Torque3D Magazine progress.
by Lukas Joergensen · 08/03/2013 (10:54 am) · 17 comments
Picture unrelated
What do you think? Too little? Too dull? Needs something? Should focus on other stuff?
Still not sure of whether I will make it available for download. Maybe some time after the initial release when the amount of readers begin to slow down. (Why would I want to make it available for download?.. Simply so people can save it forever if they desire or reupload it if I close my website down.)
Do you want the pdf anyway for some specific reason? (E.g. want to print it, for physical distribution?) Just contact me and we will work something out.
However to keep it running after that there is one hideous topic we will need to dicuss...
Monetization! Distant screams of terror
I plan to keep the magazine free to download forever, or else the point of the magazine would kindda drop to the ground. However I need some sort of income because I can't keep working on it solely, so I want to hire a co-editor (someone I know that will do it very cheap).
To me it seems like the options are:
Pay per viewer advertisement price
This brings a lot of logistic issues and it kindda demands that there is a market for the magazine aswell as advertisers wanting to put ads in the magazine.
Donation-based income
This one is tricky, it would be wonderful if it could work like that. However it would be a very unreliable income, and the income would probably slow down pretty quickly (if it ever began).
Micro-transaction based advertisements
This is the one I find most interesting and might be the one I go with.
Basically I would divide types of advertisements into 5 groups:
A thread bump Pay a tiny amount like 2-3$ to get your old T3D thread highlighted in a magazine if you need an answer to an old issue.
A "blah" Pay a small amount like 8-9$ for getting a small ad in a magazine
A "bigblah" Pay a medium amount like 12-17$ for getting a big ad in a magazine
A "related blah" Pay a tiny amount like 4-5$ for getting a small torque3D-related ad in a magazine
A "related bigblah" Pay a small amount like 8-9$ for getting a big torque3D-related ad in a magazine
Edit: Don't think too much about the pokeball, I don't have a logo for the magazine yet, it's just a placeholder.
Also I forgot one of the most important things!
I'll share it on all Torque-related channels that I know of. But is there other channels where it would be okay to share this magazine?
1st Edition of the Torque3D Magazine
Progress report
The 1st edition is moving rapidly. Currently it's on a mere 15 pages.Whats in it?
Currently the articles in the magazine is about:- Airship Dragoon (Steve Aacasters game)
- Mode7's game Frozen Synapse (focusing on technical Torque-related stuff)
- SSDO for Global Illumination (Ron Kapauns latest shader work)
- OneWorld (Vince Gee)
- ImprovedParticleSystem
- Component sytem (Jeff Raab)
- Porting T3D to Linux (project report)
- Replacing TorqueScript
- Multiplayer Assembly Package (Robert Fritzen)
- Cave Pack Pro (Ron Kapaun)
What do you think? Too little? Too dull? Needs something? Should focus on other stuff?
Deployment
The Magazine will not be available for download, it will be an online magazine using a "Flipbook" design so it looks really sleek. The reason for this is; prevent innocent redistribution, being able to track what people read, when, where and how many reads it etc.Still not sure of whether I will make it available for download. Maybe some time after the initial release when the amount of readers begin to slow down. (Why would I want to make it available for download?.. Simply so people can save it forever if they desire or reupload it if I close my website down.)
Do you want the pdf anyway for some specific reason? (E.g. want to print it, for physical distribution?) Just contact me and we will work something out.
Future
I've commited to making atleast one more magazine after this one. So I can promise you that there will be a second edition.However to keep it running after that there is one hideous topic we will need to dicuss...
Monetization! Distant screams of terror
I plan to keep the magazine free to download forever, or else the point of the magazine would kindda drop to the ground. However I need some sort of income because I can't keep working on it solely, so I want to hire a co-editor (someone I know that will do it very cheap).
To me it seems like the options are:
Pay per viewer advertisement price
This brings a lot of logistic issues and it kindda demands that there is a market for the magazine aswell as advertisers wanting to put ads in the magazine.
Donation-based income
This one is tricky, it would be wonderful if it could work like that. However it would be a very unreliable income, and the income would probably slow down pretty quickly (if it ever began).
Micro-transaction based advertisements
This is the one I find most interesting and might be the one I go with.
Basically I would divide types of advertisements into 5 groups:
So what do you think?
I'd really like your feedback on all of this in the comment section below. Thanks for reading this far!Edit: Don't think too much about the pokeball, I don't have a logo for the magazine yet, it's just a placeholder.
Also I forgot one of the most important things!
Publishing
I don't really know where to share this magazine as soon as it goes live. Got any ideas?I'll share it on all Torque-related channels that I know of. But is there other channels where it would be okay to share this magazine?
About the author
IPS Bundle available at: https://www.winterleafentertainment.com/Products/IPS.aspx
#2
08/03/2013 (6:35 pm)
Don't be slack Lukas... Make an app! :P 
#3
Dan will do all the models for the app as well...as long as everything is a...wait for it...cube. ;)
08/03/2013 (7:03 pm)
@Lukas,Dan will do all the models for the app as well...as long as everything is a...wait for it...cube. ;)
#4
I can see the owners of addons and content packs, 3d models etc maybe interested to have ads in a magazine like this?
08/04/2013 (4:12 am)
This sounds really great and I am really excited to read the first issue.I can see the owners of addons and content packs, 3d models etc maybe interested to have ads in a magazine like this?
#5
But seriousloy, ou could set up a member/subscription model on top of the other possibilities, e,g they get sneak previews of online content, or temporarily exclusive content since they pay. Like what Longreads does with its paying membership, which finance the rest of us who don't pay. They get access to some of those long reads before the rest, and other special content, most of which makes it into the public feed, if not all of it.
I'd work on multiple modest sources of income from the mag rather than trying to focus on one avenue, and ending putting all your eggs in a basket that likes to smash the eggs ;)
Cheers, back to work if I want to go climbing later.
08/04/2013 (6:37 am)
Don't forget the VIP room for members ;)But seriousloy, ou could set up a member/subscription model on top of the other possibilities, e,g they get sneak previews of online content, or temporarily exclusive content since they pay. Like what Longreads does with its paying membership, which finance the rest of us who don't pay. They get access to some of those long reads before the rest, and other special content, most of which makes it into the public feed, if not all of it.
I'd work on multiple modest sources of income from the mag rather than trying to focus on one avenue, and ending putting all your eggs in a basket that likes to smash the eggs ;)
Cheers, back to work if I want to go climbing later.
#6
@Edward yeah that is what I'm hoping for! Especially with the micro-transaction approach. Paying 4$ for getting a small ad for a content pack should be very tempting for owners of such.
I expect to do a list of definitions of when it qualifies for a "related blah" (I just kindda like that expression "blah" there is no real reason for it lol).
It would also be a good way to get an advertisment channel for T3D addons, which we currently need.
I'm pretty sure it's the microtransaction system I'm going with btw, nothing is settled yet tho, more to come on that!
Also I'm already composing a list of possible content for the next edition, there is so much to do!
Also shout-out to Demolishun for being very helpful and spending a lot of time helping me with the ScriptT3D blog. Thank you! ;)
08/04/2013 (6:40 am)
@Daniel It was really no problem getting to talk with Mode7. I just used their contact form and they responded in 1 day or so. They were really nice and very helpful :)@Edward yeah that is what I'm hoping for! Especially with the micro-transaction approach. Paying 4$ for getting a small ad for a content pack should be very tempting for owners of such.
I expect to do a list of definitions of when it qualifies for a "related blah" (I just kindda like that expression "blah" there is no real reason for it lol).
It would also be a good way to get an advertisment channel for T3D addons, which we currently need.
I'm pretty sure it's the microtransaction system I'm going with btw, nothing is settled yet tho, more to come on that!
Also I'm already composing a list of possible content for the next edition, there is so much to do!
Also shout-out to Demolishun for being very helpful and spending a lot of time helping me with the ScriptT3D blog. Thank you! ;)
#8
08/04/2013 (1:01 pm)
Just shout if you want some cubic goodness Lukas.
#9
08/04/2013 (5:51 pm)
@Dan I call it "simplistic voxelart"! I'll note down that offer!
#10
08/04/2013 (7:02 pm)
Dan Webb...KING...of the mono-voxel! 
#11
I've been playing around with the demo.
08/04/2013 (7:41 pm)
I'd suggest you get chatting to Tdev on IRC about beamNG's awesome custom physics engine and driving game.I've been playing around with the demo.
#12
08/04/2013 (9:23 pm)
@Steve that looks awesome
#13
Todo: Proof reading (Dan keeps calling me out on this "LUKAS YOU HAVE WRITTEN 'IS' IT SHOULD BE 'ARE'!!!".. Stuff like that..) And I need the front and back page, and the magazine should be done, unless I add some articles, give me some time to decide on that lol.
The overall visual design of the magazine is OK imo, but not really great (programmers art ftw) but thats something I may re-visit at a later time or improve in later editions.
I will look forward to getting your criticizm tho and getting told how much the design sucks! So I can improve on it. ;)
@Steve yeah their game looks so awesome! A great example of a beautiful game made with T3D, definetly have to write an article but thats one of the things I have to decide if it should be this edition or the next!
08/05/2013 (12:14 pm)
Update
I'm currently torn between writing more articles about the new stuff thats been coming up lately, I might be adding some. Either way currently all pages are done.Todo: Proof reading (Dan keeps calling me out on this "LUKAS YOU HAVE WRITTEN 'IS' IT SHOULD BE 'ARE'!!!".. Stuff like that..) And I need the front and back page, and the magazine should be done, unless I add some articles, give me some time to decide on that lol.
The overall visual design of the magazine is OK imo, but not really great (programmers art ftw) but thats something I may re-visit at a later time or improve in later editions.
I will look forward to getting your criticizm tho and getting told how much the design sucks! So I can improve on it. ;)
@Steve yeah their game looks so awesome! A great example of a beautiful game made with T3D, definetly have to write an article but thats one of the things I have to decide if it should be this edition or the next!
#14
08/06/2013 (6:13 am)
Sounds very cool and I can't wait to read the first edition :) 
#15
- Dave
08/06/2013 (9:15 am)
A great idea, Lukas. I look forward to the reading the first issue. Once you have a place for it we can add a link to the GitHub wiki.- Dave
#16
04/22/2014 (2:09 pm)
any updates
#17
The first edition was released a long time ago.
The second edition was delayed because of all the stuff T3D was going through at the time while it was finding its ground again.
And now I'm looking for alternative formats.
I am experimenting with blog-based news like this blog section, while I'm trying to establish the best way to move forward with this.
I'm still interested in getting something like this going, but the pdf-based magazine I was running with in the 1st edition is simply too much work to get released for a single guy (especially when I am as bad at art and visual design as I am lol) and when it's finally released it's all sort of out-dated.
04/23/2014 (12:57 pm)
@Pierre what do you mean? Any updates on the first edition or on further progress?The first edition was released a long time ago.
The second edition was delayed because of all the stuff T3D was going through at the time while it was finding its ground again.
And now I'm looking for alternative formats.
I am experimenting with blog-based news like this blog section, while I'm trying to establish the best way to move forward with this.
I'm still interested in getting something like this going, but the pdf-based magazine I was running with in the 1st edition is simply too much work to get released for a single guy (especially when I am as bad at art and visual design as I am lol) and when it's finally released it's all sort of out-dated.
Torque Owner Daniel Buckmaster
T3D Steering Committee