Hooo boy, here we go.
First of all - Iain, I really like the new board. Nice work!
OK, so we're talking about #108. I had a feeling this would be inevitable...not really sure how I felt about that.
I started the #107 project because I hated my then-job and needed to save my love of gaming. My goals were to a) do something fun (and something for me to be proud of) in my otherwise chronically depressing worklife, b) make some new friends and c) somehow use it as a way to get work elsewhere. I'm very happy to say that all three of these goals were achieved.
So the question of "Why on Earth would i
want to do another one" has been on my mind over the last few days since I started seeing these posts. I mean hell, it was hard work. I know Ant, Gordo and Craig would agree here. It was
painful at times. Why would I volunteer not only myself but three people who have my utmost respect, to this kind of hellish nonsense again? "It's insane. It's too big to be done. It's impossible..." I said as I went to sleep last night.
Today I figured out why.
Because I love the c64 very, very much, and doing impossible, stupid things is what I
do.
So I am up for it. Let the practicalities be damned. We got 36 pages out in 6 months. 50 in 2 years? Hell. We're professionals at this point. I have never missed a deadline in my life and I have the heart palpatations and emerging bald spot to prove it. Time is running out so what the hell?
Let's start by addressing the conversation already started...
Gordon said:
Even so, I'll commit myself here and now to doing something on the mag -- it'd be nice if someone else could edit it, but I doubt anyone's stupid enough.
Consider me stupid enough.
I'd also like to handle the logistics of it, as before.
Craig said:
Deadlines were also a major problem last time, which caused me no end of headaches and really messed up my schedule for a week or so (not good when you're a freelancer).
Amen to that.
One thing I've noted a few people say is that a two year deadline gives Craig a lot of time to design the mag. Not so. Craig can only work with stuff he's given, and he can't get started without finished text, images and design notes. That stuff won't be finished until a few months before it goes to print. Ideally I would like certain sections finished well ahead of time (reviews for example...we can start on them *now*, and add more reviews as more games come out...oh, I just noticed Iain said basically the same thing) and let Craig work on them IN HIS SPARE TIME.
Ant wrote:
As hard as it's going to be to try to enforce, the deadline thing should be a top priority.
Maybe there should be some sort of official statement that everyone taking part in the project needs to read beforehand. Nothing too serious, just something that lets everyone understand a few things like the fact that just because they submit something doesn't guarantee it'll be printed. Or that missed deadlines are bad.
Agree 100%. Something like this is
needed before any of us start. We wasted a lot of time with these issues before.
Okay. Let's talk about stuff we would like to have in there.
Gordon wrote:
In any case, I'd love to do the Scorelord, etc again -- maybe with a reader challenge this time.
And photos!
Very cool idea.
I would like to see if we can get lots more 'veteran' Zzap!ers involved. Can we get Mel Croucher? Steve Jarratt? Kati? How about increased involvement of Paul Glancey (yes I know he's busy making video games, but damnit, so am I and you don't hear me complain) or Robin Hogg? Bob Wade? Julian Rignall of course, but he's nil-communicado these days. Oh yes, James Price would be good too. Etc etc.
I'd like to see a new game released on the coverdisk. A feature on the games that weren't would be fantastic. The return of such great features such as a developer diary, the shadow, wacky drawings, art gallery, strategy section...how about something like a round table interview where we find c64 'stars' and get them to talk about whatever they like? A 20th anniversary feature of the c64. Hardware review of the C=1.
Craig wrote:
Also, I'm still not convinced of the need for 108 at all. 107 was lovely - a one-off item which was well done and the last Zzap!64 ever. 108 will destroy that utterly, being the last ever issue... again. The interest will be much less than last time, and (conversely) at least some people will be clamouring for 109, 110 (and so on)...
I see (and partially agree) with your point. But did us saying #107 would be a one-off stop people asking for 108?
But now that Craig's brought it up...let's all get this one thing very, very clear from the outset: I think we should all be doing this because we
want to, not because the public demands it. We're doing it for ourselves first. Selfish? To a point, yes, but it's the only way we're going to get any satisfaction out of it.
One last thing I want to bring up before sleeping...how about an Xmas 2005 deadline? With 50 pages, it'll be a bumper-sized Xmas issue!
Thoughts?