Propaganda 16 ch04

 W
 Where did all the profiles go?    **
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 So the scene is not what it once was.
The past few years we've gone through a
remarkable change, in all possible ang-
les. To be honest, we've actually been
going through changes rapidly since the
very dawn of what we usually refer to as
the scene. Technology made that poss-
ible. And most importantly, we, the
people made that possible.

Today, the digital underground repres-
ents a civilized culture, and though we
have been on a slight decline the past
5 years, we've maintained the hardly
achieved structure.



      ___________________________
       "W
        We lack the people that
        stick out their heads.."

      ___________________________
However, calling the boards, reading the
magazines and talking to the people of
today, one thing has crossed my mind.
We lack the profiles. We lack the people
that stick out their heads, who speak
their piece of mind and state an opin-
ion. Often, through the million bytes
we've travelled, many of these people
have been regarded as complaining and
moaning people, but in their mere ann-
oyance, it has been for the better.

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People who were active, and had a clue
of what the scene was about didn't think
twice when speaking. Whenever there was
a lack of quality, whenever there were
things that could be done better, some
wise voice spoke, and at it's best
a debate on international basis that
finally led up to a change. Where is
that today? I get the feeling we've
stagnated. And yes, I do believe
we have.

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       "T
        Today most magazines look
        the same. They deliver the
        the same news, the same
        charts..."

      ____________________________


Look at us today. And what we have. Take
the magazines for instance. There must
be a million of them, and there has been
since SEX N' CRIME was launched explored
new grounds. Today most magazines look
the same. They deliver the same news,
the same charts and the oh-so tradition-
al interviews that always cover the
victims 'MostLiked/Favorites'. Debates
are rare, and if any, mostly it is a
one-man show, like this one, that I
doubt will ever get any response in pure
text. If it does however, I've succeeded
in the task of stirring the grind. The
art of creating a debate.

Now, what if the magazines dared. What
if they had the guts to create something
that boosted bonanza in the people.

Don't get me wrong here, because I'm not
speaking GAMER'S GUIDE here. GAMER'S
GUIDE was a rather splendid idea for
starters, but as time flew by, quality
grew, and the firstreleases were not all
that different from the mailversions.
Today I dare saying that GAMER'S GUIDE
features a concept that is out of time.
It attracts few. No, what I'm speaking
about is radically new grips and angles.

   _________________________________
    "M
     Many of us experienced
     DUKE offending, me included.."

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We at PROPAGANDA, were the first to
perform a more analytic view of the
groups newswise, instead of a mere re-

port that speaks so little of what rea-
lly hides behind the curtain. We took
you there. This is a concept we intend
to keep, and we've noticed some others
have followed. Unfortunately, one of
the magazines, with ripe hunger, with
a slip of the tounge, passed away late
1994. Natuarlly, I have THE PULSE in
mind. Many of us experienced DUKE off-
ending, me included, but way down what
made THE PULSE so successful. The mag-
azine and editor had an attitude. Be
it your taste or not.

Why not bringing on new ideas and for-
mulas to the concept of a magazine? We
constantly try, this issue being some-
what of a pioneer, and by golly it is
not an easy task.


My point of view grows further. Mag-
azines represent only a part of the
scene, but do indeed function as roots
for changes in the entire scene.

        ________________________
         "S
          Shall we give points
          to basic-games or the
          public domain games?"

        ________________________
On the wareside, we have the neverending
growl of what is to be regarded as a
firstrelease. Is it the PAL-version,
or the NTSC-fixed version. Shall we
give points to basic-games or the public
domain games? And why does it have to be
a firstrelease when it reaches the
American boards, if I've had it by mail

since 2 weeks back. It has happened to
many releases in history. I'm not giving
the answers or stating an opinion. I'm
giving you questions to work at. To
talk about.

What is elite, and what is lame? Is
there any of the kind?

Is there a point in a group having 5
boards, or is one enough to cover the
purposes?

And where did the people go that talked
about it?

No, by golly, bring on people like RADAR
who caused confusion and annoyance by
his behaviour. THOR, DUKE, BACCHUS,
WESTBAM, JANITOR, MASTERKRACKER and

PSYCHOBILLY among others did their
share. I feel some of you getting fru-
strated now. That is my purpose.

         _____________________
          "I
           I say, do complain
           and do moan.."

         _____________________
Even CROSSFIRE, who will go to history
with his EXORY-chronicles, did his
share. What has he done, if not taken
a firm grip around the stick and stirred
around the pot? People like him have
given many of you a reason to act. Act
in fury, act in joy and in attempts to
change. That is why I regard people like
CROSSFIRE valuable.



If the boards would be filled with guys
posting 'Just passing by' and  'Off to
leech the latest', we'd have a plain
drag. Many, my friends, are like this.
Utterly dull and uninspiring.

I say, do complain and do moan. Stir
the pot and create confusion. Knock
each other's socks off and boost crea-
tivity with YOUR ideas. Who dares wins
and who wins dares.

There is still so much undone.
And with that in mind, I leave
it up to you.

                             NEWSCOPY

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