Computec Media

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Computec Media GmbH
NoLogo.png
Founded 1987
Headquarters Fürth, Bavaria, Germany
Website computec.de

Computec Media is a German publisher of magazines.

In the 1980s, everyone read 64'er magazine and typed in software. However, 17-year-old Christian Geltenpoth was annoyed by errors, so he conceived a magazine where software and articles came on a two-sided Commodore 64 disk, founded CP Computer Publications Verlag GmbH & Co. KG in Nuremberg and Schwarzenbruck, and spammed readers of 64'er.

Hobbyists wrote software of all kinds and sold their copyright to CP Verlag. Early games tend to be programmed in BASIC or SEUCK, be unauthorized mods, or use ripped music. However, games became larger, since nothing had to be tediously typed in.

The bar was crucially raised after Walter Konrad joined in 1988. As Double Density, he encouraged the demoscene to write games, launching careers like Rudolf Stember's. X-ample Architectures developed a modern viewer for the articles, composed over 50 background songs just for that viewer, and copy-protected a few issues (sometimes with a droning sound).

On Gordian Tomb (C64) and The Adventures of Quik & Silva (AMI, AST), CP Verlag and the respective developer agreed on a fee before any work began. Some games got delayed by two years, and some were only released in the scene. According to Markus Schneider, the delays were because CP Verlag bought too much.

By May 1991, the company was renamed to CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, but continued the CP Verlag label. In 1998, the company rose to Computec Media AG. After a buyout in early 2014, it sank to Computec Media GmbH.

Magazines included:

  • Magic Disk 64 (monthly 1987–1995): Commodore 64 software (including games and audio editors) and courses (two on audio).
  • Golden Disk 64 (1988–1996): Initially, special issues of Magic Disk 64; for example, issue 6 is exclusively about audio. Every further issue features one to three big games.
  • Game On (monthly 1988–1995; also spelled GAMEon and Game on): More Commodore 64 games.
  • Amiga Fun (monthly 1990–1996): Amiga games.
  • PC Action (1990–1995; not to be confused with other magazines): DOS software.
  • Amigo! (bimonthly 1991–1995): Amiga software.
  • ST de Luxe (1991–1992): Atari ST games.
  • Play Time (monthly 1991–1995): Reviews and interviews for every platform.
  • Amiga Games (1992–1997): Amiga reviews and interviews.
  • PC Games (1992–2005): DOS and Windows reviews and interviews.
  • Three in One KOMBI (monthly 1993–1995): Bundle of Play Time, Magic Disk 64 and Game On.
  • Magic Disk 64 Classic (monthly 1995–1996): Merger of Magic Disk 64 and Game On. All text is exclusively on paper, leaving more room for software.

Games

Audio Personnel

Links

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