Editorial

I'm sitting writing this on a blustery September morning, grey
clouds scudding across the sky, rain beating against the windows
thinking - so much for the weather ... thank goodness for
computers! At least when life and the British weather get too
much we can escape to more interesting places, see fantastic
sights, and do things we'd never dream of in "real" life. I am
currently totally hooked on Might and Magic VI which will be at
the top of my new Top Ten, I'm sure, unless something goes
seriously wrong before the end. I still have a long way to go, but
I'm enjoying the trip. The game is very atmospheric, especially
the dungeon areas, and I would highly recommend it to any RPGers
who haven't yet tried it.

But, back briefly to "real" life or, at least, other
computer-related aspects of it. For those of you who haven't been
able to get hold of Form@t Power in your local newsagents, it is
also in Game and Electronics Boutique and hopefully will be in
Smiths soon.

Last issue I announced a competition to win a copy of the Zenobi
Spectrum Collection on CD, generously provided by John Wilson. I
asked you to write to me or e-mail me with a list of as many words
as you could make from the words ZENOBI SOFTWARE.

Now, I'll admit I'm not brilliant at puzzles like this and I had
no idea how many words there'd be ... maybe a few hundred. Wr-ong!
I should have just said ZENOBI! Even that would have been a
challenge. Only three readers had a go. Amanda Oliver sent me an
amazing 296 words. Enough you'd think? But along came Jenny Perry
who only slowed down when she got to 600 words. Was that the end?
Nope! Along came Steve Provost who sent a massive 834 words!

My commiserations to Amanda and Jenny who had really good entries
but well done to Steve - I hope you'll enjoy the games on the CD.

We should have another competition NEXT issue, with a great prize
donated by Richard Hunt who takes the magazine in the States.

Remember, if you want to get software from there, Richard is the
chap to contact! Check out his details in the Adverts section.

Now, after my disaster when I lost the adventure I was writing
using The Adventurer because I forgot to back it up before
reformatting my hard disk (doh!), I've gone back to it, using TADS
which I much prefer. PC owners who enjoy text adventures will be
pleased to know that Jean Childs, who wrote two games for the ST
using STAC, is converting one of them, Excuse Me, Do You Have the
Time? to the PC using TADS. She is getting on really well with it,
and asked if I would put in a request for playtesters. If you'd
like to playtest the game when the time comes, please contact Jean
at 24 Waverley Road, Bagshot, Surrey GU19 5JL, or you can tell me.
The game will either be posted or emailed to you, whichever is
easiest.

Next, Amiga users! or anyone else who 'knows'. I understand that 
Amiga users can save text files to PC disk using a program called 
CrossDOS but I might be completely wrong. Is it PD/shareware? 
Where can I get hold of it? Thanks.

Finally, another question for you. As you know, SynTax has been
going for almost ten years now, and I am very pleased with the way
the readership has grown over the years. But I know a number of
people stopped taking it, or didn't start in the first place,
because they prefer a magazine on paper - they say it's more
accessible, more portable, you don't have to stop playing a game
to load the disk and check out a solution, etc. So I am
considering bringing out a paper-based version of SynTax AS WELL
as the disk version.  Let me repeat that, the disk version will
keep going! Have no doubts about that ... but the paper version
will be there as well for those who prefer it.

So, if it happens, what will it be like? In appearance, it will be
A5, spiral bound, along the same lines as Red Herring for those of
you who took that when Marion and I edited it in 1993/4. In
content it will contain the same reviews, articles, solutions,
hints and (probably) graphics, but the Information section will be
cut back. There wouldn't be room to list all the library disks,
solutions etc every time, so a separate booklet (like the SynDex)
would be provided with the first issue, then updates given each
issue. It would come out up to 2 weeks after the disk version, to
give me time to lay it out, print it and bind it. It would
probably sell for œ4.50 so would be slightly dearer than the disk
version, but I can't say for certain until I make a dummy issue.
And the first issue would probably be early next year. I would
like to know what you feel about it, so if you are contacting me
over any subject during the next 2 months, please let me know what
you think about it.

In case anyone wonders, in regard to the SynTax CD, taking the
paper version would make you eligible for the CD, just as the disc
version does, so you could take the paper version but then also
buy the CD update.

So, please let me know what you think. On that thoughtful note,
I'll stop typing and head back into the wilds of Enroth, sword in
hand, off on my next quest! Until next time ...
                                                       Sue
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