========================================= QBasic Gazette e-vol. 1, no. 6 ========================================= Here is another 'gaz comin at ya! Last I checked there were about 300 subscribers to this newsletter, which I think is a pretty good turnout. =) What's new at NeoZones? Plenty! Sorta. There is a new message forum compliments of SonicBlue (no more disc.server!). I also have written a script to handle QCity, now you can search for files based on any criteria you want, very helpful. Also there is a reviewers script to submit reviews on files (please do!), check it out in QCity. I added a tutorial or two, and have just been doing some general upkeep (25 awards now). =) Enjoy the issue, and check below for addresses/urls to submit stuff/drop a line. So don't forget, NeoZones is at http://neozones.quickbasic.com/, and my email is neozones@quickbasic.com. Hope ya enjoy the issue (all articles are written by me unless otherwise specified), -Tek & Contributors ========================================= Contents ========================================= * Article Libraries: good or evil? * Reviews QCity: Mouse section * Links in the Spotlight SonicBlue's Coder's Choice Top 25 * News & Announcements & Feedback CodeX news Regarding RPGs, by Bram * Info/Contacting/Submitting Submit something Your thoughts/comments appreciated In closing ========================================= Articles ========================================= * Libraries: good or evil?, by Tek In an ongoing quest to peer into the minds of fellow programmers, I'd like to ask everyone's thoughts about libraries, or more specifically, the "extending" of functions in a program by using QuickBASIC's .QLB files. At the moment I'd just like to say "no comment." =) Please send your thoughts for or against libraries to neozones@quickbasic.com, and I'll include them in a followups section for the QBasic Gazette, thanks! ========================================= Reviews ========================================= * QCity: Mouse section Still using the keyboard to access the interface of your program? What about using the mouse in QBasic? Is it possible? Yes it is. How can you do it? You can check out all the great progs in the QCity mouse section to add mouse support to your program! Keep track of the coordinates of the mouse, which buttons are pressed, where the mouse can go, if the mouse is shown, or if it isn't. http://neozones.quickbasic.com/ (goto QCity, then click Mouse/Joystick section) ========================================= Links in the Spotlight ========================================= * SonicBlue's Looking for unique content and a best of the best files philosophy? Then check no further than SonicBlue's page. Not only will you find all sorts of funkalicious ((c) Hal_8900) great BASIC stuff, but Sonic also runs a hardware site, a web designing service, and a message system (the one used on NeoZones). Also be sure to check out Sonic's Space-a-Roo series, it's a blast! http://www.sonicblue.com * Coder's Choice Top 25 Want to gain some exposure for your site? Then check out the Coder's Choice Top 25 sites, made by programmers, for programmers, voted by programmers. Where does this madness end? http://coderschoice.hypermart.net/ ========================================= News & Announcements & Feedback ========================================= * CodeX news As some of you know, I was out of town for awhile, and didn't quite get around to posting the CodeX for June, until a little later (the results are up now, however). Alas, I just didn't have time to do a July CodeX challenge. However, I'll try to make up for it in the August CodeX, so feel free to email those CodeX ideas to me, and we'll see what we can do! Hi, * Regarding RPGs, by Bram First of all, I would like to say, that I enjoyed reading the articles. Since I'm currently working on an RPG in Basic, I was very interested in your opinion on the current state of QBasic RPG's. And I must say, that I agree. A lack of storyline DOES destroy a potentially good RPG. BUT graphics are also very important. Ugly graphics make people hit the "DELETE"-button on their keyboard. SO I think that graphics are important as well. Let's talk about BX software, or rather Me. I'm Bram Bouwmans, and currently the only member of BX software. I'm 18 years old and I love programming in QuickBasic 4.5. I think I can do the simple things in QBasic pretty good, but more advanced functions, like Assembly in Basic or commands like varptr$, aren't really known to me. But somehow, I still think I can make a nice RPG, using a bit of code from programs found on the internet. As you can see on my homepage (http://stuwww.kub.nl/~s333654), I haven't proceeded very far with my game yet. Sorry about the fact that this mail hasn't got a real good red line walking through it , but I'm only typing what's coming up in my mind. I REALLY hope to get a reply, proving that Basic is NOT dead (what I do think it is... unfortunatly). Second I would like to apologize for the grammar and stuff. I'm dutch, it's late, and the keyboard is a bit broke, so sorry again. Well, that's about all. To see a bit of my programmingarts, you could download Fileviewer Pro from my homepage (Archive). I believe it's the best one written in Basic sofar (Am I right?). Well, goodbye, Bram :-) ========================================= Info/Contacting/Submitting ========================================= * Submit something Submit an article for publication in the 'gaz, there is a handy submitter on the bottom of the QBasic Gazette page. Visit NeoZones (link at bottom) to get there. Suggestions/complaints/whatever can also be submitted there. For regular email, send it to me, Tek, at neozones@quickbasic.com. * Your thoughts/comments appreciated NeoZones likes to hear what YOU have to say! If you have any comments, suggestions, thoughts to share (in the newsletter), compliments, death threats, etcetera, please email them or submit them to me! * In closing In closing, I think that this Gazette article was probably the best one yet. More content and longer. =) That's about it for now, so there should be another Gazette out in about a month, until then, see ya later! -- Tek & Contributors neozones@quickbasic.com http://neozones.quickbasic.com/