How to make the magazine ROCK EVEN MORE!!!

[zer0ninjax]

ok psp x mag kicks so much ass that it makes u wonder how could it possible get any better?
thats pretty difficult
i bet the guys who are publishing....well....posting....but ya get the point
the magazine online are having a difficult time coming up with new stuff for us readers
what we need to do is send them request for sections we think will kick total ass
it aint easy for psp x mag publishers cus it took them 20 years to release 9 so we need to help them in anyway we can
i know it sounds easy but it aint easy thinking of new stuff for the mag
lets start brainstorming and make psp the greastest handheld in the world

[pspcrazy]

Hehe so lets make a suggesstion thread Sounds good, thanks for showing your supprot for the mag.

[Rob_Himself]

As a wallpaper-maker-type person myself, I'd like to have a PSP wallpaper contest for every issue. We could have a unique theme for each issue and the winner and 2 runners up get their wallpaper released with the next issues.

[dan_barney]

Originally Posted by Rob_Himself

I'd like to have a PSP wallpaper contest for every issue. We could have a unique theme for each issue and the winner and 2 runners up get their wallpaper released with the next issues.

I think this is a good idea, we'll have to see what others think.

[pillow]

Originally Posted by dan_barney

I think this is a good idea, we'll have to see what others think.

yea that does sound good, and it'll add to the amt. of pages on each one lol

[Sony PSP]

I'm not sure if you guys remembers the mag PSP Weekly, but I was the designer and creator of the current design.



Advice -

• Dont do weekly mags......they suck to make
• Our mag used a promotion called "Fanjitas Corner" where users could send in questions for Fanjita to ask and every week we would pick a few and print them in the Mag. Try getting a well known dev to participate in such a promotion.
• And the wallpaper idea is good, PSP Mags and Wallpapers go together great.

There are several ways to make a Mag popular and the basis of it is NEW CONTENT. Always make sure you have the freshest content imaginable!

Good Luck

-Sony PSP

[z_tahir1]

some suggestions:

* MOnthly, not weekly
* Bigger with more reviews, and a "retro" review section, taking a previous psp game, and reviewing it.

* Make polls, like a "Hype Meter" for each game. Then the one with the highest hype will get a review.

*Look and tell us about good deals on the internet for psp necessities like analog nubs or mem sticks, etc.

*Instead of a bunch of pages, just make a really long one for us to scroll through.

thanks!

[MrMadison]

Yes, Monthly would be much, much better. You'd have more content available to utilize, there'd be more anticipation, and you won't be as rushed.

I'd also try to appeal to PSP Officials and Developers (particularly developers) for Interviews and the Like, if they can take the time to connect with their fans.

[phenomenon9999]

I've downloaded and read the last few mags that have been released here. I must say, don't ever change the style layout for the mag! It looks bloody crisp and is far beyond the level of the others out there in terms of looks, style, format and a sense of being organised. You are number 1 so far in looks and layout by miles.

If the mag is still going on, I would like to see:

1. Pages Numbered.
When reading, sometimes i need to cut out and come to it later because I like to do other things on my psp. Problem is, I don't always remember what page I am on and normally don't want to waste time slowly searching for the page again. The layout is pretty tight already. Only one issue I read had the page numbering. That was good. Bring it back.

2. A bigger empahasis on editorials or feature articles concerning more on the issues that surround the PSP or gaming area.
It does cover it through the mag but I mean, I feel like the mag reads like just one big review booklet. The beginning has short pieces then turns out into just a big block of reviews, previews and such but only on games. It is like 70-80 page game reviews only. The PSP is a portable entertainment machine. You don't have to limit the magazine to games. There is music, pictures, videos, flash and internet features you could blast out. I was hoping for more of something to read as other magazines do the same thing mostly. I was hoping for some more original thoughts that would make it stand out and make it worth coming back for. I mean, look at the forums that wont dies at the moment."Put down ISOs now" and "Impressions on PSP piracy". Material already at your disposal. I mean, Issue 9 had some good info on the game show and other areas in somewhat detail with the GPS, fashion etc. The PSP has connectivity with the PS3 now! Well, sort of.

3. Reader involvment. Extended thoughts. Rants. Graphics of the month. Competitions. Rants. Opinions. Complaints that make it into a section of the MAG.
I mean, user involvement is just as good as you know that the people who read theses things can be apart of it. You can do more than just limiting it to polls and 1 sentence opinions. (Its great that its is already there but it feel limited) It is also a way to cover stuff if you cant get interviews with developers and homebrew staff. Gamespot.com has a section called "Soapbox". I think it is a great idea for people to do rants, opinion and thoughts that aren't lasting 3-5 sentences. You'd be surprised and some of the interesting stuff people seem to talk about. People's top 10 games. The line between piracy and uses. Pointless rivalries such as console wars, format wars etc. How gaming affects them in society. The changes in technolgy and science progression and influences on gaming. Classic arcade gaming and its transition to handhelds. History of... The list can go on to whatever people want. Got a question that you want PSP X MAG to answer? Send it in! Make your editors and staff celebrities. Their opinion matters!! It is always fun to read something fresh. You can't always directly talk about everything PSP all the time. It will get old and stale at some point.

4. Go review some more stuff on the imported games too.
Some are intriguing and many would like to know about them too. Don't be limited to the common games that are out. Be different. Expand the reviews to others who aren't interested in the common games. You'd be reaching a broader market too on some stuff others wont touch. You always have a deep bag already on games. Just stretch it out now to different people. If you do the same common games, people will think its very generic. I read a few other mags designed for psp and they all talk about MGSO. I mean, its good but all of them pretty much says the same thing with nothing new.
5. Once more! Articles to READ!!!
You have the whole gamingcrazy forum to work with at your disposal. Not everyone just want to read bloody reviews!!!! You had a good long-ish article on PSP Piracy in one issue.

6. If they don't want to add alot of different things or change too much, a request section would be good.
It can also give ideas to the publisher of the mag to do some more reading material. It can give an idea of what to expect in the upcomming issues. People will know what to slightly expect ready up for it.

7. Shameless advertising.
Since the mag is now part of PSPCRAZY, they should have a huge hindering ad to help promote the site. At the end or one after the title page. Gamingcrazy is trying to grow bigger and better. Why not flog off the site more so people can join too. You only promote it in a small way not to hinder readers but I still think there should be something that can really catch peoples attention.

8. Branch off into other consoles.
PSP doesn't always stay on fire all year round. Why not add a small snippet on some thing on other consoles. PS2 isn't dead. PS3 is out. You could branch off slightly with some thoughts and news for Sony's other related family products. Cross promotions.

9. Let others know some unimportant facts. (Did You Know? Section)
I know this comes under original content but I just think sometimes people can find alot of useful pointless information. I mean, I was reading PSP X MAG in silence like an idiot when I found out I should read it in IR Shell. I can play an instrumental in the background while reading it. I really upped my experience with the MAG. Listening to a light tempo of King OF Fighters 99 Psycho Soldiers track was really good. It really could of fooled me as the the official reading music of PSP X MAG. You could do joke of the month. Unsually pointless facts like the definition of fanboy or "Dell" computers.

10. A continuing comic issue.
This idea was pretty much stolen from another mag. It is a good idea. It bring more different content and a reason for readers to anticipate an upcoming issue. If it isn't continious, a new comic can be put in every issue. I am expecting something small though. I don't want it to be like 4+ pages. An great example would be something similar to Hagar The Horrible or Garfield. These style uses 1 screen only pretty much and put in a gag or so. I am not saying use these, I am refering to the style which is, one comic can fit on the screen only. It doesn't need to be a few pages long. 1 page of PSP X MAG only.

11. Contents Page.
The cover give a brief summary of what to expect but not what to skip to if there was something specific that the reader wants to read. The mag is well formatted but loses out a little on structure. the beginning is fine with disclaimer and then editorial but the rest is pretty much haywire. Reviews are all over the place. Look at issue at 8 and 9. It seems like game reviews are the main feature and then other news like other products such as the pink PSP, cases, speakers etc are commercial breaks from the bloody
excessive reviews. Maybe follow the structure of common magazines perhaps? Title, content page, editorial, feature article, minor news and information, rants/opinion section, poll reviews, other related consoles, homebrew then game reviews followed by contact/competition page then credits.

12. Reminder to readers of previous issues.
It is more of a summary and advertising for people who just stared out with the latest mag. A summary of what was covered in previous issues may interest people into getting the older ones for information they may be of interest. It is like: If you liked this issue of PSP X MAG, feel free to take a look at our past issues and give it a read.

13. Dedicated information for thoses who don't care for homebrew.
I know this can be covered with game reviews and accessories info, but I would like to keep a section open to those who want to do more with their updated firmware. People who are totally legit or don't want to use stuff like custom firmware etc. Topics like, making use of the already available functions at their disposal. More information on their browser and sites of interest that can be viewed on the PSP. How to use Flash better, from basic to advance. Back to basic tutorials like converting videos, putting
them on the PSP, viewing them and other functions. Know to use location free player. Learning how to get legit PS1 games from the Playstation network. A feature on the abilities of the PHOTO viewer in the XML menu. Backing up data manually without the use of programs. How to deal with security on your PSP. Using RSS on it. Basic limitations that the PSP has. Buying guide for other products like memory sticks. Taking care of the screen. Cleaning and replacing bits of the PSP. There is alot you can still do with the PSP. I feel like people buy the PSP for supposed "homebrew" and not for stuff the PSP can do without their aid of theses extra unknown stuff. The PSP is a great machine but people seem to now buy it for piracy and piracy related homebrew which are emulators and ROMs and ISOs. A good example of utilizing the features of the PSP is right here and it is PSP X MAG. Great use of the PSP's function without resorting to outsider stuff. You can do lots with what you already have. The stuff I have listed above may have been covered by forums and such but there are still alot of people who don't know about this stuff elsewhere. Also, this mag is on the go. Get people back to the basics. Bring forth the simple great things the machine can do. It shouldn't be neglected.

14. A behind the scenes special on the making of PSP X MAG.
Let the readers know the pain and effort to produce this mag. Show the struggles and give insight for all the readers of what goes on in the making and compiling of the mag. Talk about the problems that arise, time constraints, expectations to the readers and positives in the production process. It could be pretty much the main article for an issue.

15. Colour Scheme.
Now, this is really small suggestion. But for extremely important issues or one that is not light or common. Maybe a change in the colour scheme may help. It currently has an awesome Vista stainglass look in blue in the background. It is totally fine. But when bringing the big issues such as the dangers of piracy and such, maybe a different colour for the background will place more emphasis on the article. Having a maroon or dark blood red background just for that article may give the impression of its importance. It doesn’t sound like much and might clash with the consistency of the rest but it would be a good idea to trial this idea out in production. The editor/compiler can make their final decision if it doesn’t look good or so to put it in or not.

The great difficulty about trying to do the magazine that has exclusive stuff is the difficulty obtaining it. Interview and stuff may be hard to get. That is why I am trying to get the idea of more originality out. If you can't get the scoop on the most common thing out there, make it intriguing and different. It will clearly set you apart from other magazines. Currently, I still see this mag as a big game review pack... much like the others out there except that it has a nice format. Most reviews read the same anyway which make it boring. Plus, it makes readers skip a lot of it if they aren't interested in the game in the 1st place. (I sure have) Get the latest and freshest info is not always possible. But getting stuff totally different to others is a good one. A lot of stuff is already covered already in your mag, I just want it to become better.
I wrote a lot because I want this mag to continue and improve on a very successful piece. I hope it get somewhat noted by the guys and maybe give them some food for thought.



My PSP X MAG Reader Rant:
The mag looks awesome but doesn't give enough to reader. After all, people get this to read, not only look at pictures and game reviews only. I am looking forward to the next issue but maybe not the one after that. The mag has a lot of potential and quality behind it and it still improves on every issue. It would be a shame for this to go down as another generic picture book with nothing new and interesting that only has game reviews you can already find on the common news page and sites.

I hope that comment above makes it into the next issue! It is a real testimonial!!

[dnmeboy]

All i can say is wow, alot of good points there. I hope someone os reading and considering these ideas.