Family members staying for the funeral service have headed back to the UK and Oz so things will be back to a sort of normal in the next couple of days or so. Thanks for your patience, everyone!!
Cheers ... Kiwi
Thanks Kiwi and hope happy memories can bring you and your family some comfort during this difficult time
No stress Kiwi! Take all the time you need mate.
Quote from: Kiwi on Jun 04, 2025, 04:23 PMOkay, getting a little tired of "my version is better than your version" talk so what I will say is, to quote from Disney's Aladdin movie, "You know the Golden Rule? He who has the Gold makes the rules!!"
In this case I own this website so what is hosted on the site is entirely of my own choosing.
I'd leave it at that but in this particular case slider1983 has said, and I quote, "I'm pretty certain there was no blurriness so not sure what you're smoking" so I would kindly direct anyone to view the differences between his flatbed scanned version and my one put through the ix1600 document scanner in the Gallery I added to the site. Take page 03 for example ....
I'm not pooh-poohing scans made on a flatbed. When nothing else exists they are better than nothing for sure BUT a flatbed scan will, all things being equal, never compete compared to a scan from a document scanner where the magazine has been taken apart to get the best possible scan. I know my scan is not the best it could be either as it was slightly over A4 in size but I am happy with it and ultimately that's what counts.
These both look great to me. Maybe the 2nd the text is clearer, but nothing world changing.
On some scans, I do notice black levels are sometimes left as is on some scans and that makes game screenshots black crushed where all the detail is hidden. Granted processing, adjusting and reviewing every page is cumbersome unless you have an photoshop action to apply in batch. On these one you posted, the levels are perfect and one can see details even in the small game screenshots.
I wish I could contribute more than donating to Gregorick the UK mags I bought and then shipped, but having UK stuff shipped to US makes it cost prohibitive for me to help and scan these. Just help where I can. Thanks Gregorick for the mass of scans you have been putting out for UK mags!
Quote from: gater on Jun 09, 2025, 05:48 PMI'm not sure Station2 is related to the original Station. It's from Pole Star Publishing and I can't see a definitive link besides the name.
Following up on this, I think there is a link after all. I noticed that Playstation Solutions by Rapide (same publisher as Station) eventually moved over to Pole Star Publishing, and they are both in Exeter. So probably a shuffle to avoid bankruptcy or the like.
Quote from: gater on Jul 09, 2025, 12:50 PMFollowing up on this, I think there is a link after all. I noticed that Playstation Solutions by Rapide (same publisher as Station) eventually moved over to Pole Star Publishing, and they are both in Exeter. So probably a shuffle to avoid bankruptcy or the like.
This is actually very interesting, I think they might be the same publisher based on the companies house records. Funnily enough I saw the registered address and I used to live a couple of roads off their premises :o
Ironically, the newsagents I used to buy gaming magazines from never stocked Rapide or Polestar publications despite being the closest possible retailer to the publishing house.
Quote from: matrixman1013 on Jul 09, 2025, 08:55 AMThanks Gregorick for the mass of scans you have been putting out for UK mags!
You are very welcome, just wish I had more time and knowledge (and patience) to edit them to a higher standard but glad they are being received fairly well. I have put up a load of my new scans over at my site https://www.ukgamesmags.com/ but will make sure to send Kiwi over a huge bunch once he's back proper and they can all be added here too!
Quote from: matrixman1013 on Jul 09, 2025, 08:55 AMOn some scans, I do notice black levels are sometimes left as is on some scans and that makes game screenshots black crushed where all the detail is hidden. Granted processing, adjusting and reviewing every page is cumbersome unless you have an photoshop action to apply in batch. On these one you posted, the levels are perfect and one can see details even in the small game screenshots.
Overly-dark scans are usually the fault of a bad/cheap scanner (the equipment, not the person). It's unfortunate, since when details become lost in blackness, Photoshop can't save them. In digital terms, black is the lack of all data. You can't brighten black or adjust its hue - black is black, just as white is white.
It's possible someone could ruin a decent scan during the editing process by applying a Photoshop action which isn't suited for every page, but one would hope that no one is so lazy as to batch process an entire mag without bothering to even look at the results. (I've never batch processed a mag ever.)
Of course, I've also noticed on some magazines where some screenshots are already overly dark/light to begin with (particularly older mags where the screenshots are literally photographs taken of monitor screens).
Warplane issues 56 - 60 are now available ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_10_07_25_8_17_32_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_10_07_25_8_17_49_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_10_07_25_8_18_05_0.jpeg)
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_10_07_25_8_18_19_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_10_07_25_8_18_39_0.jpeg)
Images of War issues 32 and 33 are now available ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_11_07_25_9_14_50_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_11_07_25_9_15_07_0.jpeg)
Gregorick and JabbaTheGamer team up to bring us Xbox World #19 ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_11_07_25_9_41_11_0.jpeg)
Scanned by Jason, edited by me. Star Trek 14. (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;id=13520)
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_11_07_25_9_48_45_0.jpeg)
DanielPrimed brings us Play (UK) #65. Brilliant!!
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_13_07_25_11_47_06_0.jpeg)
Warplane issues 61 - 80 have been added to the download area ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_13_07_25_7_26_48_0.jpeg)
Quote from: Kiwi on Jul 13, 2025, 11:48 AM"PARASITE EVE 2 - The horniest game in survival horror finally hits the UK!
Her character is not 'horny' in the slightest. Ah, good old fashioned sexism. 8)
Quote from: gobbins on Jul 14, 2025, 05:07 AMQuote from: Kiwi on Jul 13, 2025, 11:48 AM"PARASITE EVE 2 - The horniest game in survival horror finally hits the UK!
Her character is not 'horny' in the slightest. Ah, good old fashioned sexism. 8)
LOL, I thought you were quoting KIWI. I was like, wait, when did he say THAT??!
That is some seriously juvenile ad copy. It practically screams "HEY LADS! Are you serious about games? Then, move along! Nothing to see here!!"
Quote from: kitsunebi on Jul 15, 2025, 09:57 AMLOL, I thought you were quoting KIWI. I was like, wait, when did he say THAT??!
I mean, we can't say for certain that he
hasn't...
...okay, we can.
I wasn't sure if we were just going to skip the July thread, but here it is, even if it's only the second half of the month (Kiwi will have to pin it.)
PC Games v4 n1 is available HERE. (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;id=13543)
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_11_54_40_0.jpeg)
JabbaTheGamer donated and Gregorick scanned CVG issues 255, 261, 262 and 263 ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_09_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_34_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_48_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_14_11_0.jpeg)
Jason scanned CD Powerplay #06 ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_24_01_0.jpeg)
Quote from: Kiwi on Jul 18, 2025, 07:17 PMJabbaTheGamer donated and Gregorick scanned CVG issues 255, 261, 262 and 263 ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_09_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_34_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_48_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_14_11_0.jpeg)
Thanks to the donator and scanner. The gaps in my CVG collection are getting filled :)
Quote from: Kiwi on Jul 18, 2025, 07:17 PMJabbaTheGamer donated and Gregorick scanned CVG issues 255, 261, 262 and 263 ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_09_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_34_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_13_48_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_18_07_25_7_14_11_0.jpeg)
Thank you very much for the uploads. Much appreciated.
Does anyone know what the final issue number was for the CVG publication?
The final CVG issue was #277 October 2004.
There are actually 278 issues since there were two issues #93.
Quote from: JohnS414 on Jul 18, 2025, 07:43 PMThe final CVG issue was #277 October 2004.
There are actually 278 issues since there were two issues #93.
Thank you for that. I think there was even a CVG website at some point which became GamesRadar.
Guys just a heads-up on CVG; there's a torrent available on a certain russian site with scans of all but one issue.. though quality is lacking for many of them.
So afaik, the only issue yet to be scanned by anyone is 257 (March 2003).
Quote from: ed209 on Jul 19, 2025, 03:15 AMGuys just a heads-up on CVG; there's a torrent available on a certain russian site with scans of all but one issue.. though quality is lacking for many of them.
So afaik, the only issue yet to be scanned by anyone is 257 (March 2003).
Unless it's against the forum rules is there any chance of a hint of which site you mean?
I have 24 issues missing and low quality versions are better than nothing.
IIRC I have 3rd party scans for most of our missing issues (except #257) but I'd much rather acquire missing issues and scan them ourselves due to the low quality of the 3rd party versions.
I'm pretty sure Gregorick has more issues of CVG to scan as JabbaTheGamer has been acquiring them so hold your horses as we might actually have #257 and a lot more incoming!! The main issues that still need to be acquired that I can tell are issues 01 - 15 but postage prices to NZ from the UK for me to grab them are downright criminal.
JabbaTheGamer and Gregorick team up to provide us with Xbox World issues 27, 28 and 30 ...
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_19_07_25_6_32_39_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_19_07_25_6_32_57_0.jpeg) (https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_19_07_25_6_33_17_0.jpeg)
Something a little different next!!
My parents-in-law visited the UK and Europe in late 2003/early 2004. After my Father-in-law passed away recently my wife and I went through his bookshelf working out what to throw out and came across several visitor books for various locations. Seeing as they are 20+ years old and likely superseded by more up to date publications I thought I might scan some of them as they provide a nostalgic window of the early 2000's. First up is Stonehenge and Neighbouring Monuments.
(https://www.oldgamemags.com/forum/downloads/medium_1_19_07_25_8_05_07_0.jpeg)
I have added single page visitor guides for some locations in the gallery. Not sure why they look so horrid but viewing them in a separate window gives the proper scaling so it's definitely a Gallery issue rather than the scans themselves.