Dragon/Dungeon compiled issues?

[Drkfathr1]

Okay, it's November 5th now....weren't we supposed to get compiled formats/pdf's of the new digital magazines at the end of the month? I know its only been a few days, and I'm not trying to harp, but realistically, when can we expect these "finished" issues?

Hoping the DDI thing works out, but like many thus far, I'm underwhelmed.

 

[Gothic_Demon]

I'm sure they said the first couple would be bi-monthly.

 

[freyar]

I'm sure they said the first couple would be bi-monthly.

Actually, the first issues (#360 and #151 respectively) are supposed to be collected at the beginning of Nov (1 month each), and then they will go bi-monthly until May. This is announced here (you need to log in to read this --- edit: or maybe not, seems like I wasn't actually logged in!).

 

[JoeGKushner]

So what does everyone think of them?

I hate to say it, but if this was a print issue, it probably would've stayed on the shelf for me and as a preview of what's to come, it gets failing grades.

Not that it's terrible, just not worth my money.

 

[ivocaliban]

So what does everyone think of them?

I hate to say it, but if this was a print issue, it probably would've stayed on the shelf for me and as a preview of what's to come, it gets failing grades.

Not that it's terrible, just not worth my money.

I would have bought Dragon #360 for the Graz'zt article alone. In fact, I did buy several issues of Dragon magazine specifically for the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv" articles. However, James Jacobs' work would have been the only reason I would have bought this particularly issue. The rest of the articles left me feeling pretty cold.

 

[Drkfathr1]

I wouldn't have bought Dragon. I might have bought Dungeon, I'm a big fan of Tsojcanth, but there just wasn't nearly enough content for Dragon to warrant a full issue.

 

[Bagpuss]

Things seem to be running late as they released new content for Dungeon this week, but I'd expect the compiled magazine late this week or early next week.

If you look at page count then Dungeon actually had about the right amount of content it's just that mega adventure takes up so much of it. But it's still just one adventure rather than two adventures and some more columns which you would normally expect in the same space.

 

[Arnwyn]

So what does everyone think of them?

For free, they were utterly fantastic!

If for pay, then not so much. Dungeon "#151" would likely have gotten a purchase from me, though, because it included the 3rd adventure in the St. Demain trilogy, as well as a 75 page adventure (remake of a classic plus new areas!) - though granted, much of that 75 pages was wasted "delve" space.

Dragon may or may not have gotten a purchase - with any consideration only due to James Jacobs' Demonomicon article. I'd likely still be arguing with myself as to whether purchasing the mag for the one article would be worth it or not...

However, with all that said, based on their focus for the upcoming adventures in Dungeon (as per the link above: "our focus in the coming months will be on giving you adventures that will help you either transition your game to the new edition, or end your 3E campaign with a magnificent flourish just in time for the new core books to hit the shelves") would make me skeptical about purchasing - though interested, if they were decent high-level adventures, which I'm always wanting. But Dragon would be right out.

 

[Zaukrie]

Not so impressed so far. Content in Dragon was pretty lacking, the layout wasn't so great, they did not take advantage of it being on line at all, releases were inconsistent and/or slow, no class acts, no bazzare (sp?) of the bizarre. Maps had 10' scales instead of 5'. Delve maps were rotated, did not include any of the contents of the rooms.....not impressed at all. I loved the Grazz't article, but I'm not sure I'd have paid for the rest or not, no, I would not have.

 

[Davelozzi]

Yeah, I'm underwhelmed and can't imagine that I will be subscribing to Insider once they start charging for it. The Grazzt article was good (though I don't know if it was as good as previous Demonicon articles) but nothing else in the Dragon section was anything I cared about.

As for Dungeon I have both adventures printed but have only started reading Iggiwilv's Legacy. I'm definitely interested in seeing the end of the Victor St Demain trilogy and still have high expectations for the writing, but I got to say the format is a big downer for me. I had to print out 130 pages, and now I have this big pile of loose paper that is way to inconvenient to read on the train or anywhere else that I generally get reading done. And I really don't like the delve format, especially considering that it makes these adventures that much longer. I don't like it in the printed modules either, but at least in a bound book I don't have to spend my own time (and ink) on it.

On the other hand, between Pathfinder and Game Mastery, I think Paizo's got me covered enough for my monthly adventure fix.

I think WotC's decision to make it bi-monthly in the interim is a mistake. I'm left wondering whether or not they will really be able to deliver quality at the promised rate, instead of them using this free trial period to prove that they can pull it off.