DON'T TOUCH THE CIGAR LIGHTER!
Here are two guys who are really miffed that Timothy
Dalton got the part of James Bond! Still they have got the
consolation of having a nice computer game called The Living
Daylights and, besides, who wants to have their Aston Martin clamped
in the car park of Pinewood Studios!
The two guys in question are Dominic Wheatley and
Mark Strachan of Domark who, after the incredible coup of getting
Trivial Pursuit to the Atari and other computers have now tied up
the rights to the latest Bond movie. The game is already out on the
Atari and could already be topping the charts.
An XLENT Anniversary
Software company XLENT Software (UK) Ltd. shortly
celebrates it first birthday having been conceived at the Personal
Computer World Show in 1986 and incorporated in October of that
year. XLENT, as an American company, had become well known to Atari
users for many years of producing utility software that combines the
graphic power of the Atari machines with the printed page and
although their products had been available previously in the UK they
wanted a more permanent representation here to enable Atari users to
benefit from 'home produced' software.
Two American directors of the company, Linda
Kubota-Barnes and Barbara Cauldron (who says there are no women
interested in computing!) had discussions with Mike Reynolds-Jones
and Peter Fellows of Software Express and the XLENT UK company was
born. So far six products have been launched in the UK, four
–Typesetter Elite, Megafont ST, Write 90 and The 1st XLENT Word
Processor – are original American products but two are newly written
programs from this country. ST owners can now obtain the inexpensive
and simple to use Label Maker to take the drudgery out of producing
any type of label on their printers and 1029 printer owners at last
have something exciting in Ten Print, a utility for printing
documents in a choice of several different fonts on their machine.
Mike Reynolds-Jones says that the company are
actively looking for more applications written in the UK, for
marketing both here and in the States, provided that they are in the
graphics/print related software line with which the company have
established an excellent reputation. Future releases planned include
the PM Interface which will allow Print Master files to be combined
with Typesetter Elite and also a ClipArt disk for Typesetter Elite.
There will also be a related Utilities disk and Typesetter Page
Design plus Megafont II for the 8-bit machines. There could of
course also be some exciting print related software from the UK.
Mike Reynolds-Jones is certain that Atari owners in this country
have the ability to write top class programs.
A year passes quite quickly in the computer field.
Many don't survive that long but XLENT are still going strong and
intend to get even stronger in the coming year.
XLENT SOFTWARE (UK) Ltd. can be found at 516, Alum
Rock Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham, B8 3HX
HEWSON LOOK TO ATARI
Another established software house is waiting to turn
its attention to the Atari. Already established on other machines
with smash hits such as Uridium and Firelord, Hewson is now looking
for programmers on both the ST and Atari 8-bit.
Games designers and writers are invited to get in
touch with Mark Whiffen at Hewson with their work. What are they
looking for? Games! Simple games, sophisticated games, long games,
short games, quick games and quirky games! They don't mind what.
Shoot 'em ups, arcade adventures, sports games and combat games will
all be considered so if you have one up your sleeve why not get in
touch. Maybe another British software company will then start
supporting the Atari.
You can contact Mark Whiffen at Hewson Consultants
Ltd., 56B Milton Trading Estate, Milton, Abingdon, Oxon.
MEANWHILE ...
That Mike Reynolds-Jones is a busy man! Software
Express, already established as the premier Atari dealer in the
Midlands, recently took over the Computer World shop in Broad
Street, Birmingham. Now Atari owners visiting Birmingham for only a
short time have the chance to visit a branch of Software Express
just a short distance from the city centre. The full range of Atari
products and software –and even the VCS – is on sale at Broad Street
but the company will also be continuing full support of the Atari at
their existing premises in Alum Rock Road.
Taking over Broad Street is something of a
home-coming for Mike as that is where he first joined the ranks of
Atari retailers after first buying one of those old 400's and, like
many of us, getting hooked!
LEWD SEX ROMP AUTHOR CHOOSES ROBOT PARTNER
That's not our headline, it's what Infocom say about
their latest release for the Atari XL/XE!
After writing Leather Godesses of Phobos, Steve Meretsky has got
back together with Floyd, the robot from Planetfall in Infocom's
latest called Stationfall. The game follows on nicely from
Planetfall and you have been promoted from Ensign Seventh Class to
Lieutenant First Class (didn't you do well!) .. on the paperwork
task force!
Another boring day sees you travelling to a nearby space station to
pick up a supply of trivia forms when you find out that your
companion on the journey is the mischievous, playful, Floyd! When
you arrive at the space station, however, all is not routine. The
place is deserted apart from a few weirdos and then even Floyd
starts behaving strangely ...
Another Infocom, with all the usual bits in the box,
which will set you back £24.99 for your XL or XE.
ATARI GO FOR THE FASTEST
I want one! I have got an Atari Olympics badge but I
really do want David Brodie's BBW works Starion Turbo which Atari
sponsored in this year's British Saloon Car Championship Grand Prix
at Silverstone in July. The sponsorship formed part of wider
celebrations at Silverstone where Atari entertained many of the
leading personalities in the computer retailing industry (but not
the Editor of PAGE 6!) in a presentation of its advertising and
promotional plans for 1987.
It is good to see Atari once more grabbing the
headlines in promoting the company, let's hope there is more to
come. How about some help in souping up my Mitsubishi Sigma Estate?
I don't mind having Atari painted all over the front! No? Okay, I'll
settle for a ride round Silverstone with David Brodie in his next
practice!
SOFTWARE SHORTS
U.S. Gold have now released the renowned Print
Shop and associated utilities from Broderbund in its original Atari
8-bit form. Print Shop and The Print Shop Companion have already
been reviewed in PAGE 6 and the message is, if you have a printer,
get it! The programs work on most printers but not the 1029 so be
careful!
From
S.S.I. via U.S. Gold comes the sequel to the acclaimed civil
war simulation Gettysburg, Rebel Charge at Chickamauga whilst
promised later in the year is War in the South Pacific which
simulates three historic battles from World War II.
Digital Integration are shortly releasing a
new combat simulator for the Atari 8-bit and ST. F-16 COMBAT PILOT
is, they claim, the most advanced and authentic simulation of
General Dynamics F-16. If it really is that good it will be well
worth a look from the many Atari flight fanatics. Digital
Integration are serious about this flight simulation stuff for they
sent a complete specification of the F-16 issued by the U.S. Air
Force along with the press release!
From Infocom comes The Lurking Horror where
you explore a world that rivals your most hideous visions. Foolish
enough to descend into the basement of the George Underwood –
Edwards Institute you discover something really horrible. And I can
tell you there is something pretty horrible inside the box of this
one! On the XL/XE at £24.99 and on the ST for £29.99
Not software as such, but an essential aid, is the
range of Suncom joysticks now being marketed in the U.K. by
Microprose Software. Suncom have a large range of controllers, only
a few of which have previously been available in the U.K. Now you
will be able to chose from them all with the first showing of the
entire range at the coming PCW Show.
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