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How did it all begin? How can I order a copy?
How did SynTax start? It all seems such a long time ago now.
It was July 1989 to be precise when Issue 1 was released and it's been produced every other month since then.
At the time of writing (September 2001), Issue 74 has just been released.
For the first few issues, I co-edited it with John Barnsley. I originally suggested a disk based adventure
and RPG magazine because it meant we could have complete control over duplication unlike paper-based magazines which were, at that
time, usually farmed out to be photocopied. Also we wouldn't have to commit to large numbers of copies but could simply copy the precise
number of disks needed and do more when they required, making the mag more cost effective.
SynTax was originally oriented purely towards the Atari ST. It was an exciting time for gamers. 8-bit machines were still very popular but the
Amiga was increasing its share of the market and the PC was in its infancy as a games machine. An emulated Amiga version was added
fairly quickly and this was followed by a PC version programmed by Graham Cluley (author of Jacaranda Jim and Humbug) and a true
Amiga version, programmed by Richard Hewison.
PC adventures were initially included because ST owners could play many of them using an emulator such as PC Ditto. It was the only way
we could play many of the Infocom adventures, for instance, or explore the wealth of shareware and PD PC games which were available. I
added any I could find to the Disk Library - now at over 1300 disks over all formats.
Contributions from readers have always been welcomed and I've encouraged them with the Contributor of the Year Award which has
been made annually since 1991. Myth and Magic figures are awarded to the top contributors, working on a points per K of contribution,
winners' points being zeroed, giving everyone a chance to win if they send in regular contributions.
SynTax has always moved with the times. As the ST and Amiga declined in popularity and the PC took over as the main gaming
machine, the PC version of SynTax became the major format. Reader Alex van Kaam programmed SynWin, a Windows version of the
program. SynTax was no longer a text only mag because screenshots could be incorporated into SynWin.
Text adventures gave rise to graphic adventures, and CD and DVD games replaced ones on disk. CD writers made it possible for me to
supply a CD compilation of back issues which is regularly updated - big thanks to MerC
for creating the first CD! Moreover DTP made it possible to produce a professional looking paper magazine and print just the number needed
on the premises, so in 1999 a spiral bound, paper version of SynTax was first released. This came with a disk which contained a few bonus
games and utilities which were featured in the magazine. These programs were, of course, also on the regular SynTax disk.
Sadly the paper version never really took off and was discontinued in
2001.
The rise of the Internet has made solutions easier to acquire so SynTax now concentrates on reviews and articles. The Internet has
also brought other changes. It's easy to access and download games so the library is virtually in mothballs. However, CD compilations are
planned for the future and one has already been released, covering the 1995-2000 IF Archive Competition Entries.
The Internet has also made it possible to cut out the disk medium altogether! In January 2000 the first emailed version was sent out -
E-SynTax. This is now the only version available overseas to save on postage
costs. Thus the new Millennium was the beginning of a new era for SynTax and I hope it will continue to grow in popularity during
the rest of the 'nought-ies'.
SynTax costs £3.50 an issue on disk or £3.00 by email. There are reductions and special offers of free issues or disk
boxes for subscribers and there hasn't been a price increase since day one!
Though the name SynTax was originally devised to show its ST origins and links, the name is synonymous with adventure gaming to many
users. It's interesting to look back to its origins as well as forward into the future. We've seen immense gaming changes since July 89 ... it's
exciting to consider what might be ahead.