Letters @~Any letters sent to me that aren't marked 'not for publication' @~and which deal with adventure-related matters will be considered @~for inclusion, maybe being edited in the process. ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~I heard from all the readers who won awards in last issue's @~Contributor of the Year; here are letters from two of them. From Phil Darke, Camberley What a lovely surprise I had when the postman handed me the package with that splendid figurine. I enjoy contributing to SynTax and had no thought of reward when I sent in those contributions and I just hoped that someone would find them helpful as I have found other people's contributions helpful so many times in the past. Whenever I am stuck in a game I always turn to SynTax first, and I get as much satisfaction from writing about it when I successfully finish a game as in actually playing it. ------------------------------------------------------------------ From Neil Shipman, Coalpit Heath Many thanks for the marvellous Myth and Magic figure you sent as a reward for my contributions to SynTax over the last few years. I didn't think I'd sent in enough over the last 12 months to get me into the top five, but I made it! My 'Proud Pegasus' now stands with the 'Dragon of Wisdom' which you sent back in 1992 and the 'Wizard of Light', my only other figure, casts a spell between them. I've only got these three figures, but the longer I look at them the more inclined I am to start collecting them. Anyway, it's great - and greatly appreciated. I sincerely hope SynTax is still going strong by the time I've clambered up the contributions' ladder one more time! ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~Next, SynTax copyright ... From Steve McLaren, Margate I was absolutely gobsmacked that someone has been using your files and people's hints to upload onto a BBS. What a bloody cheek someone has got to even think about it, let alone actually do it. I do hope that you resolve this and nip it in the bud before it gets too out of hand. @~Well, the BBS has evidently closed so that has removed one @~outlet. Really, though, it's up to readers NOT to do it. I'll @~just have to keep my fingers crossed! I did consider encrypting @~the magazine but it might only create a challenge to someone ... ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~Next, more on copyright and ST coverage. From Linda Turnham, Bexley I was sorry to hear about the breaches of copyright problem and hope your editorial has put the person responsible straight and persuaded them to stop. I know how difficult it is to get material for the ST now and expect anyone else who still has one would agree but I enjoy articles in SynTax for different machines as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~Now a suggestion: From John Gurd, Glasgow Why not have a top ten text adventure games section as they are a very different animal now from their graphical descendants; not just in form and format but also in the type of people likely to produce them? Otherwise text games will appear less and less as they can never match graphics in impact and action but can be as imaginative and thought-provoking. Having said that, Bev Truter seems to have included quite a few in her Top Ten. She lists Red Moon, Emerald Isle, Price of Magic and Lords of Time. Are all of these text games, I know the first is, and how do I get them (or it)? @~There are actually quite a few text games in the Top Ten list, @~many of us have included at least one that we enjoyed. I'm happy @~to include a Text-only Top Ten if people want it. The problem @~is, when do text games become graphic games? That might sound a @~stupid question, but the four games mentioned above actually @~have graphics so aren't strictly text games, though we usually @~count them as such. Emerald Isle was only ever an 8-bit game @~(though would play under emulation, I'm sure) and as Level 9 are @~no longer selling their games, the only way to get hold of them @~now would be secondhand or in a bargain bin as the Time and @~Magik trilogy. ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~Now from the author of the Amiga adventure writing utility, CAT: From Philip Richmond, 66 Staining Road, Blackpool, Lancs, FY3 0AD You might like to mention in the next issue that if any CAT owners would like to update to the latest version (4.5) - which includes the 'Hazardous Holiday' demo text game - they can send their ORIGINAL licenceware disk and a stamped addressed return envelope to me and I will update it free of charge and send it back by return of post. ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~Now a plea for an article and a few other comments from: Brian Burke, Nottingham When I was playing Ultima V and before the damn play disk went belly up (for the second time) I contacted the guy you suggested (but now can't remember his name). He couldn't find his solution at the time I rang but took my number. Later he rang me back and gave me the information I required. He told me he'd been into Compuserve and downloaded the solution. I was mightily impressed and immediately added a Modem to my PC specification which took the price up yet again. The question I'm eventually coming round to is - could one or several of the SynTax Internet cruisers please do an Idiot's Guide to - 1) Hooking up to the Internet or whatever and setting up an E-Mail address etc. 2) Breakdown of Service costs. 3) Which is the best Adventure/RPG/Strategy service. 4) How to download Patches/updates/demos from Game companies. 5) Recommended freebie boards. @~Can anyone help? ... Sue Have you had any thoughts about putting SynTax on-line? @~The PD version of SynTax has been uploaded to various places and @~I'll probably get a new modem some day and go on-line, time @~permitting. Comms can be a very time-consuming hobby if you aren't @~careful! ... Sue again Now just a quick (non-vindictive) response to James "I'm a hypocrite" Judge. Although he doesn't like Dungeon Master as a game, the amount of space he gives it in his RPG article says it all. He's, seemingly inadvertently, paying homage to FTL and their groundbreaking game by acknowledging the fact that many other experienced RPG software companies copied and developed the style. Origin and SSI spring immediately to mind. He even admits that he'll buy and play DM2 although I have to admit that the screenshots I've seen look exactly like the original. I guess the proof will be in the pudding. That reminds me James - try some Humble Pie, I'm sure you'll find it delicious! ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~I'd had problems with one of the Amiga library disks - some @~people could load it, others couldn't. A mystery, until Terry @~Brawls came up with the answer! From Terry Brawls, Port William ... [The disk] had been formatted on an A1200, using one of the new file systems that ONLY A1200s recognise; as far as older Amigas are concerned, it's not a DOS disk at all. I suggest you recommend that, when formatting, people always use DOS\0 (not DOS\5), otherwise A500 and A600 owners are in trouble, unless, of course, the actual programs on the disk ONLY run on the A1200. @~Thanks, Terry. Mystery solved! - o -