A CPC E-mag

[steve]

The retro gamer thread has suggested that some of you should write your own mag, while few of us have the skills to do that, it is evident that we can ALL be editors , there are hundreds of professionally produced magazines in the download area, so instead of creating magazines from scratch, we could produce an E-mag using selected articles from these magazines.
Issues could cover a single theme or a "best of" collection, or maybe a review of a single year including articles from one or several magazine titles.
The result could simply be a list of articles here for us to download or they may be collected into a single file for download (if Gryzor has the time ).

[SyX]

Even better, we can be "Amanuensis of 21st Century" and OCR, translate (there is a lot of interesting articles in danish, french, german, greek, spanish and turkish CPC magazines/fanzines too) and publish in the wiki those pages... no, i'm not crazy and yes, i know how many years is going to take, but everytime that i see projects like Crash Online (and the lovely kindle version of the mags), Your Spectrum, Your Sinclair or ZX Spectrum Reviews, i would love having something like that for CPC, jejeje.

Some of the work it has been started in the spanish forums, where we indexed the spanish magazines and put everything in a search engine, Amsgle (in this moment is off-line); started to made summaries (reader's digest ) of issues (like this), convert articles of  them (here), preserve the magazine tapes (here) and preserve the type-ins (3D Munchies is one of my favourites ever) ... we are far of finishing this and the last few years has been very calm in this aspect, but it's one of these things that need a motivated person with enough free time, jejeje.

[mr_lou]

I know that many will disagree with me, but I'm just gonna list my wishes for such a mag:

   
• Should be viewable offline. (When I read (disk)mags, it's because I wish to "disconnect" for a while).
• Should be bright text on dark background, like e.g. ink 15 on ink 4. Not black text on white background. Way too boring. Well, you could add selectable themes.
• Should have (optional) cozy background music, like Diskmags have. (Possible with EPUB3, as far as I understand).
• If it ran on the CPC itself, it would be awesome. But I'm ok with reading it on my phone too. (Can be done with HTML5 - yes, the offline part too)

For further inspiration, look at the awesome mag Retro Gamer CD: RGCD: Magazine

[SyX]

I know that many will disagree with me, but I'm just gonna list my wishes for such a mag:

Why!?!?!? Everything you have said is very logical and i can not agree more

Even something as the last Hugi online would be great

And before i forget, a few weeks ago appeared a new CPC diskmag by the CPC-Rulez team.

[mr_lou]

Why!?!?!? Everything you have said is very logical and i can not agree more

Thanks! 

And before i forget, a few weeks ago appeared a new CPC diskmag by the CPC-Rulez team.

That is awesome! And it shows that someone in the CPC community does infact do this, contrary to what Gryzor believed.
Sadly it's in french, so I can't enjoy it. But it's still awesome. 

[jbaudrand]

Even an english translation of this mag would be amazing:
Revista de Usuarios Amstrad

[Sykobee (Briggsy)]

Hey, there's nothing stopping a discmag also being offered as a reformatted PDF thing for offline viewing/printing. In the end it's text and CPC images - more work to lay out, but look at Commodore Free as an example magazine that's offered in multiple formats. The content is king.


I like the idea of re-doing old magazine article (series) too, especially in a single mega-article (e.g., all the old adventure game programming articles from ACU, or the assembly articles, that were spread over months/years). Would have to give proper attribution though.


But time ... alas ... time ...

[mr_lou]

If my engine was ready, I could create a cellphone version of Rulez! Mag.

But at the moment, only the JavaME version of the engine is usable, and still being developed.

[Optimus]

It sometimes sad for me that diskmags (the original form) have died. That feeling, when I last read Demoniak 7 (Omg, it was 2000, the last time I read a diskmag on the real CPC), I want to relive it again (maybe I could just download some old diskmags I never read, even if the news are outdated, the discussion and coding articles might be ok). Unfortunately, the majority of the scene (not CPC, but general, like on PC) think the diskmags are meaningless, since we can read all the news on the web. I don't disagree, it's logical. Maybe diskmags shared a purpose at the time before the internet. But the feeling is what made me be lost in the offline for a while, with it's unique interface and music, maybe I am becoming hipster hehe


Such an emotional thing for diskmags. I was thinking many times of starting one, or persuading antitec to finish the ovation we never completed (but it's too late now, we need to write new content and remember that old piece of code), or I would still be crazy for a Demoniak 8 and I would spend time on my real CPC (or plus now) to relive those moments. But seeing how much effort a diskmag takes, even to write the articles, error proof the content, package all together, and expect to do it again for the next issue (and many would prefer me to concentrate on making demos) I always move away from the idea.


Just saying.

[Ast]

Optimus, did you see that ?

[mr_lou]

I wouldn't say diskmags have died. It's a peculiar definition, when is something dead? JavaME was considered dead years ago, yet 50% of WhatsApp's users used the JavaME client. That hardly qualifies as dead.

And diskmags are still made. Plenty of diskmags on pouet.net for all kinds of platforms.
Just not too many for the CPC, or even about the CPC.

Diskmags just gives a special atmosphere that anything online simply can't give.
I've been trying to figure out why a webpage can never give the same mood as a real diskmag, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Knowing that you're offline definitely counts. Makes it easier to disconnect, which in my opinion is the general idea with a diskmag. To unplug and chill with some cosy background music.
And the music is a vital part, and that's just always missing on a webpage. "The web isn't built for music" I often hear people say.
And the controls of a diskmag is much preferred to the browser controls.

To me, it's not vital that the content is about the CPC. As long as it's about something that interests me.
I doesn't have to run on the CPC either. Just some platform that I own. My PC will do fine, as long as it's a real diskmag that brings that special atmosphere.

But in order to bring that special atmosphere, there's a lot of things that has to be in order. The authors has to be able to write. No spelling errors.
And the music has to be high quality and relaxing.

No, making a diskmag is definitely not something you just do.

The diskmag-like project I'm working on at the moment is exactly something I'd love to spend time with, if someone else had made it. I hope when I'm done, that someone feels like making issue 2. 

[Optimus]

Optimus, did you see that ?

No, I missed that. It's in French though but I might check it.

[Ast]

So, maybe this one with more english texts ?

[TFM]

Disc mags are not dead at all. I'm planning to release a new issue of FutureView with a lot of intriguing articles about Scene, Hardware, Software, Demos and everything CPC relevant. Also maybe a bonus game.


If you like to contribute then send me your article (or what ever) in English, French, Spanish or German. I will try to make an multiple language issue again. 

[mr_lou]

Hmm... so FutureView only runs on FutureOS?

[Hicks]

About Rulez!Mag, I think that there is a little misunderstanding: all the articles are coming from the Internet or old discmags/papermags, nothing is original. It's just a compilation of what you can already read here and there. I think that we are more interested here in original content.

The creation of a new discmag for CPC in 2014 would be a great news, of course! But I'm a bit skeptical because there is already some websites with an "article section" and few people contribute to them (see Push'n'Pop article section, or Quasar Net (The English Corner will be available soon)). So, as usual, people want to read discmags, but nobody want to write them or contribute to them (otherwise they will already write for existing website with article section!). For example, I think that 90% of the last Demoniak (7) was wrote by Targhan alone... and I'm not sure that he get a lot of feedback!

Papermag revival could also be a great thing... In France, everything is dead around 2006/2007, I don't know in other countries. But discmag or papermag must have a spirit to exist, a real "editorial management" (a direction), on this side they could be better than the existing websites...

[mr_lou]

Depends how you define "original content".
For example, the RetroGamer CD discmags. They are quite old now. But I still enjoy reading them.
As long as it's "content I haven't read before", I'm satisfied. 
And somehow I think, that stories about retrogames can't get too old.

I don't think you can conclude that just because people don't contribute to article-sections of websites, then they won't contribute to discmags either. I just don't think it's the same.
I do think though, that many people are thinking "No, I didn't create the website / discmag, so I won't write for it".
Some might even think: "I can't write for it, because I'm not part of the group who created it".

Maybe we're missing some kind of team spirit?

Anyway... something that would be interesting for me discuss, is what kind of content people would like to see in a discmag in 2015.

The discmag-like project I'm working on at the moment for example, has absolutely nothing whatsoever about The Scene. Not even a review of a demo or game either.
Instead, it contains a lot of stories. Simply stories. Well, true stories. Not fiction. I have no clue if this category of content will be interesting to anyone. In fact I think some might even say it's not a real discmag, because it's lacking categories about The Scene (which is why I keep referring to it as a "discmag-like" project).

What kind of content do you imagine a discmag should have? Which categories?

[TFM]

Hmm... so FutureView only runs on FutureOS?

Since MegaFlash and X-MEM that shouldn't be a problem any longer. 

[CraigsBar]

Since MegaFlash and X-MEM that shouldn't be a problem any longer. 

except that esthetically I don't like FutureOS. and choose not to keep it installed. Is it really necessary to change the classic Blue and Yellow to such hideous shades on boot?


Craig

[TFM]

except that esthetically I don't like FutureOS. and choose not to keep it installed. Is it really necessary to change the classic Blue and Yellow to such hideous shades on boot?
Craig

Dear Craig, you can VERY EASY adjust the colors to everything you want under FutureOS[nb]For a temporary change please use the ChangeColor utility or anything which uses the CBM surface (like ROManager), they all allow you to change colors. For a permanent change you can very easy patch the ROM. Or I can do that for you if you want to have a personalized version. Just PM me in the latter case.[/nb]. Either temporary or permanent. There is always one person who doesn't want something. It's impossible to satisfy everybody. So I would suggest that you read a nice disc mag for Amsdos - if you can find one in Blue and Yellow.    Anybody else will surely have a lot of fun with FutureView issue V. 

[CraigsBar]

Dear Craig, you can VERY EASY adjust the colors to everything you want under FutureOS[nb]For a temporary change please use the ChangeColor utility or anything which uses the CBM surface (like ROManager), they all allow you to change colors. For a permanent change you can very easy patch the ROM. Or I can do that for you if you want to have a personalized version. Just PM me in the latter case.[/nb]. Either temporary or permanent. There is always one person who doesn't want something. It's impossible to satisfy everybody. So I would suggest that you read a nice disc mag for Amsdos - if you can find one in Blue and Yellow.    Anybody else will surely have a lot of fun with FutureView issue V. 

Is the IDE rom available anywhere... If I could use the SD card adaptor in my symbiface I might have a change of mind


Craig

[mr_lou]

Since MegaFlash and X-MEM that shouldn't be a problem any longer. 

Depends how many ROM slots it requires and what priority people have.

"Try out FutureOS" is one of the many things that's been on my ToDo list for a long time. Too many damn "have-to-do-this-first" things keep getting in the way of my ToDo list though, and new interesting things keep pushing other things down the list.
I don't mean any disrespect, but the "Try out FutureOS" is rather far down the list. I may get to it eventually, but until I do I won't be reading any FutureView discmag sadly.

I do get it. If I had created my own OS, I would probably also focus on making stuff for that OS.

But I really think you should consider making a plain AMSDOS version or ROM version too.

[Optimus]

About Rulez!Mag, I think that there is a little misunderstanding: all the articles are coming from the Internet or old discmags/papermags, nothing is original. It's just a compilation of what you can already read here and there. I think that we are more interested here in original content.

Great, I didn't even noticed this at first. But what seemed weird is that 90% of the articles are not even about CPC and the scene. Which makes no difference since I can't even read them because not in English. I may just check the only English article in the previous mag though and run some oldies instead (or wait for FutureMag which I enjoyed the last time).


p.s. And maybe run FutureOS on real CPC this time. I got the MotherX, X-Mem, etc, they are waiting in a box and didn't even test them yet, maybe this is the time to stop being lazy and try them with FutureOS and SymbOS and all that. Last time I was reading FutureMag on emulator, it's easy to set up. I guess it will the same easy on real CPC.

[CraigsBar]

Great, I didn't even noticed this at first. But what seemed weird is that 90% of the articles are not even about CPC and the scene. Which makes no difference since I can't even read them because not in English. I may just check the only English article in the previous mag though and run some oldies instead (or wait for FutureMag which I enjoyed the last time).


p.s. And maybe run FutureOS on real CPC this time. I got the MotherX, X-Mem, etc, they are waiting in a box and didn't even test them yet, maybe this is the time to stop being lazy and try them with FutureOS and SymbOS and all that. Last time I was reading FutureMag on emulator, it's easy to set up. I guess it will the same easy on real CPC.

I tried to install futureos on my xmem last night. No joy. No matter I placed to Roms (auto install or manual) it broke the keyboard mapping with fw 3.15. It installs fine on the symbiface however but with no access to the ide on the symbiface seems a little restricted.

Craig

[Hicks]

What kind of content do you imagine a discmag should have? Which categories?

I think that the future discmag/papermag editors must consider the advantages of online articles/webzine. I mean: it will be useless to try to compete or imitate them on some aspects like news (risk to be fastly out of date if offline), or even technical articles (easier with internal links, big schemas, and can evolve). A good idea could be to try to make some thematic issues who gather original (= not published before) articles on a well-defined topic.

For example: an issue about the Shoot'em Up style on CPC with some tests of the major productions (Mission Genocide, Super Edge Grinder, R-Type 64/128k, Relentless), history/evolution of this style through the ages on CPC (synthesis), a making of the recent one (by Axelay/Rex and/or Fano/TotO), some technical points on "How to do a Shoot'em Up on CPC?" (R3 scrolling, tiles/patterns management), etc. Actually, you can't find that on the Internet, and the result could be very new/original, with the contribution of different people, and not only "retro" oriented... Of course, it's just an example, but the idea of thematic issues for discmag could be a good idea...