CPCWiki - THE Amstrad CPC encyclopedia! - User contributions [en]

BTL

2006-12-02T00:03:37Z

Doctorslash: /* Issue 5 */

BTL - an abbreviation for "Better Than Life" - was a UK disc fanzine produced by members of the [[STS]] and [[Systeme D]] groups.

== Genesis ==

BTL was the direct descendant of a paper fanzine called [[Presto News]], edited and published by [[Akira]] (Matt Gullam), proprietor of [[Presto PD]]. Presto News was a public domain-centred fanzine heavily influenced by [[Artificial Intelligence]].

When Presto News ceased publication, Matt announced plans for a disc fanzine, initially to be called [[Grace Under Pressure]] and coded by the [[Bitmap Vandals]]. However, no release was forthcoming.

In due course, [[ChaRleyTroniC]] offered to code the fanzine instead, which by then had been renamed Better Than Life. The fanzine subsequently became a project of the "[[South Wales scene]]" that was then developing. Four issues were produced in all.

== Issue 1 ==

Perhaps the most notorious article was "[[Zap't'Balls]] - who gives a flying fuck?", written by [[Jack Hughes]], which claimed that the pleas to refrain from piracy of Zap't'Balls were hypocritical. This was accompanied by an explanation by [[Marjory Beckett]] of how to crack the game.

BTL 1 was roundly criticised in [[Amstrad Action]]'s review, largely for its aggressive, argumentative content. (In particular, the issue contained several pot-shots by [[ChaRleyTroniC]] at another AA writer, [[Keith Woods]]).

'''(lots more details to come here)'''

== Issue 2 ==

The intro to BTL 2 was a Ratz & Wulf tribute to the Hewson game "Nebulus"

== Issue 3 ==

== Issue 4 ==

A revised version of Issue 4, "Issue 4.1", was released shortly after original publication. Though the content was exactly the same, the code was improved by boasting 50Hz scrolling rather than 25Hz.

A short paper supplement - "issue 4.5", containing articles from issue 5 - was distributed at the WACCI Convention in 1998.

== Issue 5 ==

Issue 5 was never released. However, significant quantities of editorial were completed for it (and may be uploaded here in due course ;) ).

The BTL 5 intro was completed by Ratz & Wulf but has never been released.

<gallery caption="BTL issues">
Image:BTL1-intro.jpg|BTL1 intro
Image:BTL1.jpg|BTL1 menu
Image:BTL2-intro.jpg|BTL2 intro
Image:BTL2.jpg|BTL2 menu
Image:BTL3-intro.jpg|BTL3 intro
Image:BTL3.jpg|BTL3 menu
Image:BTL4-intro.jpg|BTL4 intro
Image:BTL4.jpg|BTL4 menu
Image:BTL5-intro.jpg|The unreleased BTL5 intro
</gallery>

[[Image:Btlteam.jpg]]

BTL contributors (L-R):
[[Wild Thang]], [[Doc]], [[ChaRleyTroniC]], [[Merline]], [[Hangman]], [[Ratz]]

[[Category:Fanzines]]

File:BTL5-intro.jpg

2006-12-02T00:00:26Z

Doctorslash:

BTL

2006-11-28T00:21:18Z

Doctorslash: /* Issue 2 */

BTL - an abbreviation for "Better Than Life" - was a UK disc fanzine produced by members of the [[STS]] and [[Systeme D]] groups.

== Genesis ==

BTL was the direct descendant of a paper fanzine called [[Presto News]], edited and published by [[Akira]] (Matt Gullam), proprietor of [[Presto PD]]. Presto News was a public domain-centred fanzine heavily influenced by [[Artificial Intelligence]].

When Presto News ceased publication, Matt announced plans for a disc fanzine, initially to be called [[Grace Under Pressure]] and coded by the [[Bitmap Vandals]]. However, no release was forthcoming.

In due course, [[ChaRleyTroniC]] offered to code the fanzine instead, which by then had been renamed Better Than Life. The fanzine subsequently became a project of the "[[South Wales scene]]" that was then developing. Four issues were produced in all.

== Issue 1 ==

Perhaps the most notorious article was "[[Zap't'Balls]] - who gives a flying fuck?", written by [[Jack Hughes]], which claimed that the pleas to refrain from piracy of Zap't'Balls were hypocritical. This was accompanied by an explanation by [[Marjory Beckett]] of how to crack the game.

BTL 1 was roundly criticised in [[Amstrad Action]]'s review, largely for its aggressive, argumentative content. (In particular, the issue contained several pot-shots by [[ChaRleyTroniC]] at another AA writer, [[Keith Woods]]).

'''(lots more details to come here)'''

== Issue 2 ==

The intro to BTL 2 was a Ratz & Wulf tribute to the Hewson game "Nebulus"

== Issue 3 ==

== Issue 4 ==

A revised version of Issue 4, "Issue 4.1", was released shortly after original publication. Though the content was exactly the same, the code was improved by boasting 50Hz scrolling rather than 25Hz.

A short paper supplement - "issue 4.5", containing articles from issue 5 - was distributed at the WACCI Convention in 1998.

== Issue 5 ==

Issue 5 was never released. However, significant quantities of editorial were completed for it (and may be uploaded here in due course ;) ).

The BTL 5 intro was completed by Ratz & Wulf but has never been released.

<gallery caption="BTL issues">
Image:BTL1-intro.jpg|BTL1 intro
Image:BTL1.jpg|BTL1 menu
Image:BTL2-intro.jpg|BTL2 intro
Image:BTL2.jpg|BTL2 menu
Image:BTL3-intro.jpg|BTL3 intro
Image:BTL3.jpg|BTL3 menu
Image:BTL4-intro.jpg|BTL4 intro
Image:BTL4.jpg|BTL4 menu
</gallery>

[[Image:Btlteam.jpg]]

BTL contributors (L-R):
[[Wild Thang]], [[Doc]], [[ChaRleyTroniC]], [[Merline]], [[Hangman]], [[Ratz]]

[[Category:Fanzines]]

BTL

2006-11-28T00:16:29Z

Doctorslash: /* Issue 5 */

BTL - an abbreviation for "Better Than Life" - was a UK disc fanzine produced by members of the [[STS]] and [[Systeme D]] groups.

== Genesis ==

BTL was the direct descendant of a paper fanzine called [[Presto News]], edited and published by [[Akira]] (Matt Gullam), proprietor of [[Presto PD]]. Presto News was a public domain-centred fanzine heavily influenced by [[Artificial Intelligence]].

When Presto News ceased publication, Matt announced plans for a disc fanzine, initially to be called [[Grace Under Pressure]] and coded by the [[Bitmap Vandals]]. However, no release was forthcoming.

In due course, [[ChaRleyTroniC]] offered to code the fanzine instead, which by then had been renamed Better Than Life. The fanzine subsequently became a project of the "[[South Wales scene]]" that was then developing. Four issues were produced in all.

== Issue 1 ==

Perhaps the most notorious article was "[[Zap't'Balls]] - who gives a flying fuck?", written by [[Jack Hughes]], which claimed that the pleas to refrain from piracy of Zap't'Balls were hypocritical. This was accompanied by an explanation by [[Marjory Beckett]] of how to crack the game.

BTL 1 was roundly criticised in [[Amstrad Action]]'s review, largely for its aggressive, argumentative content. (In particular, the issue contained several pot-shots by [[ChaRleyTroniC]] at another AA writer, [[Keith Woods]]).

'''(lots more details to come here)'''

== Issue 2 ==

== Issue 3 ==

== Issue 4 ==

A revised version of Issue 4, "Issue 4.1", was released shortly after original publication. Though the content was exactly the same, the code was improved by boasting 50Hz scrolling rather than 25Hz.

A short paper supplement - "issue 4.5", containing articles from issue 5 - was distributed at the WACCI Convention in 1998.

== Issue 5 ==

Issue 5 was never released. However, significant quantities of editorial were completed for it (and may be uploaded here in due course ;) ).

The BTL 5 intro was completed by Ratz & Wulf but has never been released.

<gallery caption="BTL issues">
Image:BTL1-intro.jpg|BTL1 intro
Image:BTL1.jpg|BTL1 menu
Image:BTL2-intro.jpg|BTL2 intro
Image:BTL2.jpg|BTL2 menu
Image:BTL3-intro.jpg|BTL3 intro
Image:BTL3.jpg|BTL3 menu
Image:BTL4-intro.jpg|BTL4 intro
Image:BTL4.jpg|BTL4 menu
</gallery>

[[Image:Btlteam.jpg]]

BTL contributors (L-R):
[[Wild Thang]], [[Doc]], [[ChaRleyTroniC]], [[Merline]], [[Hangman]], [[Ratz]]

[[Category:Fanzines]]