VGBounceHouse work-in-progress

[VGBounceHouse]

I'm down to the final 20 pages. When I scan the single page ad I need to repair the one double-page Quarterback Club ad I will also scan the requested pages from EGM 86. Just need to track down the thread to know who to alert that the TIFFs are available for download lol

This file will easily be 1 gig

The 300dpi version is over 3GB at the moment.

That's what I was concerned about. Due to size should we have two versions? On with single pages only and one that offers all the combined images as bonus content? We've never had a scan of this size with all the ads in addition to all the posters and all the double page content combined. I mean on those Video Games magazines from the early 80's that were small it wasn't really a big deal.

I mean on some of the EGM;s I've scanned I did two page combined images but it was usually only 3-4 tops for the whole magazine. This one is going to have like.,, 100 ? I don't know.

As always I will defer to the mods (and community) of RetroMags in assembling the release. Is going with two files even an option? When I run the initial build of the CBR I'll post the size of the file based on the 2200px height I use for resizing for RetroMags.

Well I have the capability, but that isn't the way files are set to open by default on my reader. Displaying two pages side by side so that both are completely visible means that the text will be smaller than I would prefer. I can change the way it's displayed via a menu, but frankly changing the display method back and forth every time I hit connected pages is more trouble than it's worth. Since cbr is really designed for comics, it's primarily used to read single pages from top to bottom. All comics released these days with two-page spreads assume the reader will be set to display single pages only, so only the joined image is included, and it's extremely rare for single-page files of those pages to also be included. So in comics, anyway, joins are the norm, and thus I would assume most people's CBR readers are set to single-page display by default.

Currently the only "joined" pages planned for inclusion are:

There are a number of pages that kinda only make sense when joined like the ones with maps. Please refer to my work-in-progress page:

http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1994/12/egm/pages/

In case you've never used my site each image can be clicked/tapped for fullscreen inspection (mousewheel/pinch & drag). Each single page will line up fine when in facing pages mode (except that the CBR readers I've used seem to like to put a single pixel frame around each page disrupting the join) but kitsunebi77 please feel free to suggest other joined pages (the ones already joined are at the bottom of the preview but I can join any others) and hopefully we can come to a consensus on which pages should be included in the RetroMags release.

[Sean697]

Well I definetly want those multiple page ads how you did them! Great stuff right there.

[Sean697]

So looking at what you have so far. If I was doing it, I'd probrably put facing scans in there for maybe 6 of the spreads you've got so far in addition to the ones above. The Chun Li table of contents. The SF2 article first page with Chun Li again. The Ristar two. The RPG map. The Tarzan ad. But your free to do it how you want of course. That table of contents is basically a poster layout and would be cool to see as one image.

And it's eday who has the EGM 86 that needs the last 4 pages I believe.

[marktrade]

Well I have the capability, but that isn't the way files are set to open by default on my reader. Displaying two pages side by side so that both are completely visible means that the text will be smaller than I would prefer. I can change the way it's displayed via a menu, but frankly changing the display method back and forth every time I hit connected pages is more trouble than it's worth. Since cbr is really designed for comics, it's primarily used to read single pages from top to bottom. All comics released these days with two-page spreads assume the reader will be set to display single pages only, so only the joined image is included, and it's extremely rare for single-page files of those pages to also be included. So in comics, anyway, joins are the norm, and thus I would assume most people's CBR readers are set to single-page display by default.

Well mine isn't set that way by default either, but when I open a magazine I set it to double page because I'm reading a magazine. CloudReaders on my iPhone doesn't even have a setting and just displays every page joined in one long scroll, which works well for those triple page spreads or larger. And I end up zooming in all the time anyways, no matter what device I'm reading on.

When I'm reading with Simple Comic on in my computer, it defaults to displaying a single page even while in double page mode whenever it detects a very large image. Afterward it automatically goes back to displaying two pages. I would be releasing like that but I seem to remember a conversation on here where others were having problems with it. Edit: Oh, it messes up PDF auto-generation, I think.

Edited April 1, 2016 by marktrade

[VGBounceHouse]

Updated again through page 385.

So looking at what you have so far. If I was doing it, I'd probrably put facing scans in there for maybe 6 of the spreads you've got so far in addition to the ones above. The Chun Li table of contents. The SF2 article first page with Chun Li again. The Ristar two. The RPG map. The Tarzan ad. But your free to do it how you want of course. That table of contents is basically a poster layout and would be cool to see as one image.

And it's eday who has the EGM 86 that needs the last 4 pages I believe.

Thanks for that Sean, don't know why I didn't have the joined Chun Li pages included already. Hopefully I already have all the others on display. I'll check eday's thread and if I find the call I'll do the reply when the scans are ready for download.

I'm into the Marketplace now so the next 10 pages or so will go much faster then I have the horrible Looney Tunes ad from the inside back cover to deal with which is gonna take some fiddling. Looks like I can put together a test archive sometime tomorrow and then we can decide on the finals.

[E-Day]

Since this issue will be an exception because it's probably the biggest game magazine ever put out, we can have the "Retromags version" as the official download, and in the description area where the table of content stuff is usually filled out, there can be a link to the larger version on your site or some other location.

The last few scans I have done have been over 250 pages and weigh in at about 400-450 megs, with the pages saved as JPEGS at the level 9 quality setting in Photoshop. So this beast should be about a gig.

[KiwiArcader]

If you look at the last few mags I have created you will find I have included the fold out double pages as a single page but duplicated the facing page on both the facing single side and the double to try and show the "correct" way it is displayed when viewing the print copy. Blimey, that sentence was verbal garbage....

I agree it results in smaller display of the pages in two page display mode on the PC when you have essentially three pages displaying at once but it is more accurate to the print copy. I guess you're damned if you do it that way and damned if you don't in regard to authentic representation of the print version if you don't.

[VGBounceHouse]

Ok, time to finalize things.

The preview page has been fully updated through page 404. The inside cover ad for Sunsoft's Looney Tunes games would take far too much guesswork to reconstruct because there is 1/4" missing including a custom font that I haven't found an equivalent for a proper fill. At this point I'm going to surrender on the plan to rebuild all joined pages in this one case though I may revisit that decision in the future. I have put up two versions of the ad, one with the page fold included and one without. You'll find both at the bottom of the page. Just curious which one is preferred.

http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1994/12/egm/pages/

I have prepared a test RetroMags release. I used a scale of 203.7dpi which produces a standard image height of 2200px saved as JPG level 9. I used DPI scaling so that the inserts which are of a different size would scale proportionately rather than being forced to match the height of the standard pages. This archive doesn't have any joined pages, the RetroMags page nor proper filenames. It is 476.4MB in size:

http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1994/12/egm/egm65temp.cbr

I still need to finish the Quarterback Club ad edit and add any joined pages people think are worth including. I also need to know where the joined pages should go, between the two joined pages, following them or whatever.

Note: I need to grab some sleep but wanted to post this first. The file is still uploading but should be ready within 20 minutes, so around 6:40am EST.

EDIT

I was able to repair the Looney Tunes ad thanks to the same issue I used to fix the Quarterback Club ad and the preview has been updated. The temporary archive still has the old versions of those four pages.

Edited April 2, 2016 by VGBounceHouse

[VGBounceHouse]

I've gone ahead and prepared a RetroMags "release" version. I use the quotes because while the file naming is done and the credits page is included I've only added the two foldouts and not any of the other two-page spreads.

http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1994/12/egm/Electronic-Gaming-Monthly-Issue-065-Dec-1994.cbr

I'm happy to make any changes the mods or community think are warranted after browsing the preview page. If there are specific merges worth including (beyond how they naturally line up in facing pages mode) I will refresh the archive. Otherwise I believe this is ready for release here.

I know I'm the slowest archiver but hopefully I will pick up the pace on the next project!

[Sean697]

I'll check this out. Do you need a someone to do the the new release post and upload to the server? It going to take me a while to DL and check.

[Sean697]

So I am running this by the mint copy I got that is a subscriber issue. There are some additional things missing in your scan that are in my copy.

The first is the Quartermans cheat sheet for this issue that goes after page 34.

The second is a small subscribers card between 162 and 163.

Another subscriber card between 176 and 177 (Holiday themed subscription card with a gift postcard for recipient of gift subscription)

Correction on the last, you do have the holiday subscription card.

On the other two do you just want me to scan and add them in or do you want me to give you the raw scans and and you complete it yourself (And have the higher res scans for your site.)

Other than that its seems ready for release. Needs standard filename of " electronic_gaming_monthly_165_-_1994_dec.cbz " as well.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Sean697

[Sean697]

Also since there aren't too many, it's up to you of course, I wouldn't mind seeing the few content related combined pages.mit would t make the issue that much larger. And maybe the pull out ads at the front and back as one image.

[VGBounceHouse]

I'll check this out. Do you need a someone to do the the new release post and upload to the server? It going to take me a while to DL and check.

I still have never done that so yes please!

So I am running this by the mint copy I got that is a subscriber issue. There are some additional things missing in your scan that are in my copy.

The first is the Quartermans cheat sheet for this issue that goes after page 34.

The second is a small subscribers card between 162 and 163.Another subscriber card between 176 and 177 (Holiday themed subscription card with a gift postcard for recipient of gift subscription)Correction on the last, you do have the holiday subscription card.

On the other two do you just want me to scan and add them in or do you want me to give you the raw scans and and you complete it yourself (And have the higher res scans for your site.)

Other than that its seems ready for release. Needs standard filename of " electronic_gaming_monthly_165_-_1994_dec.cbz " as well.

That would be awesome, would never have known those were missing! Happy to do the edits from the raw scans.

The filenames still confuse me, the pattern I used is the same I've used on my other releases. Some people use spaces, some underlines, some dashes. Sometimes a different pattern for the individual pages versus the archive. Is this just the EGM standard because no one mentioned anything with the others.

Also since there aren't too many, it's up to you of course, I wouldn't mind seeing the few content related combined pages.mit would t make the issue that much larger. And maybe the pull out ads at the front and back as one image.

Have you tried facing pages mode in your reader? I'm more than happy to include them just curious about the difference since the individual pages line up. I hate the 1 pixel border one reader I use adds when in that mode.

[kitsunebi]

The filenames still confuse me, the pattern I used is the same I've used on my other releases. Some people use spaces, some underlines, some dashes. Sometimes a different pattern for the individual pages versus the archive. Is this just the EGM standard because no one mentioned anything with the others.

Have you tried facing pages mode in your reader? I'm more than happy to include them just curious about the difference since the individual pages line up. I hate the 1 pixel border one reader I use adds when in that mode.

I think you might be right about the EGM standard thing. I certainly never name my releases that way. Actually, the first thing I do when downloading an EGM from here is rename it to something less ugly. Underscoring file names is mostly an unnecessary relic from the past, although I can see that having "electronic_gaming_monthly_165_-_1994_dec.cbz" in a url is better looking than a url created using a file with spaces such as "electronic%20gaming%20monthly%20165%20-%201994%20dec.cbz". But the way the way the Retromags download section works, no one will ever see a url like that, anyway, since the site generates new download links constantly to hamper leeching. So whether you use spaces or underscores, it's all the same from the user's end (well, except for the name of the actual downloaded file, of course).

Regarding the joined file/facing pages issue:

I use my reader primarily for reading comics. As such, it is set to single page display. In comic releases, all 2-page spreads are released as a one-page-join. Thus, when you get to a join, the page will be twice as long as every other page, and (assuming you are zoomed in) the reader will advance from left to right over the page before moving down to facilitate reading the content in the correct order. Setting the reader to a two page spread only allows for both pages to be displayed in their entirety. You can't be zoomed in at all. Unless you have a very large display, this probably makes reading most magazine text quite difficult. As such, there is still merit to including joins (as I said, that's actually the standard for comic releases, which is what the readers are designed for, after all.)

[Sean697]

I still have never done that so yes please!

That would be awesome, would never have known those were missing! Happy to do the edits from the raw scans.

Ok I'll scan them at 600 dpi and post a Dropbox link. Check back in a few hours in this thread for it.mill leave the editing to you. Honestly not much editing to be done though.

The filenames still confuse me, the pattern I used is the same I've used on my other releases. Some people use spaces, some underlines, some dashes. Sometimes a different pattern for the individual pages versus the archive. Is this just the EGM standard because no one mentioned anything with the others.

Because I believe yes your previous scans may have been the first issues of that magazine. In general name it the same as other scans on the site so they are standard and will display correctly in order in people's library. That is the EGM file name standard. Which if you hadn't uploaded one here before I would t expect you to know.

Have you tried facing pages mode in your reader? I'm more than happy to include them just curious about the difference since the individual pages line up. I hate the 1 pixel border one reader I use adds when in that mode.

it's up to you. Personally I always read on single page mode. Not even sure if my reader offers 2 page mode, I haven't seen an option for it. I know some readers do. Usually it's the individual pages, followed by the combined image. Optionally you could always put those joined images at the end of the scan. There is no hard rule on that.

[Sean697]

Uploading the 600 dpi tiffs to dropbox now. Its only 4 images and 4 reference photos taken on my iphone so you can see where they where in the magazine and compare against the pages for color adjustments or leveling or whatever. But its 481 MB zip file. 600 dpi tiffs are extremely large apparently.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jy8pepzixtmmmt8/EGM%2065.zip?dl=0

For the Subsribers only insert, it tearts off on a perforated line. I tore it off on the perforated line to scan it. You can repair the torn edge easily enough I'm sure.Or just crop it out.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Sean697

[miketheratguy]

There is no need to join ad pages. People can set their reader to display a single page at a time or two pages at a time. If you are joining ads, hopefully you are including the pages as singles images as well as the combined image.

I only combine pages that are folded out in the magazine like a centerfold. And even then I include each side of it as single pages (page 111, page 112, page 112w for the combined image).

I actually hate it anytime ANY pages are joined together. They screw up my orientation and I wind up having to click a different viewing option or reorient the display direction of my ebook raider to properly view them (and then back again).

[kitsunebi]

I think the lesson here is that everyone uses different readers and said readers are displaying their files differently, so there's going to be no pleasing everyone.

Personally, the only time I feel a join is absolutely necessary is when a line of narrative or editorial text begins on the left page, continues onto the right, and then continues onto a second line starting from the left page and so on. With single pages, you'd have to constantly flip back and forth to follow the text. This kind of page layout is common in comics but incredibly rare in magazines, so it's unlikely to be much of a concern. Advertisements on the other hand, are often composed this way, but I personally could care less if the narrative structure of some ad copy gets disrupted by displaying it as separate pages.

Edited April 6, 2016 by kitsunebi77

[E-Day]

The file names are pretty much that standard for all the releases. gamepro_125_-_1999_feb.cbz, video_games_and_computer_entertainment_026_-_1994_jul.cbz. I don't remember why Phillyman picked this format, but I think he had a specific reason. I don't know if it had to do with the database organization or the collection tool he is creating.

I do not name my personal files this way. Once you release your scan, I will be renaming it to Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue 065 December 1994. I make a copy of the files I scanned and rename them as per the standard on the site. Once it's uploaded, I delete it and keep the one I named

[VGBounceHouse]

One more update...

Uploading the 600 dpi tiffs to dropbox now. Its only 4 images and 4 reference photos taken on my iphone so you can see where they where in the magazine and compare against the pages for color adjustments or leveling or whatever. But its 481 MB zip file. 600 dpi tiffs are extremely large apparently.

Thanks to Sean these additional pages have been added to the preview:

http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1994/12/egm/pages/

I have also updated the RetroMags archive which still contains just single pages other than the two fold-outs:

http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1994/12/egm/Electronic-Gaming-Monthly-Issue-065-Dec-1994.cbr

I use my reader primarily for reading comics. As such, it is set to single page display. In comic releases, all 2-page spreads are released as a one-page-join. Thus, when you get to a join, the page will be twice as long as every other page, and (assuming you are zoomed in) the reader will advance from left to right over the page before moving down to facilitate reading the content in the correct order. Setting the reader to a two page spread only allows for both pages to be displayed in their entirety. You can't be zoomed in at all. Unless you have a very large display, this probably makes reading most magazine text quite difficult. As such, there is still merit to including joins (as I said, that's actually the standard for comic releases, which is what the readers are designed for, after all.)

As a test I have added two more archives using the same image size/compression. The first removes all single pages that have a joined version so mostly advertising but also a number of editorial pages:

http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1994/12/egm/egm065j.cbr

and finally an archive with everything, all the individual pages as well as the joins:

http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1994/12/egm/egm065all.cbr

I do not name my personal files this way. Once you release your scan, I will be renaming it to Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue 065 December 1994. I make a copy of the files I scanned and rename them as per the standard on the site. Once it's uploaded, I delete it and keep the one I named

I think this one is good to go now if you wanted to grab and rename it.

Edited April 6, 2016 by VGBounceHouse

[kitsunebi]

Hmm...the cbr links aren't working for me,

[Sean697]

Awesome , eigther me or eday will get this up on the site as soon as possible. I'm at work so will be maybe 8 Hours before I can get to it.

[VGBounceHouse]

Hmm...the cbr links aren't working for me,

Sorry about that, forgot to switch .dev to .com they should be fixed now.

Awesome , eigther me or eday will get this up on the site as soon as possible. I'm at work so will be maybe 8 Hours before I can get to it.

Thanks again!

[E-Day]

I am downloading them right now, so Sean697 might get it up before me. Once it's up I will post to the site's Facebook page that this magazine is finally available.

[Sean697]

You want to get it or me. Im also downloading now. Then I have to upload to the site. I started the DL page entry already.