Re: Disappointed by II-Alive editing

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article bwells@iag.net (Brian Wells) writes...

>Mitchell Spector <spec@vax2.concordia.ca> wrote:
>>    Yesterday I opened my mail and found a check from SQC and a copy
>>of my article as it appeared in the Summer 1996 issue. Although my
>>name appears above it, crediting me as the author, I have to say I 
>>almost didn't recognize what followed below it! I don't feel my review 
>>was "edited", more like it rewritten from scratch using my original 
>>writing _only_ as a guideline as where to go.
> 
>Ick! Why did they even bother to keep your name on the article? :(

    Good question. As far as my name appearing above the article, I 
would rather people think of it as a misprint error. Granted there 
are some traces of my article present, there is much too little where 
I consider myself the author any longer.

>>... I even found the level of grammar to have been 
>>downgraded overall, generally as if it were edited in reverse. :P
> 
>I too have noticed that the recent issues are lacking in the grammer
>department. I know it must be bad when I have to stop every few sentences
>and say to myself: "This doesn't look right!" In high school I was the
>editor of the school yearbook and found many errors in the submitted
>articles. I didn't expect to see any in a commercially published magazine
>:/

    As an example of downgrading the quality of writing, below are
clippings showing pieces of what I submitted, with what was actually
printed in II-Alive:

[My writing]
"The opening screens are visually stunning, however I was disappointed by 
the actual play-field and pieces which overall have a simple appearance and 
lack detail."

It was basically changed to:

[II-Alive editor]
"Faces on the balls are cute; but there's no 3-D shading to add real
'ballness'".

Another example, this paragraph was completely removed:

[My writing]
"The result is a short and flat sounding musical score which takes up 
excess disk space, certainly a blatant case of failing to use the GS's 
sound capabilities. Rich stereo music with a different theme for higher 
levels is what easily could have been."

Essentially, it was replaced with:

[II-Alive editor]
"The short, flat-sounding score can become irritating -- VERY irritating
if you happen to be losing! Puyo's BOINK, THOOP, etc. sound effects 
are much better."

>>Perhaps I now better understand why SQC is ceasing publication 
>>of II-Alive in another issue or two. :/ 
> 
>True. But II-Alive was _so nice_ when if first appeared on the scene. Take
>a look at the first issues.. :: sigh ::

    Well as I mentioned before, II-Alive seems to exist only to "pay-off" 
existing subscriptions, so that SQC can avoid a costly refund. There is 
no longer a need to attract a new audience, nor any kind profit to be made 
(beyond what they've already collected). Is it any surprise the magazine 
has dropped in quality?

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca