Commodore Free 11/Commodore_Free_Issue_11_2007_Commodore_Computer_Club.d64/t.iv james

Text File | 2023-02-26 | 13KB | 439 lines

u            Interview with
            James Monkman
      RGCD Disk Magazine Editor
            www.rgcd.co.uk

Q-Please introduce yourself & RGCD
(Retro Gamer CD) to our readers.

A-Hi, I'm James the editor of RGCD - an
html-based discmag dedicated to retro
gaming, especially with regard to new
game releases for old hardware. Among
other things I make a living out of
DJing old-school funk 45's, soul &
hiphop in various clubs & bars down in
Southwest England (hence my myspace
page & 'Heavy Stylus' handle), but my
main love in life aside from music is
for the 8/16Bit home computers that I
grew up with. In all, I'm a self-
confessed geek, but hey, I guess anyone
reading a C= magazine in 2007 must be
able to relate to that(!) Oh, & I'm 28
year's old, married with a kid on the
way.

RGCD was initially something that I
started purely for my own enjoyment I
wanted an outlet to practice my writing
(*another* hobby of mine) & I've been a
fan of diskmags since my disk-swapping
days of the Atari & Amiga 16-Bit
computers so it seemed the logical
choice. RGCD was originally planned as
a sort of unofficial companion to
Imagine Publishing's Retro Gamer mag,
but that was a no-go (hence the dis-
claimer at the bottom of each page) &
as a result the project evolved into
the multi-format review platform that
it is today.

Soon after starting development, ZX
Spectrum & VIC20 enthusiast SirClive
joined the team, & since the 1st issue
the team has grown to a total of 8
members - including Cosine's T.M.R
(Jason Kelk) who some of your readers
probably know. With the 1st issue down-
loaded 1000's of times (both ISO & ZIP
versions) & positive feedback from all
around the world I'm really proud to
have started the magazine & hope that
it'll continue for many, many issues.

Q-So the magazine is a HTML version,
what prompted the decision of a HTML
magazine?

Yes, it's written in HTML, & before
anyone flames me I *AM* aware that the
ISO nature of the mag is an awkward &
potentially unfriendly format to choose

The main reason for choosing

HTML is that I lack the ability to code
a proper, traditional diskmag interface
- believe me, if I could do it I would.
I also lack PDF experience & tools, so
that was a non-starter (although if
someone wants to create a PDF version
of RGCD they are more than welcome.)

The actual template for the mag was
created by RGCD's web guru Elliot
Taylor. I just cut-and-paste & edit
bits using my limited HTML 'skills',
which is the reason why the magazine
format is universal on every page :oP

Q-So is the CD free to download? Why
didn't you charge for the CD?

A-Yes, & I've no plans to charge for
downloads in the future either even if
RGCD suddenly becomes a massively
popular worldwide phenomenon (which it
won't). You can quote me on that! With
regard to charging for the 'CD', one
of the possibilities that we are
considering as a team is actually
offering a subscription service,
selling limited runs of professionally
presented & printed CD copies & mailing
them out to subscribers for a very
reasonable low unit-price (plus P&P).
However, we won't be able to offer this
for some time yet.

Q-The disk is in an ISO format, so
users download the iso image & then use
whatever software they have to create a
readable cd, is that the way it works?

A-For the full-fat version of the
magazine, yes. The whole concept of the
comprehensive, all-inclusive discmag
approach came from my love of diskmags
on the old 16-Bit Amiga & Atari

- as mentioned above, I would have
preferred it if I could have created a
proper user interface for the magazine
rather than using HTML. Potential
readers have three choices; they can
either download the 'Lite' version of
each issue (containing just the
magazine articles & weighing in at
about 10MB zipped), download the .ISO
(issues 01 & 02 are both under 200MB
each) & either burn it to a CDR or
mount the image on a virtual drive
using Daemon Tools, Microsoft XP
Virtual CD-ROM or similar application.
For those who choose to burn a physical
copy I've included standard jewel-case
size artwork to print out (both hosted
on the website & from issue 02 onwards,
also on the CD).

Q-Will there ever be a printed version
for sale?

No - I lack the financial backing,
means or experience required to create
a printed paper-based magazine.

Q-What sets you apart from lets say
"Retro Gamer" magazine that is
commercially maintained?

The main difference (aside from the
format) is that RGCD focuses on Modern
homebrew developments for retro
platforms rather than nostalgic
features on games from the golden era
of computer gaming. With Retro Gamer
and Retro Fusion already doing an
excellent job of providing 'real' retro
content in their magazines (& not
forgetting the Retro section of Games
TM), there seemed little point in the
RGCD team pooling our limited resources
& going down the same route. However,
with regard to reviews of new games for
old platforms, RGCD is arguably the
most comprehensive magazine currently
available especially when you take into
consideration that all the games
reviewed are also included on disc.

Q-What formats are covered by the
magazine?

The line up of machines covered changes
from issue to issue as the content is
totally dependant on what games have
been released. With the 8-Bit Spectrum,
C64, MSX, Amstrad & Atari being popular
development platforms RGCD tends to
cover more releases for these than any-
thing else, but we The ethos of the
magazine is to cover games released on
any commercially unsupported console or
computer (including the Dreamcast &
GBA). With the addition of new team
members, our knowledge base is slowly
growing & we are becoming more pro-
ficient at reviewing new titles for a
wider range of machines with each issue

Of course, it would be foolish to omit
the many excellent PC & Mac based
remakes & independent retro-style games
that are released every month after
all, RGCD is a magazine designed to be
read on a modern computer...

Q-Retro gamer seems to focus on what I
would call old games but not retro for
example "the making if tomb raider".
What in your mind makes a game retro?
(for me personally retro is 8 bit)

Personally, I would term a machine as
retro when it is no longer commercially
supported - i.e. you can't buy games
for it in the shops. By my reckoning,
the GBA, Dreamcast, N64 & PS1 are all
now retro platforms. The PC is a little
harder to define, but then I suppose
you would use operating systems (DOS,
Windows 95, etc) as a benchmark.

Q-Following on I don't mind new games
on old hardware, but old games on new
hardware like the PS3 isn't that just
companies making a quick killing?

I don't really see the point in
splashing out c400 for a cutting edge
console & then paying to play Street
Fighter II on it. That's what
emulators are for! The commercial re-
packaging of old franchises is a real
bug-bear of mine - I would much prefer
that publishers invested their money
into indie developers creating new &
original games for current-gen
platforms. There's plenty of talent out
there & no-one is interested in invest-
ing in it.

Q-One problem I have with running a
free magazine is that "real life" gets
in the way. Has this problem hampered
the CD magazine in any way?

Of course! However, I'm pretty
organised with my free time. I don't
tend to play many modern titles
anymore, so my gaming time is now
split between playing retro games &
reviewing them. At the beginning of the
development cycle I tend to review 1 or
2 games a week, then near the release
date I cover up to 6 or 7 - I work
better under pressure(!)

Apart from Issue 03 (which will be
released at Retro North on the 24th of
August see www.retronorth.co.uk for
details), there's not really any
enforced release date; RGCD is ready
when enough articles & reviews have
been completed. With the team growing
in size, future issues should hopefully
be completed within the proposed bi-
monthly target, but for now it's all a
very relaxed affair. I mentioned above
that my wife is pregnant, & I've no
doubt that Real Life will take its toll
when the baby is born...

Q-Who contributes to the magazine? I
did notice Jason Kelk on the writers
list, Readers of Commodore Free will I
am sure recognise Jason from the Hex-
files he kindly let me reprint in C=
Free & some of his C= games & Demos.

The current line up is: James Monkman
(me), Dudley, Ruari O'Toole, SirClive,
T.M.R (Jason Kelk), Travis Fahs, Elliot
Taylor (web designer) & Ethan Worley
(pixel artist). I originally started
with just Elliot & SirClive, & since
then the magazine has attracted several
other members.

Q-Anyone from "retro gamer magazine"
been in contact?

The style of the graphics for example
is very similar. Actually, yes they
have - but not for the reason you're
thinking. Two RG writers have been in
touch asking if they can contribute
articles, so the team may be even
larger by the time issue 3 comes out :)

Q-A nice touch is to be able to print
the CD artwork for the CD case, have
you thought about a separate image for
printable CD roms to print "on disk"?

Nope. I use an archaic TDK LPCW CD
labeller (Google it) to print on my
CD's, so I've no need to create a
separate image for the CD. If someone
Could provide me with a basic template
I'd consider it though.

Q-The website looks very professional
were there problems with its design?

Yes -it took absolutely ages to create.
Elliot (the web designer) is an old
friend & created the HTML template as a
favor (on the cheap) - & unfortunately
as a result the project was low
priority for him compared with his
proper paid IT work. However, we're
both really pleased with the final
result & he's really quick at modifying
bits & fixing bugs.

Q-You must have a favorite game can you
tell our reader what are your top 5 &
maybe your top 5 platforms?

Oh crikey - that's a hard one. In no
particular order, 5 of my all-time
favourite games are...

1. Uridium
2 (Amiga 1200),
2. Cave Story (PC),
3. Star Control 2 (PC),
4. Metal Slug 3 (Arcade),
5. jet Set Radio (Dreamcast)

If I was stuck a desert island with
these I'd be happy). Machine wise, my
top 5 would be:

1. PC (essential for emulation!),
2. Amiga 1200,
3. Atari Mega STE,
4. C=64,
5. Sega Dreamcast.

Technically I prefer the Atari to the
Amiga (because it's MUCH easier to use
& configure), but for games the A1200
always comes out on top...

Q-In a recent email you confessed to
owning a C=64. Have you looked at
operating systems like GEOS/Wheels &
Wings or are you a Games fanatic only?

A-Confessed? Hey, I'm PROUD to own a
C64! :) In answer to your question, I
bought it solely to play games & scene
demos on real hardware - I've purchased
an MMC64 cart (which I'll be reviewing
in the next issue) & an old 1541 too.
It's great messing around with it - I
always wanted one as a kid.

Q-Do you think there is a market for
another games system or maybe an Amiga
1200 / Atari1024 style computer/gaming
platform?

Maybe, but only in the form of an FPGA,
like with the C-One. I recently found
out about the Bazix one-chip MSX

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1chip
MSX)

A really neat way of presenting a
system-on-a-chip in a design that can
still use the console's original
peripherals but with USB, S-Video, VGA,
PS/2 & SD compatibility. This is the
future of retro gaming. I really wish
someone would re-model the C-One is the
same way, creating a new system that
retains compatibility with old
peripherals.

Obviously, a new Atari or Amiga system
in the same format as the one-chip MSX
would be the ultimate in new-retro
gaming hardware.

Q-Have you seen the Commodore gaming
computers, do you think you would be
tempted to purchase on of these systems
over say a Dell or Gateway badged
machine?

Yes, I've seen a few pictures & read
about them online. However, as I have
no interest in buying a PC to play
*new* hardware- intensive games I'd
have little use for the power these
systems offer.

Q-Back to the magazine, is there some-
way our user can help for example cont-
ributing articles or links to new games
on older hardware?

I'd be especially interested in hearing
from anyone who'd be interested in
creating a PDF version of the magazine,
but aside from that we are still
looking for more writers to join the
RGCD team.

Q-Maybe our reader is an arty type &
has a great logo or cover designer
would these be accepted?

Again, any help or contributions would
be appreciated. The long term goal of
RGCD is for it to become a community
project - & for that to happen we need
a much bigger team.

Q-Will you be accepting donations?

A-Yes, in fact I've just added a PayPal
donate button. We've had a total of 0
donated so far !

Q-With the magazine being HTML you need
a machine to view it is there an option
to print out all the pages or a select-
ion of pages to "read in the bath" or
"on the train going to work"?

A-Not at the moment I'm afraid. A PDF
version would be the solution, but
until someone joins the team to assist
with this RGCD will remain a PC-based
magazine.

C= Free I wish you luck with the
magazine, Its a great gesture to the
retro community

Thanks