Blitz Basic is a simple but powerful programming language for Amiga. At this time a version for Windows is also available but it unfortunately isn't be compatible on the source code level because of different libraries and design decisions. If you're still programming for Amiga in Blitz Basic, here are some routines and techniques which might be of use to you.

ActiveWindow (ActiveWindow.zip (12.32 KB)): This source code demonstrates how to open a window which automaticaly activates itself as long as its screen is the front one. The routine is particularily useful in cases where you open your own screen and a window on it which then receives all the events through IDCMP messages and also changes the pointer. By using this routine you can always know when your screen is the front one and you can activate the window without the user having to intervene.

BitmapPrint (BitmapPrint.zip (16.12 KB)): This is a function for printing text on any bitmap using standard intuition fonts. All font styles are supported and also the shadow and outline effects are available.

ScrollText (ScrollText.zip (45.56 KB)): This is a ready to use scrolling text routine. With it you can add a scrolling text to your program almost without any programming. The code can easily be modified to personal needs. A special font creator program along with an example is also included in the program.

ShapesFix (ShapesFix.zip (18.34 KB)): This archive contains two functions meant as a replacement for the buggy built-in commands CopyShape and Scale which trash the image when its size exceeds 32 KB. You can use these functions safely as long as the size of the single bitplane doesn't exceed 32 KB. In case it does you'll probably have to rewrite the blit functions, too.

In the eightees one of the most widely spread and known games was Boulderdash (along with some other big 8-bit hits). This game had great playability but from the technical aspect it was rather poor. The times of 8-bit computers are with no doubt behind us, but that doesn't mean that those games are forgotten. There are several quality ports available for today's computers.

I have designed several levels for one of them, Emerald Mines for Amiga. You can download these from my site. To play them on Windows or other OS you need an emulator.

Forgotten Mine 1 (ForgottenMine1.zip (302.1 KB)) is a complete Emerald Mine V6 disk with 81 levels playable only in single player mode. You don't need any additional files, both AGA and ECS versions of the game are included in the archive.

Forgotten Mine 2 (ForgottenMine2.zip (12.21 KB)) archive contains 23 levels for Emerald Mine V6. No Emerald Mine executable is included, so you need to get it from elsewhere (from Forgotten Mine 1 archive for example). This should be a preview of Forgotten Mine 2 for which will probably never get finished.