The Architect of Adventures & The Future of Commodore

Close out the year with a landmark issue of COMPUTE!’s Gazette. The December 2025 edition balances a heartfelt tribute to a coding legend with an exciting look at the next evolution of Commodore hardware. This issue is packed with 100 pages of type-in programs, hardware reviews, and deep-dive technical articles for the Commodore, Amiga, Atari, and TRS-80 communities.

Feature Highlights:

• Cover Story: The Architect of Adventures: A comprehensive tribute to the late Rebecca Heineman (1963–2025). This feature chronicles her journey from becoming the first National Video Game Champion to co-founding Interplay and programming classics like The Bard’s Tale III and Dragon Wars.

• First Look: Commodore 64 Ultimate: A detailed review of the “Starlight Edition.” This isn’t emulation; it is a brand-new, FPGA-based evolution of the C64 featuring HDMI, Wi-Fi, and complete compatibility with original peripherals.

• Amiga Resource 2025: A massive section dedicated to the modern Amiga renaissance. Includes a hardware buyer’s guide covering THEA500 Mini, the FPGA-based Apollo V4+, and modern motherboard replacements.

• FujiNet Report: An in-depth technical report on the Network Operating System (NOS) that allows 8-bit Atari systems to access modern file servers and the internet via the “N:” device.

• Historical Tech: Discover the rare “Made in Japan” TEC-manufactured TRS-80 Model I and a unique project bringing a side-scroller to the IBM 5100.

Type-In Programs & Tutorials:

Get your fingers ready for a holiday coding session with these included listings:

• Gift Drop (C64): Help Santa catch falling gifts in this fast-paced sprite-based game.

• Mad Bad Trolls (VIC-20): A dungeon crawler requiring a 3K RAM expansion where you must collect presents while avoiding trolls.

• Space Lander Part II (C64): The second installment of the “Learn C64 BASIC” series, focusing on adding color, collision detection, and sound.

• Jingle Bells (C64): A SID-chip musical program to get your Commodore into the holiday spirit.

• BASIC Battle Royale: A benchmark program to test how your retro hardware stacks up against other vintage machines.

Columns & Regulars: Includes the MEGA65 Digest covering game controllers, The GEOS Column on building a software library, and Dialed Back, a look at the history of BBS downloads and the “warez” scene.