Editorial

For various reasons, I am putting this issue of SynTax together
early. Alan gets back from two weeks away (Chicago and Malta) on
August 26th and then starts 2 weeks holiday - plus on 6th
September I have to have some fairly major dental work done and
getting the mag ready early is my insurance that it will all go
smoothly!  As a result, some contributions which may have been
expected in this issue will have to be put back until next.

I had several phone calls after Issue 31 from readers who said -
great idea about putting a free ad in our local paper for SynTax!
Thanks to everyone who is going to do this for me and I'll let you
know what response I get.

My Mum was responsible for finding last issue's 'deliberate
mistake'. The Innocent Until Caught solution wouldn't load on the
ST. I didn't expect anyone else to let me know as the game isn't
available on the ST, but Mum has a PC too. The reason it wouldn't
work is because, due to the way the file was laid out, it was just
too long. There is a restriction on the number of lines in files
for the ST version and this usually equates to file size. I
checked the ten largest files and they were fine so I assumed they
all were ... but though the IUC solution wasn't huge, it went over
a large number of lines. So, I have put a reformatted version of
the file on this disk; ST owners should copy it onto their issue
31 disk and it will then run fine. PC and Amiga owners can just
ignore it.

I am still plugging away at Shadow of Yserbius, and still
thoroughly enjoying it, though it's getting REALLY hard now with
some very vicious fights against gangs of monsters. I have been
writing up a solution as I go (very efficient for me!) and also
drawing maps, and Alex has been converting the maps onto PC disk.
I am starting to serialise the solution/maps this issue as it's a
long game. Now I HAVE to complete it! There is a slight hitch in
that I have used some symbols which Alex hadn't previously used
and in order to get to them, he told me he has had to change his
config.sys country code to the UK one. Now that won't affect most
of the PC readers but those who live abroad might find a few
oddities in the maps. To change it, all you need to do is put the
code to 044, code page 437, ie COUNTRY = 044,437, to get the full
benefit of Alex's art work! Check your DOS manual to get full
details.

Alex is still keen to convert other readers' maps so send any into
me that can be used and I'll forward them. He asked me to point
out that:
1) maps in Dungeon Master style or like Xeen which use blocks
   as walls, may not be larger (from left to right) than 32
   locations, as each block takes two letter places. This means
   32*2=64, for the outside walls he can then use just a half
   block so 64+2=66, since this is the maximum width that can
   be used.
2) maps like the one from Shadow of Yserbius in Bard's Tale style
   which use lines for walls rather than blocks may not be larger
   then 16 positions from left to right, as each position takes up
   four letter places. This means 16*4=64, add two places for both
   the outside walls and you have 66.

3) from top to bottom there is no restriction, this can be as
   large as the file.

Now some possibly disturbing news. Ron Rainbird has a friend in a
computer shop who told him that they have had complaints about
Amiga games being faulty. They belong to the Calculus group and
have been told by head office to ease up on stocking Amiga games.
Ron's interpretation of this is that there is something wrong
with the pressing of Amiga disks ... he has had several faulty
ones lately. Have any other Amiga users had similar problems?
Ron told me over the phone that he has been playing Heimdall 2 and
finding it very hard, even with the help of Andy's solution which
I am starting to serialise this issue. He enjoyed Heimdall 1 a lot
but has found 2 very user unfriendly; for example, he has found
the icons for spell casting very small. All in all, he said he
hasn't found it in the class of the original.

Several people have told me how useful they found the full index
of SynTax. So I have put it in again this issue. The only problem
is the space it takes up - do you mind? Perhaps you'd let me know
so I can decide whether to put it in every issue, every other
issue, every six months or whatever.

Until next issue ... keep healthy and happy.

                                          Sue













                              - o -