[{"TitleName":"Sabotage","Publisher":"Macronics Systems Ltd","Author":"Don Priestley","YearOfRelease":"1982","ZxDbId":"0029259","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 18, Sep 1983","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1983-08-18","Editor":"Nigel Clark","TotalPages":140,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Nigel Clark\r\nConsultant Editor: Mike Johnston\r\nProduction Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nStaff Writer: John Gilbert\r\nProgram Reviewer: Rebecca Ferguson\r\nIllustrator/Designer: Brian King\r\nEditorial Director: John Sterlicchi\r\nAdvertisement Manager: John Ross\r\nSales Executive: Annette Burrows\r\nEditorial Assistant: Margaret Hawkins\r\nProduction Assistant: Dezi Epaminondou\r\nManaging Director: Terry Cartwright\r\nChairman: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by ECC Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\nTelephone\r\nAll departments\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to any of the Sinclair User group of publications please send programs, articles or ideas for hardware projects to:\r\nSinclair User and Programs\r\nECC Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nPrograms should be on cassette and articles should be typed. We cannot undertake to return them unless a stamped-addressed envelope is included.\r\n\r\nWe will pay £10 for each program published and £50 per 1,000 words for each article used.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1983\r\nSinclair User\r\nISSN NO. 0262-5458\r\n\r\nPrinted and typeset by Cradley Print PLC, [redacted]\r\n\r\nDistributed by Spotlight Magazine Distribution Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nCover Photograph: Press Agency York"},"MainText":"USER-UNFRIENDLY GAMES GUIDE\r\n\r\nSinclair Research has launched two new games, Sabotage and City Patrol, for the 16K ZX-81. Sabotage is a game in which you must take one of two roles, either the guard or the saboteur. If you choose to be the guard you must protect the randomly-placed boxes of ammunition which litter the compound.\r\n\r\nIf you are the guard, you will have to corner the saboteur before he can plant explosives in a secret place. If you are not quick enough, the explosives will detonate and you will lose some of the boxes of ammunition.\r\n\r\nYour score will decrease depending on how many boxes you lose. If you capture the enemy, the points added to your score will, of course, be unaffected by the number of boxes blown-up.\r\n\r\nYou may want to take the role of the saboteur. In that case the game changes and you must evade the guard, played by the computer, and plant your explosives. Your score depends on how destructive you can be. The program has an original games concept and the action is reasonably smooth. The only problem occurs in the instructions which are printed on the cassette insert card. The game is explained in simple fashion and the movement keys are shown. The difficulty is that Sinclair Research seems to have taken it for granted that the user will know which key moves the figure which way on the screen. The W and S keys move the character up and down respectively and the H and J keys move it left and right.\r\n\r\nSinclair may be correct in thinking that most users will know which keys do what but many users will certainly be beginners who have just become accustomed to the keyboard.\r\n\r\nIn City Patrol, a city is on the verge of destruction as enemy lighters zoom in and try to raze buildings to the ground. It is your task to take on those Invaders and destroy them. At the very least you must prevent them destroying the skyscrapers.\r\n\r\nThe game produces a 3D view ofthe city on the screen. There are four levels of the city and you can select which one you want to enter at the start of the game. We rate the game highly because of its depth of graphics and plot. It is difficult to produce such a smooth 3D effect on the ZX-81.\r\n\r\nThe instructions are easy to understand but, as with Sabotage, they could be more clearly set out on the cassette insert. We found it difficult to keep track of the instructions because they were cramped into such a small space and, in certain parts, were too verbose. Each instruction insert starts with a story line and if that was abbreviated, more room could be allocated for the playing instructions.\r\n\r\nSabotage and City Patrol are available separately from Sinclair Research, [redacted].","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"33","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 29, Aug 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-07-19","Editor":"Bill Scolding","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Bill Scolding\r\nDeputy Editor: John Gilbert\r\nConsultant Editor: Mike Johnston\r\nManaging Production Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nStaff Writer: Chris Bourne\r\nIllustrator/Designer: Craig Kennedy\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: John Ross\r\nProduction Assistant: Dezi Epaminondou\r\nEditorial Assistant: Colette McDermott\r\nManaging Editor: Nigel Clark\r\nAssistant Managing Director: Barry Hazel\r\nManaging Director: Terry Cartwright\r\nChairman: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by ECC Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\nTelephone\r\nAll departments\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to Sinclair User please send programs, articles or ideas for hardware projects to:\r\nSinclair User and Programs\r\nECC Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nPrograms should be on cassette and articles should be typed. We cannot undertake to return them unless a stamped-addressed envelope is included.\r\n\r\nWe will pay £10 for the copyright of each program published and £50 per 1,000 words for each article used.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1984\r\nSinclair User\r\nISSN NO. 0262-5458\r\n\r\nPrinted and typeset by Cradley Print PLC, [redacted]\r\n\r\nDistributed by Spotlight Magazine Distribution Ltd, [redacted]"},"MainText":"GERONIMO'S REVENGE\r\n\r\nFort Apache\r\nMemory: 16K\r\nPrice: £3.95\r\n\r\nSabotage\r\nMemory: 48K\r\nPrice: £4.99\r\n\r\nCity Patrol\r\nMemory: 16K\r\nPrice: £4.99\r\n\r\nWith the rapid approach of school holidays, games software is in even greater demand. For those unfortunate people who are not visiting the sunny beaches there are still many games on the market for the 16K ZX-81.\r\n\r\nThe Siege of Fort Apache is a strategy game in which you take the role of a general with 300 men at his disposal. You must launch an attack on a fort in an attempt to destroy its walls and gain entry.\r\n\r\nOn each day of the siege you must assign your men to such tasks as building battering rams and ramps, manning cannons, collecting spare ammunition and fetching rations so that your troops can survive.\r\n\r\nYou must then decide your plan of attack. You can move in on the gate, try to bring down the walls or burrow your way underground. At the end of a day the computer will give you a status report on your situation, which includes how many casualties you have suffered and how many rations have been stolen.\r\n\r\nIf you lose more than half your troops during an encounter with the enemy you are outnumbered and lose the game. Your should keep an eye on the positioning of your soldiers, as you must leave sufficient men at your base camp to protect it from the enemy which may invade at any time. Another reason for keeping an eye on the troops is to make sure nobody deserts. If they have insufficient supplies your valiant men might do that.\r\n\r\nFort Apache has a simple presentation and lacks graphics. The range options and the results of the decisions you make in the game make it an absorbing strategy game, original and inventive in its use of subject.\r\n\r\nThe siege can be continued for several days if you keep your food supplies stocked and your men happy. You might also like to try to increase the life span of your armies through a series of games by trying various battle tactics.\r\n\r\nThe Siege of Fort Apache is produced by Contrast Software, [redacted]. It costs £4.95.\r\n\r\nSinclair Research is retaining its collection of ZX-81 games tapes, the most recent of which are Sabotage and City Patrol.\r\n\r\nSabotage is a novel game in which you take the role of one of two people, either a saboteur or the guard protecting some highly-explosive material. If you choose to be the guard you must corner the saboteur before he can plant his bomb in a secret place. If you take the part of the saboteur you must plant your bomb without being caught.\r\n\r\nYour score is determined depending on which role you take. The guard's points decrease the longer he takes to reach the bomber. The saboteur scores his points by being destructive.\r\n\r\nCity Patrol is another destructive game, but in 3D. You take the part of a policeman moving round a city trying to destroy the alien invaders who try to raze tower blocks to the ground. At the very least you must prevent the destruction of as many skyscrapers as possible.\r\n\r\nThe 3D representation of the city is impressive, since producing 3D effects on the ZX-81 is difficult. Many hours of thought went into the screen display and, although the plot is a little weak, people who like out-of-the-ordinary games should be satisfied. Sabotage and City Patrol can be obtained from Sinclair Research or from some W H Smith and Boots.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"41","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Gilbert Factor","Score":"6/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ZX Computing Issue 10, Dec 1983","Price":"£1.85","ReleaseDate":"1983-11-25","Editor":"Roger Munford","TotalPages":196,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"ZX Computing\r\nVol. One\r\nNumber Ten\r\nDec/Jan 1984\r\n\r\nEditor: Roger Munford\r\nAdvertising Manager: Barry Bingham\r\nManaging Editor: Ron Harris\r\nManaging Director: 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: Henry Garnett Ltd., Rotherham.\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 1983"},"MainText":"CITY PATROL/SABOTEUR\r\nMacronics\r\n\r\n'City Patrol' is a superb high speed action game set in a futuristic city which you have to defend from alien suicide ships.\r\n\r\nThe moving screen display is first class. The city consists of four streets of skyscraper blocks giving a 3D effect, and judicious use of the control keys allows you to move slowly, or at breakneck speed, in either direction as you search out the aliens. They are tantalisingly difficult to capture as they pass behind buildings and descend to ground level. If they reach the ground, their mission is accomplished and they set off a series of explosions which can destroy a large portion of your beloved city. There is a scoring system, but I was usually too absorbed in chasing the aliens to worry about my score - more often than not it seemed to be negative. All in all, 'City Patrol' is a very impressive game.\r\n\r\n'Saboteur' is another novel game from Macronics for the ZX81, but not in my opinion as absorbing as 'City Patrol'. Nevertheless, it is based on a good idea and runs faultlessly.\r\n\r\nIn this game the screen represents a plan of a compound containing randomly placed boxes of ammunition. You can either be the guard, who has to protect the ammunition, or the saboteur who must blow up as much of it as he/she can, with the computer taking the opposing character.\r\n\r\nYour character is moved around the compound in the usual way. If you are the saboteur, you must find a suitable place to plant your charge and retreat a safe distance before it explodes. If you opt to take the role of the guard, you can adopt one of two alternative strategies: try and guess where the saboteur will go, and get there first; or attempt to trap the saboteur in a corner.\r\n\r\nBoth 'City Patrol' and 'Saboteur' are written largely in machine code, but the programs can be LISTed; indeed the parameters of Saboteur can be altered using POKE commands to make the game more difficult - I must admit I found it hard enough as it was. Both games require 16K of RAM.\r\n\r\nThese Macronics cassettes are attractively boxed and well presented with full instructions on the cassette insert cards.\r\n\r\nCity Patrol and Saboteur cost £5.00 each from Macronics Systems Ltd, [redacted].","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"65,66","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ZX Computing Issue 11, Feb 1984","Price":"£1.95","ReleaseDate":"1984-01-26","Editor":"Ray Elder","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"ZX Computing\r\nVol. One\r\nNumber Eleven\r\nFeb/Mar 1984\r\n\r\nEditor: Ray Elder\r\nEditorial Assistant: Fiona Eldridge\r\nSpecial Publications Editor: Wendy J Palmer\r\nAdvertising 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: Henry Garnett Ltd., Rotherham.\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":"SABOTAGE\r\nSinclair\r\nJames Rendell\r\n\r\nSabotage for the ZX81 gives you your big chance to live out that 007 type dream of becoming a saboteur. After loading the program, which takes three minutes, a well prepared opening page urges you to choose which destructive role you wish to take.\r\n\r\nThere are two variations of the game and in both games the screen represents a compound in which the boxes are placed. In game 1 you play the guard and must defend the randomly placed ammunition boxes. At the start of the game the saboteur, played by the computer, spends a few seconds working out where the best place to put a charge is: i.e. where the most boxes will be destroyed. The explosions spread as a chain reaction if adjacent boxes explode. When the computer has decided where to go you have twenty free moves with which you must race to intercept the saboteur. Your only defence in this (somewhat one-sided) battle is a truncheon which swings through a 5 x 5 area with you in the middle. If you can corner the guard or prevent him reaching his prime target you get extra points, but you lose them if you are caught in the blast (thank goodness it's only a game!).\r\n\r\nGame 2 will appeal to those of us with a destructive mind. Here you play the saboteur and have to blow up as many of the two hundred boxes as you can (up to a maximum of fifty). You are encouraged to try and catch the guard in the blast; after all, there are eight hundred points to be gained for this sociable achievement. Once you have laid your charge you have ten seconds to run for it otherwise the saboteur's life expectancy is drastically reduced. If at any time during your destructive mission an unbroken vertical or horizontal path develops between you and the guard he will shoot with his rifle, and beware, he's a crack shot. You have ten charges to play with but the game ends if the guard shoots you.\r\n\r\nOverall these are entertaining strategy games. The graphics are quite smooth since the bulk of the program is in machine code. However, the instructions are written in a rather informal manner and certain parts of the game are learnt by experience rather than by instruction.\r\n\r\nSabotage is £4.95 and is one of the latest Sinclair releases.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"100","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"James Rendell","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]