ScuzzBlog: Diaries June 2018 Entry 4th June 2018: Post: 3: Amstrad BASIC Amstrad CPC464 - Back to BASICs Spent quite a reasonable amount of time recently mucking around with BASIC on the Amstrad. I hadn't intended doing this but I was checking over the C64 moving some tape files to disk and started writing a couple of BASIC programs. I spent way too much time writing text based games using Mallard BASIC and kept tripping up with commands that the C64 did not recognise. In the end I used Simons BASIC on the C64C but even then decided to move over to the CPC464. In truth had I moved over to the CPC464 when they came out I probably would have stayed with the Amstrad on this type of unit and then bought the 6128. The computer performs without fault for its age and is a real pleasure to use. The Amstrad CPC464 Great thing about the Amstrad is the ease at which you can transfer files from tape and onto 3" disks. This means I can use programs on all my Amstrads The CPC464 is like a barge on the canal rather than a sailing yacht. It kinda just sticks everything together into one large unit. Can be annoying sometimes. Don't be fooled into thinking the coloured keys are just there to give the keyboard sparkle. They really have great purpose. The COPY key is a brilliant idea. You basically can disconnect the corsor and create another that when it runs over text with the COPY key copies what ever it is reading. So simple. Control and Shift keys offer various combinations and with ESCAPE resets The ENTER key.. magical when used with the TAPE. Saves you having to type stuff in The 'AT' key which with the SHIFT creates your SPECIAL symbols like |TAPE that sets a disk based machine into TAPE mode. And then |DISC reverts back to using the disks. Great for copying programs between the DDI and TAPE ESCAPE with three combinations... very useful The tape works without fault and is really really very useful when compared to say the Spectrum and other machines that used an external machine. This one just works and gives out a friendly click when it is done Use the CPC with the DDI-1 and this gives you access to the 6128 and 6128Plus The interface connects to the rear port. I have two DDI units connected to CPCs and I would be lost without them My earlier adventure on the old style C64 Simons BASIC and a C64C is the only way to go. I love the CPC but in truth the C64C takes some beating when it comes to games accessories and disk drives. Just classic Not many additional commands with Simons but very useful all the same Time for the Amstrad And I finished up working through the CPC manual and recording all the example programs from each chapter I actually used this old tatty version Until I found out the chapters had been printed out of sequence... So funny Onward to the 6128Plus And F1 for BASIC Loads up my program from my freshly tranferred file to 3" disk So shall we have 80 char Mode 2 Or 20 char Mode 0 One bomber but its a start. You can't see the flying ship above that drops a single bomb This cycles through all the colours of the Pen, Paper, Border and INKS plus the sounds Cool And there is always time for Burnin' Rubber

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Last updated 04/06/2018

Chandraise Kingdom

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scuzzscink 2018