Letters @~Any letters or e-mails received on an adventuring-related topic @~may be reprinted in here unless marked 'not for publication'. ------------------------------------------------------------------ From Andrew Weilochowski by email I've recently been thinking about the paper version of SynTax. I probably won't take it, but I believe that it is a good idea, because many people will probably prefer a magazine because it isn't as much strain on the eyes and you can read while you're at the opticians, dentist, in the car, shoe shop. If you get my meaning. I'll enquire around and see if any friends will be interested in a paper version. @~And later ... Skinner down here in South Wales. Says quote -"I'm interested, yeah!" - regarding the question: quote - "Skinner, would you be interested in a magazine as in paper, version of SynTax". @~ ... ----------------------------------------------------------------- @~Now some news from John Ferris by email Oh yes, The Masterpieces of Infocom package is available for the PC/MAC from Electronic Boutique (a high street retailer) for œ9.95. Activision has released it under the "Essentials Collection". It's missing Hitchikers and I dunno about the packaging. I have bought it but I can't open it until Christmas Day as it's a present from my Brother. A total of 30 games, although the three Zorks can be downloaded from Activision these days. @~I remember paying a LOT for the package on import several years @~ago (and no, I haven't finished all the games ...) ------------------------------------------------------------------ From Peter Clark by email Just a quick update on the state of ACE which my son is writing on the PC. Beta testing is being carried out by Larry Horsfield and Karen Tyers as well as myself. A working version (as far as it went) was on show at the Adventure Probe Convention and already a couple of updates have been made. All is going well and a final version should be available sometime in the new year. I will keep you updated. ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~Now the Win98 saga continues ... From MerC via email I thought I'd just drop you an e-line or two after a quick look through this month's SynTax. As with all the computer mags I subscribe to, the first place I turn to is the letters section, and it was pleasing to note the number in SynTax this time. My main reason for writing, though, is to disagree (pleasantly but firmly) with our Scandinavian brother who seems to find Windows 98 so daunting. My system is only a PR-233 Cyrix, so it is not exactly at the cutting edge of technology (in fact it does not even begin to approach entry level). However, I will say unequivocally that Windows 98 is worth having, especially : i. if you're upgrading from 3.1 ii. if you are on-net and iii. if (like me) you're a control freak who likes to customise everything and tweak the rest. The problem is (and it is no small one) that to get everything meshed and working takes time and trouble - and I think that what people object to is their having to struggle with it. Expectation exceeds performance. Like learning to drive, though, once you've cracked it, it's useful for the rest of your life. Of course, you can't expect obsolescent hardware to work with a modern OS, though most of it does. I use a scanner, colour printer, CD Writer, 56k Modem, removeable HDD, Graphics Accelerator Card, and A3D Sound, as well as the other usual stuff - and no hardware problem has arisen that the latest driver has not been able to deal with. I do not have USB peripherals, SCSI devices or AGP ports - all of which are supposed to make the later systems faster and even more reliable. All this is not to say that I installed 98 first time with no hitch. After trying it over my (highly modified) 95 system, I eventually gave up and did it from scratch. I now have a better and faster Internet access, a great deal of on-line technical and update help, fully cusomisable folders, plenty of parameters to screw up my system with, and a slight but working knowledge of HTML. Should it be required, I would also have extensive guidance on what and what not to do. You get your hand held and your nose wiped. 98 is a nanny! Was it worth the œ70? Well, yes, but if you are already running 95 and have no intention of going on-line, probably not. MerC's Tips to Installing 98 Without Tears (but plenty of blood and sweat) a. If you are new(ish) to PCs, get someone knowledgeable to help you - or at least have a handy contact. b. Upgrading 98-wards is not something to be underaken lightly. Undertake it heavily. c. Have plenty of RAM (32Mb min) and HD space (varies according to the size of the back-up-in-case-everything-goes-pear-shaped you want to make) d. If you can, install as far as making the Start-up disc, then stop. Empty the boot partition (backing up where necessary) and start again from the floppy. You will need your original 3.1 or 95 discs if you have the upgrade version of 98. Plain sailing from then on :-) Didn't I write an article in the last issue about this? P.S. A big thank you to those lovely people who wrote nice things about the SynTax 50 CD. ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~Now an email from: Bev Truter, Australia Re John Ferris' review of the PAG game MISSION'S END - the one where he wanted to know how to get rid of the werewolf. I played this game ages ago, and finished it, and from my dim and distant memory I seem to recall having to use the transformation gun on myself, to turn myself into a werewolf - bit of a novel twist, that! Sorry, but that's about all I can remember of it. ----------------------------------------------------------------- @~And some helpful info from Vic Horsley, Haverfordwest For Graham Raven and anyone else interested. Regarding your ad in Issue 57 (sales/wants/swaps) for A Bard's Tale Construction Set, if all else fails think about purchasing The Ultimate RPG Archives from Interplay. There are 11 great games plus the construction set on 5 CDs, all packed in a neat wallet. Manuals are all together as one book. The price back in Jan '98 was œ29.99 plus œ2.00 postage (œ31.99) Games are: Stonekeep, The Bard's Tale, The Bard's Tale II, The Bard's Tale III, The Bard's Tale Construction Set, Ultima Underworld I & II, Dragon Wars, Wasteland, Might and Magic:World of Xeen (2 games), Wizardry Gold. Telephone Interplay on 01628 423 723 (can be purchased direct). Can be played on a 386 and up. ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~From an email Nick Edmunds, Worcester Paper SynTax - hmmm, maybe for special editions, eg, issue 50, Christmas special? ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~And finally ... From Michael Raven, 17 Melton Fields, Brickyard Lane, North Ferriby, East Yorkshire HU14 3HE You'll have recently received a review of ADOM, an ASCII-graphics DOS game, the review by Graham Raven (my dad!). @~Printed this issue One of the problems he commented on to me was that if you saved a game and died, the save game was deleted and you lost the character. I worked out a way to get round this, and supplied it to him, simplified. Perhaps readers of SynTax would be interested in the solution? I can supply a floppy disk with the solution files on, so that you can save and restore files to protect them from deletion, plus a fixer to get ADOM back on its feet should it crash in the middle of a game. œ1.50 in cash, postal order or cheques made payable to 'Michael Raven' are fine. Six blank floppy disks will do as payment too. the address is as above. I hope this offer will be of use to your readers. On the ADOM disk, I'll also put some of my programs and games on, to fill it up. @~It sounds very useful, thanks, Michael! - o -