Editor's Note: Pens, Paper and Pretzels
- Thread starter Andraste
- Start date
Unfortunately for me those PDFs were my only lifeline to the magazine. It's easier for me to drop The Escapist as reading material than to get a real internet connection (thanks to costs), so I'll unfortunately have to bid adieu until such a time as PDF editions may once again return to this magazine.
I don't know how this works for Windows users, but in Mac OS X anything that can be printed conventionally can be "printed to PDF" instead (via the same "print" menu option, just like printing regularly). If this functionality is available in Windows, making articles easily printable would be just as good as bringing the PDFs back.Andraste said:
Futzing around with Windows XP SP2 here at work, I can't seem to do it, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
Since you asked, I have another thought: on the front page, the "Issue #" in the top left isn't very prominent. That is, I don't think it's immediately obvious that those tabs form an issue of a thematically-cohesive weekly magazine, because the Issue # box is very easy to just glance past. It does fit with the rest of the front page style, but I think that the current week's issue ought to really stand out.Andraste said:
However, I always view the Escapist (and everything) at 1280x1024 on a 17" LCD, whether I'm at work or at home -- the overall Issue box and the small Issue # box would definitely be more prominent if I was at 1024x768 or lower.
By the way, I really like that you guys have kept the artwork alongside the articles, it's a good way to preserve the feel of the original magazine in the new format.
I've used CutePDF in the past. It's free, doesn't include advertising, behaves as a printer from the print menu, and spits out a PDF.Ajar said:
http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/Writer.asp
It's not going to bring back the old-style Escapist, but it will give you a PDF.
I'm going to chime in and say that I will dearly miss the magazine layout, as it was one of the most distinctive setups I have ever encountered, and I really enjoyed it. BUT, with the addition of the ToC at the bottom of each article, many of my initial concerns are taken care of (I thought about posting yesterday, when this first happened, and refrained because I wouldn't've been nearly as friendly).
//begin rant
The only thing left that I really find jarring is the placement of the tags. They're jumbled, and everywhere, and mostly look like *self-censured*. I appreciate that you've got a tagging system, and you want to make it accessible, but everywhere I look I see:
Excellent, Evocative Title
By Author
fanboy, horse, peanut butter, puppies, Queen Elizabeth, socks
The site was always so clean and slick before. The tag placement just doesn't look good. Additionally, if I'm reading an article, aren't tags the last thing I'm interested in? They're maybe how I got there, but I don't think most (non-ADD) people arrive at an article, go, "Flower Power", "By Spanner", oooooo "pokemon". I read the article, I enjoy the article, and THEN I become interested in where else the wonderful web2.0 might lead.
//end rant
In the end, it will take more than a format change to keep me from coming back, as the content is some of the best out there. Thank you for trying to address the initial concerns so quickly, you guys are all awesome.
edit: P.S. I just noticed that in the "What's new" and everywhere else with Comment links, its no longer possible to jump directly to the most recent comment. Maybe this was a glitch that I enjoyed exploiting previously, but it was nice, if I'd been following a particular thread closely, to hit the homepage, see that people had responded, and jump directly to the most recent comment. Still not a deal-breaker.
edit^2: Latest Post links are now working! W00T! Or maybe they were working before, and my browser was just malfunctioning.
//begin rant
The only thing left that I really find jarring is the placement of the tags. They're jumbled, and everywhere, and mostly look like *self-censured*. I appreciate that you've got a tagging system, and you want to make it accessible, but everywhere I look I see:
Excellent, Evocative Title
By Author
fanboy, horse, peanut butter, puppies, Queen Elizabeth, socks
The site was always so clean and slick before. The tag placement just doesn't look good. Additionally, if I'm reading an article, aren't tags the last thing I'm interested in? They're maybe how I got there, but I don't think most (non-ADD) people arrive at an article, go, "Flower Power", "By Spanner", oooooo "pokemon". I read the article, I enjoy the article, and THEN I become interested in where else the wonderful web2.0 might lead.
//end rant
In the end, it will take more than a format change to keep me from coming back, as the content is some of the best out there. Thank you for trying to address the initial concerns so quickly, you guys are all awesome.
edit: P.S. I just noticed that in the "What's new" and everywhere else with Comment links, its no longer possible to jump directly to the most recent comment. Maybe this was a glitch that I enjoyed exploiting previously, but it was nice, if I'd been following a particular thread closely, to hit the homepage, see that people had responded, and jump directly to the most recent comment. Still not a deal-breaker.
edit^2: Latest Post links are now working! W00T! Or maybe they were working before, and my browser was just malfunctioning.
Im one of the PDF fans too and I will be less likely to read all the articles now. The new design seems more like a news site rather than a magazine site. Is this the intent? Im sorry but I dont read the Escapist to find news about games and I much prefer The Escapist as a magazine.
Interesting about CutePDF.
The tag thing is a good point -- the dark font really stands out, and makes the light grey author line above it significantly harder to read. In my mind, the author of an article or newspost is a lot more relevant than the tags (which I agree would probably be best at the end of the article).
I want to say again how much more I like the new forum. A lot more readable than the old style.
The tag thing is a good point -- the dark font really stands out, and makes the light grey author line above it significantly harder to read. In my mind, the author of an article or newspost is a lot more relevant than the tags (which I agree would probably be best at the end of the article).
I want to say again how much more I like the new forum. A lot more readable than the old style.
When The Escapist turned from magazine to portal a while back, I was a little disappointed. I really liked the old Lounge design for non-article postings and comments and loved the simplicity of it all.
Now, it's taken another step further from its roots and is reminiscent of IGN and 1UP. Again, I'm disappointed by this decision. Everything is way more accessible, but busy and complex.
Of course, I love the content of this site... which is why, despite my criticism, I continue to come back time and time again. The Escapist has the best writing and art design team out there, bar none.
The Escapist started out very casual, but now it seems like a hardcore gaming site. I like how "un-hardcore" the writing and perspectives are... which is why this revamp confuses me.
I do appreciate the color scheme and dominant white background though; very attractive. I just miss the magazine metaphor and simplicity it encouraged.
Now, it's taken another step further from its roots and is reminiscent of IGN and 1UP. Again, I'm disappointed by this decision. Everything is way more accessible, but busy and complex.
Of course, I love the content of this site... which is why, despite my criticism, I continue to come back time and time again. The Escapist has the best writing and art design team out there, bar none.
The Escapist started out very casual, but now it seems like a hardcore gaming site. I like how "un-hardcore" the writing and perspectives are... which is why this revamp confuses me.
I do appreciate the color scheme and dominant white background though; very attractive. I just miss the magazine metaphor and simplicity it encouraged.
Hey folks!
As Producer, I feel like I can be of some help here, with a bit of explanation. I oversee the 'production' of each article after our editorial staff is finished with it, I've also been responsible for a lot of the design decisions and changes made throughout the lifespan of the magazine. So, more or less, tomatoes should be aimed this way.
Our reasons for the redesign are manifold.
When we first launched the publication, the interested public was polarized regarding the design. Many loved it. Many didn't. This always bothered us, but at the time it was more important for us to expand the standards of web publishing (as we found it lacking), than it was to create something less unique, with broader appeal.
Working 'outside the box' was very difficult. We noticed it immediately in our production costs, dedicated manpower, and difficulty getting sponsors. To make an impact, you have to go beyond what others are willing to do (or even accept), and really make a scene. So we ate the costs, the time investment, and worked through it, because we really felt that what we were doing and providing was something necessary for this industry to grow and mature.
We still feel that way.
And as we strive to help this industry take a critical and constructive look at itself, so too must we. To make a real, definitive difference we realized it was important to re-invent how we presented ourselves to have more mass appeal, and carry our writing to more and more people.
Trust me, part of each of us here is sad to see the old style go as well (It took a lot of effort to conceive and execute it), but we all believe that this redesign is key to the longevity and ultimate goal of the publication. Thank you ALL for your incredible support. We were all taken a bit by surprise at just how attached some of you were to the old style, and we really look forward to working with you all on improving and streamlining the new one.
Thanks, and happy gaming!
As Producer, I feel like I can be of some help here, with a bit of explanation. I oversee the 'production' of each article after our editorial staff is finished with it, I've also been responsible for a lot of the design decisions and changes made throughout the lifespan of the magazine. So, more or less, tomatoes should be aimed this way.
Our reasons for the redesign are manifold.
When we first launched the publication, the interested public was polarized regarding the design. Many loved it. Many didn't. This always bothered us, but at the time it was more important for us to expand the standards of web publishing (as we found it lacking), than it was to create something less unique, with broader appeal.
Working 'outside the box' was very difficult. We noticed it immediately in our production costs, dedicated manpower, and difficulty getting sponsors. To make an impact, you have to go beyond what others are willing to do (or even accept), and really make a scene. So we ate the costs, the time investment, and worked through it, because we really felt that what we were doing and providing was something necessary for this industry to grow and mature.
We still feel that way.
And as we strive to help this industry take a critical and constructive look at itself, so too must we. To make a real, definitive difference we realized it was important to re-invent how we presented ourselves to have more mass appeal, and carry our writing to more and more people.
Trust me, part of each of us here is sad to see the old style go as well (It took a lot of effort to conceive and execute it), but we all believe that this redesign is key to the longevity and ultimate goal of the publication. Thank you ALL for your incredible support. We were all taken a bit by surprise at just how attached some of you were to the old style, and we really look forward to working with you all on improving and streamlining the new one.
Thanks, and happy gaming!
I can understand the change in direction. And, I like the concept. I find the feature articles easier to read even though I liked the aesthetics of the old magazine better. The main issue that I found was with the confusing organization of the front page. Most of the time, the blue bars represent titles. When the blue bars are used for Permalinks, it feels confusing because I automatically envision them as major sections.
Two more things:
1. I love the Articles of Interest (if these were on the previous site, I never saw them). I think I've read 4 articles today that I'd either forgotten, or never seen before. Glorious.
2. Wordwrap on various things seems to be turned off, leading to several things (in my browser) disappearing behind the control to their right when they're too long. (ie "Sierra Announces New Additions to F.E.A.R. Fran"
1. I love the Articles of Interest (if these were on the previous site, I never saw them). I think I've read 4 articles today that I'd either forgotten, or never seen before. Glorious.
2. Wordwrap on various things seems to be turned off, leading to several things (in my browser) disappearing behind the control to their right when they're too long. (ie "Sierra Announces New Additions to F.E.A.R. Fran"
Happy Birthday Indeeed!
I also miss the magazine style layout. If the content remains of the same caliber as it was before, than I'll keep reading, It's become a wonderful "home" for me online. I don't really care for the new layout at all, It's far more trendy, busy, and web 2.0 and frankly not what I want. I really enjoyed reading it as a magazine. I don't know how heavily it would affect your time / budget to bring back a little bit more of the in article photos and text wrapping around them throughout the layout, but it would be nice to see them again.
I have to second that I don't primarily look to the escapist for news or reviews. I want and have so far found someplace that gives me thought provoking articles, and interesting features that are closer to stories than anything else in my mind. The community that has formed around these articles to debate the meanings of them and the greater world in which they take place are what have made this place feel like a home to me.
I worry that by making our "club" less exclusive, by adding tags and by making everything so very automated, we lose out on the unique feel and differences which make this site so dear to me. Time will tell if this is true in the end. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors, and I hope that the design grows on me.
I also miss the magazine style layout. If the content remains of the same caliber as it was before, than I'll keep reading, It's become a wonderful "home" for me online. I don't really care for the new layout at all, It's far more trendy, busy, and web 2.0 and frankly not what I want. I really enjoyed reading it as a magazine. I don't know how heavily it would affect your time / budget to bring back a little bit more of the in article photos and text wrapping around them throughout the layout, but it would be nice to see them again.
I have to second that I don't primarily look to the escapist for news or reviews. I want and have so far found someplace that gives me thought provoking articles, and interesting features that are closer to stories than anything else in my mind. The community that has formed around these articles to debate the meanings of them and the greater world in which they take place are what have made this place feel like a home to me.
I worry that by making our "club" less exclusive, by adding tags and by making everything so very automated, we lose out on the unique feel and differences which make this site so dear to me. Time will tell if this is true in the end. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors, and I hope that the design grows on me.
If the changes to the layout can allow the Escapist to offer more original content, then it's most likely for the better. Hopefully the issues of distributing the content for every possible reader in as many available mediums as possible will be solved.
I hate to say it, but I have to agree with everyone else here. The magazine style was one of the first things that struck me about this site. The placement of the "Letters to the Editor" at the beginning (and even the fact that it was included at all) made me feel like the community was important here and that it was a place where discussion took place from an intellectual standpoint. The readers seemed to be more than just impressions or clicks, but rather as gamers of equal standing, with opinions worth listening to. With the authors responding personally on the forums, the whole experience was beyond any web community I've seen.
While the letters remain, I feel they have been dropped a rung. I doubt they will get much attention from readers sitting where they are now. The new feature portal is now exactly like every other gaming site out there: a big main screen which enlarges the thumbnails at the bottom, sliding to the right at a fixed interval.
On the plus side, I think moving the featured editorials to a separate spot from the escapist daily makes them more visible, which is how it probably should be. Also, the Articles of Interest is a great idea and I'm sure I'll enjoying reading past that I may have skipped over for whatever reason and forgot to go back to.
Like Tom, the site was "home" for me. I hope that my feelings are just aversion to change, and that soon I'll grow to like the new layout.
At any rate, keep the great articles coming and I'll read them even if they only came in ASCII format.
While the letters remain, I feel they have been dropped a rung. I doubt they will get much attention from readers sitting where they are now. The new feature portal is now exactly like every other gaming site out there: a big main screen which enlarges the thumbnails at the bottom, sliding to the right at a fixed interval.
On the plus side, I think moving the featured editorials to a separate spot from the escapist daily makes them more visible, which is how it probably should be. Also, the Articles of Interest is a great idea and I'm sure I'll enjoying reading past that I may have skipped over for whatever reason and forgot to go back to.
Like Tom, the site was "home" for me. I hope that my feelings are just aversion to change, and that soon I'll grow to like the new layout.
At any rate, keep the great articles coming and I'll read them even if they only came in ASCII format.
Blaxton, take that ASCII notion back... they might do it ;-)
In any case, I'm interested in seeing if anyone else using Firefox is getting the articles as white-on-white, jumbles text in the main page an so on.
Also, the performance is abysmal, as any click requires 5-10 seconds to make anything happen (this isn't new- it was the same before the last revamp).
[unrelated rant]
It annoys me to no end that now I'm waiting for pages to load as much as I used to when I had a phone modem. All the good broadband did was offset by making sites heavier and full of animations, pictures and scripts. AARRGH!
[/unrelated rant]
In addition, I may be a 'net Neanderthal, but I do not digg, need tags or use any web 2.0 stuff. While these may be useful, I think having them optionally hidden (or even by default) behind a button or so can reduce clutter.
BTW, It would be nice if the Escapist team would share what its vision for the future is, so that we won't be disappointed by future changes (like we were with moving the focus of the site from the articles to, well, everything else).
In any case, I'm interested in seeing if anyone else using Firefox is getting the articles as white-on-white, jumbles text in the main page an so on.
Also, the performance is abysmal, as any click requires 5-10 seconds to make anything happen (this isn't new- it was the same before the last revamp).
[unrelated rant]
It annoys me to no end that now I'm waiting for pages to load as much as I used to when I had a phone modem. All the good broadband did was offset by making sites heavier and full of animations, pictures and scripts. AARRGH!
[/unrelated rant]
In addition, I may be a 'net Neanderthal, but I do not digg, need tags or use any web 2.0 stuff. While these may be useful, I think having them optionally hidden (or even by default) behind a button or so can reduce clutter.
BTW, It would be nice if the Escapist team would share what its vision for the future is, so that we won't be disappointed by future changes (like we were with moving the focus of the site from the articles to, well, everything else).
Sorry guys, I have been a fan since day one and have ready every inch of every article.
However, I always did it from the PDF version which is now gone.
To me, my my much beloved Escapistmagazine has turned into yet another "me to" gaming news/blog.
Let me know when the PDF version returns and good luck in the future. I hope this move really works out for you.
Steve
However, I always did it from the PDF version which is now gone.
To me, my my much beloved Escapistmagazine has turned into yet another "me to" gaming news/blog.
Let me know when the PDF version returns and good luck in the future. I hope this move really works out for you.
Steve
I believe those who are posting their dissatisfaction (myself included) are a vocal minority. I don't frequent 1UP, GameSpot or IGN... 99% of the readership probably does. Unfortunately, The Escapist's unorthodox beginnings created a niche market that gravitated solely towards that unique and arguably brilliant magazine metaphor.
We're just surprised and confused is all. I'm sure that in a few weeks it'll sink in and we'll all be happily truckin' along.
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I have to admit though; the articles now seem bland by comparison to the old design. The visual touches really engaged the reader and created a unique atmosphere for each article. I'm sure the authors felt very privileged to have their work presented in such an attractive manner.
Out of morbid curiosity, I wonder what a front page poll might say about the new design. Maybe the vocal minority is larger than I think.
We're just surprised and confused is all. I'm sure that in a few weeks it'll sink in and we'll all be happily truckin' along.
-----
I have to admit though; the articles now seem bland by comparison to the old design. The visual touches really engaged the reader and created a unique atmosphere for each article. I'm sure the authors felt very privileged to have their work presented in such an attractive manner.
Out of morbid curiosity, I wonder what a front page poll might say about the new design. Maybe the vocal minority is larger than I think.