Making a Trainz Magazine

[PerRock]

To let the other thread get back on topic. We can talk about making our own magazine here.

Current talk is that it'll be a quarterly, and will have some sort of contest/drawing in it (ya that's a very brief summary).

peter

[csx6900]

Hmm... This is very interesting, and the first I've ever heard of a magazine for Trainz. It was probably talked about in another thread I neglected to read, right?

So can you fill us in on more detail? This is all I know of it. I'd love to have a quarterly magazine, though.

-Evan

[Lord_Nikon]

will this be print or an ezine/blog?

[PerRock]

ok here are the post on it from the other thread we hijacked.

Well one could always try and take TM from him.... Although seeing the way he posts I doubt he would let go easily. Maybe if one were to take control but leave him in a somewhat position of authority (or make him think he is in one).

peter

I have WAY too much time on my hands...

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2710/trainzrailroadermay2009r.jpg

definitely not plagiarised off TRAINS magazine... Wink.

William Cheesy

Exactly what I was talking about. Put it together as a PDF, have different parts of it.
I seriously think this could go somewhere...
I got an idea already:
Everybody who subs to Model Railroader, know how they put in the annual contest to win a grand prize of $2,000 among other goodies?
Why not get some of our more professional Payware sites *COUGH COUGH JOINTED RAIL COUGH COUGH* to have a Bi-annual drawing for a free voucher on one payware item?
Each subscriber to the magazine has a cap at 3 entries per person, and have it like a raffle?

It'd be an awesome idea to go with.
Dunno about you guys.

If the talent pool here started their own magazine, count me in as a subscriber.

A set of articles on route building, skinning and basic model building would go over big. Add in a sub forum to discuss the latest issue to give others a chance to chime in and offer help and ideas as well.

Instead of a lottery, start with something better. Lets say an article on skinning. Do like you did with the F7 contest. Best skin, to be posted here, gets the prize. Next series is on building a simple building, say. At the end of the series, best submitted building gets the prize. More motivation to actually learn by doing, with an article and support forum to discuss the steps as they go with feedback and a growing library here. Very basic projects to help get people started.
http://www.cdschools.org/54223045235521/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=55205

I'm still stuck at this stage and trying to get my head around it. A project to follow, with a forum to discuss THAT project, would be killer. With forum support, the article doesn't need to be to intense, just a basic road map. Other users can chime in and help as long as there is something in common in the thread.

Probably a pipe dream. Might be fun though and attract more users to the forum, new and experienced.

Dave.....

I own the domain for trainzmagazine.com  Let me know what you would like to do with it.  I'm sure once some major names are associated with it, it could take off easily.  I would be happy to contribute.

Mike

peter

[n8phu]

This could be interesting... I see a need for a lot of articles on basic stuff.

[Sparky]

Getting down to the basics would be good. I would be interested in a basic model building section or skinning. With so many programs out there it would be impossible to narrow it down to one. As long as the fundamentals are down the individual program should be up to me, for instance, to learn. With a common project though, I could ask for help and someone with experience in that program could chime in if they want. Just an example.

I do have a question about prizes though. We would already be taking advantage of a lot of people's knowledge. Kind of hard to ask for all that help and expect to be given something for it. Maybe it's just me but that doesn't feel right somehow. I guess I've already taken enough of other people's freeware work and feel it's time to give back. Make me a knowledge gimme pig?

When I first started out all those Virtual Railroader editions were great. Learned a lot from them. Something along those lines would be great but maybe a step further.

Welcome to NOOB bootcamp.

Dave......

 

[22alpha]

As said before, if ya'll want to use that domain I will host it.  I will also provide any prizes for any contest or special event.  I have plenty to offer for various articles just on various JR projects in the works.  I just would like to see it materialize, and get going.  What ever I can do to help, just ask.

Mike

[csx6900]

I really really really like the sound of this. I think that amoung the articles there should be:

Daily Route Review
GMAX/Modeling Tutorials
Upcoming releases from JR, RRMods, Checkrail, and other organizations/individuals
Questions from readers section
Kiddie color-the-CG-train page!

And whatever the heck else you guys want. We could just have random people submit articles for review and then publishing if they're any good. These are just a few of my ideas. But we also need to solve the following problems to get started:

Who will be writers?
Who will be editors?
How will the website look/function?
Will the editors have the correct programs to edit properly?
Should we have a group of people that will proofread the final draft before release?

I suggest answering these questions (and any others you guys have that I forgot) before we start dreaming about the meat of the magazine.

-Evan

[Therock4710]

I can add some crappy modeling / texturing tip of the *however often editions are released*

[csx6900]

OK there's a good one.  How often will it be released?

So, we can add "crappy modeling / texturing tips by Ryan" to the list.

More questions:

Will we have a group of daily writers (by daily, I mean however often an issue is released) and a group of occasional writers?  For example, if we make this a monthly magazine, will we have a set group of people that will be designated to write something for every issue?  If so, will we also have a group of people that will write something, say, every other month?

If everyone thinks that my questions will help the project along, I would like to start asking people to volunteer for editor, writer, etc etc.  Just give me the OK and we can start having people sign up.  I'd be glad to keep some records on what our goals, priorities, positions, and ideas are.  Just let me know.

-Evan

[22alpha]

I would like to do a section just on JR locomotive features.  Lots of our customers are totally unaware of some of our features that are included with them.  I agree with bringing on other high end creators and groups to show off their offerings and upcoming goodies.  There are enough quality route builders between USLW, RRmods, JR, and others.  Maybe RRmods would want to showcase some of their latest offerings as they seem to be quite active with projects and releases.  Do we want it to be a site based e-zine or just a PDF version?  I think with a site like Wordpress or Joomla we can add various users, editors, admins, etc.  People could submit stories, ideas, etc.  I'm totally game for this.

Mike

[Great_Lakes]

I wouldn't mind seeing a kit-bashing article.  I have done a lot of that personally myself and you would be surprised what I use to make things look the way they do.

[KnifeSwitch]

I could write up a few bs articles on random stuff, maybe a screenshot gallery too like some magazines have with pictures. 

[PerRock]

I can but the whole thing together. I got a basic knowledge of InDesign (as well as a copy) and am taking a course in it this fall. I'm not a big writer so I'm not gonna sign up to do any big articles. But I could do a New Releases listing or something. Kinda announce the stuff that people have been waiting for.

I just re-found the old magazine that I was part of and had one release.
http://uu-sas.org/DNU/EarlyWinter2008.pdf

peter

[csx6900]

Ok sounds good so far. So should I start putting people up as writers and editors?

Peter: You need to put up a poll for how frequent the magazine will be. Like weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Whatever you want to do. I think it would be a good start.

-Evan

EDIT: @Mike: I like the idea of an e-zine, but a PDF is also up for debate. I'm obviously not the only one planning this.