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 :P , 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 ;) ).
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 (http://www.crashonline.org.uk/) (and the lovely kindle version (http://www.crashonline.org.uk/misc/kindle.htm) of the mags), Your Spectrum (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/index.html), Your Sinclair (http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/index.htm) or ZX Spectrum Reviews (http://zxspectrumreviews.co.uk/), 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 :P) of issues (like this (http://www.amstrad.es/publicaciones/publicaciones/resumenes/amsemanal77.html)), convert articles of them (here (http://www.amstrad.es/articulos/tecnicos/apliacionesamstradcpc.html)), preserve the magazine tapes (here (http://www.amstrad.es/publicaciones/publicaciones/cintas/microhobbyamstradsemanal.html)) and preserve the type-ins (3D Munchies (http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=7397) 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.
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 (http://www.rgcd.co.uk/p/magazine.html)
Quote from: mr_lou on 16:26, 16 July 14
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 (http://www.hugi.scene.org/online/hugi38/) would be great :)
And before i forget, a few weeks ago appeared a new CPC diskmag (http://cpcrulez.fr/demostestDM_rulez_mag_1407.htm) by the CPC-Rulez team.
Quote from: SyX on 18:32, 16 July 14
Why!?!?!? Everything you have said is very logical and i can not agree more :)
Thanks! :)
Quote from: SyX on 18:32, 16 July 14
And before i forget, a few weeks ago appeared a new CPC diskmag (http://cpcrulez.fr/demostestDM_rulez_mag_1407.htm) 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. :)
Even an english translation of this mag would be amazing:
Revista de Usuarios Amstrad (http://www.amstrad.es/publicaciones/publicaciones/rua/index.html)
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 ...
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.
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.
Optimus, did you see that (http://cpcrulez.fr/demostestDM_rulez_mag_1409.htm) ?
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. :)
Quote from: Ast on 10:55, 09 September 14
Optimus, did you see that (http://cpcrulez.fr/demostestDM_rulez_mag_1409.htm) ?
No, I missed that. It's in French though but I might check it.
So, maybe this one (http://cpcrulez.fr/demostestDM_rulez_mag_1407.htm) with more english texts ?
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. :)
Hmm... so FutureView only runs on FutureOS?
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 (http://www.pushnpop.net/articles.html), or Quasar Net (http://quasar.cpcscene.com/doku.php) (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...
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?
Quote from: mr_lou on 10:32, 10 September 14
Hmm... so FutureView only runs on FutureOS?
Since MegaFlash and X-MEM that shouldn't be a problem any longer. :)
Quote from: TFM on 19:31, 10 September 14
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
Quote from: CraigsBar on 20:45, 10 September 14
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. :laugh: Anybody else will surely have a lot of fun with FutureView issue V. :)
Quote from: TFM on 21:37, 10 September 14
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. :laugh: 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
Quote from: TFM on 19:31, 10 September 14Since 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.
Quote from: Hicks on 10:57, 10 September 14
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.
Quote from: Optimus on 11:36, 11 September 14
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
Quote from: mr_lou on 13:36, 10 September 14
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...
Quote from: Hicks on 12:37, 11 September 14I 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.
We can definitely agree, that it wouldn't make much sense putting news on a Discmag.
If we say that "The Internet holds the news", then we could also say that "The Discmag holds the documentary".
So yes, we agree that the Discmag shouldn't be about news. We have the internet for that.
Regarding links, I'm getting more and more fed up with them. I feel I run into dead links constantly.
The Internet is too damn alive. Maintaining any site with just a few links is a pain.
Then I would rather fetch and store whatever information was on that site, and include it in my own solution. (But of course, that'll probably give some "you stole my work" issues).
I really think any site today ought to have a built-in link-checker, that disables any link it finds broken.
Next step could be for the site to have its own little robot to scan the net and find out what (if any) the new link now is, and then auto-replace the old one.
But that's another topic.Quote from: Hicks on 12:37, 11 September 14For 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...
Ok, interesting.
Not bad ideas. They fit the scope I'm thinking about.
It's like.... there's mood and pace for reading news, and another mood and pace for reading stories, isn't there?
And the news... a few months later, screw 'em. We don't need them anymore. It's old.
But the stories... 10 years later, we still wanna read them. Somehow they should be preserved. And the internet doesn't do that very well, does it?
It happens that sites changes design, structure, layout. When that happens, things are lost in the process. Most of the time, all external sites that linked to the site, now have a ton of broken links. Sometimes whole sites just disappears too.
For the news, we don't care about that. But for the stories, I prefer some other media. Preferably one that doesn't require me to be online.
I just don't trust any site to hold and keep stories.
On top of that, I don't see a website ever being able to give the same cozy atmosphere that a discmag does.
A discmag just needs cozy relaxing background music, ambient colours and preferably a GUI unlike anything we see elsewhere, in order to separate it from all other sources.
:)
I did write a document with my research into hardware scrolling.
But I didn't do anything relating to patterns etc.
I think you're idea of the magazine concentrating on a single theme or technical discussion is an interesting and good one.
I think there is limited cpc news, and when there is it is on the internet. So thinking of a different content is a good idea.
Quote from: mr_lou on 13:41, 11 September 14
I really think any site today ought to have a built-in link-checker, that disables any link it finds broken.
Next step could be for the site to have its own little robot to scan the net and find out what (if any) the new link now is, and then auto-replace the old one.
But that's another topic.
this is something I thought about over 10 years ago.
My links page on Unofficial Amstrad WWW Resource (http://www.cpctech.org.uk) used to be generated from a list of urls.
A program visited each site, took the title and any description and put it into the content for the links page.
It also looked at redirection status (303 code for example) and if it was a "permanent" move it changed the link to the new one.
The problem is that some sites are not always reachable all the time depending on many factors. So you can't strike them from the list. So I thought about recording the number of times it was inactive - both marking the link as down on the links page to indicate to the visitor it could not be reached, and if it was not active for a long time removing it from the list.
I also tried to discover the last date the site was updated. But at the time a lot of php was used, and the date was always "now" because the page was dynamically created. It was hard to discover the true update date.
I stopped updating the links because there were other sites (Nich's cpcgamereviews) which did it better and which were frequently checked by Nich himself. A human is often better than a computer!
Sorry for hijacking... but I have to provide information here...
Quote from: mr_lou on 06:11, 11 September 14"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.
There's is nothing to it:
- Put DISC / DSK in
- Tag drive letter and klick at DIRectory icon
- Klick at a file like "-Run Me" and at RUN icon.
That's way more easy & quick than type letter by letter something like: run"slow-mag.bas"
Quote from: mr_lou on 06:11, 11 September 14But I really think you should consider making a plain AMSDOS version or ROM version too.
As Prodatron already pointed out. A program for native amsdos has to bring everything by itself. So why inventing the wheel again for every program, when life can be so much more easy? :)
Quote from: CraigsBar on 22:13, 10 September 14
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
Please let's move a discussion about FutureOS to the designated thread (it's called FutureOS corner). Let's come back to topic here. That's also true for me, I kinda took the E- Mag as Disc-Mag. One could call it similar though. Maybe not.
Ok, we all agree it would be good to have some kind of E-Mag / Disc-Mag publication. Now what would you like to read in it?
Ok. last time I comment on FutureOS crap... (hopefully)... :P
Quote from: CraigsBar on 12:15, 11 September 14I 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
It has absolutely no impact on FW 3.15 or other, since it doesn't touch the firmware. If your X-MEM has an SST chip please choose option: Install to FlashGordon. Please PM me the precise description of the problem, so I can fix that. I couldn't test the Autoinstaller in person since my X-MEM has the Winbond Flash.
Quote from: TFM on 17:57, 11 September 14There's is nothing to it:
- Put DISC / DSK in
- Tag drive letter and klick at DIRectory icon
- Klick at a file like "-Run Me" and at RUN icon.
That's way more easy & quick than type letter by letter something like: run"slow-mag.bas"
You forgot to download FutureOS, extract files, copy ROM files to DSK, convert DSK to HFE, copy HFE to SD card, boot CPC, load ROM manager, flash ROMs, start FutureOS, and then continue from where you started....
Quote from: TFM on 17:57, 11 September 14
Sorry for hijacking... but I have to provide information here...
It has absolutely no impact on FW 3.15 or other, since it doesn't touch the firmware. If your X-MEM has an SST chip please choose option: Install to FlashGordon. Please PM me the precise description of the problem, so I can fix that. I couldn't test the Autoinstaller in person since my X-MEM has the Winbond Flash.
That'd be it then, yes SST chip in my X-Mem, will try again tonight,
Thanks
Craig
Quote from: mr_lou on 11:46, 09 September 14
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.
Probably diskmags are some kind of art, like demos are. It's a good combination of good gfx, sfx and content that keeps - for example - an app. 20 years old issue of the Bad Mag still worth to read from time to time. I really doubt this would happen with a 20 years old website. :-)
I think it could be a problem to find enough contributors for any kind of CPC-mag nowadays. In September 2006 I released (together with Kangaroo) the third issue of
CPC forever (http://www.octoate.de/wp/2006/09/12/xzentrix-2006-new-demo-and-cpc-forever/#wpfb-file-3). For the fourth issue I planned to include english articles as I already had problems with the third one to gather enough content from the german speaking countries. But the attempt to make an international fanzine out of CPC forever wasn't successful. I never had enough articles for a fourth issue. Compared with Targhan I am not able to fill a mag with self-written articles. ;-)
Maybe another idea could be to make a multi-platform diskmag for SymbOS by using Trebmint's Unify? But I don't know the situation inside the MSX-scene. And there are probably not to much PCW-users around. :-)
Quote from: mr_lou on 11:46, 09 September 14
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.
I guess a diskmag still to me brings on the excitement and expectation of seeing a new issue in the catalog of your favourite PD library, posting off the required blank discs and duplicating fee then waiting expectantly for the discs to return in order that you can settle down to read the latest news, gossip (or risque content in the case of BTL) and enjoy.
All of that to me added up to the whole diskmag experience, and some fancy coding tricks that provided a slick presentation also helped.
We all like to see something new on our trusty amstrads and diskmags provided this along with the interesting read.
Craig
Quote from: villain on 21:16, 11 September 14
Maybe another idea could be to make a multi-platform diskmag for SymbOS by using Trebmint's Unify? But I don't know the situation inside the MSX-scene. And there are probably not to much PCW-users around. :-)
Well I got my PcW out of the loft yesterday and found that most of my discs are worn out. Locoscript and CP/M plus still boot OK but RoutePlanner and Symbos discs are pooched :( i guess I need to recreate a new Symbos disc from the latest release bu tlike you say I am not sure how many PcW uses still exist. It is a better machine for reading text on, as the display is much better and higher res than the CPC, but with only 2 colours and no sound it is much less of a diskmag target machine.
Oh Anyone got a copy of PcW routeplanner they would be prepared to dump for me. (Preferably a 3.5 inch PcW 9512+ copy)
Craig
Quote from: mr_lou on 19:50, 11 September 14
You forgot to download FutureOS, extract files, copy ROM files to DSK, convert DSK to HFE, copy HFE to SD card, boot CPC, load ROM manager, flash ROMs, start FutureOS, and then continue from where you started....
Haha! Well, that's what you have to do for EVERYTHING you download for the internet. :laugh:
BTW: FutureOS comes with an Autoinstaller. Get the DSK/Disc and type run"disc
Everything else is done by the software installer. :)
Quote from: CraigsBar on 20:33, 11 September 14
That'd be it then, yes SST chip in my X-Mem, will try again tonight,
Thanks
Craig
The option for FlashGordon shall work. I already started to overwork the Autoinstaller. Will provide an update soon. Thank you for your comments. :)
Quote from: villain on 21:16, 11 September 14
Maybe another idea could be to make a multi-platform diskmag for SymbOS by using Trebmint's Unify? But I don't know the situation inside the MSX-scene. And there are probably not to much PCW-users around. :-)
That's an excellent idea. SymbOS targets already three platforms. From the MSX scene I expect a lot of input, since their scene seem to be very big. Also the Joyce people shall not be underestimated. :)
Quote from: TFM on 22:39, 11 September 14
Haha! Well, that's what you have to do for EVERYTHING you download for the internet. :laugh:
Teeheehee not quite.... I find the Minibooster and Bluetooth faster than HXC and SD cards for single DSK file transfers ;)
That's right! Can't get it better. :)
Quote from: villain on 21:16, 11 September 14Probably diskmags are some kind of art, like demos are. It's a good combination of good gfx, sfx and content that keeps - for example - an app. 20 years old issue of the Bad Mag still worth to read from time to time. I really doubt this would happen with a 20 years old website. :-)
That is very true. I enjoyed Bad Mag (and many other CPC discmags) many many years later after it was created.
Bad Mag is one of those who got it right, imho, if I remember correctly. Good presentation, good music, good readable articles.
Quote from: villain on 21:16, 11 September 14I think it could be a problem to find enough contributors for any kind of CPC-mag nowadays. In September 2006 I released (together with Kangaroo) the third issue of CPC forever (http://www.octoate.de/wp/2006/09/12/xzentrix-2006-new-demo-and-cpc-forever/#wpfb-file-3). For the fourth issue I planned to include english articles as I already had problems with the third one to gather enough content from the german speaking countries. But the attempt to make an international fanzine out of CPC forever wasn't successful. I never had enough articles for a fourth issue. Compared with Targhan I am not able to fill a mag with self-written articles. ;-)
I recognize that there aren't too many people in the CPC community who's willing or able to write for a discmag.
But as far as I can see, the real problem regarding content, is language.
I see content in french and german out there. Maybe what we're after isn't really content authors as much as it's translators who can translate french and german content into english, and vice versa?
CPC Forever looks great, but despite the content being about the CPC, I just can't help getting associations to general texts I had to read in school.
The paper white background black font and layout, just reminds me too much of school. (And yes, I recognize that I'm most probably the only dude with this defect).
I'm after something that gives a clear impression that it's something else. Something that is "ours".
I still remember when I saw the very first discmag in my life. It was the first time I saw that apparently "our kind" can write too - and write well. (Yea yea, sounds cheesy I know, get on with it). We just presented it much more interestingly. The discmag was Buzz issue 5 on the Amiga, released at The Party IV in Denmark.
I was so excited by it that I had to show it to everyone I knew, and then I'd just get a reply like: "Don't you have anything new?"
And I'd think to myself: Man, he totally doesn't get it. It's not about news. It's about discmags being what they are. It's about the cozy atmosphere they bring. The relaxed mood. The feeling of unity they give. This work was made by people like me for people like us. Finally something worth spending time reading. :)
Quote from: villain on 21:16, 11 September 14Maybe another idea could be to make a multi-platform diskmag for SymbOS by using Trebmint's Unify? But I don't know the situation inside the MSX-scene. And there are probably not to much PCW-users around. :-)
A multi-platform diskmag is a good idea.
The project I'm working on at the moment will run on older cellphones and blu-ray players and modern smartphones/tablets. I've been thinking about whether a CPC version should also be made, but I can't make up my mind. The content is primarily about the Phillips G7000 and Amstrad CPC, but there are also stories about the C64 and Amiga in there.
But as I said above, maybe it'll fail completely with the french and germans, because I write everything in english? Maybe I really ought to be looking at finding translators if I wish to make the french and germans happy?
I know this is a total indictment of the English but....
I guess more French and German folks can read English, than English can read French or German.
An E-mag is not necessarily a disk mag, it could be on cassette or downloaded as a BIN. or COM. file that could be run on a CPC.
Quote from: steve on 20:50, 12 September 14An E-mag is not necessarily a disk mag, it could be on cassette or downloaded as a BIN. or COM. file that could be run on a CPC.
I think we're all talking about the same thing, regardless of the name.
(I think Hugi is still called a diskmag, isn't it?)
I think the name "diskmag" is great, because it tells that it (can) run on a disk, i.e. offline.
Putting it on a harddisk, is your choice.
(So my blu-ray thingy will be a discmag. :) But I can't prevent anyone from running it in their favourite media center as an ISO file).
I took a look at the Retro Gamer CD Discmag again just now, and was reminded why I don't like web-technology to be used when it comes to diskmags.
First of all, I was sitting in my couch using my TV, so I wanted to zoom quite a bit. This didn't seem like a problem at first, since there were plenty of room for zooming. But, the problem was that I needed to do this zooming for each article I wanted to read. This is because of the way RGCD is made, and not all web-solutions do this.
Anyway, the very first game on the list was a PC version of 3D Star Strike. I look in the folder to see if the game is included, but it doesn't seem so. So I clicked the link in the article...... dead link.
I don't have a golden solution. I just like to complain.
My only suggestion is to always include as much as possible in the discmag, and provide as few links as possible.
If you insist on making an online thing, then the few links you provde should be checked up on every now and then.
Quote from: mr_lou on 19:04, 16 July 14
That is awesome! And it shows that someone in the CPC community does infact do this, contrary to what Gryzor believed.
Seriously, that's what you took away? What I said was it doesn't make sense to create your own mag if you have complains with the ones you're buying since it's time-consuming etc etc etc. I didn't say nobody can/does make one!
Quote from: Gryzor on 17:44, 13 September 14Seriously, that's what you took away? What I said was it doesn't make sense to create your own mag if you have complains with the ones you're buying since it's time-consuming etc etc etc. I didn't say nobody can/does make one!
I asked:
But do you really believe that within the whole CPC community, a CPC magazine wouldn't take priority for a few guys?You replied:
Absolutely not. A fanzine, maybe, and this would only run for a few issues, far between.Since that was in a thread about diskmags, yes I gathered that you didn't believe anyone would be interested in making a diskmag. Apologies if I got that wrong.
Given I distinguished between a fanzine and a magazine I'd say I wasn't talking about diskmags - which clearly exist, so it would have been pretty stupid of me to discard.
Quote from: Gryzor on 19:51, 13 September 14Given I distinguished between a fanzine and a magazine I'd say I wasn't talking about diskmags - which clearly exist, so it would have been pretty stupid of me to discard.
We weren't talking about whether or not diskmags existed. We were talking about whether or not it was possible or viable or a good idea for the CPC community to create our own magazine.
Some said it would be too expensive, which made me suggest that we could compromise and make it an electronic-only magazine.
To this you replied:
As I said in another thread, having grown up reading tons of books, digital magazines and books just don't compare. Not to mention that e-readers are not even there yet (only e-ink is a viable solution for reading for hours on end, and it can't show colours or graphics well). And reading an e-magazine on the beach, for instance? Yeah, no soap.
But ok. So I misunderstood. Glad to hear you don't think diskmags are worthless spending time on creating.
My own project is coming along nicely. Whether it'll be called a discmag or e-mag or e-book, will probably be debated later....
diskmag=/e-magazine...
Quote from: Gryzor on 07:45, 14 September 14diskmag=/e-magazine...
Content-wise, I agree with that.
But presentation-wise, I think a diskmag brings a lot of things an e-magazine doesn't. The music particular noteworthy, but the whole diskmag-presentation is just much more demoscene-like, while an e-magazine is more "electronic version of paper"-like. Sometimes just a PDF.
Diskmags also brings their own navigation system, while e-mags stick with certain standards.
And it is exactly that presentation I'm missing when visiting any website.
The content alone isn't enough for me. I'm missing this diskmag-like presentation. :)
A matter of preference of course. But I think everyone has this pickyness in some degree. E.g. the notepad text file vs a website => a website or e-mag vs a diskmag.
The diskmag being the ultimate way of presenting articles and stories, in my humble opinon.
Nice discussion... :blank:
The word tells it all DiscMag... it comes from floppy Disc Magazine. And if it is not on a (virtual) floppy disc then it's imho no DiscMag. So imho Hugi is no DiscMag, it's some kind of E-publication. The content doesn't really matter.
But in this "new times" and Orwells "Neusprech" people cripple all words for everything. So do what you want. :P
For FutureView I always have reviewed programs and example source code on Disc. I try to omit internet links as possible.
Quote from: TFM on 20:23, 15 September 14The word tells it all DiscMag... it comes from floppy Disc Magazine. And if it is not on a (virtual) floppy disc then it's imho no DiscMag. So imho Hugi is no DiscMag, it's some kind of E-publication. The content doesn't really matter.
But in this "new times" and Orwells "Neusprech" people cripple all words for everything. So do what you want. :P
I agree that words are very much crippled in various context in these times, but I don't agree that calling it a diskmag is the same.
It's more a case of things keeping the names they were born with, no matter how long time passes and how much the world changes. That happens a lot. And Hugi is still called a diskmag on their website.
Yes diskmags originated on floppy-disks. But they had a certain look and feel. So referring to this certain look and feel as a diskmag makes sense. We need
something to distinguish these different kinds of e-publications, don't we? Calling everything an e-mag just because it's digital, doesn't tell us anything about the look and feel.
While we know instantly what the look and feel is when we say PDF or ePub or website. So if not "diskmag" then what? "E-mag with music and demo-line atmosphere"? Nah...
For those who really likes to debate, there's also the question whether it's a diskmag or discmag.
I was taught that disk is a floppy and disc is a CD. So diskmags are on floppies and discmags are on CD's.
Quote from: TFM on 20:23, 15 September 14For FutureView I always have reviewed programs and example source code on Disc. I try to omit internet links as possible.
I will have to try out FutureOS soon and see some of those FutureView issues. Mates are planning a retro-gaming-day soon, so maybe then.
Quote from: mr_lou on 05:20, 16 September 14
We need something to distinguish these different kinds of e-publications, don't we? Calling everything an e-mag just because it's digital, doesn't tell us anything about the look and feel.
While we know instantly what the look and feel is when we say PDF or ePub or website. So if not "diskmag" then what? "E-mag with music and demo-line atmosphere"? Nah...
For those who really likes to debate, there's also the question whether it's a diskmag or discmag.
I was taught that disk is a floppy and disc is a CD. So diskmags are on floppies and discmags are on CD's.
You begin by creating an E-mag, the publishing or reading media determines what someone might be call it, diskmag, cassettemag, cartmag, E-mag, PDF, HTML, it's all (almost) the same content, just different media.
Quote from: steve on 13:12, 16 September 14You begin by creating an E-mag, the publishing or reading media determines what someone might be call it, diskmag, cassettemag, cartmag, E-mag, PDF, HTML, it's all (almost) the same content, just different media.
I'm sorry, but it looks like you didn't quite understand what I wrote (that you quoted). Please read again.
Let's take two definitions:
Diskmag: "Articles wrapped in a native application presented in a colourful GUI, unique navigation and background music. Originated from the demoscene in the 80ies, and was named diskmags because they existed on floppy disks".
E-mag: "Articles in electronic form. Common formats used: PDF, ePub and HTML".
To me, there's a huge difference between any ordinary e-mag and a diskmag.
Disregard the name "diskmag" for a while. That's just the name it was given back in the 80ies, and that it therefore still has, regardless of media. You can easily find other real-world examples of old names that you still use for things that has changed completely, so that the name itself tells nothing about the item, if you think about it. But you still use that name. So let's just disregard the media here, shall we?
A diskmag certainly differs from other electronic publications. Surely we can agree on that?
If I transfer a Diskmag to cassette, is it still a diskmag?
Quote from: steve on 16:07, 16 September 14
If I transfer a Diskmag to cassette, is it still a diskmag?
yes... Just a very slow loading one where the menu is a pain to return to.
Personally I thinks we have to separate an e-publication. A pdf type document with limited or no interaction other than turning the page. And a discmag that has a menu structure and interactive elements.
I'd prefer a discmag to an e-pub any day.
Craig
Quote from: steve on 16:07, 16 September 14
If I transfer a Diskmag to cassette, is it still a diskmag?
No, it's a TapeMag of course. :)
If we would follow some advice given here we would still call it a stage coach while in reality it's a multidimensional time and space super spaceship.
I mean seriously, you can call everything the way you want. But a DiscMag was on disc originally and in these days everything get called discmag. Same thing with CPC .DSK files which get called ROMs on different sites of the net.
We seem to have been sidetracked by terminology, I began this thread with the idea of creating files that would run on a CPC (or emulator) without prejudice concerning the medium the file would use for transmission.
Yes, we totally lost track. That's the CPC Wiki. So back to topic; do you have concrete plans?
Quote from: steve on 16:07, 16 September 14
If I transfer a Diskmag to cassette, is it still a diskmag?
Yes
Quote from: steve on 16:22, 16 September 14We seem to have been sidetracked by terminology, I began this thread with the idea of creating files that would run on a CPC (or emulator) without prejudice concerning the medium the file would use for transmission.
That's because we began talking about CPC oriented diskmags and/or e-mags on other platforms.
You can't call it DiscMag if it is on Tape. It's a TapeMag then.
According to your argumentation you could move a virgin nun from a monastery to a cathouse and still call her a virgin. And everybody knows she is not any longer. :laugh:
Quote from: TFM on 18:54, 16 September 14
You can't call it DiscMag if it is on Tape. It's a TapeMag then.
No, that's a diskmag on tape.
There are diskmags everywhere! Diskmags on discs! On tapes! Diskmags on the web! Diskmags on my blu-ray player! :o On my phone! On my phone in form of a wav file to play for my CPC! On my HxC! In my toaster! In my dreams!
Everywhere!I suppose you'd then call it a webmag, blu-ray-mag, phone-mag, wav-file-on-phone-mag, HxC-mag..... and you're free to do so.
FutureView would then be a FutureOS-mag, because it requires FutureOS to run. And that's not a bad label. But I'll just call it a diskmag for FutureOS.
My current project is a diskmag that is made for phones and blu-ray players and web. Platform and media is irrelevant. "Diskmag" is the name that's been given to this type of creation, and therefor the name that sticks to it today, regardless of where it's running.
Quote from: mr_lou on 19:17, 16 September 14
My current project is a diskmag that is made for phones and blu-ray players and web. Platform and media is irrelevant. "Diskmag" is the name that's been given to this type of creation, and therefor the name that sticks to it today, regardless of where it's running.
agreed @mr_lou, agreed. And can we end the debate here. I am looking forward to all these diskmags, especially those that run on a Cpc.
Quote from: mr_lou on 19:17, 16 September 14
In my toaster! In my dreams!
I wish to see this toaster diskmag!
In all seriousness, a lot of devices runs Java Embedded or JavaME embedded. You develop socalled Xlets for them.
BD-J (Blu-ray Disc Java) is also Xlets, so it's not entirely unlikely that my project could be ported to run on e.g. a printer-display.
I may try to hack the printer at work just to test..... :)
Cool idea! Let us know how it works out. :)
Maybe you can install JavaCPC too. ???
Quote from: TFM on 21:55, 01 October 14Maybe you can install JavaCPC too. ???
That's the thing about Java. They can take their "Code once, run anywhere" and stuff it up where the sun don't shine.
Xlets for set-top boxes and blu-ray, MIDlets for phones, Applets for web clients, Servlets for web servers. And then of course there's "normal" Java too.
So many different variants, and they're all different.
So JavaCPC will have to be greatly re-written in order to run on a blu-ray disc.
But it should definitely be possible, since another developer has actually written a Nintendo NES emulator for it.
Another developer (might be the same) has also developed an Apple II emulator for it. So why not an Amstrad emulator too.
But JavaCPC might not be the best choice, since it's not only Java, but also includes a lot of Windows specific tools.
Jemu would probably be a better choice.
BUT.... the speed varies a lot on the players. I think Playstation 3 is the only device that would run any of these properly. (And then of course Playstation 4 too).
That's why the platform is ideal for a discmag. :) (And it would actually
be on a disc!)
Nothing fancy or CPU heavy going on there.
Quote from: mr_lou on 05:53, 20 September 14
[attachimg=1]
Oooo, how many bytes do I get per slice of toast :)
Bryce.
Quote from: Bryce on 08:34, 02 October 14
Oooo, how many bytes do I get per slice of toast :)
Bryce.
You can cut a small part of its side and you effectively double the taste units.
I stumbled across "Low Res Mag" while browsing just now.
Low Res Issue #4 | LowRes (https://lowresmag.wordpress.com/category/low-res-issue-4/)
Anyone knew about that one?
In issue #2 there was a piece on the CPC.
Amstrad CPC | LowRes (https://lowresmag.wordpress.com/category/amstrad-cpc/)
Looks again like a nice idea that sadly gets killed by real life.
Quote from: mr_lou on 09:07, 28 October 14
In issue #2 there was a piece on the CPC.
Amstrad CPC | LowRes (https://lowresmag.wordpress.com/category/amstrad-cpc/)
Hm, nice lil article there. :)