STARSHIP (1K Wonders, ZX-81)
by Rod Hopkins
from Your Computer (June 1983), page 102

Crushing programs in the ZX-81's 1,000-byte memory vice is common enough.
But now Rod Hopkins turns it into a virtue with his fast machine-code games.

THESE TWO programs tease yet more out of the valiant 1K ZX-8l. Economy is a
vital point of good software, and is often synonymous with efficiency. Some
might argue that Sinclair's 1K machine has contributed more than any other
computer to developing this aspect of programming. Both programs have a
familiar general form, but boast a few extra features of interest.

In Starship, your craft is in trouble, circling lower and lower over an enemy
city, frantically trying to blast clear an area in which to land. A limited
amount of fuel allows the pilot occasionally to gain attitude to clear high
buildings.

At the bottom of the display the fuel guage enables you to calculate your
descent to a nicety. Even the slightest contact with a building causes a
graphic explosion.

With skill the spacecraft may be put down in a small area surrounded by
buildings. Keys 1 to 5 take the ship down, 6 to 0 take it up. B of course,
releases bombs. At the end of each game, a single keypress restarts.

Owners of 16K machines, incidentally, must first reset RAMtop before running
these programs. The following direct statements would serve:

	POKE 16389,69
	NEW
