Following v2.0, QuickCMD v2.1 is out, a shell-based user interface by NoRecess. Since v2.0 QuickCMD is a real ROM (small RAM footprint) and adds new featureslike low-level file management. It's now written in assembly with a bit of C, instead of using C only. Use CTRL + TAB from Basic to launch QuickCMD.

WinApe v2.0 alpha 18 is out since 2 days. This new version of this Amstrad CPC(+) emulator brings major sound and emulation improvements, full-sized AVI writing, debugger enhancements and a lot of other small fixes.

In 1986 Dinamic Software published its second try text adventure game : Arquimedes XXI. It was also the the second comercial text adventure made in Spain after Yenght and, indeed, it was the first job of Jorge Blecua (Egroj) in this field, previous to other games as Don Quijote or Abracadabra. It was made in BASIC and Assembler as the comercial parsers didn't appeared yet. Arquimedes XXI is a Dinamic classic game only available for Spectrum and MSX, until now ! With the efforts of DevilMarkus, MiguelSky (for the adaptation on Amstrad CPC), PulkoMandy (french translation, main music conversion), voXfReaX (english translation), today you can enjoy this classic text adventure on your Amstrad CPC. It is available in French, English and Spanish as was Orion Prime before.

Here are the results of the 4 contests of the ReSeT #0 meeting (and soon they will be available for download) :

• demo : Krusty with the demo Les experts à Coutances
• 4 Ko intro : Krusty with Still the best
• graphics : Rahow with LittleDGirl (on CPC+)
• music : McKlain with Take Off

See below for the photo of Krusty the winner (on the left), and Beb (on the right) who made a graph for the demo Les experts à Coutances.

If you arent afraid of some blood, here are 3 photos of the inside of a modded Amstad CPC with 2 CRTC. Which make me wonder what would be a heavily modded Amstrad CPC that everybody would love to own. If you have some ideas, write it in the thread I opened on CPCWiki.

Size doesnt matter by SuperSly (Les sucres en morceaux) let me think about an Amstrad CPC demo or music made on more than an Amstrad CPC. Alas, I am no genius, some people have already done that on ZX Spectrum with a music Hung up by Ay Riders made on 2 Spectrum for example. It's a nice music by the way. If you know about other demos or musics made on more than 1 8bit or 16bit computer, let me know please.

29 degrees celcius, it's hot here in Coutances after the results of the contests, so because I am thinking about all visitors (at least me) who could use some water, here are 2 old photos which will provide some.

If you care about sound accuracy on Amstrad CPC emulators like Mr_Lou, you should know that at the moment the best emulator is CPCE (last version is v1.94 patched on 2th June 2011).

Thanks to this interesting discussion on CPCWiki, dont doubt that more emulators will have soon a better sound accuracy, a new version of WinApe may even be out soon.

QuickCMD v1.0 is a new utility by NoRecess. It's a shell-based user interface running on top of the system. Its aim is to provide a faster way to launchprograms. The idea actually came from a fact about NoRecess own usage of a CPC : most of the times, he turns on my computer to only execute CAT/RUN commands. He thought there were rooms to improvethat process :

• a really fast text output (really appreciated for discs containing lots of files)
• no need to type RUN" prefix anymore, simply typing a filename is required to execute a file
• faster approach to execute a file : even if the pattern Shift+Arrows + copy/paste a filename + Control+LeftArrow + Control+Enter is handy to fast-launch files after a CAT command, I found myself more efficient to uniquely deal with program's filename
• autocompletion : just type F then I letters then TAB key ; if FILENAME.BIN exists on disc then it will be automatically completed !
• fully compatible with the system : you can launch BASIC as BINARY files the same way, you can quit to BASIC then getting back to QuickCMD, DIR command also supports Cat'Art, etc.
• extensible command system : instead of typing a filename to launch, you can also specify a Resident System eXtension (RSX) ! By example, to launch HxC Floppy Emulator Manager, instead of getting back to BASIC and type |HXC, you just have to enter HXC as any other command. Parameters are also supported, so by example you can use default REN command or Arnor UTOPIA's COPY commands !
• respect the system : if an external command use the classic char output routine (BB5A), then its output will be merged to QuickCMD's user interface. This is possible thanks to usage of hardware scrolling provided by the system.
• handy shortcuts : pressing two times TAB key acts as a DIR, ESC two times acts as a quick exit to BASIC, etc.
• history management ! It's working like MSDOS's DOSKEY does (use up/down keys)
• auto-launch. When QuickCMD is installed on your system, it will get launched automatically after all other ROMs will get properly initialized
• not intruisive : credits are voluntary kept hidden behind ABOUT command ; the aim is to provide a neutral program, not a front-end for personal advertising or whatever
• clean, efficient and simple Z80 implementation using a mix of C and assembly programming language

Good news, since March 2011, GameBase CPC is once again available. V20 is ready since the start of May 2011. Thanks for the hard work, for the preservation of the Amstrad CPC legacy.