Hornet Ratings

Written by Adok

Hi there, Adok is hitting the keyboard again.

As you know, Hornet is shutting down shortly, and the archive is being transferred to scene.org. As the fate of Hornet's ratings is unknown, I decided to save the ratings of all diskmags, because I was personally interested in them. When I looked at the ratings, I thought they could be interesting for you out there, too. So, here they are, sorted by years:

 1992
 hoaxmag2.zip     202373 ****  Hoax Magazine 2
 imphob1.zip      139058 ***   Imphobia 1
 imphob2.zip      224238 ***   Imphobia 2
 imphob3.zip      264307 ***   Imphobia 3
 imphob4.zip      390989 ***+  Imphobia 4

 1993
 hoax3.zip        323094 ***+  Hoax 3 by Epical : 286,,SB/DAC,
 hoax4.zip        261374 ***+  Hoax 4 by Epical : 286,,SB/DAC,
 hoax5.zip        418961 ***+  Hoax 5 by Epical : 386,,SB/DAC,
 imphob5.zip      564525 ***+  Imphobia 5
 imphob6.zip      477137 ****+ Imphobia 6
 imphob7.zip      989715 ****  Imphobia 7
 mayhem.zip       189390 ***   Mayhem 1 by Phantom, Toxic Zombies
 nwo1.zip         200974 **    New World Order 1 by Ground Zero : 286,,SB/DAC,
 nwo2.zip         135117 **+   New World Order 2 by Ground Zero : 286,,SB/DAC,
 nwo3.zip         190917 **+   New World Order 3 by Ground Zero : 286,,SB/DAC,
 pulse1.zip        70251 **+   Pulse 1 by Remedy : ,,SB/DAC,
 pulse2.zip       125908 ***   Pulse 2 by Remedy : ,,SB/DAC,
 pulse3.zip       118314 ***+  Pulse 3 by Extreme : ,,SB/DAC,
 pulse4.zip       129927 ***+  Pulse 4 by Extreme : ,,SB/DAC,
 wcharts.zip      618416 ****+ World Charts 1 by Future Crew

 1994
 aiw1ss.zip      2216988 ***+  Acid in Wonderland
 alt-10.zip       303587 **    Alt-1 10
 alt-11.zip       155552 **+   Alt-1 11
 alt-12.zip       118806 **+   Alt-1 12
 cnbugfix.zip     147699 ***+  Contrast 1 Bugfix by Purple
 flesh15.zip      531551 **+   Flesh 15 by Natas of Lithium
 gd001.zip        345022 **    Genetic Dreams 1 by Escape
 imp8fix.zip       93984 ****  Imphobia 8 GUS Bugfix by Imphobia
 imphob8.zip     1153128 ****  Imphobia 8 by Imphobia
 nwo4.zip         380541 ***   New World Order 4 by Ground Zero : 386,,GUS,
 nwo5.zip         265559 ***   New World Order 5 by Ground Zero : 386,,GUS,
 p-ctrst.zip     1796773 ***+  Contrast 1 by Purple
 parrot1.zip       72536 **+   Parrot 1 by Crypton
 parrot2.zip      274449 ***   Parrot 2 by Crypton : ,,GUS/SB,
 parrot3.zip      401781 ***+  Parrot 3 by Crypton : ,,GUS/SB,
 scenial.zip      704858 ****  Scenial by Access Denied : Includes 3 songs by
                               | Purple Motion
 slave14.zip      407232 **+   Alt-1 14
 yahoo1.zip       317898 [n/a] Yahoo 1 by Topaz : ,,GUS/SB,
 yahoo2.zip       167250 [n/a] Yahoo 2 by Topaz : ,,GUS/SB,
 yahoo3.zip       362729 ***   Yahoo 3 by Topaz : ,SVGA,GUS/SB,

 1995
 adr-sm02.zip     262088 **    Smok 2 by Adrar Design
 bistro.zip       500103 ***   Bistro by Mindprobe
 chyztro.zip       37710 +     Preview of Channel Mag #2 by Grif
 cntrs002.zip    1370345 ****  Contrast 2 by Purple
 cntrs003.zip    1448583 ****+ Contrast 3 by Purple
 dask04.zip       181642 ***   Daskmig 4 by ISC
 dask06.zip       445005 ****  Daskmig 6 by ISC
 dask08.zip       631936 ***+  Daskmig 8 by ISC
 dask08fi.zip       4705 ***+  Daskmig 8 Bugfix by ISC
 fsn_spl1.zip     224667 [n/a] Splash 1 by Fascination
 fsn_spl2.zip     520220 **    Splash 2 by Fascination
 gd002.zip       1394551 *+    Genetic Dreams 2 by Escape
 gd004.zip        749048 ***   Genetic Dreams 4 by Escape
 hoaxmag6.zip     597053 ***   Hoax 6 by Epical
 ibytes02.zip     929250 **    Infused Bytes 2 by Realm of Infusion
 imp_msg.zip        6602 ****  Fake rumors about Imphobia by Surprise
                               | Productions
 imphob10.zip    1451583 ****  Imphobia 10 by Imphobia
 imphob11.zip    1226371 ****  Imphobia 11 by Imphobia
 imphob9.zip     1391628 ****  Imphobia 9 by Imphobia
 impreact.zip       2571 ****  Theres a Fake Bugfix for Imphobia 9 by Imphobia
 inf_dsk7.zip     823775 ****  Daskmig 7 by INF
 insight1.zip    1082428 ***+  Insight 1
 jonas01.zip        5630 *+    Jonas 1 by Edicius
 jonas02.zip       13489 *+    Jonas 2 by Edicius
 nwo-7.zip       1090730 ***+  New World Order 7
 nwo6.zip         499360 ***+  New World Order 6 by Ground Zero : 386,,GUS/SB,
 scoop_.zip        89018 ****  Scoop Diskmag Intro by Reality
 scoopnfo.zip     103242 ***+  Scoop Info-Intro #2
 unreal03.zip     241887 **+   Unreal 3
 what1.zip       1047496 ***   What 1
 yahoo04.zip      286977 ***+  Yahoo 4 - The Hangover Issue by @
 yahoo05.zip      528325 ***+  Yahoo 5 - The Party Issue by @

 1996
 autark1.zip     1443318 ****  Autark 1 by N-Factor
 bn4.zip         1425703 ***+  Bad News 4 - Desire by Pulse
 bsr-0007.zip      10972 **    Belgian Scene Report 7 by Baxter
 bsr-0008.zip      11389 **    Belgian Scene Report 8 by Baxter
 budyn1.zip      1416356 ***+  Budyn 1 by Abscence
 caustic1.zip     695764 **+   Caustic Verses 1
 cheese1.zip      217154 **+   Cheese 1 by TKB
 cheese6.zip      257983 *     Cheese 6 by Cheese Team
 cheese7.zip      194112 **    Cheese 7 by Cheese Team
 cheese8.zip      288714 **    Cheese 8 by Cheese Team
 cheese9.zip      251584 **+   Cheese 9 by Cheese Team
 fsn_spl3.zip     570108 ***+  Splash 3 by Fascination
 fsn_spl4.zip     521783 ***+  Splash 4 by Fascination
 imphob12.zip    1388626 ****+ Imphobia 12 by Imphobia
 infy1.zip       1073797 **    Infinity 1 by Realm of Darkness BBS
 infy2.zip       1330823 **    Infinity 2 by Infinity Network
 luna-001.zip    1047301 ***   Luna 1 by Moon Hunters
 madpress.zip      10741 +     Madania Press 1 by ESG
 nwo8.zip         896255 ***+  New World Order 8
 pain0396.zip     278242 **+   Pain March 1996 Issue by Fake That
 pain0496.zip     344028 **+   Pain April 1996 Issue by Fake That
 pain0596.zip     201868 **+   Pain May 1996 Issue by Fake That
 pain0696.zip     160939 **+   Pain June 1996 Issue by Fake That
 pain0796.zip     147842 **+   Pain July 1996 Issue by Fake That
 pain0996.zip     154783 **+   Pain September 1996 Issue by Fake That
 pain1196.zip     266720 **+   Pain November 1996 Issue by Fake That
 scenial2.zip     547459 ****  Scenial 2 - The Injection by Beans, Pulse
 sp_mag1l.zip     525462 **+   Soap 1 Lite by Soap
 sub00004.zip     779943 **+   Subkult 4 by Dr. Dyregod, Ko
 sub0003.zip      169768 **+   Subkult 3 by Dr. Dyregod, Ko
 synmag1.zip     3705628 **    Syndicate Net Diskmag 1 by The Artists of Toronto

 1997
 bsr-0009.zip      10603 **    Belgian Scene Report 9 by Baxter
 bsr-0010.zip      19310 **    Belgian Scene Report 10 by Baxter
 bsr-0011.zip     268137 ***   Belgian Scene Report 11 by Baxter, Cray : VGA,
                               | Mouse required
 bsr-0012.zip     295296 ***+  Belgian Scene Report 12 by Baxter, Cray : VGA,
                               | Mouse required
 cheese11.zip     291278 **    Cheese 11 by Cheese Team
 cheese12.zip     262682 **    Cheese 12 by Cheese Team
 insight2.zip    1811997 ***+  Insight 2 by Insight
 pain0197.zip     420730 ***   Pain January 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain0397.zip     185951 **    Pain March 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain0497.zip     375785 **+   Pain April 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain0597.zip     309566 **+   Pain May 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain0697.zip     258811 **+   Pain June 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain0797.zip     602175 **+   Pain July 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain0897.zip     160738 **+   Pain August 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain0997.zip     492266 **+   Pain September 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain1097.zip     285395 **+   Pain October 1997 Issue by Fake That
 pain1297.zip     332807 **+   Pain December 1997 Issue by Fake That
 rc-vol01.zip     215076 **+   Volvo 1 by Rectum Cauda
 restles1.zip    1758073 **+   Restless 1 by Opiate
 scenial4.zip    1259334 ***   Scenial 4 by Beans
 shine1.zip       830183 ***   Shine 1 by ???
 trip5.zip         65019 **    Trip 5 by Trip

 1998
 armor04.zip       1572k ***   Armor of Gods 4 : English & Russian - ,VESA,GUS/
                               | SB/PAS,6MB
 bow5.zip           694k **    Bytes of Wisdom 5 : ,VESA,GUS/SB/PAS,
 bsr13.zip         1077k **+   Belgian Scene Report 13 by Green : ,VESA,GUS/SB/
                               | PAS,
 dcn2add.zip        127k [n/a] Defcon 2 (Win32 patch) by K!Prod
 defcon.zip        1417k **+   Defcon 1 by K!Prod : French - ,VESA,GUS/SB/PAS,
 defcon2.zip       2463k ***   Defcon 2 by K!Prod : French (mostly) & English -
                               | ,VESA,GUS/SB/PAS,
 fleur_1.zip       1804k ***+  Fleur 1
 hugi11.zip        1370k ***+  Hugi 11 : English & German - 386,VESA,GUS/SB,3MB
 hugi12.zip        1734k ***+  Hugi 12 : English & German - DOS or Windows -
                               | 486,VESA,GUS/SB,3MB
 lookain2.zip      1528k **+   Lookain Fanz' 2 : Win95
 pain0198.zip     436993 **+   Pain 01/98 by Fake That
 pain0498.zip       238k ***   Pain 4/98
 pain0598.zip       177k **+   Pain 5/98
 pain0698.zip       247k **+   Pain 6/98
 pain0898.zip       507k ***   Pain 8/98
 restles2.zip       953k [n/a] Restless 2 : 486,SVGA,GUS/SB/PAS,1MB
 rst2nsnd.zip        65k [n/a] Restless 2 (Win95/no-sound patch)
 tpf1amag.zip       471k **    Anothermag 1 by TPF
 trip9.zip          535k **    Trip 9
 trip9fix.zip       193k [n/a] Trip 9 (article fix)

Comments

Have you looked through the list? Then you may have noticed that only the ratings of one year can be compared with each other. A mag that got four stars in 1992 would have got three or two and a half star in 1996, for instance. Probably the current maintainer of the diskmag archive rated the mags right after moving them from /incoming/mags. So the ratings are not reliable in order to see what mag is good and what mag is bad in global.

Some examples:

- The highest rating reached was four and a half stars out of five. That means that there has been no "perfect" diskmag yet. The mags that acheived the highest rating are: Imphobia #6, World Charts #1, Contrast #3, and Imphobia #12. However, the fact that Imphobia #6 got more stars than most Imphobia issues after it does not mean that this issue is better than the other ones. It just says that this magazine was great for its time, just like World Charts. Both mags were indeed a revolution in the diskmag scene.

You may be surprised at the high rating of Contrast #3, for it is not a very well-known mag. The reason is probably that although it did not have many articles most of them were of a good quality. The mag had a special corner about the forthcoming The Party and a good-looking interface. Maybe the rater paid more attention to the interface, because Contrast #3 appears to be better than the Imphobia issues of that time. But I don't think so. Both mags were great.

- Hoax #2 (the first Hoax issue in the archive) had less text than issue 1, and Hoax #3 had a better interface than Hoax #2 and an equal article quantity/quality but got fewer stars.

- The same applies to Scenial: Issue 1, which got bad feedback in other mags, got 4 stars, like the 2nd issue, whereas the famous and really good issue 4 (a satirical magazine about the scene) got only 3 stars.

The diskmags from 1998, except Pain 1/98, have lately been added to the archive after Phoenix took over the job of maintaining it from GD. That was after I had written the first version of this article. Despite the maintainer's change, it is nice to see how consistent the rating scheme has been kept and how well the recent diskmags do in comparison with the older ones. However, the ratings probably cannot be compared with those of 1995 and before.

- adok^hugi