Amstrad Computer User


Psychedelia
By Llamasoft
Amstrad CPC464

 
Published in Amstrad Computer User #9

Psychedelia

This is a difficult review to write, not only because I cannot spell psychedelia (how's this? ) but also because there is no real category to put it in, the author just calls it an entertainment. There are no winners or losers, you just do it.

To play this thing you twiddle the joystick whilst abusing the ears with whatever crazy, sinful and/or loud music turns you on. Listening through a Walkman is recommended so you don't hear your keyboard clicking or get interrupted from your leisure by the 'phone. Turn the brilliance on the monitor or telly way up and use one of those joysticks you wave around in the air if you have one. This is not a game for green screens.

A couple of problems here, due to the way computer keyboards work the poor machine get confused if you try to move about, fire and change colours all at the same time. It tends to think you have hit other keys and acts accordingly. Also, when you change a parameter this blinding white message leaps into view at the bottom of the screen. I know it is nice to know what is going on but couldn't it have been done more subtly?

Pressing the fire button makes whatever kind of pattern you selected on the keyboard burst into life on the screen in glorious technicolour, pulsating and gyrating like a whirling dervish against your own background of twiddly bits. The basic shapes (which you can redefine yourself) grow and decay in several stages. Each one starts out as a white dot at the cursor and changes colour and size as it transforms in to a star, spiral, triangle, a traditional line or even a llama. These shapes change colour as they die off and are reflected to other parts of the screen by any symmetry you like.

You can create your own shapes, burst patterns, colour schemes, repeated movement sequences and all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff like that and quite a bit unlike it. It takes time to learn to fly this thing but it's fun learning. There is a bit which records your movements for about half an hour, then you play it back and change all the colours and shapes as it goes. There is so much visual stuff in this program that can only really be shown. Find a friend with it and watch one of his taped shows. This will appeal to people who like the Laserium and other sorts of light shows. The rest of you will either love this one or loathe it.