EUG #52 is complete and, although certainly no way to begin what may be the first file you are reading, the response to the changed rules (where the EUG magazine is free if you make a submission) was disappointing. Very disappointing. With a mature and growing readership full of both newcomers, collectors and experts, the magazine always needs more text (Not 'phone calls - you need to specifically set out articles/enquiries on paper) and when it becomes the work of just a few people and archive material, it becomes more a product than a user group. For it to continue down this road, then "it only takes good men to do nothing".

(Stat: All the material in EUGs #48 to #52 has come from less than 10% of the fully paid-up readers.)

News

David Bradforth gets into another fight, X*L*C*R comes to the Electron and another Electron emulation project gets off the ground.

Articles

There's quite a 'gaming' feel to this month's articles as Andrew Bennett reveals how taking a quarter of a year writing Tynesoft's BBC/Electron game Boulderdash didn't leave him with any hope of writing more code for the machine. Plus all of the secrets of Repton Infinity and Sunday are revealed on request and a new series of Brainteasers begins; with the programs on the Games Menu.

Demos/Games

Antique Freak and Bombhunt (All series)
Two nice Mode 1 games with fabby-looking sprites and a quest that's more difficult than it at first appears...

Fruit Machine (All series)
Prepare to waste your imaginary money again, gentlemen.

Patience, Please
Richard Dimond revamps the suite of Patience games yet again and also brings us a brand new variation, Streets And Alleys. Note that the new version of Black Hole is not compatible with an Electron.

Utilities

CLOWN, MICKEY MOUSE AND WORM Pictures
Three utilities that draw shapes on screen in such a way as to form the picture of their title. These were found on a disk by reader James Dale and may have come from one of the popular computing magazines although not Electron User or Elbug. Can you shed any light on their origin?

LISTO8 Utility
Robert Sprowson presents a little assembly to help you read that source code cluttered up with operators, values and :s. This item is not present on the Menu. Call it from the > cursor.

RAMFS Utility Upgrade
One of "Sprow's" bugs is cured so prepare for a more professional RAM Filing System on your BBC if you've got the documents on EUG #50, of course. For both this, and his earlier utility, read his letter from the Letters Menu.

SHIN ANGEL EROTICA Picture
What's this picture doing on your 'family-based' EUG and who took the time to draw it? Some drooling pervent, no doubt. Can the Old Boys' Club that is EUG handle a picture that's a tiny bit naughty? [Seriously, it's not that bad! - Ed]

STAMP STYLE BORDER Utility
Give your screens a pretty border with this Mode 1 and Mode 4 compatible utility by the Dave. More in the sundry documentation on the Articles Menu.

SUNDAY GAME POSITION SAVER (All series)
Steven Thompson's Aid to Survival on the mean streets of Redcar. Make sure to read his documentation first.

Reviews

Dave E bemoans Shards' Mystery Of The Java Star and praises X*L*C*R from Micheal Grant and Tynesoft's first Microvalue compilation.

Adventures

Super Gran Adventure
Defeat the evil Scunner Campbell in this text adventure from 1985.

Mystery Fun House Solution
Up to adventure number seven already?! These adventures just fly by when you've got a lovely tried and tested solution, walkthrough and you're James Bond! (?!)

Mailbag

The mailbag is decidedly empty this month but Robert Sprowson presents a number of computer addons for sale plus Richard Dimond explains the new benefits of his Patience suite.

Plus

The loading screen on this month's EUG is a copy of a Hungarian stamp.

Dave E