Missing Magazine: Game Player's PC Entertainment

[kitsunebi]

Good catch. I just fixed it in the gallery, but it'll have to be fixed in the download manager as well.

 

Yes, but as I said, no one has been assigned as moderators for those newly created sections, we'll have to wait for one of the curators to either correct it themselves or else assign moderators to those sections so someone else can do it.  It's one of the flaws of the site's software that blanket permissions cannot be given over an entire section, so even if a certain group (like database mods) has moderation rights over every category in the download section (which we do), whenever a new category is created in that section (even if we created it ourselves), we have no rights in that category until one of the curators assigns us to it.  So basically, all permissions have to run through them first.

 

 

Another issue up!

https://archive.org/...ls/GPPCEVol5No5

https://community.re...september-1992/

 

Added to the database.

 

You should make new release posts for these!

[E-Day]

Done.  I also corrected the vol/no info for Game Player's PC Entertainment Vol 5 No 2 (which had been listed as Vol5 no 3) and fixed the database on the back end so that the issues would display in the correct order (they were backwards).

 

That was my fault. For some reason I got confused and took the 03 from the filename for March and used it as the volume number. Thanks for fixing it. I hate  doing the database stuff. If you're feeling adventurous, we need the six issues for Game Player's PC Strategy Guide for 1991 (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov)

[kitsunebi]

I uploaded all 5 issues of Kiwi's Game Player's PC Strategy Guide and added those plus marktrade's issue to the database.

Did some minor fixes to Kiwi's issues before uploading, the most significant change being the removal of a price sticker from the cover of Vol4 No6, which you can see below:

 

Would somebody else like to make a new release post for all of these so we can get them on the main page?

[KiwiArcader]

Good work on that. I tried to remove it before scanning but the glue had hardened and it lifted the ink off so I left it as-is.  

[kitsunebi]

 

Kiwi brought this 'zine up in the shoutbox recently so I thought I'd post my notes.  This list is still early so question everything coming along nicely.

 

I imagine this will be another fluid database entry no matter how many details we can fill in.  Early Game Players issues are not known for their consistency.

 

"You don't own Game Players, son.  Game Players owns you."

 

8/29/16 Update - several confirmations thanks to a back issue list found in v5n6.  The list doesn't confirm issue titles or dates but does confirm volume/number.  I've marked these with an *.  Visually confirmed to exist are in bold.  Preserved issues are noted and linked - thanks marktrade and KiwiArcader!

 

8/30/16 Update - some visual confirmations from kitsunebi77; some date guesswork and confirmed dates; issues of a questionable existence greyed.

 

8/31/16 Update - v4n6 details and more scan links (thanks Kiwi).

 

9/2/16 Update - some additional confirmations (v5n1, v5n5); some date & title guesswork.

 

Game Player's PC Buyer's Guide

• Volume 1 Number 1 1989
• Volume 1 Number 2* (noted in back issue list as "PC Buyer's Guide;" actually TGPGTMCG v1n2 below?)

The Game Player's Guide to MS-DOS Computer Games

• Volume 1 Number 2, Winter 1998 (exist?; actually GPPCBG v1n2 above?)
• v1n3?

Game Player's MS-DOS Strategy Guide (sometimes Game Player's MS-DOS Buyer's Guide?)

• Volume 1 Number 4* (1988?)
• v1n5 - v2n1?

Game Player's PC Strategy Guide

• Volume 2 Number 2* (May/Jun 1989?; display until July 11, 1989)
• Volume 2 Number 3* (Jul/Aug 1989?)
• Volume 2 Number 4* (Sep/Oct 1989?)
• Volume 2 Number 5* (Nov/Dec 1989?; labeled Special Buyer's Guide?)
• v2n?? (highly doubtful; not listed in back issue list)
• Volume 3 Number 1* (Jan/Feb 1990?)
• Volume 3 Number 2* (Mar/Apr 1990?; display until May 15, 1990)
• Volume 3 Number 3* (May/Jun 1990?)
• Volume 3 Number 4* (Jul/Aug 1990?)
• Volume 3 Number 5* (Sep/Oct 1990?)
• Volume 3 Number 6* (Nov/Dec 1990?; labeled Special Buyer's Guide?)
• v3n?? (highly doubtful; not listed in back issue list)
• Volume 4 Number 1* (Jan/Feb 1991) - SCANNED!
• Volume 4 Number 2* (Mar/Apr 1991) - SCANNED!
• Volume 4 Number 3* (May/Jun 1991; display until April 20, 1991) - SCANNED!
• Volume 4 Number 4* (Jul/Aug 1991; display until August 20, 1991) - SCANNED!
• Volume 4 Number 5* (Sep/Oct (1991 in copyright); display until October 22, 1991) - SCANNED!
• Volume 4 Number 6* (internally labeled "1991 PC Buyer's Guide" in lieu of month/year; Nov/Dec 1991 publication window assumed; display until December 7, 1991) - SCANNED!
• Volume 4 Number 7*
• v4n?? (highly doubtful; not listed in back issue list)

Game Players PC Entertainment

• Volume 5 Number 1* (Jan/Feb 1992?; display until March 10, 1992)
• Volume 5 Number 2 (Mar/Apr 1992; display until June 2, 1992) - SCANNED!
• Volume 5 Number 3 (May/Jun 1992; display until July 21, 1992) - SCANNED!
• Volume 5 Number 4 (Jul/Aug 1992) - SCANNED!
• Volume 5 Number 5 (Sep/Oct 1992?; display until November 3, 1992) - SCANNED!
• Volume 5 Number 6 (Nov/Dec 1992; display until January 5, 1993) - SCANNED!
• v5n?? (doubtful given issue dates)
• v6n1? (Jan/Feb 1993?; PC Entertainment Buyer's Guide (aka Buyer's Guide 1992); mentioned in v5n6 editorial as next issue in subscription; v5n7? v6n1? special issue?)
• v6n2? (Mar/Apr 1993?)
• Volume 6 Number 3 (May/Jun 1993; display until July 6, 1993)
• Volume 6 Number 4 (Jul/Aug 1993?)
• Volume 6 Number 5 (Sep/Oct 1993?)
• Volume 6 Number 6 (Nov/Dec 1993; display until Jan 4, 1994)
• v6n? (doubtful given issue dates)
• Volume 7 Number 1 (Jan/Feb 1994)
• Volume 7 Number 2 (Mar/Apr 1994)

 

 

UPDATE!!!  Volume 5 Issue 7 exists and the cover has been added to the gallery and database!  So have the covers for Vol. 6 Issues 3,4 & 6!!

 

All 4 of these covers were hiding in the regular Game Player's gallery, where they had been misfiled for years and gone unnoticed.

 

Even more exciting is the fact that I don't think I'd ever seen the covers for Vol.5 no.7 or Vol.6 No.4 before!

 

And even more exciting than that is that both of those covers were uploaded by our own Areala.  Pleeeeeeeeeease tell me you actually own those issues, oh goddess of the Order of the Cruciform Sword!  Those issues are thin stapled mags that can be scanned on a flatbed without needing to be debound.  I'd gladly pay the round-trip shipping to have them temporarily delivered into the care of someone with a flatbed scanner before being returned to you safe and sound.

[Areala]

UPDATE!!!  Volume 5 Issue 7 exists and the cover has been added to the gallery and database!  So have the covers for Vol. 6 Issues 3,4 & 6!!

 

All 4 of these covers were hiding in the regular Game Player's gallery, where they had been misfiled for years and gone unnoticed.

 

Even more exciting is the fact that I don't think I'd ever seen the covers for Vol.5 no.7 or Vol.6 No.4 before!

 

And even more exciting than that is that both of those covers were uploaded by our own Areala.  Pleeeeeeeeeease tell me you actually own those issues, oh goddess of the Order of the Cruciform Sword!  Those issues are thin stapled mags that can be scanned on a flatbed without needing to be debound.  I'd gladly pay the round-trip shipping to have them temporarily delivered into the care of someone with a flatbed scanner before being returned to you safe and sound.

 

I do indeed own these issues (virtually everything I've uploaded cover scans for are issues/books I actually own). I'm not sure where they are at the moment, and I scanned them quite a while ago, but I'll work on finding them. I have the most scatter-brained office imaginable.

 

*huggles*

Areala

[kitsunebi]

I do indeed own these issues (virtually everything I've uploaded cover scans for are issues/books I actually own). I'm not sure where they are at the moment, and I scanned them quite a while ago, but I'll work on finding them. I have the most scatter-brained office imaginable.

 

*huggles*

Areala

 

So...happy...right...now........

 

A...and...if you happen to find any other Game Players PC Strategy Guide/PC Entertainment issues we don't have scanned...c...could you....?....would you....?

 

I don't have a flatbed scanner anymore or I'd even offer to do it myself, shipping to Japan and back be damned.  But I'm sure somebody who appreciates these mags would be happy to step up to the plate (marktrade?)  Anything I can do to facilitate things, let me know.

[Areala]

So...happy...right...now........

 

A...and...if you happen to find any other Game Players PC Strategy Guide/PC Entertainment issues we don't have scanned...c...could you....?....would you....?

 

I don't have a flatbed scanner anymore or I'd even offer to do it myself, shipping to Japan and back be damned.  But I'm sure somebody who appreciates these mags would be happy to step up to the plate (marktrade?)  Anything I can do to facilitate things, let me know.

 

First you have to take back all the dirty, evil things you said about visual novels in that other thread.

 

I dug through my horde. I have five issues of Game Players PC Entertainment. Two of them are already available here (Vol. 5, No. 6 and Vol. 6, No. 1), but I have Vol. 5 No. 7, and Vol. 6 Nos. 3 and 4.

 

I have no issues of Game Players PC Strategy Guide, at least that I'm aware of, but I did uncover the Spring, 1993 issue of InterAction which is also listed as missing from our DB. (I have the Winter, 1992 issue as well, but it's missing the cover.).

 

If somebody's interested in putting these on the pile, send me a PM. Worst-case scenario, I'll send them to Kitsu-chan's mom and she can put them in her next care package so he can read them.

 

*huggles*

Areala

[kitsunebi]

First you have to take back all the dirty, evil things you said about visual novels in that other thread.

 

I dug through my horde. I have five issues of Game Players PC Entertainment. Two of them are already available here (Vol. 5, No. 6 and Vol. 6, No. 1), but I have Vol. 5 No. 7, and Vol. 6 Nos. 3 and 4.

 

I have no issues of Game Players PC Strategy Guide, at least that I'm aware of, but I did uncover the Spring, 1993 issue of InterAction which is also listed as missing from our DB. (I have the Winter, 1992 issue as well, but it's missing the cover.).

 

If somebody's interested in putting these on the pile, send me a PM. Worst-case scenario, I'll send them to Kitsu-chan's mom and she can put them in her next care package so he can read them.

 

*huggles*

Areala

 

I didn't mean any disrespect to visual novels - I've "played" my share of them - I just consider them a somewhat separate category from regular video games.  But for the sake of 3 issues (!) of Game Players PC Entertainment, I'll call them whatever you want me to.

 

I've got that issue of Interaction as well, and a bunch of others besides...somewhere in storage.  I'm actually thinking of rummaging around a bit when I visit home over the holidays.  I might bring a mag or two back with me to scan so I can contribute something other than Japanese mags for a change.

 

As for the mags you found, I'd gladly take them to scan (and would pay for the shipping), but I have no way of scanning them without debinding the pages.  My flatbed scanner was part of an all-in-one inkjet printer, but when the waste ink pad became full a while back, the printer's functions (including the scanner) became locked until the waste pad was replaced.  Visiting the company's website, their advice for when the printer reaches this state was basically: "you should buy a new printer since the cost of replacing the waste ink pad is about the same as the cost of the printer."  Vowing to never own an inkjet printer again, I bought a color LED printer which I'm happy with, but it doesn't have a flatbed scanner, so I'm left with just the Scansnap that I use to scan all my mags.  So unless you don't want the mags back or don't mind getting them back as a bunch of loose pages, you'd be better off finding someone else to scan them.

[marktrade]

I'd be willing to scan them, but I can't promise they'd be done anytime soon. Took me over eight months to scan a 44-page magazine on a flatbed, lol.

[kitsunebi]

I'd be willing to scan them, but I can't promise they'd be done anytime soon. Took me over eight months to scan a 44-page magazine on a flatbed, lol.

 

My god, man!  That's slightly faster than one page per week!  You'd better slow down or you'll burn yourself out!

 

I scanned and edited the entirety of the first issue of Famitsu on a flatbed, but before releasing it I bought my document scanner and ended up re-scanning and re-editing the whole thing since the ScanSnap got better results.  It's kind of amazing how slow flatbed scanners are.  You'd think the slower the scan, the better, but nope...

[Areala]

I didn't mean any disrespect to visual novels - I've "played" my share of them - I just consider them a somewhat separate category from regular video games.  But for the sake of 3 issues (!) of Game Players PC Entertainment, I'll call them whatever you want me to.

 

I've got that issue of Interaction as well, and a bunch of others besides...somewhere in storage.  I'm actually thinking of rummaging around a bit when I visit home over the holidays.  I might bring a mag or two back with me to scan so I can contribute something other than Japanese mags for a change.

 

As for the mags you found, I'd gladly take them to scan (and would pay for the shipping), but I have no way of scanning them without debinding the pages.  My flatbed scanner was part of an all-in-one inkjet printer, but when the waste ink pad became full a while back, the printer's functions (including the scanner) became locked until the waste pad was replaced.  Visiting the company's website, their advice for when the printer reaches this state was basically: "you should buy a new printer since the cost of replacing the waste ink pad is about the same as the cost of the printer."  Vowing to never own an inkjet printer again, I bought a color LED printer which I'm happy with, but it doesn't have a flatbed scanner, so I'm left with just the Scansnap that I use to scan all my mags.  So unless you don't want the mags back or don't mind getting them back as a bunch of loose pages, you'd be better off finding someone else to scan them.

 

I'm happy to send them to anyone who will scan them. I don't have any real attachment to them, so if they needed to be debound for the sake of preservation, I'm fine with not getting them back.

 

*huggles*

Areala

[marktrade]

On 8/28/2016 at 10:39 PM, RetroDefense said:

Game Player's PC Buyer's Guide

• Volume 1 Number 1 1989 (exist?)
• Volume 1 Number 2* (noted in back issue list as "PC Buyer's Guide;" actually TGPGTMCG v1n2 below?)

The Game Player's Guide to MS-DOS Computer Games

• Volume 1 Number 2, Winter 1998 (exist?; actually GPPCBG v1n2 above?)
• v1n3? (exist?)

Volume 1 Number 2 exists as "The Game Player's Guide to MS-DOS Computer Games" and has been scanned!

https://archive.org/details/GPGMSDOSCGVol1No2

[Areala]

21 minutes ago, marktrade said:

Volume 1 Number 2 exists as "The Game Player's Guide to MS-DOS Computer Games" and has been scanned!

https://archive.org/details/GPGMSDOSCGVol1No2

That is...an enormous download. My ISP's going to wonder about me.

*huggles*
Areala

[kitsunebi]

9 minutes ago, Areala said:

That is...an enormous download. My ISP's going to wonder about me.

*huggles*
Areala

Hah, that's nothing.  I finally bit the bullet and downloaded marktrade's Dreamcast Fan (1.3 GIGABYTES!!!).  Then I ran it through Photoshop, changing the size to 2500px high.  Now it's only 221 MB and looks exactly the same to my eyes.

[Areala]

3 minutes ago, kitsunebi77 said:

Hah, that's nothing.  I finally bit the bullet and downloaded marktrade's Dreamcast Fan (1.3 GIGABYTES!!!).  Then I ran it through Photoshop, changing the size to 2500px high.  Now it's only 221 MB and looks exactly the same to my eyes.

Good lord, what were the image dimensions before that?

*huggles*
Areala

[kitsunebi]

Just now, Areala said:

Good lord, what were the image dimensions before that?

*huggles*
Areala

Marktrade only releases in 600dpi now, so between 6000-7000 px high, I think?  I reconvert all of them to 2500 for my personal collection.

[marktrade]

Remember you can just download the 30 MB PDF to save space! Perfectly readable and searchable too. You don't have to download anything and can read the magazine right in the browser.

The 600 dpi master file is large as to accommodate OCR, deriving text files, and future-proofing. It's not intended for personal collections.

[kitsunebi]

3 minutes ago, marktrade said:

Remember you can just download the 30 MB PDF to save space! Perfectly readable and searchable too. You don't have to download anything and can read the magazine right in the browser.

As an experiment I just downloaded the PDF of the Dreamcast Fan issue.  It takes my PDF reader a couple of seconds to render each page as I flip through (at first each page is just a blurry mess).  Super inconvenient for reading purposes.  If that was my only goal, I'd just use the reader at archive.org and not download anything at all.  I think I'll stick to converting them into smaller CBRs of archival quality.  It's quick and easy with photoshop, and bandwidth and download speeds aren't a problem for me, so I'd rather have a copy that looks the best it can (without being too excessive in size).

[marktrade]

There might be some PDF rendering options you can futz with to make it easier. It's certainly a downside of PDF that they are not rendered the same in all programs.

Anyway, back on topic, I have another issue coming in the mail, Game Player's PC Strategy Guide Volume 2 Number 2.

[kitsunebi]

4 minutes ago, marktrade said:

Anyway, back on topic, I have another issue coming in the mail, Game Player's PC Strategy Guide Volume 2 Number 2.

And I'll have Game Players PC Entertainment Volume 6 Number 4 uploaded in the next day or two (the final of the 3 issues I got from Areala).  Let's get this series licked!

[RetroDefense]

On 2/3/2017 at 5:38 PM, marktrade said:

Volume 1 Number 2 exists as "The Game Player's Guide to MS-DOS Computer Games" and has been scanned!

https://archive.org/details/GPGMSDOSCGVol1No2

Updated the running list with this and some other odds and ends.  Thanks, marktrade!

[kitsunebi]

Here's most of the cover to Vol.1 No.1 of Game Player's PC Buyer's Guide (display until May 9, 1989):

 

[kitsunebi]

And here's Game Player's PC Strategy Guide Vol 2 No. 4 (bottom - display until October 31, 1989) and 5 (top - Display until January ? 1990). 

I think the display dates prove that The Game Player's PC Buyer's Guide Vol. 1 No. 1 in the above post is numbered separately from Game Player's MS DOS Strategy Guide, but the "Buyer's Guide" issue below is actually part of the PC Strategy Guide numbering system.  God dammit Game Player's...so confusing.

[RetroDefense]

Updated the running list - thanks @kitsunebi77!