Article on the ASSEMbler community!

**Szczepaniak** · 12-13-2005

It has taken me 8 months to get this short feature researched and published. It covers mainly the ASSEMbler community here, several of its members, plus a few other places here and there.

I’ve debated going with no fewer than 4 different magazines (one of which went bankrupt at the last moment), so it’s been quite a struggle. But finally, it’s freely available for everyone to read at The Escapist:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/23/3

Special thanks, in no order, must go to:
Frank Cifaldi (aka: TheRedEye)
AntiPasta
Legit
Fabrizo
Kyu

And of course, ASSEMbler himself for not only answering all my questions, be they via phone, email or MSN, but for also checking my first draft and allowing me to document this community.

Thanks also to everyone else who I don’t directly reference, such as Hawanja, whose quest to document all the FC clones piqued my interest, and also the many buyers and sellers in the sales forum. None of this would be worth talking about without the dedicated people who make up such communities.

Many special thanks to everyone who pledged photos and video footage. While The Escapist doesn’t use imagery, assuming my freelancing continues at the newly launched Retro Gamer, I’m sure I will find a use not only for imagery, but also the massive amount of information that I was unable to include in such a short feature. Hopefully this is just a taster, since I personally love documenting what has previously gone undocumented (RG currently has a policy of appeasing the mainstream, but I intend to twist a few arms).

Best of all though, this feature is free to read online!

Enjoy, and thanks for all the assistance

Best regards
John Szczepaniak

**Yakumo** · 12-13-2005

That was a very good read mate !! I really do hope that it will be printed .

Yakumo

**Roi** · 12-13-2005

One of the most interesting articles I read in a while! A must read for everyone who's interested in the obscure.

sobman · 12-13-2005

I got to page 9 and stopped, then read the end, i liked it, and i usually dont like reading

**the_steadster** · 12-13-2005

Great stuff

**Blur2040** · 12-13-2005

A great article...a joy to read...

Then again, I already have an interest in the subject matter, so it didn't take much to entertain me. From my experience, when you confront the average Joe Videogameplayer with information on most obscure items, they don't really care...well...unless it's an unreleased game...then it's "Gimme Gimme Gimme."

That said though "The Escapist" doesn't seem to appeal to Joe Videogameplayer anyway. The layout, the article styles, the lack of flash and advertising. Very interesting.

Sally · 12-13-2005

Nice article, it sums up the boards pretty well. As a side comment, I didn't realize Assembler had picked up publishing rights too...

**babu** · 12-13-2005

A really nice article. :clap:

**Taemos** · 12-13-2005

Very well done! Will it be available in print?

**WolverineDK** · 12-13-2005

Well I love the photographs, they are VERY Anton Corbijnish (a longer review of the article will come later, when I have eaten supper).

**Blur2040** · 12-13-2005

Originally Posted by Taemos

Very well done! Will it be available in print?

That was my first thought, but I didn't see anything on the website that says anything about a print version...which kinda stinks.

**Szczepaniak** · 12-13-2005

Unfortunately it's an "online only" publication, though the article will remain up... forever? So you can continue to link to it, or read it, once the newer issues come out.

The nice thing about this being online, is that it's freely available to everyone. Which was one of my reasons for going with TE. :)

I hope to follow this up with more in-depth and analytical stuff for Retro Gamer (a print mag), assuming they can be persuaded to move away from more mainstream retro coverage.

**Warakia** · 12-13-2005

Excellent article, szczepaniak, very well written indeed. (Dull comments I know - but I felt I should express my thanks somehow!)

Edit - And also my appreciation to the members who helped him put the article together, as always - thanks for sharing.

**jethro jazz** · 12-13-2005

great article, really well researched and written. no mention of the supposed mario 3d snes proto though? and as an AES fanboy, would have liked to have seen more neogeo promotion, as its probably the most active and exciting community on the internet.