Call for writers

m0ds · Fri 30/12/2005 01:31:36

PC Gamer wants YOU! To write about FREEWARE ADVENTURE GAMES!

Sigh, if only thats what fish4 said

None the less, as I've previously mentioned I'd love to start the AGDzine back up, it is the Adventure Game Developer Zine. DEVELOPER being the key word in there

but adventure and game are just as important

The Inventory has been axed, Vel's ezine is somewhat delayed - so I feel we could use another "online magazine". Goddamn I hate the word zine. SO! Though I don't want it to be a competitory thing between other zines or online websites, I want it to be good - and I want to set it up with the developer angle strongly in mind - but with reviews and previews, too. I love previews! So it will of course feature developer diaries, tips, techniques and tutorials.

2006 is to be an uber-productive year for myself, which I'm going to make sure of! Lots of game developments & film developments, I beleive. Which will be excellent! So lets see where that takes us. The ezine will have its own website, probably at the defunct Screen 7 ad.com address. If it's a website like the temporary version below - it will have regularly updated features, including interviews. That means no necessary deadlines - but an active amount of contributions must be made. Reviews can be added as and when needed and it will act as a kind of "database". Or it may be issue based, download issue 1, issue 2 etc. Any opinion on this is welcome

[I like newsletters because there's less to maintain, but that way a lot of interesting stuff does get lost in time. Maybe a site with a weekly round up newsletter is a better idea....

]

Whatever whatever! In case you haven't heard of the AGDzine, it was quite successful when it first started. It was originally distributed quarterly as html files in a zip file to form a magazine style. It then went "online" as a website where everything could be kept & read. It's likely no or few copies of the original AGDzine exist, and though a lot of the content was carried over into the newest zine (see the temp zine link below) from the older online zine, a lot of stuff was still lost

Phil Reed asked to read his old AGDzine interview but sadly the sands of time have taken it from me!

If you have an old copy with that interview - coulds you put it online? .^^ The AGDzine is also proud to boast one of the freshest Ron Gilbert interviews about adventure game design, currently hosted at Adventure Gamers. We've also spoken to many interesting developers over the years, many of whom have created classics, plus just as importantly - those of US making games. There was an interview with CJ back in the day, but that only exists on a dusty, decaying HD now I'm afraid

Okay, I could go on for hours about it all but I won't. You get the jist of what I intend to happen

What I'm looking for is, as always, that preliminary bulk of content for the website. Mostly, reviews of AGS games you've played lately. But I'm looking for it to be quick and quirky, 50-500 words max. Any game, no matter what you thought of it. Preferably longer reviews if you've played 1213 episode 1, Prodigal or the Stargate Adventure

But take note! As I have not fully decided about whether the zine will be web-based or issue based - please only write if you think you will be interested in doing it for future issues or a the future website. You can PM me (but do include 'agdzine' + the game title & your name/credit) or you can email me speilbergjnr at hotmail.com (No really, you can! I've only used 1mb! Sorry, you've only used 1mb!

)

I would be greatful for any help

Thanks for considering this, or even reading

And because its Friday...I think....I'm going to give an advance HAPPY NEW YEAAAR!!! Enjoy it!

old ezine
temp ezine

--(i feature 15 times in this post! go me!)

AlbinoPanther · Fri 30/12/2005 02:16:11

Hey this is realy intersting we are not much of a writers so don't count on our help but we will be so glad to read it.

Can you put it in a PDF it would be great(if you don't have Acrobat reader pro. we could do it for you).

Keep it up

LD

Gregjazz · Fri 30/12/2005 02:21:10

Quote from: LJUBI on Fri 30/12/2005 02:16:11
Hey this is realy intersting we are not much of a writers so don't count on our help but we will be so glad to read it.

Can you put it in a PDF it would be great(if you don't have Acrobat reader pro. we could do it for you).

Keep it up

LD

LD stands for Lena and Dule?

AlbinoPanther · Fri 30/12/2005 02:24:42

Quote from: Geoffkhan on Fri 30/12/2005 02:21:10
LD stands for Lena and Dule?

Squinky · Fri 30/12/2005 03:13:39

I used to write for Sylpher's "A" magazine, I even "ran" it for a while....and then it suddenly died...probably no connection....

But I could write stuff.

Disco · Fri 30/12/2005 04:07:52

Hmm, sounds like it can be fun. I write for Adventure Europe, which normally involes 2+ pages review of a commercial game. Perhaps I would enjoy doing some smaller blurbs for this online magazine.

I suppose there is no formal staff? Just review and submit?

Joseph DiPerla · Fri 30/12/2005 04:11:30

I like writing, but what kind of commitment are you looking for? Would you take freelance writers, EG: write an article and then submit it to you and you may or may not include it?

Tiki · Fri 30/12/2005 04:13:26

I'm a pretty good writer, though it would probably be best if I did a tutorial. I might be interested in contributing every once in a while.

evenwolf · Fri 30/12/2005 05:15:43

good for you mods.

LGM · Fri 30/12/2005 05:28:32

I will help with whatever needs to be done

Ginny · Fri 30/12/2005 14:31:38

Great to see this back in the works.. I seem to recall replying to a post, long long ago, about looking for writers for the AGDzine. I may be mistaken though..
In any case, I'd be glad to contribute with reviews or game *development* articles (I like the rant about game design;)), wether this is going to be a website or an issue-based zine.

monkey0506 · Mon 02/01/2006 23:36:45

I don't have much in the way of experience, but I would like to help if you want me. You would probably have to nag me a bit to get it done by a deadline, but I'm sure I could handle it.

The Inquisitive Stranger · Mon 02/01/2006 23:49:43

If you'd like some input from the SLUDGE side of things, I'd be more than happy to offer my services.

voh · Fri 06/01/2006 10:59:23

I sent you (m0ds) an email a couple of days back and haven't gotten a reply yet, so I thought I'd mention it here, in case you're one of those people who only checks their email once a year

m0ds · Sat 07/01/2006 15:52:15

Thanks everyone for the interest you've shown! Tis great to know that some would like to contribute to this. So that you know, I've made up my mind on how this will run for the next year. The AGDzine will be a print publication, a newsletter sent through the post that will arrive on subscribers doors once a month. Yes, that means it will cost money to read. I'm thinking $5 for 12 issues (a year subscription). The first issue probably won't be more than 5 pages, but depending on its popularity, it may expand. It may even be glossy one day, who knows

The first issue will be completely compiled by myself, so everyone else that helps with issue 1 will just be a "contributor". But after that I may go back to the old way and have duties for people, I think it would at least be essential to have certain people draw artwork for the magazine. Anyway, I'm still designing it all and working out how its going to work efficiently but it should be good!!!! Plus, there will be a website presence, past content & there will be special offers and all that jazz...

Voh: Dude, I didn't receive an email

Did it have an attatchment? If so then it probably went into my junk-mail and got instantly deleted. If so tell me, I'll turn that filter off and you can try again. I hadn't thought about this. Otherwise, I really don't know - I didn't receive anything. I check my mail daily, didn't see owt... Feel free to try another address;

cracknore_hard at hotmail.co.uk

SquinkyInSLUDGE: Yes, I would love some input from the SLUDGEy side! Ever since it was created, the AGDzine was a multi-engine magazine, I just don't think I really promoted it or rallied up contributors from many other engines. So yesh, really very welcome!

monkey: Sure, that'd be great! Why don't you try writing some 100 word reviews I can use? If you need pointers, your review should cover briefly what the game is about, anything particularly exciting about the game (i.e. something that was boasted about it when released, etc), how it played, what you liked, what you disliked and a score out of 100%. Anyway, good luck

Give it a go!!

Ginny: Thanks! Yep, I tried to revive the website but it didn't happen in the end. It would be great to see any contribution from you about game development or reviews

Just submit something through if you get the time, or wait a while longer if you need some ideas on what to write about

LGM: I need you to buy me a pencil

Joey: Yep I would take freelance writers, for any issue. As I said earlier it might come about that I need some "permanent" team members, but that won't necessarily be writers. If you want to comit yourself as a writer, just submit during the deadlines for each issue!

Disco: If that works for you, then yes - just review & submit

Squinky: Do it! Kick Sylpher up the ass and make him bring back A, too!

LJUBI: There WILL be a PDF to download, but it will be the monthly FREE version of the zine, a single page with some of the content from the full issue. This will always be a single page, so if one day an issue is 20 pages, you'll still only get one free page's worth

For a full issue, you will need to subscribe

I hope that answers some questions, & I hope you enjoy whatever comes out of this!!

monkey0506 · Sat 07/01/2006 16:06:00

Hmm...seeing as I don't really have any form of income right now...could the contributors get a complimentary full PDF version for free?

I probably wouldn't mind paying for it if I had the money...but if I have money it's usually already designated for something, i.e., school meals.

I'm going to go find a game to write a review of...(something I can actually beat... $:-\$ )

m0ds · Sat 07/01/2006 16:12:50

Course, contributers will certainly get a free version. Probably not a postal version because thats what the subscription is effectivley paying for, we'll see - but yes, you will definitely read each issue for free

Pet Terry · Sat 07/01/2006 17:02:10

Heya Marky, I'm working for the local newspaper, so I'll help you. I've been writing articles, interviewing people and working on the layout so I have some experience how it all works.

voh · Sat 07/01/2006 17:34:09

K, so the evil intarweb foiled another of my amazing plans. How I hate you, intarweb... Grrr...

Regardless, basically what I sent you was that I've been reviewing games since forever and have a knack for writing silly, humourous reviews that can be as short as you want, or as long as you want. One of my gimmicks has been the backroom, but that's located on a site that's probably not too well-received on this forum, so I shall withhold the URL. PM me if you want to see some of my reviews

I'm more than interested in contributing what I can, be it reviews or whatever. I'm not very good with AGS, and I'm not that good with pixel art and stuff, but I can do web design and PHP/mysql, so if you need any of that jazz, I'm your man

HillBilly · Sat 07/01/2006 18:44:22

I can help out on developer previews(only from break-out, though), tips, techniques and tutorials, if needed. If not, congratulations on starting this! It sounds awesome to the full degree, and I hope it'll go far.