Former Editor of AA - found!

[Border_7]

I've managed to track down former AA editor Steve Carey - living in Melbourne, Victoria.

I've been in touch with him and he is suitably impressed with the CPC Wiki and the continued global love for the Amstrad!

He's happy for a bit of an 'interview' of sorts, based on the old days as editor ...so I'm asking is there anything anyone wants me to ask him specifically? (plus I may not think of everything)!

I'll compile a list and email it to him and then update the Steve Carey wiki page once all done...

Sound good?

Thanks!

[Xyphoe]

Awesome! I'll come up with some questions later!

One springs to mind...

Was there pressure to give games from certain companies better reviews because of their advertising spend in the magazine? Did any companies kick up a fuss when you gave a bad review and threaten to withdraw advertising?

[Gryzor]

Ohhh fantastic news indeed, this will be very interesting I'm sure we'll think of a few... What period was he in AA?

@Xyphoe : a classic one

Here's another: did he review any titles that didn't get a release?

[Xyphoe]

Did you have much direct contact with Amstrad themselves and Alan Sugar?

What impression did you get from Amstrad in relation to the CPC? Were they proud of it? Forgotten about it and moving on? Did they really care that much about their user base?

Who were the best and worst game publishing companies to deal with?
And did any of them deliberately not send you review copies of games?

[TFM]

And why did some games form other countries get so few point, even they were awesome?

[dcdrac]

Did they use CPCs to write the magazine to begin with I read somewhere years ago that they did.

[Border_7]

Ohhh fantastic news indeed, this will be very interesting I'm sure we'll think of a few... What period was he in AA?

@Xyphoe : a classic one

Here's another: did he review any titles that didn't get a release?

He was editor from AA35 (Aug 1988) to AA50 (Nov 1989) - He was preceded by Bob Wade / succeeded by Rod Lawton.

and yeah - just throw your questions in here, I'll scoop them all out in a few days and get them over to Dr Carey.

[EgoTrip]

Awesome! I'll come up with some questions later!

One springs to mind...

Was there pressure to give games from certain companies better reviews because of their advertising spend in the magazine? Did any companies kick up a fuss when you gave a bad review and threaten to withdraw advertising?

While you're at it, ask him about #gamergate because this is the exact same thing its trying to stop. Nothing has changed in 30 years of gaming journalism and its all coming to a head now.

[chinnyhill10]

While you're at it, ask him about #gamergate because this is the exact same thing its trying to stop. Nothing has changed in 30 years of gaming journalism and its all coming to a head now.

AA slagged rotten games off. Remember Count Duckula 2? Sister magazine Amiga Power got in an awful lot of hot water for telling the truth.

[arnoldemu]

what happened to the games they reviewed? did they have to give them back, or did they keep them?

and did they skip any or take any home?

were the games given to them in a finished form with boxes and instructions or a disc with the name scribbled on it?

[arnoldemu]

how long did it take for a typical review? i.e. how long did they play for before they reviewed it?

[Roland]

Hey Border_7!

Excellent Job!! Thank you for pushing the info!
Here are some other questions that come to my mind:
- Were they involved in any kind of NDA with some editors while testing some beta games to report feedback before the official review?
- How often would they get unprotected beta versions of software?
- Were there any cases where reviewers would leak games to hacker groups?
- Did they test all their type-ins?
- How often did the get to the conclusion "this type-in is crap! - Who cares?!"
Keep us posted!!

Cheers,

Roland

[AMSDOS]

Wonder if the cover of AA40 still haunts Steve?

[Border_7]

Thanks for all the questions so far... by about Wednesday/Thursday I'll reconcile them all and send them off...

Being only Monday morning here in Sydney, that give us a few more days.

Keep them coming - I'm looking forward to seeing his responses!

[chinnyhill10]

Amstrad Action survived until June 1995, although by the end it was just 24 pages and a shadow of it's former self. As someone who was at Future for a while, any thoughts on what the bosses thinking might have been dragging it out and then dropping it without saying anything rather than letting the mag go out with a big final issue like Your Sinclair, Amiga Power, Amiga Format etc?


What did you think of Amstrad Computer Users rather shabby habit of reviewing non CPC versions of games and not even disguising this in the screenshots just to get an exclusive?

[Border_7]

Ok - 24 hours left and I'll email questions over to Steve.

Any one else have anything they want to ask him?

[Zoe Robinson]

Here's a question: If the CPC Plus range had been 16-bit with a hardware emulator card for backward compatibility (something akin to how the PS3 handled PS2 games), could that have saved the CPC, or was it dead in the water already?

[TFM]

The 6128 Plus has a great concept (even if people always bitch at the one or other detail). IMHO the marketing was the problem.
And yes, a Z280 o Z380 would have been helpful. IMHO the main problem was that software companies made very few games for the CPC itself. There were too much speccy ports.

Sorry, just hat to add my 2 Cents.

[Gryzor]

Let's keep this on topic...

I'm sure his answers will beget more questions, any way we could do a come back?

[TFM]

We are on topic. 


I really would like to know if he / AA people would think it's a good idea to have been using a Z280.

[MacDeath]

If the CPC Plus range had been 16-bit with a hardware emulator card for backward compatibility (something akin to how the PS3 handled PS2 games), could that have saved the CPC, or was it dead in the water already?

actually I believe Amstrad should have released a PC/PC1512 compliant video+sound card that would be able to emulate CPC...
Such card would have a Z80, and an AY and so on. woudl also emulate most CGA video modes or even "low vertical rez" EGA video modes.

Could have worked well.
Then get a 3" disk drive option on those PCs and there you are.

Amstrad's PC were limited by the IBM video standards.
They tried to go their own way with the PC1512's 640x200x16 mode but were bitched at because they failed to stand strictly into the sh***tty CGA standard.

(Alo because they had no fans... WTF ?)

Even EGA is sh***tty due to its obligation to stick to CGA compliant modes and monitor. The 64 colour palette couldn't be actually used unless the odd 640x350x16 mode that needed specific and expensive monitor and was compatible with nothing resolution wise.

Had Amstrad provided a cool Graphic+sound card able to emulate most of CGA and low-rez EGA but also able to use CPC monitors and emulate CPC and PCW with help of the PC's Hardware... able to use cheap RGB CPC screens... do fullscreen/overscan as well.. emulate the Amstrad's 8bit computers as well... this could really have done great.

An Ms-Dos / GEM compatible Amstrad PC with 640x200x16 (choosen from 64) video mode + AY... could actually ruin an Atari ST.
Also put this into a PC20/PC200 casing and there you are... nice release in 1987.

[Border_7]

Let's keep this on topic...

I'm sure his answers will beget more questions, any way we could do a come back?

Oh yeah - I think so, he seems pretty laid back about it all 

[Lazy Dude]

will there be a link to follow, or are you posting the q&a in this thread?

[Border_7]

I'll post a link to the Steve Carey wiki page...

[AMSDOS]

actually I believe Amstrad should have released a PC/PC1512 compliant video+sound card that would be able to emulate CPC...
Such card would have a Z80, and an AY and so on. woudl also emulate most CGA video modes or even "low vertical rez" EGA video modes.

Could have worked well.
Then get a 3" disk drive option on those PCs and there you are.

Amstrad's PC were limited by the IBM video standards.
They tried to go their own way with the PC1512's 640x200x16 mode but were bitched at because they failed to stand strictly into the sh***tty CGA standard.

(Alo because they had no fans... WTF ?)

Even EGA is sh***tty due to its obligation to stick to CGA compliant modes and monitor. The 64 colour palette couldn't be actually used unless the odd 640x350x16 mode that needed specific and expensive monitor and was compatible with nothing resolution wise.

Had Amstrad provided a cool Graphic+sound card able to emulate most of CGA and low-rez EGA but also able to use CPC monitors and emulate CPC and PCW with help of the PC's Hardware... able to use cheap RGB CPC screens... do fullscreen/overscan as well.. emulate the Amstrad's 8bit computers as well... this could really have done great.

An Ms-Dos / GEM compatible Amstrad PC with 640x200x16 (choosen from 64) video mode + AY... could actually ruin an Atari ST.
Also put this into a PC20/PC200 casing and there you are... nice release in 1987.

I don't remember much about the Amstrad PC 1512 I was playing with, but it came with GEM /3 system disks (5.25") with specific Device Drivers for the Video, I tried running it on a standard Video Card, but it wouldn't work. You also got Version 2 of Locomotive BASIC which was a much different beast to what we've got on the CPC(s).
Don't recall noticing any provisions for the low-screen-resolution on that machine, though it would of made a nice addition to make it more comparable to a CPC.


I think Steve has been in Melbourne for a while now, back when they had Issue 100 of AA, I'm pretty sure he was in Australia then as well, unless he comes and goes I suppose.