The PCW was not a computer designed for graphics because of the unwarranted shortcomings of its Basic. The French software company COBRA SOFT released, before anyone else, a program to redefine characters as you wish and use them in your own programs.

Genecar, is a character generator that can assign a maximum of 255 characters. Remember that the Amstrad has a standard character set from power up and these can be changed.

In general, it is more comfortable to use a redefinition program than to enter a series of numbers corresponding to the Gothic alphabet, the creation of which will take several weeks of hard work! This type of program should be clear and easy to use.

Genecar starts with a menu along with a full table of 255 available characters. The first option, load a character, invites you to choose the symbol you want to work on. After pressing COPY, you are presented with an enlarged 8 by 8 matrix. The cursor arrows are used to scroll through the matrix, while the COPY key “turns” a point “on” or “off”. It is even possible to move the contents of the entire array in any of the four directions. Once your character is created, you can save it and move on.

When you are satisfied with the result, save your work as a .CAR file. This file can be used in any BASIC program.

Genecar ships with three character sets, GRAS.CAR, FIN.CAR and STAMDARD.CAR, the latter being the standard PCW set.

GENECAR was used to create the graphics for COBRA SOFT PCW games in particular AMSTRA-DAMES, CHALLENGER and MISSION DETECTOR.

In the following images you can check the original packaging.

• Here you have the original cover.

• Here you have the restored cover.

Actual measurement of the cover: Width: 27.00 cm x Height: 19.00 cm

Original discs supplied with Genecar.

Custom labels to print. Over the years due to their use, the labels are damaged and lose their color and quality. Now we try to adapt the most similar to the extent of our possibilities, the labels so that they can be printed and replaced or for those of you who work with a copy of the program and preserve the original disc. Measurement in 3“ height: 7.00 cm - width: 7.10 cm. The first image corresponds to the original game label, the second is the same modified label to replace the broken one.

Coming soon

Program

The disk images, obtained from the original version of Genecar, have been recorded and verified.

• Genecar (Compressed .DSK file in ZIP format)

Manual

Below you can download the Genecar program manual or view it online. The Genecar manual comes on side A: of the disc in “DOC” format and on side B: likewise. To better facilitate the consultation of the manual, we have converted it to pdf.

• Genecar Manual in French (PDF File)
• Genecar Manual in Spanish, translated by PCWWiki (PDF File)