Editorial

It was very gratifying to get a number of calls and letters after
Issue 30 went out to say, please keep doing SynTax. As I said last
issue, I will keep producing the magazine as long as enough people
want it.  The readership is pretty stable, even increasing
slightly each issue, but if anyone has a suggestion for bumping it
up still further, please let me know.

A few months ago, I sent out leaflets to 50 ex-readers,
advertising both SynTax and Oklib, to see what sort of response
I'd get.  3 were returned by the Post Office marked 'gone away',
one person ordered Oklib and three took a single issue. That
didn't cover the leaflets, let alone the envelopes and stamps so I
won't be trying THAT again!

But Neil had a good idea. Most of us get local papers which allow
free ads. He said, from checking through the computer section,
that there are a lot of adventurers advertising in there and
suggested that as many of us as possible put a SynTax ad in our
own local paper(s).  It wouldn't cost more than a stamp and would
be targeted at likely people. I think it is an excellent idea and
if you're willing to do it, I'd suggest the following advert:

Adventure help on a disk! SynTax is a bi-monthly disk magazine for
adventurers and RPGers, established July 1989. Reviews, solutions,
help, articles and info. PC 3.5", PC 5.25", Amiga and ST versions.
œ3.50 an issue.  Cheques/POs to S. Medley, Milton House, 9 Warwick
Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 6LJ.

The 'Milton House' is included so I'll know where the order came
from! It really is the name of our house, but we don't normally
use it.

If you're willing to help with this, I'd really appreciate it.

A few issues ago, I told you about Joel Finch's forthcoming
text adventure writing utility for the PC, TGC. TGC isn't
available yet, but Joel has re-written his adventure, The
Multi-dimensional Thief, using it. It is being sold as shareware
for œ8 plus œ2 P+P and I am his local contact for it so that
people can pay in œœœs rather than Australian dollars. It is an
excellent game - even better than the original AGT version with
the extra options available through TGC. The unregistered version
is available through the library.

Well, I suppose I ought to tell you about last issue's mistake ...
no, on second thoughts, check the Letters section where Bill
Commons can tell you about it!

Now, news of a new fanzine. Tim Kemp will be starting producing
The Armchair Adventurer in August. This will be aimed at PC users
and will contain the usual mix of features you'd expect. It will
be A5 in size, 40 pages long and will be œ2 an issue, out
bi-monthly. The bonus with each issue is that each magazine will
come with a free 3.5" 720K disk containing a PD or Shareware
adventure.  Anyone who took Tim's previous magazine, From Beyond
(which was for the Spectrum), will know that he always aims for
high quality publications. For more details or to order it,
contact Tim Kemp, 36 Globe Place, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 2SQ.

Not content with sabotaging my computer, Nogwidget has now started
attacking my mail; I ordered Inherit the Earth, a graphic
adventure from New World Computing, from the States, waited
(fairly) patiently for 3 weeks until it came, went to install it -
disk 1 was faulty. Argh!!! I looked for dragon claw marks on the
box and though I couldn't see any, I'm not 100% convinced that he
didn't have a hand (claw?) in it somewhere ...

More on faulty disks and bugs - an increasingly common occurrence
now, as most readers will testify. MerC, Mongoose, JJ and Alex
have all been playing Elder Scrolls and most have found it rather
bugged and prone to crash. MerC got stuck looking for the 5th
staff section and rang to say he'd found out why he was having
problems ... evidently the first 4,000 copies of the game have a
duff disk so he's had to organise a patch. As he said, the last
four games he has played have needed patches to make them
playable:  both Ultima Underworlds (see his review this issue),
7th Guest and now Elder Scrolls. So, be warned!!

JJ told me a bit more about the problems with Elder Scrolls over
the 'phone. The patch is intended to fix a lot of problems. For
example, the fact that 7 locations can vanish from your map (!),
problems with the mouse cursor, 15 spelling errors (James said he
has noticed more than 15), some monster/player interaction
problems, sound problems and missing quest items. It will also
have improved memory management. As I said to James, I think it is
disgusting when you think of the amount we pay for these games and
yet some companies virtually expect the players to playtest them!
Okay, minor bugs are forgivable but locations and quest objects
vanishing .. uh huh. If the game can't be finished due to one of
these major bugs, why didn't anyone notice?  A postscript:
Mongoose rang early July and said that even WITH the patch, the
game still crashes and has bugs - keys are found in the wrong
place - others can't be found etc etc.

Talking of RPGs, the idea of trying one for the first time can be
rather daunting for someone who hasn't tried one before. What is
manna? What are hit points? Why can't certain classes use certain
armour or weapons? What does it mean when you equip items? And how
do you get started? If some keen RPGer reading this would like to
write a 'Beginner's Guide to RPGs' explaining the basics, it would
be very useful.

Back to Mongoose; he also told me a friend of his is in the
process of setting up a bulletin board and wondered if a SynTax
forum would be a good idea so people could quickly get in touch
with each other, swap hints and generally help each other out.
Mongoose said he has thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration between
himself, MerC and James over Elder Scrolls. I know I have always
enjoyed 'joint adventuring' with a friend. The last time I did
that was with Grue, playing Companions of Xanth and then he forged
ahead so quickly I didn't see him for dust!  If the forum could be
arranged, how many of you would be interested?  I don't even know
how many of you have modems. Alternatively, I would like to
suggest a proper contacts list - phone numbers and home towns of
readers who would like to get into contact with people with a
similar taste in games, playing a particular game, using the same
machine, living in the same area or whatever. This would not be
the same as the Helpline list where people are offering general
help. If you'd like to go on the list, let me know and send me
whatever details you'd like included.

Ron told me he has got very frustrated with Darkmere because it is
very easy to get killed in it and the program takes 7 minutes to
reload on the Amiga! Needless to say, he has shelved it for the
moment.

What else? The latest bit of technology to hit number 9 is a FAX
machine. It uses the same phone line if you want to FAX anything
to me. I've used it more for photocopying so far which has saved
me several trips up the high street.

Finally, I'm on the look out for some readers to review text Amiga
adventures; if you're interested, let me know.

I think that's about it, except to mention that, with this issue,
SynTax starts its sixth year! Thanks to all of you for making the
mag so much fun to do.
                                                  Sue