Armchair Arcade Issue 6 is online.

[crcasey]

The editors of Armchair Arcade are proud to announce the release of their sixth issue. This first-year anniversary issue is packed with in-depth and well-written articles on many controversial topics. In "Finish Him!," Mat Tschirgi explores the history of fighting games and laments the lack of innovation in this genre. Matt Barton steps up next with a superb article entitled "Hackers, Slackers, and Shackles," in which he offers a history of proprietary game development and explains why we should quit being "dead-end users" and reclaim the creative origins of computing. Next up is Patty McCabe-Remmell's "A Game of Concentration," in which she makes the surprising claim that videogames offer a promising form of therapy for children and adults suffering from attention deficit disorder. It's well-researched and sure to make you think. David Torre's "Shutting Down Windows" explains why we gamers need to shutdown Windows for good and jump on the GNU/Linux bandwagon. Rounding out this issue is Bill's review of two miniconsoles, the Atari Flashback and the Commodore 64 30-in-1, and an anecdotal piece called "Computer Camp Castrophes" by Mat Tschirgi. All of this, plus another outstanding painted cover by our resident art master, Seb Brassard. We hope you'll check us out and help spread the word!

Website: http://armchairarcade.com

Thanks,

The Armchair Arcade Team

[pissant]

Wow, talk about desperate for articles. I'm still scratching my head to see how the 'dump windows for linux' article fits into a gamer/retrogamer webzine. Wierd.

For a retrogaming magazine that doesn't make compromises, try this one out: http://www.wayoftherodent.com/

UK centric, but man... everytime I read it I want to go and drag out all my old systems and start playing them. Speaking of which, I just picked up a Timex Sinclair 1000 (http://oldcomputers.net/ts1000.html) in a box with memory expansion + printer. I remember these things being advertised for $99 way back when and always had a secret desire to get one.

[jamcat]

Hahahaha! Yeah, just don't let Joseph "I Hate Video Games" Lieberman see the cover of that issue. :)

[Bloodcat]

Aren't some of yall being a little harsh on Armchair Arcade?

Those guys seem to be going for a more intellectual approach to retrogaming, something that really isn't all that common. WOtR is more the "drunks in a pub talking about the old days" style, RGR is more a mix of common man/angry anti corporate liberal, and many more sites are "raging Japanaholic NES worshippers that may or may not have heavy uses of swear words and of course gay this and that"..

There ought to be different voices instead of a bunch of copycats who all sound alike and who all suck off the same 5 games.

[pissant]

Maybe I'm just more of the pub type I suppose. ;-)

Don't get me wrong, The 'Chasing the Dream' articles were great (http://www.armchairarcade.com/aamain/content.php?article.65 and http://www.armchairarcade.com/aamain/content.php?article.66), but many of the other articles are pretty weak. This issue there are more than a few duds as far as articles go.

I like that they are trying, I just think that it has a ways to go before it gets to a reasonable standard. That doesn't stop me from reading it of course. ;-)

[Shane R. Monroe]

There can never be enough groups, magazines, info, radio shows, e-mags, whatever to cover classic gaming.

As with all forms of entertainment, everything requires a hook to get noticed; build a relationship with the listener/viewer/whatever. At RGR, I take a 100% no-asskissing Joe Everyman passionate approach. You don't have to 1) like me or 2) agree with me - to appreciate this show or what I'm doing. That's my hook.

Everyone has a different approach.

[jamcat]

Though I find the "Hackers, Slackers, and Shackles: The Future of Free Software Game Development" feature funny where the guy has a distaste for "abandonware" sites, and chooses to call his site "Liberated Games". Puh-leese! A rose is a rose, and abandonware is abandonware. He can call the games "liberated", but I still call it abandonware. I have no problem with abandonware. But the dude shouldn't come off "holy than thou" saying his isn't a abandonware site when it basically is.

[sci]

Abandonware is a classy name for old warez.

[Darksol]

Some abandonware is legal to redistribute and some isn't . Some of the old dev house and authors have given permission to redistribute some older titles.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Very few 'abandonware sites' that aren't single game or single company shrines are even CLOSE to legal.

While we all appreciate the concept and spirit of abandonware - its important to note that its not legal; its not some loophole in the system that says "Just because its for DOS 3.22 that its legal to get it from a site". Intellectual property copyright on the software is good for 75 years - whether or not the company that made it still exists or not. When a company liquidates - SOMEONE gets ownership of that title; even if its a creditor.

Abandonware falls into the 'common sense' category to me. Area 51 ain't abandonware. Air Supply on the C64? Well ... hell, take your chances.

[jamcat]

Which Area 51? If you mean the remake, then you are right. But if you mean the original Area 51, I would consider that one abandonware. It's no longer in the arcades or available for sale on consoles or PCs. So it'd be abandonware. Any game that has lived it's shelf life and is no longer making money is a fair target for abandonware.

[Shane R. Monroe]

You use "fair" and "abandonware" in the same sentance.

Abandonware is a subjective term NOT recognized by ANY legal organization as proof against copyright infringement.

You might as well subscribe to the "24 Hour Rom" rule that claims you can use ROMs legally for 24 hours before removing them. Simply not true.

[jamcat]

I love that "24 Hour ROM" rule that all the ROM sites post. NOBODY ever follows it.

Whatever the legal/moral issue is on abandonware, I'm just glad there are abandonware sites. I had got my first "real" PC in the 90's. Before that I was still using my Atari 800XL. But thanks to abandonware sites, I was able to get and enjoy all the PC games that were out before I bought a PC. There are some great DOS-based games that beat out these over bloated, 3D card required games of today.

[rolisme]

I love that "24 Hour ROM" rule that all the ROM sites post. NOBODY ever follows it.

The reason it is not followed is because it is not a rule that exists. No such thing. If you don't own the actual board or game, the rom is not legal for you even for a minute.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Technically, owning the board doesn't give you rights to a ROM image either. Firmware doesn't have the same rules to it as software does.

So .. its all just BS. You use ROM images, you're a criminal. Pretty simple.

However - if you had arcade boards for every ROM you played, I seriously doubt a jury would convict you. But you never know ... the Prosecution might break out the Wookie Card.