Editorial

Last issue of SynTax was the biggest initial mailout yet! It's
taken four years, since this is the first issue of SynTax's fifth
year, but I can see the magazine really going places now. There
was a very good response to the last issue too, even from some
readers who've never before commented on the magazine.  It's
amazing to think that the first issue of SynTax was way back in
July 1989. Looking back at some of the early issues, it's
fascinating to see the changes. For one thing the magazine was ST
only in those days. Things have certainly changed since then.  I'm
finding it increasing hard to give the ST equal coverage with the
PC and Amiga. So many of the software houses have dropped it that
most of the new ST software is independent, PD or shareware.
Another interesting thing about issue 1 was that the SynTax
Library contained just 8 PD and 2 shareware disks! Now it's almost
up to 600 disks, 99% of which are adventure-related.

Remember all back issues are available; Richard is gradually
converting the Amiga ones to the new format. There's a good deal
on the earliest issues too. Also, if you've changed machines, I'm
happy to convert your old disks to whatever format you want now;
all I ask is the return postage.

Kerry Francis has provided the loading screen for this issue of
the Amiga version of SynTax - cheers, Kerry! Don't forget to send
in your artwork if you have a suitable screen.

So, what else is happening this issue? Well, there are several
cases of my having, by chance, received more than one review for a
game - eg 3 of Kyrandia, all on different formats, 2 for Obscure
Naturalist.  It wasn't too long ago that, on Jean Childs'
suggestion, I tried to organise some multiple reviews and they
just didn't happen. It's interesting to see several views of the
same game - if they agree, that's okay - if they don't, it stirs
up a bit of controversy and shows how one person's 'great game'
can be another's 'turkey of the month'.

I've been doing a bit of 'joint adventuring'; Neil, Marion and I
have all been playing Unnkulia Zero and thoroughly enjoying it. I
can't recommend this game highly enough to text adventurers on the
PC and ST. It's 'dam funnee' as well as being 'dam tuff'. Marion
and I also played Unnkulia II at the same time.  It's a long time
since I've played a game at the same time as someone else and I'd
forgotten how much fun it could be.

Apart from that I've been having a battle with Psygnosis, trying
to get my PC Lemmings 2 disks running on the Akhter. I thought,
after having the disks exchanged twice, that it might be a
conflict with DR DOS but ... no. It turns out to be the blasted
copy protection on the disks. The disks are so heavily protected
that, if you change the configuration of the machine after
installing the program, it thinks you're using a cracked copy.
Nice one, programmers! I have no objection to sensible levels of
copy protection but when it snarls up the game ... Evidently a lot
of PC Lemmings 2 owners are returning their games in frustration
and as a protest.

To celebrate SynTax's birthday, there's a mega competition this
issue with loads of software prizes on all formats. Thanks to Paul
Rigby (PC and ST) and Richard Hewison (Amiga) for providing them.
I've made the competition nice and easy in the hopes of getting a
good response. I hope you'll give it a go.

There are plenty of reviews as always this issue, but rather a
shortage of reviews of commercial games. This is partly because
the only disks I can send out for review are PD/shareware programs
or ones from independant programmers. In some ways, this isn't a
bad thing because ALL the glossy magazines cover the big sellers
and rarely touch the PD side. Even so, it would be nice to cover
the full spectrum of adventure software so if you've played a
commercial game, please consider sending in a review.

As I've mentioned before, the SynTax readership is gradually
sliding away from the ST and towards the Amiga and, more
especially, PC. Recently I received a copy of Strategic Plus
Software's catalogue and read that they are no longer stocking
Amiga titles due to the rapid decline in serious simulations on
that machine ... could this be a further sign of things to come?
(Or, rather, not come? They dropped the ST some time ago.)

Last, but not least, I just heard from Dave Malmberg at Softworks
with the results of the latest AGT Adventure Writing Contest -
and was really pleased to see that Oklib got an honourable
mention! The joint first place winners were Cliff Diver:
Investigator for Hire - Purchased Sight Unseen (Pat Farley's
previous Cliff Diver game won the 1990 contest) and Shades of Grey
(that's made Alex's day! See his review in this issue). Full
report next issue. All the new games will be added to the SynTax
list ASAP; all of them will run on the PC, though some will need
the hard disk, and, I would imagine, most on the ST and Amiga. But
if you'd like a list of them in the meantime, especially if you'd
like to take advantage of this issue's PD offer (plug!), drop me a
note. Paul Sanders has sent me a stack of PC PD/Shareware from the
States which also have not yet been added to the list and Terry
Brawls has sent a great selection of Amiga adventures (text, RPG
etc) so ditto for them.
                                                  Sue