Hey all:
I think this topic was brought up a few years ago, but it never went
anywhere. However, after having seen some quality game-related fanzines
(e.g. Babcom for B5W and Shark Bytes for Savage Worlds) I was wondering
if there would be any interest in a GZG-related fan publication for mass
download?
I imagine the 'zine as having battle reports, scenarios, painting and
mini/terrain construction tips, fiction, and reviews of related
products. All GZG related games would be featured (i.e DSII, SGII, FMA, Full
Thrust, EFSB, Power Projection).
So... any comments or criticisms?
Later,
I'm against it. Magazines have been made obsolete by the 'net. It's simply so
much easier to make a web site, and put the "articles" in it. That way, it's
always capable of being updated, pictures can updated and added to,
corrections can be made, additions are relatively easy to make either by the
author or by readers. There's no artificial printing deadline; instead an
article can be posted as preliminary, then updated, picture and art added,
corrections made and so on.
Why hamper information by printing it upon dead trees?
I like the idea..........I do have a few items on hand to help support it.
Don
[quoted original message omitted]
> A J Martin wrote:
> I'm against it. Magazines have been made obsolete by the 'net. It's
> artificial printing deadline; instead an article can be posted as
> so on.
Well there's no need to print it if you don't want to use dead trees. I for
one like downloadable magazines, both Fictional Reality and Warning Order are
fine and enjoyable to read. And a magazine dedicated to GZG would be
extreemely cool.
As for online magazines I have been following Wargames Journal and Frontline
Observer since they started, and while WJ still put's on new articles from
time to time FO hasn't changed much since it started. So I
don't see it as better being a true website magazine. From years of
webmastering I know how hard it is to get people to provide content to pages
and webpages that doesn't get updated often usually don't gets visited much in
the long run. A downloadable magazine on the other hand
doesn't need to have a set deadline or anything - a post to TMP ie
mentioning that a new version is out is enough (or to the list here of
course).
Go for it!
OK, I've set up a GZG 'zine group. We'll get the discussion going once we get
enough people.
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/GZGFanzine
Later,
Will the posts be available to non-members? The only Yahoo group I'm a
member of was one that someone else put me on. I can't even 'log in'; I just
get mail.
And, as someone won't get the message, no, I won't give Yahoo the info.
The_Beast
You can almost certainly subscribe by sending a blank email to:
GZGFanzine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Like you said, you won't be able to log in, but you should be able to
get/send mail.
> Will the posts be available to non-members? The only Yahoo group I'm a
I
> just get mail.
Once it's thrashed out, I would bet it would be a downloadable PDF from the
GZG site (subject to Jon T's approval, of course).
Having it stored in a yahoogroup is pointless for a public consumption
document.
Brendan 'Neath Southern Skies
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***
Once it's thrashed out, I would bet it would be a downloadable PDF from the
GZG site (subject to Jon T's approval, of course).
***
Or the Unofficial site, but that's as I figured. I meant in the sorting out.
I've had a couple of ideas for campaigns I'd finally write up.
The_Beast
All ready taken care of.
Mark
[quoted original message omitted]
> All ready taken care of.
Just for the record, guys, I'm all in favour of this, and will be
happy to have a copy hosted on the GZG store site as well - good luck
with the project!! :-)
Jon (GZG)
> ----- Original Message -----
I'd be in favor of such a thing.
If it were to be a quarterly or semi-annual gig, that would be pretty
neat. I have several suggestions for regular "features."
1) Beta rules (with Jon's approvals) for UNSC/ORC, etcs.
2) "Refits/Variants" SSD's and backgrounds for FB ships mentioned but
not presented, and/or other variants and splitoffs others have
proposed or put up on websits
3) Nation-States. A writeup of different minor powers in or out of the
Tuffleyverse. Something similar to an Encyclopedia Galactica entry -
possibly lifted directly from there with a little editing. 3) Rules and
Systems. A writeup of a new rules, systems, or weapon like
the System Under Scrutiny or Weapon of the Week in the Weapons/Defense
Archive - again, possibly lifter from there with a little editing.
> I'd be in favor of such a thing.
Wake up and smell the coffee, Noam, it's off and running. We're already
having teething problems and turf wars. ;->=
Your list of items was very interesting indeed. WotW is your baby, right?
Generous of you to offer it!
While I would dearly love to see Tufflyverse variants fleshed out and given
proper SSD's, I'm not sure we wouldn't be stepping on Jon's toes, especially
if those SSD's are to be included in further pubs. On the other hand, if the
final versions are available from his site, it can only be attributed to his
generosity.
Doing close-ups of the various player created 'powers' can only
encourage development and fleshing out of the same. Rather than merely
'lifting' them out of the Encyclopedia, it would give the original authors and
their compatriots a chance to revisit and update them with comments from
others. Jerry might even see stalled entries (such as my own) filling out
quite nicely.
Damn, I'm almost blue-sky today, no?
The_Beast
> If it were to be a quarterly or semi-annual gig, that would be pretty
IMHO it would need one editor in charge instead of an undirected mass of
contributors, otherwise you'll get Yet Another Revived Confederate States, Yet
Another NAC Breakaway, etc.
No, I'm *not* volunteering to be the editor. It needs to be someone ruthless
and pushy, but not *that* ruthless and pushy.
***
> If it were to be a quarterly or semi-annual gig, that would be pretty
IMHO it would need one editor in charge instead of an undirected mass of
contributors, otherwise you'll get Yet Another Revived Confederate States, Yet
Another NAC Breakaway, etc.
No, I'm *not* volunteering to be the editor. It needs to be someone ruthless
and pushy, but not *that* ruthless and pushy.
***
I figured Mark had volunteered when he set suggested, then set up the Yahoo!
Group, but he's already officially volunteered on the list.
'It's in there...'
Personally, what I think we need is a counsellor, or even Consigliere, for the
balance you suggest, but, as I suggested, we're already have a bit more
problems with the 'fiddly bits' than makes me comfortable.
And I wouldn't be the least surprised to set Yet Another Another RCS/NAC
Breakaway every couple of issues. Comes with the territory.
The_Beast
> I like the idea..........I do have a few items on hand to help support
I like the idea also! I too would try to get something together to try to
support the it.
The WebZine format offers a lot of possibilities...
Color me behind the times, then. There's a yahoo group? Turf wars? An editor?
Sounds like things are well under way.
Noam:
> Color me behind the times, then. There's a yahoo group? Turf wars? An
Just teasing, Noam. It's obvious not everyone has the news, so I'll point to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GZGFanzine/
though you have to sign-up for full access.
To get on the mail list only, send a mail to:
GZGFanzine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
leaving topic and body blank.
Closest thing to a 'turf war' is a lively discussion whether to use Yahoo!
Groups, a Movable Type site, or some combo of the above. Now that I've
mentioned it on this list, expect a long and OT discussion of favorite
publishing/change management softwares. ;->=
So far, plenty of folk dusting off old ideas for inclusion; as I've said,
yours would be most welcome. Weapon of the quarter? Thirteen WotW per issue?
*whew* I nominate you as associate editor.
Me, I'll be writing up my campaign ideas, assuming to have to wait for later
issues to publish. These things always start grand, and taper
off...
The_Beast
> Doug Evans wrote:
An
> > editor? Sounds like things are well under way.
Well, I rec'd the news. I just really really hate yahoo groups. :-(
Mk
> On 8 Sep 2004 at 23:00, The GZG Digest wrote:
> Date: Wed, 08 Sep 2004 09:27:00 -0400
I just pulled the intro page on Yahoo Groups. The group isn't moderated and
it's open to anyone. The technical term for this is, I believe, "spam bait".
Open and/or unmoderated groups are regularly spammed. Some are spammed
so heavily that they are useless. Even those that aren't debilitated by spam
usually end up with several threads discussing the spam problem on the list.
The group should be open to anyone (as restricted access groups are just
a pain), but it should be moderated. The way all of the groups I'm in handle
it is that new users are set to moderated status. After their first one or two
posts, the moderator sets them to unmoderated status. If someone you trust
joins up, you can set them to unmoderated status as soon as they join, even if
they haven't posted anything.
Yes, it's a little bit of a pain, and yes it means that new members don't get
to post right away, but it's the only way to kill spamming in Yahoo Groups.
I'm currently pending access on a mystery writer's Yahoo group, but they don't
just moderate new users, they restrict access (which, as I said before, I
think is a bit much). Almost all the groups that I joined
that didn't moderate new users went to such a system. The others were groups
that lost their initial moderators. They had to essentially abandon the group
and open a duplicate group (the Battleground: World War II group and the
Gekokujo group did this).
I don't even bother looking at a Yahoo group these days if it doesn't moderate
new members.
---
> Well, I rec'd the news. I just really really hate yahoo groups. :-(
Me, too.
Mark deserves high marks for first the suggestion, and then cranking this up
so quickly, but I've already noticed an increase in spam, and my experience
with Yahoo! is that it's even worse if you're 'a member' rather than just on
the list.
As pointed out, the alternate suggested of a content management site devoted
to the project has been floated, and a second person contacted me directly
offering to host a mail list.
The group has been mostly silent recently, as points have been made and
discussed, and we're waiting for the Editor to comment. I have to assume
he's 'gotten busy', RL-wise.
If it's ok with others, until Mark's ready to make those comments, I'll
take non-Group comments directly, and continue to play gadfly, to try
and
get this off the GZG-list for the time being.
The_Beast
> On Thu, 9 Sep 2004 08:57:31 -0500, Doug Evans writes:
rather
> than just on the list.
Mailing lists are easy, if more are wanted. Wiki's also aren't hard to gen up
(but would take a bit more work).
Hey guys:
Sorry for the silence, RL came down hard the last couple of days.
I can switch the group to "moderated" to keep the spammers out. That's not a
problem. In fact I've done it now.
As for the "who is in charge" issue, I'd like to offer my services as an
editor and contributor. However, I don't have the physical resources to do any
actual layout beyond a MS Word "newsletter." For a quality publication, you'd
need QuarkXpress or Adobe Page Maker. Although I know how to use them, I don't
have access to them at home. Is there anyone here with layout resources?
I'm not sure I like the notion of a "blog" site; it just seems to me one more
thing that would have to be constantly maintained. We can use the files
section of this site, or another, to keep articles and other files. Let's keep
this KISS, but quality KISS.
Legal issues? I need to talk to JT and ask him what sort of copyright minutia
we would have to add to a publication to keep everything kosher.
Advertising? That would mean someone would have to hold the purse strings and
play accountant, unless we offer it for free.
Comments?
Later,
I have layout resources - InDesign (plus Photoshop, Illustrator, and
Acrobat) and a G5 Mac, but my time is a bit limited until mid Oct (wedding),
or even better early Nov (fiancee's cancer treatment is over - mostly).
Okay, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer... but has anyone considered
the idea of using a forum site? I mean.. there's so much potential for it...
I've seen a number of forum websites that look
good... check out http://www.bikerscout.net/ or
http://www.sg-command.net/ we could use a site like they do... I'm
actually working on some forum software for my local costuming club that could
be done similar to this.... and the potential it could have....
.... a portal/front page with new items and such.....
.... event calendar and opinion polls........ not just articles, but an area
to discuss their content...
In a message dated 9/9/04 6:29:53 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> agoodall@worldnet.att.net writes:
I don't even bother looking at a Yahoo group these days if it doesn't moderate
new members.
Absolutely right, AG!
I set up several small lists and it was worth every second to moderate new
members. And a pleasure to "kill and Ban" the spambots/spammers...
Gracias,
Mark,
The Blog is really a CVS and a way for us to get content out and online in a
nice format that you can control prior to release into the wild.
If it is easy to convert it into PDF we would have
only one thing to update (the fanzine online/blog) and
that could then be downloaded as a PDF.
Note: I hesitate to use the word blog here as we are using the software more
as a CVS and for online publishing not as a traditional "write some stuff,
write some more stuff. Talk about someone else's stuff, write some stuff blog.
Bob Makowsky
PS You are the boss and I am glad to wrok any way you want, just want to make
sure the full options are kept open and we can work in a way that is easy for
the contributors very easy for you and easy enough for those who want to read
the product.
> --- "Mark A. Siefert" <siefertma@wi.rr.com> wrote:
> Hey guys:
I agree with the open group issue, it needs moderation.
I can offer a, no advert space on my server if required - I have a
forum, gallery etc and can also configure a mailing list if users prefer email
to forum use.
Regards Robin
[quoted original message omitted]
> I agree with the open group issue, it needs moderation.
Thanks, Robin, but the problem isn't a lack of such sites; to tell the truth,
I'm amazed how many of you folks are willing to take it on!
At the moment, we're waiting for Mark to make his will known. ;->=
I'm about ready to drop out of the Yahoo! site, though. Last time I was on a
group, I didn't have NEAR this rise in spam!
The_Beast