Retro gamer #129

[elmillortoni]

Recently, I had the opportunity to mix two hobbies of mine: learning English (just starting) and retro computing (just as a simple user).

 

I came across with the Retro gamer magazine #129, which includes an article about the 25^th anniversary of the Lynx.

 

After reading this awesome article, I’ve realised that several of you had participate in it or at least are mentioned in it somehow or other (Songbird, LX.NET, EricDeLee, GadgetUK, and many others that I can’t associate to their AA nicknames). I’m sure 108Stars is one of them.

 

To all of you that make such a huge effort programming new games, and put all your passion in it, many thanks. As a new Lynx fan and collector, I really appreciate it.

 

And also thank you very much to Lynx fans like Rygar (I love your stunning youtube videos, man) and so many others, who keep the Lynx alive!

[LX.NET]

You're welcome, I guess. Reactions like these make it all the more worthwhile. Other than that it is great fun to work with the device. Great puzzles to find out how things work and improve, document and teach these things. And the Lynx community deserves it. So, a thank-you right back.

[Guitari]

Congratulations on your mastery of English in a short time!

[108 Stars]

Reading something you like is the best way to learn a language!

 

I became good in English not only because of school, but because most video games were not translated to German, and I read American comic books. So it's great if Retro Gamer can help you with that.

[GadgetUK]

Thanks and you're welcome! We are all here for the same reason - love for the Lynx =)

[tep392]

Recently, I had the opportunity to mix two hobbies of mine: learning English (just starting) and retro computing (just as a simple user).

 

I came across with the Retro gamer magazine #129, which includes an article about the 25^th anniversary of the Lynx.

 

After reading this awesome article, I’ve realised that several of you had participate in it or at least are mentioned in it somehow or other (Songbird, LX.NET, EricDeLee, GadgetUK, and many others that I can’t associate to their AA nicknames). I’m sure 108Stars is one of them.

 

To all of you that make such a huge effort programming new games, and put all your passion in it, many thanks. As a new Lynx fan and collector, I really appreciate it.

 

And also thank you very much to Lynx fans like Rygar (I love your stunning youtube videos, man) and so many others, who keep the Lynx alive!

I would never have guessed that you had just started learning english. You write very well.

[Lost Dragon]

There's some degree of 'confusion' in that Lynx article if i recal, did'nt it claim sales figures of the Lynx to be around the 3 Million Mark?

 

Yet that's not what Darryl Still, Ex-Atari UK actually said when interviewed:

 

 

Q. Do you happen to know what the total sales figures for the Lynx were? There seems to be no other figures quoted other than articles that report Atari selling their one millionth Lynx.

 

A) I probably knew at the time, but cannot put a figure on it now. Less than it should have been, that’s for sure. Definitely more than that the worldwide build was 7 digits and they'd have all been sold into retail.

Q. I always guessed at about 2.5 million because I know Batman Returns helped sell a lot of Lynxes.

A) Yes, something like that.

 

Full interview here:http://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=h967m89vevo9in9iohfm0ci0p2&topic=2258.0

 

So a figure of 2.5 Million is suggested and again the only figures released from Atari are vague and earlier in Lynxes life.

[108 Stars]

There's some degree of 'confusion' in that Lynx article if i recal, did'nt it claim sales figures of the Lynx to be around the 3 Million Mark?

 

Yet that's not what Darryl Still, Ex-Atari UK actually said when interviewed

You should know that the person who wrote the RG article and the one doing the interview are one and the same.

The question he asked was also one suggesting his own opinion, not a good way of doing interviews for exact numbers.

 

Personally, I think 3 million is exaggerated. Even 2 million seem hard to believe to me tbh.

[Lost Dragon]

I mentioned it elsewhere but that (partial) quote from Raze regarding Mintel report, Atari holding 50% of UK console market when 7800 was out, should of made clear that vague 50% was for BOTH 7800 and 2600 combined.

 

If your going to use sales figures for professional publications, where your in effect being paid for your research as well as doing the article, as a purchaser of the publication, i'd expect some solid numbers, where possible, but if all you are able to obtain is vague numbers, then by all means include them, but quote fully and in context.

 

Increasing a figure from one your actually given is just going to draw wrong kind of conclusions from the article and make readers question other 'facts' stated even more.

 

There's no 'shame' in quoting someone like Darryl in full and go onto say no confirmed figures were avaiable when article was written.Just be honest with your readership.

 

Everyone pretty much knows both Lynx+Game Gear were slaughtered by Game Boy so nothing gained really.

[Lost Dragon]

Mentioned this elsewhere but i'm sure it's pure coincidence that a Wikipedia user made 2 entries within minutes of each other traced back to a gift card company on March 16 where the RG article writer worked until April 2016..

 

Couldn't possibly be the writer using works computers, could it...:-))

 

Because like no one would link the 2 together would they?.

 

I might be slagged off for pointing out you can't take Darryl's claims as fact, but i'm not stupid enough to pull a stunt like this..

[+remowilliams]

Oh god those Kieren 'the Liard' Hawken articles make me cringe...

[Lost Dragon]

The funniest thing regarding the whole Wikipedia drama because i dared question the RG 3 Million sales figure, has been that for all that effort since to slander myself and discredit myself as a person and my research..

 

There's been no independently verified sales data to prove i was wrong to question the claim..has there?

 

So it's based on suggested figures to Darryl, some Atari USA figures for a set period and some claims made in the European press.

 

Maybe it's in a drawer next to the big bunch of files that prove we didn't make half our claims up or twist what people told us to suit our agenda..

 

But the drawer is locked and the key exists out there..somewhere :-))

 

What ever..i'm just going to take some wise advice bestowed apon me and put a lot of space between myself and this shower that are following me..

 

The damage by association is a stain

i have no need of.

 

My research can be judged on it's own feet.

 

If it's incorrect..lets see credible source material please.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Lost Dragon

[Lost Dragon]

On a more serious note..I do hope credible figures do surface one day, so this can be put to rest once and for all.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Lost Dragon

[Lost Dragon]

Ohhh and Kieran sweetheart, i don't do Facebook..so even if i wanted to ahem follow you, shall we politely say on FB, i couldn't..so sorry my love but it wasn't myself who matched the i.p details in this instance or any other.

 

But then you and fake accounts have a history..

 

https://forum.retrogamer.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=51773&hilit=Recent+problems

 

This happened long after i left RG forum under my own steam..ta..like i said..i've only been banned by editor from ever trying to get back on the forum, something I never saw any need to do, unlike you trying to get back on here..

 

And the recent dribbling nonsense i've been made aware of about what you and your associates have been claiming about myself,whilst you play the victim card, reminded me of your history.

 

Took a few seconds to find it on RG forum.

 

Fact you made it back onto RG forum and indeed back onto the magazine after your FB spat with the editor, not so long ago..yes..that jumped from FB also..

 

Isn't my concern..but hasn't been forgotten and didn't go unnoticed

 

 

You were suspended as a freelancer ahem...

Allegedly creating fake account on the RG forum to get more work,or so claim went and slandered the magazines editor for not beliving your tale of innocence..

 

Then it was a case of..ohh Kieran is back writing for magazine, let's put this behind us from the editor..

 

Like i said, time to put distance between your rambling attacks and myself..once and for all..

Edited August 19, 2017 by Lost Dragon

[Lost Dragon]

I also borrowed a friends copy of RetroGamer issue 111..looked through the Imagitec Design article Kieran wrote and there is no mention Of them using an advanced version of the I-War engine rather than the Doom Engine for Freelancer 2120..as Kieran claimed after i created a thread on Assembler about this game.

 

Space Junk was briefly discussed with a few quotes from Sharon Dunford and Andrew Seed..

 

Martin Hooley confirms what Jim Gregory told me..Leonard Tramiel would hear no wrong about Atari hardware..it was always the fault of the coders trying to use it...

 

Wonder if you ran this article or quote past Leonard on JSIII then guys?

 

We couldn't find anything about Freelancer using I-War engine when you covered I-War in the Jaguar Minority Report either.

 

So label me a stalker or a batch or troll or whatever else..but fact is your RG claims and indeed what you claimed were in your articles aren't holding water..

[Lost Dragon]

I've just taken a good look at the Wikipedia entry where abusive,hateful, flaming etc comments are made regarding myself by a certain person editing the page..

 

The spelling alone is terrible..

 

It's Sillifant.. 2 L's.

 

A know trouble maker? You mean known and yes i will happy stand up a make noise when i see speculation being passed off as fact.

 

It's Lost Dragon, not Last Shogun.

 

However it's the question of potential conduct of a freelancer for the magazine..as well as potential conflict of interest here that makes me wonder if i shouldn't look into this further.

 

Wikipedia clearly states..do not edit Wikipedia in your own interests or in the interests of your external relationships..

 

A poster by name of John DBuell claims he knows it was the RG article writer..making edits based on the RVG community interview..

 

The same interview i myself took part in.

 

The only figure that can be verified is a single region and year figure..500,000 from Atari Corp, for USA 1990.

 

The rest comes from a suggestion put to Atari UK's marketing manager who admits he does not have the true figure...

 

Along with French and German..press coverage.

 

Wikipedia rules again..

 

Articles must not contain any analysis or Synthesis that reaches or implies a conclusion not clearly stated in the published sources.

 

Writer says he interviewed R.J Mical to confirm figures..well you'd need to show interview so we could see it wasn't the same suggested figure gone along with..

 

Plus RetroGamer's resident fact checker,Marty Goldberg has stated R.J likes to tell a fantasy version of events, rather than the truth..Regarding the Amiga..so..credible source?

[Lostdragon]

Apologies for the necrobump, but I was rather surprised to see a certain individual appearing on the comments of a recent YT video, looking at the Lynx, given his less than stellar reputation.. 

 

All these years later and we still see the same points we exposed when the RG article ran, being used. 

 

There are no independently verified, credible, actual sales figures for the Lynx. 

 

 

(The Tramiel's always talked of expected sales, manufacturing targets for a year..) 

 

 

Telegames Pete Mortimer made this clear when interviewed some years later in the excellent Lynx  book by Zaffin Books. 

 

Darryl Still was never the source to even approach. 

 

 

There is 'discussion' about the Lynx using cassette media, the source usedJ debunking it appears to be RJ Mical, who's earnt his reputation as an overblown storyteller and who suggests they might of looked at using Hard Drives at 1 point.. 

 

 

The cassette media is referenced in the official Epyx Lynx documention.. 

 

 

https://www.monlynx.de/lynx/lynxdoc.html

 

 

In all the years since this article appeared, nothing has changed, people strutting around YT comments saying YOU ARE WRONG, still haven't contacted other leading sources who might be able to share their own unique insights into the Lynx, instead they insist on spreading the same old misinformation. 

 

 

When will the community mature?