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{subhead}Amiga Format Last Issue{def}{p}
Article by Chris Seward
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As you probably all know or for those of you who don't currently
know one of the longest running Amiga print magazines that became
very popular back in the days when the Amiga was popular has published
its last issue and has closed. Yes if you didn't already guess i'm
talking about Amiga Format.
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If you've managed to miss all trace of the news articles, it was
even printed in AIO last issue, but if you for some strange
reason missed all knowledge of Amiga Format closing then i'm
afraid to tell you that it has infact closed.
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I received my last subscription issue a few weeks ago, the last
issue number being issue 136, May of the year 2000. The reason
being lack of sales and advertising to keep the magazine running.
As I stated many months ago I expected the magazine to close and
so when the news broke it was no big shock to me or many readers,
the last recorded readership numbers for July-December 1999 where
just 11,146. I'm sure if the readership numbers where counted
again they would be found to be even lower.
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The magazine has dropped in quality over the past few issues and
I see very little effort going into the magazine itself, many
people may not agree with this and I won't be shocked if I see
more than one reply saying that it was a brilliant magazine. Of
course we all have different opinions and to me the quality of
the magazine dropped dramatically. The last issue has only 83 pages
and no spine. The CD for the past few issues came in a cardboard
case and even the cardboard backing that the subscription issues
where sent out with have disappeard, i'm sure everything was done
to cut costs but in the end it had to close.
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I am sad and not so sad for various reasons, personally the magazine
wasn't worth the £5.99 asking price or even the £3.00-ish price
paid if you had it on subscription in the UK and so for that fact
i'm not really very sad. On the other hand it was gracing the
shelves of shops around the world and so still keeping the Amiga
name in the spotlight even if it is just spotted by one of two
PC users accidently buying it thinking it is PC format or some
new PC magazine. Anything that is helping and promoting the Amiga
is always a bonus and for this fact the closure of Amiga Format
is a loss.
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Now i'll take you on a whistle stop tour of the last ever issue.
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 he front cover displays many small front covers of past issues, i'm
not sure every issue is shown but a good deal are. The top of the
magazine is titled with "Collector's Edition", with a see-through
"Amiga Format" title. In the middle of the front cover we have the
years "1989-2000" showing the years that Amiga Format was in
production. The bottom of the front cover has small detail on the
cover CD and disks.
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The first two pages of the issue are an advertisement from Power
Computing selling all the usual Amiga hardware and software.
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Nextly we have a whole page advert which is advertising the NetScape
free internet company in the UK.
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Page 5 sees the single page index for the magazine listing where
you can find what is in the magazine and what it's all about.
 Pages 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are dedicated to news, the main story being
the fact that Amiga Format is actually closing. Other stories include
NG AmigaOS for classic Amigas. News that the developer box will be
shown in the St. Louis Amiga fair. Information on the Kickstart Amiga
fair in Surrey, United Kingdom. News about Blittersoft. Eyetech news
and a few other stories.
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Page 11 has a full page advert for a new Amiga company called Crystal
Software and Electronics Ltd. (http://www.csande.co.uk) selling Max
Rally, Back in time II CD aswell as detailing a new Amiga magazine
called A1200 which it states will be sold at over 200 independent
retailers around the UK.
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Pages 12 and 13 list other magazines that are available for subscription
from Future Publishing, (thats right, slip in an advert for your own
company as you pull the plug on our communities magazine)
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Pages 14-19 have a transcript of a meeting that many of the current
and past AF staff went to in a pub/bar near Bath, UK and discussed the
Amiga, AF and various other topics.
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Pages 20-25 have a detailed article by Simon Goodwin on the fact that
Amiga can multitask, a few tricks you can do and overall explains
what its for and how it works.
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Pages 26 and 27 are set to previews of new Amiga games such as SiN,
Main & Mangle (are we ever going to see this one?), A competition
to win Nightlong from Forematt home computing, previews of Chessmania
and news about a new games distribution network.
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Issue 28 is a full cheats page with level codes and cheats for
Genetic Species aswell as Enemy, Sharks and OnEscapee. The next side
of the double spread features tips for the excellent game Foundation.
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Page 30 has a review of an educational game from Epic Marketing
receiving a pretty poor score followed on page 31 by a review of
the Amiga mario 3d clone, Tales From Heaven. That wraps up the last
ever games reviewed in Amiga Format.
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Pages 32-35 are titled "Screenplay through time" taking a look back
on the best and worst games reviewed in the Screenplay (games)
section of the magazine, writen by Paul Cavanagh.
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Pages 36-38 are for PD Select with reviews of Workbench 2000,
SimpleClock 1.3, WBStartup+ v3.1, Frodo v4.1a (WarpUp rev2) and
Voodoo-X v1.1.
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Page 39 has a full page advert for a company called Plexus Media
selling various CDs, the layout and stlye looks very familiar to
Epic Marketing, don't blame me if i'm wrong but me thinks its the
same or a spin off company.
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Page 40 starts the serious section of the magazine off with a
review of a program called Audio Evolution, a serious multitracking
piece of software for AHI. Spread over two pages.
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Page 42 covers a review of a product called SilverSurfer 600 which
allows Amiga 600 users to use clock-port peripherals designed for
the A1200. The page following has a review of a new monitor, the
Sony E400.
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Pages 44 & 45 are a double spread featuring a review of a scanner
from Eyetech awarded with an Amiga Format Gold.
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The page following has a full page advert for a website which I
think the Future Network run about football.
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Page 47 has a review of the Punchinello Mouse Wheel extension. The
product allows you to use PC serial mice on your Amiga.
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Pages 48-51 cover the last ever tips by Simon Goodwin to all those
questions and problems that Amiga Format readers had.
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Pages 52 & 53 are graced by Dave Cusicks humble words giving you
advice and his own personal comments about shopping online. Followed
by a four page tutorial on Mac Emulation for absolute beginners by
new boy Nick Lamburn.
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Pages 58 & 59 are given to the second part in the tutorial of Imagine
writen by Andy Kinsella. Followed by a two page tutorial on making the
most out of your programs by using the Arexx features.
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On pages 62-65 we see the last ever Amiga Format mailbag closely
followed on the next two pages by the last ever Gallery with the
£50 winnings going to one Richard Blair.
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Pages 68-71 sum up all the programs on the last ever CD to grace
the cover of Amiga Format. With two pages later letting you know
whats on the Serious and Games disk for those of you who don't
buy the CD rom version.
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Pages 74-76 have readers ads with sections for sale, wanted,
personal, BBSes and user groups. The page following has a report
from the Kickstart Amiga user group meeting.
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The last two pages of actual content show a mock interview with
the Eric Schwartz cartoon, Sabrina and a few quotes about the
magazine closing from the AFB mailing list on the page after.
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For the last four pages we see firstly the Classified adverts
followed by a full page advert from Power Computing, then followed
by Amiga Format casting, Future Publishing mumbo-jumbo and the
last sales numbers for Amiga Format. The inside backcover has a
full page advert for Eyetech with the back of the magazine having
a full page advert for Analogic Computers.
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That concludes our tour of the last ever issue of Amiga Format.
As you can tell nothing really spectacular for the final issue and
no extra pages or any exciting giveaways but if your an avid
Amiga Format fan then splash out, otherwise i'd keep your money
personally.
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Future publishing have taken it upon themselves to switch everyones
subscription to a new magazine called Linux Format, how very nice
of them. You can change your subscription to another magazine and
personally I will be trying to. I'm quite sure you can be refunded
on any outstanding issues also.
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Amiga Format 1989-2000 R.I.P.