Editorial

After much thought, I've decided that this will be the last issue of
SynTax produced in book form. Sadly the book version didn't have the
take-up that I'd hoped for, and for the small number of readers
taking it, sadly I can't justify the amount of time taken to put it
together though I've tried to for 11 issues. Personally, I love the
book version - I think it looks great, but on the negative side, the
book has also ended up restricting the length of files going into
the disk version. The book is limited to 120 pages and I have to do
the book before the disk, which means everything ends up running
late.  In fact I don't think that mag has been on time since I
introduced the book version. It hasn't been an easy decision to
make, and the few of you who take the book will find a form in with
this issue asking if you want to go to the disk or email version, or
if you'd prefer a refund. I'm sorry to have to let you down by
stopping your preferred format, but I think it's my only option.

On a more positive note, big thanks to everyone who heard my
desperate plea for contributions and came up with reviews,
solutions, hints and articles for this issue of SynTax. I was very
grateful to all of you and I even have a few items left for next
issue. However, they won't last long, so please ... don't stop,
especially with the reviews!

I'm still hooked on Pharaoh when time permits. There's something
about these 'god' games which really grabs me. I had promised a
review of the full game of Traffic Giant after looking at the demo a
couple of issues ago but I've had terrible trouble getting it up and
running. It crashes on both my PCs but is okay on the laptop.  All I
can think is that it doesn't like non-Intel machines, but that isn't
so, according to JoWood, the publishers. I will review it soon, as
far as I can get, but I'd like to warn anyone considering buying it
that it might be another game, like Zeus which Carolyn mentions in
her 'rant' this issue, which is very hard to run without problems.
Has anyone else experience of these or similar games? I'd be
interested to know.

A while ago I told you that Underdogs had been temporarily
withdrawn. Well, it was very temporary because within days it was
back up. But they are being even more careful about possible
copyright problems. It is a fantastic site, well worth visiting if
you're on the net, especially if you would like to play some of the
really old, deleted games. What about the Polarware series,
Amberstar, the Angelsoft games (Goldfinger, The Mist) and all the
Infocom/Legend games? I downloaded Quarterstaff, Infocom's only
Mac-only game, and a Mac emulator, and got it working with lots of
help from Richard Hewison. Neil and I will be playing it at the same
time ... it's a long time since I've done any 'joint adventuring'
and I'm really looking forward to it. Review soon!

Sorry that the planned article on daydreaming didn't get into this 
issue. I went down with a bad case of flu when I was writing it and 
having been laid up since for 10 days, ran out of time to complete it 
and also get Adrian's comments. It will definitely be in May's issue.

See you next issue, when hopefully it'll be a bit warmer!

                                                     Sue
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