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R/+BARBIL

This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.

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Tape/disk: Home » Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Greaseweazled » adfs_EUG_55.adf
Filename: R/+BARBIL
Read OK: ✔
File size: 1BA9 bytes
Load address: 52204556
Exec address: 41422B2E
Duplicates

There is 1 duplicate copy of this file in the archive:

File contents
                      Product:     BAR BILLIARDS
                       Supplier:    BLUE RIBBON
          Available on Tape, 3.5"/5.25" Disk (ADFS, CDFS, DFS)
                   Reviewed by (the) Dave in EUG 55

AS table-top games go, BAR BILLIARDS is a curiosity item both when sim-
ulated on screen and even nowadays in an actual pub. Despite the protes-
tations of Blue Ribbon on the inlay, the game is certainly not raved 
about [Not in student drinking circles anyway - Ed] so most players will
come to it ignorant of its rules. It must also be stressed foremost that
its title isn't simply a yoof way of saying the bog-standard billiards
game. BAR BILLIARDS is completely different.
   This being so, one may have thought Blue Ribbon would devise a gentle
way of introducing how to play it in its instructions. But annoyingly,
they don't. Thus your first game has to be a trial and error knockabout
with docs to the left, screen with latest foul stroke penalty displayed
to the right and puzzled countenance on visage firmly in the middle.
   The main screen, preceded by a list of key controls and the weird 
blank screen that simply says 'Press N to continue', is nicely laid out
with the most part occupied by an horizonal overview of the BAR BILL-
IARDS' table. An information box sits at the bottom with "Break points"
bottom left and "Time remaining" bottom right while the scores of each
player are laid out, in the wall-hanger style beloved of these sports,
across the top in tens, hundreds and thousands. The last category may
surprise you if you're used to playing POOL or SNOOKER sims (with a
maximum break value less than a fifth of 1,000) but potting x ball in y
pocket in BAR BILLIARDS will net you a whopping four hundred points!
   The niceties of BAR BILLIARDS revolve around hole positions and pegs.
Unlike other comparable tables, the holes are set not at the corners of
the green felt but actually in the table itself. The end with the D has
no holes at all whilst the opposite one has a row of five evenly spaced
ones. Four holes as the corners of a diamond shape mark the centre of
the table and potting a ball into one of these is the most desirable as
these pockets reap the highest point returns. But these four holes are
guarded by pegs which you must not knock down under any circumstances.
   You always shoot from the D, although you can manoeuvre the cue ball
around inside of it, and you quickly learn, as in SNOOKER, that the idea
is to use the cue ball to hit another ball into a hole. Unlike in
SNOOKER, you begin with only two balls on the table and a stash of white
balls (which are displayed in a column to the left of it).
   The ZX*/ combination of keys will 'drag' a line out from the cue ball 
toward the ball you are aiming at, extending it and tilting it at the
requisite degrees as you wish; a method which you also see in the ver-
sion of SNOOKER released by Acornsoft. Always be aware though, that the
length of line approximates the strength with which you will hit the cue
ball. This is not an ideal situation as it means you can take aim but 
then, if you wish to strike the cue ball lightly, you must retract the
line somewhat. Unless you are firing in a multiple of 45 degrees, it is
hard to manipulate the keys to do this without losing the accuracy of 
your original aim. In Acornsoft's SNOOKER the length of the line is
immaterial and when you press the fire key, a 'strength' bar fires up 
for the length of time it is held down. Comparing the two you realise
the disadvantage of BAR BILLIARDS' method.
   If you're following the rules all right so far, you will remember the
stash of white balls and the two balls on the table. One of them comes
straight from the stash and is coloured, quite obviously, white. The 
other is red. The aim of the game, as you have to discover if you're new
to it, is to "keep potting" and keep the other player off the table. The
holes all score varying points; those that are not guarded by pegs, for
a white ball, score 10, 20, 30, 20 and 10 from top to bottom. For a red
ball, the scores are doubled. In the 'diamond' (which is not painted as
such but is the best way of refering to the 'peg' holes), the scores are
drastically higher: three holes guarded by red pegs gain 50, 100 and 50
points similarly; the remaining hole guarded by the black peg will add 
200 points onto your total. Again, potting red doubles the score.
   In a perfect world, the "keep potting" would work so: Shot one would
pot the red with the white; the red coming out again into the D to be
used as the cue ball to pot red again. You'd then continue likewise for
the fifteen minute time limit. Alas, it's designed not to be so easy.
   The peg diamond frequently obscures any shot that could guarantee a
successful pot of ANY colour. Taking risks is foolhardy, and knocking
any balls around any peg requires extreme care. If you knock down the
black peg, you lose ALL your score so far - and remember you must always
shoot from the D! So even if you have the red teetering on the edge of
the hole guarded by the black peg, between it and the cue ball stands a
risk of losing everything!
   Frequently you'll miss all balls by playing safe. If so, you must
take the shot, from the D, again. Simple. BUT if your cue ball collides
with another, and neither is potted, ANOTHER ball will be taken from the
stash and set in the D. This vicious circle can result in a table full
of white balls, although after seven, it is the ball nearest the D which
is transported inside of it to become the cue.
   Phew! Well, they're the rules. Once you re-read and digest them, al-
though you'll still find the game quite difficult, you will appreciate 
the rather nifty information displayed in the afore mentioned box after
each shot. A fantastic touch is that its display is often positive as
you improve, with remarks like "Good shot!" and "GREAT shot!" helping to
counterbalance all the fouls you're destined to make in that first game.
   The rules have necessarily had to take up the majority of this review
but it is testament to the game's playability that all are implemented.
The graphics' quality is also high and the sliding score tab and super-
smooth scrolling balls (which never seem to fluxate) lend a real touch
of professionalism to what is a snip as a budget title.
   The biggest irk is that, when firing full strength at a cluster of 
balls, they do not spin off in the way Mr Einstein proved. Sometimes all
unrealistically stop dead, presumably bouncing off one another, with a
series of 'hit' blips!
   BAR BILLIARDS is a unique little simulation, suitable for one and two
players. Its scant documentation does to some extent reduce its market
to those who know the pub game and the strange inclusions of the 'press
N' screen feature plus a Game Over tune sounding uncannily like "The 
Farmer's In His Den" are out of place. But the table code can hardly be
faulted and the graphics and playability make for an enjoyable game.
                                                   Dave Edwards, EUG #55

00000000  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
00000010  20 20 20 20 20 20 50 72  6f 64 75 63 74 3a 20 20  |      Product:  |
00000020  20 20 20 42 41 52 20 42  49 4c 4c 49 41 52 44 53  |   BAR BILLIARDS|
00000030  0d 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |.               |
00000040  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  53 75 70 70 6c 69 65 72  |        Supplier|
00000050  3a 20 20 20 20 42 4c 55  45 20 52 49 42 42 4f 4e  |:    BLUE RIBBON|
00000060  0d 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 41 76 61 69 6c  |.          Avail|
00000070  61 62 6c 65 20 6f 6e 20  54 61 70 65 2c 20 33 2e  |able on Tape, 3.|
00000080  35 22 2f 35 2e 32 35 22  20 44 69 73 6b 20 28 41  |5"/5.25" Disk (A|
00000090  44 46 53 2c 20 43 44 46  53 2c 20 44 46 53 29 0d  |DFS, CDFS, DFS).|
000000a0  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
000000b0  20 20 20 52 65 76 69 65  77 65 64 20 62 79 20 28  |   Reviewed by (|
000000c0  74 68 65 29 20 44 61 76  65 20 69 6e 20 45 55 47  |the) Dave in EUG|
000000d0  20 35 35 0d 0d 41 53 20  74 61 62 6c 65 2d 74 6f  | 55..AS table-to|
000000e0  70 20 67 61 6d 65 73 20  67 6f 2c 20 42 41 52 20  |p games go, BAR |
000000f0  42 49 4c 4c 49 41 52 44  53 20 69 73 20 61 20 63  |BILLIARDS is a c|
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00000130  64 20 65 76 65 6e 20 6e  6f 77 61 64 61 79 73 20  |d even nowadays |
00000140  69 6e 20 61 6e 20 61 63  74 75 61 6c 20 70 75 62  |in an actual pub|
00000150  2e 20 44 65 73 70 69 74  65 20 74 68 65 20 70 72  |. Despite the pr|
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00000170  20 42 6c 75 65 20 52 69  62 62 6f 6e 20 6f 6e 20  | Blue Ribbon on |
00000180  74 68 65 20 69 6e 6c 61  79 2c 20 74 68 65 20 67  |the inlay, the g|
00000190  61 6d 65 20 69 73 20 63  65 72 74 61 69 6e 6c 79  |ame is certainly|
000001a0  20 6e 6f 74 20 72 61 76  65 64 20 0d 61 62 6f 75  | not raved .abou|
000001b0  74 20 5b 4e 6f 74 20 69  6e 20 73 74 75 64 65 6e  |t [Not in studen|
000001c0  74 20 64 72 69 6e 6b 69  6e 67 20 63 69 72 63 6c  |t drinking circl|
000001d0  65 73 20 61 6e 79 77 61  79 20 2d 20 45 64 5d 20  |es anyway - Ed] |
000001e0  73 6f 20 6d 6f 73 74 20  70 6c 61 79 65 72 73 20  |so most players |
000001f0  77 69 6c 6c 0d 63 6f 6d  65 20 74 6f 20 69 74 20  |will.come to it |
00000200  69 67 6e 6f 72 61 6e 74  20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20  |ignorant of its |
00000210  72 75 6c 65 73 2e 20 49  74 20 6d 75 73 74 20 61  |rules. It must a|
00000220  6c 73 6f 20 62 65 20 73  74 72 65 73 73 65 64 20  |lso be stressed |
00000230  66 6f 72 65 6d 6f 73 74  20 74 68 61 74 0d 69 74  |foremost that.it|
00000240  73 20 74 69 74 6c 65 20  69 73 6e 27 74 20 73 69  |s title isn't si|
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00000280  61 72 64 73 0d 67 61 6d  65 2e 20 42 41 52 20 42  |ards.game. BAR B|
00000290  49 4c 4c 49 41 52 44 53  20 69 73 20 63 6f 6d 70  |ILLIARDS is comp|
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000002c0  73 6f 2c 20 6f 6e 65 20  6d 61 79 20 68 61 76 65  |so, one may have|
000002d0  20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74  20 42 6c 75 65 20 52 69  | thought Blue Ri|
000002e0  62 62 6f 6e 20 77 6f 75  6c 64 20 64 65 76 69 73  |bbon would devis|
000002f0  65 20 61 20 67 65 6e 74  6c 65 0d 77 61 79 20 6f  |e a gentle.way o|
00000300  66 20 69 6e 74 72 6f 64  75 63 69 6e 67 20 68 6f  |f introducing ho|
00000310  77 20 74 6f 20 70 6c 61  79 20 69 74 20 69 6e 20  |w to play it in |
00000320  69 74 73 20 69 6e 73 74  72 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 73  |its instructions|
00000330  2e 20 42 75 74 20 61 6e  6e 6f 79 69 6e 67 6c 79  |. But annoyingly|
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00000380  6e 6f 63 6b 61 62 6f 75  74 0d 77 69 74 68 20 64  |nockabout.with d|
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000003a0  20 73 63 72 65 65 6e 20  77 69 74 68 20 6c 61 74  | screen with lat|
000003b0  65 73 74 20 66 6f 75 6c  20 73 74 72 6f 6b 65 20  |est foul stroke |
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000003e0  6e 64 20 70 75 7a 7a 6c  65 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74  |nd puzzled count|
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00000420  69 6e 20 73 63 72 65 65  6e 2c 20 70 72 65 63 65  |in screen, prece|
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000005b0  6f 66 20 74 68 65 73 65  20 73 70 6f 72 74 73 2c  |of these sports,|
000005c0  0d 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20  74 68 65 20 74 6f 70 20  |.across the top |
000005d0  69 6e 20 74 65 6e 73 2c  20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64  |in tens, hundred|
000005e0  73 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68  6f 75 73 61 6e 64 73 2e  |s and thousands.|
000005f0  20 54 68 65 20 6c 61 73  74 20 63 61 74 65 67 6f  | The last catego|
00000600  72 79 20 6d 61 79 0d 73  75 72 70 72 69 73 65 20  |ry may.surprise |
00000610  79 6f 75 20 69 66 20 79  6f 75 27 72 65 20 75 73  |you if you're us|
00000620  65 64 20 74 6f 20 70 6c  61 79 69 6e 67 20 50 4f  |ed to playing PO|
00000630  4f 4c 20 6f 72 20 53 4e  4f 4f 4b 45 52 20 73 69  |OL or SNOOKER si|
00000640  6d 73 20 28 77 69 74 68  20 61 0d 6d 61 78 69 6d  |ms (with a.maxim|
00000650  75 6d 20 62 72 65 61 6b  20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 6c  |um break value l|
00000660  65 73 73 20 74 68 61 6e  20 61 20 66 69 66 74 68  |ess than a fifth|
00000670  20 6f 66 20 31 2c 30 30  30 29 20 62 75 74 20 70  | of 1,000) but p|
00000680  6f 74 74 69 6e 67 20 78  20 62 61 6c 6c 20 69 6e  |otting x ball in|
00000690  20 79 0d 70 6f 63 6b 65  74 20 69 6e 20 42 41 52  | y.pocket in BAR|
000006a0  20 42 49 4c 4c 49 41 52  44 53 20 77 69 6c 6c 20  | BILLIARDS will |
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000006f0  49 4c 4c 49 41 52 44 53  20 72 65 76 6f 6c 76 65  |ILLIARDS revolve|
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00000720  0d 55 6e 6c 69 6b 65 20  6f 74 68 65 72 20 63 6f  |.Unlike other co|
00000730  6d 70 61 72 61 62 6c 65  20 74 61 62 6c 65 73 2c  |mparable tables,|
00000740  20 74 68 65 20 68 6f 6c  65 73 20 61 72 65 20 73  | the holes are s|
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000007a0  64 20 77 69 74 68 20 74  68 65 20 44 20 68 61 73  |d with the D has|
000007b0  0d 6e 6f 20 68 6f 6c 65  73 20 61 74 20 61 6c 6c  |.no holes at all|
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000007d0  73 69 74 65 20 6f 6e 65  20 68 61 73 20 61 20 72  |site one has a r|
000007e0  6f 77 20 6f 66 20 66 69  76 65 20 65 76 65 6e 6c  |ow of five evenl|
000007f0  79 20 73 70 61 63 65 64  0d 6f 6e 65 73 2e 20 46  |y spaced.ones. F|
00000800  6f 75 72 20 68 6f 6c 65  73 20 61 73 20 74 68 65  |our holes as the|
00000810  20 63 6f 72 6e 65 72 73  20 6f 66 20 61 20 64 69  | corners of a di|
00000820  61 6d 6f 6e 64 20 73 68  61 70 65 20 6d 61 72 6b  |amond shape mark|
00000830  20 74 68 65 20 63 65 6e  74 72 65 20 6f 66 0d 74  | the centre of.t|
00000840  68 65 20 74 61 62 6c 65  20 61 6e 64 20 70 6f 74  |he table and pot|
00000850  74 69 6e 67 20 61 20 62  61 6c 6c 20 69 6e 74 6f  |ting a ball into|
00000860  20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20  74 68 65 73 65 20 69 73  | one of these is|
00000870  20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 73  74 20 64 65 73 69 72 61  | the most desira|
00000880  62 6c 65 20 61 73 0d 74  68 65 73 65 20 70 6f 63  |ble as.these poc|
00000890  6b 65 74 73 20 72 65 61  70 20 74 68 65 20 68 69  |kets reap the hi|
000008a0  67 68 65 73 74 20 70 6f  69 6e 74 20 72 65 74 75  |ghest point retu|
000008b0  72 6e 73 2e 20 42 75 74  20 74 68 65 73 65 20 66  |rns. But these f|
000008c0  6f 75 72 20 68 6f 6c 65  73 20 61 72 65 0d 67 75  |our holes are.gu|
000008d0  61 72 64 65 64 20 62 79  20 70 65 67 73 20 77 68  |arded by pegs wh|
000008e0  69 63 68 20 79 6f 75 20  6d 75 73 74 20 6e 6f 74  |ich you must not|
000008f0  20 6b 6e 6f 63 6b 20 64  6f 77 6e 20 75 6e 64 65  | knock down unde|
00000900  72 20 61 6e 79 20 63 69  72 63 75 6d 73 74 61 6e  |r any circumstan|
00000910  63 65 73 2e 0d 20 20 20  59 6f 75 20 61 6c 77 61  |ces..   You alwa|
00000920  79 73 20 73 68 6f 6f 74  20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68  |ys shoot from th|
00000930  65 20 44 2c 20 61 6c 74  68 6f 75 67 68 20 79 6f  |e D, although yo|
00000940  75 20 63 61 6e 20 6d 61  6e 6f 65 75 76 72 65 20  |u can manoeuvre |
00000950  74 68 65 20 63 75 65 20  62 61 6c 6c 0d 61 72 6f  |the cue ball.aro|
00000960  75 6e 64 20 69 6e 73 69  64 65 20 6f 66 20 69 74  |und inside of it|
00000970  2c 20 61 6e 64 20 79 6f  75 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6c  |, and you quickl|
00000980  79 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 2c  20 61 73 20 69 6e 20 53  |y learn, as in S|
00000990  4e 4f 4f 4b 45 52 2c 20  74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65  |NOOKER, that the|
000009a0  20 69 64 65 61 0d 69 73  20 74 6f 20 75 73 65 20  | idea.is to use |
000009b0  74 68 65 20 63 75 65 20  62 61 6c 6c 20 74 6f 20  |the cue ball to |
000009c0  68 69 74 20 61 6e 6f 74  68 65 72 20 62 61 6c 6c  |hit another ball|
000009d0  20 69 6e 74 6f 20 61 20  68 6f 6c 65 2e 20 55 6e  | into a hole. Un|
000009e0  6c 69 6b 65 20 69 6e 0d  53 4e 4f 4f 4b 45 52 2c  |like in.SNOOKER,|
000009f0  20 79 6f 75 20 62 65 67  69 6e 20 77 69 74 68 20  | you begin with |
00000a00  6f 6e 6c 79 20 74 77 6f  20 62 61 6c 6c 73 20 6f  |only two balls o|
00000a10  6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 61  62 6c 65 20 61 6e 64 20  |n the table and |
00000a20  61 20 73 74 61 73 68 20  6f 66 20 77 68 69 74 65  |a stash of white|
00000a30  0d 62 61 6c 6c 73 20 28  77 68 69 63 68 20 61 72  |.balls (which ar|
00000a40  65 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61  79 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61  |e displayed in a|
00000a50  20 63 6f 6c 75 6d 6e 20  74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6c  | column to the l|
00000a60  65 66 74 20 6f 66 20 69  74 29 2e 0d 20 20 20 54  |eft of it)..   T|
00000a70  68 65 20 5a 58 2a 2f 20  63 6f 6d 62 69 6e 61 74  |he ZX*/ combinat|
00000a80  69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 6b  65 79 73 20 77 69 6c 6c  |ion of keys will|
00000a90  20 27 64 72 61 67 27 20  61 20 6c 69 6e 65 20 6f  | 'drag' a line o|
00000aa0  75 74 20 66 72 6f 6d 20  74 68 65 20 63 75 65 20  |ut from the cue |
00000ab0  62 61 6c 6c 20 0d 74 6f  77 61 72 64 20 74 68 65  |ball .toward the|
00000ac0  20 62 61 6c 6c 20 79 6f  75 20 61 72 65 20 61 69  | ball you are ai|
00000ad0  6d 69 6e 67 20 61 74 2c  20 65 78 74 65 6e 64 69  |ming at, extendi|
00000ae0  6e 67 20 69 74 20 61 6e  64 20 74 69 6c 74 69 6e  |ng it and tiltin|
00000af0  67 20 69 74 20 61 74 20  74 68 65 0d 72 65 71 75  |g it at the.requ|
00000b00  69 73 69 74 65 20 64 65  67 72 65 65 73 20 61 73  |isite degrees as|
00000b10  20 79 6f 75 20 77 69 73  68 3b 20 61 20 6d 65 74  | you wish; a met|
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00001a00  61 79 65 72 73 2e 20 49  74 73 20 73 63 61 6e 74  |ayers. Its scant|
00001a10  20 64 6f 63 75 6d 65 6e  74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 64  | documentation d|
00001a20  6f 65 73 20 74 6f 20 73  6f 6d 65 20 65 78 74 65  |oes to some exte|
00001a30  6e 74 20 72 65 64 75 63  65 20 69 74 73 20 6d 61  |nt reduce its ma|
00001a40  72 6b 65 74 0d 74 6f 20  74 68 6f 73 65 20 77 68  |rket.to those wh|
00001a50  6f 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74  68 65 20 70 75 62 20 67  |o know the pub g|
00001a60  61 6d 65 20 61 6e 64 20  74 68 65 20 73 74 72 61  |ame and the stra|
00001a70  6e 67 65 20 69 6e 63 6c  75 73 69 6f 6e 73 20 6f  |nge inclusions o|
00001a80  66 20 74 68 65 20 27 70  72 65 73 73 0d 4e 27 20  |f the 'press.N' |
00001a90  73 63 72 65 65 6e 20 66  65 61 74 75 72 65 20 70  |screen feature p|
00001aa0  6c 75 73 20 61 20 47 61  6d 65 20 4f 76 65 72 20  |lus a Game Over |
00001ab0  74 75 6e 65 20 73 6f 75  6e 64 69 6e 67 20 75 6e  |tune sounding un|
00001ac0  63 61 6e 6e 69 6c 79 20  6c 69 6b 65 20 22 54 68  |cannily like "Th|
00001ad0  65 20 0d 46 61 72 6d 65  72 27 73 20 49 6e 20 48  |e .Farmer's In H|
00001ae0  69 73 20 44 65 6e 22 20  61 72 65 20 6f 75 74 20  |is Den" are out |
00001af0  6f 66 20 70 6c 61 63 65  2e 20 42 75 74 20 74 68  |of place. But th|
00001b00  65 20 74 61 62 6c 65 20  63 6f 64 65 20 63 61 6e  |e table code can|
00001b10  20 68 61 72 64 6c 79 20  62 65 0d 66 61 75 6c 74  | hardly be.fault|
00001b20  65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 74  68 65 20 67 72 61 70 68  |ed and the graph|
00001b30  69 63 73 20 61 6e 64 20  70 6c 61 79 61 62 69 6c  |ics and playabil|
00001b40  69 74 79 20 6d 61 6b 65  20 66 6f 72 20 61 6e 20  |ity make for an |
00001b50  65 6e 6a 6f 79 61 62 6c  65 20 67 61 6d 65 2e 0d  |enjoyable game..|
00001b60  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
*
00001b90  20 20 20 44 61 76 65 20  45 64 77 61 72 64 73 2c  |   Dave Edwards,|
00001ba0  20 45 55 47 20 23 35 35  0d                       | EUG #55.|
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