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Nandrew
07-02-2008, 12:25 PM
Yeah, the dust barely settles on the previous edition, and it's time to look forward already!

Dev.Mag 20 seems to be a pretty good edition, and I hope you guys are touting it everywhere you can (if only to make up for my occasional slackage in that department ;) ). The bar has thus been raised considerably, though I should point out that I'm not going to rush after the huge page count again -- the mag's quite fine at around 40 or so, and the filesize is always a concern anyway. :P

To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what I personally want from Issue 21. There's a lot of potential avenues that we could go down and a lot of people I can think of talking to. So gimmeh some input. I'm keen to start getting more focus on each individual edition of the magazine -- in this one, we had quite a few Irrlicht-related pieces, and a fair amount of coverage on the IGF.

Mind you, I suppose I DO have a particular suggestion:

What if we decided to have a focus on AGS for this issue? Version 3.0 was just recently released, it's a free tool and I know a few of you are keen to try it. We already have 2 / 3 AGS reviews lined up for this edition and we haven't yet had anybody writing a Blue Pill primer for that tool.

If I don't receive any suggestions to the contrary, I think it would be pretty cool to write a bit about AGS, interview the AGS creator and look at a few AGS games. ;)

Deadline is the 14th, as per usual. Please make specific requests for extensions if needed.

----------------------------------

Current content up for grabs in the mag. Will be edited when necessary, so please check on this regularly. All articles on this post are up for grabs, unless they're indicated as having a writer assigned.

Please note that further proposals are requested for each section -- this isn't a cast-in-stone content deal.


FROM THE NET:
- done by me, though submissions are wholeheartedly welcome. In fact, they're encouraged. +-100 words each

FEATURE:
- I'd really like to get somebody talking to the creator of AGS. I'm sure it would make for an interesting piece and would fit in nicely with the proposed theme this month. (Fuzzy).
- There's also Fuzzyspoon's proposal of Command & Conquer artist Eric Gooch, which would be another valid interviewee (Fuzzyspoon).
- Alternatively, we have Mr Aikman of Synaesthete who's also open to an interview (I'd chat with him if this is desired).


OPINIONS:
(Please note that the opinion section is an open ground and that all wannabe writers are welcome to try out. If you want to get into writing for Dev.Mag, feel free to have a go in this section. Should be 300-500 words)

REVIEWS:
- A Tale of Two Kingdoms, an AGS game which I really thought was fun and very well done (I may write this one, but if there's any other people out there who have played it ...)
- Battleships Forever (Chippit)
- Frozzd (Chippit)
- Trilby's Notes (Insomniac)
- 6 Days a Sacrifice (Gazza_N)
- Trilby: The Art of Theft (open, see Design section below, however)
- Game handbook (Fuzzyspoon)

TUTORIALS:
- Game development for beginners ( HEY! Are we really just going to forget about this? :( )
- Blue pill article - AGS (Gazza_N)
- Blender (?rman/wireman)
- Photoshop (UntouchableOne)
- Irrlicht (Fuzzy)
- Disk Sampling (Herman Tulleken)

DESIGN:
- I'd like a design article on "Trilby: The Art of Theft". More specifically, I want it to focus on aspects such as replayability value and, of course, the fact that it was made in a tool that's ACTUALLY designed to make adventure games. MOREOVER, I want this piece to come bundled with a short review of Art of Theft and interview material from Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw to lend the piece some overall depth and credibility. Check the "Pump It" piece in Issue 20 if you want to know what sort of writing I'm looking for. The writer of the main article and the reviewer of the game can be two separate people if desired. (up for grabs, writers apply please)
- Coding Etiquette (Coolhand - if you can find any more topics. Request me for a brainstorm if needed)
- H-Craft Championships. The review in last month's magazine actually piqued my curiosity and it would be cool if we got some sort of developer's piece from them (in a similar vein to the proposed Trilby piece above, I suppose). Might be worth something (Fuzzyspoon?)
- I'd like something written about Iron Dukes. It's a neat IGF web game finalist. Just throwing it out there. (up for grabs)
- WIP: Mathstermind (Squid / Dislekcia, pweeze pweeze PWEEZE? )
- WIP: Zticky Zlime (Nandrew) (I should get around to this)
- Postmortem: Cartesian Chaos (Evil_Toaster has been putting this off for a while, methinks)
- Any other postmortems/WIPs welcome, possibly Deathbringer? (Gazza_N?)

TAILPIECE:
- A bunch of mini-reviews for popular AGS games. Or maybe some other AGS-related article.
- Otherwise, still waiting on that DB sprite set :P

Nandrew
07-02-2008, 12:26 PM
As you may notice, the content proposals are quite chock-full. Please read the suggested articles and give feedback on what you think is best to put into the mag this month, or make alternate proposals if necessary. ;)

Gazza_N
07-02-2008, 12:28 PM
I nabs the AGS blue pill article. I did promise...

FuzzYspo0N
07-02-2008, 01:15 PM
There's also Fuzzyspoon's proposal of Command & Conquer artist Eric Gooch, which would be another valid interviewee.

westwood studios, was. he now works for insomniac games, still a legend though!
He is alsio still keen.

I had ideas for the following :

Interview the irrlicht core team, with one set of questions..

Iv got two opinion pieces nearly done :
Teamwork, and collaboration. this one is large
And game development as a career, my opinion on the state of thigns, and how i see it actually working.

There are other ideas for opinion stuff, but im focussing largely on irrlicht tutorial series..


Game development for beginners ( HEY! Are we really just going to forget about this? )

Who is doing that? i can pick it up if its been dropped... im sure i can follow the thread they went along.

Nandrew
07-02-2008, 01:29 PM
Regarding your latter point, the Beginner series was specifically aimed at Game Maker, so you'd have to be familiar with that tool.

I'm still keen for the idea of Eric Gooch, though for this edition I may prefer an AGS creator interview. I need to know whether that's possible or not, though, and whether or not people are interested in doing it. I *would* say, "Screw it, let's just have two features", but I don't want to chat to everyone now and find later that interesting conversation has dried up.

I'm not too keen on an Irrlicht core team interview, however. That's way too similar to our last feature. I'd say if it's not AGS, it's Gooch (or Aikman).

FuzzYspo0N
07-02-2008, 02:26 PM
Cool, i hear ya.


Regarding your latter point, the Beginner series was specifically aimed at Game Maker, so you'd have to be familiar with that tool.

Shouldnt be a problem at all. Iv used it a lot, im reading throught the previous sections of the series now...
EDIT: i bought a new book . its incredibly cool and im gonna review it.
Its called game writing handbook and its great, its written by a guy who has worked with some really great studios.
So expect that as well


Hi,

I don't mind answering some questions for an interview -- feel free to send them through. You should be able to reach me at dosuser@bigfoot.com

Cheers
CJ

From AGS creator, i got that, and gooch are waiting!

So yea.. ill get them both

Cyberninja
08-02-2008, 07:13 PM
I don't know when the sprites will be ready, unfortunately. :/ Will attempt to stalk/bribe/chase our artist some more. 0.0

Tr00jg
08-02-2008, 11:57 PM
Anything you want me to do?

Cyberninja
09-02-2008, 03:15 PM
Extra! Extra!! Read all about it!! The sprites will be ready on the 24 MARCH 2008*. It has been confirmed. The artist does, however, require a offering of cakes and feta. So please keep that in mind.

That is all.

*By the next edition of Dev.Mag

Nandrew
11-02-2008, 11:08 AM
Tr00jg: Reviews are always welcome (if you happen to find something cool). Also, you're welcome to try out anything marked as "open to writers" if that's your cup of tea. Otherwise, suggest more interviews!

Actually, if you want something specific that isn't too taxing, perhaps you could write the review for Trilby: Art of Theft? Nobody's snatched that yet, and you don't have to write out the entire design article.


Fuzzy: I'll assume you're working on those interviews. You've been marked for the pair.

FuzzYspo0N
11-02-2008, 05:17 PM
H-Craft Championships. The review in last month's magazine actually piqued my curiosity and it would be cool if we got some sort of developer's piece from them (in a similar vein to the proposed Trilby piece above, I suppose). Might be worth something (Fuzzyspoon?)

Only spotted this now, ill grab the guy on chat tonight and see what he says. maybe he will erveal more projects they have some great stuff. also with what u said about the theft game.. will looka t it

Tr00jg
12-02-2008, 01:27 PM
Tr00jg: Reviews are always welcome (if you happen to find something cool). Also, you're welcome to try out anything marked as "open to writers" if that's your cup of tea. Otherwise, suggest more interviews!

Actually, if you want something specific that isn't too taxing, perhaps you could write the review for Trilby: Art of Theft? Nobody's snatched that yet, and you don't have to write out the entire design article.


Hmmm... I haven't played Trilby yet. I can't really organise an interview at the moment. I think I'll probably do a review, but I am not sure of what game. I'll think about it and let you know. I can't perhaps do something this weekend?

Nandrew
15-02-2008, 09:04 AM
Hmmm... I haven't played Trilby yet. I can't really organise an interview at the moment. I think I'll probably do a review, but I am not sure of what game. I'll think about it and let you know. I can't perhaps do something this weekend?

Request noted. I'll be expecting something this weekend, though.


also with what u said about the theft game.. will looka t it

Nuh-uh. No more content from you this month.

(a) Other writers should be picking up on things
(b) You still haven't sent me any of the original content you've proposed and we're a day past deadline with no extension request from you.

I'm generally against relying on too much material from any single writer, because it has the potential to crash and burn horribly. It was already enough of a loss when Cairnswm became too busy to keep writing for the mag.

I suggest you just focus on getting me the material you've already promised and leave everything else for the meantime.

By the way, everybody -- I'm waiting on a lot of people for their contributions right now. :P

FuzzYspo0N
15-02-2008, 10:04 AM
OH SHI-

in my diary i have the 24 th as deadline OH crap it was the 14th reading up now i see :< :< :<

So so sorry, they will be coming your way soon!


Originally Posted by FuzzYspo0N
also with what u said about the theft game.. will looka t it

Nuh-uh. No more content from you this month.

What i meant was for hCRaft develoeprs. you said in line with what you wrote about the theft game, i meant ill follow that to what i can get from the developers of the hcraft game, not do the theft game!

im waiting for a reply from the AGS creator, and EricG is busy with my questions,

apologies again for missing deadline.

UntouchableOne
15-02-2008, 05:24 PM
I'm really busy at the moment but I will try get the Photoshop tutorial done as soon as I can. I'm really sorry about this. I'll do my best to get it to you some time in the weekend.

FuzzYspo0N
17-02-2008, 01:57 AM
I'd really like to get somebody talking to the creator of AGS. I'm sure it would make for an interesting piece and would fit in nicely with the proposed theme this month. (Fuzzy).

Sent : awaiting reply. ill badger him again tomoro


artist Eric Gooch, which would be another valid interviewee (Fuzzyspoon).

He has the questions, from what i know he is on the road and can only respond from hotels :< but that shud be ok he replied fast enough to my first email. Ill keep this close


- Game handbook (Fuzzyspoon)

submitted


- Irrlicht (Fuzzy)

submitted


- H-Craft Championships. The review in last month's magazine actually piqued my curiosity and it would be cool if we got some sort of developer's piece from them (in a similar vein to the proposed Trilby piece above, I suppose). Might be worth something (Fuzzyspoon?)

Submitted!

Sorry again