02-02-2014, 02:53 PM
OK, so what this discussion thread is for is to try and promote gathering feedback from our readership on specific things and on particular aspects Suspense & Decision's coverage.
It's easy for me to know what I like or dislike about the magazine, in general, or about a given issue, specifically. What's harder for me to discern, however, is what each of our readers, respectively, like or dislike about the same.
If you think that it sucks, or that certain portions of it suck, then by all means, share that with me. If you will, though, just tell me the WHY associated with why you think that it sucks.
Personally, I like the fact that Suspense & Decision actually exists, that it's real. I like the fact that it gives PBM an additional tool to work with, in order to grow the hobby and the industry.
One thing that I think really sucks about the magazine, however, is our budget. Effectively, in practical terms, we have a near-zero operating budget. This, however, was a quite deliberate and intentional decision on my part. One objective is to demonstrate that virtually anyone can publish a magazine with a heavy focus, indeed, a primary focus, upon the kind of turn-based gaming provided by PBM games, and the ancestral descendants, thereof.
That's not the only objective, of course, and in fact, it is primarily an objective that is personal in nature. Put simply, it is just something that I think has value, as an objective. Ideally, from my perspective, more than one PBM magazine existing simultaneously would be a better thing. In the meantime, I think that it is better to have one PBM magazine in existence, than to have none, at all.
I like the fact that the magazine is published in PDF format. I like the fact that anybody is free to make copies of it, in either digital or print format, to share with others. I like that it is free, which facilitates disseminating it more widely, more quickly.
I hate the fact that the actual editing of issues isn't even remotely anywhere near where it should be. I despise fighting the software used to create it. I bemoan the learning curve associated with it all.
That said, simultaneously, I love the learning experience and the growth of skills associated with it.
I hate the fact that Joseph Bloch hasn't actually written those articles about Starmaster and Sail the Solar Winds, yet. I love the fact that he even mentions the possibility of him doing so, though. I love the fact that Joe blogs about each new issue of Suspense & Decision that we publish, and that by doing so, awareness of the magazine spreads throughout the blogosphere. Welcome to a new kind of spinner rack!
I like the fact that at least some of the commercial PBM sector discerns value in our magazine, and that they advertise within our pages, and that they submit articles to increase the depth of our coverage, and to imbue the magazine with more of a PBM feel. I dislike the fact that we still have a long way to go, to try and grow involvement within the existing commercial PBM sector. The presence of ads and/or articles from some PBM or ancestral descendant companies is in stark and vivid contrast to the complete and utter absence of ads and articles from other elements of the very same industry.
I like the fact that the magazine encompasses both criticism and praise. I dislike the fact that there's been so relatively little of either, to date. I like the fact that we are a new publication. I dislike the fact that we enjoy no longevity of note, as of yet.
I dislike the fact that we have experienced a few oversights, with various submissions getting lost or forgotten, albeit temporarily. I very much like the fact that there haven't been a lot more of them.
What about you, though? What do you like or dislike about Suspense & Decision magazine?
It's easy for me to know what I like or dislike about the magazine, in general, or about a given issue, specifically. What's harder for me to discern, however, is what each of our readers, respectively, like or dislike about the same.
If you think that it sucks, or that certain portions of it suck, then by all means, share that with me. If you will, though, just tell me the WHY associated with why you think that it sucks.
Personally, I like the fact that Suspense & Decision actually exists, that it's real. I like the fact that it gives PBM an additional tool to work with, in order to grow the hobby and the industry.
One thing that I think really sucks about the magazine, however, is our budget. Effectively, in practical terms, we have a near-zero operating budget. This, however, was a quite deliberate and intentional decision on my part. One objective is to demonstrate that virtually anyone can publish a magazine with a heavy focus, indeed, a primary focus, upon the kind of turn-based gaming provided by PBM games, and the ancestral descendants, thereof.
That's not the only objective, of course, and in fact, it is primarily an objective that is personal in nature. Put simply, it is just something that I think has value, as an objective. Ideally, from my perspective, more than one PBM magazine existing simultaneously would be a better thing. In the meantime, I think that it is better to have one PBM magazine in existence, than to have none, at all.
I like the fact that the magazine is published in PDF format. I like the fact that anybody is free to make copies of it, in either digital or print format, to share with others. I like that it is free, which facilitates disseminating it more widely, more quickly.
I hate the fact that the actual editing of issues isn't even remotely anywhere near where it should be. I despise fighting the software used to create it. I bemoan the learning curve associated with it all.
That said, simultaneously, I love the learning experience and the growth of skills associated with it.
I hate the fact that Joseph Bloch hasn't actually written those articles about Starmaster and Sail the Solar Winds, yet. I love the fact that he even mentions the possibility of him doing so, though. I love the fact that Joe blogs about each new issue of Suspense & Decision that we publish, and that by doing so, awareness of the magazine spreads throughout the blogosphere. Welcome to a new kind of spinner rack!
I like the fact that at least some of the commercial PBM sector discerns value in our magazine, and that they advertise within our pages, and that they submit articles to increase the depth of our coverage, and to imbue the magazine with more of a PBM feel. I dislike the fact that we still have a long way to go, to try and grow involvement within the existing commercial PBM sector. The presence of ads and/or articles from some PBM or ancestral descendant companies is in stark and vivid contrast to the complete and utter absence of ads and articles from other elements of the very same industry.
I like the fact that the magazine encompasses both criticism and praise. I dislike the fact that there's been so relatively little of either, to date. I like the fact that we are a new publication. I dislike the fact that we enjoy no longevity of note, as of yet.
I dislike the fact that we have experienced a few oversights, with various submissions getting lost or forgotten, albeit temporarily. I very much like the fact that there haven't been a lot more of them.
What about you, though? What do you like or dislike about Suspense & Decision magazine?