Retro Gamer Are A Joke!

[Darran@Retro Gamer]

I understand the OP's sentiments, because it is frustrating when magazines fail to live up to personal expectations.

Sadly none of the people I spoke to where able to supply me with free copies of the games (hardly surprising really) I wanted to feature and there was no budget to buy the games in so it never actually happened

 

I guess there won't be any feature story about Battlesphere then.

It's a tricky situation mate. At the end of the day you can't really expect people to hand you out games for free - especially when they're working from limited resources - but RG's budget doesn't extend to cover purchases for review. Therefore any purchases like that would come out of my own pocket. Now I do love playing on the Lynx, but I often don't have the spare cash to pay out for the prices these homebrew titles typically go for. The Zaku review came about because the team were kind enough to send us a copy so we could review it. If this never happened it wouldn't have received any coverage at all.

[nonner242]

I understand the OP's sentiments, because it is frustrating when magazines fail to live up to personal expectations.

Sadly none of the people I spoke to where able to supply me with free copies of the games (hardly surprising really) I wanted to feature and there was no budget to buy the games in so it never actually happened

 

I guess there won't be any feature story about Battlesphere then.

 

 

I will invite a reviewer to my house so I can mutilate him in space combat!

[akator]

I can understand the difficulties of reviewing homebrew, regardless of the system. Not only is it close to impossible for homebrew authors to afford to give copies away for review, but many homebrew games are initially released in limited numbers with a very small period of availability/pre-order. Many gamers, let alone magazine reviewers, are able to "get in on it" while that initial run is available.

 

In regards to Retro Gamer, obviously no one magazine can be everything for everyone. It simply isn't possible. Fortunately, there are other possibilities to supplement individual interests and tastes:

 

- Buy or download the "old" period magazines that were published back in the day. There are many sites available... Retromags, Out of Print Archive, Pontarohbay's Atari Analog Magazine Archive, just to name a few.

 

- Try a subscription to Game Room magazine.

 

 

[TMR]

I can understand the difficulties of reviewing homebrew, regardless of the system. Not only is it close to impossible for homebrew authors to afford to give copies away for review, but many homebrew games are initially released in limited numbers with a very small period of availability/pre-order. Many gamers, let alone magazine reviewers, are able to "get in on it" while that initial run is available.

 

And since Retro Gamer is a niche magazine, if a copy is purchased for review it's usually out of the reviewer's own pocket if they can afford it... usually i can't, and always ask for emulator images rather than actual media - that doesn't always go down well! =-)

[toiletunes]

Back in the day, I got fed up at magazines not featuring the stuff I wanted to read, so I made my own magazine.

[EricDeLee]

Darran, you say "Zaku arrived far too late in the day to give it more coverage." Maybe you could have played the game more and saved the review for the next issue? Also, you say Zaku is "easily the best shoot-em-up available on the Lynx". So that means you would give Gates of Zendocon and Zarlor Mercenary what score? 60% ? 50% ?

 

This is a really great point actually. Zarlor for me is one of the finest vertical shoot'em ups I have ever played, especially on a handheld! What about Raiden too, thats hardly a bad game.

 

I just played Zarlor for the first time recently (had it, but never played it). I agree with you on this one.

It is a damn good shooter! Nothing wrong with that. (I tend to like GoZ a lot as well... but it is a much slower pace.

[108 Stars]

Well, I don´t see a big problem with what Retro Gamer did.

I believe they do a great thing in supporting homebrews, and offering Zaku one page and a half overall is not that bad. Please consider there are many other topics to cover in the magazine, and in all fairness, the Lynx certainly is not a hugely popular system; as active as the community is, their number is small and probably only very few of the Retro Gamer readers own a Lynx.

 

I was involved in Lynxopoly, as I am in some of matashen´s current projects and in Pier Solar on MD(that Retro Gamer covered which I am thankful for.

But you just have to be realistic when it comes to what deserves how much coverage. I could have asked Darran to report on Lynxopoly; but being realistic I know it is not nearly a big enough game to justify taking up space in the magazine, it was merely a big "Hello World", so I did not even ask. But certainly I will ask if one of the projects I am involved in ever reaches a quality that I truly believe is interesting even for people not yet into the Lynx. And probably I won´t even have to ask; the good folks of Retro Gamer have a close eye on the scene and approach makers of promising projects themselves.

 

Zaku has reached an unknown success for the Lynx; filling 1 and 1/2 pages of a popular magazine and getting reviewed outside the homebrew section, eventhough it is a new release for a system so few people even own.

And it scored well; 73% is definately "good". Actually, comparing it to other Lynx games reviewed in Germany (being another Atari-stronghold) it did extremely well, with most Lynx games of back in the day being rated UNDER 70%, and usually on one half or third of a page. On Planet Atari, Germany´s no.1 website covering Atari consoles, the score was 8.0, praising the authentic packaging, brilliant technical execution and great monster designs while not being so wild about the music and the uneven balancing. Another rating pretty close I believe, so there is nothing wrong with 7.3 either.

 

No game is perfect, and knowing what was not well received about Zaku will be helpful if the team ever develops another game. RG has honored the game with extensive coverage for a Lynx game, and with a good score. It´s a reason for the team to be proud, and we of the Lynx-community should thank RG for their interest.

 

I hope the the more understanding posts in this thread show RG that most fans appreciate the coverage; with quotes like "Feel free to chip in, it seems that RG don't understand how big the Atari community is" I would certainly understand if an editor would think twice before covering the Lynx again.

[Pyromaniac605]

I do believe that Laird has a point on the column time devoted to newer systems for a retro magazine.

 

Software reviews and app launches are a dime a dozen for the iPhone and latest game systems. For a magazine with the name "Retro Gamer," I feel the expectation is set for about 90% retro content, followed by a few blurbs on what is happening with new systems (VC on the Wii for example).

 

Just a thought....not a personal criticism in any way to the people behind the magazine.

Retro Gamer is 114 pages, 5 pages of which is to review retro/retro styled games on newer systems). Hardly a massive amount of non retro gaming content.

I haven't seen your magazine but that is a very good point the Laird makes it sound alot more serious than it is. I think he was just mad that the review was not what he was expecting.

 

-Darren-

[The_Laird]

Was not 1 and a half pages at all I can post the scans, the review was a tiny bit at the bottom of a page.

 

And that was not my point at at all. My point was more the serious lack of coverage that RG gives to the Atari machines in general, Zaku was just one of many examples. Atari owners make up a pretty large portion of the retro community, just look at this great site for a perfect example, and RG largely ignore it.

 

After Darran said that the Lynx homebrewers were unwilling to give him games to review or even help him write an article about them I offered to lend him any of my collection for the Lynx or Jaguar and the offer was declined which is a shame, at least I tried and the olive branch was extended. I would even be happy to help write such an article and submit stuff I have wrote, I have experience of this with reviews that have been put online and I used to write for a wine magazine.

[108 Stars]

Was not 1 and a half pages at all I can post the scans, the review was a tiny bit at the bottom of a page.

 

As I understand the a full page had been about Zaku in the previous issue, it was just the review that was smaller; one reason would be that most infos of the game had already been given in the previous issue.

 

And that was not my point at at all. My point was more the serious lack of coverage that RG gives to the Atari machines in general, Zaku was just one of many examples. Atari owners make up a pretty large portion of the retro community, just look at this great site for a perfect example, and RG largely ignore it.

 

I think the rating was part of your pont; seein as them "only" giving it 73% was the very first thing you mentioned.

 

Yes, Atari makes up a noteworthy portion of retro fans; I am not sure if they are larger in numbers than Nintendo, Sega or Commodore fans, but with the company being dead the fans are at least more active in retro aspects.

 

But Retro Gamer does them justice:.

-Issue 6 was the first one having two big Atari-article; 5 pages of coverage for Jagfest UK, and another 8 pages focusing on the Atari 8-bit computers, with an interview with Nolan Bushnell. AND it has an 8-page Atari-ad-gallery.

-The following issue included a langhty article about the ST-series bundled with another Atari-ad-gallery.

-Issue 12: A big feature on the Atari 2600 with an interview with David Crane, a 3 page article about this very website, another Atari ad gallery and another big article on Jeff Minter and Llamasoft.

-Issue 13: 9 pages about the Atrari 5200, and a big article on Star Wars video games, naturally with Atari taking a big role in it.

-9 pages article on the 7800.

-issue 16 had the first part of an article on the gaming history, including the era of Pong; pretty much counts as Atari coverage.

-issue 17 continues this feature, focusing on the late 70ies and early 8oies; Atari-reign

-issue 18 has a page about the Flashback 2 and a huge article on the history of the Atari Lynx.

 

I relly don´t want to spend more time digging through the mags, I just want to highlight that there were more specials on things like the best VCS games of all time and another big 2600 article, the Jaguar history, Pitfall! and Space Invaders...

 

And beside those in-depth-articles there are countless occasions when Atari-versions are mentioned eventhough the article does not neccessariliy have the word ATARI in bold letters on it.

 

Overall Atari got the same coverage as Big N and Sega, if not more. Especially when it comes to long features as opposed to smaller game-reviews.

 

If there was one thing I´d blame RG for it would be that they treat the Speccy with too much importance, seeing that

it was pretty much meaningless outside the UK. But it´s a UK magazine, so I can forgive them that, it´s only natural that they write about the regional artifact of nostalgia.

 

After Darran said that the Lynx homebrewers were unwilling to give him games to review or even help him write an article about them I offered to lend him any of my collection for the Lynx or Jaguar and the offer was declined which is a shame, at least I tried and the olive branch was extended. I would even be happy to help write such an article and submit stuff I have wrote, I have experience of this with reviews that have been put online and I used to write for a wine magazine.

 

Experience with writing stuff in the internet where absolutely EVERYBODY can publish his stuff is not worth much, neither is writing for a print magazine of whine any proof of your gaming knowledge. It´s not that easy.

 

And yet a magazine must be able to put their trust into a writer being unbiased, and you making the impression of a rampant fanboy with a thread like this (even if that was your intention) is not something that will make them want to take your articles for their magazine. If I was editor-in-chief I would find an offer to write for me somewhat offending; if they trust in your expertise, they will approach you of their own will, but suggesting they print what you have written goes a bit too far, it is too pushy.

 

 

 

I think we can get RG to do more articles on Homebrews for Atari systems; but not by forcing our opinion on them or writing the mag for them, but by just showing our interest and getting our friends involved in the homebrews to cooperate in giving them review copies of their games. If we want articles to be seen, maybe we can collect money for a review copy to send to RG; we just ask if they are interested to do an article if they got a copy, and if they say they are, the community sees to it that they get their copy.

[The_Laird]

Right . . . .

 

1. Firstly please read what I say more carefully as I said use the word HELP I never said I would write the article for them and I ask how many articles have you written that you have been PAID for?

 

2.All the issues you mentioned are the old Retro Gamer which was (in my opinion) alot better. One recent issue had exactly HALF A PAGE of Atari coverage in the entire 120 page issue.

 

3. The Atari ST sold in significant numbers in the UK, outselling the Amiga for several years, yet rarely gets a mention unlike the Amiga which gets far more coverage.

 

Please read posts properly and check your facts before misquouting me in future.

[Chickybaby]

Ok, that's enough please. Lets not turn this into an argument.

 

All forms of writing, programming, coding etc should be encouraged as long as it's not harming or maligning anyone.

 

Thank you.

[carmel_andrews]

well i do recall retro gamer in it's original form, bought a couple of issues (unfortunately some c. london retailers stopped stocking it) it wasn't too kind in a review of the 5200 (which i am surprised they reviewed as it was NTSC only)

[PFG 9000]

well i do recall retro gamer in it's original form

 

2.All the issues you mentioned are the old Retro Gamer which was (in my opinion) alot better. One recent issue had exactly HALF A PAGE of Atari coverage in the entire 120 page issue.

 

Wait, what's different between the "old" (or Old!) Retro Gamer and the current one, besides the lack of the DVD with the newer issues? It's the same magazine, isn't it? They've already done their Atari features, just like they've done their Nintendo and Sega features and all the other ones. And now they don't always focus on a single console each month, because they've covered every retro console in past issues, one by one. But it's the same magazine through-and-through, so why demand that the newest issues re-tread the same ground as the originals?

Edited April 5, 2010 by PFG 9000

[The_Laird]

Completely different publishers for a start.

 

Who said anything about covereing old ground? Covering some of the more recent hombrew releases would be a start.

Edited April 5, 2010 by The_Laird

[Jess Ragan]

I don't have it yet so I haven't seen the article. I take it Zaku was given very little space (compaired to newer iPhone stuff/etc..) If so that is a shame but who knows the reasoning, maybe we can find out?....Retro Gamer, how come Zaku has such a small write up? Thanks

It was simply a lack of space i'm afriad. What The Laird has failed to mention is that we gave it a page article in the news the previous month. Typcially we wouldn't even cover a game like Zaku in the non homebrew section of the magazine, but because we'd recently put Rush, Rush, Rally Racing (a new DC game) in the commercial reviews section we gave Zaku the same privalidge.

 

If you reduced your monthly Spectrum coverage from one hundred pages to ninety-nine, perhaps you would have had more room for Zaku.

 

(Seriously, what's with Great Britain's masochistic devotion to the Spectrum? It makes the ColecoVision look like an SGI workstation.)

[carmel_andrews]

Jess...try this

 

 

 

SPECTRUM, SPECTRUM, SPECTRUM....It spanked Atari and commodore's ar*e big time

 

I guess the American equivalent would be the TRS 80 or CoCo systems (even though they were'nt z80 based)

Edited April 6, 2010 by carmel_andrews

[+LS650]

Those Radio Shack computers certainly never spanked any arse in North America.

[Gaztee]

An interesting read!! What I remember of the Jagfest UK RG fiasco is that Darran did indeed say that he would not be able to make that show, but he would send someone else in his place. The show has had a few mentions in the magazine in the past, but I guess the only way it will get in there now is if we take out a full page advert!

TBH when I heard that they were going to the JFUK show last September I doubted that they would turn up. There were quite a few retro events around that time too, so if the budget is small then you've gotta pick & choose what you can afford!

I didn't think that the Atari retro scene was that big in the UK compared to commodore & spectrum?? I certainly never remember many other Atari users when I were a slip of a lad. I didn't know anyone that had an ST, they were all amiga boys!

I stopped reading RG quite a while ago, as for me it wasn't value for money. The articles just didn't appeal to me. If I find a copy in the news agents I will have a browse & if there is anything there interesting for me I will buy. They did a compilation a while back covering all formats & was amazed at the Jaguar section - to me it was a bit of a joke! Didn't look at the Lynx section, as I was too busy laughing!!

Just my 2c!

[Fr0st]

Personally I love reading RG Magazine. I look forward to it every month.

 

But for a Magazine that costs me over €7, I'd prefer less on new game releases for new machines, iPhone reviews etc.

 

Don't get me wrong here, I love the old reviews, interviews with programmers etc. I just find there can be just one page too many that I flick past cos' it's got nothing to do with 'retro' to me; old games or old machines.

 

If I want reviews for games on new consoles, be they old games brought up to date, shouldn't I be buying a Magazine covering those consoles exclusively? I don't see those Magazines mentioning retro games...

[Jess Ragan]

I wonder when Stuart Campbell is going to materialize and act like a jerk. It seems to be an inevitability with every Retro Gamer post, on any web site ever.

[akator]

I'm amazed this thread is still alive

[The_Laird]

I wonder when Stuart Campbell is going to materialize and act like a jerk. It seems to be an inevitability with every Retro Gamer post, on any web site ever.

 

Thats usually what he does, his reputation precedes him.

[TMR]

TBH when I heard that they were going to the JFUK show last September I doubted that they would turn up. There were quite a few retro events around that time too, so if the budget is small then you've gotta pick & choose what you can afford!

 

Retro Gamer doesn't actually have any budget to send people to events, we do it out of our own pockets and are occasionally helped out by lovely fluffy bunny organisers - but the same factors that affect other visitors like finances, family, work and so forth all apply to RG's writers as they do to normal people and some of those factors explain why i'm sat here this morning rather than at the event currently running in Sheffield. Not that i'm sulking or anything...

[CGQuarterly]

I wonder when Stuart Campbell is going to materialize and act like a jerk. It seems to be an inevitability with every Retro Gamer post, on any web site ever.

 

That's why I quit buying the magazine. There are enougj talented writers out there that there is no excuse for Retro Gamer to keep him around. I can't imagine any other magazine not firing one of their writers after he or she behaved the way Stuart does towards anyone who finds fault with his writing. It reflects very poorly on the magazine and on its editor.

 

Chris