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  • Info (October 1991)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Info – Issue Number 43 – October 1991

    At this point, the name of the magazine was .info for Amiga Users though it went through slightly different variations over the years. It used to cover the Commodore 64 but was Amiga only by this time. One of the unique aspects of this magazine was that it was produced using only Commodore equipment. The October 1991 issue includes:

    ProVisions

    • Video – A guide to setting up an Amiga based video studio. Includes coverage of encoders, genlocks, monitors, digitizing and scanning, video tape editing controllers, single-frame controllers, and more.
    • Graphics – A look at a HAM mode paint program called Spectracolor. This was basically a new version of Photon Paint.
    • MultiMedia – A look at some software available for the CDTV including World Vista, Timeline of Science and Innovation, and Illustrated Works of Shakespeare.
    • Audio – A look at sound hardware and software avaialble for the Amiga, including Bars & Pipes Professional and the Phantom MIDI/SMPTE Interface.

    .info technical support

    • UNIX: Is It For You? – The first in a two part series on UNIX for the Amiga.
    • ARexx and the Happy Haikuer – Using ARexx to generate Haikus on the Amiga.
    • Memory Alignment and BPTRS – Machine language math programming on the Amiga and all about the special pointers (BPTR and BSTR) that AmigaDOS uses.
    • AmigaDOS Scripts, Part 3 – The third part in a series of writing AmigaDOS scripts. This part deals with using the List command, LFORMAT argument, and more.

    Columns

    • Public Domain – Several public domain collections are covered here including Cranware #161 (includes StarChart), Chiron Astronomical Pak (a five disk package including various astronomical programs), Barbara’s Choice #9257 (Star Trek sounds and more), MGH #198 (Madelbrot designs and more), and MGHSoft Music Demos (a collection of more than 100 demo disks).
    • Hardware – This month is focused on Amiga 500 expansion. Covered products include Xetec’s FastTrak system (a SCSI adapter with up to 8 MB of expansion RAM), GVP’s A500-HD+ (includes memory expansion and hard drive options), and the DataFlyer 500 (SCSI hard drive adapter). All of these are tested here with a 52MB Quantum hard drive.
    • CyberPlay – A look at some of the latest Amiga games including Moonbase, Fast Eddie’s Pool & Billiards, The Amazing Spiderman, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, Team Yankee, MegaTraveller I: The Zhodani Conspiracy, King’s Bounty, Brigade Commander, and King’s Quest.
    • Productivity – A review of Proper Grammar. This is a grammar checker that works with various word processor file formats.

    Departments

    • .info Monitor – An optimistic view of what the CDTV could become.
    • Mail – Mail from readers about emulation on the Amiga 500, choosing the Amiga over the Atari ST, and more.
    • New Products – A look at new Amiga related products including Activa Software’s Real3D modelling/raytracing/animation package, Mail-O-Dex Professional address book software, the A2410 1024×1024 display card for the A3000UX, the KB-Talker PC/AT keyboard to Amiga adapter, Distant Suns 4.0 astronomical program, the SupraModem 9600 (9600bps for only $699.96!), Comeau C++, and more.
    • News & Views – EA start 1-900 hint line; American People/Link shuts down; simulation software passes role-playing games as the most popular type of games in the U.S.; Commodore donates Amiga computers to high school; GEnie announces 9600 baud service; and more.
    • The Rumor Mill – Commodore to offer Amiga 500/A590 hard drive combo deal; Commodore to introduce Amiga 300; and more.

    …and more!


    Amiga Computer Arcana 📎and tagged

  • Computer Gaming World (December 1987)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Computer Gaming World – Issue Number 42 – December 1987

    Computer Gaming World was really the best computer gaming magazine available for most of its life. In its earlier days it covered multiple platforms but eventually became a PC only magazine. The December 1987 issue includes:

    Features

    • Plundered Hearts – A run-through of Plundered Hearts, an adventure game from Infocom which is sort of a spoof on pirate romance.
    • The Electronic Gridiron – A survey of the various computerized football games available at the time. Games covered here include 4th & Inches, GFL Championship Football, Gridiron, Football, Head Coach, Mac Pro Football, Super Bowl Sunday, 3-in-1 Football, Instant Replay, Computer Quarterback, and NFL Challenge.
    • 1987 CGW Game of the Year Awards – The 1987 Computer Gaming World Game of the Year awards were presented at DragonCon where there was also discussion of the future of computer gaming and a gaming tournament. Award winners include The Bard’s Tale II (Electronic Arts), Starflight (Electronic Arts), Leather Goddesses of Phobos (Infocom), Trinity (Infocom), Might and Magic (New World Computing), Hardball (Accolade), Marble Madness (Electronic Arts), Earl Weaver Baseball (Electronic Arts), Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon (Cinemaware), Gunship (Microprose), Defender of the Crown (Cinemaware), Under Fire! (Avalon Hill), Balance of Power (Mindscape), BattleCruiser (SSI), Gettysburg (SSI), Battlefront (SSG), and the overall winner, Ultima IV (Origin).
    • Project: Stealth Fighter – A review of this combat flight simulator for the Commodore 64/128.
    • Beyond Zork – Review of this classic adventure game from Infocom for a variety of systems. This was one of the last games in the long running Zork series of interactive fiction games.
    • Secret Agents, Man! – A look at The Spy’s Adventures in Europe and The Spy’s Adventures in North America. These are two games in a series of educational adventure games for the Apple II.
    • Victory At Sea – The second part of a strategy guide for SSI’s Warship, a naval strategy game.
    • Battles In Normandy – A review of this World War II strategy game from SSG for the Commodore 64 and Apple II.
    • Firepower – Review of this arcade tank game from MicroIllusions for the Amiga (coming soon for the Commodore 64, Apple IIgs, and Dos).

    Departments

    • Editorial – An overview of recent changes to the magazine including both content and layout changes as CGW moved to an IBM AT and desktop publishing.
    • Taking A Peek – Previews of new and upcoming games including Thunderchopper (Apple II, Commodore 64), Wings of Fury (Apple II), California Dreams (Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga), Vegas Gambler (Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga, Apple IIgs, DOS), Shirley Muldowney’s Top Fuel Challenge (Commodore 64), Dark Lord (Apple II, Commodore 64), Force 7 (Commodore 64), Tomahawk (Atari, Commodore 64), Street Sports Basketball (Apple II, Commodore 64, DOS), Heartland (Commodore 64), Silicon Dreams (Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, DOS), Solar Star (Atari), Plutos (Amiga), Terrorpods (Amiga, Atari ST), 3D Helicopter Simulator (Dos), Thexder (DOS), Connect (DOS), and Halls of Montezuma (Apple II, Commodore 64).
    • Game Ratings – A list of the top 50 strategy and top 50 action/adventure games as rated by CGW.

    …and more!


    Amiga Apple ][ Atari 8-bit Atari ST Commodore 64 Computer Arcana DOS Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • Advanced Computer Entertainment (April 1991)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Advanced Computer Entertainment – Issue number 43 – April 1991

    ACE, short for Advanced Computer Entertainment, is a gaming magazine that was published in the U.K. in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It primarily covered computers but also had some coverage of consoles as well. The April 1991 issue includes:

    Reviews

    • On Computer and Console
      • Chuck Rock – A platform game featuring a cave man for the Amiga and Atari ST.
      • Colditz – A strategic spy game set during World War II for the Amiga, Atari ST, and Commodore 64.
      • Flames of Freedom – Sequel to Midwinter for the Atari ST and Amiga.
      • Gods – An action adventure game set in ancient Greece.
      • Gynoug – A side-scrolling shooter for the Megadrive (Genesis).
      • Lemmings – The classic real-time strategy/puzzle game in which you must save as many lemmings as possible as they mindlessly march to their deaths for the Amiga, Atari ST and DOS.
      • Muds – A fantasy sports sim for the Amiga, Atari ST and DOS.
      • Navy Seals – A game based on the movie of the same name for the Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad, C64, and Spectrum.
      • Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe – A World War II combat flight sim from LucasArts.
      • Super Monaco Grand Prix – Racing sim for the Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, Amstrad, C64, and Spectrum. Looks a bit like Grand Prix Circuit from Accolade.
      • Star Control – The classic sci-fi strategy game. It’s interesting that this game is generally a well regarded classic but it gets a pretty horrible review here.
      • Turrican 2 – The classic side-scrolling shooter for the Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad, C64, and Spectrum.
      • Zany Golf – A fun miniature golf game for the Megadrive (Genesis).
    • On CD
      • Sherlock Holmes – A bit about the making of Sherlock Holmes.

    Features

    • Coin-Op Breakthrough – A look at upcoming arcade technologies including increased memory, digital video, and more. This article talks a bit about the Intel i750 graphics processing unit but this was ultimately a failure in the market.
    • CD Report – A look at early CD systems like the TurboGrafx-CD as well as some of the CD based games expected to be in stores for the holidays.
    • Actual Reality Exclusive – Despite the name, this was a virtual reality system under development at the time.
    • The ABC of CD – A brief look at upcoming CD-ROM hardware for the Amiga, Atari ST, PCs, as well as the FM Towns.

    Regulars

    • ACE Tech News – New ‘camera on a chip’ technology, model rocket sales soar (I used to love building and launching these), Socrates Educational Video System from Vtech, and much more.
    • ACE Games News – Sonic the Hedgehog, Alien Storm arcade game, G-Loc, Lemmings II, and much more.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about after sales service for hardware and software, F-29 Retaliator, multiplayer gaming, and more.
    • Tricks’n’Tactics Returns! – Tips and tricks for Rise of the Dragon, Captive, Night Shift, Supremacy, F-19 Stealth Fighter, Gremlins 2, Kick Off II, and more.
    • Pink Pages – Game charts, high scores, classified ads, and more.

    …and more!


    Amiga Atari ST Commodore 64 Computer Arcana DOS 📎and tagged