`Game.Machines´ - The history of home micros and consoles!

Rafael Dyll · Post by **Rafael Dyll** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:09 am

Hi all,

I'm new here, but some may know that I am a member of Neil Carr's `Revival ST´ musician team, being responsible for the LED Storm and Lethal Xcess tracks. With the CD nearly ready, I would like to announce something that may be of major interest to some of you here, being fans of the ST and possibly other computers.

I have written the English version of a book called `Game.Machines.´, an extremely succesful German book by Winnie Forster, known for his work on PowerPlay, VideoGames and Man!ac games mags. Finally, after many endless nights of work and hour-long discussions on tech facts, grammar and game titles, it is now available in the UK through MbD (from Neil's online store).

http://www.mbdrecords.com

Here's a brief summary of what it's all about:

`33 years of on-screen fun and interaction: This book presents every game computer and console ever created, from Japan, USA and Europe, along with classic software in its authentic, pixellated glory, and background information and key technical facts.

More than 400 dream machines and million sellers, bizarre slip-ups and exotic variants are celebrated in full colour chapters and appendixes. From Atari to Xbox, from the C64 to Nintendo DS: Game.Machines is the reference point for members of the playstation generation; whether they're gamers or collectors.

Originally published in Germany, Game.Machines has been recognised as a 'suitable reference' and 'recommended reading' (by Germany's premier micro monthly C't), as 'very entertaining' (Gamestar) and 'compulsory reading' (Playzone) or simply as 'Ace' (ComputerBILD). Two years in the making, this greatly enhanced and revised edition invites you to a time journey across the video game epoch: From the 4-bit beginning to the broadband future.

'A thilling journey... don't miss it! (Official PlayStation Magazine, OPM)´

It's on sale now, it has stacks of stuff about the ST, other Atari micros & consoles and the rivalry with Commodore. I sincerely hope you guys will like it. Winnie, his team and I have put tons of sweat into this beautiful, full color book and wish you happy reading!

And remember: "Shoot or die!´ (from `Turrican´, 1990)

Post by **Mug UK** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:30 am

Yum yum .. payday next week, so can see me depositing some spondoolicks into my PayPal account

Rafael Dyll · Post by **Rafael Dyll** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:34 am

Thanks Muguk (?), there are samples on Neil's site you can download - the ST is among them. But actually holding the book and paging through the different chapters and eras is just so nice. But maybe that's just me, LOL.

manicx · Post by **manicx** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:35 am

Looks great. Hope they post to Greece.

Gryzor · Post by **Gryzor** » Mon May 23, 2005 8:49 am

I've read very good reviews for this book and I really want it, but at almost €30 (incl. shipping) it's rather expensive for 224 pages...

Cheers
Gryzor

Ragstaff · Post by **Ragstaff** » Mon May 23, 2005 9:23 am

sounds excellent, really. i'd love a copy
and how cool the a english author would grace us with his presence

Rafael Dyll · Post by **Rafael Dyll** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:17 pm

Yes, well my presence here is something I enjoy if you guys have fun reading the book.

As for the price `Gryzor´, I admit, it's probably not the cheapest book out there, but I'm pretty confident that it's worth every penny and that it's the most complete book of its kind. Not sure what the standard price for an encyclopedia on any subject is really, but if you compare it to other non-science books on other topics, it's probably not quite as expensive as you would have innnitially thought. Plus, it's really excellent quality and it has stacks of beautiful photographs.

Ok, 'nuff dirty plugging, I'd love to hear from anyone who has read the book. Just send me a mail and let me know what you like or dislike.

Best regards,

RetroGamerUK · Post by **RetroGamerUK** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 4:46 pm

If it lists Websites for leeching games for all the old systems then it is worth every penny for sure!
Now to order a copy - oops I forgot I have no Paypal.

Seriously though it looks good - Muguk - can I borrow yours when you are done reading it? and Gryzor, you can nip next door to Manicx's and borrow his copy!

Gryzor · Post by **Gryzor** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:17 am

Oh yes, and then we can photocopy it nd send it to whomever wants it from here and make loadsa money!

erm... sorry.

tas · Post by **tas** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:40 am

manicx wrote:Looks great. Hope they post to Greece.

We do

Plus we (MBD) don't just accept paypal but also you can pay through any credit card using our credit card processing facility.

The price is a tiny bit expensive but the book really is very deffinative. We are selling it a the official RRP.

Post by **Mug UK** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 10:53 am

Yeah .. payday here ... and spare cash in my PayPal account which has just mysteriously winged its way across to mdb records .. look forward to getting the book when it arrives

tas · Post by **tas** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 5:57 pm

Thanks my friend

I hope you enjoy it, hand on heart i can say i found that the book wasted many hours of my life as it really is enjoyable.

Post by **Mug UK** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 4:12 pm

If it's OK with my fellow team members from Atari Legend, and time permitting of course, I'll do a review for the AL site?

tas · Post by **tas** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:07 am

Thats perfectly fine mate, feel free.

oesii · Post by **oesii** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:49 am

I'm thinking of picking up this book for some summer reading. Us Yanks can now get it at the handy Atari Age store:

http://www.atariage.com/store/product_i ... cts_id=315

Rafael Dyll · Post by **Rafael Dyll** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:41 pm

Hello everyone,

If you have been following the thread over at `YM rockin´ or indeed if you have tried to access the pages of MbD for ordering purposes of either the Revival ST CD or the Game.Machines book, you may well have found out that MbD is no more, which is a shame. This unfortunate event has of course, nothing to do with the Game.Machines book originally written by Winnie Forster and brought into English by myself.

You can order the book directly from `gameplan.uk´, the actual publisher of our book. Just head over to

http://www.game-machines.co.uk/gameplan ... /index.php

Sorry for the confusion regarding MbD, I hope you enjoy the book none-the-less.

Thank you,

Post by **Mug UK** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:01 pm

As soon as I've finished doing my stint on San Andreas on my Xbox, I'll have a look and do the review as promised for Atari Legend.

Enjoyed skimming through the book and nice to see it also mentioned in this months copy of Retrogamer UK magazine.

Rafael Dyll · Post by **Rafael Dyll** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:41 am

muguk wrote: Enjoyed skimming through the book and nice to see it also mentioned in this months copy of Retrogamer UK magazine.

Hi,

can you send me a copy/scan of the page? I have no Retro mag at hand right now, and I haven't seen it yet.

Rafael

Post by **Mug UK** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 8:04 am

You share the news piece (not a review) with another retro-related book (can't remember the title off top of my head).

Will sort one out as soon as I can.