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Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
http://www.retrosoftware.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  JeffreyL [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Do you have any plans to add a section to the site to contain links to retro BBC software that's hosted elsewhere?

E.g. about a year ago I wrote Bob and Trev: Resurrection, a game in BASIC for the BBC, as part of the 2007 7-day roguelike contest. Although the game doesn't exactly represent the pinnacle of good game design or gameplay (or graphics :P), there's a chance that the source code might be of interest to some of the users of this site, since it does manage to squeeze quite a lot of stuff into a small amount of space.
Author:  DaveM [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Phlamethrower wrote:
Do you have any plans to add a section to the site to contain links to retro BBC software that's hosted elsewhere?

Well, personally I think that would be a great idea.

Let's wait for some more feedback from Sam and other members, and then we can start to think about where to fit them in (unfortunately the Horizontal Navigation Bar is already cramped and I don't think there's even room to squeeze a 'Links' tab in) so perhaps we could slot in a set of links at the foot of the "Retro Releases" page (though we'd obviously make it clear that they were all external/un-related projects).

Works such as You're Alan Partridge by Dave Edwards, Dominion by Andrew Weston and Ball Game by Dominic Beesley could be featured too. And there are bound to be others I've forgotten about ...

We could also link to the Cronosoft homepage as well, though there doesn't actually appear to be any Acorn software available at this moment in time?! (No 'Add to Cart' button alongside the Acorn version of EGGHEAD IN SPACE and WEENIES seems to have been removed altogether?!).

Then I suppose you also have slightly less-modern offerings, such as Cavern Duel and Headcase Hotel (1992-1995) by Steve Scott, Moonbase Beta (1990-1992) by Peter Hatton and all the 1990s PD stuff ... but you have to draw the line somewhere in terms of what constitutes "modern retro" (which is what we are all about!) and "retro retro" (which I'd say was anything pre-2000!) ;)

Phlamethrower wrote:
E.g. about a year ago I wrote Bob and Trev: Resurrection, a game in BASIC for the BBC, as part of the 2007 7-day roguelike contest.

My goodness - don't tell me there's a Beeb version of Rogue out there! :shock:

Back in '86 I'd spend hours playing that thing on our Amstrad 1640!

Hey, looking at your homepage I see you've written a lot of RISC OS software ... I don't suppose you'd be open to porting some of our Development Tools (like BeebASM) to the platform (that's if you thought it would be worthwhile?).
Author:  Samwise [ Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Actually, we may be able to squeeze a links page into the menu bar, if we abbreviate some of the other titles.

However, I'm not a big fan of pages simply entitled Links as it's really not very obvious at first glance what you will find on the page.

In the case of linking to other, similar retro projects hosted elsewhere, I agree that having them on the same page as our own releases is probably a good idea, because someone looking for completed projects would probably prefer not to have to hunt around the site in multiple places. I think it will also be a long time before we have so many projects listed there that space on the page becomes an issue. Certainly, it would need to be made distinctly clear if a project is merely linked, rather than hosted on Retro Software but that shouldn't be a problem. I think it's probably also a good idea to label all projects (whether they're Retro Software hosted or not) with their year of release.

As for a cut-off date ... how about March 1995? (bonus point for anyone who recognises the significance of this date!)

Sam.
Author:  SteveO [ Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Sounds a good idea to me....

and I'm guessing that you are "The Phlamethrower", a (in)famous person from "The Icon Bar". :)
Author:  JeffreyL [ Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
DaveM wrote:
Phlamethrower wrote:
E.g. about a year ago I wrote Bob and Trev: Resurrection, a game in BASIC for the BBC, as part of the 2007 7-day roguelike contest.

My goodness - don't tell me there's a Beeb version of Rogue out there! :shock:

Back in '86 I'd spend hours playing that thing on our Amstrad 1640!


I think an 'official' port of Rogue might have been made at some point - but a quick check on Wikipedia doesn't reveal anything.

DaveM wrote:
Hey, looking at your homepage I see you've written a lot of RISC OS software ... I don't suppose you'd be open to porting some of our Development Tools (like BeebASM) to the platform (that's if you thought it would be worthwhile?).


Sure :)

I don't really have the time to dedicate myself to porting bigger stuff like SWIFT, but I suspect the command line tools will be simple enough for me to port without too much hassle.

SteveO wrote:
Sounds a good idea to me....

and I'm guessing that you are "The Phlamethrower", a (in)famous person from "The Icon Bar". :)


Yes, that's me. Although I wasn't aware that my fame preceeds me :)
Author:  DaveM [ Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Samwise wrote:
AI agree that having them on the same page as our own releases is probably a good idea, because someone looking for completed projects would probably prefer not to have to hunt around the site in multiple places.

Ok, Retro Releases it is. :)

We'll look at adding links next week.

Samwise wrote:
(bonus point for anyone who recognises the significance of this date!)

Last edition of Micro User/Acorn Computing? ;)

Still think I'd prefer to limit it to >2000 i.e. the 'internet' generation of BBC Public Domain! :)

Phlamethrower wrote:
DaveM wrote:
I don't suppose you'd be open to porting some of our Development Tools (like BeebASM) to the platform (that's if you thought it would be worthwhile?).

Sure :)

I don't really have the time to dedicate myself to porting bigger stuff like SWIFT, but I suspect the command line tools will be simple enough for me to port without too much hassle.

Excellent - let us know how you get on.

It would be really nice if one day we reach a stage where binaries for other platforms (Mac/Linux/RISC OS) get added to the homepages soon after new Win versions are released ...
Author:  Samwise [ Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
DaveM wrote:
Last edition of Micro User/Acorn Computing? ;)

Aye.

:( *looks sad & wistful for a minute*

*sigh*
Author:  SteveO [ Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
I'd love RISC OS to get priority over conversions.... but that's just my immense bias :)
Author:  carlsson [ Thu Apr 03, 2008 1:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Now with an increase (?) in software development for the BBC micros, perhaps someone will consider entering the MiniGame Compo? It currently runs on low steam compared to its hay-day in 2002-04, but things may change quickly. As to my knowledge, not a single Acorn game has been entered in the competition for the past seven years of running. It is a bit of a shame, I think.
Author:  Samwise [ Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
You mean this site?

So far none of the games announced here are likely to be small enough to fit even in the 4K category ... but maybe someone will get bored during their development cycle and fancy a change ... :)

I seem to vaguely recall that Acorn User magazine used to have a 1-line competition, where you were challenged to make to the most complex program you could, but it had to fit on one line ...

Sam.
Author:  FrancisL [ Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Samwise wrote:
I seem to vaguely recall that Acorn User magazine used to have a 1-line competition, where you were challenged to make to the most complex program you could, but it had to fit on one line ...

I remember that. A few of the games were actually quite good from what I remember! :)

Kind regards,

Francis.
Author:  SteveO [ Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
That sounds interesting, Perhaps enter for 2009 competition. No time for this years
Author:  Cybershark [ Sun Apr 06, 2008 2:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Electron User had their regular '10 liners'. Many issues had a couple of examples and there were some very impressive offerings with games sometimes going as far as including high-score tables and instructions.
Author:  Samwise [ Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Dave asked me to add the games listed at the start of this thread to the Retro Releases page ... so there's now a place for non-Retro Software releases, if anyone has any others they want to add.

Sam.
Author:  AndrewW [ Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Links to retro BBC software on other sites?
Shame DaveE isn't around on this site - would be interesting to hear his ideas/input.
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