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Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* SeriousBusiness: For the readers, the UsefulNotes/ComputerWars above. Also, in the earliest issues (1990-1992), playing computer games is sometimes treated as something of a mystic ritual.
to:
* SeriousBusiness: For the readers, the UsefulNotes/ComputerWars MediaNotes/ComputerWars above. Also, in the earliest issues (1990-1992), playing computer games is sometimes treated as something of a mystic ritual.
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Changed line(s) 8,9 (click to see context) from:
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a {{review}} mag --until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce). Starting 1992, the magazine began actually rating the games (much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines").
to:
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a {{review}} mag --until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - games-- and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce). Starting 1992, the magazine began actually rating the games (much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines").
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 8,9 (click to see context) from:
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a review mag - until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce). Starting 1992, the magazine began actually rating the games (much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines").
to:
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a review {{review}} mag - until --until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce). Starting 1992, the magazine began actually rating the games (much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines").
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Missed two character tropes.
Deleted line(s) 13 (click to see context) :
* BigThinShortTrio: Kopalny, Naczelny and Dżemik, respectively.
Deleted line(s) 26 (click to see context) :
* ShoutOut: Prof. Dżemik's name is a reference to a famous Polish linguist, prof. Miodek ("miodek" is a diminutive for "honey", "dżemik" is a diminutive for "jam".)
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
The mascots are now described in more detail in the Characters page.
Deleted line(s) 20,22 (click to see context) :
** BenevolentBoss: Naczelny, the editor-in-chief, who is basically the real editor-in-chief's AuthorAvatar.
** GadgeteerGenius: Prof. Dżemik, originally facetiously created as an expert who responded to the readers' technological questions. When he appeared in the magazine's comics, it was usually as a plot device (inventing a time machine, describing a dimensional transporter etc. as needed by the plot).
** TheAlcoholic / TheDitz: Kopalny. He is a lovable bum who loves beer and has frequent hangovers, isn't particularly fond of thinking hard, and spends most of the time complaining about having to work menial jobs around the office.
** GadgeteerGenius: Prof. Dżemik, originally facetiously created as an expert who responded to the readers' technological questions. When he appeared in the magazine's comics, it was usually as a plot device (inventing a time machine, describing a dimensional transporter etc. as needed by the plot).
** TheAlcoholic / TheDitz: Kopalny. He is a lovable bum who loves beer and has frequent hangovers, isn't particularly fond of thinking hard, and spends most of the time complaining about having to work menial jobs around the office.
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None
Changed line(s) 6,9 (click to see context) from:
A [[UsefulNotes/{{Poland}} Polish]] video game magazine which evolved from earlier computer magazine "Bajtek" and existed from 1990 to 1996. ''Top Secret'' was the first magazine of its kind in Poland, and quickly became a cult classic still fondly remembered today, mainly because of its editors' wacky sense of humor. It was characterized by huge amounts of [[InJoke inside jokes]] (sometimes the articles would descend into ranting about the editors' everyday life). The editors had huge freedom which would be unthinkable today (which might have been one of its causes of death; advertisers simply shied away from such a non-serious magazine).
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a review mag - until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce). Later on, the mag began actually rating the games, much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines".
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a review mag - until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce). Later on, the mag began actually rating the games, much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines".
to:
A [[UsefulNotes/{{Poland}} Polish]] video game magazine which evolved from the earlier computer magazine "Bajtek" and existed from 1990 to 1996. ''Top Secret'' was the first magazine of its kind in Poland, and quickly became a cult classic still fondly remembered today, mainly because of its editors' wacky sense of humor. It was characterized by huge amounts of [[InJoke inside jokes]] (sometimes the articles would descend into ranting about the editors' everyday life). The editors had huge freedom which would be unthinkable today (which might have been one of its causes of death; advertisers simply shied away from such a non-serious magazine).\n\n
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a review mag - until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce).Later on, Starting 1992, the mag magazine began actually rating the games, much games (much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines".
magazines").
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a review mag - until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce).
Changed line(s) 16,18 (click to see context) from:
* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: In one of the comics, the characters go to the future and find out that the entire gaming industry collapsed long ago due to software piracy. They promptly set out to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong and cause new copyright laws to pass.
* FourPointScale: The majority of games received scores between 80% and 100% of maximum. There are times when the review is clearly written in a negative note, yet the score is still a high one.
* {{Mascot}}: Starring in the comics, and sometimes [[FourthWallMailSlot replying to reader letters and writing articles.]] (They were originally created to cover up the lack of editors by an editor-in-chief who was pretty much making an entire issue by himself after the previous team left abruptly.)
* FourPointScale: The majority of games received scores between 80% and 100% of maximum. There are times when the review is clearly written in a negative note, yet the score is still a high one.
* {{Mascot}}: Starring in the comics, and sometimes [[FourthWallMailSlot replying to reader letters and writing articles.]] (They were originally created to cover up the lack of editors by an editor-in-chief who was pretty much making an entire issue by himself after the previous team left abruptly.)
to:
* CutAndPasteNote: There were at least two humorous letters of this kind sent to ''Top Secret'' (and subsequently published), containing demands of ransom for the safe return of supposedly kidnapped editors.
* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: In one of the comics, the characters go to the future and find out that the entire gaming industry has collapsedlong ago due to software piracy. They promptly set out to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong and cause new copyright laws to pass.
* FourPointScale: Themajority of games received scores between 80% and 100% of maximum. There are times magazine rarely gave any game a rating below 7/10, even when the review is clearly written in a negative note, yet contained mainly complaints about the score is still a high one.game's quality.
* {{Mascot}}:Starring There are a number of recurring fictional characters starring in the comics, and sometimes [[FourthWallMailSlot replying to reader letters and writing articles.]] (They were originally created to cover up the lack of editors by an editor-in-chief who was pretty much making an entire issue by himself after the previous team left abruptly.)
* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: In one of the comics, the characters go to the future and find out that the entire gaming industry has collapsed
* FourPointScale: The
* {{Mascot}}:
Changed line(s) 20,22 (click to see context) from:
** GadgeteerGenius: Prof. Dżemik.
** TheAlcoholic / TheDitz: Kopalny.
* NoteFromEd: Indulged in it a few times. The most major example comes from issue 28, where the editor-in-chief butts in (supposedly to remove the reviewer's unrelated ramblings) and instead writes half of the review himself.
** TheAlcoholic / TheDitz: Kopalny.
* NoteFromEd: Indulged in it a few times. The most major example comes from issue 28, where the editor-in-chief butts in (supposedly to remove the reviewer's unrelated ramblings) and instead writes half of the review himself.
to:
** GadgeteerGenius: Prof. Dżemik.
Dżemik, originally facetiously created as an expert who responded to the readers' technological questions. When he appeared in the magazine's comics, it was usually as a plot device (inventing a time machine, describing a dimensional transporter etc. as needed by the plot).
** TheAlcoholic / TheDitz:Kopalny.
Kopalny. He is a lovable bum who loves beer and has frequent hangovers, isn't particularly fond of thinking hard, and spends most of the time complaining about having to work menial jobs around the office.
* IKnowMortalKombat: An article in issue 7 (Oct/Nov 1991), asking the question "Does playing a lot of flight simulators make a you an expert pilot?" It's mostly a LongList of all the vital things involved in flying a civilian plane that a military flight sim won't teach you.
* NoteFromEd: Indulged in it a few times. The most major example comes from issue 28, where the editor-in-chiefbutts in (supposedly interrupts a review halfway through, supposedly to remove the reviewer's unrelated ramblings) ramblings, and instead writes the second half of the review by himself.
** TheAlcoholic / TheDitz:
* IKnowMortalKombat: An article in issue 7 (Oct/Nov 1991), asking the question "Does playing a lot of flight simulators make a you an expert pilot?" It's mostly a LongList of all the vital things involved in flying a civilian plane that a military flight sim won't teach you.
* NoteFromEd: Indulged in it a few times. The most major example comes from issue 28, where the editor-in-chief
Changed line(s) 25 (click to see context) from:
* RougeAnglesOfSatin: Whenever the English language is involved, both on part of the readers and the editors.
to:
* RougeAnglesOfSatin: Whenever Both the editors and readers were very likely to misspell any English language is involved, both on part word or phrase they quoted. The user-submitted cheat codes section was an especially eye-searing minefield of errors, so most of the readers and the editors.codes had no chance of working.
Changed line(s) 28 (click to see context) from:
* SpriteComic[=/=]{{Machinomics}}: As mentioned in the description, there were quite a few comics, most of them made up of game screenshots with the characters (standing out, as they were drawn in vector graphics) added in.
to:
* SpriteComic[=/=]{{Machinomics}}: As mentioned in the description, there were quite a few comics, most of them made up of photoshopped game screenshots with the characters (standing out, as they were drawn in vector graphics) added in.in. Of course, since the comics were made in the early 90's, we're talking about 2D pixelated graphics here.
Added DiffLines:
* WorldOfWeirdness: The comics seem to take place in a world made from all the video game settings mushed together, thus allowing the heroes to go on wacky hijinx with Indiana Jones or having their office attacked by the Death Star.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Moving from Top Secret, so that custom Wiki Words work properly (as advised on Administrivia.The Ptitle Replacement System)
Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TopSecret_3295.jpg]]
->''"It's a mysterious, terrifying and fascinating world. The world of computer games. Alone, you will perish. ''Top Secret'' lends you a hand."''
-->--Issue 1
A [[UsefulNotes/{{Poland}} Polish]] video game magazine which evolved from earlier computer magazine "Bajtek" and existed from 1990 to 1996. ''Top Secret'' was the first magazine of its kind in Poland, and quickly became a cult classic still fondly remembered today, mainly because of its editors' wacky sense of humor. It was characterized by huge amounts of [[InJoke inside jokes]] (sometimes the articles would descend into ranting about the editors' everyday life). The editors had huge freedom which would be unthinkable today (which might have been one of its causes of death; advertisers simply shied away from such a non-serious magazine).
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a review mag - until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce). Later on, the mag began actually rating the games, much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines".
Occasionally, the magazine contained comics featuring its three {{Mascot}} characters; the comics were basically {{Sprite Comic}}s, with the characters digitally added to the screenshots.
----
!!Displays examples of:
* BigThinShortTrio: Kopalny, Naczelny and Dżemik, respectively.
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: Piwem i Mieczem ("With Beer And Sword"), an episodic story, involves a character hallucinating about going to a fantasy world and meeting characters who are all based on the magazine's editors.
* ContinuityReboot: In 2002, the title was restarted by Axel Springer publishing house, with the best-known "original" editor-in-chief at the helm. It lasted for four issues.
* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: In one of the comics, the characters go to the future and find out that the entire gaming industry collapsed long ago due to software piracy. They promptly set out to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong and cause new copyright laws to pass.
* FourPointScale: The majority of games received scores between 80% and 100% of maximum. There are times when the review is clearly written in a negative note, yet the score is still a high one.
* {{Mascot}}: Starring in the comics, and sometimes [[FourthWallMailSlot replying to reader letters and writing articles.]] (They were originally created to cover up the lack of editors by an editor-in-chief who was pretty much making an entire issue by himself after the previous team left abruptly.)
** BenevolentBoss: Naczelny, the editor-in-chief, who is basically the real editor-in-chief's AuthorAvatar.
** GadgeteerGenius: Prof. Dżemik.
** TheAlcoholic / TheDitz: Kopalny.
* NoteFromEd: Indulged in it a few times. The most major example comes from issue 28, where the editor-in-chief butts in (supposedly to remove the reviewer's unrelated ramblings) and instead writes half of the review himself.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Except for the masthead, the editors all signed themselves with, and referred to each other with nicknames.
* TheRival: ''Secret Service'', a rival magazine (helmed by ''Top Secret'''s former editor-in-chief and managing editor who [[StartMyOwn left in 1992 to pursue their own career.]]) Since then, both magazines kept tossing thinly veiled {{Take That}}s at each other.
* RougeAnglesOfSatin: Whenever the English language is involved, both on part of the readers and the editors.
* SeriousBusiness: For the readers, the UsefulNotes/ComputerWars above. Also, in the earliest issues (1990-1992), playing computer games is sometimes treated as something of a mystic ritual.
* ShoutOut: Prof. Dżemik's name is a reference to a famous Polish linguist, prof. Miodek ("miodek" is a diminutive for "honey", "dżemik" is a diminutive for "jam".)
* SpriteComic[=/=]{{Machinomics}}: As mentioned in the description, there were quite a few comics, most of them made up of game screenshots with the characters (standing out, as they were drawn in vector graphics) added in.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Sir Haszak, the strategy game reviewer, loves pizza.
----
->''"It's a mysterious, terrifying and fascinating world. The world of computer games. Alone, you will perish. ''Top Secret'' lends you a hand."''
-->--Issue 1
A [[UsefulNotes/{{Poland}} Polish]] video game magazine which evolved from earlier computer magazine "Bajtek" and existed from 1990 to 1996. ''Top Secret'' was the first magazine of its kind in Poland, and quickly became a cult classic still fondly remembered today, mainly because of its editors' wacky sense of humor. It was characterized by huge amounts of [[InJoke inside jokes]] (sometimes the articles would descend into ranting about the editors' everyday life). The editors had huge freedom which would be unthinkable today (which might have been one of its causes of death; advertisers simply shied away from such a non-serious magazine).
In the beginning, ''Top Secret'' wasn't really a review mag - until 1994, due to the obsolete copyright law, software piracy was basically legal, so pirates were pretty much the sole source of games - and since they sold games at cheap prices, buying a bad game wasn't much of a loss. Thus, an average gamer needed a manual and a gameplay description more than a review (especially since knowledge of English was very scarce). Later on, the mag began actually rating the games, much to some readers' ire who claimed that reviews are for "snobbish magazines".
Occasionally, the magazine contained comics featuring its three {{Mascot}} characters; the comics were basically {{Sprite Comic}}s, with the characters digitally added to the screenshots.
----
!!Displays examples of:
* BigThinShortTrio: Kopalny, Naczelny and Dżemik, respectively.
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: Piwem i Mieczem ("With Beer And Sword"), an episodic story, involves a character hallucinating about going to a fantasy world and meeting characters who are all based on the magazine's editors.
* ContinuityReboot: In 2002, the title was restarted by Axel Springer publishing house, with the best-known "original" editor-in-chief at the helm. It lasted for four issues.
* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: In one of the comics, the characters go to the future and find out that the entire gaming industry collapsed long ago due to software piracy. They promptly set out to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong and cause new copyright laws to pass.
* FourPointScale: The majority of games received scores between 80% and 100% of maximum. There are times when the review is clearly written in a negative note, yet the score is still a high one.
* {{Mascot}}: Starring in the comics, and sometimes [[FourthWallMailSlot replying to reader letters and writing articles.]] (They were originally created to cover up the lack of editors by an editor-in-chief who was pretty much making an entire issue by himself after the previous team left abruptly.)
** BenevolentBoss: Naczelny, the editor-in-chief, who is basically the real editor-in-chief's AuthorAvatar.
** GadgeteerGenius: Prof. Dżemik.
** TheAlcoholic / TheDitz: Kopalny.
* NoteFromEd: Indulged in it a few times. The most major example comes from issue 28, where the editor-in-chief butts in (supposedly to remove the reviewer's unrelated ramblings) and instead writes half of the review himself.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Except for the masthead, the editors all signed themselves with, and referred to each other with nicknames.
* TheRival: ''Secret Service'', a rival magazine (helmed by ''Top Secret'''s former editor-in-chief and managing editor who [[StartMyOwn left in 1992 to pursue their own career.]]) Since then, both magazines kept tossing thinly veiled {{Take That}}s at each other.
* RougeAnglesOfSatin: Whenever the English language is involved, both on part of the readers and the editors.
* SeriousBusiness: For the readers, the UsefulNotes/ComputerWars above. Also, in the earliest issues (1990-1992), playing computer games is sometimes treated as something of a mystic ritual.
* ShoutOut: Prof. Dżemik's name is a reference to a famous Polish linguist, prof. Miodek ("miodek" is a diminutive for "honey", "dżemik" is a diminutive for "jam".)
* SpriteComic[=/=]{{Machinomics}}: As mentioned in the description, there were quite a few comics, most of them made up of game screenshots with the characters (standing out, as they were drawn in vector graphics) added in.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Sir Haszak, the strategy game reviewer, loves pizza.
----
