Computer + Video Games - Commodore Is Awesome

• In a major coup K.J.C.Games has obtained the rightsto run Trolls Bottom fromProject Basilisk.It would appear Basilisk isgoing into the developmentside of P.B,M. and is moreinterested in creating gamesrather than running them. Thisleaves K.J.C. with the twomost enjoyable computerisedP.B.M.s in the country,K.J.C. players can expect anannouncement about thematter in their It's A Crimeturns shortly. Meanwhile,check Novembers C+ VG forthe review of Trolls Bottom.• Now for an update onC+VG's It's A Crime Game14. The colburnites (102) andThe Sons Of Batman (689)have slipped dramaticallydown the notoriety table, TheNumero Uno gang is now TheKiller Hawks (184) with 332points, but they are closelyfollowed by the Bogie Men(512) with 329 points and theSatantists with 328. Less than50 points separate the top tengangs.*Legend Incorporated Ltdthe company which runsA.E's, apologise to players forthe delays in the turn aroundtime. Despite taking on moreG,Ms they are stilloverworked and some delayswere inevitable. But by thetime you read this they shouldhave all their problems nearlysolved. However, they doNOT want any more newplayers to apply for playingpositions as there are noneleft. It is pointless sending inapplications for rule books, setups etc, as they will take agesto be processed. I will let youknow when normal service willhe resumed.•Two Fantasy role playingcompanies are moving intoP.B.M. Games Workshop iscontemplating running aP.B.M. on Vslarhammer!It will be fully computerisedand should be running by latesummer 1988. They envisagelarge player attended meetswhen two major armies faceeach other in the game andwant to re-inact the actualbattle over the table with theappropriate figures. This couldbe very interesting, but alsocostly and hard to present.Meanwhile, StandardGames, the company whoproduced the excellentminiaturised figures forC+VG, have also decided torun a P.B.M. based on theirboard games, Dark Blades andCry Havoc. I was talking toRichard Cockerill of StandardGames, and he is very keen toHi, everybody, Wayne here again. Signed, sealed,delivered. I'm yours! The Play-By-Mail pages have anew look this month. Hope you like them. Meanwhile,as the festive season approaches. I'd like to wisheverybody a Merry Christmas and a PBM New Year.start the game in the not todistant future. It will also becomputerised, but he has theadvantage of having a wellknownprogrammer, who hasto remain nameless at themoment, at his disposal. Also,being a man who likes to givevalue for money. Richard ismore than likely going to havea stall at the Third BritishP.B.M. conference inFebruary and he will hand outquestionaires to find out whatkind of game YOU want. Thisis a highly original move andone that could really paydividends.• The Third British P.B.M.Conference takes place at thePorchester Centre,Queensway, London, W2 onFebruary 20 between 10.30a.m. and 5.00 p.m. and we areexpecting a near sell out.People with advance ticketswill be given priority entranceon the day.Not only are at least 20 ofthe major P.B.M. companiestaking part, but there are atleast 20 small ones. We havethe usual attractions of theLabyrinthe. U.K's leadingLive Role Playing company,will be running mini-dungeonsfor free, a leading Fantasy roleplaying and board gamecompany displaying theirlatest wares, an open AD+Dcompetition, P.B.M.seminars, computercompetitions, bookstalls, theBritish Play By Mail PlayersAssociation will have a stall,and there will be a licenced barand mini cafe, You will alsoget your chance to vote for thevarious coveted P.B.M.awards, including magazinewith the best P.B.M.coverage.Entry on the door will cost£2.00, but if you apply to: TheBritish Play By MailAssociation, 2 David Court,200 Lansdown Road,Edmonton, London N179XW, enclosing the logoabove, a S.A.E. and a chequefor £1.50, you will receive youradvance ticket. All cheques/POs should be made payableto the organisation,• A few copies of thebooklet 'The B.P.B.M.P,A.Guide to P.B.M2 are stillavailable. The booklet is freeand if you are interested inobtaining a copy, cut out the PBMlogo and send it to me atC+ VG with a large S.A.E.First come, first served.• Spellbinder has just takenover a Football game calledKickabout. In fact it is thebiggest football P.B.M. in theworld. The first full season hasjust finished and a newenhanced version of the gamewith inter-league EuropeanKnock Out tournaments andrepresentative World Cupmatches are about tocommence. I've looked at therulebook and will be reviewingit shortly. Meanwhile here is aselection of options.Aggression: You can getyour team to play harder incertain areas and you have aincreased chance of injuringone of the oposing teamsstart players by gettingstuck in. But with this tacticyou also stand a betterchance of getting bookedSchoolboys andapprentices: You can createa Maradona by traininghim and giving him firsthand experience in a leaguegame. Your teamsperformance may suffer atfirst, but as time goes on theyoungsters get better.Transfer Markets: Canyou play Big Ron Atkinsonand make a killing on thetransfer market?Spellbinder's traditionalpolicy of freebies for all,continues. They are givingaway copies of theirrulebooks for FREE topeople who write into mevia the mag and enclose aS.A.E. When all theapplications are in they willpull two names from the hatand they will be entitled toplay the first season free.• GAME: Starship Commander• SUPPLIER: Mitre Games• REVIEWER: The Devout DespotJUDGE; Ladies and Gentlemenof the jury, do you find MitreGames guilty or not guilty ofproducing top quality,affordable and very playablegames?JURY; Guilty, your Honourl IJUDGE; Mitre Games , youhave been found guilty of theaforementioned crime. It is myjudgement that you shall betaken from this place to abuilding full of computers anddata bases, pens and paper,stamps and envelopes, whereyou will be chained to a swivelchair and shall produce,correlate, assign and deliver tothe general public a brilliantconcept that is affordable byanyone with a weekly incomeover f1.00•And so into the sunset,surrounded by armed guardsgoes the creator of the newbudget game StarshipCommander. But wait a minute,did I say "BUDGET" game? Ifso, surely that means lack ofquality, quantity and Quarktorpedoes?Well, not really, because ifyou examine exactly what youContinued on page 9593