VGBounceHouse work-in-progress

[VGBounceHouse]

Hey,

Your link in a post above for Videogaming Illustrated Issue 12 (December 1983) isn't working (http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/12/vci/Videogaming-Illustrated-Issue-012-Dec-1983.cbr). 404 error. Can you restore it? I never got to download it and I would like to add a direct link on the site.

Sorry about that, I did some changes to the directory structure so the RetroMags version is http://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/12/vi/Videogaming-Illustrated-Issue-012-Dec-1983.cbr now (vi rather than vci).

Please let me know if any of the ones I prepped for the site are broken or if I can help getting tyhem to the right places here for direct download.

[VGBounceHouse]

I very much hope you finish this up. What a monster of a magazine. I'm almost positive it is the biggest EGM ever made.

I'm on page 80 as I type this. I'll be moving at the end of the month but hope to have the RetroMags version ready before then. I previously extracted all the ads which would be significant progress but am redoing them based on some new techniques in touch-up I developed so I lost that head start lol

[VGBounceHouse]

My god. Your site is incredible. The sheer work you put into each issue integrating it with the web page is simply amazing. This is professional quality work. I think on a small scale this is very sustainable, but I couldn't imagine doing that kind of work for large scale preservation. It's like the perfect version of what we try to do here. I tip my hat. In other news you alpha web page has some spelling mistakes.

Definitely need to fix those then, I know there are spot errors from the OCR as well because of some weird exceptions Word makes in its spellchecker (and my need to preserve spelling mistakes in the articles).

I am preparing some videos about the alpha and will be doing some feedback articles and a livestream to nail down the specifics to go into Beta (such as what constitutes a reference to a platform, and adding company pages and other linkable high-level stuff worthy of indexinhg for research/exploration). I already have a few people coming forward with additional "artifacts" (letters from Nintendo of America, signed covers and more) and will be allowing other contributions at the game level. After Beta I will have an API to allow others to directly reference site assets (though all are freely downloadable). After that I hope to have enough details to let people do the same process, just need to finalize the CSS and template HTML as well as my shortcodes for linking to other data like games.

In case anyone missed these:

http://vgpavilion.com/games/frogger/

is an example of a Game master page where you can drill down to the releases

http://vgpavilion.com/games/frogger/coin-ops/

http://vgpavilion.com/games/frogger/colecovision/

such as those two examples where you get the coin-op flyer, manual and home release box and catalog.

I've only done one other at this point since I want to focus on the magazines (and get back to my contributions here) but this is the across-the-board archiving I'm shooting for.

Thanks for all the encouragement, it isn't something I could hope to finish alone (my list of magazines will be going up after my move, still sorting my 500+ issues) but hopefully I won't have to

[quick note: if you haven't already tried it, on the web page versions each image can be clicked or tapped and you can zoom and pan or pinch and drag which also gives you access to the individual 300dpi assets if you want to grab any of them, still need to decide how to make them more easily downloadable]

Edited February 19, 2016 by VGBounceHouse

[Sean697]

Omg. The amount of work you put into Frogger is amazing. That can't be sustainable for every game unless you are working full time. That is like the ultimate resource for the game. Videos, articles, versions, ads screenshots. I am kind of speechless. It's just pretty amazing. Hey feel free to use any of my EGM scans on your site if you like. I can get you true 300 dpi version if you want. I have them all saved at 600 dpi.

https://community.retromags.com/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=user_activity&search_app=downloads&mid=18969&userMode=all&sid=e776f4442dce0cada4e6b6cc29f0ae58#.VseK3vBpZCk

Edited February 19, 2016 by Sean697

[VGBounceHouse]

Thanks Sean, I really appreciate it. I'm gonna concentrate on just the scanning for a couple of months then get back into the web archiving again.

Didn't get as far as I hoped on EGM 65, only 112 pages done so far. Hope to get cranking by mid-week. I put up the pages I've done so far (except for the ones I've done tonight) here:

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

There already have been a number of tricky reconstructions, particularly that EA sports one because of where the page split. The Konami Warner Bros fold-out map was no picnic either lol

[VGBounceHouse]

Sorry for the double post, just needed some quick venting lol.

Anyone who's looked at my work knows I'm obsessed with facing pages and the challenges involved due to printing errors, pre-page-layout-software rules being off-angle, the usual. I noticed some talk about straightening pages in another thread and wanted to mention the joy of this issue of EGM. I manually straighten every page on the text baseline which takes time but I think leads to the original graphic artist intent. I noticed something new on some of the pages: multiple baselines. I couldn't believe it. Given the way layout was done in 1994, still a mix of electronic and manual, and the shortcuts of the era, I knew I couldn't use Electronic Gaming Monthly's page number footer despite it being the only consistent piece of text of non-advertising pages, since that element was often added last and with the least care. So I usually go for the largest horizontal block of text and then do a rectangular selection against one of two other blocks for consistency.

In the section "Tricks of the Trade" there are boxed elements as well as a sidebar. I'm finding some pages where I have to "average" my standard procedure because each "boxed" area (as in singular games, not individual screenshots which are boxed within the larger box) is off by a fraction of a percentage. As irritating as facing pages with spine-crossing lines that don't line up (no pun intended) you'd think a singular typeset element would be a constant, but it appears they set each boxed area and then pasted them above the background individually. Oh well lol

I had the first of two moving days today which slowed down my progress. I've now finished through numbered page 140 (with pull-outs that makes 160 individual pages plus 25 facing pages) and can only hope to be more productive tomorrow. I've updated my preview page if you're curious about the results so far:

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

[Sean697]

Welcome to the world of EGM. I find this constantly trying to find a good point to level on. Sometimes you just have to look at it and find what the best element to align to is.

[VGBounceHouse]

Welcome to the world of EGM. I find this constantly trying to find a good point to level on. Sometimes you just have to look at it and find what the best element to align to is.

Thanks for commiserating Sean, it is quite maddening. At the first college I got kicked out of I became Features editor of the school paper (while also running the underground parody of it lol) and got them to buy a typesetter. This was 1985 and it had 8" floppies but with rule guides on the printouts things always lined up nicely. Here they are a decade later and there are sometimes five baselines on the same page.

Oh well, wanted to report in that I have finally made it to the halfway point. This is a 404 page issue and I have finished editing through page 202. I'm more thank halfway done overall as the two 8-page inserts (and other 2 pagers) are behind me so I only have 202 scans left to edit to generate 202 pages versus 222 pages done (and 32 facing pages). If you want to see additional madness check pages 190-195. This is a "Special Feature" and that batch of pages included background and foreground imagery that crossed the middle (and was quite a pain to repair). Starting at page 196 the same Feature is in play along with the background imagery but they gave up on having the background seamless across facing pages so what's that about lol

As before you can see (and zoom in on) all of the work done so far:

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

Don't know if I can get the rest done by Monday morning as hoped for, but I'll try!

[VGBounceHouse]

I'm back at it after the move. Since I'm just crashing with a friend I'm no longer hosting the site at my house so it's a bit slower to update the preview site but it should be good to go by the time I've posted this:

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

I've actually made it to page 250 but this preview update ends at 243 because of the two-page spread for NFL Quarterback Club on pages 244-245. There is a nearly half-inch gap in the ad which is not usually a problem, but this time I have the Dolphin logo on Dan Marino's helmet to contend with as well as the "scraggly" logo. I knew I had seen a single-page ad for the game somewhere and lo and behold it's in the very next issue. The elements are in slightly different locations but will be easy enough to clone to repair the break.

The good news: I have the issue on hand. The bad news: I hadn't planned to sort through the 30 boxes on magazines to build my "on hand" list until after I was done with this issue.

So to provide a gameplan going forward: I am continuing to work on this issue but will take breaks every so many pages to sort a box and record the issues in my database. Once I have found the issue I will de-bind and scan that single page and go back to finish those two pages. After the entire issue is done and I have made a RetroMags-format archive I will automate my database so people can see my collection in case there are requests. After that I'd like to do PC Accelerator Issue 1 to help marktrade finish off the entire run of that magazine.

[VGBounceHouse]

Back with another double post woo hoo!

Down to the last 100 pages:

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

At my current rate I should I have the archive ready on Sunday, Monday at the latest...who knows, maybe earlier lol

I'm being slowed down by my most recent EGM frustration, top-lined facing pages, so here comes a short but much-needed venting. If you look at an example (such pages 274-275) you'll see three beveled lines running across the top of the pages. Some of these also include overlapping art but plenty just have the lines and a solid pattern for the pages. I straighten both pages along these lines and once merged find out they don't line up. The culprit? One or two of the lines are a different height on the right side. Now I know EGM cut a lot of corners to save a buck so I'll forgive them (reluctantly) for not forking out for an acetate or other overlay. But even if they were just using glue stick to affix these lines, wouldn't they just print out a huge roll of them and cut to order? Even with the slight color variations wouldn't you think they'd print out each on continuous paper and work from that? I guess not, looks like they just eyeballed it on a page-by-page basis. Man is that tedious to repair.

Ok, that feels better. Hope everyone's having fun!

[Sean697]

So looking at that 274.275. I wouldn't even combine that. It's really meant to be viewed as two single pages. The crossover on the map is so minimal that most of the design elements are made for single page viewing. You don't really gain anything useful combining that into one image. There is no image that is really split. And the text on each page is formatted as if viewing a single page. And since the map crossover is at such a small point what do you gain combining that you can't get with two single pages? Just my opinion.

[VGBounceHouse]

Sorry for the long delay!

I've made some more progress and have updated the preview page

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

I've finished through page 333 except for the one ad reassembly. With luck I will finish up tomorrow or the next day.

Sean, I know the overlap is minimal on some of these pages and I put that one up more as an example of dealing with the top-of-page three bar thing I was whining about. While joining ad pages is my focus I am cognizant regarding the use of facing pages when reading so making sure the pages line up has me dealing with this a lot, which unfortunately has slowed me down as the last 40 pages or so have been nothing but joined pages because of that lousy top bar

As mentioned earlier I also needed to index my magazine collection which I finished last week, nearly 1,300 magazines with details. I will have the database up after I finish this issue of EGM and the process means I'll need to start a few threads in the Database Discussion forum lol

Today was the final day of clearing out my parents' house to ready it for sale. Was far more work than anticipated but I did discover some tucked away gaming history gems along the way. Unfortunately is severely slowed down my progress on the issue so sorry about that.

[E-Day]

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).

[Sean697]

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).

Indeed all his previous scans he had the single pages and the joined ones as a bonus. The amount of work is staggering really. Especially considering the size of this EGM 65 at over 400 pages. I'm not doing that but I certainly welcome it. (Joining ad pages.) I can't wait to see the final product on this one.

[VGBounceHouse]

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).

If you check the preview you'll see each page is available on its own. In my previous RetroMags releases I have followed your advice and only included fold-outs, not two-pagers. I do need to assemble them though, both so that when someone's in "facing pages" mode everything lines up, and for my own preservation site where I index the ads and need to show them as single images as well as allow people to take them for their own use.

I'll have questions about that again this time as there are two fold-out ads, including one with as irregular page cut lol you can see the individual pages and the merged ones, at least how I thought they best looked if you were physically unfolding and reading but am happy to make whatever changes best fit RetroMags archive style.

[marktrade]

Just wanted to say again how much I appreciate you putting these ads together. Even back when these magazines were still new I lamented that I couldn't see the entire page. I'd have to sit there and wonder how a nice double page ad was supposed to look. Now that I see them so many years later, I feel like it was such a shame they ever divided them in the first place.

[E-Day]

I had an issue not long ago that had a pop-up ad for Herc's Adventures. I included the two main portions of the page as individual pages and included the top "pop-up" part in the following image which includes the entire ad.

Anyhow, you're doing a great job, so keep doing what you're doing!

[VGBounceHouse]

Down to the last 50 pages. So many printing errors on the pages with dark backgrounds!

Just wanted to say again how much I appreciate you putting these ads together. Even back when these magazines were still new I lamented that I couldn't see the entire page. I'd have to sit there and wonder how a nice double page ad was supposed to look. Now that I see them so many years later, I feel like it was such a shame they ever divided them in the first place.

Thanks, I actually enjoy the tougher ones but sometimes it's nice to get an easy one like this:

[E-Day]

This file will easily be 1 gig

[Sean697]

This file will easily be 1 gig

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.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Sean697

[marktrade]

I personally don't include joined images, even when I've edited them together that way. They will display as joined while reading and because they're identical height it's easy enough for anyone to rejoin the pages if they want it in one separate image file.

I mean it's thoughtful to include the unified image but also redundant.

[kitsunebi]

They will display as joined while reading and because they're identical height it's easy enough for anyone to rejoin the pages if they want it in one separate image file.

I'm curious as to why you would say this. Are you assuming that everyone has their reader set to display 2 pages at once? I only display one at a time, so the only way I would see a joined image is if it was included as a single file. Not that I really care about joined ads or anything. But if an article or something else with a narrative structure was meant to be read across a two page spread, a join file would be a must (luckily this almost never occurs in a magazine).

[marktrade]

I'm curious as to why you would say this. Are you assuming that everyone has their reader set to display 2 pages at once?

I'm assuming everyone has that capability, yes.

[Sean697]

I'm assuming everyone has that capability, yes.

I actually do not have that capability I think. If I do I don't use it. I always view single page on my iPad and PC

[kitsunebi]

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.

Edited April 1, 2016 by kitsunebi77