Talk:The Space Gamer

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If anyone wants to know what was in a particular issue of The Space Gamer or The Fantasy Gamer, I may be able to help. I have most of the issues of TSG::

6 from Metagaming (#21—#26),

all 50 from Steve Jackson Games (#27—#76) and

5 from Diverse Talents Inc (#77—#80, #82).

I also have all 6 issues of Fantasy Gamer and 4 issues (#2—#5) of The VIP of Gaming.

Contact me via my talk page if you need some information. Cheers, CWC(talk) 14:17, 24 May 2006 (UTC)

Now I'm jealous. ^_^ My collection concentrates on the 45-65 range, with a bunch of odd stuff outside that (the editor list does make some assumptions currently). Anyway, I don't think a listing of contents is really a good idea (despite some other magazine pages), though talking about the regular features would be a good idea. Also, can you provide any info on the transition between companies? I don't have any editorials that talk about them. --Rindis 16:36, 24 May 2006 (UTC)

I've edited the list of editors to cover all the issues I have. (We now cover issues 1-4, 9-76 and 77-82.) I'll reformat the list another day (after this goes through or is rejected).

Here's what I have on the transition between companies.

From "Where We're Going" in TSG #26 (page 2) by Howard Thompson (emphasis added):

The next section of WHERE WE'RE GOING may suprise some readers. It is very logical from our view point. Every organization must decide what it is best at doing and not fool around in distractions. We are best at games. That is what we like and want to do and, not suprisingly, do best.

CHANGING THE GUARD

Next issue of THE SPACE GAMER will be under different control. There will be a new editor and publisher - Steve Jackson, of OGRE and THE FANTASY TRIP fame. {snip}

Steve has been working hard on the change over, especially in the area of improving the content and interest of TSG. As a publication of Metagaming's TSG was subject to necessary limits and policies reflection our higher priority for games. Steve will be running TSG as a venture unto itself with all the freedoms and opportunities that implies.

I personally feel TSG readers will be getting more of what they like with Steve at the helm. New energy and vision will make a difference. Metagaming's effort with TSG had become, admittedly, less than unflagging enthusiasm. Our best interest and effort is games, which will now have our full attention.

{snip}

I've typed in all this text because I think it reveals quite a lot about Mr Thompson. Note that Metagaming were just about to publish The Fantasy Trip when he wrote this.

In TSG #76, Steve Jackson wrote

We've sold Space Gamer. We'll still be heavily involved — but SJ Games won't be the publisher any longer. Giving up SG is definitely traumatic . . . but it gives us the time to do other things, especially GURPS

and Warren Spector wrote

But since [SG #70, in which Spector outlined ambitious plans for TSG], a lot of things have happened. Steve Jackson, SG's publisher, turned his attention to designing what we all hope will be the best RPG around and found himself with less and less time for Space Gamer. I found myself working on TOON supplements and Man to Man [combat-only early version of GURPS] supplements at the same time my overall responsibilities grew beyond my wildest expectations.

(Note that the plan to work together with Diverse Talents Inc in producing the Space Gamer section of The VIP of Gaming did not last very long.)

To summarise: a magazine like TSG took lots of work from people who would rather be designing games than editing a magazine. Moreover, even a relatively popular magazine like TSG never made much of a profit and sometimes lost money, whereas Metagaming and SJGames both had profitable franchises to explore. (See TSG #73, page 2, where Spector notes that all the changes to TSG over the years had made no appreciable difference to its circulation!) Add in the fact that editing a printed magazine gets tedious after a few issues ... On the other hand, SJ Games eventually returned to magazines, with Pyramid (now web-based).

Cheers, CWC(talk) 16:11, 3 June 2006 (UTC)

Wonderful! Perfect! I think most of that can be put into the article. I remember seeing other editiorial comments that SG more-or-less broke even (I think as part of the cancellation of FG). --Rindis 03:36, 5 June 2006 (UTC)