Amstrad Addict magazine

[poulette73]

I have just received an email from Pixel Addict with an attached PDF file containing 3 correction pages: pages 14,15 and 16.

Uuuh, what do I do with these pages ?
I print them, cut them out, and stick them on my beautiful magazine ?? 

Not very serious I think.
Couldn't there have been a minimum of rereading of the work before launching a mass edition ??

[Gryzor]

Haven't got it. What corrections are these? 

[poulette73]

The full 3 pages.

I didn't look for which word or character was modified, because the articles are so numerous and written very small...

On the other hand, I would still like to thank for the excellent overall achievement of AMSTRAD Addict. 👍

There is enormous quality in the production, the layout, the themes are very varied and interesting, there are plenty of subjects to discover: this book is a must have. 😉

[dthrone]

This had sort of bypassed me then by pure chance I was scanning the magazines at Manchester Airport today and I saw one called 'Pixel Addict' that I'd not come across before. From the cover (Count Duckula pixelled-up on some graph paper), the title and features mentioned I assumed it was a pixel art magazine and bought it on a whim. It's actually not and very similar to Retro Gamer. But the full page advert in it for Amstrad Addict caught my eye and I understand now it's all under this addict.media umbrella. It says in there that Amiga Addict is now even available in newsagents and WH Smiths! I imagine Amstrad Addict would have to hit a certain sales figure before that would happen.

Long story short, I'll pick up a copy!

[Devlin]

Cover picture?

Who would put a CPC6128 at the wall while using a 464 with tape only?
Not in my Technodome 

However, it's great reminder to commercial magazines though. 

Me, as it happens. (my 6128 is CRTC2) Though mine is in a box away from the elements as opposed to propped up on a wall.

[norecess464]

Hello, I finally received my copy! 

Globally, it's super great and I really enjoyed reading it.

I wonder if you would be interested by some feedbacks?

I have a few comments to provide:

80% GOOD:

• I absolutely loved the interviews. You picked people that were never interviewed before, the discussed topics were super interesting, I loved everything in there. Just for that, I would recommend this magazine to everyone!
• The article with the fake "enhanced" Amstrad CPC 512KB (Hebdogiciel) was excellent. I already knew some parts of the story, but never got the point of view from someone who had worked at Hebdogiciel.
• Seeing the face of @Gryzor after all those years was a true delight. 
• I enjoyed that the PCW was mentionned several times. I'm not really attached to the machine, but it was part of Amstrad's offer back then, and I always considered it as a "CPC in another universe" (the separate universe of the type-writers ahah!).
• The cover, the print quality, the overall presentation, the included images... please don't change anything to the recipe, I loved everything there. It's amazing you did so well for a 1st issue of the magazine!

20% COULD BE IMPROVED:

• I felt that the article about the Rombo Rombox was outdated. I can be wrong, but I feel that most of the Amstrad users nowadays are using the Bryce's Megaflash/X-MEM/etc. Still, it's good for "legacy knowledge" but I did not find it pertinent for 2023. Suggestion for the next issue (as I'm interested by the topic): what is the best solution nowadays to access a FAT32 file system on the Amstrad (Gotek excluded) (cf. a review of X-MASS, M4, USIfAC II and the likes).
• The article "10 things to do with a CPC" was really promising, especially since I try to continuously find new ways of using my Amstrad machines. But while I enjoyed most of the listed points, I would have expected some use-cases like "what is the best software to manage your collection of ..." / "how to use a printer attached to the Amstrad in 2023" / "the best spell checkers on the Amstrad CPC", etc. cf. using the real machine for productivity.
• Sonic GX was mentionned, a big THANK YOU! But the information in there appeared outdated to me (including the screenshots). Plus, let me correct for the readers: the game has no release date anymore, "it will be released when done" (not this year for sure).

Overall, I loved A LOTTTTT reading the magazine and I just got my dose of nostalgy for the next coming weeks ahahah. I will re-read it again and again for sure because I'm fairly sure I missed some details here and there! Thanks a lot for all the effort you put into this project, it's amazing!

[asertus]

• The article with the fake "enhanced" Amstrad CPC 512KB (Hebdogiciel) was excellent. I already knew some parts of the story, but never got the point of view from someone who had worked at Hebdogiciel.

In the interview with Roland Perry in Alicante, he spoke about the project Arnold 2,  CPC next, having CPC + PCW machines combined..

https://youtu.be/fzwyO9gtoIU?si=SSh9Bg8rpn5iyIv4&t=3760

[Gryzor]

@norecess464 : DM me for nudes (of my CPC)

[Shaun M. Neary]

My copy arrived in the office yesterday so I got my grubby mits on it today.
Lunchtime reading sorted. Had a quick thumb through it. Even if we only end up with this as it's one and only issue, it's like a souviner program, which is nice to have.  

My colleague couldn't get over the print quality, it's so SHINY!!! I'd be inclined to agree with him. 

Looking forward to getting stuck in.

[CrookieMonster]

I have just received an email from Pixel Addict with an attached PDF file containing 3 correction pages: pages 14,15 and 16.

Uuuh, what do I do with these pages ?
I print them, cut them out, and stick them on my beautiful magazine ?? 

Not very serious I think.
Couldn't there have been a minimum of rereading of the work before launching a mass edition ??

There was only actually one correction. The letter T on Adam Peters' article overlays the text in the printed editions. We read and re-read the pages again and again and this error wasn't in any of our proofs. The printer says it was an error their end (but we blamed our art director to wind him up, poor guy, haha). It didn't appear in the PDFs. Adam liked the error. He said it reminded him of his days on Amstrad Action when issues would also come back with three or four mistakes. 😀

[CrookieMonster]

Hello, I finally received my copy! 

Globally, it's super great and I really enjoyed reading it.

I wonder if you would be interested by some feedbacks?

I have a few comments to provide:

80% GOOD:

• I absolutely loved the interviews. You picked people that were never interviewed before, the discussed topics were super interesting, I loved everything in there. Just for that, I would recommend this magazine to everyone!
• The article with the fake "enhanced" Amstrad CPC 512KB (Hebdogiciel) was excellent. I already knew some parts of the story, but never got the point of view from someone who had worked at Hebdogiciel.
• Seeing the face of @Gryzor after all those years was a true delight. 
• I enjoyed that the PCW was mentionned several times. I'm not really attached to the machine, but it was part of Amstrad's offer back then, and I always considered it as a "CPC in another universe" (the separate universe of the type-writers ahah!).
• The cover, the print quality, the overall presentation, the included images... please don't change anything to the recipe, I loved everything there. It's amazing you did so well for a 1st issue of the magazine!

20% COULD BE IMPROVED:

• I felt that the article about the Rombo Rombox was outdated. I can be wrong, but I feel that most of the Amstrad users nowadays are using the Bryce's Megaflash/X-MEM/etc. Still, it's good for "legacy knowledge" but I did not find it pertinent for 2023. Suggestion for the next issue (as I'm interested by the topic): what is the best solution nowadays to access a FAT32 file system on the Amstrad (Gotek excluded) (cf. a review of X-MASS, M4, USIfAC II and the likes).
• The article "10 things to do with a CPC" was really promising, especially since I try to continuously find new ways of using my Amstrad machines. But while I enjoyed most of the listed points, I would have expected some use-cases like "what is the best software to manage your collection of ..." / "how to use a printer attached to the Amstrad in 2023" / "the best spell checkers on the Amstrad CPC", etc. cf. using the real machine for productivity.
• Sonic GX was mentionned, a big THANK YOU! But the information in there appeared outdated to me (including the screenshots). Plus, let me correct for the readers: the game has no release date anymore, "it will be released when done" (not this year for sure).

Overall, I loved A LOTTTTT reading the magazine and I just got my dose of nostalgy for the next coming weeks ahahah. I will re-read it again and again for sure because I'm fairly sure I missed some details here and there! Thanks a lot for all the effort you put into this project, it's amazing!

Thanks so much for the feedback. I love your point about the 10 Things. Diving deeper into the tech side of things and continuing to explain how the CPC can still be used today would definitely be high on the agenda for any potential follow up. 

[CrookieMonster]

Some of you have directly messaged asking if we would release a poster of the front cover. Here it is! 😃 

https://www.pixel.addict.media/shop/Amstrad-CPC-Wall-Poster-Art-Print-Amstrad-Addict-A2-Size

[poulette73]

There was only actually one correction. The letter T on Adam Peters' article overlays the text in the printed editions. We read and re-read the pages again and again and this error wasn't in any of our proofs. The printer says it was an error their end (but we blamed our art director to wind him up, poor guy, haha). It didn't appear in the PDFs. Adam liked the error. He said it reminded him of his days on Amstrad Action when issues would also come back with three or four mistakes. 😀

Ok I understand, it was not an error at the source.
But an editing error, you have nothing to do with it. 😉

On the version I received from AMSTRAD Addict there is no problem with the letter T regarding Adam Peters' article. 👍

[CrookieMonster]

Was that a printed copy? 

[poulette73]

Yes, this is the magazine I ordered and received. 😉
https://cpcrulez.fr/im4/7/poulette73-img232.jpg

[poulette73]

erratum: I did not fully understand this problem with this letter T.
I believed that it was corrupted on all 3 pages 14,15 and 16 on the entire text.

In fact the defect only concerned page 16, with a large letter T covering the text.

I confirm that I also have this editing problem on my printed version. 😉

[HAL6128]

...nice, that error makes the paper edition somehow unique. Like it.

[Skunkfish]

What was under that letter 'T'? That Adam Peter's article was fantastic, probably the highlight for me!

[pelrun]

Found mine in the mailbox today... good job! Gryzor is anonymous no more!

Now if only it had arrived after the massive rainstorm I wouldn't have had to peel apart the leading edge of every page

[Gryzor]

Well I was never anonymous to begin with but anyhow😁

[Anthony Flack]

I got a copy too. It was so nice to hear from Adam Peters again, and complete with the printing error it did feel just like Amstrad Action. And you can still make out what he was saying underneath the T. If somebody pays him minimum wage will he write a monthly magazine for us again?

The Roland Perry feature was also a highlight from what I've read. The real evident pride that he feels for the work he did is lovely to see. And what a legend he is. Casually mentions that he wrote most of the Amstrad demo tape and the CPC manual besides everything else he did. That manual was my computer science education which makes Roland Perry responsible for my subsequent career in so many ways. I am happy that he is proud.

And I think Roland In Time was a cracking little game, too. It wasn't quite Jet Set Willy but it was one of the best imitators.

[Gryzor]

Damn, still haven't received my copy

[CrookieMonster]

Let me chase that for you @Gryzor. It could be due to the slow nature of international mail.

[CrookieMonster]

I got a copy too. It was so nice to hear from Adam Peters again, and complete with the printing error it did feel just like Amstrad Action. And you can still make out what he was saying underneath the T. If somebody pays him minimum wage will he write a monthly magazine for us again?

The Roland Perry feature was also a highlight from what I've read. The real evident pride that he feels for the work he did is lovely to see. And what a legend he is. Casually mentions that he wrote most of the Amstrad demo tape and the CPC manual besides everything else he did. That manual was my computer science education which makes Roland Perry responsible for my subsequent career in so many ways. I am happy that he is proud.

And I think Roland In Time was a cracking little game, too. It wasn't quite Jet Set Willy but it was one of the best imitators.

I would LOVE to see Adam Peters create a monthly mag - he was one of the people I desperately wanted on board and his article is both insightful and hilarious. Adam is now also writing occasional features for sister mag Pixel Addict which is worth checking out because it covers the Amstrad too (there's a look at the NC100 in the current issue, for example).

[Gryzor]

Let me chase that for you @Gryzor. It could be due to the slow nature of international mail.

Nah don't bother, international mail is really really slow and local service is abysmal, so... But thanks😊