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Missing Magazine - Computer Game Forum


RetroDefense

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If you have any further information regarding this magazine, please chime in so it can be added to the RetroMags database and properly preserved!

Gallery:

https://community.retromags.com/gallery/category/436-computer-game-forum/

Magazine dbase:

https://www.retromags.com/magazines/category/usa/computer-game-forum/

A sister publication of the eventually long-running Computer Gaming World, Computer Game Forum was introduced as a seasonal publication in 1987. It was originally solicited in CGW as Computer Game Quarterly - and via subscription only? - but according to the first issue's editorial was retitled before release. The 1st issue also confirms some free sample issues were distributed.

Apparently intended to fill the off-months in CGW's schedule, Computer Game Forum didn't catch on and was folded after only two issues. Shortly or immediately after, CGW picked up its publishing pace with a new monthly schedule while incorporating many of CGF's columns into their content mix.

Name: Computer Game Forum

Website: Eh?

Country of Origin: USA

Number of issues: 2

Dates of each issue:

1: Fall 1987

2: Winter 1987

Computer Game Forum

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7/16/16 edit - added gallery and mag dbase links

Edited by RetroDefense
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It seems almost silly to me to make this a separate title. Aside from being shorter, they're no different from CGWs at the time, content and contributor-wise. It makes more sense to me to insert them as special issues within the regular CGW run, even if they have to be given made-up issue numbers like "CGW 39½."

Btw, the last bi-monthly CGW is the Aug/Sep 1987 issue, which has a subscription ad still using the original title of Computer Game Quarterly, so while it's possible that the title change and first issue of Computer Game Forum came out in-between that last bi-monthly issue and the first monthly in October, the second issue of Computer Game Forum surely must have come out after CGW had gone monthly.

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It may have been short-lived but - if I were visiting RetroMags for research purposes - having these 'zines sorted by proper title would make my work far easier, I'd expect. I know we bend the rules sometimes - for 'zines with running masthead title changes, for example - but I'd opt for accuracy over convenience myself. We can always use the publication database descriptions to point out relationships, etc.

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Fair enough. I personally consider it to necessarily be part of CGW - it has the exact same columns, responds to letters addressed to CGW, and reviews games not otherwise reviewed in CGW (it seems to me that CGW would have also reviewed a major release like Sid Meier's Pirates! if they didn't consider Computer Game Forum to essentially be a part of CGW.) I'm not sure what they originally had planned when they dreamed up the idea of a second publication, but I think it was swiftly canceled because they realized it wasn't really separate at all. To be missing those two issues is to have an incomplete run of CGW.

Furthermore, including it with CGW wouldn't be unprecedented on RM (see: EGM 5, 7, and 15, a.k.a. "The 1990 Video Game Buyer's Guide," "Electronic Gaming Monthly Presents: Top Score!," and "Electronic Gaming Monthly Presents: The 1991 Video Game Buyer's Guide.")

Nevertheless, your point about the publications database being used to inform people of such things is a good one, though it reminds me of something I personally feel strongly about:

I think the "publications" database and the "database" database should be merged. It seems to me that the information in the publications database would be better served by being placed at the top of page 1 of each title's regular database entry. Having the two databases separated when they're essentially covering the same thing just makes accessing the information on a single magazine that much more difficult. Starting from the Retromags home page, it takes a minimum of 5 clicks to access the information on one magazine in both databases (assuming the mag you're looking for is on page one of that country's publications database), whereas if they were merged, the info on every magazine could be accessed in just 2 clicks. I can't see what value there is in keeping them separate. Actually, I often forget the publications database is even there, which is a disservice to the people who have worked to create the info contained therein.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Furthermore, including it with CGW wouldn't be unprecedented on RM (see: EGM 5, 7, and 15, a.k.a. "The 1990 Video Game Buyer's Guide," "Electronic Gaming Monthly Presents: Top Score!," and "Electronic Gaming Monthly Presents: The 1991 Video Game Buyer's Guide.")

This is true but in those particular cases, I believe EGM's own numbering is thrown off if the issues are ignored. Which is probably why they're categorized as regular EGM issues. I know the Top Score issue is clearly labeled issue 7 on the cover, actually, despite the title change. It looks as if the CGF issues were numbered distinctly from CGW, as is the case with later Buyer's Guide issues.

But you make a good argument. I've considered re-sorting my 90 and 91 BGs into my proper Buyer's Guide collection many times - just haven't done it as I remember buying those issues in monthly sequence back in the day just as you may have done with CGF/CGW. :) But those BG issues could very well be better categorized (or at least cross-referenced) as part of the EGM BG sub-group. If a researcher, historian, nostalgic reader, etc, were looking for EGM Buyer's Guides, that'd be the place to start.

Nevertheless, your point about the publications database being used to inform people of such things is a good one, though it reminds me of something I personally feel strongly about:

I think the "publications" database and the "database" database should be merged. It seems to me that the information in the publications database would be better served by being placed at the top of page 1 of each title's regular database entry. Having the two databases separated when they're essentially covering the same thing just makes accessing the information on a single magazine that much more difficult. Starting from the Retromags home page, it takes a minimum of 5 clicks to access the information on one magazine in both databases (assuming the mag you're looking for is on page one of that country's publications database), whereas if they were merged, the info on every magazine could be accessed in just 2 clicks. I can't see what value there is in keeping them separate. Actually, I often forget the publications database is even there, which is a disservice to the people who have worked to create the info contained therein.

I agree - I would like to see them merged or - at the very least - have the publication info displayed as you described. I think it would lend to the (justified) legitimacy of RetroMags as a research and preservation effort versus simply a repository for nostalgic grey downloads. It could also help diffuse many of the initial questions visitors have (GamePro and Tips & Tricks numbering, etc), along with helpful pointers to renamed magazine titles, reasoning for sub-categories, current incomplete scans, etc.

Some of these publication bios are extremely informed (Kevin Gifford was a wiz at this stuff, apparently) but I'm sure many site visitors have overlooked the material, unfortunately.

Edited by RetroDefense
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  • 4 weeks later...

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