CBM-Command is a disk manager for the Commodore 64 / Commodore 128 / Commodore VIC20 / Commodore C16 computers. It is written like Norton Commander or Midnight Commander, but is much simpler due to the target platforms. Both the C128/C64/VIC20/C16 have their own native version of the application.

Release Notes – 2010-07-09 – Version 1.0.1/1.0.2

New Features:

• Added support for Commodore Plus 4 computer.
• 32K Expanded VIC-20 now supported.

Changes:

• (VIC20) Refactored many of the screens to better fit the 22×23 layout.
• (VIC20) Filename shortening removed and the file type moved to the left of the directory display.
• (PLUS4) Created color scheme to match the environment.
• (VIC20) Panels are not displayed side by side, only one panel is displayed at a time.
• (VIC20) D64 support is removed, the RAM was needed elsewhere.
• (ALL) The screen has been made more scalable.

Known Issues:

• (VIC20) Many of the keyboard shortcuts on the left side of the keyboard do not work under VICE. After speaking with members of the VICE team they are pretty sure this is a problem in the GETIN kernel routine which is used by cc65. I would greatly appreciate it if someone with a real VIC can verify that the keys do not work on real hardware before I bring the problem up in the cc65 forums.
• (VIC20) I still haven’t figured out why saving the configuration doesn’t work. :(
• (VIC20) CTRL-D and CTRL-E don’t work.
• (VIC20) The launcher doesn’t yet know about the VIC, so it loads the wrong version of CBM-Command.
• (VIC20) The configuration tool cannot save.

source: cbmcommand.codeplex.com

Some new Games & Utility for Commodore VIC-20.

• FCBPaint-0.5. This is a preview of an editor for a new graphics mode I’ve been working on for a while.
• FIFA WORLD CUP 2010. FIFA’s unofficial VIC 20 football/soccer game.
• Odi Est Amo. You will hate this game.
• Q*LOAD V0.1/U. Q*LOAD is a tape loader / mastering tool for the Vic-20.

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)

Autopsy:

For a new review see the italian version of this article.

from C64Scene Homepage: This project is interesting not only because it’s another mass-storage solution but because it combines already existing solutions to a new and fresh product. Damiano has always followed all the Commdore related websites and forums especially concerning the MMC and SD2IEC projects.

That’s when he got the idea to build a solution for which one doesn’t need soldering, wire cutting or the IEC cable. C64SD utilizes the Datasette connector to power the SD2IEC circuit. An IEC connector connects right into the IEC port.

The whole module stand vertical along the back of the C64 (or VIC20). The module is fitted with two rather large buttons, one reset and one diskswap/multi-function button.

SD-CARD Tested:

SANDISK SD-CARD 2GB = 100% WORKING.
CORSAIR SD-CARD 512MB = 100% WORKING.

source: c64sd.roxer.com c64wiki sd2iec c64wiki sd2iec firmware

Some new Games & Utility for Commodore VIC-20.

• Fontastic. A custom font loader and editor.
• Night of the Ninja. A stealthy ninja must infiltrate fortresses.
• MANDEL V2. fast Mandelbrot fractal generator!

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)

from 1541 Ultimate homepage:

Finally, the software for the 1541 Ultimate II is finished. In the last two weeks, an enormous amount of work has been done:

• USB is now working stable, including insertion and removal.  (My external 500 GB harddisk was detected flawlessly!)
• Support for USB devices with multiple LUNs (like card readers)
• GCR (G64) supported added, including write (the Ultimate-I couldn’t do this)
• T64 file support re-integrated.
• Tape support, using TAP files (I needed to test the hardware anyway!)
• Comprehensible menus.
• Real time clock functional  (still need a clock widget…)
• I made a wooden mould, to simplify closing the plastic cases without damaging them.

The plan is, to ship the first 40~50 units this coming Wednesday! The remaining units will follow as soon as possible!  Thank you for your patience!

source: 1541ultimate.net

Some new Games & Utility for Commodore VIC-20.

• Go Left. The object of the game is to go left. A player may fail by not going left. Points are scored by correctly going left. Follow the on-screen directions. (This game appears on the white side of the Denial Collection 3)
• Font 1. A replacement font for the VIC 20.
• The Dungeon of Doom – RPG Creator. Funny, colourful, and comprehensive RPG creator, including dungeon and character generators – both with excellent graphics!

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)

40-column ASCII text viewer with scrolling screen for VIC-20.

Requirements: VIC-20 with +8K RAM expansion, or more; disc drive.

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)

This is a Trackmo with several Effects, Graphics and Tunes, placed 6th at Breakpoint 2010 Wild Compo.

Requirements: VIC20 + 16K RAM + Diskdrive.

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)

A super awesome Screen Color Scheme Editor for Unexpanded VIC 20 by Jeffrey Daniels.

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)

from 1541 Ultimate homepage:

About 100 plastic cases have arrived, and they look really great! I am glad that black has become the color eventually, and that the material looks the way it does. And I am sure that everyone who is waiting for their unit will be satisfied with the case as well! The remaining cases of the batch that are ordered will arrive a bit later. I’ll update you as soon as I know more.

There is also a downside on the cases; due to the shrinkage of the material along the long side (not very visible, but when you measure you can see it), the board is a very tight fit inside the case. It is therefore very difficult to close it, and once it is closed, well… good luck with opening it! Unfortunately it will cost me a lot of time to build the units together. Hopefully I will get good at it after the first 10 or so.. ;)

Due to the demand, another 100 units (the hardware boards) have been ordered for production and will be ready in about a month, in the end-of-april time frame.

Read more…

Some new Games & Utility for Commodore VIC-20.

• AntiISDA Warrior. The game concept for AntiISDA Warrior was first developed on the Oric Atmos. The similarity to the game Space Invaders is not only coincidental, but here only the shots are movable, and not the enemies or the initial place for fire.
• Berzerk MMX. A clone of the classic Stern arcade hit, Berzerk. Written in ca65 assembler.
• CBM FileBrowser. A file browser for sd2iec firmware based drives (uIEC/SD2IEC/MMC2IEC) and standard CBM drives too.

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum) hirudov.com

from 1541 Ultimate homepage:

February is already drawing to the end, so some news about the 1541U-II is needed here. The good news is: the boards have been produced, and the first few have been tested and are working! They are currently back at the assembly house for a missing connector, but I am expecting them back early this week.

The not-so-good news is, that the plastic cases have more delay. The Chinese company sometimes makes some promises that they are breaking afterwards. Yesterday I received a message that the new samples will be shipped on the 10th of March, while they had previously promised to send 100 cases upfront on Feb 25. I pressed them to send at least 100 pieces on, or before that date.

The good news about the cases is, that they will be black and not cream! I noticed that a lot of you have a strong preference for black. They will be produced using the PA material, enforced with glass fiber. :-)

source: 1541ultimate.net

Island of Secrets Graphic Adventure – 22 column version by Jenny Tyler and Les Howarth.

This game is a conversion from Commodore 64 of a classic type-in text adventure from the book published by Usborne in 1984. Play it with the stunning graphic excitement of more than 30 hi-res screens! It’s require a VIC-20 + 24K RAM.

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)

from 1541 Ultimate homepage:

Finally, you might think! An update on the 1541U-II… As time is going fast, the moment that all the hardware parts for the 1541U-II will be ready is drawing near. It all was not too easy, but things are going now the way they should.

The major difficulty showed to be the plastic case. Finally I have found a contractor who is willing to make the plastic case exactly as I wanted it, for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, the mould for plastic injection is quite expensive; in fact about double of what I expected initially, based on an unrealistic quote that I got a few months ago. Because of the large interest in the 1541U-II, I decided to just continue with it, and leave the selling price of the total product intact.

Earlier this week, I received the first pictures of the first try-outs of the injection mould tool. The result shows a little problem in the design, with the planned material (ABS). Due to the thick and sturdy plastic constuction on the inside, sink marks are visible on the outside.

The manufacturer has tried to run the case with a different material (PA), which looks a lot better. However, due to different shrinkage characteristics, the mould tool needs to be adapted to adjust for the difference in material. (You can see this, that the matte version does not close perfectly…) They will do this, but it will take one week extra before the cases are ready. The final color won’t be black (unless I am getting a lot of angry E-mails now.. ;-), but light cream color, to match the C64C better.

Read more…

Some new Games for VIC-20

• The Improbable War. A turn based strategy game with “fog of war” elements and a retro-futuristic theme.
• Ten Ten Again. A variation on the game Ten Ten.

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)