[{"TitleName":"Hunter-Killer","Publisher":"Protek Computing Ltd","Author":"Rod K. Hopkins, George Neill","YearOfRelease":"1983","ZxDbId":"0002397","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 1, Feb 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-01-19","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":112,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nDesigner: Oliver Frey\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Rod Bellamy\r\nAdvertisement Manager: John Edwards\r\nProduction Designer: Michael Arienti\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\r\n\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nMono printing, typesetting & finishing by Feb Edge Litho Ltd. [redacted]\r\nColour printing by Allan-Denver Web Offset Ltd. [redacted].\r\nColour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by Wells Gardner, Darton & Co. [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £9.00 UK Mainland (post included)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £15 (post included).\r\nSingle copy: 75p\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to CRASH please send articles or ideas for projects to the above address. Articles should be typed. We cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope\r\n\r\nCover Illustration:Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Protek\r\nMemory Required: 48K\r\nRecommended Retail Price: £7.95\r\nLanguage: machine code and BASIC\r\nAuthor: Rod Hopkins\r\n\r\nHunter-Killer is a submarine simulation game set off the German Helegoland coast of the North Sea during the Second World War. You are commander of an 'S' type submarine and your mission is to find an enemy submarine in the same area and hunt it down. The coast is heavily mined, so sailing in too close may result in hitting a mine or running aground.\r\n\r\nThe simulation is quite detailed. Three screens show you the control room, periscope view and chart room. In the control room you can see the ballast tank level indicator, the hydroplane angle, battery charge, engine speed, rudder angle, heading, torpedoes left, engine warning light, engine indicator, asdic display, echo sounder display, radar display, periscope, and the depth meter. The periscope view shows you the horizon and enemy shipping or aeroplanes if any are about. Below are indicators for periscope angle (which can be turned in either direction), heading, distance to enemy and torpedoes left. The chart room is accessed by pressing the C key - the control room slides across and is replaced by the charts. Apart from the map, details shown are tide indicator, compass rose, indication of position, minefields, enemy position, speed of submarine and tide strength.\r\n\r\nThe asdic comes on automatically at a depth of 10 feet or more and you can hear it pinging. On the surface the radar is automatically switched on. It has a range of 22 miles and you can see the sweep of the antenna.\r\n\r\nEnemy aircraft are hunting for you. If you spend too much time on the surface they will spot you and then a klaxon sounds, giving you only two minutes to dive below 10 feet to safety. All diving and surfacing commands must be carried out properly as in a real submarine. So too must the firing of torpedoes. Another realistic feature is the use of twin engines, diesel for on the surface and electric for under water. Using the diesel underwater results in damage. If you stay under water too long the electric engine's batteries will run down and require recharging on the surface.\r\n\r\nThis game can be played with two Spectrums each fitted with Sinclair Interface 1 and their own tv screens. Then each player has his own submarine and can pit his wits against the other. The game includes instructions for solo and dual play. Timing and synchronisation are obviously very important in this unique mode to avoid error reports popping up.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nKeyboard positions: complicated, 18 keys in use\r\nJoystick options: Protek (naturally) or AGF for direction\r\nKeyboard play: slow to react, but hardly essential in a real time game.\r\nUse of colour: good\r\nGraphics: good and detailed, but poorer in periscope\r\nSound: not much, klaxon, asdic and a nice gurgling if you're hit\r\nSkill levels: 5\r\nScreens: 3","ReviewerComments":["Presentation and packaging is excellent, and the instructions are well thought out. But the trouble with real time simulations is that they are so slow; you can wait ages (i.e. 15 minutes) if the enemy is about 10 miles away, before you reach his last reported position. Overall I did not think too much of this well-boxed submarine simulation.\r\nUnknown","The graphics are very detailed and well laid out. It takes some getting used to all the control keys, and the responses are a little slow, but there is a lot to do to keep the submarine working and functioning safely. If you enjoy real time simulations, then you'll like this - but it isn't for the arcade freak. The game can fake hours to play through.\r\nUnknown","A nicely presented game, with plenty of instructions. If it's a rainy afternoon, what better than to be underwater? I only felt that the periscope view might have been a bit more detailed, but it must have been tough packing all this into 48K anyway. I seem to remember seeing an ad saying this was £5.99, but it still compares favourably with the usual price for detailed simulations.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Good.","Page":"96,97","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"The control room (part seen) is to the left of the map room."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"69%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"74%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"58%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"61%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 2, Mar 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-02-23","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":112,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nDesigner: Oliver Frey\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Rod Bellamy\r\nAdvertisement Manager: John Edwards\r\nProduction Designer: Michael Arienti\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\r\n\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nMono printing, typesetting & finishing by Feb Edge Litho Ltd. [redacted]\r\nColour printing by Allan-Denver Web Offset Ltd. [redacted].\r\nColour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by Wells Gardner, Darton & Co. [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £9.00 UK Mainland (post included)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £15 (post included).\r\nSingle copy: 75p\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to CRASH please send articles or ideas for projects to the above address. Articles should be typed. We cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope\r\n\r\nCover Illustration:Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Protek, 48K\r\n£7.95 (1)\r\nAuthor: Rod Hopkins\r\n\r\nThis is a submarine simulation game set off the coast of German Helegoland (North Sea) during the Second World War. You are commander of an 'S' type submarine and your mission is to find an enemy sub in the same area and hunt it down. Sailing too close to the coast may result in your hitting a mine or running aground. 3 screens show you the control room, the chart room and the periscope view of the surface. The instrumentation is quite complex, including ballast indicator, hydroplanes, battery charge, engine speed, rudder angle, heading, asdic, echo sounder and much more. In the periscope you may see enemy shipping and enemy aircraft which will hunt you if you stay on the surface too long. Under water you use electric engines and recharge the batteries on the surface, when you use a diesel engine. The accompanying booklet is very detailed and essential reading. Good graphics and realistic sound, real time operation. Overall CRASH rating 61% BASIC and M/C.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"62","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"61%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 4, May 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-04-19","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":128,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nProduction Designer: David Western\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Matthew Uffindel, Chris Passey\r\nSubscription Manager: Denise Roberts\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nTelephone numbers\r\nEditorial [redacted]\r\nSubscriptions [redacted]\r\nAdvertising [redacted]\r\nHot Line [redacted]\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nColour origination by Scan Studio, [redacted]\r\nPrinted in England by Plymouth Web Offset Ltd, [redacted].\r\nDistribution by Comag, [redacted]\r\nAdditional setting and process work by The Tortoise Shell Press, [redacted].\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £9.00 UK Mainland (post free)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £15 (post free).\r\n\r\nWe cannot undertake to return any written or photographic material sent to CRASH MICRO unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Protek, 48K\r\n£7.95 (1)\r\nAuthor: Rod Hopkins\r\n\r\nThis is a submarine simulation game set off the coast of German Helegoland (North Sea) during the Second World War. You are commander of an 'S' type submarine and your mission is to find an enemy sub in the same area and hunt it down. Sailing too close to the coast may result in your hitting a mine or running aground. 3 screens show you the control room, the chart room and the periscope view of the surface. The instrumentation is quite complex, including ballast indicator, hydroplanes, battery charge, engine speed, rudder angle, heading, asdic, echo sounder and much more. In the periscope you may see enemy shipping and enemy aircraft which will hunt you if you stay on the surface too long. Under water you use electric engines and recharge the batteries on the surface, when you use a diesel engine. The accompanying booklet is very detailed and essential reading. Good graphics and realistic sound, real time operation. Overall CRASH rating 61% BASIC and M/C.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"68","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"61%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ZX Computing Issue 13, Jun 1984","Price":"£1.95","ReleaseDate":"1984-05-31","Editor":"Ray Elder","TotalPages":156,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Ray Elder\r\nEditorial Assistant: Fiona Eldridge\r\nGroup Editor: Wendy J Palmer\r\nSales Executive: Penny Scoular\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Barry Bingham\r\nDivisional Advertising Manager: Beverley McNeill\r\nCopy Controller: Ann McDermott\r\nManaging Editor: Ron Harris\r\nChief Executive: T J Connell\r\n\r\nOrigination and design by MM Design & Print, [redacted]\r\nPublished by Argus Specialist Publications Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nZX Computing is published bi-monthly on the fourth Friday of the month. Distributed by: Argus Press Sales & Distribution Ltd. [redacted]. Printed by: Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.\r\n\r\nThe contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Limited. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Limited and any reproduction requires the prior written consent of the Argus Specialist Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Argus Specialist Publications Limited 1984"},"MainText":"HUNTER KILLER\r\nProtek\r\nL. Tout\r\n\r\nImagine you're the commander of a British \"S\" type submarine on an important mission off the coast of Germany and that you have to hunt and destroy enemy submarines. Well this is exactly what you do, if like me, you have bought Protek's submarine simulation program, Hunter-Killer.\r\n\r\nOn loading an impressive picture showing a submarine launching a torpedo is drawn. You are then asked if you would like a quick practice shot at a submarine. Because the program is a simulation, there is a lot of cunning strategy involved. In all there are 18 keys to master, which I found did not take long although finding the enemy took a little longer owing to some confusion over bearings. but they soon disappeared.\r\n\r\nYour craft has two engines; one diesel and one electric. On the surface you should use the diesel engine but because this needs air to run, the electric engine is used under water. However, if the submarine stays down too long you won't be left with enough power to surface and recharge, so an eye must be kept on the battery charge indicator. The speeds for the diesel and electric engines are 16 and 9 knots respectively, so it's better to use the diesel engines to reach the enemy more quickly.\r\n\r\nTo make the submarine dive, the ballast tanks must be flooded using key N, and the hydroplane angle altered, using key 6. To stop diving and remain at a constant depth, the hydroplanes must be horizontal and the ballast tanks emptied. Surfacing can be accomplished by blowing the tanks (key B) and raising the hydroplanes (key 7).\r\n\r\nEvery submarine has to have a periscope and this one is no exception. Key P raises and lowers it and key V lets you look through it.\r\n\r\nThe water level is shown (which corresponds to your depth) and the enemy, if in visual range. Along the bottom of the screen are shown the periscope angle, your heading (so many degrees from North), the distance to the enemy and the torpedo count. Key O turns the periscope clockwise and key i, anticlockwise.\r\n\r\nTo help with navigation there are three types of radar; long range (22 miles), short range (4 miles) and an echo sounder which gives the familiar, hollow echo sound, when the submarine is below 15 feet in depth.\r\n\r\nThere are three high resolution screens shown. All the gauges and dials are shown in the control room which is scrolled sideways on pressing key C, to take you into the Chart Room. The other screen is your view from the periscope. In the Chart Room a map shows the area which you are in and part of the German Coast. Also shown are a tide indicator which tells you its strength and direction, the enemy's last reported position, your position and places where there are mines lurking.\r\n\r\nOnce the enemy is in range (three miles) and is dead ahead, pressing T will prime the torpedos and fire the first one. Second and subsequent torpedos are then fired using key F. Their speed is 45 knots and when you peer through the periscope, a bubble track can be seen heading towards the enemy submarine (or not as the case may be). If your aim is true, the submarine can be seen exploding.\r\n\r\nSince you are in enemy waters you also encounter aerial attacks. Through the periscope a plane can be seen and heard and then a klaxon sounds. If this happens you have roughly two minutes to dive below 30 feet before you see the screen shake due to the shock waves from the depth charge dropped by the plane. If you fail however, there is the sound of rushing water and which ever room you are in slowly fills up with water. The sound effects are brilliant.\r\n\r\nHunter-Killer has five levels of difficulty and a manual is supplied with the program. A unique feature of this game is to let you play against a friend, each hunting the other but alas, this can only be done if you have a Microdrive to link both Spectrums. One other drawback is that it takes a long time to reach the enemy but this is because it's a simulation program and Protek have based your submarine on a British \"S\" type craft with true speeds of 9 and 16 knots, nevertheless, this is a very small snag in an excellent program.\r\n\r\nI have only given you the bare facts of how to play the game, but there are many more factors which contribute to the need of intricate strategy. This in itself gives the game millions of variations.\r\n\r\nHunter-Killer is for the 48K Spectrum and is priced at £7.95.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"58,59","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"L. Tout","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer News Issue 43, Jan 1984","Price":"","ReleaseDate":"1984-01-12","Editor":"Cyndy Miles","TotalPages":90,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"CHARACTER SET\r\n\r\nEditorial\r\nEditor: Cyndy Miles\r\nDeputy Editor: Geof Wheelwright\r\nManaging Editor: Peter Worlock\r\nSub-Editors: Harriet Arnold, Leah Batham\r\nNews Editor: David Guest\r\nNews Writers: Ralph Bancroft, Sandra Grandison\r\nHardware Editor: Ian Scales\r\nFeatures Editor: John Lettice\r\nSoftware Editor: Bryan Skinner\r\nPrograms Editor: Ken Garroch\r\nListings Editor: Wendie Pearson\r\nEditor's Assistant: Nickie Robinson\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nArt Editor: David Robinson\r\nAssistant Art Editor: Floyd Sayers\r\nPublishing Manager: Mark Eisen\r\nAssistant Publishing Manager: Sue Clements\r\n\r\nAdvertising\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Pat Dolan\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Nic Jones\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Mark Satchell\r\nSales Executives: Christian McCarthy, Marie-Therese Bolger, Julia Dale, Dik Veenman, Alison Hare, Deborah Quinn\r\nProduction Manager: Eva Haggis\r\nMicroshop Production: Nikki Payne\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Jenny Dunne\r\nSubscription Enquiries: Gill Stevens\r\nSubscription Address: [redacted]\r\nEditorial Address: [redacted]\r\nAdvertising Address: [redacted]\r\n\r\nPublished by VNU Business Publications, [redacted]\r\n© VNU 1983. No material maybe reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\nPhotoset by Quickset, [redacted]\r\nPrinted by Chase Web Offset, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by Seymour Press, [redacted]\r\nRegistered at the PO as a newspaper\r\n\r\nCover illustration by Michael O'Brian"},"MainText":"NAME: Hunter Killer\r\nSYSTEM: 48K Spectrum\r\nPRICE: £7.95\r\nPUBLISHER: Protek, [redacted]\r\nFORMAT: Cassette\r\nLANGUAGE: Basic\r\nOTHER VERSIONS: None\r\nOUTLETS: Mail order, Menzies, other dealers\r\n\r\nUNDERSEA SEARCH\r\n\r\nAs the software skies are now so full of flight simulators that Protek has decided to come down from out of the clouds with a splash and offer something different, a submarine simulator.\r\n\r\nOBJECTIVES\r\n\r\nThey have made you Commander of an \"S\" type submarine lurking off the coast of Holland and Germany during World War Two, your mission to locate and sink an enemy submarine in the same patch of water. Another nice, friendly game designed to increase international understanding.\r\n\r\nFIRST IMPRESSIONS\r\n\r\nThe cassette is certainly well presented, coming in a large box complete with 12-page manual and two additional instruction manuals because one of the interesting features of Hunter Killer is that it can be played in a dual game linking two machines with the networking lead provided with Interface 1, both machines needing an Interface with their own TV screens.\r\n\r\nIN PLAY\r\n\r\nThe solo game offers five difficulty levels, and after choosing your level you're given the option of seeing a practice torpedo fired. You're only likely to choose this option once as the torpedo makes painfully slow progress through the water towards the enemy sub seen through your periscope. To be fair, this is the only part of the game which was slow, the rest responding pretty briskly to the keyboard or a Protek joystick.\r\n\r\nThere are three screens giving you the information you need: the Control Room and Chart Room down below, both with excellent graphics.\r\n\r\nThe first tasks to master are how to dive and surface successfully, which involves adjusting your ballast tanks and hydroplanes. You cannot stay underwater too long as the electric motors can only be recharged from the diesel engines on the surface. But stay on the surface too long and you risk the enemy submarine getting you first, or being spotted by a passing aircraft (this doesn't apply in the dual game.)\r\n\r\nYou scroll from the Control Room to the Chart Room using the 'C' and 'X' keys, and these keyboard controls are sensibly laid out, using adjacent keys where possible, with a summary of the controls printed on the back of the instruction booklet.\r\n\r\nVERDICT\r\n\r\nAn excellent simulation, and definitely not sub-standard.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"61","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Mike Gerrard","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Lasting Appeal","Score":"4/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"4/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Use Of Machine","Score":"5/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall Value","Score":"4/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]