Planning on starting a classic gaming publication, feedback?

[onemanfilmcrew]

Ok, I'm currently experiencing what can only be described as a mid-life crisis, I'll spare the gory details, but at the end of the day I'm on the verge of devoting my life to all things classic gaming. I just finished my first book about the Sega Master System and am self publishing (once it is up on Amazon i'll make an announcement on here), and I'm in the process of writing more episodes of my classic video game show ( www.TheVgaTV.com ). I'm also toying around with the idea of doing a bi-monthly/quarterly classic game publication, which is where i need your feedback.

Basically I have the choice of doing it through two different online companies. The first is the same as where i am getting my book published, which has distribution through Amazon (and qualifies for the free shipping), and the second is a standalone place. The big question boils down to, if I go through the second place, it can be a true magazine, but if I go through the Amazon place it has to be in book form. The costs are virtually identical (as well as my meager profit margin).

So what I want to know is, would it be preferable to do it in magazine or book form, or does it really matter?

[enderfall]

First, best of luck in getting off the ground with your venture.

To best answer your question, I think one must understand the content of the periodical that you are thinking about. Are we talking just reviews, modding guides, buying guides, perhaps a price guide???

Also, I'm assuming that by "book" you are thinking along the lines of the size of "cliff notes" (with perhaps fewer pages) and a magazine would be like what you find at Barnes and Noble, etc.

[dsheinem]

Ok, I'm currently experiencing what can only be described as a mid-life crisis, I'll spare the gory details, but at the end of the day I'm on the verge of devoting my life to all things classic gaming.

That's a bit surprising - didn't you just sell off a huge chunk of your collection?!

In any case, you might want to listen to the next racketboy.com podcast when it goes up sometime later this week/early next week. On it, I interviewed the guy who publishes Video Game Trader Magazine and he had a lot to say about the ins and outs of publishing a classic gaming magazine (such as that most magazines have an eight year profitability model!). In any case, I'd be leery of quitting your day job...

[onemanfilmcrew]

I'm currently leaning towards mostly reviews, look backs at classic series, and in depth examinations of some of the more absurd themes in classic games (i.e. The great girlfriend kidnapping epidemic of the late 80's/early 90's). I also want to do pieces on Japanese titles that are playable here, and should be played here. Basically it is going to be an extension of the VGA show I did.

In order to keep the costs down I'm looking at 40-44 pages (by contrast, the newest issue of Game Informer has roughly 54 of it's 100 pages devoted to games). So basically it is going to have about the same amount of gaming content as a typical VG Magazine, just without all the fluff. If I go the magazine route it is going to be the standard magazine size, and be very similar to the look and feel of what you would find in book stores. The book would be 8x10(ish), be softcover, but be in full color. The only real difference is that it will be an actual book, rather than a more flimsy magazine.

And yeah, I did sell off a major part of my collection, but even though I don't have all the physical carts I used to I'm still very much a classic gaming geek.

Also, I'm not looking to quit my job to do this full time, this is more of a personal project that if it happens to make me some money, great. If it doesn't, at least I'll have a good time doing it (kind of like the Sega Master System Book). Plus thanks to the fact I'm going to be doing everything myself, and both sites I'm going through are publishing on demand (i.e. no overhead costs outside of ordering a proof), i'm hoping that I can make any sort of profit in less time than 8 years

Basically thanks to the combination of the economy and the fact that my career field has been completely decimated (commercial photography) I'm going to be stuck serving food for the foreseeable future. So basically I work as much as I can there, then come home and work on these projects. Not only does it allow me to enjoy the work that I do, it keeps me from going on a murderous rampage through the streets (customer service will do that to a person).

[Jrecee]

You'll have to compete with the Racketboy magazine.

[onemanfilmcrew]

[quote="Jrecee"]You'll have to compete with the Racketboy magazine.[/quote]


I wasn't aware that there was one. At any rate, there is enough classic gaming goodness to go around, so I doubt that we'll have overlapping content.

[jfe2]

I would personally rather read something in magazine form, but I would probably do whatever is more economically plausible to you.

Good luck with publication! I look forward to seeing what you can produce.

[dsheinem]

You'll have to compete with the Racketboy magazine.

I wasn't aware that there was one. At any rate, there is enough classic gaming goodness to go around, so I doubt that we'll have overlapping content.

There is no Racketboy magazine, but there was a wishful thread about the possibility of one yesterday: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=21295