This has some revised formatting, compared with the 1984 history. The file is also half the size, after I found a utility to strip out some unnecessary material from the output. I will put up a revised version of the '84 file which matches this one, although not for a while.
I'd still like to make some improved cover scans but otherwise I'm pretty pleased with how this has turned out.
If you use the first cover then what happens when the rest of the Crash issues are completed? (If they ever are that is) Then they will look the same.
Hows about using the 1st 4 covers for the cover? That way it won't get confused with that actual issue (if it ever gets converted of course!) They might look rubbish cos they'll be a quarter of the usual size but that's the only idea I can come up with at the mo and the only way to find out would be to try. ;)
Cheers for 1985, really enjoyed reading this one too.
I preferred the latest revised layout for issue 13 too. I'm not sure about removing Jetman though. It could perhaps be readable on either a Kindle DX or on the Kindle app on other dvices. I'm not sure though as I am only reading them on a regular Kindle.
If you use the first cover then what happens when the rest of the Crash issues are completed? (If they ever are that is) Then they will look the same.
Hows about using the 1st 4 covers for the cover? That way it won't get confused with that actual issue (if it ever gets converted of course!) They might look rubbish cos they'll be a quarter of the usual size but that's the only idea I can come up with at the mo and the only way to find out would be to try. ;)
This has the 2x2 cover grid as suggested above, with newly made cover scans which (if I say so myself) are a big improvement.
The next step will be to reissue the 84-86 histories in the same style.
Many thanks for continuing with this. Is there any chance of adding a shortcut to your custom cover in the TOC? To see it I have to page backwards from the first article which seems a bit odd. In other words when I first load up the file I get the cover of the first article. If I select the "View Sections and Articles" option it brings me to the Kindle index for the file which I think is generated from the html TOC in the file. So working backwards from the first article I get the original TOC and then your 2x2 cover. I think 2x2 works best as the covers are still a decent enough size that you can make them out so it's probably a case of selecting the 4 best ones (or important ones, depending on LM's commentary for that year.)
I've also noticed that I can't move these into a collection and I'm guessing this is because they're tagged as periodicals?
Many thanks for continuing with this. Is there any chance of adding a shortcut to your custom cover in the TOC? To see it I have to page backwards from the first article which seems a bit odd. In other words when I first load up the file I get the cover of the first article. If I select the "View Sections and Articles" option it brings me to the Kindle index for the file which I think is generated from the html TOC in the file. So working backwards from the first article I get the original TOC and then your 2x2 cover. I think 2x2 works best as the covers are still a decent enough size that you can make them out so it's probably a case of selecting the 4 best ones (or important ones, depending on LM's commentary for that year.)
I've also noticed that I can't move these into a collection and I'm guessing this is because they're tagged as periodicals?
Thanks for the feedback.
1. I don't want to pay too much attention to the cover because it isn't part of the original articles as published. (I'll probably make an exception when I make a version of the complete History with all 4 years into a single Kindle file, because then I can use the cover of the binder which CRASH produced.) Starting with the first cover of that year most accurately reflects the reading experience of the original supplements.
Unfortunately the Kindle doesn't seem to treat the cover of a periodical with the same kind of distinction that the cover of a book gets. (It doesn't show up when you press "right" when the periodical is selected on the home page.)
2. The "View Sections and Articles" view of the contents is actually separate from the HTML TOC - it comes from a separate file and contains additional information. The HTML TOC is only really acting as a fallback for software or devices which doesn't read the extra information - for example, Amazon's own Previewer program doesn't understand the Sections & Articles view.
3. Yes, periodicals can't be added to collections. I'm planning to email the Amazon feedback address for the Kindle to suggest adding support of this.
3. Yes, periodicals can't be added to collections. I'm planning to email the Amazon feedback address for the Kindle to suggest adding support of this.
In fairness I don't think it would be a major issue for me just to patch the files to turn off the flag anyway. I imagine that you're creating the output as a periodical since that's what Crash was but I'd be more inclined to turn it off as periodicals also have an annoying habit of going into the past issues folder and then quietly getting archived unless you specifically mark them to be kept (which is probably why Amazon don't let you put them in collections).
In fairness I don't think it would be a major issue for me just to patch the files to turn off the flag anyway. I imagine that you're creating the output as a periodical since that's what Crash was but I'd be more inclined to turn it off as periodicals also have an annoying habit of going into the past issues folder and then quietly getting archived unless you specifically mark them to be kept (which is probably why Amazon don't let you put them in collections).
My guess is that because the individual issues will be called "CRASH 1", "CRASH 2", etc., that the Kindle will treat them as separate publications and keep them all for you. If I called them all "CRASH" and distinguished them by issue date, then it would start archiving the older ones. But this really is a guess and I don't suppose I'll find out for sure until I've converted a good few issues.
My guess is that because the individual issues will be called "CRASH 1", "CRASH 2", etc., that the Kindle will treat them as separate publications and keep them all for you. If I called them all "CRASH" and distinguished them by issue date, then it would start archiving the older ones. But this really is a guess and I don't suppose I'll find out for sure until I've converted a good few issues.
I'll make sure to let you know if anything strange happens! :-)
OK, so I had a minor crisis and lost a few files. I've reconstructed them and hopefully everything's back to how it should be, but please shout if you notice anything that seems to have gone wrong.
If you downloaded the earliest versions of these, then the latest ones have higher quality cover scans and a smaller file size.
The CRASH History supplements were originally released with issues 45, 46 and 48 of CRASH. At the time it was possible to send off for a special binder to contain these four summaries of each year's events (in addition to lists of all reviews and playing tips - lists which I have not included in these scans, as more comprehensive information is available elsewhere now). With the binder also came an additional supplement, containing re-prints of Lloyd Mangram's lookbacks at the years 1983-1987. The "Complete" download above includes a scan of the binder cover and also includes Lloyd's lookbacks for these years (in addition to all 4 years of the history, of course).
Just to let you know, in the complete history the 1984 feedback article is there twice. The article finishes when you are halfway through the progress bar for that section and then repeats.
Really enjoyed reading these in the bath this morning. I think there may be some typos in there but as I don't have the original articles to compare them to I can't be sure. There weren't loads, some mainstream books have far more, but just in case you wanted to know.
Just to let you know, in the complete history the 1984 feedback article is there twice. The article finishes when you are halfway through the progress bar for that section and then repeats.
Really enjoyed reading these in the bath this morning. I think there may be some typos in there but as I don't have the original articles to compare them to I can't be sure. There weren't loads, some mainstream books have far more, but just in case you wanted to know.
I haven't thoroughly re-checked the lookbacks for typos. I'll give them a check through to make sure. But please feel free to point out any individual issues.
But I've also discovered that, when the Lookbacks were republished for the 4th anniversary, they had a bit of a re-edit, and some mistakes were corrected - this seems to extend to reinstating several paragraphs of text from the original publication of the 85 Lookback.
This removes the duplicated Lookback, fixes lots of minor typos and reinstates a chunk of text which had gone missing. There are also minor formatting updates.
I'm still working through it but am thinking of doing something similar, at least for some of the games if not all. It took me right back to when my dad brought the first issue of Crash home. Afterwards we spent a couple of weeks trying to find 3D Deathchase.
Thanks for these, I am really enjoying them and looking forward to the next one.
Cheers, finally finished reading it the other night. Have decided to locate TAPs/Snapshots of all the games mentioned and try them all out! :-)
Looking forward to issue 2!
Well, there's an idea for someone with some free time: an Android/iPhone/iPad app which has the CRASH reviews, with an embedded emulator loaded up with appropriate snaps to play.
Anyway:
Issue 1 has been updated - very minor changes only, just formatting stuff really.
Well, there's an idea for someone with some free time: an Android/iPhone/iPad app which has the CRASH reviews, with an embedded emulator loaded up with appropriate snaps to play.
Obviously not going to happen on a (non-jailbroken) iDevice.
Comments
This has some revised formatting, compared with the 1984 history. The file is also half the size, after I found a utility to strip out some unnecessary material from the output. I will put up a revised version of the '84 file which matches this one, although not for a while.
I'd still like to make some improved cover scans but otherwise I'm pretty pleased with how this has turned out.
Ex-Ocean Software graphic artist -
Download my FREE PDF 'LOAD DIJ DIJ' (180,000+ words): https://ko-fi.com/i/IG2G3BEJZP
ZX Art page: https://zxart.ee/eng/authors/m/mark-r-jones/
https://twitter.com/MarkRJones1970
https://www.facebook.com/OceanSoftwareLtd/
https://www.facebook.com/ultimateptg/
Good point. What's the best thing to use? The first cover of that year?
I suppose I could try and make a 4x3 grid of the year's covers, but I don't know whether that's likely to show up well on a smaller screen.
Hows about using the 1st 4 covers for the cover? That way it won't get confused with that actual issue (if it ever gets converted of course!) They might look rubbish cos they'll be a quarter of the usual size but that's the only idea I can come up with at the mo and the only way to find out would be to try. ;)
Ex-Ocean Software graphic artist -
Download my FREE PDF 'LOAD DIJ DIJ' (180,000+ words): https://ko-fi.com/i/IG2G3BEJZP
ZX Art page: https://zxart.ee/eng/authors/m/mark-r-jones/
https://twitter.com/MarkRJones1970
https://www.facebook.com/OceanSoftwareLtd/
https://www.facebook.com/ultimateptg/
I preferred the latest revised layout for issue 13 too. I'm not sure about removing Jetman though. It could perhaps be readable on either a Kindle DX or on the Kindle app on other dvices. I'm not sure though as I am only reading them on a regular Kindle.
CRASH 1986 history now up at http://www.crashonline.org.uk/48/history86.mobi
I've added a cover with a sort of hybrid approach where you get a kind of 2.5 by 2.5 grid of covers. Let me know what you think.
Ex-Ocean Software graphic artist -
Download my FREE PDF 'LOAD DIJ DIJ' (180,000+ words): https://ko-fi.com/i/IG2G3BEJZP
ZX Art page: https://zxart.ee/eng/authors/m/mark-r-jones/
https://twitter.com/MarkRJones1970
https://www.facebook.com/OceanSoftwareLtd/
https://www.facebook.com/ultimateptg/
I'll try it for '87.
This has the 2x2 cover grid as suggested above, with newly made cover scans which (if I say so myself) are a big improvement.
The next step will be to reissue the 84-86 histories in the same style.
Many thanks for continuing with this. Is there any chance of adding a shortcut to your custom cover in the TOC? To see it I have to page backwards from the first article which seems a bit odd. In other words when I first load up the file I get the cover of the first article. If I select the "View Sections and Articles" option it brings me to the Kindle index for the file which I think is generated from the html TOC in the file. So working backwards from the first article I get the original TOC and then your 2x2 cover. I think 2x2 works best as the covers are still a decent enough size that you can make them out so it's probably a case of selecting the 4 best ones (or important ones, depending on LM's commentary for that year.)
I've also noticed that I can't move these into a collection and I'm guessing this is because they're tagged as periodicals?
Thanks for the feedback.
1. I don't want to pay too much attention to the cover because it isn't part of the original articles as published. (I'll probably make an exception when I make a version of the complete History with all 4 years into a single Kindle file, because then I can use the cover of the binder which CRASH produced.) Starting with the first cover of that year most accurately reflects the reading experience of the original supplements.
Unfortunately the Kindle doesn't seem to treat the cover of a periodical with the same kind of distinction that the cover of a book gets. (It doesn't show up when you press "right" when the periodical is selected on the home page.)
2. The "View Sections and Articles" view of the contents is actually separate from the HTML TOC - it comes from a separate file and contains additional information. The HTML TOC is only really acting as a fallback for software or devices which doesn't read the extra information - for example, Amazon's own Previewer program doesn't understand the Sections & Articles view.
3. Yes, periodicals can't be added to collections. I'm planning to email the Amazon feedback address for the Kindle to suggest adding support of this.
Supposedly this Calibre plugin will let you put periodicals into a collection but I haven't tried it:
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118635
I wouldn't be too pushed about it myself but I figured since you'd gone to the trouble of making one I felt I should let you know!
In fairness I don't think it would be a major issue for me just to patch the files to turn off the flag anyway. I imagine that you're creating the output as a periodical since that's what Crash was but I'd be more inclined to turn it off as periodicals also have an annoying habit of going into the past issues folder and then quietly getting archived unless you specifically mark them to be kept (which is probably why Amazon don't let you put them in collections).
My guess is that because the individual issues will be called "CRASH 1", "CRASH 2", etc., that the Kindle will treat them as separate publications and keep them all for you. If I called them all "CRASH" and distinguished them by issue date, then it would start archiving the older ones. But this really is a guess and I don't suppose I'll find out for sure until I've converted a good few issues.
I'll make sure to let you know if anything strange happens! :-)
1986 History revised with better cover scans for each issue, and a 2x2 grid for the year's cover.
CRASH History:
[*] 1984 http://www.crashonline.org.uk/45/history84.mobi
[*] 1985 http://www.crashonline.org.uk/46/history85.mobi
[*] 1986 http://www.crashonline.org.uk/48/history86.mobi
[*] 1987 http://www.crashonline.org.uk/48/history87.mobi
[*] Complete http://www.crashonline.org.uk/48/crashhistory.mobi
If you downloaded the earliest versions of these, then the latest ones have higher quality cover scans and a smaller file size.
The CRASH History supplements were originally released with issues 45, 46 and 48 of CRASH. At the time it was possible to send off for a special binder to contain these four summaries of each year's events (in addition to lists of all reviews and playing tips - lists which I have not included in these scans, as more comprehensive information is available elsewhere now). With the binder also came an additional supplement, containing re-prints of Lloyd Mangram's lookbacks at the years 1983-1987. The "Complete" download above includes a scan of the binder cover and also includes Lloyd's lookbacks for these years (in addition to all 4 years of the history, of course).
Ex-Ocean Software graphic artist -
Download my FREE PDF 'LOAD DIJ DIJ' (180,000+ words): https://ko-fi.com/i/IG2G3BEJZP
ZX Art page: https://zxart.ee/eng/authors/m/mark-r-jones/
https://twitter.com/MarkRJones1970
https://www.facebook.com/OceanSoftwareLtd/
https://www.facebook.com/ultimateptg/
Issue 1. (Well, a short break first, and possibly final adjustments to Issue 13, but basically Issue 1.)
Really enjoyed reading these in the bath this morning. I think there may be some typos in there but as I don't have the original articles to compare them to I can't be sure. There weren't loads, some mainstream books have far more, but just in case you wanted to know.
So it does! Thanks for pointing that out.
I haven't thoroughly re-checked the lookbacks for typos. I'll give them a check through to make sure. But please feel free to point out any individual issues.
So far I've found three or four.
But I've also discovered that, when the Lookbacks were republished for the 4th anniversary, they had a bit of a re-edit, and some mistakes were corrected - this seems to extend to reinstating several paragraphs of text from the original publication of the 85 Lookback.
This removes the duplicated Lookback, fixes lots of minor typos and reinstates a chunk of text which had gone missing. There are also minor formatting updates.
This issue includes larger screenshots, as requested up-thread during discussion of issue 13.
Cheers, finally finished reading it the other night. Have decided to locate TAPs/Snapshots of all the games mentioned and try them all out! :-)
Looking forward to issue 2!
Thanks for these, I am really enjoying them and looking forward to the next one.
Well, there's an idea for someone with some free time: an Android/iPhone/iPad app which has the CRASH reviews, with an embedded emulator loaded up with appropriate snaps to play.
Anyway:
Issue 1 has been updated - very minor changes only, just formatting stuff really.
And issue 2 has been uploaded: http://www.crashonline.org.uk/02/crash02.mobi
Obviously not going to happen on a (non-jailbroken) iDevice.
Are they still not happy about emulators? I'd forgotten about that.