Thursday 12 April 2007

Brian Jack's Superstar Challenge



Well after hearing Brian Jack's name when watching the October Episode of MicroLive i decided to go play the game he starred in that was made for the ZX Spectrum by Martech. Ahhh the halcyon days haha. Anyway here is some information about the game in question.

In a feeble ATTEMPT to cash in on the popularity of Daley Thompson's Decathlon, Brian Jack's Superstar Challenge pits your joystick-powered body against he-man Brian Jacks in eight events drawn from the TV sports series in which athletes compete at a range of sports.

Each side of the tape contains four events. Those divide into two types. There are the ones like canoeing or cycling where you have to pump the joystick left and right as hard as you can, and there are others like archery or squat thrusts where skill at judging when to fire or change direction is paramount.

The animation is poor and only occupies a small part of the screen. The races are particularly disappointing as the competitors barely move at all and stay in the centre of the screen.

The football event where you must dribble round four cones and then shoot at a goalkeeper we found unplayable and totally unrealistic. The other events bear some relation to their originals, but squat thrusts and arm dips are not the most exciting of activities to watch or perform, in the sweaty flesh or on screen.

It is fairly easy to beat Brian on the early levels of the game, and doubtful whether many would wish to continue to higher levels to receive their thrashing. You'll have more fun drinking glucose and pumping iron all day.

If you feel he need to play this game you may grab it from the link below.

Download Brian Jacks SuperStar Challenge ZX Spectrum Game

Download Bran Jacks Superstar

BBC Microlive November 1984 Complete Episode 2

MICRO LIVE\NOVEMBER PROGRAM\COMPUTERS

This is Episode Two from Series One of BBC MicroLive.

This is the complete episode of Microlive from November 1984 some of the features in the program include.

Lesley Judd = Reports on the BT (British Telecoms} privatisation takeover.

Chris Farmer - Reports on the newest computer to hit the market in Nov 1984 the MSX.

Brian Jacks - Continued from episode 1 we get to see what computer Brian chose for his family.

Download the full Episode Two below :)

BBC Microlive November 1984 Complete Episode 2Screenshots


Wednesday 11 April 2007

BBC Microlive October 1984 Complete Episode 1

MICRO LIVE\OCTOBER PROGRAM\COMPUTERS

This is the full episode of Microlive from October 1984 some of the features in the program include.

Brian Jacks (Former Superstars and Judo Champ) looks around shops in Croydon-London with his family for the ideal micro computer. Now Brian Jacks is a name i remeber from a kid :) for more Brian Jacks info click HERE.

Lesley Judd
tries out the new Micro Live Bulletin Board System (BBS)

Freff Investigates computer animation with lasers and dragons :)

Download the full Episode One below :)



Screenshots below

BBC Microlive November 1984 Complete Episode One

BBC MicroLive 1985 Commodore Amiga Debut

Fred Harris looks at the cutting edge Amiga computer and shows a demo of a mouse if you can believe that ha-ha. Also is shown some demos from the Amiga like Lines a graphic demo.

Isn't it nice to reminisce.


BBC MicroLive 1985 Debut of the ZX Spectrum 128k

Micro Live's preview of the upcoming ZX Spectrum 128k and a rundown of all it's amazing new graphics... and Yes, that is the guy who used to present Playschool!

Watch at Youtube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgTCE6PTXsE

Welcome To the BBC MicroLive Blog

Hi There,

This blog is all about collecting the BBC Computer program MicroLive which aired on the BB between 1984 and 1986. My aim is to keep episodes of this retro computer series in circulation for others to enjoy as i have.

It's great to have watched some of these episodes again now that i am much older, and it's great to see so may old machine still looking impressive for the technology of the time, if looking a little dated now :)

On occasion i might also wander off into old skool micro computer land with some Spectrum, Commodore, A content so be prepared haha.

Over the coming weeks , months and hopefully years i plan to update this blog regularly with the latest microlive episode's/videos i get my hands on and any other micro computer retro videos, articles that i stumble upon and including the odd free game.

I hope you enjoy this blog and any like minded register and leave some comments :)

Regards

Adam