AMOS
AMOS is a programming language that is based on another programming language, STOS. The way AMOS BASIC was created is similar to STOS, but the rewritten version. It is where you can generate video games, but not limited to that, building and modifying to your liking. It contains over 500 commands, not limiting what kind of tools your game can have, and has an Animation Language.
The basic version of AMOS can be found on the Amiga computer. When referring to basic, it is a collection of programming languages that are made for easy use. Although this may not feel true to users or programmers, its purpose is simple to use. This can be whether when trying to learn, understand, or code.
Amiga computers do exist today but are not used by many people. Many may not purchase an Amiga computer due to how old it is, 35 years old. Although it contains AMOS BASIC, this computer’s weight and effectiveness are not what people desire nowadays.
History
Francois Lionet, a French programmer, with the help of Constantin Sotiropoulos, composed AMOS BASIC in 1990. The publisher of this programming language is not Francois Lionet, but instead, Europress Software. AMOS had a competitor, Blitz BASIC, in the 1990s. This was right around the time it was implemented on the Amiga computer. Both programming languages gave users the ability to produce digital games with high-level functions. These functions included downloading pictures that did or didn’t move and arranging or exhibiting them in different forms.
In 1992, the AMOS Compiler, Easy AMOS, and AMOS Professional to the public by Europress. The AMOS BASIC, by this time, has been out in the market for two years. The compiler has a different purpose than the Easy and Professional AMOS. The AMOS Compiler provides a quicker version of your AMOS code and can run on its own. The Easy AMOS is built for new programming people, while the AMOS Professional is advanced with more features. Despite these versions coming out, the AMOS BASIC was the most popular.
Benefits and Disadvantages
There are many benefits and disadvantages. The benefits of this software include being able to differentiate the relationships of variables and their strengths. When using AMOS, the programming language isn’t difficult to navigate when wanting the software to work. It is easy to use for beginners and those who are not familiar with the program. Beyond that, it also grants users the ability to unleash the power of Amiga’s custom chip. For this to be accessed, writing large amounts of code is not required. AMOS has lots of connections with the Amiga chip, making it much easier for people to play. AMOS has structured its software to make it easy to read the mouse, keyboard, and even disk drives. Newer versions of AMOS fixed some bugs and viruses and called it Amiga 1200 compatible.
Despite the many benefits AMOS has shown, there are some disadvantages. One of which is creating many images when the model is very hard. Sometimes, when AMOS is booted up, it disregards the operating system of Amiga. Some of the machines used in the later generation, such as the Amiga 500, were not a problem. Compared to later machines, there were many problems like running AMOS programs due to lack of compatibility. When working on a more extensive program, computer bugs and viruses can slow down larger programs.
Who used it?
With AMOS mainly being a gaming programming language, many gamers in the 1990s with an Amiga computer used it. There was no need for users of AMOS to know how to produce or have experience with code. Furthermore, users didn’t need to know programming or the Amiga hardware. Users who wanted to add or change an element within a game usually used BASIC or Easy AMOS. While others, who wanted a challenge, often used AMOS Professional.
Who uses it today?
AMOS was primarily designed with the Amiga computers in mind. When newer computers were created, AMOS had issues working on those machines. Not only that, but Amiga failed to evolve as technology was changing. These were factors that made people stop using AMOS. There are a few gamers that own Amiga computers and code on AMOS. But, this number is not as close as the number of people in the beginning.
Examples of Code
If Statement
The way if statements are written in AMOS changes depending on which version is used. The picture on the right-hand side, found on this website, is the format used in AMOS II. To achieve an if statement in AMOS II, you need first to write “if,” then the expression. Remember that an expression is often written by first having a value, then naming the value. This is declared before the if statement. After writing the expression, write a sign (= < >) with a value next to it. Once that’s complete, continue by writing “then” and what you want it to do. Do the same for the “else” as you did for the “then.”
Trends
Around the 1980s, the IBM PC was the most popular computer within the community of computer users. This wasn’t the case for the Amiga computers, but it had a good fan base. The Amiga 1000, released in 1985, had high-quality specs and was deemed the best compared to other computers. Also, the Amiga 1000 could hold up to 256 kilobytes and turn on instantly with the operating system it had. It had a color display of 256. With its impressive features, it was sold for about $1,700 in 1985. Regardless of its high price, the Amiga 1000 had millions of dollars in sales. But as the 90s came around, Amiga computers went down in sales when it failed to update its software. It got mixed with legal matters, which made it more difficult for them to expand.
Amiga’s failure caused a decline in how popular AMOS is as the years went by. Although AMOS was popular when it first surfaced to the public, now, it’s not used as much. With this programming language not working well with other computers, people moved on and used current technology.
Behind the Scenes
After Francois Lionet and Constantin Sotiropoulos created AMOS BASIC, they considered how to market this product. Many people, besides the creators, were involved in this process. Chris Payne, a Managing Director at Europress Software, designed the layout of the box cover. In the box, there was the AMOS, which was stored in a disc, and a user guide. Payne wanted people to be aware that games and more can be produced on AMOS. With this in mind, he inserted, “Create games! Create demos! Create to educate! Create ANYTHING!” on the box cover. The user guide of AMOS was written by Richard Vanner, a Project Manager, and Stephen. To write it, they, themselves, had to understand AMOS and its capability and features. The cover packaging for the AMOS compiler, Professional, and 3D, was processed and designed by a different team. They all did great in the market.
Richard Vanner, apart from writing the user guide, also contributed to the making of AMOS 3D. When the software was composed of programmers who worked at Voodoo Software, workers at Europress Software weren’t impressed. With this being the situation, Vanner worked to reconstruct a better version that tailored towards their vision.
All of these people played a part or influenced how this programming language was shown to the public. It didn’t only take the creators but a whole team to make it known. Although these people are not a team anymore, they have been in the tech industry, doing similar work. Vanner since then has released Dark BASIC, which is used on PC, and Payne produced a business called LifeTools. As for Lionet, he built a software company called ClickTeam that brought out The Game Factory 2.
Modern AMOS
Francois Lionet has created a platform for individuals to invest in his project of a modern AMOS. He is anticipating building is similar to the original one but clashes well with today’s technology. He wants it to work on every and any computer ultimately. By composing a modern version, he hopes to make this programming language alive again. This essentially would look like different companies around the world applying AMOS into their business in some way. It is not in the making currently, but it would be with the right amount of support.
Takeaway
Although AMOS is considered old and out of use in the tech industry, many people still use it. The power it contained and what you can do, compared to other programming languages, was terrific. Especially people without experience in coding could upgrade their game with a few tweaks in AMOS. Although you may not do this with current games, you could go with older ones.
