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The Gamer's Quarter A quarterly publication
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SuperWes Updated the banners, but not his title
Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 3725
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Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:27 am Post subject: FAQ You! |
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Q: What is The Gamer's Quarter?
A: The answer can be found in our mission statement (if you look hard enough):The Gamer's Quarter magazine is a collaborative project between dedicated gamers who do not just play games, but experience them. Rather than sitting in a lonely room plowing through a game just to attach a few numbers and witty quote for the box art, we play the games we want and write about how and why they attach themselves to our hearts and minds in a way that no other form of media is capable of. It is our intent to publish honest, provocative, and entertaining writing which reflects our belief that video games can be more than mere vehicles for entertainment, but also creative, meaningful works.
-The Gamer's Quarter Staff Q: Why did you start The Gamer's Quarter?
A: I think I'm going to have to let Shaper answer this one. Shaper?
ShaperMC: Back on Oct. 10th 2004 I put out an all call for writers and assistance on a project that had been brewing in my head for a while. After watching the seeming decline of popular game website insert credit and reading dozens of articles about how poor the current state of video game magazines was I felt I had nothing left to lose by putting together a staff and seeing if we could do our part in making some sort of change. The project was essentially to create a quarterly publication that went more in-depth and was more thought provoking than what you would find in other video game magazines. I put together a mission statement shortly thereafter, and we, as a staff, have slowly refined it since. The mission statement posted in the previous question's response pretty well sums up what we are trying to do. I am constantly reminded by both the effort put forth by our staff and the staggering number of assistance inquries that I recieve that I am not the only person who has a desire to change the current state of the video game magazine, and it's these responses that assure me that what we're doing really is important. Q: How often is a new issue of the Gamer's Quarter released?
A: Quarterly. Get it? Hahahaha. Seriously. Quarterly. Tentative plans are mid-March, mid-June 15th, mid-September, mid-December.
Q: So are you guys like, New Games Journalism?
A: New Games Journalism? I don't even know what that is. I asked the staff and this is what they came up with:ajutla:
The gang war between "Old Games Journalism" and the new revolution in insightful games writing doesn't exist, as far as we are concerned.
We just write about games. And we'd rather not write about them as though they were towels.
Make of that what you will.
ShaperMC:
We're only NGJ because we don't have freebies....
Mister Toups:
What is "New Games Journalism"? Do you remember the whole "emo" thing a few years ago? No one really knew what it was, everyone denied "being" it while accusing everyone else of "doing" it, and it vaguely had something to do with "feelings". It divided hipsters everywhere for reasons which no one can really articulate these days. This is because those reasons are pathetic and humiliating, at their core, and so no one wants to think about them.
Anyway, "New Games Journalism" is the "emo" of the world of videogame writing. When you see it in reference to this particular publication or any other "non-traditional" writing about videogames, it's likely been carelessly applied.
What does it actually mean? Hell, man. It apparently means anything you want it to mean. Your imagination is the limit! Did you dislike the ad copy on the back of your cereal box? That's because it's obviously NEW GAMES JOURNALISM, written by an elitist, pretentious lit major who thinks he knows more about games (and/or cereal) than you! Did you contract colon cancer recently? Maybe you've been consuming too much NEW GAMES JOURNALISM. WHAT IS LANGUAGE ANYWAY, I MEAN, WORDS ARE LIKE TOTALLY ARBITRARY. THE SIGNIFIED DIVIDED BY THE SIGNFIER SQUARED IS THE SQUARE ROOT OF NEGATIVE ONE, THUS PROVING, MATHEMATICALLY, THAT LANGUAGE IS IMAGINARY!
dhex:
1) I remember the first time I asked a mother how it felt to lose a child. That's "New Games Journalism" in a nutshell.
2) "New Games Journalism" is another phrase for first-person prose about games. Swiftly sailing towards epithet, it alternates well with the word "gonzo" in demonstrating a lack of familiarity with journalism, New Journalism or our dearly departed Dr. Thompson.
3) As in, 'What, are you one of those "New Games Journalism" fags?'
4) "New Games Journalism" - because no one wants to write inverted pyramid style anymore.
5) "New Games Journalism" is the opposite of "Old Games Journalism." Oddly enough, both are also the opposite of "journalism."
6) If you don't know what a lede is, you probably write "New Games Journalism."
7) If you ever had a best friend who loved ice cream and Final Fantasy but moved away in seventh grade, you're "New Games Journalism."
Eight) Fuck you.
9) If you enjoy taking freebies from game companies and writing glowing reviews of their licenses, you're "Old Games Journalism." If you enjoy taking freebies from companies and write glowing reviews of your feelings on your LiveJournal, you're "New Games Journalism."
10) We're going to start ripping off Truman Capote right after he gets popular again.
All Staff:
The Gamer's Quarter does not label itself "New Games Journalism." Our staff does not believe that the particular kind of writing that's unfortunately been termed "New Games Journalism" is what's missing from games journalism. We think simple variety is what's missing. There are more than two ways to write about video games, after all. I couldn't have said it better myself...
Q: Can I get this thing in print?
A: I certainly hope so. We're currently working out what needs to happen for this to happen. If the meantime, if you're aware of any inexpensive, but high quality print houses contact SuperWes.
Q: What the crap? Some of these games are totally old.
A: That's true in many cases. We feel that truly great games, like great movies or books, are timeless and continue to have things to show us today. In short, we don't play games purely for their technological advances.
Q: Can I write for the Gamer's Quarter?
A: Absolutely, but there are a few things to know ahead of time.
1. We don't get paid so you don't get paid. None of us make a dime on this thing, and Shaper is actually losing money on web hosting.
2. We don't care about your bulletted list of why a game roxxors or suxxors. We're looking for in depth commentary on what a game means to you. If your article brings nothing new or personal to the table it won't be joining us at our table. We may ask you to rework it before we will publish it.
3. Shaper gets the final say on what gets printed and not printed so he can (and has been known to) decide not to print something just because he doesn't like your shoes. Don't take it personally, or take it very, very personally. It's up to you.
4. Your stuff might get edited a bit. Quit yer bitchin'. Still want to write for The Gamer's Quarter? Drop Shaper a Line and let him know what you would like to do.
Q: I spent a long time on an article for the 3rd issue and it got rejected because you guys said it didn't have a point. I thought that was what the Gamer's Quarter was all about?
A: It is not that it did not have a point, it was that lacked focus or a theme. Context is King. A well set thesis or a grabbing starting point always helps in this situation. We don't know you, and neither does the reader, you have to take us there and tell us why it is significant. The point is just a result from this.
Q: This thing rocks man! DIY all the way! F*** the man! You don't need no stinking advertisers!
A: Actually, we're looking for advertisers. If your game company or game related website would like to put a slimy banner ad at the top of our website or an ad or two inside of our magazine please get in touch with SuperWes. Special discounts if you'd like to advertise both on the web and in the magazine. Also, that wasn't a question. Please end your questions in a question mark.
Q: Dude, your website like, totally blows.
A: First of all, that's not a question. Second of all, great! Make one for us for free and if we like it more we'll use yours instead.
Q: Hey man, wanna swap links with my cruddy site?
A: Yep! But only under these conditions:1. It's game related.
2. You've got a standalone URL that doesn't begin with www.geocities.com/ or www.blogspot.com/.
3. Your site doesn't contain fanfiction.
4. Any other reason we can come up with that isn't listed. If you're still interested, get in touch with SuperWes or ShaperMC.
Q: Damn, I totally want to read the mag, but the file's in .zip format and I don't have a zip drive. What do I do?
A: Hold on a second...
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Ok, I'm back. The file is compressed into .zip format, but that doesn't mean you need a zip drive, you actually need to get some sort of decompression software. If you're using Windows XP or Windows 2000, you should be able to decompress the zipped file by simply right clicking on it and selecting "Extract All..." If you don't have this option, we reccomend installing winzip, a popular shareware unzipping application and using it instead. You'll find the link below.
If you're having trouble opening the .pdf file inside of the zip folder you probably need to insteall Adobe Reader version 5.0 or above. This can be downloaded by clicking the other link below.
Get Winzip
Q: Hey sucka! I've got a question that's not covered on this page. Who do I ask?
A: Just hit the "Post Reply" button below and type it in. Who knows? Someone might not ignore it! |
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xvs07 .
Joined: 22 Sep 2005 Posts: 160
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:13 am Post subject: |
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Is there or will there be in the foreseeable future a paper version of this periodical? Sitting at a screen for hours is just plain uncomfy, what with retina burn and mousing, and I'd probably fork over a decent wad of cash for a subscription mailed to my door. |
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Mister Toups Hates your favorite videogame
Joined: 26 Jan 2005 Posts: 1693 Location: Lafayette, LA
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 11:44 am Post subject: |
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xvs07 wrote: | Is there or will there be in the foreseeable future a paper version of this periodical? Sitting at a screen for hours is just plain uncomfy, what with retina burn and mousing, and I'd probably fork over a decent wad of cash for a subscription mailed to my door. |
Probably yes! _________________ where were you when nana komatsu got a wii? |
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diamondblast .
Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 6
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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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xvs07 wrote: | Is there or will there be in the foreseeable future a paper version of this periodical? Sitting at a screen for hours is just plain uncomfy, what with retina burn and mousing, and I'd probably fork over a decent wad of cash for a subscription mailed to my door. |
no matter what they'll put on paper, you can't beat the web
it always will be faster, more current, more info and easier to navigate
thats life, we must get use to it
you can buy a big flat screen |
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Redeye .
Joined: 02 Oct 2006 Posts: 986 Location: filth
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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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diamondblast wrote: | xvs07 wrote: | Is there or will there be in the foreseeable future a paper version of this periodical? Sitting at a screen for hours is just plain uncomfy, what with retina burn and mousing, and I'd probably fork over a decent wad of cash for a subscription mailed to my door. |
no matter what they'll put on paper, you can't beat the web
it always will be faster, more current, more info and easier to navigate
thats life, we must get use to it
you can buy a big flat screen |
E-paper
More _________________ I felt sheer anarchic joy when I ran over my first pedestrian. |
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mikolai .
Joined: 04 Jun 2011 Posts: 1
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Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 7:45 am Post subject: interview request |
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Hi guys, tried emailing you but the inboxes are full. Hopefully someone out there gets this message ...
My name is Mikolai, I'm a freelancer writer based in Australia. I've been commissioned by Hyper magazine ( http://www.hyper.com.au/) to write a feature on videogame zines. I came across your site (and magazine) online and I was hoping I could ask you some questions for the story. The turn around time on this one is rather quick so I've just gone ahead and included the questions below. Please let me know if you can help. You can hit me back at: mikolai [at] teamevil.com.au
1. Can you describe Games Quarter in your own words and give us a little background?
2. You still publish a hardcopy magazine - why is that. Obviously it's easier to just run a blog / Tumblr?
3. What can you tell us about the print run and production process?
4. You offer a PDF version alongside a hardcopy print edition - that's a unique business model, how has it worked out?
5. Do your contributors write professionally or is this strictly a hobby
6. What are some of the unique topics that you've covered that a mainstream mag wouldn't touch?
7. Do you think the internet will ever replace old school zines, or will there always be a place for printed magazines?
thanks for our time
mikolai
www.teamevil.com.au |
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SuperWes Updated the banners, but not his title
Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 3725
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:16 am Post subject: |
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I'll get back to you tonight or tomorrow. Sorry for the delay! Busy weekend.
-Wes _________________
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SuperWes Updated the banners, but not his title
Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 3725
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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Mikolai,
1. The Gamer's Quarter was a unique magazine that helped kick off and establish the New Games Journalism movement. The magazine lasted from March 2005 to February of 2007. Our goal was to find a new, more personal voice to videogames journalism that let the players tell stories of what games meant to them, give coverage to less mainstream games, and generally just talk about games in ways that might provide a unique insight.
2. We published in both pdf and hard copy because our content was never intended to be disposable. Our goal was to write things that you read, chewed on for a few days, and wanted to keep around - like your favorite books or games. If you ever bought a copy of the magazine you know that when it arrived you were basically getting a 100 page+ book for $5.
3. Our writers were spread across the United States and occasionally the world, all brought together through websites like www.insertcredit.com (RIP). In our 3 month production cycle we spend the first month gathering articles, the second editing them, and the third laying them out. At the end of the cycle we would publish the pdf book online and begin taking preorders for the hard copy. We would then send the layout off to the printers and get 200 copies made. When the books came back we would spend an evening compiling orders and sending them out. Usually between 50-80 would go out to preorders, with the rest going out over the next few months.
Nobody ever made a dime out of The Gamer's Quarter, and there's no doubt that Matt and I lost money over all. It was definitely a labor of love, which is probably why it doesn't exist any more. The love still exists for sure, but if we had pushed a little bit more to make it profitable there may have been more incentive to keep it going.
4. See above. But it should be stated that the business model was never the point. We went in knowing we'd lose money, but we also went in knowing we were making a difference, and I think everyone walked away proud of what we'd accomplished.
5. Some contributors were doing this as a hobby and some were professional writers that wanted the freedom to write the type of things they could never write in their day jobs.
Our writers went on to write for Play Magazine (US), Retro Gamer UK, EGM, Hyper (Australia), PC PowerPlay (Australia), and Saturday Night Live (the TV show), and many of our editors and artists went on to work on games such as Braid, Mighty Jill Off (http://mightyjilloff.dessgeega.com/), Lesbian Spider Queens from Mars (http://games.adultswim.com/lesbian-spider-queens-of-mars-twitchy-online-game.html), Scott Pilgrim, and the upcoming Skullgirls.
6. We had a story by a furry about furries in games, we had a story about dealing with suicidal depression by playing Nippon Ichi strategy games, we had a story relating Katamari Damacy to Communism, we had an ongoing series that lasted almost every single issue about growing up engulfed in arcade culture, and we had an 11 page strategy guide to an extremely niche, import-only Dreamcast Puzzle game. My favorite article was about a player who had Secret of Mana poisoned for them by playing through it with an abusive boyfriend.
7. Printed magazines will always have a place, but I don't think the people making them have figured out what that place is, or are even really trying. Magazines are being made for people who stumble into a subscription so they can put them on top of their toilet every month and throw them away when the new one gets sent to them. It's a way of sneaking someone's advertisements into the bathroom.
When I was a kid I liked getting a new magazine as much as I liked getting a new game. I would read my new issues of GameFan and EGM cover to cover and then turn the magazine over and start reading again. I have a basement full of these magazines that really meant something to me. Today every time a new Official Xbox Magazine arrives in the mail I flip through it once, toss it in the trash, and put the included DVD in an evergrowing untouched pile.
For magazines to be meaningful they need to do something that makes people want to hold onto them again. That's no longer news, previews, and reviews. Magazines need to make people think and feel rather than (or at least in addition to) inform. If it doesn't happen in "real" magazines, hopefully - as with the games themselves - it can happen in the indies.
Wes Ehrlichman
Managing Editor of The Gamer's Quarter _________________
Last edited by SuperWes on Wed Jun 15, 2011 8:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Cycle Mac daddy
Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 2767
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Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 4:43 am Post subject: |
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Some of the writers also wrote/write for Australia's Hyper and PC PowerPlay... _________________
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SuperWes Updated the banners, but not his title
Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 3725
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:08 am Post subject: |
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Fixed! Sorry for the omission Cycle. You are the best!
-Wes _________________
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