Vagan Attack

Sinclair Programs

June Mortimer

AS THE CHRISTMAS SOFTWARE GOES ON SALE SPECTRUM OWNERS ARE SPOILED FOR CHOICE. Two years ago it was possible to produce a simple game for the Spectrum, market it, and expect it to sell in large numbers. Since then the market has changed considerably. A game costing around six pounds is expected to be original and of high quality, and the more straightforward games will not sell. However, there is still a market for these games, although it is located in a much lower price bracket. Atlantis are supplying games for this market, and are selling games for the 48K Spectrum, priced at £1.99 each. Master Mariner is a revival of that hardy perennial Ocean Trader. The player owns a boat which must be taken from harbour to harbour, buying and selling goods. Hazards are many: storms, sea mists, pirates, high taxes or simply a run of bad luck. A slow-moving game, delayed frequently by animated representations of the boat setting off to sea, or goods being unloaded. Vagan Attack sets the player moving around the galaxy, trying to find and destroy enemy ships and bases. Although the title and cover suggest that this is a fast-moving, shoot-'em-up game it more closely resembles a simulation, for moves are made slowly and with thought. The instructions are confusing and the screen display and diagrams not entirely clear, so the first few games played are more a stab in the dark than complex space war simulation. Master Mariner, Eights and Vagan Attack are all produced for the 48K Spectrum by Atlantis Software, [redacted].

Big K

Graphics 1/3

Playability 1/3

Addictiveness 1/3

Overall 1/3

Dave Rimmer 1/3

MAKER: Atlantis FORMAT: cassette PRICE: £1.99 Calling Earth... come in Starfleet Command. We are hopelessly lost somewherre off the right of the screen. All system are so badly chewed up that even the Damage Report mechanism just spurts out gibberish. Our engines won't move us. We are floating helplessly int he inky darkness beyond the Galactic Rim. Even, God help us, a suicide attempt with an anti-matter bomb failed to end it all. Will someone, somewhere please tell us how to QUIT? Answer: you can't. Apart from that rather obvious fault (I got lost first move) this is a reasonably sprightly split-screen space strategy game in which we, with two kinds of drive, three kinds of weapon and several varieties of scanner, buzz about the galaxy putting the Vagans in their place. Not bad but nothing special.

Crash

Use of Computer 65%

Graphics 68%

Playability 73%

Getting Started 77%

Addictive Qualities 71%

Value For Money 83%

Overall 73%

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Atlantis Software Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £1.99 Language: Machine code Author: John Green 'Star Trek' style games enjoyed great popularity on the ZX81 and there have been some versions for the Spectrum of varying success. What distinguishes Vagan Attack from the others is that it's a very good game and unlike most earlier versions, which were expensive, this one is at a budget price. Despite the title and the alteration of some fave names like Klingons, Vagan Attack is a classic Trekkie with the advantage of high speed action. The scenario goes boldly where others have gone before - the Federation has been caught by a surprise Vagan attack. Only you and your ship Andromeda stand in the way of Vagan domination of the galaxy. You must destroy all the Vagan ships and bases within a limited period of time. The galaxy is divided into 64 Quadrants, each of which is divided into 64 sectors. Sectors and quadrants are represented in the classic notational form, blocks being numbered 1 to 8 across the top and down the sides. There are three visual scans available to the commander of the Andromeda, the Galaxy Chart, which shows all 64 quadrants, quadrants where the Andromeda has already been and whether there are any Vagan ships or starbases in those quadrants. It also indicates how many stars, Federation and Vagan starbases and Vagan ships there are in each of the quadrants. Most of the action part of the game is played on the Short Range Scanner which gives a detailed view of the quadrant occupied by the Andromeda. Additionally the Status report gives information about your ship and the battle situation and the Damage report lists any systems damaged by enemy fire. Vagan bases are armed with lasers and plasma bolts and are guarded by Vagan ships. Federation Starbases support the Andromeda, and on docking with one, all weapons are replenished and all damage repaired. The bases, however, are very vulerable to Vagan attack. The Andromeda's weapons include 2 plasma tubes with 12 plasma bolts which are fired by specifying course. There are two independently operated lasers and the all important anti-matter bomb. There is only one available and it will destroy everything within the quadrant. Its effects may effect the Andromeda's engines and leave radiation behind that will damage the ship should it enter the quadrant again. The screen display of the short range scan is split into two squares, one on the left is the visual scan showing the position of the Andromeda (a curiously familiar shape), that of stars and Vagan bases, ships or starbases. Firing actions can be viewed on the screen both from the Andromeda and from the enemy. As Commander, you have various command functions available at a keypress. These are listed under Control Keys in the Comments section. COMMENTS Control keys: numerics for weapon direction in degrees, 10 for Ion drive (localized travel), TE = tetron drive (long distance), LA = lasers, PL = plasma bolts, AN = antimatter bomb, GA = galaxy map, ST = status report, DA = damage report, LO = long range scan, SH = short range scan, AB = abort command Joystick: none required Keyboard play: requires practice as fast decisions are needed Use of colour: very good Graphics: good, nice text and generally clear graphics Sound: not much Skill levels: 9

Boldly going where others have gone before - but doing it better. The elegant playing screen from Vagan Attack.