298: Myth-takes and Other Oddities

[Robert Marks]

Myth-takes and Other Oddities

Reviewing a game can be a bizarre process, especially when it involves near-naked vampires, frostbite, and a hard-drive-killing bug.

Read Full Article

 

[Hungry Donner]

Myth II and CGW, the rush of nostalgia!

Was that the cover where they lamely suggested that her eyes were the most striking feature or was it a later cheesecake cover?

It's a shame to hear that the editors changed the review so much, although I wish I could say I was more surprised.

 

[Hungry Donner]

Ouch, that couldn't have been fun.

 

[Irridium]

Also fun story about Myth, the collectors edition boxes were made of wood.

Too cool for tin, or aluminum, or whatever the hell current CE boxes are made of.

 

[Robert B. Marks]

HG131: I did not know that. That would not have been a fun task.

Veterinari: The rewrite was not a fun thing, particularly when I only found out about it once the magazine was published. But what I remember bothering me the most about it wasn't the stylistic changes (which were along the lines of one of those scenes where somebody tries to talk cool and fails), but the factual error that ended up in the sidebar. I'd been hired because of my Mediaeval Studies degree mainly because of my ability to write that sidebar. And, when it came to the Berserkers, I had written that they were a combination of the Scottish highlanders and the Viking berserkers. Well, the Vikings didn't make the final cut, so I was left with my name on a sidebar that got some basic Medieval history wrong...while finishing up a Medieval history degree. That was not a good feeling.

Mind you, I can look back at it and laugh now, which is the important thing, I guess.

 

[Wolfram23]

That's an interesting story.

I still have Myth: Total Codex and quite loved both games. They were eye opening at the time, truely fun and strategic and difficult and so many things.

I also had fun with the editors, Fear and Loathing. I remember making some mortar dwarves that had like double the range and their mortars could take out a pack of Thrall, sending body parts flying everywhere, and they made a nice big shockwave effect too.

But yeah... Myth. Awesome.

Though that sucks about the review getting hacked up. I would not be a happy camper.

 

[Dectilon]

If Bungie ever want to attempt an rpg, the Myth world would be great for it. Or maybe it would ruin it, who knows.

What a strange bug though. Sounds like something that'd be caught pretty early.

 

[Hungry Donner]

Yea, Bungie made the game where uninstalling it clearly wiped everything out of your memory, that is literally no fun at all. That is to say, this Article has some fine points of course that I like seeing.

I remember hearing about the recall but I never realized the poor guys had to do it by hand. I also remember there was a game release that was infected with a virus andI don't believe that was caught until after it hit the shelves. I can't remember the name of the game but I believe the guy behind the Alien TC for Doom was one of the developers.

 

[vxicepickxv]

So, now that the story behind the original article is told, would you ever think about posting the entirety of the original review?

 

[Tater Po]

So, now that the story behind the original article is told, would you ever think about posting the entirety of the original review?

http://cgw.vintagegaming.org/index.php
It's not available here yet, but may be soon.

 

[Robert B. Marks]

vxicepickxv: Well, I would be lying through my teeth if I said that I hadn't given some thought to putting it up on my Livejournal. The problem is that strictly speaking, it was work-for-hire from the very beginning, so I just never owned the rights to it. I can tell the story of it, and I can talk about what was in the original unedited version, but I can't publish it.

Sorry about that.

 

[beefpelican]

You, sir, know how to write an introduction, then follow through with an awesome article. That was hilarious.

 

[Hungry Donner]

I also remember there was a game release that was infected with a virus and I don't believe that was caught until after it hit the shelves. I can't remember the name of the game but I believe the guy behind the Alien TC for Doom was one of the developers.

I can track Fisher to Mad Genius Software but I don't know where he went after that. The sole release of MGS doesn't appear to have been infected with a virus but I see that the game's story involved a virus . . . maybe my memory has muddled things up.

While I don't believe Fisher was involved with it I did find some information about WarGames: Defcon 1 initially shipping with a virus on the CD so at least my earlier comments had some grounding in reality


WarGames: Defcon 1

 

[MikeBBetts]

I'm a little amused that your one review ended up in that infamously-covered issue. No wonder you couldn't stand the magazine after. I'll always love it, though I believe I discovered it post-sexytime.

 

[Nesrie]

The gaming industry is pretty much corrupt from the head down. It's interesting to see insight from within, now and then.

 

[thisberichard]

Honestly, it's hard to imagine why they -would- bribe or cajole you when you had no power to prevent the transformation of your review into something almost entirely different. Criticism was removed and praise was added without need for any bribing or cajoling to take place (at least as far as you were concerned).

Depressing.

 

[Shikua]

this is off topic, but holy hell, you live in kingston?! I never thought I'd see anyone online from here!

 

[Bodean Baxter]

dudes, that game started me on rts's, there is no greater feeling than watching a bunch of stupid zombies make their way across 8 stacked satchel charges... or the rush when they send all their guys at u and your 2 trows just kick the crap outa them OMG good times, im downloading that game now

Good review also