home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Suzy B Software 2
/
Suzy B Software CD-ROM 2 (1994).iso
/
extras
/
textfile
/
maggie14
/
data
/
diy.doc
/
diy.doc
Wrap
Text File
|
1995-04-27
|
6KB
|
115 lines
0660103030566
9[....................................................]
Ç
à The Insiders Guide on HOW TO DO YOUR OWN MAGGIE..Ç
Just where does all the dreamy bullshit that makes up a typical
issue of Maggie come from?? CIH reveals all!! (Well quite a lot..)
In considering how the different parts of Maggie are done, each
has its own approach and set of "skills" needed to master this, so
we will consider it section by section..
äNews:-Ç Easily the most interesting area of Maggie, basic
information is gathered from a number of sources and processed
finely into the quivering heap of hot news exclusive you see
before you.. That is how it goes in theory anyway.. In practice,
"News" is likely to really consist of the months collection of the
most entertaining rumours, which have already been amplified and
exaggerated before I get to add my own spin to them as well.. On
the plus side, most mainstream publications are little better, and
even the trade press can often get something completely wrong..
The major rumour mill has to be Internet and other various E-Mail
systems.. God bless 'em, every one for the hours of speculation
and sheer entertainment provided. (Praise sincerely meant by the
way..) If you are at a university, you will be part of the
Internet system, and if you don't already know how to get access,
have a word with your friendly computer dept.. A whole world is
waiting out there for your delight.. Those of us who are no longer
in full-time education have to take their information second hand
from friendly modem owners instead.. In my case, a älotÇ of phone
calls to people and resulting huge bills usually do the trick..
Innacuracies are very hard (impossible) to avoid.. A large part of
the problem is due to the unstable quicksand-like nature of the
computer scene.. Just how many of the 'predictions' in previous
earlier Maggies have actually come true.. Not many, unless they
were negative ones, it seems.. To take a very specific example
close to my own heart, the infamous case of Jez San and the ST
'release' of the flight sim äBirds of PreyÇ ...
Back at the 1991 Spring Computer Shopper Show, we encountered Jez
and some of the other Argonaut boys in plain clothes.. It seems
they cannot resist the temptation of a bargain like the rest of
us.. A discussion followed, where Jez personally revealed to me
that the ST version of äBirds of PreyÇ was well in hand, but this
was the last release for the ST as he was disenchanted with the
poor support Atari were giving developers... Fair enough, only
äBirds of PreyÇ never actually appeared for the STä..Ç The sensible
thing for reviewers to do now is to wait and wait until the thing
is actually on the shelves.. (A difficult thing in itself with the
attitude of distributors these days..)
Therefore for news, the only certainty is that when it is
announced that something äwon'tÇ happenà, it doesn't!!
äReviews:-Ç This part has got a bit easier over time, something to
do with practice and experience, and a more systematic approach to
information gathering.. Products to review are sourced from a
variety of sources, and there are also chances to view a product
at another location.. (Quite a lot of the games reviewed äwere
Çpurchased if I liked them, the rest did not stick around in my
collection for very long..)
PD-type stuff was (is) obtained either by a process of barter with
various PD libraries, or from bulletin boards, courtesy of our
local demo freaks.. In some cases, the crews kindly send their
latest creations directly to us..
ä
ÇIn recent issues of Maggie, there has been more emphasis on other
formats outside of the immediate ST/Falcon world such as the PC..
There is also more in the way of reviews in related, IE
book/magazine/TV/Music etc.. This takes up the slack where ST
related products fall off..
äWibble:-Ç Along with reviews, this is the area in which I first
broke big time.. For more general humourous stuff, you have to
wait for the right idea to come along, and seize on it when it
does.. Quite a lot of short-story type fiction goes along the
general lines of a thinly-plotted massacre of innocent
bystanders.. This may well be a revealing psychological portrait
of what my mind does, but don't look too closely eh!!
äShows and Events:-Ç Mostly computer shows of varying calibre and
enjoyment.. Presently the show scene has hit a bit of a bleak
patch in all respects, but new diversions such as Science Fiction
Conventions, what people did on holiday etc, are rising to take
more of a place in Maggie now..
äOther people's contributions:-Ç The most difficult part of any
diskmaggie, is to obtain these when they have been promised to
you!! I have had at least two cases where an article has allegedly
been done, but the disk was subsequently lost.. The drying-up of
the more casual parts of the Atari scene has meant a tailing off
of unsolicited contributions..
äExtra Goodies on Disk:-Ç In some respects, this part of the job is
easier with the explosion of small but very useful programs for
the Falcon, but harder with a corresponding decline in stuff for
the ST..
äThe Menu Shell:-Ç Some very good luck meant we inherited the superb
Delta Force shell code when Delta Force had finished on the scene,
enabling Maggie to keep it's distinctive 'look'..
ä
The Best Bit:-Ç Finishing an issue, sighs of relief all round when
this is done.. It follows it is a pain starting to write for a new
issue..
Now you know how it is done, off you go!!!!!!
(C) CIH Feb '94..
ä
