Dungeon #99 - Is the end near?

[Erithtotl]

I have to say issue #99 is the worst issue of Dungeon I've ever seen (admittedly, I've only been buying it off the newsstand for the last two and a half years or so).

One adventure? ONE? And at 26 pages (including ads, maps, etc) its not exceptionly long for Dungeon. It really is just 4 or 5 short (4 room/encounter) side-treks LOOSELY tied together with a plot. It's not badly written, and some of the encounters are interesting, but its nothing spectacular.

And thats it. One adventure. No side-treks. A couple critical threats and a couple maps.

Then we get half the issue filled with Polyhedron and a ridiciulous D20 minigame based on such classics as Scooby Doo.

When Polyhedron was just %15-%20 max the total content of Dungeon, I looked at it as an added bonus. It was sometimes fun to read, but since I just play D&D, its not real useful.

But now half the product I'm buying is being eaten up by this thing I don't want? And even though the magazine is HALF the size of the bi-monthly issues (including the aforementioned %50 Polyhedron content), it's only a dollar less, amounting to a %75 price increase!

I always thought Dungeon was one of the great (and only) values available to D&D gamers. Usually you got 3 or 4 (sometimes 5) QUALITY adventures for only $7-$8. For the same content, I would have gladly paid $10 if they'd asked. But now, assuming an average of 1.5 adventures per issue, I'm looking at $14 for 3 adventures, and I have to buy two issues with a large amount of content that I don't really want (but didn't mind when it didn't effect the quality of the rest of the magazine).

I realize that Dungeon and Polyhedron have been struggling lately. But I can only think this latest move is a huge mistake that will spell disaster for both publications.

 

[bwgwl]

Originally posted by Erithtotl
Then we get half the issue filled with Polyhedron and a ridiciulous D20 minigame based on such classics as Scooby Doo.

FWIW, i think Hijinks is one of the best d20 games published to date, by anyone. definitely worth the price of admission. yes, the Dungeon side of things was a little scant this issue, but that's not what i bought the magazine for.

 

[Piratecat]

I think it's great. Content every month instead of every two months, fantastic mini-games and a slew of ideas. Well worth my money.

They may need to jigger the balance a little, though! Make sure you let Paizo know how you feel (although they'll probably be reading this thread.)

 

[roytheodd]

One adventure? ONE? And at 26 pages (including ads, maps, etc) its not exceptionly long for Dungeon. It really is just 4 or 5 short (4 room/encounter) side-treks LOOSELY tied together with a plot. It's not badly written, and some of the encounters are interesting, but its nothing spectacular.

And thats it. One adventure. No side-treks. A couple critical threats and a couple maps.

It sounds like MTV and how they're really anything but Music Television.

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

I have to say issue #99 is the worst issue of Dungeon I've ever seen (admittedly, I've only been buying it off the newsstand for the last two and a half years or so).

When Polyhedron was just %15-%20 max the total content of Dungeon, I looked at it as an added bonus. It was sometimes fun to read, but since I just play D&D, its not real useful.

But now half the product I'm buying is being eaten up by this thing I don't want? And even though the magazine is HALF the size of the bi-monthly issues (including the aforementioned %50 Polyhedron content), it's only a dollar less, amounting to a %75 price increase!

Do you read the Dungeons you purchase? Every other month the lead magazine switches. The month you're complaining of is a "Polyhedron" month. If you don't like mini-games skip the odd months. The Dungeon months have MORE adventures than they used to.

Of course if you're skipping Poly you're really cutting yourself short. Hijinks was perhaps the best mini-game yet. It looks like great fun and a really inventive application of the exisiting rules.

Heck, this month it's ALL usable D&D crunchy goodness. The lich queen package has a huge collection of generally applicable feats. Some I'm not to certain on....(Improved Combat Reflexes? ewww...)

 

[Olive]

i likedthe one adventure tho... trying to decide whether to rip off the idea now and make my own adventure for the PCs t their current level, or whether to leave it and run is more or less as is when it becomes time...

 

[Erithtotl]

Re: Re: Dungeon #99 - Is the end near?

Do you read the Dungeons you purchase? Every other month the lead magazine switches. The month you're complaining of is a "Polyhedron" month. If you don't like mini-games skip the odd months.

I should ask you the same question. Issue #98 was the first of the so called flip-flopping issues. In that one, 40 pages were devoted to Polyhedron, 60 to Dungeon. So, on the 'good' weeks I'm still getting %40 Polyhedron content (vs. the %20-%30 or so when the magazine was bi-monthly).

"The Dungeon months have MORE adventures than they used to."

Absolutely, utterly incorrect. As pointed out below, issue #98 had 3 adventures and a sidetrek. Issue #99 had 1 adventure and 2 sidetreks.

Issue #97, the last bi-monthly issue (page counts approximate):
120 pages of Dungeon
60 pages of Polyhedron
3 full-length adventures, including 'Life's Bazaar, which was massive (nearly double the length of the adventure in issue #99)
1 side trek.

Total cost: $7.99 (4 cents per page, 6.6 cents per Dungeon page)

Issue #98 + Issue #99
100 pages of Dungeon (60 + 40)
100 pages of Polyhedron (40 + 60)
2 full length adventures (1 + 1)
2 side treks (2 + 0)

Total cost: $13.98 (7 cents per page, 14 cents per Dungeon page)

For those of us who read Dungeon for DUNGEONS, not only are we getting less content (even divided over two issues) but we're paying over TWICE as much for that content.

Of course if you're skipping Poly you're really cutting yourself short. Hijinks was perhaps the best mini-game yet. It looks like great fun and a really inventive application of the exisiting rules.

I actually don't mind Polyhedron. But its not why I buy the magazine. I don't play other games. Not because I hate them but because I have a job and a life and don't have time to play more than one. It was fine when it was a subordinate publication, but now its eating up half of the space, and at increased cost, it's becoming very disappointing.

 

[Piratecat]

Perhaps you're best off buying every other month on the newsstand, or splitting your subscription with a friend who likes the mini-games? That may help, I dunno.

Issue #100 is, in fact, all crunch. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll probably be pleased.

 

[SoulsFury]

I can't decide if I'm gonna renew my subscription. I think it depends on if they send me my #97 I requested since for some reason they skipped it.

Nik

 

[Brown Jenkin]

They may need to jigger the balance a little, though! Make sure you let Paizo know how you feel (although they'll probably be reading this thread.)

I stopped purchasing a few months back when this whole issue first came up. As a non-user of poly I also had issues with the cost per page increase of Dungeon and was willing to pay $10 an issue for Dungeon to survive. Pazio responded that this was a neccesary action so that they could sell more add space by having a higher subscription number, additionally there was a 50% overlap of dual subscribers and that people enjoyed the mini-games. What made me stop purchasing though in addition to its lower cost benefit analysis for me was Pazio's statement that if we don't like what they are doing with the magazine then we shouldn't buy it. Oh and they also suggested that we should stop our whining about how they run thier buisness. Oh well one long time reader lost but they don't seam to care so neither do I.