Codemasters CD-Games Pack CPC Version - THE TRUTH!

[zeropolis79]

I just interviewed Richard Darling of Codemasters for my forthcoming Dizzy book and I asked him about the CPC version of the CD Games Pack and he had this to say:

This one is easy - We thought the CD Games Pack was going to be a great success.  30 great games for £19.99, much faster loading than cassette - what is not to like?  I think we originally intended to launch it simultaneously on the 3 formats but had some difficulties with the Amstrad version, so we launched with C64 and Spectrum intending to follow-on with Amstrad. However, when we launched it for Spectrum and Commodore 64 the sales levels were very low, so we decided not to roll-out the idea to the Amstrad.  In hindsight I think we made some mistakes,  for example by assuming that 30 games would have a very strong appeal (e.g. 30 times that of a single game), when in fact people are interested in specific games for specific reasons with some appealing to some people and others to others.  Also, the new hybrid technology which was a stepping stone between cassette loading and CD ROM drives, was hard to communicate clearly and seemed to have less appeal than we anticipated.

[CraigsBar]

I would have bought it

[alex76gr]

Probably the CD-Rom technology and the 8bit machines didn't fit very well together or it was a bold move that was made too early.

Nice job zeropolis!

[zeropolis79]

I thought I'd take advantage of the interview to ask.. Nothing to lose by asking..

[chinnyhill10]

I just interviewed Richard Darling of Codemasters for my forthcoming Dizzy book and I asked him about the CPC version of the CD Games Pack and he had this to say:

New Computer Express also reported at the time that some cheaper CD players didn't work with it due to cost saving in their DAC's playing havoc with the audio signal. What sounded fine to the ear wasn't fine for the computer.

[Gryzor]

I don't really agree with their assessment of the market; I think it was mostly the slow uptake of CD players rather than the fact that players wanted specific titles.

[remax]

I don't really agree with their assessment of the market; I think it was mostly the slow take-up of CD players rather than the fact that players wanted specific titles.

Same for me. I wanted to use it, but CD players were to expensive at the time

[Carnivius]

I have no memory of this CD pack at all.

[dcdrac]

I was looking forward to it, and it never appeared.

[seanb]

I have no memory of this CD pack at all.

Found this in an issue of Amstrad Action I was reading today.
Don't know what issue as the cover is missing

[zeropolis79]

The list was misleading for - not all those titles came out on all three machines. We never got Super G Man or Transmuter

[Puresox]

Transmuter, yes?

[seanb]

Maybe Codemasters was planning to include them on the cd as a special release 

[seanb]

The ad was in issue 53

[Puresox]

Just tried Transmuter, does anyone know if the game plays as bad as it does, on a real machine? Scrolling is shocking

[chinnyhill10]

Just tried Transmuter, does anyone know if the game plays as bad as it does, on a real machine? Scrolling is shocking

I was considering it for review a while back. It's a shocker on my 6128.

[Puresox]

Not the sort of quality you would expect from codemasters

[Bryce]

Just tried Transmuter, does anyone know if the game plays as bad as it does, on a real machine? Scrolling is shocking

Yup, the scrolling is a disgrace. I still have my original transmuter tape here. The ship takes jumps and jitters the entire time.

Bryce.

[seanb]

There's a full 3 page interview with David Darling of Codemasters about the CD pack in AA 52 with a further page on what a cd is if anyone fancies reading it