Retro Gamer Now On IPhone

[Britnostalgic]

As a subscriber I'd like to get the app for free or at least with a bit of a discount, and why hasn't or when will this app be available for the HTC, screw getting an iphone?

I think we pay quite a lot for the mag already, and it seems to me, gone are the days when you received free items or media on the front of a mag, I can kinda understand why, as I imagine the cost involved was probably too much. Instead many mags are now selling stuff that should really be free, at an additional expense via digital content to the reader; this kinda seems like a smack in the face, as the content could easily be given away for free to loyal readers.

On a positive note, I think the mag content is great and hope everyone involved keeps up the good work.

[CraigGrannell]

gone are the days when you received free items or media on the front of a mag

Thing is, those things were never free, despite what it might have said on the cover.

Instead many mags are now selling stuff that should really be free, at an additional expense via digital content to the reader; this kinda seems like a smack in the face, as the content could easily be given away for free to loyal readers.

Times have changed. Today's publishing world isn't about making sacks of cash and rolling around naked on huge piles of money—it's about survival, plain and simple. As I already noted, the more money that can be made via Retro Gamer content, the more chance the magazine has of a longer life. As for the app, £1.19 gets you the app and the current issue, which isn't too bad. Personally, I'd like a third tier—some kind of subscriber's area of the website that enables you to download digital copies. However, given that Retro Gamer is a very niche title, I certainly don't begrudge a commercially oriented digital experiment.

[Dudley]

Ooops I actually meant 10%. DOH!

Now I look like a bit of a tit.

I still maintain the paper format ain't going anywhere for a long time, thank gawd.

Oh I agree it's a ways off certainly but I feel it's inevitable.

I think we pay quite a lot for the mag already, and it seems to me, gone are the days when you received free items or media on the front of a mag.

To illustrate Craig's point. the first 6 issues or so of Imagine's own PC gaming rag were £3.99.

Then from issue 7ish they started giving away a "FREE DVD".

It must have been complete coincidence that the price of the mag immediately went up to £5.49 then

It certainly wasn't coincidence that having bought every issue to that point I've never bought another.

[Timothy Lumsden]

N Gamer magazine amusingly called itself something along the lines of 'the bag of rubbish gifts with a free Nintendo magazine' one month.

[OriginalJax]

How to get a refund!?

Bought and installed yesterday, got to read maybe 3 pages, then it crashed... Now it crashes as soon as it starts - every time - even after rebooting iPhone (3.1.3).

I know it's not the fault of RG/Imagine, but I'm sure you could have gotten a better outfit to write a custom app -this one just blows! And I was so looking forward to RG-on-the-go...

Anybody else experienced instability issues? (I'm in Canada, BTW - in case that somehow makes a difference!)

Jax

[Dudley]

No problems on my v3.13 ipod touch here, but I've only got the How it works app rather than the RG one.

Pretty much the same program I assume though.

[Dudley]

Also the 80s are coming back. In 70 years.

[CraigGrannell]

How to get a refund!?

Directly via Apple. However, assuming your device is synchronised with a PC, delete the app and reinstall via iTunes, to see if the issues still occur first.

[Dudley]

Also I assume it applies to the RG app too, I just got an update for HowStuffWorks so I presume there may be one for that too.

[timewarpgamer]

I'd love to view the issues I receive via subscription on my iPhone. However, when I went to the app store, it looked like I not only had to pay a charge up-front, but I'd also have to purchase soft copies of issues? Am I missing something here? I'd rather carry around the hard copies than pay additional amounts of $$$ to duplicate them in electronic form.

[CraigGrannell]

You're not missing anything, in the same way that if you bought a CD in HMV, you'd also be able to buy it on iTunes or Amazon's MP3 store.

[timewarpgamer]

You're not missing anything, in the same way that if you bought a CD in HMV, you'd also be able to buy it on iTunes or Amazon's MP3 store.

Thanks, man. Glad to see I'm not off my rocker on this one. Seems like a much better version of this app would include a demo for non-subscribers, featuring some examples of features in various issues to hopefully get new people hooked, and then as a subscriber you'd have the option of providing unique information about your subscription to prove your identity and then pay some nominal fee ($5?) to gain access to all issues you've subscribed for in electronic form.

But there's no way in hell I'm purchasing every issue I already own again in electronic form.

[CraigGrannell]

Imagine's line appears to be 'buy the app and get the current issue dirt cheap', which is fair enough. It'd be interesting to see how they'd be able to tie external subs to App Store content, though—I suspect the legal hoops they'd have to jump through would be many and complex.

[Dudley]

I don't know if it's still true, but the "How it works" app, that obviously has an identical interface, was free and comes with issue 1 of that magazine last time I looked.

That's a literally no risk way to see how it hangs together.

[markopoloman]

Just got this for my brand spanking new iPhone - it is really excellent!

But will jump in with the HIGH need for special pricing for Mag Subscribers - and extra special pricing for forum members