Author Topic: Revisiting old magazines...  (Read 1499 times)

Nangbaby

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Revisiting old magazines...
« on: May 16, 2010, 04:40:20 pm »
I was looking through some of my old Game Players magazines today and came across a two-page spread devoted to the secrets of Chrono Trigger.  Naturally, most of these "secrets" were bare bones at best (and it contained a reference to finding Schala :x),  but it was interesting to revisit the past in this way, since we don't have Gate Keys or Epochs to actually do so.

FaustWolf

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Re: Revisiting old magazines...
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2010, 04:57:02 pm »
I have a vague recollection of a game magazine where the cheats editor was giving advice for finding Schala. It seemed serious at first, but as it went on it became obvious it was a big joke. Did the article say to stop in at Bagu's Cabin, or climb a big tree and fight a giant bird?

ZeaLitY

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Re: Revisiting old magazines...
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2010, 06:22:42 pm »
I can throw them in the encyclopedia if you want to scan the pages.

Nangbaby

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I Fail at Scanning
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2010, 02:12:11 am »
I have a vague recollection of a game magazine where the cheats editor was giving advice for finding Schala. It seemed serious at first, but as it went on it became obvious it was a big joke. Did the article say to stop in at Bagu's Cabin, or climb a big tree and fight a giant bird?

No, this was not that article.  The Schala reference seemed to be an honest mistake.  In a later issue (Issue 80, January 1996, Volume 9, Number 1, p. 121) Chrono Trigger is given 3/4 of a page for the Game Slayers section, which clarifies that it's not possible to find her (I'll scan that issue later).  Also, in another issue of Game Players ("Holiday 1995" issue/Issue 79 Volume 8, Number 13, p. 32), Chrono Trigger was awarded "Best Role-Playing Game" (presumably for 1995).  This issue also has a different Chrono Trigger advertisement than the one I scanned below.


I can throw them in the encyclopedia if you want to scan the pages.

I'm actually surprised you'd be interested, since I thought this might be redundant.   I took a few scans If you want them, I'm not sure how to deliver them, since the files are a bit big.  Below are just the previews.  They are the cover, the table of contents (the equivalent of page 9), the index of the strategy section (page 99), the actual section (pages 116 and 117), and the double-page ad (pages 110 and 111).









All of these scans are from The October 1995 issue of Game Players (Volume 8, Number 10, issue 76)  If you want the actual full-sized JPGs, I've uploaded them on my "super secret" Web space.  Well, except for the ad, which is poorly mashed together from two scans.  Since I'm terrible at optimizing, I'm not sure which route to go.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2010, 02:18:43 am by Nangbaby »

ZeaLitY

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Re: Revisiting old magazines...
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2010, 04:26:41 pm »
Thanks; I think FW forwarded me the big versions. I'll get them added for the next update.

Yeah, there's a lot of interesting information locked up in old game magazines. In this case I'm just archiving them purely for purposes of perfectionism (and nostalgia, since I fondly remember reading an old tips magazine for Super Mario RPG), but there's a ton of journalistic items in those things, too. I tried to start a magazine indexing project on WikiProject: Video Games, but I have no idea if it's being maintained right now.

Samopoznanie

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Re: Revisiting old magazines...
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2010, 09:51:08 pm »
I think I remember an issue of GamePro that had a feature on how to get all the different endings -- a friend of mine consulted it (without telling me about the issue) when he borrowed the game, and blazed through them all when I'd only gotten about five of them.  I was baffled at the time, as it seemed like he'd totally outdone me at my favourite game!

HeadlessFritz

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Re: Revisiting old magazines...
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2010, 10:47:01 pm »
"It's about time"... Looks like Blizzard's announcement for Starcraft 2!

Great find, this reminds me of the good ol days. I also remember that hoax when you could revive general Leo in FF6. You had to beat 4000 dinosaurs and get a resurrect potion. The saddest thing is that I tried it. I fought at least 30 dinosaurs a day for a few months.

Nangbaby

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Re: Revisiting old magazines...
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2010, 04:17:24 am »
I finally got my lazy bum around to scanning these images.  Initially I planned on providing commentary, but I'm to sleepy to write anything up, so here are the preview pics.


Game Players Issue 74




This is just the Game Players Preview of Chrono Trigger.  Quite understated, actually, and despite the praise heaped on it, if you were flipping through the magazine, you'd most likely miss it.  There may have been a mention or feature in an earlier issue, but I do not have ready access to the early



Game Players Issue 75





Yes, Chrono Trigger graced the cover and even the binder of the issue.




Just Table of Contents, but Chrono Trigger was featured on the first page.





Just another two page Chrono Trigger ad.




Just the review index...nothing special.




And here's the meat and potatoes...THE ACTUAL REVIEW...Believe it or not, I agree with most of the review, although I think the story is stronger than Jeff Lundrigan gives it credit for.


Game Players Issue 78




These two pages are from the Game Slayers section of Game Players, where people would write in asking for help or write in providing tips.  Unfortunately, since this is a mid-90s magazine with a mid-90's layout, sometimes the answers are presented in a way that would be difficult to follow.

Note:  The two pages are the same color, but because my scanner was being finnicky, it rendered one page differently than the other.



Game Players Issue 79




This is just the holiday issue of Game Players, where they gave Chrono Trigger the award for best Role-Playing Game of that year.


Game Players Issue 80






This is anothe Game Slayers section.  At least this issue corrects the whole "finding Schala" mention.  It makes me wonder if any of these people are even around today, but ah...memories.


Now...um, look!  There's a running Schala...

<--Worst Sprite Edit EVER

Edit:  Okay, so I did write a few sentences of commentary.
« Last Edit: July 05, 2010, 11:25:53 pm by Nangbaby »

FaustWolf

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Re: Revisiting old magazines...
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2010, 03:37:13 pm »
Whoa, what a barrage of memories! Hahaha, I was also positive Alfador was the key to finding Schala back then. Man, how many minutes, possibly hours of my young life did I waste searching that commons in 12,000BC?

gatotsu911

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Re: Revisiting old magazines...
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2010, 08:20:53 pm »
Ah, the 90's... such an innocent time, when gaming was in its starry-eyed youth.