Dream On Magazine refunds, free magazines, and the future

MetaFox · Post by **MetaFox** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:42 am

OK, since I screwed this whole thing up royally since I announced that I was taking preorders back in October, I'm going to be making the best of the situation by proving to everyone that I am not "scamming" or "fleecing" anyone, and that I am not in this for the money.

I'm refunding everyone their purchase starting today. Dream On magazine is going to become what it should have been in the first place - a free magazine.

I'm going to do a trial to see if my idea of magazine self-sustaining would be feasable, but at this point I'm not willing to take any money for the magazine itself. I'll be the first to admit that I did a piss-poor job with the business end of the magazine, so I'm taking the business out of the magazine. This will purely be a fan project for the fans, and a project to be distributed at game conventions to get new fans involved.

Feel free to post any complaints, skepticism, or anything in this thread. At this point, I deserve it all.

I sincerely appologize for my ineptitude at the handling of the situation thus far. I just want to do right by you guys.

Darksaviour69 · Post by **Darksaviour69** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:46 am

If i had the option, I would prefer to have the "payed for" mag (+disc). Hell even keep the money and just send me the free version

Prophet][ · Post by **Prophet][** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:46 am

I guess you might as well keep my money. I only started a paypal account to pay you then closed it straight afterwards.

Nico0020 · Post by **Nico0020** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 1:09 pm

This whole thing got dumb and out of hand. I didnt care anymore months ago.

though something like this sounds pretty effed up.

I've looked and looked, and I can't find the magazines. I also can't find the magazines (newsletters) that were made up for the Midwest Gaming Classic 2004.

either way like i said, i dotn care. i lost what 7 bucks? big deal.

Delin hong · Post by **Delin hong** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 1:09 pm

Very honourable, if you can afford to get the mags out in the same time on you own back. Otherwise most people would probably rather you kept their money. Complainers have most likely and can get a refund so....
2 cents

goatdan · Post by **goatdan** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 1:46 pm

Meta,

A few things:

#1, I think this is a great idea and the best way to keep the magazine going on a regular basis. If you are planning on taking user generated stuff, I'll be happy to write an article at some point (although I'm very slow with these, so it may be a long time

)

#2, I (somewhere) do have the preview copy of DreamOn which you had with you at MGC'04, so I can back you up with that. I don't actually know where it has disappeared to, however I read most of it and thought it was pretty well done. You had left it by our Dreamcast stuff, and someone else gave it to me when we were packing up after you had left. I thought that it was for me to take a look at or something, although I don't know if I ever mentioned it on here before.

Good luck with everything! Feel free to contact me if I can lend a hand

MetaFox · Post by **MetaFox** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 3:13 pm

goatdan wrote:#1, I think this is a great idea and the best way to keep the magazine going on a regular basis. If you are planning on taking user generated stuff, I'll be happy to write an article at some point (although I'm very slow with these, so it may be a long time )

Definitely. That was one of my biggest reasons for making it free. While it was pay, I couldn't take user submissions on a good conscience without compensation. Now, the magazine can be completely by the fans for the fans.

It would be awesome if you could do an article, as you and Gary are definitely the biggest contributors for the commercial part of the Dreamcast at the moment.

goatdan wrote:#2, I (somewhere) do have the preview copy of DreamOn which you had with you at MGC'04, so I can back you up with that. I don't actually know where it has disappeared to, however I read most of it and thought it was pretty well done. You had left it by our Dreamcast stuff, and someone else gave it to me when we were packing up after you had left. I thought that it was for me to take a look at or something, although I don't know if I ever mentioned it on here before.

Indeed it was. I had to leave abruptly, since we had to get back to my grandma. I had intended to get it to you personally, but didn't get the time. I'm glad that it did end up getting in your hands after all.

I want to put up collections of Dream On through it's various stages. At this point, I have three completed Dream On magazines, each baring the Dream On issue #1 moniker, from three different years (2003, 2005, and 2006). It's quite interesting, and after this decision to keep Dream On free, it would be great to share them all with everyone.

SeGaFrEaK NL · Post by **SeGaFrEaK NL** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 4:27 pm

If you can supply me with proof of either; print cost, shipping costs or any other costs you made to get this magazine out; you can keep the money, I don't care for the couple of bucks I paid, I just want them to be put to use in getting this magazine out, be it now or later.

I always toyed with the idea of doing something like that and I probably will in the future. If I wasn't so busy with other things I would have helped out here and there. Oh well, still plenty of things to look forward to, no?

MetaFox · Post by **MetaFox** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 4:47 pm

SeGaFrEaK NL wrote:If you can supply me with proof of either; print cost, shipping costs or any other costs you made to get this magazine out; you can keep the money, I don't care for the couple of bucks I paid, I just want them to be put to use in getting this magazine out, be it now or later.

http://www.emucamp.com/art/dreamoninvoice.png

But, no worries. I don't feel right about the magazine taking so long to get to you guys, and as Dan said, it's better in the long run that it's free.

SeGaFrEaK NL wrote:I always toyed with the idea of doing something like that and I probably will in the future. If I wasn't so busy with other things I would have helped out here and there. Oh well, still plenty of things to look forward to, no?

Yeah. And if you want to contribute to an issue in the future - you now can.

So it's better for everyone this way.

butters · Post by **butters** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 4:58 pm

I've seen plenty of invoices in my time, and I've never seen one without a business phone number in the logo.

edit: Dude, don't make changes to the picture of the invoice. It makes you look even more like a fraud. Xylene has copies of both versions and is calling the company now with the invoice number.

bizzle · Post by **bizzle** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:10 pm

Why do neither of the contact phone numbers for these companies connected? One says it's been disconnected and the other just beeps. Also, why one version of the invoice you posted had two logos and now it has one?

Notice the complete absense of Sunset Printers on the currently posted invoice.

MetaFox · Post by **MetaFox** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:18 pm

Honestly, I just removed my number, so I removed the other numbers. Then I removed the logo.

It's my need for perfection and need for symmetry due to my Asperger's Syndrome. It's really a curse sometimes - I honestly wasn't trying to be sneaky or anything.

Here's the original with just my number removed:

http://www.emucamp.com/art/originalinvoice.png

APE · Post by **APE** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:32 pm

I still would prefer a printed magazine show up at my doorstep but I'll take whatever you'll give me.

ace · Post by **ace** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:27 am

Donate the money to a charity.

Dreamcastin2k6 · Post by **Dreamcastin2k6** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:35 pm

My recomendation, as a former poster and long-time observer is this:
If you truly want to do a good magazine to send out to the scene you need to put the creative force on one side and the business on the other.

Make one person in charge of money, deadlines etc. and make it their duty to keep the pressure on the writer(s)/editor(s).

Now, assuming the magazine is not sold at cost, one could proceed in this manor:

With just two people, a "manager"/editor and writer/layout person you could accomplish putting out a publication without the fear of accidentally missing deadlines or "ripping people off."

Alternativly:
If you wanted to allow contributions from members of the scene (as has been an idea thrown around) then you could have one manager and (opitionally) a staff writer, and then pay contributing writers a pre-determined percentage of the overall profit from shipped magazines in exchange for their writings and some guarentee of future writings.

Therefore, if the magazine does better the writers make more for their contributions, and even with a minimum guarentee of another piece for the next issue ahead the magazine maintains fluency and deadlines can be properly established.

This can all be done with minimal time commitment from each person, with the management position probably being the most demanding because you have to handle the money as well as keep up on deadlines.

Lastly, the first issue should be done WITHOUT a presale. Design the magazine and have a few issues printed out of pocket, and make it back when they sell. If people see that you really have a magazine you can deliever then they will be more inclined to buy and preorder the next issues. Establish trust first.

I know thats kinda a lot, and maybe runon-ish but hopefully that can help.