The Perfect Videogame Magazine

[Ady]

That emoticon means dry.

Look, I understand everything's transitional right now, and -all things considerd- you've done a good job of steering things back on course somewhat, but I'm only expressing my opinion.

I'm not trying to offend. Sorry if I have.

[marcus]

Edge dont go too far wrong for me , its still the only games magazine I subscribe to as its viewpoints and outlook is reflective of mine which is the key. Magazines are many things to many people, but most will choose the magazine which mirrors their own outlook on the scene. I like GamesTM but to be honest I really only have time enough in my life for one games magazine, I need to be kept upto date on games issues and thats it, anything else I can take in is a bonus.

Ideal magazine would be free of purile or childish humour and particularly crass pictures instead speaking to me as the adult I am. It should not be official in any way or pander to the masses, it would be aware of a games scene outside of Europe and be enthusiastic without going into the realms of the fanboy. Well written, informative editorials that hold no punches, reveiws that convey the feeling of a game more so than babbling endlessly about the aesthetics.

Just some things off the top of my head, over the years the magazines I have truly loved have been Crash! which was superb, Super Play, and as mentioned earlier Edge. I recall the days pre-internet when I used to buy about 6-8 magazines a month.

[TM]

I'm not trying to offend.

It's OK, I'm not in the least bit offended.

I am baffled, though. You're obsessed with the magazine changing its remit, or something, and continue to read things into it that simply don't exist. I mean, what was that guff you were on about a while ago, criticising the letters we'd printed? For heaven's sake.

[Ady]

I dunno... things got a bit weird around E132 (the one with the SingStar cover?), which seemed to slap most of its dedicated readers in the face by its tone (or so it seemed to me, anyway...), and it's been erratic ever since (imo, again).

As for the letters, I was only really speculating. I know you can't be held responsible for what people write to you.

I'm not the only one to comment on the supposed remit change though, but I'll stop running my mouth until I've read the new issue.

[TM]

I dunno... things got a bit weird around E132 (the one with the SingStar cover?), which seemed to slap most of its dedicated readers in the face by its tone (or so it seemed to me, anyway...).

You mean the last issue to be produced by the previous team?

[Ady]

Yeah, that one. I know it had nothing to do with you, I was making an observation, that's all.

[Yoshimoto]

"The Perfect Videogame Magazine" for me would be...

Covering the Japanese home and arcade market in depth.
Would have interviews with top players of said games. (I want to read the views of fellow gamers, not the marketing men.)
Would have colour and indepth guides probably written by the above gamers.
Lots of pages of glossy high quality artwork to drool over.
Written by enthusiastic gamers.

It wouldn't be...

Full of interviews with "the industry." I'm into playing games...I'm really not that interested who made them.
Half full of news that i read on the internet a month ago.
Have pointless and mostly very boring features on "Girl Gamers" and "Videogame censorship" for example. I can get a much more rounded set of opinions from forums.
Written in long and pretentious words in an attempt to make videogames out to be more artsy and "worthwhile" than they really are.

[Ady]

Full of interviews with "the industry." I'm into playing games...I'm really not that interested who made them.

Personally, I like hearing what the creators have to say. A mag that focussed more on player;s thoughts would run the risk of gazing at it's own navel, imo.

[bangaio]

"The Perfect Videogame Magazine" for me would be...

Covering the Japanese home and arcade market in depth.
Would have interviews with top players of said games. (I want to read the views of fellow gamers, not the marketing men.)
Would have colour and indepth guides probably written by the above gamers.
Lots of pages of glossy high quality artwork to drool over.
Written by enthusiastic gamers.

Sounds like a fanzine to me. I know this is a fantasy mag here but surely this must be a fantasy magazine here buts surely it must have some sort of commercial plan behind it.

It wouldn't be...

Full of interviews with "the industry." I'm into playing games...I'm really not that interested who made them.
Half full of news that i read on the internet a month ago.
Have pointless and mostly very boring features on "Girl Gamers" and "Videogame censorship" for example. I can get a much more rounded set of opinions from forums.
Written in long and pretentious words in an attempt to make videogames out to be more artsy and "worthwhile" than they really are.

Taken in turn: A lot of people are interested in the induistry behind the games we love
That is the internet i am affraid, instant news, magazines take a wee while to put together
I get a load of opinionated hyped up purile drivel from forums - people obsessed with japanese games for example and who want magazines full of artwork but dont want games made out to be "artsy" ?
Some of us actually like to read well written copy, using a good standard of grammar. If you think certain magazines use "long" words to make them out to be worthwhile you must be sorely mistaken. Try reading some real heavy literature and Edge and co seem pretty boggo really.

Obviously now my grammar and spelling will be picked to pieces but hey, i am at work and typing fast!

[Sketcz]

I dunno... things got a bit weird around E132 (the one with the SingStar cover?), which seemed to slap most of its dedicated readers in the face by its tone (or so it seemed to me, anyway...), and it's been erratic ever since (imo, again).

What about issues 121 and 124 (DOAXBV and HL) with those godawful Redeye columns? After the second time the fool lost control and vented all that bile, I decided to finally dispose of all my old issues. I don't buy magazines to feel insulted. I'm still annoyed at that actually.

New team or no team, I wouldn't go near Edge ever again.


As for the perfect magazine? GamesTM comes very close.
Otherwise it would be Famitsu in English but a bit different.
Wall to wall screenshots with no useless blank empty space, reams of fascinating facts and info, import games galore, a very large retro section, and enough obscure oddities to make even MD blush. Above all though, it would cater specifically to obsessive gamers and have a sense of fun and optimism, instead of being so dull and lifeless like many current magazines.


EDIT: Very much like yoshimoto was saying actually. Well said indeed! I am NOT interested in reading bumph about girl gamers, or gamers who are blind for gods sake. I like my games designed specifically for ME, a gamer. Not for every other targetable slice of the consumer market.

[Yoshimoto]

Sounds like a fanzine to me. I know this is a fantasy mag here but surely this must be a fantasy magazine here buts surely it must have some sort of commercial plan behind it.

I don't see why. The question asked what would be your perfect videogames magazine. I'm simply answering a theoretical question.

Taken in turn: A lot of people are interested in the induistry behind the games we love
That is the internet i am affraid, instant news, magazines take a wee while to put together
I get a load of opinionated hyped up purile drivel from forums - people obsessed with japanese games for example and who want magazines full of artwork but dont want games made out to be "artsy" ?
Some of us actually like to read well written copy, using a good standard of grammar. If you think certain magazines use "long" words to make them out to be worthwhile you must be sorely mistaken. Try reading some real heavy literature and Edge and co seem pretty boggo really.

Cool. Then i'm guessing that your "perfect" games magazine will be a lot different to mine then.

As for the dig about purile drivel from people obsessed with Japanese games who want to see magazines full of artwork but don't want games to be made out to be "artsy." Fantastic artwork has nothing at all to do with something being "artsy" They are completely different things in my opinion. Take F-Zero for example...i think its got lovely artwork but nothing about any of the series is "artsy" at all. Again an opinion...which was what the person who started the thread asked for.

EDIT - I didn't see the need for having a go personally anyway. If you've got a problem with something i've said bangio then please PM and we'll sort it out in private.

[AllYourBase]

[bangaio]

I don't see why. The question asked what would be your perfect videogames magazine. I'm simply answering a theoretical question.




Cool. Then i'm guessing that your "perfect" games magazine will be a lot different to mine then.

As for the dig about purile drivel from people obsessed with Japanese games who want to see magazines full of artwork but don't want games to be made out to be "artsy." Fantastic artwork has nothing at all to do with something being "artsy" They are completely different things in my opinion. Take F-Zero for example...i think its got lovely artwork but nothing about any of the series is "artsy" at all. Again an opinion...which was what the person who started the thread asked for.

EDIT - I didn't see the need for having a go personally anyway. If you've got a problem with something i've said bangio then please PM and we'll sort it out in private.

Sorry Yosh, having reads how that tracks i see it looks like a dig at you - it wasn't. The comment about drivel etc etc was about internet forums as a whole, not your own ideas.

What doies get me thought is people's ability to continuously dismiss other demographics, peoples differnt likes and dislikes and who become focused on their own world (not you necessarily). People claim to love games with the disclaimer that it has to be Japanese, retro, contain references to some anime, not be played by anyone who owns a copy of fifa, must be some for m of limited edition, ultra rare and collectable, unheard of and definatly not made by EA. (delete at will any of the above)

Games magazines may occasionally have an article that annoys you but to throw out old copies because of this or to stop buying it because of a feature you dont think it should contain is nonsese. We atre all different and sometimes someone else may think something different.

Videogames are a business, they are not made for one type of person, same with magazines. There is a lot to be said about print magazines vs the internet too but i have work to do. Maybe later

[Sketcz]

Games magazines may occasionally have an article that annoys you but to throw out old copies because of this or to stop buying it because of a feature you dont think it should contain is nonsese.

Reffering to me then, are you?
Perhaps if you'd read the Redeye columns in question, you'd understand why I decided to throw out all my Edge issues. Quite why they printed his "catharsis" is beyond me.

Honestly, I decide to dip my toe in the boards again and Im criticised. bah!

[revisedgenocide]

Isnt redeye a different person every month anyway?
Id admit those pieces got on my nerves too but i just thought of something else, like boobs. Then the anger dissipated.

These days im not fussed with mags since all the real useful information is on the net anyway. Magazines have the usual limits in to how far they can explore something. Those limits arent nearly as strict on the internet. For example i read an excellent Mega CD write up last week that was extremely long. it took an age to read but was interesting nontheless.