The Inside Scoop on Gaming

There are few jobs as thankless as being a freelance RPG author or a producer of a gaming magazine. Neither provides buckets of money and it seems that one's work is always under criticism. For most people, working in the industry is little more than a labor of love. The editors of Fractal Spectrum -Donald Redick and Kathleen Seymour- are good examples of this. Their quarterly, independent journal is a nonspecific gaming journal which provides a host of articles related to gaming in general.

Having a general gaming magazine is always a tricky activity. One the one hand the journal has a broader appeal and won't be snubbed by people who insist on playing only one system. The downside of it is that Fractal Spectrum is competing against Shadis and Pyramid for the hearts and wallets of consumers. The good news is that there is a lot of promise for this journal and may be able to hold its own.

The articles in the two issues reviewed are spotty in quality and contents. But, this is to be expected from a smaller journal. For the most part the articles remain general in nature, but issue #13 does contain two articles devoted to GURPS. Another article, "Megastructures in Science Fiction," has a bibliography longer than the actual article! Despite the spottiness, the layout of the journal is topnotch and very readable. Obviously the editors spend a lot of time on this part of the production.

The real meat of the journal is the industry news/gossip column, "Echoes of the Night," in every issue. If you have any interest in what is going on in the RPG, boardgame, comic and fiction novel industries this is a great place to get an executive summary. This section will provide you with a solid background of what to expect in the next quarter from the industry. Naturally not everything will come to pass as missing deadlines is a given in the industry. But, you will know what the plans are for the quarter. If for no other reason, this journal is worth picking up for the "Echoes in the Night" alone.

Overall Fractal Spectrum is worth taking a look at. The articles are not as solid as the professionally run journals, but you will not feel ripped-off either.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Fractal Spectrum, issues #12 & 13
Author: Various Category: supplement Company/Publisher: Fractal Dimensions Reviewed by Tomas J Skucas on 02/18/97. Genre tags: none	There are few jobs as thankless as being a freelance RPG author or a producer of a gaming magazine. Neither provides buckets of money and it seems that one's work is always under criticism. For most people, working in the industry is little more than a labor of love. The editors of Fractal Spectrum -Donald Redick and Kathleen Seymour- are good examples of this. Their quarterly, independent journal is a nonspecific gaming journal which provides a host of articles related to gaming in general. Having a general gaming magazine is always a tricky activity. One the one hand the journal has a broader appeal and won't be snubbed by people who insist on playing only one system. The downside of it is that Fractal Spectrum is competing against Shadis and Pyramid for the hearts and wallets of consumers. The good news is that there is a lot of promise for this journal and may be able to hold its own. The articles in the two issues reviewed are spotty in quality and contents. But, this is to be expected from a smaller journal. For the most part the articles remain general in nature, but issue #13 does contain two articles devoted to GURPS. Another article, "Megastructures in Science Fiction," has a bibliography longer than the actual article! Despite the spottiness, the layout of the journal is topnotch and very readable. Obviously the editors spend a lot of time on this part of the production. The real meat of the journal is the industry news/gossip column, "Echoes of the Night," in every issue. If you have any interest in what is going on in the RPG, boardgame, comic and fiction novel industries this is a great place to get an executive summary. This section will provide you with a solid background of what to expect in the next quarter from the industry. Naturally not everything will come to pass as missing deadlines is a given in the industry. But, you will know what the plans are for the quarter. If for no other reason, this journal is worth picking up for the "Echoes in the Night" alone. Overall Fractal Spectrum is worth taking a look at. The articles are not as solid as the professionally run journals, but you will not feel ripped-off either. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 3 (Average)

Fractal Spectrum, issues #12 & 13