Quote from: Pierce InverarityPundy, that's not the whole story. The kind of intellectual garbage you have to wade through on a messageboard, I mean, man. Nothing superior about giving any old retard with a keyboard a voice.

Maybe. Maybe not.

But for the first time fans can interact in real time, in a pretty meaningful way. Sure a few places and few individuals are crap, but overall it's a much more interactive, and fun environment.

Where else can you interact with both fans and designers, as well as put together your own projects, and proposals? Certainly not in any magazine I ever read.

QuoteAnd of course smart people will stop putting in any sustained effort into a post if they get lost in the white noise (and don't get paid, whether in cash or in cultural capital).

Assuming they have something to replace it with. Or the ego to walk away. Or  no need to communicate. You make a lot of assumptions here, and none of them are really based in any real facts are they?

Your personal experience isn't the end all end all of experience bub. I know you feel all superior and left out and stuff, but maybe if you stopped for a minute and used that big brain to find some things out there, you'd be happier.

I say retard--and there he comes. Hey, Paulie.

Quote from: jrientsBecause no game other than D&D is popular enough.

Even Dragon doesn't exist any more does it? Just moved online hasn't it?

Quote from: Erik BoielleEven Dragon doesn't exist any more does it? Just moved online hasn't it?

Not quite true - it exists for one more month. We got the penultimate issue on the stands last week.


 Again - what would it take to launch a NEW Gaming magazine???


- Ed C.

Quote from: Pierce InverarityI say retard--and there he comes. Hey, Paulie.

Wow, what a proven intellect you are.

Complaint: I can't get meaningful conversation online, where as in magazines I feel I get a lot more thought provoking articles, and out put.

Paul: Well you're not looking hard enough, and although you've had a few rough times on the internet you shouldn't give up hope. After all the medium offers you  much more versatility.

Pierced Asshole: You suxxor n00b! I am 1337!

Wow Pierce. You've shown me! Instead of looking for meaningful input, and meaningful conversation and outlets for your idea you'll just stick to snappy one liners, and stupid retorts.

Quote from: KoltarAgain - what would it take to launch a NEW Gaming magazine???

Like anything else in the gaming world, the desire to pay for it.  The problem is, I can't support a family (even as small as mine!) on the kind of salary I could get from a monthly gaming magazine.  I'd love to see one with a focus, and would be glad to volunteer help, but I don't have the money to print.

I can use Scribus, I can find artists, I can even write the occasional article, but I can't spend all the time and money it would take to hunt down advertisers, make them pay, and pay for a print run of magazines I KNOW are not going to make any money for at least five years.

Quote from: KoltarAgain - what would it take to launch a NEW Gaming magazine???

Who cares? What really matters is once you've launched, how do you sustain it? How do you compete against the internet, which is often able to provide the same content, cheaper and more dynamically?

Paul is right IMO. I mean I really dig magazines but as far as content goes, they can't compete with the internet. There's a hell of a lot more "voices" in terms of writers out here...most of whom say extremely (IMO) stuff but who would not be given the time of day by most mag editors. There is the interaction with designers - a huge plus.

There's the fan made stuff which may not be as polished as the professional stuff but are at times way more awesome. And no matter what games you play, you will always manage to find articles, discussions etc for those games.

But having said this, I would pay for a general rpg mag. It sounds a bit wanky...maybe even swinnish but I'd like a Prospect kind of mag....

Regards,
David R

Quote from: Serious PaulWho cares? What really matters is once you've launched, how do you sustain it? How do you compete against the internet, which is often able to provide the same content, cheaper and more dynamically?

 All those questions ?

 Thats WHY I'm asking this stuff, Paul!!

 Look...the only reason I bought DUNGEON the past 2 or 3 years was for "Maps of Mystery" in the back of the magazine, or the occasional foldout map they did when they shrinkwrapped/polybagged some issues.

 I'd rather pay for a general interest RPG mag that had those kinds of maps - but without all the D20 stats and D&D-only focus.

 DRAGON was better (in my opinion) 20 years ago or more when they covered other games like TRAVELLER. (among other things)


 Again what would it take to produce a monthly or bi-monthly magazine that had good maps for use and scebarios or NPCs usable for different game system? Maybe some news and reviews in there as well??


- Ed C.

Quote from: KoltarAll those questions ?

No, no not really. We both know that magazines can't compete in the same way they have before.

QuoteLook...the only reason I bought DUNGEON the past 2 or 3 years was for "Maps of Mystery" in the back of the magazine, or the occasional foldout map they did when they shrinkwrapped/polybagged some issues.

Isn't that the cats ass? I mean the only reason you dropped what? 40 bucks a year? Is for a few maps? I can get them all for free, if I don't care too much about the legal issues, by downloading them.

I don't say that to detract from Dungeon, or the guys who worked hard at putting that stuff out there. It's the truth.

QuoteI'd rather pay for a general interest RPG mag that had those kinds of maps - but without all the D20 stats and D&D-only focus.

And I want another magazine. And David wants his. But unlike the internet our magazine can't survive with just 4000, or even 40,000 subscribers anymore. Why?

Because RPG Pundit has a site, and I can get the maps for free. Brasky has a podcast and I can get the ideas for free. And Koltar has a webzine that publishes the NPCs for free. So why buy? Plus instead of waiting for a monthly publication I can get them the moment you hit "send".

So our magazine has to offer something special. Luckily our magazine is much more portable, right now, than the internet so I can carry into the John with me. And some of us old farts, like me, like the feel of a book in the hands, because it can't crash and burn-but all of that is temporary.

The internet is catching up and fast.

QuoteAgain what would it take to produce a monthly or bi-monthly magazine that had good maps for use and scenarios or NPCs usable for different game system?

And again I say nothing you can't already get for free, faster and better.

Hm.

Wizard, a very successful hobby magazine for comics last I heard, is filled with reviews of new comics and new issues, interviews with comic creators (illustrators, writers, etc.), discussions of issues generally relevant to the comics world and purchasing information. It seems plausible that a successful RPG magazine should be similar in format. Instead, they seem to mostly provide DIY articles - "101 uses for a portable hole" etc. The DIY almost automatically limits you to focusing on a few systems, because in order to go beyond the most vague statements, you've got to focus on one game in the article.

Quote from: PseudoephedrineHm.

Wizard, a very successful hobby magazine for comics last I heard, is filled with reviews of new comics and new issues, interviews with comic creators (illustrators, writers, etc.), discussions of issues generally relevant to the comics world and purchasing information. It seems plausible that a successful RPG magazine should be similar in format.

I want real bad to agree with you. I am wary, however, of taking inspiration or stealing the other guys formula.

I'd like to see an RPG Magazine that also dealt with popular culture issues, and had an easily accessible, and functional web based forum system that provided inspiration for in depth articles, and pieces. (I think Pierce I. wasn't totally off base in this, even if I ripped him a bit of a new one-sorry sister. I let my mouth overload my ass at times. Nature of the beast.)

Quote from: enelsonI thought the most telling sign of the downfall of RPG mags was when SJG took Pyramid digital. SJG  had lots of experience producing and selling RPG magazines but, in the late 90s/early 2000s, decided to take his magazine to the web. Why? More cost effective?

That's what I infer from their decision.

Back to thread topic though, haven't many of you forgotten about Pyramid? Its still around in digital format and covers a variety of games besides just ones by SJG. That may be why they are still active and not died off like those which are just mouthpieces for their parent company.

Actually, Dungeon and Dragon are also going digital, but since I haven't seen anything from the new digital form of those two - I can't make any informed opinion on them.

I really do think you could do it.  I think there are enough people that would submit to the magazine for free that a small overhead enterprise could make it worth there while.  They get their name out there while you profit from it.  The internet is great but it's nice not having to navigate through the flak and also having something tangible to reference or read on the shitter.  By using technology and making it just over comic book cheap (impulse buy), that'd be a mag I'd buy.

Quote from: Serious PaulI want real bad to agree with you. I am wary, however, of taking inspiration or stealing the other guys formula.

One change could be more in-depth reviews of product. Wizard has a lot of short reviews, but its longer features are just overviews or short histories, not critical reviews.