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CPC 2016 GAMES MAG

Started by cpc4eva, 07:19, 07 March 17

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cpc4eva

i think you are a little off course Mr Lou.

i have always been appreciative for any support that's come my way from anyone in the community.    I have made that very clear in all emails and contacts i have had with people in the community.  A number of people have been very helpful, with some great content so to that end its been a success.

As well when people have asked me for help with their projects then i have helped to the best of my abilities, even though i work long hours and look after my ill mother i still find some time to help.  I don't recall your project Mr Lou, i am not that active on here, if you had asked me for help i would have been willing to provide any help within my capabilities. 

As i have said my frustration lies with the GFX artist who is a paid professional someone who gets up and goes to work 9 - 5 who does this type of work for their profession every day.  To that end the project has not been a success and continues to give me nightmares.

I did not expect to receive a great deal of help from anyone as you may be implying, i worked on the AA118 tribute mag back in 2008 and saw then that alot of people like ideas and projects but often is the case not much happens.  This time however more people have been involved which is terrific.

I don't have any issues with the content or of the help i have received from members of the community as i have repeatedly said i have been very grateful to receive anything of use whether it be images, words for an interview or whatever.  And once again i thank those members who have been very supportive of the project. I just wish i was able to have a finished product now which i really should have instead of being messed about with all these delays and corrections.

My frustration is and always has been with GFX artists who i am paying to put the mag all together.

As i said in the last post if anyone has any selfies with their cpc's real or via emulator and wish to be in the mag that's fantastic, if not im not going to cry about it or blame anyone i am well aware that's the reality of life.  It's just an idea i had, if people want to participate i would be very appreciative as always, if not then i work around it and find another solution to fill any of the blank spaces......

Peace  :)

mr_lou

With respect, you clearly misunderstood my post.
I wasn't implying anything. Just saying that your project is successful and backed, and that it might help the mood to think about that when frustration comes knocking on the door.

I initially also thought 8-bit Memoirs was going to be a community project. I imagined all the different parts of it would be created by different people. But when I asked various video-creators about contributing with gameplay videos, I never heard back. When I asked graphics-artists for Amstrad CPC themes, only one replied - that he didn't have the time. I had to write many newsletters on IndieGameMusic.com in order to gather 11 tracks for background music. And I already told you about the frustation regarding finding an illustrator.

These circumstances didn't help me much when frustration came knocking on my door.  ;)

tjohnson

Will this project be renamed 2017 or 2018??

2016 doesn't seem quite right as we are rapidly approaching 2018.

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mr_lou

Quote from: tjohnson on 18:04, 05 November 17
Will this project be renamed 2017 or 2018??

2016 doesn't seem quite right as we are rapidly approaching 2018.

Naming it "2017" won't make much sense if the content is about the games from 2016.  ;)

tjohnson


Quote from: mr_lou on 18:32, 05 November 17
Naming it "2017" won't make much sense if the content is about the games from 2016.  ;)


Oh is that what its about....!

mr_lou

Quote from: tjohnson on 19:43, 05 November 17Oh is that what its about....!

As far as I understand yes, it's a collection of reviews about games and demos from 2016.

cpc4eva

Quote from: mr_lou on 18:32, 05 November 17
Naming it "2017" won't make much sense if the content is about the games from 2016.  ;)

Quote from: tjohnson on 18:04, 05 November 17
Will this project be renamed 2017 or 2018??

2016 doesn't seem quite right as we are rapidly approaching 2018.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk


i agree 2016 doesn't sound right now, i had a similar discussion with another cpc'er recently.  Way too much time has passed and to compound things i have already done too much and getting the gfx designer to make changes is going to mean more delays and more cost unfortunately.  I left it way too late to make that decision which is my fault.   

some good news albiet minor in the scope of things the comic i am putting in the mag is almost done (no this is not from the same gfx designer ) - The 8bit Apprentice comic coming in CPC MAG 2016 (whenever that is.... don't get me started - i am doing my best to get it finished). Here is the first 3 panels of the comic. Question to all should i keep it black and white or go for a colour comic ????

Skunkfish

I say keep it black & white, I really like the style of it.
An expanding array of hardware available at www.cpcstore.co.uk (and issue 4 of CPC Fanzine!)

Gryzor

Quote from: Skunkfish on 15:18, 13 November 17
I say keep it black & white, I really like the style of it.
Totally agree...

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tjohnson

Quality, you have to send that to Alan Sugar, not sure if he'd find it funny though.  Send it to the BBC Apprentice show for the attention of Lord Sugar.

Maybe you should get the project released asap even if it is slimmer and less than perfect and not quite the way you had originally envisaged, sometimes you just have to say enough is enough, then make space to work on the 2018 edition :)  Maybe call something like Amstrad CPC 2016 Retrospective.

cpc4eva

ok so latest CPC MAG 2016 update: not going to focus on the negatives because there are many! What no negative talk ? ok i will share only one negative and surprise, surprise the mag is still not finished.....!!!!@#$!!!

So with that out of the way i will tell you that i saw the GFX artist today Aussie Eastern Daylight Savings Time. I was informed the main reviews section was very difficult to put together. The changes i made that i showed you all last time around are still being worked on  :'(

What has been done since are the following sections - CPCretrodev 2016 reviews, Adventure games reviews, Oliver twins interview and the start of the demos section.

I have attached a selection of pics to show you all how it is looking. Going forward i plan to meet up with the GFX artist again in 2 weeks and hopefully it will be all finished meaning a finished copy that will need to be proof read and minor changes made to appearance, pics and text etc, etc, etc.

im praying i will have a finished copy as i have time off from work for 2 weeks at xmas which will allow me time to proof read it all and go through and highlight changes needed and send back to the gfx artist for correction.

I also have the finished comic from the comic artist.

Some good news Shining got in touch with me.  Thanks Shining for sending me all that stuff.

Poly Play got in touch with me and have asked me to pay for the postage of the posters.  I said that it was fine and am waiting on Poly Play to respond on how i should send payment thru to them.

Thanks again to the Oliver Twins that is really good interview reading - but i can only show you a little bit of how it looks at this stage and yes i know the quality is poor to read i am just giving everyone an idea of what it might look like when its finished.

cheers

mr_lou

It looks really awesome.

I really like the idea of having a mag that assembles everything that was made during a certain year on the CPC. Like a kind of historic mag of some kind. I would definitely be a collector of something like that, and this appears to be exactly that.

But I don't remember seeing anything like this for previous years. Did I miss those, or is this just a first?
Are you thinking of making anything like this for previous and/or following years?
Sorry if these questions has already been asked.

cpc4eva

Quote from: mr_lou on 16:14, 21 November 17
It looks really awesome.

Thanks.  Still much to be done.  Please Please Please gfx artist have it ready in 2 weeks !!!!!


I really like the idea of having a mag that assembles everything that was made during a certain year on the CPC. Like a kind of historic mag of some kind. I would definitely be a collector of something like that, and this appears to be exactly that.

But I don't remember seeing anything like this for previous years. Did I miss those, or is this just a first?
Are you thinking of making anything like this for previous and/or following years?
Sorry if these questions has already been asked.

I don't know about previous years so i think it could be a first?

I would love to make more about the previous years and the current year. I did start a post in the forum for a 2017 magazine thinking i could do it but now i am not so sure.

This experience has almost broken me in more ways than one.  I work long hours and when im not working im caring for my ill mother so time is at a premium for me.  I can find time sure but its a matter of finding it.

Also the gfx artist experience as you and others have read has been a nightmare for me financially and of the time it has taken to get everything done.  I couldn't go down that path again.  If there is someone reliable and trustworthy out there to put the mag together then sure i would provide as much content and pics as possible to get it done but as i already know everyone is too busy and have their own lives to live.    Also getting interviews from people at times is fun and can be easy but at other times it is very frustrating as you may not get a response or you get a positive reply and then spend so much time chasing up an interview.  To all those people on here who have sent me interviews or any content for the mag i can't remember you all off the top of my head i just want to say i can't thank you enough and i have mentioned this in the magazine as well.

cheers

keith56

Thanks for the update, I'm really looking forward to seeing the result of all your hard work!
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cpc4eva

 >:( >:( >:( >:( :'( :'( :'( :picard: :picard: :picard: :picard:


Latest Update:

I have had to pull the pin on the project meaning i have had to put a stop to the project continuing on the current path.  What does that mean ?  It means i can't afford to spend any more money on it.  The costs have gotten out of control without a finished mag being put together.  I asked for the mag to be completed by the end of November, the indication i was given by the gfx artist was that it would be, but surprise surprise it was nowhere near completed.  So once again i was forced to pay for work that has only scratched the surface in getting the job done.  I am just gutted, i really wanted that mag finished.  Just so so so so..... well you know the feelings and emotions i am sure.  I have ranted on and on before about the gfx artist this and that.  Sure they are to blame for alot of things.  The continual going over the same sections of the mag telling me the sections were completed but actually weren't is one.  There is so many other reasons as well which i already have stated in previous posts.  So now I have ran out of money for it and i cant afford to continue to waste money on it.  I won't be thinking about completing it any time soon, i would like to at some stage but it will have to take a back seat for some time.  My mum needs 2 eye operations to remove cataracts $6000 aussie dollars so i wont be spending any more money on cpc mag.

I am so disappointed, but in all honesty i really only have myself to blame! I made my own bed, i chose to go down that path, at the end of the day the responsibility was mine and it has not progressed as i would have  liked, nor has it progressed at all or in a professional manner.  I feel conned and cheated, so I had to put a stop to it - i had no other choice.  I think the stress of it all has got to me as last week i spent a whole week off work, by Thursday i was in hospital couching up blood i had some serious chest pains so i stayed in hospital for about 8 hours and did all the tests yes even a ct scan.  I was not well last week and still not feeling so good this week.  To be more specific about the mag, early in the year i was asked by the gfx artist to provide missing images or words for certain things - i did so and put these all on a pdf so it would be easier for the gfx artist could follow and make the corrections etc etc.  I also sent a heap of stuff via emails for anything that the gfx artist requested and I am thinking these corrections had been made, yet i find out on Wednesday just gone that those corrections still had not been done. The rest of the mag was just a mess, i would be lucky if anything / any section had been fully completed properly.  I have attached some photos to show what i mean about unfinished work and the state of the mag. Pic one shows notes of corrections still to be done - there are 6 pages of these notes of work to be done to complete sections its crazy they should have already been done. Pic 2 shows amsdos interview not completed none of the coder interviews were completed. Pic three shows the community section not finished, pic 4 and 5 shows the works in progress are now out of date as they are released but not even finished these were at the start of the mag and should have been some months ago. Pic 6 the thank you page looks like the only thing that can be ticked off as done.  I do want to get this project done but right now i am taking a break from it and hopefully i can revive the project maybe next year sometime without all the stress i have got from it this year.

My sincere apologies to everyone who was looking forward to it being completed - i could write how disappointed i am but that would be using a whole lot of swear words which is not appropriate here.

I can't thank everyone enough who went out of their way and gave up their free time to send me information.

cheers

mr_lou

Well I can't say that I don't understand you, but I'm still sad to hear you've thrown the towel.

It really does sound like you've let the obstacles bother you way too much. No project is worth getting health problems over. Not that I'm completely innocent myself. At the end of my own project, I was also seriously beginning to lose my patience with all the obstacles that kept being thrown in my face. (I may write a post about that some day).

I won't preach a whole lot. I'll just say that I hope you'll pick it up again later at some point. Giving it a rest is probably a good idea.

Hope everything will be alright with your mum.

keith56

Sorry to hear that, but the health of your self an others should always take priority, so I think you've made the right decision.

It sounds like the graphic designers you've been involved with are pretty useless, I wonder if there is isn't anyone on here who has the software and skill to help finish the project without adding any cost?

Chibi Akumas: Comedy-Horror 8-bit Bullet Hell shooter!
Learn ARM, 8086, Z80, 6502 or 68000 with my tutorials: www.assemblytutorial.com
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robcfg

I understand you very well.


I have several projects stopped because I cannot find the right people to help me, and I don't have the time to do it myself. And that drains a lot of energy.


As Keith said, health is much more important. So just sit down, relax, forget about it for some time and then try to look for new ways to finish it.


I hope you'll get better soon, and send our best wishes to your mum!

tjohnson

Oh man what a bummer, i can imagine the frustration when things don't go the way you expect them.  Has there been a communications issue, you know what you want in your head but the artist isn't getting it nor telling you that, have you sat and spent time with the graphic artist like sit with them for a day and direct them to do exactly what you want?  Why are you using a graphics artist, from what i can tell you are trying to effectively layout the sections of the magazine not really drawing graphics, is this the most appropriate person for putting together a magazine? Do you need a different type of person or someone else as well as the artist to draw the graphics. Do you need to lower your expectations to get the project complete and out the door?  Try not to let it get you down, your decision to cut the project could be the best decision if it is costing too much financially and personally. much as it can be difficult to let go of something close that had taken alot of time and effort already.  You only live once so make the most of it.

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mr_lou

Quote from: robcfg on 08:47, 09 December 17I understand you very well.

I have several projects stopped because I cannot find the right people to help me, and I don't have the time to do it myself. And that drains a lot of energy.

This is what I don't understand.
We have a rather big community at this point. I find it puzzling that we can't find someone to work with on a CPC-related project.

I suppose the biggest problem is lack of time? But surely there must be someone on the forum who can assist with this project, and others?

Or maybe sometimes the best approach is to just learn how to do it yourself? That way it'll take longer (or maybe not?) but at least it'll eventually be completed.

In the past I've tried messaging other CPC enthusiasts when I needed assistance for my project(s), but rarely heard back from anyone. Maybe it's a better approach to create a forum post asking for anyone who can help out?

Targhan

Sorry to hear that. What about releasing what is done? Even if the layout isn't finished, what matters is the text. No one will blame you if it doesn't look as professional as you wanted it to.
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cpc4eva

I have sent out emails informing everyone i can remember who sent me info that the project is abandoned at this stage. 

I have to say that there have been many kind words not only on here but also in the emails i have received back.

Unfortunately i can't work on it any more at this stage but i do hope to resurrect it, perhaps sometime next year.

My mums first operation was on Monday just gone and sight in her right eye is much better now, i am trying to see if we can get the left eye operation done for free but i have to weigh that up against the waiting period which i have no idea of as yet as with public hospitals the waiting could be some time so if its too long a wait i will have to go back to a private hospital and spend another $3000 aussie dollars to get it done.

Mr Lou i have seen the intro of your 8 Bit memoirs dvd and have shared it on twitter and fb - looks really good the change/ selection into cpc or c64 or amiga modes is retro coolness.  Hopefully other people see it and get it as it looks like a terrific job you have done there.

thanks again to everyone who has written on here and via email showing their support - as i said above hopefully i can resurrect the project again next year.

mr_lou

Did you see this little summary I wrote?
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/off-topic/creating-a-big-project/

Gives you an insight of how much trouble I had to deal with when doing 8-bit Memoirs. I imagine most people will think I'm exaggerating, but someone like you know I'm not.  ;)
My point is, these crazy obstacles happen to all of us (I think). Everyone who's doing a project that size. And there's really only one solution: Keep at it.

So yea, you should definitely resurrect your project - but only when you're ready.
8-bit Memoirs had several pauses along the way too. It was necessary.

Your biggest challenge really isn't to complete it. The biggest challenge is to be all zen about it and stay calm, i.e. not let the obstacles bother you. If you manage to do this, tell me how you did it.

keith56

Thanks for the update... if things come to a point you are in a position to continue this again in some form, please let us know!

In the meantime, take care, and don't let things like this project get on top of you!

Keith
Chibi Akumas: Comedy-Horror 8-bit Bullet Hell shooter!
Learn ARM, 8086, Z80, 6502 or 68000 with my tutorials: www.assemblytutorial.com
My Assembly programming book is available now on amazon!

||C|-|E||

Just take it easy for now and take care of your mum and you  :) No rush at all, and there will never be. In the future, if you are feeling like releasing it,  it will be very welcome but otherwise it will be fine too  :) On the other hand,  as the people already said, I am sure that many in the forum would be really glad to help you in case it is needed.

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