Hello, this is the first issue of GAME NEWS magazine. We're excited about what we have planned every month to help you enjoy your games even more. We'll be offering reviews of new games, strategy tips, miniatures scenarios, suggestions to enliven role-playing campaigns, a column on play-by-mail games, articles on topics such as marketing your game design and how to write for the game industry, profiles on people in the industry, and cartoons.
The reviews are worth a comment. GAME NEWS plans to review products from as many companies as possible as soon as they're released. The size or age of the company will not determine whether we review a game, or its length. We'll cover the spectrum of adult games, so let us know what kind of games you want to see reviewed.
To help you decide if a game is right for you, we've developed a set of guidelines emphasizing an overall evaluation of the game. Each game will be assigned a star rating from 1 to 5 by the reviewer. The reviewer's rating will be the result of consideration of all aspects of the game; the cover art, the rules organization, replay value, innovations (and how well they work), and whether it does what the designer intended. That way a good set of rules and bad cover art will both be reflected in the overall rating. The same set of guidelines is used for every game, so each product is evaluated using the same criteria, If you're interested in seeing the guidelines, write us. We'll be glad to send them to you.
In addition to the reviews, each of our regular sections will have useful features that will increase the fun you can have with your games. The roleplaying section will include new monsters, nonplaying characters to encounter, treasure items, and the like for a variety of systems, Statistics for several systems will be included when appropriate.
For war gamers, we'll have strategy tips and articles covering a wide range of historical periods. Also, look for short scenarios for both board games and miniatures.
The adult game section will feature reviews of games that can't be called role-games or war games, but are fun to play. This section will also have a play-by-mail column and articles on subjects such as marketing your game.
We're excited about the people who will be writing the articles and features in all three areas of the magazine. You'll recognize a lot of names respected in the industry. The articles will reflect the experience and creativity each of them brings to the hobby.
Cartoons? Of course we have them! There will be a page of "Wrong Moves" every issue to focus on the lighter side of gaming. Tell us about classic wrong moves you've seen. it may end up on the cartoon page.
The reader inquiry card in the center section of the magazine makes it easy for you to obtain more information on products you wish to know more about.
Finally, we would rather give more space to your comments, which will be featured in "Your Moves," so editorials will not be a regular feature. Till whenever...
GAME NEWS RATING SYSTEM
| Star Rating | Description of Rating |
|---|---|
| ***** | Super game; highly recommended. |
| **** | Very good; you should take a serious look at this game. |
| *** | About average; worth playing, especially if the subject matter or type of game interests you, but it may not be for everyone. |
| ** | OK; only if the subject matter or this type of game is of interest to you, but not recommended for anyone else. |
| * | Not recommended, unless you're a collector. |
The opinions expressed in reviews are those of the individual reviewers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff or management of GAME NEWS.
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© Copyright 1999 by Dana Lombardy.
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