Spectrum Breakout (ZX Spectrum)

This is a type in that was first published in ZX Computing magazine in February 1983. ZX Computing saw itself as addressing the more serious aspects oh home computing such as programming and hardware projects. This game is a variation of the Atari Breakout games - that is, a bat and ball used to knock holes in a wall. The premise is simple and as is the case with such things, the game is addictive. The program was written by David Spencer - interestingly at the top of the article, there was an advert stating that the game was available from ASP Software - I am guessing that there will be no copyright issues here. Apparently ASP Software typed up (in?) the games published in the magazine in order that the reader would not have to do so. Sort of takes the fun out of it. The game itself isn't actually that bad although not a patch on the the version made by Atari or even the one that came with the Horizons tape that accompanied a newly purchased Spectrum. The movement of the bat is reasonably smooth. The ball flickers a bit but then that is to be expected. Not sure if the collision detection (like I even know what that is) with regard to the wall and ball are spot on. Maybe they are and it is simply a case of my eyes deceiving me as their ability to see fades with my slipping into my dotage. I am certain that in some cases that you cannot actually see the ball hit the bat.All that aside - this is a good way of learning how to code - sprite movement, basic physics et al. Certainly the direction the ball moves in after hitting a brick of the players bat might be worth nicking (and improving on, of course). I have prepared a snapshot of this game (only to find out that there was one already and waiting over at World of Spectrum) - I won't get those couple of hours spent typing this up back. Anyhow, if you want a snapshot, text file of the listing and text file of the accompanying article then please email me: beingapart [at] googlemail.com. This program is being run inside the Spectaculator emulator.