Personal Computing Today (GB)
Personal Computing Today was a multi-format magazine published in Great Britain by Argus Specialist Publications. It was published monthly, with the first issue appearing in Aug 1982. Your Commodore issue 0 was given away as a free supplement in Jul 1984. The editors included Ron Harris and Elspeth Joiner. Note: It appears that only a small number of issues have been scanned, so there could potentially be lots of missing programs from this magazine.
Download all programs from this magazine on one disk:
 PC Today.d64 |
Note: The program VIC Hi-Res (83-09) is not included on this disk because it currently only loads from cassette tape.
40 programs
| Program | Author | Requirements | Files | Info |
Breakout Vol 1 No 1 (Aug 1982), Pages 12-13. |
Tim Hartnell | Unexpanded | breakout.prg Screenshot |
Breakout game, use your bat & ball to destroy the coloured bricks. Controls: Z (left), M (right). |
Making Better Use of Colour Vol 1 No 1 (Aug 1982), Pages 69-71. |
Chris Palmer | Unexpanded | making colour.t64 Screenshot |
Four subroutines demonstrating how to use colour in your own programs. Prog1 sets the screen & border colour. Prog2 sets the character colour. Prog3 draws a border around part of the screen. Prog4 uses multicolour characters. Controls: Follow on-screen prompts. |
| Solitaire Maze (Amaze/2)  Vol 1 No 1 (Aug 1982), Pages 72-73. |
Mike O'Neill | Unexpanded | solitaire maze.prg Screenshot |
Maze game. You control between one and five circular pieces, which all move simultaneously. Try to position your pieces so that each one covers a different diamond. It may seem easy with one piece, but try it with multiple pieces... Controls: A (up), S (down), K (left), L (right), Space (stop). |
| VIC 20 Function Keys (Define Keys)  Vol 1 No 4 (Nov 1982), Page 18. |
Dave Tong | Unexpanded | define keys.prg Screenshot |
Assign commands to the function keys. Change what each key does by modifying the listing before running it. Controls: F1 (list), F2 (gosub), F3 (run), F4 (print), F5 (goto), F6 (chr$), F7 (load), F8 (return). |
Shaping Up Graphically Vol 1 No 4 (Nov 1982), Pages 48-51. |
Chris Palmer | Unexpanded & Super Expander +3K | shaping up se3k.t64 Screenshot |
Three programs demonstrating the VIC-20's graphics capabilities, for comparison with the Sinclair Spectrum. Windows & Circles (SE3K) draws a pattern. OCR Characters (UN) replaces numbers 0-9 with user-defined characters. Sin Cos Average (SE3K) draws a graph showing a sine curve, cosine curve, and the average of both curves. Controls: None. |
Ladders & Walkways Vol 1 No 5 (Dec 1982), Pages 26-28. |
? | 3K expansion | ladders walk 3k.prg Screenshot |
Platform game. Dig holes so the monsters will fall through them, without getting caught. Controls: I (up), M (down), J (left), L (right), D (dig). |
VIC Animator Vol 1 No 6 (Jan 1983), Pages 36-38. |
Allen Webb | 3K expansion | vic animator 3k.prg Screenshot |
Create simple animations on your computer. Controls: Follow on-screen prompts. Press C to create a new animation, and start with frame 1. Use the keyboard & cursor keys to draw a picture on the upper half of the screen. When finished press Return to store the picture in memory and move to the next frame (the previous frame will be left intact so you can modify it without drawing everything again). |
Listing Pause Vol 1 No 6 (Jan 1983), Page 75. |
Kevin Irving | Unexpanded | listing pause.prg Screenshot |
Utility. When using the LIST command, the output can be slowed by holding the Ctrl key. This machine code routine lets you pause & restart the output. Controls: Commodore+Arrow Left (pause), Return (resume). |
VIC Directory Vol 1 No 6 (Jan 1983), Page 82. |
D A Goodier | Unexpanded | vic directory.t64 Screenshot |
Make a directory index of the contents of a cassette tape. The instructions in the magazine need to be followed carefully Controls: See magazine for details. |
One-Touch Entry Vol 1 No 7 (Feb 1983), Pages 66-68. |
P Hintjens | Unexpanded | one-touch entry.prg Screenshot |
Utility. Creates a single-key entry system, similar to the Sinclair Spectrum and other computers. Controls: Access the shortcuts by pressing CTRL and the required key, e.g. CTRL+P displays POKE on the screen. See the magazine for a full list of shortcuts. |
Billiards Vol 1 No 8 (Mar 1983), Pages 14-15. |
Eugenio Rapella | Unexpanded | billiards.prg Screenshot |
Billiards game. Move the cue ball around the snooker table, and try to pot all the balls. Controls: W (up), X (down), A (left), D (right), Q/E/Z/C (diagonals). Hold the Shift key for a stronger shot. |
Yhatzi Vol 1 No 8 (Mar 1983), Pages 42-43. |
Mychajlo Dubil | 3K expansion | yhatzi 3k.prg Screenshot |
Yahtzee dice game for 2-8 players. Each player has a maximum of three rolls with five dice, selecting which dice to keep after each roll. In this version, you score points in these categories: 2 pairs (two pairs of numbers, e.g. 45664), 1 prille (three of a kind, e.g. 34336), 4-fold (four of a kind, e.g. 66646), poker (three of a kind plus a pair, e.g. 33434), 5-fold (all dice the same number, e.g. 66666) and yhatzi (a straight run, e.g. 35642). Controls: Press T to roll the dice, enter the numbers that you want to hold, enter S when ready to score, then select a category (A-F). |
Chase Vol 1 No 10 (May 1983), Pages 52-53. |
Grant Privett & Allen Webb | 3K expansion | chase 3k.prg Screenshot |
You must outwit the aliens for as long as possible. You can hide among the blocks but they will eventually be destroyed. When an alien encounters a block it will either destroy the block & itself, or wait for you to move in a direction that allows it to continue chasing you. Controls: A (up), Z (down), Crsr-Down (left), Crsr-Right (right). |
Graph Solutions Vol 1 No 11 (Jun 1983), Pages 18-19. |
O Garside | Unexpanded | solve fx.prg Screenshot |
Mathematical tool, solve functions of f(x) and draw them on graphs. Controls: Follow on-screen prompts. |
VIC Tips Vol 1 No 12 (Jul 1983), Pages 66-67. |
? | Unexpanded | vic tips.t64 Screenshot |
How to read the joystick and paddles. Controls: Joystick & paddles. |
| VIC Letter Writer (Letter Processor)  Vol 1 No 12 (Jul 1983), Pages 94-95. |
N Jayakumar | 8K expansion | letter proc 8k.prg Screenshot |
Simple word processor for writing letters. Controls: Follow on-screen prompts. Modify lines 700-740 to print your own details at the top of the letter. |
The Citadel Vol 2 No 1 (Aug 1983), Pages 36-40. |
M B Dhun | 3K expansion | the citadel 3k.prg Screenshot |
Text adventure. The Kingdom of Juliana has been taken over by Brigands. You must find three keys to unlock a secret door in the Citadel and defeat them. Guides will prevent you from getting lost, healers protect against the plague, warlocks protect against curses, and the magic sword defeats dragons. Controls: Enter which direction you would like to move (N, S, W, E), and follow on-screen prompts. |
VIC Hi-Res Vol 2 No 2 (Sep 1983), Pages 25-27. |
J Vandecasteele | 8K expansion | vic hi-res 8k.t64 Screenshot |
Draw hi-res pictures on a 160x176 pixel screen. Controls: Follow on-screen prompts. Type commands e.g. DRAW LINE followed by the x1, y1, x2, y2 coordinates. |
Scramble Vol 2 No 2 (Sep 1983), Pages 44-46. |
Stephen Knight | 3K expansion | scramble 3k.prg Screenshot |
Scramble game. Fly deep into enemy territory shooting rockets. Hit the fuel dumps to replenish your supply. The fuel dumps cannot be seen at night so make sure you have enough fuel to last until daylight. Controls: Joystick or A (up), D (down), : (left), = (right), Space (fire). |
| Computer Blackboard (Revision)  Vol 2 No 3 (Oct 1983), Pages 23-25. |
Nick Wilcox | Unexpanded | revision.prg Screenshot |
Educational quiz. Prepare for school exams by answering these multiple choice questions. Controls: Type the correct answer. |
| Beastie Bombardment (Alien Attack)  Vol 2 No 3 (Oct 1983), Pages 93-95. |
Paul Burke | Unexpanded | alien attack.prg Screenshot |
Space shooting game. Use your rocket to shoot as many invaders as you can in 90 seconds. Controls: F (left), H (right), F1 (fire). |
| OXO (O's and X's)  Vol 2 No 4 (Nov 1983), Page 73. |
Stephen Meredith | Unexpanded | oxo.prg Screenshot |
Tic-tac-toe puzzle game, for 2 players. Try to get three in a row before your opponent. The characters walk onto the grid. Controls: 1-9 (position of next move). |
Speed Add Vol 2 No 5 (Dec 1983), Pages 92-93. |
Bryn Phillips | Unexpanded | speed add.prg Screenshot |
Maths game. A list of numbers is displayed, and you must add them up as quickly as possible. Controls: Follow on-screen prompts. |
Sheepdog Trials Vol 2 No 6 (Jan 1984), Pages 66-67. |
Richard Sheppard | Unexpanded | sheepdog trials.prg Screenshot |
Strategy game. Use your dog to round up the sheep and put them in the pen. Controls: W (up), Z (down), A (left), S (right). |
Clear Screen Vol 2 No 6 (Jan 1984), Page 95. |
Fergus McDonald | Unexpanded | clear screen.prg Screenshot |
Subroutine that shrinks the screen using a tunnel effect, as an unusual way to clear the screen. Note: running this as a standalone program will generate a 'return without gosub' error when it is finished. Controls: None. |
| Maze Games Explored (Pacman)  Vol 2 No 7 (Feb 1984), Pages 38-39. |
Nick Wilcox | 16K expansion | pacman 16k.prg Screenshot |
Pac-Man game. Move around the maze eating all the dots, and avoid the X's. Controls: F (up), S (down), B (left), M (right). |
High Score War Vol 2 No 10 (May 1984), Pages 68-69. |
David Mackay | Unexpanded | hi score war.prg Screenshot |
Shoot the aliens as they rise from the bottom of the screen. Every missed shot depletes your score so aim carefully. Controls: T (up), G (down), L (fire). |
| Pennies From Heaven (Money Catcher)  Vol 2 No 10 (May 1984), Pages 98-99. |
Kevin Hughes | Unexpanded | money catcher.prg Screenshot |
Catch the coins in your net and drop them down the bank slot. Controls: , (left), . (right). |
Astroshy Vol 2 No 11 (Jun 1984), Pages 64-67. |
Chris Pettit | 3K expansion | astro shy 3k.prg Screenshot |
Your house has been flooded with a growth potion, mutating normal objects into dangerous beings: ballooning buttons, fortified forks, and huge cups. You have 90 seconds per screen to destroy them. Controls: Joystick or Z (left), X (right), Space (fire). |
Droids Vol 2 No 11 (Jun 1984), Pages 87-88. |
P Sidell | Unexpanded | droids.prg Screenshot |
Space shooter. Quangon droids are attacking Earth. You must destroy them before they reach the buttom of the screen. Controls: V (left), B (right), F7 (fire). |
VIC 20 for Beginners Vol 2 No 12 (Jul 1984), Page 49. |
Bob Wallace | Unexpanded | colour commands.prg Screenshot |
Programming demo, use PRINT statements to display coloured text. Controls: None. |
VIC 20 for Beginners Vol 3 No 1 (Aug 1984), Page 13. |
Bob Wallace | Unexpanded | text formatting.t64 Screenshot |
Programming demo, two techniques for positioning the cursor using PRINT statements. Controls: None. |
Character Choice Vol 3 No 1 (Aug 1984), Pages 17-19. |
P Sidell | Unexpanded | char choice.prg Screenshot |
Character editor, produce your own user designed graphics. Character sets can be loaded & saved on tape. Controls: Follow on-screen prompts. |
VIC20 Basics Vol 3 No 2 (Sep 1984), Page 79. |
Bob Wallace | Unexpanded | moving objects.prg Screenshot |
Programming demo, displays a moving asterisk at the top of the screen. Controls: None. |
VIC20 Basics Vol 3 No 3 (Oct 1984), Page 25. |
Bob Wallace | Unexpanded | atom snowflake.t64 Screenshot |
Programming demo. Key Show displays the keycode of a depressed key. Atomic Snowflakes is a vertically-scrolling space game, where you must dodge the snowflakes. Controls: Z (left), M (right). |
Double Height Characters Vol 3 No 4 (Nov 1984), Page 36. |
P Burke | Unexpanded | dbl height char.prg Screenshot |
Machine code routine that converts the screen into double height characters. Controls: None. |
Space Mines Vol 3 No 4 (Nov 1984), Pages 81-83. |
Kevin Hughes | Unexpanded | space mines.t64 Screenshot |
Guide your ship to the landing pad at the bottom of the screen, avoiding the mines and lasers. On the bonus screen, hit as many mines as you can before docking with the mothership. Controls: Joystick, or < (left), > (right), A (abort). |
VIC20 Basics Vol 3 No 6 (Jan 1985), Pages 37-38. |
Bob Wallace | Unexpanded | speed compare.t64 Screenshot |
Programming demo. Two programs that display 255 stars in the screen. One is written in BASIC and the other in machine code, to illustrate the speed difference between them. Controls: None. |
Golden Ikon of Ramesis Vol 3 No 6 (Jan 1985), Pages 53-55. Vol 3 No 8 (Mar 1985), Page 7. |
Steve Lucas | 16K expansion | golden ikon 16k.prg Solution Screenshot |
Text adventure. For many years you have searched for the Temple of Ramesis. Now that you have found the temple's entrance, you must complete your quest to recover the famous Ikon of Ramesis. But the temple is said to be cursed, and none who enter it return... Controls: Use two-word commands. Commands include: N, S, W, E, IN, OUT, UP, DOWN, GET, DROP, READ, SAY, THROW, CLIMB, PUSH, PULL, SWIM. |
VIC20 Basics Vol 3 No 7 (Feb 1985), Page 44. |
Bob Wallace | Unexpanded | beep.prg Screenshot |
Programming demo. IRQ routine to make the keys beep after every keypress. Controls: Type SYS828 to run the routine. |
