Would You?

I am thinking about starting up a weekly magazine about SL. It would include things like interviews with ppl, visiting and describing different sims, buildings, or just cool objects. There will be photos, trivia contests, photo contests writing contests, and more. I will tryy to give the upcoming weeks events. I report on those events, news from around the world, and things of that nature.

The mag would be in world.

So what i want to know is if:
1. There is any interest.
2. Would you read it every week.
3. What would a fair subscription rate be.
4. Would you pay a small fee to place a ad in the weekly. I will have several catagories depending on placement and size.

Pleas let me know.

Porter Murphy

Are you refering to RL mag?

Sorry, that would be in world.

I was gonna make a newspaper, but a magazine is the same thing Sign me up once you get it together.

Lordfly

I'd subscribe, assuming a reasonable cost (10 dollars per week per subscriber?).

I'd probably also advertise (perhaps a sliding price, depending on current subscribers? Like 100 per week plus 1 per 10 paid subscribers).

You could also set up vending machines various places where people could buy the current issue (presumably more than the per-issue cost to subscribers).

Good luck!

I would also subscribe, but only if it were deliverable to my home (when I'm not around).

You'd need three things in notecards to make that work, I think:

1. Inline textures. If the Lindens did this for us, it would rock.
2. Text formatting. Bold, italics, centering, sizes, fonts, etc.
3. LOCKABLE notecards. No copy, no paste, no need to accept into inventory. Maybe an llShowNotecard...

And you should consider a few things:

1. Comics. SL is /not/ a text world. Few people wanna read anything. But if someone made the first SECOND LIFE COMIC STRIP, I would so keep up on that!

2. Hamlet Linden is set into the game for this function. Even though he's a good guy and I'd hate to put him out of a job, this needs to CHANGE. Journalism is a fun game! Now is Hamlet a LINDEN or a player? If he's collecting a paycheck, he shouldn't be bogarting the game! You will be competing with him in the interim, and he is established, doesn't pay taxes or texture upload fees most likely... he has deep pockets and access to the website. Lindens - This cap on communication in the world has upset many residents who want to do this sort of thing. Can you help them? Financially? With circulation? Access to the site?

kohne,

Those things are desirable, but wouldn't necessarily be needed.

The magazine could be an object dropped on subscribers' profiles upon publication. Inside the object could be notecard(s) with articles, a few picture files, landmarks for site reviews and advertizers, etc.

It's not as good as what you're suggesting, but would be enough to get into publication now. There wouldn't be anything to stop subscribers from passing their copy around, but that same issue exists in RL.

Best of luck on that. I know that several ppl have tried this and run into a lot of difficulties, Kathy Yamamoto for one. Consider talking to her and others about the problems they've encountered. Also, I'm sure Hamlet Linden isn't blind to the fact that the existance of his privilaged position in the game is limiting the game play of others. Perhaps Hamlet might take on an apprentice or assistant, eventually turning over this part of the game to the players themselves? I think this would be the best route. It would ensure more news more regularly for the inhabitants of SL, and Hamlet might appreciate the help.

I have a working, coded browser type object that allows mixed media interactive content. It is capable of animation, text (dynamic and set), sound, etc. Content is as simple as dropping in the media elements and a notecard with the command set for the viewer object.

This was originally coded for a magazine of sorts by the now defunc SL Media group. I may be willing to lease the codeset. I of course would like to discuss this first, since I have many weeks of time invested into it's code.

Porter Murphy, or any others whom are interested in in game publications, please contact me. I do believe it is the best solution I have seen.

Harald Nomad is already expermenting with this, he has a new paper stand in americana nere the diner, so far its weekly as far as i can tell.