frenchman

Nicely boxed, well done. Got instructions with those of are they on the back of the box? Is Bingo confirmed for sure?

I wonder what happened to 'stevelanc', I bet he was an insecure C64 user and turned into STE86, the unknowledgable C64 gamer

Ah $299, so Retro Gamer was spot on with the UK launch price of GBP250 for the 800XL

Forget this site. Informations were not exactly from the same time and false entrys are obvious. The 800XL with FLOPPY was far more expensive than a C64 with a floppy in the middle of 1985. But to be fair, I bought the 800XL with a 1010 Recorder at a special pricing. The 1050 I bought some months later. The 183 Euro equivalent is for the Atari 600, the 800 XL price is not listed on that site.

And that little British inch of credibility you had is just gone out the window. that's for sure. I imagine it is hard for most of the UK people here to really have much validity in commenting on A8 as they have all said it was barely a presence in the UK. Unlike here where it was a major player for many years.Software was everywhere and in was second only to Apple for many years as well. Probably hard to imagine for them. Not to mention Atari was a US company. Commodore was also an US company selling primarily overseas Not really, since C64 outsold A8 everywhere in the world (including US). And there we are back in the beginning, cheapest sells best, eg Spectrum outsold C64 in the UK, C64 outsold every other computer in the rest of the world, except Russia and Japan. (think of it this way, A8 is like Sony Betamax, C64 like VHS. Betamax better quality, but lost out to VHS, because VHS being cheaper) As stated by UK magazine Retro Gamer issue 47, and I quote: "Compared to the more popular home computers of the day, such as the ZX Spectrum and C64, Atari's computers were often regarded as high-end"....and of course, Retro Gamer being a British magazine, right they are. Well, your theory isn't true, since ATARI 800 XL was always cheaper than C64 in the whole world. You don't know anything, do you? Quoting Retro Gamer again, just for you: "In 1984, the newly released Atari XL, the computer designed to compete with the C64, was priced around GBP 250, Considerably cheaper than its older sibling, the Atari 800, had been on launch in the US, but far more exepensive than the Spectrum (GBP 130) or ....here comes the science bit, Rocky pay attention.....C64 (GBP 199)". You want me to quote some German magazines from back 80s, with some German C64 and Atari XL pricing? Yes, I got those magazines too. And again, yes, C64 was cheaper, even with a fdd.

Just visited Wiki regarding C64 softs, they are so deluded: Due to the quality and quantity of games written for the computer (thanks in part to the advanced sound and graphic hardware), the Commodore 64 became well known primarily as a gaming and home entertainment platform more than as a serious business computer. The Commodore 64's large installed user base encouraged commercial companies to flood the market with game software, even up until Commodore's demise in 1994. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Commodore 64's gaming history is the sheer number of game titles written for the machine. In total (according to Gamebase 64) there exist well over 20,000 unique game titles for the Commodore 64 - perhaps the largest game catalog for any home computer or game console to date, and easily rivaling the quantity of games produced for the ZX Spectrum. 20,000 unique game titles according to Gamebase 64. Except those made by hmmmm, lemme think..... PCS, BCK, SEUCK, type-in listings, Game Maker, Quills etc.... ah , we had this before.....laughable

And that little British inch of credibility you had is just gone out the window. that's for sure. I imagine it is hard for most of the UK people here to really have much validity in commenting on A8 as they have all said it was barely a presence in the UK. Unlike here where it was a major player for many years.Software was everywhere and in was second only to Apple for many years as well. Probably hard to imagine for them. Not to mention Atari was a US company. Commodore was also an US company selling primarily overseas Not really, since C64 outsold A8 everywhere in the world (including US). And there we are back in the beginning, cheapest sells best, eg Spectrum outsold C64 in the UK, C64 outsold every other computer in the rest of the world, except Russia and Japan. (think of it this way, A8 is like Sony Betamax, C64 like VHS. Betamax better quality, but lost out to VHS, because VHS being cheaper) As stated by UK magazine Retro Gamer issue 47, and I quote: "Compared to the more popular home computers of the day, such as the ZX Spectrum and C64, Atari's computers were often regarded as high-end"....and of course, Retro Gamer being a British magazine, right they are.

And that little British inch of credibility you had is just gone out the window. you see again with the partial out of context quote. u will insist on making out that i dont like MP games as opposed to disputing your fanboy opinion that the early stuff was "classic" classic? these? no i think not classic? these? oh yes but then i never expect u to agree because MP never got past the basic stage on the a8 did it? so how can u possibly agree. it would mean u played them on a 64 and would lose your fanboy mantle. Steve How would you know if I haven't played those games on C64? They are still classics on C64 too, they being on a different computer doesn't make them less a classic. And yes, Gunship and PSF are classics too, Gunship even autoboots on my C128 . How neat, hey!! Anyway, here's a review of F15 in the most important gaming magazine, Computer Gaming World: Name: F-15 Strike Eagle Type: Arcade/Strategy System: Atari, C-64 #Players: One Author: Sid Meier, Grant Irani Publisher: Microprose Software Hunt Valley, MD Having dispatched a Mig 21 over Syrian territory with a Short-Ranged Attack Missile (SRAM), I continue flying toward my primary target — Syrian Air Command Headquarters. Radar picks up four surface-to-air missiles (SAMS), and two enemy aircraft on an intercept course. Arming a medium ranged missile (MRM), I fire at the first aircraft. Turning my attention to the four SAMS, I dispatch two flares and engage electronic counter measures (ECM). Two missiles disappear from my radar display. A third explodes on a flare. I watch as my missile impacts the first aircraft and my computer display flashes the message, "Enemy Plane Hit". The target is rapidly approaching. Arming bombs, I dive toward my target ignoring the last enemy aircraft and SAM. Dropping the bombs, I pull up and see on my computer display that the target is hit. I immediately turn to line up a secondary target, WHAM! WHAM! I'm hit by the last SAM and an enemy SRAM from the last enemy aircraft Pulling up out of the wild dive, I'm treated with a hail of cannon fire from the enemy aircraft. Too low to bail out, my mission ends as I slam into the ground!! This is the action in Microprose's newest game F-15 STRIKE EAGLE. The action is fast and furious. Not paying attention or, conversely, concentrating too hard on one target can lead to disaster. The game has three levels of play. The Arcade level is purposely simple, so that you can get used to the game. It allows no rolls. The Pilot level simulates the situation in a real aircraft, with rolls, loops, etc. The Ace level is the most difficult. In it the SAMS, heatseeking missiles, and enemy aircraft are hard to avoid. The graphics are excellent, considerably better than Microprose's MIG ALLEY ACE. The game has a 3D display through the cockpit. Not only are there air targets, but ground targets as well. Bombing ground targets, while dodging enemy aircraft and missiles, is your primary goal. Unfortunately, the ground targets are only triangles on the ground, not the buildings I expected to see. This, however, is minor and doesn't detract from the game. As pilot, you're treated with a cockpit display and a Heads Up Display (HUD). The HUD includes a Navigational Chart display which shows enemy positions, your base, and your aircraft position; and a radar screen which can be set to short, medium, or long range. This display shows SAM launches, enemy aircraft, and ground targets as they come in view. Above the radar are four warning lights showing radar lock, infra-red heat source lock, low altitude (below 600 ft), and low fuel warning. And a weapons status display (WSD) in the form of a picture of your aircraft showing all weapons on your aircraft. At the bottom center is the amount of fuel in the tanks. In the center is the cockpit view. On this are pitch lines to show aircraft attitude, and an Air to Air Reticle (put enemy aircraft in the center of this to score gun hits). Also included is an Air Target Designator box (showing where an approaching enemy aircraft will appear), and a Missile Designator Box (showing where an approaching missile will appear). These boxes move in relation to your aircraft and enemy aircraft and missile movement. A pilot can bank, roll, dive, and do other maneuvers. You can do a Split S, an Immelman, Jinking, High/Low Speed Yoyos, Loops, and any other combat maneuver you deem necessary. All these are explained in the excellent documentation included in the game. The only problem with the game is an omission in the documentation. The manual says you have to return to the base after completing a mission to rearm, refuel, and repair your aircraft. This means landing at your base. No where in the documentation does it tell you how to land. After several tries, and several crashes, I found that you have to approach the base at below 1000 ft and you are automatically landed. F-15 has seven missions. Six are based on historical situations, and one is hypothetical. Mission selection is done only in the beginning of the game. The six historical missions are Libya (1981), Egypt (1973), Haiphong (1972), Syria (1984), Hanoi (1972), and Iraq (1981). The hypothetical mission is the Persian Gulf (1984). Overall, F-15 is an excellent simulation. If you liked Mig Alley Ace, you will love F-15 ! Hosea Battles, Jr. Ah, what's the point of justifying yourself to someone who doesn't know anything about video gaming. Useless.

And that little British inch of credibility you had is just gone out the window.

del by me....

superstars never shout, Elite is a Star Raiders inspired game, (Retro Gamer issue 47, interview with both Bell and Braben) As for Microprose titles being crap, you stick to your Mastertronic titles and be happy. Call yourself a gamer?

Wasn't Elite based on that Atari 800 'killer app' Star Raiders from 1979? Actually, some more 3D classics on A8, Capture the Flag (split screen, two player), Wayout, FSII, Dimension X, Rainbow Walker, The Halley Project, Master of the Lamps, Infiltrator Also a few Microprose classics F15, Mig Alley Ace, Solo Flight, Spitfire Ace. A lovely A8 isometric game is Airball, came out far later in 87/88, written by UKs Microdeal and cannot be found on C64?

I hear you man, I was always both, as soon as they stopped doing softs on 800/fdd, I carried on with C64/fdd, later replaced with C128. No problems. Trouble with the UK users is that they compare games which are already rubbish on C64, eg they scored 30% or so in ZZAP!64, and moaning about how rubbish this game on A8 is (of course, why should it be better on A8, if it's already bad on C64). Second trouble, most UK users never played the gorgeous US classics on C64, eg >>>The Magic Candle, Nord and Bert, Breakers, The Halley Project, Starflight, Germany 85, Space Rogue, Crimson Crown, Times of Lore, Tigers in the Snow<<< (nicely re-made for C64, whilst the A8 had to stick with the 82 version)...etc, because they were spoiled with cheap UK softs on tape. Third trouble again with UK C64 users, they mostly did not own a second computer, so they never had the best of both worlds.

Yes, he did, didn't he. Glad that's over. Better not reply otherwise you're one as well.

I'm sure there was.. I think the first demos surfaced around '85 so it can have been long before it was in a game.. I'm sure I've a memory of one of the really early Crowther game using the borders, but I'm not entirely sure of which, or even if I'm remembering right.. Didn't Electronic Arts do that around 1985 on C64? Archon 2, Heart of Africa, Chessmaster 2000 look familiar