[{"TitleName":"Print Shop","Publisher":"CCS","Author":"","YearOfRelease":"1982","ZxDbId":"0003878","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 40, May 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-04-30","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nAssistant Editor: Ciaran Brennan\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Richard Eddy, Ian Phillipson\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nStrategy Editor: Philippa Irving\r\nTech Tipster: Simon Goodwin\r\nContributing Writers: Jon Bates, Brendon Kavanagh, John Minson\r\nProduction Controller: David Western\r\nArt Director: Gordon Druce\r\nIllustrator: Oliver Frey\r\nProduction: Tony Lorton, Mark Kendrick, Tim Croton, Seb Clare\r\nProcess and Planning: Matthew Uffindell, Jonathan Rignall, Nick Orchard\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Nick Wild\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\n\r\nEditorial and Production: [redacted]\r\n\r\nMail Order and Subscriptions: [redacted]\r\n\r\nADVERTISING\r\nBookings [redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted in England by Carlisle Web Offset, [redacted] - member of the BPCC Group.\r\n\r\nDistributed by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced whole or in part without written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return any written material sent to CRASH Magazine unless accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material which may be used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\n©1987 Newsfield Limited\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"CRASH COURSE\r\n\r\nBy Rosetta McLeod\r\n\r\nBUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM\r\n\r\nCases Computer Simulations have produced a range of educational software programs covering a variety of subject disciplines, including 'minority' subjects such as agriculture and political studies. The programs follow a set format, involving assimilating a wealth of information, and using it to make correct decisions at critical moments. Relevant information is presented in a variety of ways: bar charts, histograms and maps are used to very good effect, and maintain the players' interest throughout. Different levels of difficulty are also offered, and the games can be used by one player at a time or by small groups working on competition.\r\n\r\nAimed at older pupils and college/university students, these programs are realistic simulations of real-life situations, providing the user with valuable practice in the application of the their acquired knowledge. Schools and Colleges are placing more and more emphasis on the importance of information skills, and CCS's range of educational software certainly fills a gap in the market - there are very few educational programs available for college students, and fewer still for the minority subjects.\r\n\r\nThe programs are all for the 48K Spectrum and cost £5.95 each. They can be obtained from CASES COMPUTER SIMULATIONS, [redacted].\r\n\r\nAIRLINE\r\n\r\nIf it's your ambition to be the chairman of a large company, now is your chance to assess your potential. In this simulation, you adopt the role of chairman of L-Air, an airline which starts up business with £3 million. You have 7 years to increase your net assets to the £30 million necessary to take over British Airways! You have to decide on the number of aircraft to operate, whether to buy or charter the level of staffing and maintenance necessary, the duration of fuel contracts and when to repay loans.\r\n\r\nProblems encountered include tax demands, increases in fuel costs. and loss of revenue resulting from cancelled flights, strikes, hijacks, air crashes and sabotage.\r\n\r\nThe information is presented through histograms., bar charts and graphics. The first chart displayed is a bar chart showing a forecast of the passenger payload for each level of activity. Using this information, the player must decide on the best aircraft to use, and then finalise his choices after looking at the level of revenue expected. When this is above normal, it may be cheaper to borrow money and buy aircraft instead of chartering.\r\n\r\nThe market rate for each DC10 is £10 million, and when aircraft are purchased for more than this amount, the additional cost is debited against the capital reserves. thus reducing net assets. Crew costs are fixed at £50.000 per DC10 while the cost of maintenance is £90.000 for each aircraft. Results of trading are shown in the form of profit and loss accounts and balance sheets.\r\n\r\nThe graphics are excellent, and the player's interest is maintained throughout by the constantly changing information - you can even read Financial Times reports and receive Telex messages. If you succeed in reaching the target of £30 million. then perhaps Richard Branson may have a rival!\r\n\r\nCORN CROPPER\r\n\r\nAimed at students of Geography or Agriculture, Corn Cropper is a simulation of a commercial wheat farm. The player begins with cash resources of £50,000, 30 acres of rich arable land, a tractor and two farm workers. He must then build up his assets to £250.000.\r\n\r\nThe menu allows the user to call up information of different types: the weather forecast shows the likely rainfall and average temperature for each month, but - as with all weather reports - this cannot be relied upon totally: the crop status histogram shows the stage of growth that the crops have reached, together with information on whether or not a fertiliser has been used; a farm map, showing the cultivated areas, must be referred to before decisions to plant are made; and the cash account shows the monthly expenditure and receipts. All in all, a wealth of information must be accessed before the player decides to take any action.\r\n\r\nA report is shown at the end of each month. detailing the results of the decisions taken. Unforeseen problems arise from time to time, including such disasters as frost damage, rats eating the seed corn, and even the dreaded fire. The accompanying notes include some useful hints: players are told for instance, that crops need an optimum level of water each month, and that fertilising two month old crops doubles the yield.\r\n\r\nThe program contains five levels of difficulty, providing students with a very realistic and comprehensive simulation. It certainly drives home the point that farming is a highly technical and specialised industry! Corn Cropper is currently used for the secondary school Geography syllabus and in Agricultural Colleges. Amazingly enough, a French version is also available!\r\n\r\nOLIGOPOLY\r\n\r\nAccording to my dictionary, 'oligopoly' means \"a market situation in which control over the supply of a commodity is held by a small number of producers, each of whom is able to influence prices and thus directly affect the position of competitors.\"\r\n\r\nThis game is a management simulation for one to six players, and the objective is for each participant to create wealth at a faster rate than his competitors. The computer gives each player a balance sheet for the year, generates a forecast for demand and costs, and tells each manager about the capital goods industry.\r\n\r\nUsing the computer's information on price, production, marketing, research and development, new equipment and dividends, the managers have to make decisions. When each has done so, the computer compares these and displays two reports for all firms. Results may be kept secret by agreement, as the program includes the option of using a punter for annual reports, forecasts and newsflashes.\r\n\r\nA bar chart compares the share values for each firm, and a pie chart shows each firm's share of the market. Occasionally, news of imports, overtime and changes in taxes may be flashed up on screen, and this new information may make it necessary to alter decisions.\r\n\r\nA duration of between 2 and 50 years is selected before play begins, and a useful feature is that even if a game were to be played twice with exactly the same decisions, the results would be likely to differ as the computer generates random factors. I also like the way in which shareholders demands have to be taken into consideration as the managers decide how much of their profits to share with them! If you think you have entrepreneurial skills, try them out with Oligopoly!\r\n\r\nPRINT SHOP\r\n\r\nA simulation aimed at Business Studies students, Print Shop covers a period of 12 weeks in which the student becomes sole proprietor of a small printing works. The prospective businessman is asked to make judgements on the following: the number and category of staff to employ: the amount and type of paper to purchase: the quotation for each job and the scheduling of work in an optimum week. The objective is to produce a net profit of over £4,000 in the first three months of trading, making decisions based on the weekly trading accounts, profit and loss, and balance sheets.\r\n\r\nA great many factors must be taken into account when, for example, hiring staff. A supervisor must be employed for every five production staff, and new premises are required (at double the rent) when this number rises to ten. It has to be remembered that additional staff will be needed when orders start to increase, but as it takes three weeks to train new employees, production will not increase immediately. It may therefore be necessary to contract out certain jobs.\r\n\r\nThis is a particularly good simulation, in which students have to make a large number of decisions after having assessed a wealth of information. The information is presented clearly both on the screen and in the brief accompanying notes. There are three levels of difficulty, but I'm afraid I wasn't even successful at the easiest of these - to be honest, I managed to incur losses, which resulted in the net assets becoming negative. The banker foreclosed and the business ceased!\r\n\r\nPrint Shop certainly tests your business acumen to the full, and creates a feeling of true involvement in the world of commerce. An enjoyable and challenging program.\r\n\r\nSUPERPOWER\r\n\r\nSuperpower is a strategy game showing the superpowers' influence over Third World countries, and is intended to supplement a Political Studies course. Each player runs the intelligence agency of a major world power, with the ultimate aim of protecting his power's assets in a continent of developing countries.\r\n\r\nAt the beginning, each player has assets in the nine Third World countries, and each is struggling to achieve the highest rate of profit growth. This might be brought about by peaceful strategies, such as building a defensive alliance among the strong countries, or by more aggressive means such as encouraging nations to nationalise a rival's assets. A variety of information is available: a report on any country shows its stability, wealth, foreign relations and government spending: a comparison can be obtained between nations in terms of industry, debt and government spending; or a study can be made of a superpowers' assets table. This information should help the player to make decisions, including what to do about investment, foreign policy, taxes and the armed forces.\r\n\r\nAnnual budgets must be adhered to, and the players must therefore indulge in a variety of strategies, either to maximise the growth rate of their own country or to minimise that of the others. A player might, for example, find himself weighing up the arguments and counter-arguments for persuading a friendly nation to spend more on welfare. While this might reduce expenditure on the hated police force, it could mean that the country is left unprotected from coup or assassination attempts.\r\n\r\nA detailed understanding of political theory is a pre-requisite for the successful tackling of this program, but it is useful in extending a student's depth of understanding.\r\n\r\nMANAGE\r\n\r\nThis is an interactive management game for two players which can be used to supplement a Business Studies curriculum. Alternatively, it could have a part to play in management training and economic studies. The aim is to teach the users, by placing them in a role-playing situation, about the significance of pricing policy and the correct allocations of cash resources.\r\n\r\nParticipants begin with £7,601 in cash, and 71 units of stock valued at £35.35 each. They must then make decisions covering the price of goods, marketing expenditure, production/research costs and plant additions. The results of trading are shown by statements and by a line graph of orders and sales.\r\n\r\nAn excellent feature is that the players' decisions interact with each other, leading to a strong element of competition. It's Interesting that players are forced to make immediate decisions, while always bearing in mind the long-term objectives for improving the performance of the company.\r\n\r\nAlthough no detailed financial knowledge is required, it is assumed that players will be able to assimilate the fairly detailed information supplied. The game may be played with or without a printer, but if one is used, the results are not displayed on the screen, thus ensuring the confidentiality of information, and making things more difficult for an opponent! The instructions are clearly explained on the inlay, and as this game does not depend on luck, the winner can be sure that it is his knowledge and acumen which has made him successful'.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: clearly explained and kept as simple as possible\r\nKeyboard play: very good\r\nGraphics: sensible use of graphs and tables in most programs. The graphics in Airline are particularly good\r\nUse of Colour: limited","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"General rating: Interesting and realistic simulations of different business situations. Useful for encouraging the users to handle a wealth of different information.","Page":"105","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Rosetta McLeod","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"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: CCS 48K\r\n£6.00\r\n\r\nAnother standard from CCS in which you get only 12 weeks to make the profit which will stop the bank from closing down your printing business. Work scheduling, staffing, purchasing and estimating to clients for their work are aimed to test your business acumen to the hilt. Each month you receive a balance sheet to see how well you have done. This is a text game with option menus.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"62","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"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: CCS 48K\r\n£6.00\r\n\r\nAnother standard from CCS in which you get only 12 weeks to make the profit which will stop the bank from closing down your printing business. Work scheduling, staffing, purchasing and estimating to clients for their work are aimed to test your business acumen to the hilt. Each month you receive a balance sheet to see how well you have done. This is a text game with option menus.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"64","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"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: CCS 48K\r\n£6.00\r\n\r\nAnother standard from CCS in which you get only 12 weeks to make the profit which will stop the bank from closing down your printing business. Work scheduling, staffing, purchasing and estimating to clients for their work are aimed to test your business acumen to the hilt. Each month you receive a balance sheet to see how well you have done. This is a text game with option menus.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"70","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer News Issue 20, Jul 1983","Price":"","ReleaseDate":"1983-07-28","Editor":"Cyndy Miles","TotalPages":90,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"CHARACTER SET\r\n\r\nEditorial\r\nEditor: Cyndy Miles\r\nAssistant Editor: Geof Wheelwright\r\nProduction Editor: Keith Parish\r\nSub-Editor: John Lettice\r\nNews Editor: David Guest\r\nNews Writers: Ralph Bancroft, Sandra Grandison\r\nSoftware Editor: Shirley Fawcett\r\nSystems Editor: Max Phillips\r\nHardware Editor: Richard King\r\nPeripherals Editor: Ian Scales\r\nListings Editor: Wendie Pearson\r\nEditor's Assistant: Harriet Arnold\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nArt Editor: David Robinson\r\nAssistant Art Editor: Floyd Sayers\r\nArt Assistant: Dolores Fairman\r\nPublisher: Fiona Collier\r\nPublishing Manager: Mark Eisen\r\nPublishing Assistant: Jane Green\r\n\r\nAdvertising\r\nAdvertisement Director: John Cade\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Nic Jones\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Sue Hunter\r\nSales Executives: Robert Stallibrass, Matthew Parrot, Bettina Williams, Ian Whorley, Sarah Barron, Roxanna Johnston, Christian McCarthy\r\nProduction Manager: Eva Wroblewska\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\r\n[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 photography by Ian McKinnell"},"MainText":"NAME: Print Shop\r\nSYSTEM: Spectrum, 48K\r\nPRICE: £6\r\nPUBLISHER: Cases Computer Simulations, [redacted]\r\nFORMAT: Cassette\r\nOTHER VERSIONS: 16K ZX81, 16K Spectrum\r\nOUTLETS: Various Sinclair dealers, Mail Order.\r\n\r\nTROUBLE IN STORE\r\n\r\nAspiring entrepreneurs are advised to play Print Shop before setting up their own business - they may find the world of free enterprise is fraught with more perils than they realised.\r\n\r\nShould you prove that you have what it takes to be a successful print shop owner, fame and fortune await you. However should you fail to turn a respectable profit after fifteen weeks of business, it's the bank that will be wanting'to pay you a call.\r\n\r\nOBJECTIVES\r\n\r\nAs owner and sole proprietor of your print shop it's up to you to decide on basic questions every business person faces - how many staff to hire, how much stock to purchase, what rates to set for customers, and so on.\r\n\r\nWhile the instructions of this text game could be a mite daunting for those of us who don't fancy themselves future accountants, the basic economic commonsense of the program comes through loud and clear as soon as your decisions begin to have effects on your bank balance.\r\n\r\nIN PLAY\r\n\r\nSome video test games are strictly a bore, with about as much imagination as a laundry list. Happily. Print Shop is an exception.\r\n\r\nThe game is neatly and intelligently divided up into monthly financial statements, customer orders. Inventory lists, and cost breakdowns.\r\n\r\nIt sounds dry and dull but it isn't. I and other players soon found ourselves totally preoccupied in trying to determine the best course for our fledgling business.\r\n\r\nOne thing that's fortunately missing from Print Shop is the element of chance. If you try to gouge a customer on an order, the bright red legend 'ORDER LOST' appears on screen, as sort of a moral lesson against greed.\r\n\r\nBut at the same time there's nothing quite like the thrill of realising a £100 profit on an order of wedding invitations that cost you £350 to produce.\r\n\r\nVERDICT\r\n\r\nPrint Shop is without doubt one of the best games of its kind. Well-paced and featuring modest yet effective sound. It makes up for what it lacks in spectacular graphics in clarity of thought and cleverness.\r\n\r\nThis is a computer game for people who like to think. You don't have to be a diehard capitalist to enjoy it.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"54","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Steve McClure","Score":"3","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Lasting Appeal","Score":"4/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"3/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Use Of Machine","Score":"2/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall Value","Score":"3/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]