It's been an entire year since I've last written one of these update posts, and man is there a lot to tell you about. From a plethora of small improvements behind the scenes to the introduction to our very own YouTube channel (not to mention the many games I've updated and improved), there's a lot to cover. Without further ado, let's jump in...
You may remember at the end of 2018 I promised to add at least 5 games per month throughout 2019. I'm happy to tell you that I kept that promise and then some. Over the course of the last year, 106 games have been added to the count giving us a total of 393 at the time of writing (and that doesn't factor in compilations or ports). That's an average of just under 9 reviews per month! Phew! Throughout 2020, I'll keep my promise of a regular Monthly 5 post at least, but that's not all you can look forward to.
With the help of my good friend HeroOfAvalan, The Collection Chamber now has it's own YouTube channel. We began in February so you may have seen some of the videos already. To begin with, we'll mainly be recording Let's Plays for whatever games we're reviewing at the time but we plan to produce video reviews, retrospectives and opinion pieces in the future.
On top of all this, we've also amped up or social media game. You can now follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Avalon will be handling most of the social media interactions, but don't let me do all the talking, here's HeroOfAvalon...
If I am to begin on an honest note, I guess I can only describe myself as a scruffy looking scoundrel and Raconteur. Craving a creative outlet, I sought out an old friend (the ineffable Biffman) to allow me to wax lyrical in new media forms. Together we hope to bring you a cacophony of veritable gaming delights from both past and present in both written or video form. Expect to see my presence on social media, our YouTube channel and right here on The Collection Chamber.
In ending I should offer that if whatever reason you do feel the need to read further ramblings of mine as I try to make sense of modern life, you can follow me on my personal blog https://talesinvisualmedia.com/.
Until we meet again good people, I bid you farewell.
HeroOfAvalonThe fine fellow has already written a number of reviews; read what he had to say about The Sacred Mirror of Kofun, Bush Buck, Quarantine II and Romeo + Juliet. He'll also join me each week in our gameplay videos. Check out what we've done so far below and let us know what you think!
That's not all! There's a number of updated games to go on about. Check them out below!
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THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN COLLECTION Updated to Version 3 Fixed installer |
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BLADE RUNNER Removed download link Added link to buy on GOG |
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CLUE Re-upped broken download |
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DISNEY'S WINNIE THE POOH: ACTIVITY CENTRE Updated to Version 2 Fixed installer |
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FATAL RACING Updated to Version 2 Now uses DOSBox DAUM Added 3Dfx version |
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THE GUARDIAN OF DARKNESS Updated to Version 2 Now uses DxWnd for better compatibility with Windows 10 Added PDF manual |
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HEXPLORE Removed download link Added link to buy on GOG |
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MONTY PYTHON'S COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME Updated to Version 2 Upgraded DOSBox to 0.74.3 Added PDF manual |
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MONTY PYTHON AND THE QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL Updated to Version 4 Upgraded DOSBox to 0.74.3 Added PDF manual |
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MONTY PYTHON'S THE MEANING OF LIFE Added to Version 2 Uses DOSBox DAUM running Windows '95 Added PDF manual Version 1 remains |
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RIPPER Updated to Version 2 Fixed installer |
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SILENT HILL: THE ARCADE Added Version 2 Added Windows 10 patch (some issues remain) Version 1 remains |
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STAR TREK: KLINGON Updated to Version 2 Improved installer Fixed Language Lab launch issue |
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VIRTUA COP 1+2 Separated the two games Uses DxWnd for better performance Version 1 remains |
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WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO + JULIET Updated to Version 2 Added Windows '95 wallpaper Game now autostarts within Windows '95 environment |
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Thanks so much, Biff, for the unparalleled dedication to your very own - and still pleasantly growing - legacy. Can't praise it highly enough that even your Update section gets treated with all that passionate love from Britain (thus, "God Save The Biffman!"), so that new revisions of already featured - and personally favoured - games (which are only genuine with The Collection Chamber's sweat n' tears within) are always a feast to get hold of once again. And what a traditionally tasty and filling old-school gaming dinner that is, I'll tell you that. :-)
ReplyDeleteBye from Germany,
Thomas
P.S. Hello there, HeroOfAvalon! Pleased to make your acquaintance here at TCC, too! With a debut like this, one will hear more good things from you in the future, I'm sure. :-)
Thanks Thomas. I shall endeavour to try to live up to your praise :)
DeleteThe Monty Python's The Meaning of Life link goes to the Monty Python's Flying Circus page. Also, the downloadable folder seems to be the right size, but when it is extracted, it becomes half its size. It doesn't look right, compared to the previous version.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading Hero Of Avalon's reviews, but I hope he doesn't keep finishing a mediocre adventure, writing a review and then deciding to retreat to the thrills of a stock car racing game. ;)
Es ist seltsam, wie Thomas besser Englisch spricht als die meisten Engländer.
Thank you for the flowers, James. Yeah, it could well be the case that my written English tends to sound ambitiously formulated; which is due to the fact that I always try paying attention to the written (or spoken, respectively) detail, no matter if it refers to my German Krauts' mother tongue or English (although I have to admit that for usual I'm heavily tempted to unintentionally switch back and forth between Oxford- and American English (in fact, my personal borders are still fluid between a "petrol station" and its U.S. "gas" counterpart, haha).
DeleteBut whichever way you look at it, there's no chance I'll ever sound at least equivalent to the grandmasters of the English word, namely yourself, Biff, and our brandnew Hero (Of Avalon). Which isn't my intention either; instead, the three of you, whose written language reminds of that of smart n' sharp journalists, sound like my ideal English teachers, so I'm also using your texts to learn and grow likewise by them.
You, James - which isn't too difficult to recognise - look like you follow suit with your German learning efforts, since they do feel not less ambitioned than those of mine, I think. Bravissimo! (Oh, talkin' Italian now, you ask? Well, certainly not, since that is indeed beyond my capacity. ;-))
Bye for now,
Thomas
Ich bin überrascht, endlich einen kleinen Fehler von Thomas zu sehen: Die Worte "for usual" passen nicht zusammen, also würde ich "usually" sagen.
DeleteVielen Dank, dass Sie mir ein Kompliment gemacht haben, indem Sie gesagt haben, ich klinge wie ein kluger und scharfer Journalist. Leider hat Großbritannien viele schreckliche rechtsgerichtete Boulevardjournalisten, und Biffman würde mich wahrscheinlich mit einem davon vergleichen. Es ist also nicht immer ein Kompliment! :)
Haha, yeah James, you're so goddamn right with that "usually" issue. Honestly said, right after having sent said message yesterday, I read it again and didn't feel too comfortable with my "for usual" wording, but yeah, it was too late already for doing the necessary correction work. I think that my gut feeling took lead over my brain in that case when I naively translated the German expression "für gewöhnlich" as "for usual".
DeleteAnd here you go again with another pretty German written sheet of paper! Just one little note: It's absolutely okay to say you ("Du") to me. Even though I rather prefer my free press lad reporting the liberal-democratic-conservative way. :-)
Bye for now,
Thomas
Ich habe gerade die Worte "three of you" hier bemerkt, was den Eindruck erweckt, dass ich irgendwie mit dieser Seite verbunden bin. Zur Verdeutlichung: das stimmt nicht. Es mag so scheinen, nur weil ich mehr in die Kommentare schreibe als unsere Gastgeber. ;)
DeleteI'm terribly sorry, Your Excellency, James B, there you're mistaken. ;-)
DeleteBecause when I mentioned the "third man" (no hierarchical meaning intended), I rather had Austin Brewer in mind. But as a consolation, I can state that your potential for being an actual member of the fancy gang around Biff is truly present.
Bye for now,
Thomas
By way of postscript: I've recognised just now that it was me who was wrong from the beginning, because I should have written "the four of you" (although you, James, don't belong to Biff's staff, I always was aware of that) within my "Thank you for the flowers, James" post. Sorry about that. :-)
DeleteBye for now,
Thomas
Inspirational to see someone so dedicated to their project. You're doing a service to the medium.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the hard work - greatly appreciate Clue and more recently played through Shivers 2. At some point hoping for Dr Brain 1 and 2. I have 3 and 4 on disk which I don't mind sharing the files from them to help if you are planning to do 3 and 4.
ReplyDeleteI do actually have 2 too but it on floppy disk and my machines don't take it. :( Can still read the book it came with though. :)
DeleteNottud: I believe Dr Brain 1 and 2 (by which I assume you mean The Castle of and The Island of) are available for download on a variety of abandonware sites, e.g. legendsworld, possibly? These old DOS games can be run very easily using DOSBox, or a DOSBox front-end like D-Fend Reloaded. (I find that convenient because I just have to drag and drop the game into it, and it is automatically set up.) They can also be run using the SCUMMVM engine, which is incredibly user-friendly, and can be downloaded from the SCUMMVM site.
DeleteIs it possible to get updated/fixed version of Bethesda Terminator collection? Thank you for your work, it is nice to be able to play all these old games again.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about separating them into their separate installers but it's just a matter of time.
DeleteThank you for all the hard work you put into this site and into preserving this games.
ReplyDeleteI've made a small donation as a token of appreciation.
Thanks! It's very much appreciated.
Delete