it can be done using bézier curves. If you can get that to work nicely you've got half of the game done.

Heres a small and simple example:

ang=1;x=0;y=0

WHILE TRUE

PRINT " @@",x,y-10;PRINT "@@@@",x,y;PRINT "@@@@",x,y+10;PRINT "@  @",x,y+20

INC x,5*SIN(ang);INC y,0.5

INC ang,1

IF y>440

x=0;y=0;ang=1

ENDIF

SHOWSCREEN

WEND

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: BdR on 2013-Jul-30
Quote from: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-30
Heres a small and simple example:
It isn't *just* a sinus wave. The path of the aliens is also influenced by the player position, and also sometimes they do a small looping and go back upwards a bit. So it's a little more complicated..
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-30
Hello Brick, there is no game yet, just idea. I better finish the current one before I start another. :-[
The graphics are the ones on this thread, there is a bit of the idea there too.
http://www.glbasic.com/forum/index.php?topic=9021.0

I like your gfx the blocky way, no smooth. But that is personal taste. I wonder what other people think.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-31
The more you try out your ideas with GLBasic - even more ideas spring up resulting in new projects.

I might post the Hawk graphics from the CPC game here - can you do your magic with them?  Ive took on board what you said about the ship being too big and made amends - thanx.  So, any help there from you will be included in the game erico.

My code is a re-write of something from my old laptop where the GFX were blocky - and they actually worked out well.

I`m tempted to add my rewrite of the invader game on that thread you visited.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Jul-31
Quote from: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-31
The more you try out your ideas with GLBasic - even more ideas spring up resulting in new projects.

Totally! I have to agree!

I have no magik ;/ but sprites are always great to look at and wonder.
I saw what you meant by proportions to the original, I checked it and the original is quite a large ship! Changing sizes changes gameplay I guess. I never had a chance to even see a cpc in action but you tube way. :(

I enjoy blocky gfx, sometimes I wonder if doing a game on 160x120 or similar woulden´t be cool. :-[

Best keep your game here on its own thread me thinks... more cool opinions from mates around.

Do you have the original sprite sheet? I can try to give a go but can´t promise much on it as the usual free time is horribly short juggling through things and long unfinished stuff :( But it is always good to check it out.

The game idead so far is great!
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Jul-31
Heres the original Hawk sprites in all there glory :) (Minus the fodder sprites.)

They used the CPC`s Mode 0 display which made the pixels stretch horizontally - hence the reason they look blocky.

Have fun.

(//)
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Aug-03
I´m starting to enjoy CPC, seems somehow similar to zx pectrum and some-more-how similar to an MSX.
I found this article here:
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Speccy_Port

Gives a good idea of mode 0 with its fixed 16 colors (160x200).

The art style in the original game is somehow strange, more kind of math then fantasy.
But one of the monsters there (the 3rd left to right) does have a resemblance to the 3rd enemies on moon cresta.

Really nice, I will give a shot on them in a few days trying to keep the resolution or the aspect ratio and use the mode 0 pallet.
Again, I can´t promisse much Brick, it is my will to do so but life has a way to come around sometimes.

Dad´s birthday monday so I should be a way for a while (only mobile) but it sounds like a good challenge to produce CPC mode 0 sprites.! :)
Don´t hold anything for my attempt, I will let you know here how it goes.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-05
Hi Erico.

The game was one of the first released for the system and I feel it followed along the lines of blocky looking invaders, although they where multicoloured - which was nice for the time.

It was a great little machine, check out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRvwYtEFnNs

The UTUBE clip is alittle sluggish in displaying the real fPS of the game :)

Good fun with the graphics, Im starting to think they have to be small anyway.  My current build has sprites that swoop and swarm like an Amiga game aka insectoids 2.  Anyone remember that?

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Aug-05
 :nw: :nw: Buff Brick Redux, I think this port from Arcade it's the best in all systems... This game was absolutely a bomb!!! (searching server... Ivan J Barna  :D :D ), I think it's one of the best games for CPC...

Brick Redux do You know the last demo of Batman Vuelve Group?¿... this guys are from Sevilla Spain... when they put the Demo for first time, all the people thinked the machine was an Amiga...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJosZfm560Q&list=PL4EB270F6050DD146

Really the CPC was and it's a very very good machine, and his Basic was the most powerfull in 8 bits, and better than PC

Another awesome game...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjxNTO92Da8

Really in UK Imagine and Ocean made fantastics games... here in Spain was a very good times too. :-*

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-05
Gryzor was certainly one of my faves on CPC (as well as Renegade - ported by the same team as Gryzor). Both games took advantage of the extra RAM if you had it (thankfully I did) and offered all the levels in one go (rather than multi-load) and additional music in Gryzor.

Another great CPC game was Sorcery+ 


It looks pretty simple nowadays, but it was a great challenge.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-05
Quote from: mentalthink on 2013-Aug-05
:nw: :nw: Buff Brick Redux, I think this port from Arcade it's the best in all systems... This game was absolutely a bomb!!! (searching server... Ivan J Barna  :D :D ), I think it's one of the best games for CPC...

Brick Redux do You know the last demo of Batman Vuelve Group?¿... this guys are from Sevilla Spain... when they put the Demo for first time, all the people thinked the machine was an Amiga...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJosZfm560Q&list=PL4EB270F6050DD146

Really the CPC was and it's a very very good machine, and his Basic was the most powerfull in 8 bits, and better than PC

Another awesome game...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjxNTO92Da8

Really in UK Imagine and Ocean made fantastics games... here in Spain was a very good times too. :-*

Yep, Ive seen that demo before - its brilliant.

Gryzor came out on the CPC just as programmers where realising the machines true abilities. (Instead of doing quick and easy ports from other systems)  Savage was a bold looking game, Gauntlet to me was best looking on the amstrad, Turrican was a "no-one thought that could be done type game".

Do you have any links/websites to these guys in Spain as they deserve a good old pat on the back.


Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-05
Quote from: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-05
Gryzor was certainly one of my faves on CPC (as well as Renegade - ported by the same team as Gryzor). Both games took advantage of the extra RAM if you had it (thankfully I did) and offered all the levels in one go (rather than multi-load) and additional music in Gryzor.

Another great CPC game was Sorcery+ 


It looks pretty simple nowadays, but it was a great challenge.

Renegade had wicked graphics (best of any conversion) and brilliant music.  I completed the original Sorcery and found the plus version alittle to difficult.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-05
I did a remake of Sorcery Plus many years ago in PlayBASIC (see attachment) - I never did get around to updating all the graphics as planned. I might get around to doing this again in GLB at some point so that it's smoother and faster.  CONTROLS are CURSORS and LEFT CTRL to pick up/fire/start etc.

[EDIT] You might have to run the .EXE twice and it might come up with a missing Lib error, but it works. :/



I still think that the CPC version of Renegade is not only the best port of the arcade game, but actually better than the arcade game! A true MUST HAVE CPC game.

Gauntlet I, II and Deeper Dungeons were excellent on CPC. The same cannot be said about Gauntlet III...
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-05
Thanks for that Ian, a good job indeed.  I like how the trapped Sorcerers tell you which object to find - cool.

I agree with you on your comments relating to Renegade.  The sequal was good too, but lets not mention that third time travel effort. :)
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-05
Yeah, Renegade 3. How on earth did that get made? I reckon they offered the work-experience kid a chance at making a game in 2 weeks and that's what he came up with.  It's unfit to be in the same universe as the other two games. TBH Target: Renegade wasn't a patch on the original though. But at least it was fun.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Aug-05
A tale similar to double dragon, where the III sucks horribly!

I love Renegade, played it for ages. The CPC version looks really good, and somehow I can see more frames on the lower part then the arcade has.
My only bad points would be it has no run (at least on the review I saw). The run+flying kick on arcades was awesome, you could off-the-wall hit enemies.
The run+punch was the most difficult move to master as it required perfect timing to work out.

Renegade and Gryzor are using mode 0 (16 colors) right? Looks really pretty. It is a nice pallete.

edit: Renegade´s music is amazing, quite shinobi and moon patrol on its jazzy take.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-05
You double tap direction to run in Renegade on CPC. JFYI There is a cheat code for Renegade that turns the blood from blue back to proper red (it was altered specifically for the German market, as red blood was banned at the time!).

Both Renegade and Gryzor use a mixture of MODE 1 and MODE 0. It's a special technique that few other games used (Mario Bros and Sorcery to name two others). The game plays in MODE 0 but some of the text is in MODE 1.

I absolutely love CPC Renegade's Rock N Roll music. I'm humming it right now as I type. :D
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Aug-05
We forget Saboteur, this it's another Museum Piece...

Ian you say in Gryzor the developer use Mode 1 and 0, are you sure I think CPC standard not PLUS, can't use different resolutions at the same time...

I know sometime ago the Scene People discover the Mode5, it's interlaced mode I think can give at the same time more than 512 colors, but I think only it's for fixed images , can't use for make games.

A question, where I can buy or download new creations in UK, in Spain the people continue working, and I think in France the Scene have a lot of live.. But really I don't know who makes new games for CPC....

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-05
If you go here:

http://www.cpcgamereviews.com/

Old & new games are available for download - click on game title to download. (Theres also links to other CPC websites there too)


www.genesis8bit.fr/index.php‎

Another good place for updates, new stuff etc.


Mixed modes was possible on the original CPCs but required good knowledge of machine code.  You can still get hold of type-in progs & some of them allow you to mix modes, shrink the screen ( like in Chase HQ ), make it overscan etc.

Dunno about mode 5, but more colours could be displayed by swapping two different screens - eg: one screen displays a red circle, the other screen displays a blue one resulting in a circle on screen that appears to be a mix of both colours.  This could also trick you into believing that the CPCs resolution had become far more crisper if used correctly.

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Aug-06
Thanks Brick Redux, for the Webs... I take a look.
About mix mode 1 and 0 I suppose obviously it's in ASM, I have to search a bit, just from some months ago I'm learning ASM of CPC, in Spain we have 2 Magazines Spectaculars, MicroHobby for ZX and Amstrad Semanal, the both have a training about ASM absolutely good explained...

Well ASM it's very faster, but the Basic, I read in some books, the CPC basic was more powrfull than PC on this times and 3 o 5 times for expensives... Really it's a very very nice machine... C64 it's excellent, but this machine in my country was really really expensive, only a few people can have the privilege to have one.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: fuzzy70 on 2013-Aug-06
@mentalthink, You might be interested in the following site http://www.cpcmania.com/ (http://www.cpcmania.com/) as it has some programming tutorials, manuals etc for the cpc in both English & Spanish  =D.

Alas while I have a boxed CPC up in my loft (along with majority of the 8bit/16bit home computers from the 80's onward) it was never a machine that really caught my eye back when it was released & I have no reason why. I think I was mainly using the C64 (& later C128) for game playing & programming in ASM as tbh C64 basic was hardly the best around back then with any graphic or sound requiring an overdose of POKE's to use, also the memories of PRINT commands with the graphic symbols etc are not particularly fond ones.

I also had a BBC micro at the same time which I used for more serious stuff due to the user port, 1 MHZ bus, inbuilt ADC etc which made it a superb machine for my electronics tinkering. While BBC basic was very good & came with an inbuilt assembler the numerous VDU commands & *FX/OSBYTE calls probably took longer to learn/remember than anything else on the machine  :D

Lee
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-06
Locomotive BASIC (the BASIC used on the whole CPC range) was indeed very powerful, but it was also pretty slow. As for mixed modes - it was possible and it wasn't difficult; I did it back in the day myself. The CPC came with a fantastic manual that told you everything you needed to know about Locomotive BASIC. Best manual I've ever read; it was clearly written with pride.

Even today, pretty much every game I write was influenced by owning a CPC back in the day - just look at my most recent game, AquaVenture - chunky sprites created with a small vibrant palette. The CPC is where I started coding, after all.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Aug-06
I am dumb o cpc actions. But by the way I see here it was quite an amos for 5he machine.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-06
CPC/Locomotive BASIC wasn't anything like AMOS (which compiled to machine code and allowed the use of sprites etc.), but there were several games creation packages, including the excellent Laser Basic.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Aug-06
Hi  fuzzy70 thanks for the link, I use sometimes for look the make the PC floppy into some one of my CPC's 6128 (just 2 months ago I buyed one for 15€  =D), don't worry about magazines , I have more than 2 or 3 GB in drop box whit magazines... those times were very very creative...
About C64, I have one here but I don't load nothing for now, I try to connect to internet whit Arduino whit the Serial Port, some games are really ugly, but in example Turrican II it's simply amazing, the Basic really in 64K version was a problem, all whit Pokes, I think this was difficult for the kids, BBC micro I want to buy some accorn Computer.

About Ian says whit Locomotive Basic, JAJA now make smile, when I buy GLbasic, I never turn again to do programs from Amstrad CPC, and Basic uhmm yes this can't do interesting things... In CPC the code was interpreted, and yes I find make only some months LASER BASIC and it's really amazing how it's faster.

If you want rebember those times , take a look to this movie to UK people like us a lot, for me it's more interesting than Pirates of Silicon valley, perhaps are only 2 hours fliying to UK...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIcAyFVK0gE

About the history of CPC arrives to Spain was practically casuality, I think Sir Clive and Sir Alan Sugar don't make to much funny the Spaninsh Country...  :D :D :D (but this it's another HISTORY)
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-06
Try these links too.


A Sprite editor and new Basic commands to move them.

http://www.sean.co.uk/books/amstrad/amstrad8.shtm


A listing demonstrating the split mode effect.

http://cpcrulez.fr/coding_src-list-RSX-mix_your_modes_POPU.htm


A Type-in prog you can download that gives you new basic commands to mix modes.

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.cpc-power.com/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.cpc-power.com/%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3D2kf%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official


Hisoft Turbo Basic ( & Compiler ) - it even comes with an invader game :)

http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Hisoft_Turbo_Basic
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-06
Theres also a game maker call Sprites Alive. It gives you an extra 70 commands to basic that include missile , bullet, collide, move, hit, explode, animate, maze etc. You might find the screen commands interesting as they allow you to alter the size of the screen.  It comes with its own sprite editor too.

http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Sprites_Alive

I once used it and made a 6 screen - helicopter inside a cavern type game.  Your goal was to move to the far right of the screen whilst navigating the caverns terrain and monsters.  It looked a bit like Magic Carpet ( C 64 )
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Aug-06
Thanks Brick Redux for this webs too, I know all you comment me, in fact now we have some crosscompilers, something like GLBasic, but for ZX, CPC and MSX.

http://ccz80.webcindario.com/ccz80sp.html //This it's something like C, but scripting very easy, but I don't know if it's too much faster. (it's in english too) Comes whit IDE

http://www.z88dk.org/forum/   This it's C, and I think it's very faster, but never I used.

A very good web is this
http://cpcrulez.fr/coding-crossdev-phrozenC.htm

French people have a very very good Scene, in Spain I don't understand because MSX have a huge Scene, in 80's MSX don't sell too much computers, well in around the world MSX practically it's unknowed.

I test Hi-Soft Basic but I think the help it's in Deutsch , and for the moment I don't understand too much well this tongue.



Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-06
I personally know the owner and family of the HiSoft guy - he also owned the Cinema4D brand at one point. he runs a guest house in the Isle Of Wight nowadays.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-06
Has he been on the channel 4 prog, four in a bed - by any chance :)
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-07
QuoteHas he been on the channel 4 prog, four in a bed - by any chance 
I have no idea  O_O
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Aug-07
Sounds like a great guest house to come by!
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Aug-07
The good of those times in UK, it's the possibility to make rich, I read if you can make an enterprise from Spain in UK only cost 30E and you have to visit some guys for speak about papers... something wrong in the Spaninsh laws, the standard here.

I read and I look some shows in tv on the people make a lof of money, here the only guy make a lot of money, was the singer of formula V, this guy whit a England guy arrives whit an contract whit all Europe, to sell in Spain the games to 875 pesetas, something like 5€ now, but only in Spain, seems when the games cost this price, ERBE was the distribuitor gain bunch of millions, but the developers... only a good money somtimes for don't abandond the develeper enterprise.

It's the difference between countries on the politics are clever or smarts, or here on only are the friends of the other friends...

Another good point in the 80's in UK was the TV shows, I'm not sure but in TV the BBC have like a courses for the people begin to learn computer programming... here when Spain buy Dragon (really extrange this movement, because Dragon was in bankrupt), in Catalonya begun a tv show for programming whit Dragon, but the computer not works fine here too, and dissapears , I have the idea some one put the hand in the enterprise and put in backrupt again... else perhaps Spain can be now the another South Korea, now the politics here make me small or better cry, they want a Nokia country... Sure 100%  :puke:
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-07
Quote from: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-07
QuoteHas he been on the channel 4 prog, four in a bed - by any chance 
I have no idea  O_O

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_in_a_Bed
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Aug-22
Here some sprites,

I could not work out the original cpc colors at all :( it must be done by hand or I need to study more.

One mock has 16x32 small sprites the other and the png have a better 32x64 effort.
They all require some clean up :-[

edit: the lower res suffers, but somehow I prefer it over the ´amiga´ counterpart O_O.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: bigsofty on 2013-Aug-22
Quote from: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-06
I personally know the owner and family of the HiSoft guy - he also owned the Cinema4D brand at one point. he runs a guest house in the Isle Of Wight nowadays.

Wow, Devpac is right up there in my top 10 best software purchases of all time, kudos Ian!  :good:
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-23
Quote from: erico on 2013-Aug-22
Here some sprites,

And very nice they are too  :good:
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Aug-23
Thanks, here is the latest one with a better size (200x250 upscaled to 800x500).

Original sprites in png, square pixel.
plus a mock
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: bigsofty on 2013-Aug-23
Great sprites Erico, there crying out to be made into shmup!

IIRC the Cpc was pallete based, so they could be any thing. The best idea is to grab an emulator, take a screen shot and then check out the pixel colours in a paint package.

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: fuzzy70 on 2013-Aug-23
Although I'm not a huge fan of wikipedia this could be useful as show's the palettes of most of the 8-bit micros

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_8-bit_computer_hardware_palettes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_8-bit_computer_hardware_palettes)

Lee
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: bigsofty on 2013-Aug-23
Strangely enough, that page actually is wrong as far as the CPC is concerned. Each cpc colour could be selected from a pallete of 4x4x4 RGB bits, total 4096 colours.  Max 16 on screen at any time.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-23
Quote from: bigsofty on 2013-Aug-23
Strangely enough, that page actually is wrong as far as the CPC is concerned. Each cpc colour could be selected from a pallete of 4x4x4 RGB bits, total 4096 colours.  Max 16 on screen at any time.
Sorry, but nope. Only the CPC+ range could access 4096 colours, the original CPC only had a valid range of 0 to 26, however you could select colours above 26, which when used with code could be made to do strange things (eg the Speccy type borders when loading games etc.)

And max 16 was dependent on Mode. With Mode switching you could actually have more than 16 on screen.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: bigsofty on 2013-Aug-23
I could be wrong, I'm often getting the CPC and ST mixed up for some reason when I remember ancient coding techniques.

But that being said, the restriction you talk about are probably related to Locomotive Basic rather than the hardware.

I coded (blatant plug! ;)) War Machine on the CPC(http://www.cpcgamereviews.com/w/) many moons ago when I was a nipper. This has a couple of noticable features that would not have been possible with being able to set the pallete.

Raster bars on the title screen, this involved waiting for the VBlank interrupt and then changing the pallet of colour 0(always the background colour), using 100% CPU to match the screen retrace gun. This allows for a tonne of colours on the screen and drawing the bars into the borders. I think I was the first to do this on the CPC. It would not been possible without being able to set the colour palette in real-time.

Also, the pause screen, which greys out the entire screen and  zaps each colour back in, all done by simply changing the current palette.

As I said though, it's patchy in some areas(I blame too much smoking of the old herbal ciggies during that period! :D), so I could still be wrong. ;)

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-23
QuoteRaster bars on the title screen, this involved waiting for the VBlank interrupt and then changing the pallet of colour 0(always the background colour), using 100% CPU to match the screen retrace gun. This allows for a tonne of colours on the screen and drawing the bars into the borders. I think I was the first to do this on the CPC. It would not been possible without being able to set the colour palette in real-time.

You could easily change the colour on the fly, but not the actual palette. The palette was fixed at 27 colours (on normal CPC). It wasn't just a limitation of Locomotive BASIC. As I stated, you can have more than 16 colours (although I only mentioned Mode switching) on screen at a time and the borders  were very easy to manipulate.

I did a fair bit of assembly coding back in the day too, but I don't remember much nowadays. And not because of drugs or alcohol - just old age and dementia!

See here, ONLY 27 and definitely not 4096 colours on normal CPC - http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Video_modes
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Aug-23
Thanks for the info and the links guys, I also got these two here:

http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Video_modes#Mode_0_graphics
http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Creating_images_for_the_Amstrad

From what I understood, legacy wise you could have 16 colors from a fixed pallete of 27 in mode 0 + 160x200 screen with pixel aspect at 2.
I´m appending its pallete here (.act files).

And an extra pallete where the dithered colors are real colors.
I thought I could reach the original by going this way first and only susbtitute the non-colors for the dither.
Alas it worked better for auto conversion but still needs hand work.
I would like it to use this mode.

For the sake of time, I decided to use CPC+ and its 4096 colors =D
I upped the resolution a bit to try and match mobile screens and a comfortable play area while retaining the pixel visual aspect of 2.

But the hardest part in drawing these things was the motto behind the art.

If you take a look at the originals, IMHO, they look like they were referenced from a mix of games and effects of old computers.

So in my case, the hawks are actually a bit cyber-cthullu-cenobits like and have insect wings :D
More or less like this order:

The yellow disk is the hawk egg enlaced by some polygonal energy.
There is a set of 2 mutated/cyber eggs.
And a set of 2 mutated/cyber young hawks.
The green spinning liquids are failed eggs condensed into an explosive liquid.
You have a young and a mature hawk (that can come from the egg).

There is more on the objects relationship and some story. I find it easier to draw something doing that first.

edit: Bigsofty, warmachine looks awesome!
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: bigsofty on 2013-Aug-25
I bow to your superior memory Ian, I think you may be right!  ;)

Thanks Erico, it was a long time ago but even to this day I remember it being one of the most enjoyable times I had coding! :)

Erico, your sprites would look great in a good old retro Galaxian Shmup IMHO!  :good:
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-28
Quote from: erico on 2013-Aug-23
Thanks, here is the latest one with a better size (200x250 upscaled to 800x500).

Original sprites in png, square pixel.
plus a mock

Super nice blocky GFX Erico, just what I needed.  Will add them to the Hawks prog and post a demo soon. Watch this space. Brilliant!
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Aug-28
Is it done yet? ;) :P
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Brick Redux on 2013-Aug-28
Coming soon! :)
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-14
Sooner then some title?? :P
...me and folks wanna see it moving! 8)


:D hardcore bump!  :D
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-14
Amstrad's console (GX 4000) had a palette of 4096, from which 16 could be used.

When it was released, I was certainly rather interested in it...  Mind you, I also wanted a C128 and (later on) a Falcon...
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-14
The GX4000 was a nice little machine, but the controllers were really small. I had four games for mine; Pang, Burning Rubber, RoboCop 2 and Klax. All looked graphically great and three of them played well too. However, I can't remember getting off of the first level in RoboCop 2. It was rock-hard. A real shame because it looked absolutely fantastic.

The GX4000 could display more than 16 colours at a time MrT -

  - Maximum colours onscreen: 32 (16 for background, 15 for sprites, 1 for border)

  - Maximum onscreen colour counts can be increased in all Modes through the use of interrupts.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-14
Dont forget thats the total for the background, sprites and border...  However, I suspect most took advantage of the use of interrupts to increase that number.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-14
Nope, 32 was normal without interrupts. The GX4000 used the PLUS capabilities of the CPC PLUS range, which included a larger palette (as you said 4096) and more colours on screen (upto 32 without interrupts) and sprites.

View a game like Robocop 2, Pang or even Burnin' Rubber on YouTube and you can clearly see there's more than 16 colours visible at any one time. These games weren't available on regular CPC due to that reason.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-14
I only saw the Burning Rubber game when the machine came out...
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Sep-15
I think Alan sugar was wrong with CPC + and this Console, today they are nice machines, but with the Amiga and Atari in the market was a wrong Step.

About the +'s and the console really it's nice look a Z80 and seems practically an Amiga using Sprites , I look some games of Plus and they are awesome, something similar whats happends whit MSX2 or MSX-Turbo a simply Z80 and it's like an Arcade.

In those times was the end of the "Golden Era of the Spaninsh Soft", the market was really extrange, anybody nows wich machine use for do games... the PC whit 2 colors, or less graphic quality than an Spectrum not was a good idea think on it... another great error.  :'( :'( and Amiga and Atari, very expensive computers for the most part of population.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-15
I just saw a tube with that robocop2 game on cpc, really nice! But quite not as ´pretty´ as the amiga version, which did sport ham images between levels.

Here I don´t care much for ´pretty´ and the ham images are a waste for me, games have to inspire the imagination not copy what our eyes can see.
The cpc version looks quite ´manic miner´ style.

I think the 2x aspect ratio of amstrad is awesome! It generates intriguing possibilities.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-15
Quotethink Alan sugar was wrong with CPC + and this Console, today they are nice machines, but with the Amiga and Atari in the market was a wrong Step.
Yeah, not really sure what he (Alan Sugar) was trying to do there - with the GX4000 or the PLUS range.

QuoteI just saw a tube with that robocop2 game on cpc, really nice! But quite not as ´pretty´ as the amiga version, which did sport ham images between levels.
Not surprising really, seeing as the CPC was 8bit and limited by its graphic Mode 0 and the Amiga was 16bit and not limited. If you want to graphically compare "like for like" look at other 8bit versions, like the the 64C ... ;)

QuoteI think the 2x aspect ratio of amstrad is awesome! It generates intriguing possibilities.
I love the chunkiness of CPC (and to a lesser degree, C64) games.

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-15
Quote from: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-15
QuoteI just saw a tube with that robocop2 game on cpc, really nice! But quite not as ´pretty´ as the amiga version, which did sport ham images between levels.
Not surprising really, seeing as the CPC was 8bit and limited by its graphic Mode 0 and the Amiga was 16bit and not limited. If you want to graphically compare "like for like" look at other 8bit versions, like the the 64C ... ;)

Oh no, not quite compare. The games I like best are the 8bits if not even older.
As newer hardware came around, so did the will to become photorealistic...I never really got into that and still can´t.

Sure an old hardware push towards that is great, like the demo scene, but over that the gameplay/atmosphere has to hold.

Oh heck, I can almost still see Conan on atari2600´s Adventure...ye the yellow square and the duck dragons.

There is something really special into different aspect ratios, color clashes and the likes..., something fantastic and far from real.
It is great we can try it out nowadays with extended power.

I wonder about recreating those and try to push it further into something new. It sure would make for a great experience. 


Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-15
Quote from: mentalthink on 2013-Sep-15
I think Alan sugar was wrong with CPC + and this Console, today they are nice machines, but with the Amiga and Atari in the market was a wrong Step.

My guess is that all hardware are great, and so was turbo-R, but it will always depend on software and developers.
They didn´t seem to give much love to those platforms...neither cd32 and so many others.
Atari lynx can fit into that. Slime world and Xenophobe are two titles that justifies buying it IMHO.

I just love the hardware limitations imposed back then. You and team had to be a genius to pull really good stuff. 
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-15
It's amazing some of the stuff that demo coders produce even now on the old machines. Shame that the soft-cos of the era never pushed as hard as the sceners do nowadays. Think of the possibilities for the games back then... :(

The difference is the soft-cos did it for money, the sceners do it for the love and the ability to shout "Look at what me and the machine can do together."
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-15
Agreed fully! :good:
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Sep-15
Im have never heard of Amstrad GX4000 at all, and its look like its the extractly same fail Commomdore did with its C64S few month later:
Released 8 bit machines in a market, that got dominated with various other much better 16 bit machines (Like Amiga and Sega Genesis/Megadrive).

So there was no wonder GX4000 fames got compared with other 16 bit versions and failed big balls with only 27 games released.

PS. yes its look like a nice machine today.

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-15
Yes, it failed for pretty much the same reasons as 64GS, and the same failures can be traced to modern companies too really.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-15
The 64GS makes even less sense than the GX4000 (which itself made very little) - it offered no benefits on top of the C64 graphics or sound-wise (IIRC). The C64 offered cart support from day one, so all it was was a box without a keyboard.

The GX4000 never got compared to 16bit consoles of the time as there weren't any in the UK at launch, and even then it wasn't even a blip on most people's radar. Most people have never heard of it. A small British company launching an 8bit console in an era where SEGA were just about to launch the MegaDrive. The MasterSystem and NES had pretty much cleaned up those who wanted an 8bit console, due to having a host of arcade related 1st party games and a slew of excellent 3rd party support. Everyone knew the MegaDrive was coming. Amstrad could never hope to match that. And then a year or so later the SNES arrived.

It's a real shame that the PC Engine never got a release in the UK.That is one machine I would still love to own - and I still might, one day. I don't think it got a European release either, did it? I know it was just about to launch in the UK when it's plug was pulled. Shame.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Sep-15
It's seen gx4000 must have been one of the worst game console and/or launch ever. The console seen to been based on 6128+ with cartridge port. So nothing new invention here too. But it's should been a very pretty cool collector item today (just like Amiga cd32 I'm own).

But both gx4000 and 64gs failed totally (dispite 64gs cartridge games could been played on a regular 64, so it's property that commodore was trying to do).

Pc Engine/turbograpx-16 is a very cool console. I'm brought a emutor back then.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-15
The 464+, 6128+ and GX4000 all came out at the same time, so the GX4000 wasn't just based on what had been before, unlike the 64GS.

It certainly isn't/wasn't the worst console available and nor was it the least popular or least supported, but it didn't go down at all well that's for sure. It was a nice, compact machine with a few excellent games, but really was too little, too late. Graphically and sonically it was better than the MS and NES. If it had arrived two years before it actually did, history might have been saying great things about it.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-15
Like the 64GS it came too late and was no different to the what was already out there.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-15
Quote from: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-15
Like the 64GS it came too late and was no different to the what was already out there.
Yes it (GX4000) came late, but it WAS different to what had come before. It was technically the best specced 8bit console in the UK market.

As I stated earlier the 64GS was exactly the same as the C64, just lacking the keyboard. The GX4000 and CPC PLUS range were a major improvement over the original CPC machines.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-15
Dont forget the CPC+ range wasn't exact popular - basing a console on a a machine that didn't sell well to start with probably wasn't a good idea.

Another of AMSTRAD's problems was the lack of advertising.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Sep-15
How says Erico the nice things of this machines are the limitations, only graphically and I spoke about Amstrad it's really hardest do graphics, so you can put any color on you want, and Spectrum, this machina can't did games, and this guys made a lot of awesome games, take a look to Robocop, you can see 2 colors game, but really really nice graphics.

Ian comments about the money , I think this happends only in UK and USA in some enterprises like Ocean , Imagine and some great, but here any "great" (really they were like a Indie Studio , 8 or 9 people picking code) developer makes rich.

And how say Space fractal, the great problem was IMHO the consoles, but not for the devices and capabilities, in example Dinamic, I think the most importat developer in 8 bits in my country knock to the doors of Sega, for develop for Genesis, they don't speak with them, they not were nothing, and you needed a lot of money for develop, something similar now with Xbox or Sony, just 2 brothers made "Navy Moves" , now the done Zack Zero for Sony, and they say in interview the tract with them was a really shit, commites in Pub, when they make a great part of the game Sony tells , this is bad product... and seems the license price goes down a lot.

I lauch when some people tolds me, you have a funny job... yes sometimes it's the hell   :S

If you don't play to Navy Moves, do it, it's really a four best games in all the 8 bits Era IMHO, the great trick was the presentation of the product... Maps, secret codes, manuals with a lof of definitons of the enemies... simply perfect , for 8 yeras old kid, exploids his head  :D :D :D :D
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-15
QuoteAnother of AMSTRAD's problems was the lack of advertising.
Do you think the GX4000 and CPC Plus range would have sold more if AMSTRAD did advertise (on tv - they advertised a lot in mags)? I seriously doubt it. Sugar knew that the range would have a limited life-expectancy and knew there was limited interest from people not already interested in the hugely popular CPC range, both here and in Europe - the CPC was massive in France and Germany, with a large following in Spain too.

The PLUS range was excellent, but it was also like the Atari STE, Amgia 600, C128/64C, Spectrum +2, Master System 2, Advance Gameboy SP, MegaDrive 2, PSOne, PSTwo, PS3 Slim and Slimmer - a way to eek out more sales of the system at a good price which were now much cheaper to manufacture (cheaper than the older CPC models). But unlike most of those others, the PLUS range also added new tech to the existing systems.

AMSTRAD didn't advertise on tv any less than Commodore, Sinclair, Enterprise, MSX etc. They didn't need to. The trade press catered for their advertising. Games never used to advertise either, remember. Did that stop them selling?
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-15
Advertisement for old computers were a subject back on the amiga days (at least around here) specially at the last of its life.

I´m not sure publicity for computers or games did matter much back then.
Here is a tv add for the brazilian coco computer:


I kind of remember seeing it a couple times but I´m sure it did not cause any impressions.

The ads that made a difference for me were the magazine´s.
Thinking about this, most of the great computer magazines were specialized on a single platform...so I guess that´s quite the strong publicity to start with.
I think I still have a huge pile of RAINBOW and CU AMIGA back at parent´s place.
Computer people were more pron to read and spend time with the machine then TV stuff.

While I never saw a cpc around here, I have a hunch it must have had specific magazines too on countries that it was popular.
I think that is all the publicity the 8b computer needed back then.

@space, you have a cd32? Oh my, I´d really like to see mad fighters II(x-fighter) on it, but it never got released, the author dosen´t have it anymore and the  review copy some magazines got hold are also lost forever :(

:offtopic: I hate to fall in love with a game that never got released! The very edition of cuamiga that got me AMOS in the first place had a preview of CYBERSPACE which immediately knocked my head off as to what I believe would have been one of the best games ever.
In case you wonder what the heck is that, here is a link:
http://amr.abime.net/issue_602_pages

check page 46 and 47.

Once in a while, I try in vain, to find info or demo about it on the internets.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Sep-15
http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg90-gx4000.htm - Nice info on that console. Atari STE was a very much improvement over the Atari ST, its clearly on some games (mostly in the sound).

erico, im mean have heard about Mad Fighter. Im got the machine at my 18 years birthday, and some month after (or such), im upgraded that with a SX-1, so im could uses that as a regular Amiga 1200 (that was the property the main reason im had the console). Im have no idea its still works, but could been fun to checks it out.

PS. Greedy Mouse was started as a Amos game for around 20 years ago as Mouse Runner, hehe.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-15
Games sell a  lot more with TV advertising though...
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Sep-15
A1200 this it's greater words, the nice it's today you can buy a new from fabric , real 1200, a bit expensive, but this it's a real complex machine, I think this it's 32 bits, not 16.

And AMOS, I just looking this Basic, perhaps I will do something with a friend for Amigas, make some games in Retroscene I think can help to sell iPhone and newer devices games, in fact here Relevo Studio make this strategy and between the RetroGamers have a lot acceptation all this games.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: MrTAToad on 2013-Sep-15
I used to have BlitzBasic for my A600 - it was very buggy...
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-15
I had BlitzBASIC too and all the AMOS programs (Easy AMOS, AMOS, AMOS PRO, AMOS COMPILER) for my A600. AMOS PRO was my weapon of choice back in the day. The Blitz (Amiga, not pc) syntax always seemed really strange to me - AMOS was much more natural and intuitive.

Anyway, how far off-topic have we come? :P
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Sep-15
Hehe. Typical and sorry to the original thread owner.

Howover look forward to the remake. Property you should annonce it's as a new thread in the annonce forum.

Ps. Ian, If you can, you should split all offtypic as general amstrad & console thread? If its not mixed too much. It's was not bashing as such, just a great talk.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-15
hehe, mine was the bog standard amos. I bought blitz, but could never even do an asteroid on it, got me pissed.

But hey, we are not off topic, let me prove. ::)

" Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?"

1- first we have to remember the CPC, so we are discussing that and the variations and capabilities.
2- To properly remember the CPC, we must also climb down the computer era...PC-AMIGA-ETC
3- This is a BASIC forum, so amos and blitz are pertinent.
4- publicity is also related as those are media pieces that help remember.

See? So we are actually on the path of the topic. The subtopics help argument on the main topic. ;) :D
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-15
Hey Space, I never heard of that game either.
But I´m eager to see what Brix has come up with on that front.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: spacefractal on 2013-Sep-15
Amos was a bit slow, but great to use and have a great big manual.

And it's was in the offtype, not as a announcement thread. But it's was more on the game. Mightbeen a bit wrong forum? Then offtype happens.
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: Ian Price on 2013-Sep-16
Threads always deviate after a time - that's their nature, but I'm more than willing to get this back on-topic. We just need a demo to continue properly ;) :P

At least we're keeping this thread alive - as a reminder that we're waiting anxiously for this game ;)
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Sep-16
...you just perfectly spoke my thoughts  :o :good:

Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: mentalthink on 2013-Sep-16
You are a Retro-Bad-Guys the post have to continue with the Game :rant:  , but really I like a lot this part... Ian it's the responsable, :D :D  the boss tell you something :happy:...  erico,space and me  don't have problem we are clients JAJAJA  =D =D =D
Title: Re: Does any one remember SPACE HAWKS on the CPC?
Post by: erico on 2013-Oct-12
Brix? News on this front?  :nw: