Magazine Quality - Latest issue

[SpecTrePaul]

I am a subscriber to the magazine and received the Fallout issue, there seems a big change reading through this issue.
Have you changed the paper for both the magazine and cover?

Got to say I am not a fan as it seems cheap and not good to read as the pages are thin, stick together and wrinkle.
Also on my issue, on some of the back pages there are ink smears so you can’t read some of the articles.
I can supply pictures if need to see.

Anyone else think this or has ink smears on the pages.

Got to say guys, this is not great.

[Solegor]

Yet to recieve this Issue in my mailbox. But on the related topic - all of the recent issues contain some small typos and errors. I think the problem is getting worse or at the very least not improving.
Maybe the editor should spend more time spellchecking.

[Arnie]

I am a subscriber to the magazine and received the Fallout issue, there seems a big change reading through this issue.
Have you changed the paper for both the magazine and cover?

Got to say I am not a fan as it seems cheap and not good to read as the pages are thin, stick together and wrinkle.
Also on my issue, on some of the back pages there are ink smears so you can’t read some of the articles.
I can supply pictures if need to see.

Anyone else think this or has ink smears on the pages.

Got to say guys, this is not great.

I have found the ink smears on every copy ever produced from day one so have got use to it. The first issues even simulated this on the front cover. I just keep my fingers as dry as possible when handling the mag and try to hold the white parts when possible. The paper does seem a little thinner on resent issues.

[SpecTrePaul]

The ink smears on mine came like that. The magazine wasn't wet and already inside when I flicked through the pages. Looks like done at the printers and a fault there when printing.

[psj3809]

Yet to recieve this Issue in my mailbox. But on the related topic - all of the recent issues contain some small typos and errors. I think the problem is getting worse or at the very least not improving.
Maybe the editor should spend more time spellchecking.

I'm not too upset by that, mags in the 80's had the same issues. Be nice to have an up to date 'Trainspotter award' like YS had back in the day

[fm4dj]

Same here.
the mag feels light and "different" - the paper quality isnt the same as before. at least it feels like that way.
RG always felt "heavy" and good quality paper.

This + the "crappy" subscriber cover (sorry!!!)....

[SpecTrePaul]

Well the way the quality is going recently with this magazine then maybe the price should come down too?

[The Laird]

I haven't noticed anything different about it at all.

[SpecTrePaul]

Do you subscribe?
Can't see it being a subscription thing unless there is a bad batch going around?

Anything from the RetroGamer team?

[Crusty Starfish]

Just got the Zzap!64 2019 annual from Revival team and everything is top top quality. It's a yearly thing so I suppose the paper quality is expected to be better. Well worth a look for any old C64 fans out there!

[ely]

I haven't noticed anything different about it at all.

Me either. I swear some people spend more time worrying about the supposed non-quality of the magazine than actually reading it!

[psj3809]

Feels totally fine here. However I spent more time reading the mag then weighing it up against past issues

[SpecTrePaul]

I swear some people spend more time worrying about the supposed non-quality of the magazine than actually reading it!

Bit of a flippant and assuming quote.
I assure you I read the magazine, I don't just buy it for the fun of it, this is why I subscribe to the magazine.
These are not like a cheap throwaway newspaper item and I expect it to be a quality magazine that can be kept and stored to re-read at another time. When the quality goes down so does the last ability of the item, same in anything you buy in life.

In a world of everything digital, it is good to have a good copy of retro gamer you can read, flicking through the pages in your hand and it is a shame when it seems cheapened with what seems like cheaper paper and print quality.

Maybe it is a batch thing as some people seem to be able to tell and some others can't? Just seems to have gone down hill a little since going over to Future Publishing is all I am saying.

Just got the Zzap!64 2019 annual from Revival team and everything is top top quality.

Yes got the Zzap annual the other day and that is great quality and a good read.

[RichL]

No man, totes a subscriber here - my paper is fine.

[knight_beat]

Maybe it is a batch thing as some people seem to be able to tell and some others can't?

I travel a lot and often spot different batches, each with their own unique problem. Some batches are printed using different paper (which can feel like photocopier paper), others contain print errors on certain pages. After buying an issue that contained 5 pages of badly printed text (it was completely unreadable) a few years ago, I started looking through the issue before buying them. I checked every copy of RG184 (the Daytona issue) in WH Smith Euston & Kings Cross when it was released and all had a brownish stain through the middle of the Atari XL feature , but it was absent in the one I bought elsewhere.

I have to disagree that this is a new thing. It was extremely common to find printer errors in RG & GTM in the Imagine days as well, perhaps more so judging by the feedback threads of the time. I used to GamesTM on the day of release and recall one month (a long time ago, around 2010/2011) where the ink was actually sticky to the touch and had started to glue together several pages while the mag was on the shelf.