MSX resource center: I need info on Dutch and foreign games scenes

Expert (87)

30-03-2005, 13:43

Greetings all

I've been speaking to Sander Zuidema via email, and have decided to post here and ask some questions.

I am writing a series of articles regarding the undocumented games scenes in foreign countries, such as Holland for example. And I need some info regarding this. I am posting here since I know there is a huge MSX following in Holland, which is likely to be the next country I examine. My editor might want some MSX breathing room after a recent MSX feature, but he hasn't said anything yet, so chances are it will be good to go.....

They will be printed in:
Retro Gamer magazine
(www.livepublishing.co.uk)

Ok, this is what Im interested in:

Info on:
* Arcade scene
* console scene
* home computer scene
* local games designers and companies
* any games related that is exclusive to that region
from around 1980 to 1998

I am also interested in getting hold of film footage or freeware games/demos made by local people, for use on the cover disc. In fact, ANYTHING that is specific to the region that can go on the coverdsic would ge great:
Demo, games, translation patches, artwork, boxart, extra screenshots, radio shows, film footage, extra reading material, general programs, music from games related bands who play gaming music etc. etc. etc

I always like to include disc content, and the sky is the limit really, as long as its related to games and without a charge. All rights are retained by the original creators, and they get full credit.
(btw, just to let you know, I don't actually get paid for any provided disc content. I always mention this in case someone thinks Im trying to make easy cash by putting stuff on the disc. Freelancers are only paid for their written work, per page.)

Any cultural or linguistic things that are interesting. For example, in a Russian article I looked at how they adopted Western words for things they already have names for in their own language, and also touched upon how some of their folktales are used in games. I think it gives these articles a nice exotic flavour for the readership. It also introduces them to things through games, making them take notice more.

Screenshots and photographs of any of the above are of course also very welcome. They always prove troublesome to get hold of.

Anything you find interesting regarding local gaming scenes.

I also see that you have Portuguese and Spanish translators working on the MSXRC, I would also appreciate any information from their local countries regarding the above as well. Since at some point I will be covering Spain, Portugal, and latin American countries such as Brazil (who has a HUGE local gaming movement).

If anyone wants to contact me directly, email me at:
megacdman(at)hotmail(dot)

I usually check this email address quite regularly.

With regards to MSX specific info, everything is appreciated, but I am trying to keep it balanced. As much as I love the system I must resist the temptation to have the expose focus solely on it. I have heard there are other big systems in Holland, like the Philips G7000? Anyway, I will try and keep coverage of everything balanced, but not wanting anything to go to waste, I will include any additional unprinted Holland-specific MSX info on the cover disc, for people to do a little further reading.

Sorry if this is the wrong ection of the forum to ask this, feel free to move it.
Also, be sure to ask any questions you may have. :)

Thanks for any assistance, I greatly appreciate it.

By Szczepaniak

Expert (87)

31-03-2005, 12:49

No answers?!

Anyway, spoke to my boss yesterday, and its all good. He said he'd actually like some follow up MSX coverage, so Ill certainly be able to squeeze more in. I might even bump this up from its normal three pages to four pages to accomodate. Maybe more, it depends. these features are really aimed at getting people to take notice rather than covering everything.

So, Holland information please, and at a later date info from the Spanish and Portuguese translators on gaming in their countries.

I have also been given a magazine deadline: 26th April
Which means my article needs to be finished around the 20th for the best results when it comes to editing and disc content.

Which reminds me, ANY connected disc content would be great, so please put in contact with some relevant types. (arent there also some games related bands in Holland for example?)

Anyway, all disc content is good, as is any info.

I will keep you posted of how it progresses, look forward to your views on this. Im hoping it will educate a lot of gamers on exactly what gaming was like in these areas.

By AuroraMSX

Paragon (1902)

31-03-2005, 18:03

As for games and demos, you should be able to find some stuff in the download section of MSX.org, eg. You could also take a look at the "who=who" section in MSX.org's forums (fora?). There's quite a number of people telling some of their personal history on MSX. You'll have to weed out the non-dutch stuff, tho

By Manuel

Ascended (19683)

31-03-2005, 18:50

I recommend to do some digging in the fora on this web site indeed. You're asking really too much for any single person to answer.

By Sonic_aka_T

Enlighted (4130)

31-03-2005, 19:04

Well, I'm not sure I fully understand the question, but that's prolly 'cause I'm not too bright Post too long, me not remember all! Anyhow, if you're asking about famous Dutch productions I guess I can point you into the right direction... Pick any subject you like, and perhaps there's some people here that can give you even more info.

For me the best Dutch game ever to be released was Akin. It was made by Parallax, a 'famous' Dutch scene-group. Akin is regarded by many as one of the (technically) best games to come from the scene, apart from Coredump perhaps (see below). Parallax was mainly one person, namely Cas Cremers. For both Akin and Coredump he had a lot of help from Patrick Smeets, who did most of the graphics for both games.

Akin pushed the MSX2 system to its limit, or so we thought... Great graphics, music and fast animations on nearly the whole screen, often even in 'multilayer'. Then ofcourse, came Coredump. Even more impressive, but never finished. Check the link above for more info on these two games.

Another Dutch scene legend was Alex Wulms aka Xelasoft. Xelasoft however, didn't release too many (just one?) games, although ZoneTerra was particularly impressive. This Turbo-R game had very nice SCREEN11 graphics and PCM samples. This may not sound very impressive, but it's actually quite a feat since the PCM sample device is very CPU intensive.

Last I'd also like to mention the Dutch group Umax. Though their games were not of a technically high level, they were often very nice to play, which is what really matters ofcourse. They release many RPGs and 'Board Games', a few of them featured stunning Moonsound (OPL4) music. Graphics where often very good, something you didn't see much in the scene.

There's a lot more games ofcourse, but these are the games I personally liked best. You might also take a look at games like Shrines of Enigma, Dass, Retalliator, and a gazillion others I can't think of right now. Suggestions, anyone?

Most of these games have promo's floating around on the web, maybe even in our downloads database. Especially the Coredump promo is nice, though I never got far enough in the game to see all the hip special effects the graphics engine had. There's a demo from Zone Terra too, the rest of the games I'm not too sure about. Perhaps you should try to contact Sunrise, the publisher of most of these games, and see if you can score a review-copy.

Good luck, and lemme know if there's something else I can help with...

By AuroraMSX

Paragon (1902)

01-04-2005, 08:48

A few demo group names that come to mind:

FAC - Federation Against Commodore: released a number of demo disks, and the (in)famous SoundTracker. I never got their MIDI interface working with their SoundTracker, althought the MIDI interface worked well with other applications. Weird...
FAF - Federation Agaist FAC Need I say more?
Impact - made some very nice an humorous demos. "Impaccen en wegwezen"!
ANMA - Andries and Martijn. I have no clue what their last names were, but ANMA made some pretty amazing demo's and a couple of fun games. IMHO, they definitely had no composing skills, tho. Aw, that horrible music!
Bandwagon, Lieves!Tuore - the absolute best MSX1 demo's I've ever seen

By Manuel

Ascended (19683)

01-04-2005, 10:05

AuroraMSX: ehm about ANMA: read the MRC better! Andre Ligthart and Martijn Maatjens They were the jury of the "Scroll and Logo" challenge.
(now I hope I got the spelling right, I didn't check...)

And Bandwagon and Lieves!Tuore are Finnish. No problem but I think the guy wanted mainly Dutch sceners

By Szczepaniak

Expert (87)

01-04-2005, 10:33

At the moment this article is focused strictly on all sections of gaming history in Holland. (not just MSX, so feel free to talk about anything games related in the Dutch scene)

But everything is of course appreciated and I will be noting it down.

I will indeed be checking out the fora section to look for some good personal accounts.

Thanks for all the info so far!

By AuroraMSX

Paragon (1902)

01-04-2005, 10:57

And Bandwagon and Lieves!Tuore are Finnish. No problem but I think the guy wanted mainly Dutch sceners
Me got carried away and had had no coffee yet. Mea culpa.

By [D-Tail]

Ascended (8263)

01-04-2005, 11:05

Andre Ligthart and Martijn Maatjens They were the jury of the "Scroll and Logo" challenge.While we're on the nitpicking tour anyway: they were the main jurors of the Bounce Challenge

By Sama

Ambassador (2070)

01-04-2005, 12:40

Let's not forget to mention that the main part of MSX gaming in The Netherlands was about Japanese games