BREAK-OUT

---------

by David Spencer

from ZX Computing, February/March 1983



Here's a program written by David Spencer of Spalding for all you Spectrum

owners who fancy a spot of demolition.





Based on the 16K ZX Spectrum, this game takes just over 6K of memory and

makes fun use of the sound and colour available on the machine.



The wall itself comprises three different coloured layers, each with 30

bricks. When 60 bricks have been knocked out, a new wall appears and the

scores for each layer increases.



When you begin to play the game, you have five lives. However, each time you

miss the ball with your bat, you will lose a life. The game ends when you

have cleared all five walls or you have lost all five of your lives. All the

appropriate sound effects have been included for when you hit the ball with

your bat and when you knock out a brick from the wall.



When the game is not being played, the program cycles through a sequence of

two explanation pages followed by a demonstration game in which the computer

guides the bat. The highest score and the relevant player's name is displayed

on screen at this time.



Here is a list of all the variables used in the program.



HS      - Highest score

N$      - Name of the highest scorer

F       - General FOR...NEXT counter

FP      - Play flag (1 for the demonstration game)

P       - X co-ordinate of the bat

W       - Wall number

S       - Score

E$      - Temporary INPUT string

X,Y     - Co-ordinates of the ball

DX,DY   - Movement vector for the ball

FL      - Flag for sound effects

FT      - Flag for hitting top of screen

FA      - Flag for hitting bat

L       - Lives

A       - Variable to indicate which layer has been hit

J       - Set to 0 for game, 8 for demonstration game

C       - Code of character at ball position

H       - Number of bricks knocked out

P1      - Required position of bat during demonstration game

DP      -  Direction of bat movement during demonstration game

YT      - Temporary variable used in determining P1.