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<blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5764619" data-attributes="member: 27780"><p><strong><u>Dragon Magazine Issue 259: May 1999</u></strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>part 7/7</p><p></p><p></p><p>Armed & Dangerous: Alternity gets a second computer game conversion in a row, making me feel a little groundhog dayed. Are the writers doing this because they're genuinely fans of the games, or are they getting paid or paying for these bits of promotional material. Indeed, what is the official status of them, and why are they doing so many more suddenly? If the letters page is anything to go by, it doesn't seem to be due to reader demand. So anyway, this time they're doing Fallout 2. And mostly skipping the setting detail, instead giving us 4 pages of solid crunch on their weaponry, which is indeed pretty extensive, going from the basic spiked power fist, to the overkill of the turbo plasma rifle. What you get is very much what you pay for here. So overall, this is pretty dry, and not a huge amount of use unless you already know the game, or are just a gun fiend in general. Their promotional filler may not be quite as annoying as 5 years ago, but it's still not really what I want to see finishing off the month's articles. </p><p></p><p></p><p>This month's contest is a dungeon design one. Only 750 words to work with? Can't be a very big one then. On the plus side, the winners of the earlier competitions are starting to come in now. The CSS Nomad doesn't look bad at all, even if it makes me think of a ship from an old shoot-em-up. Their artists have done a good job representing it from above, below, and interior. </p><p></p><p>Shop keep faces the stupidity of reality. Dragonmirth should be relieved computers are still pretty stupid. Swordplay considers giving it all up. Actually, they do, since this is the last in the series. Guess these deaths are permanent for a change. KotDT make their GM give up. Again. This really is a one-joke series. </p><p></p><p></p><p>TSR Previews: Clerics get their turn at having all the spells ever produced for them compiled. Part one, anyway. Will it take 4 volumes like wizards spells and magic items did? </p><p></p><p>Dragonlance gets a double bill, partly rehashed. All the original series gets a 15th anniversary deluxe omnibus release with bonus features and conversion stuff for the Saga edition. This really is turning into the year of the rehash. There's also Reavers of the blood sea by Richard A Knaak. Yet another perspective on the chaos war, as it sweeps across the continents. </p><p></p><p>The realms gets another novel set in Waterdeep. Dream Spheres by Elaine Cunningham. Several familiar characters make an appearance. Woo. </p><p></p><p>Ravenloft continues it's Children of de niiiight series with one on Golems. 13 more named creatures with their own histories for you to build adventures around. Every monster a special experience, that's the Ravenloft way. </p><p></p><p>Alternity gets Killer Clack, a StarDrive adventure. More alien problems, leading you to explore their base, and possibly kill them all. It's the best way. </p><p></p><p></p><p>ProFiles: Sue Cook (nee Weinlein) is one of our editors. In fact she seems much happier as an editor than as a frontline writer. Of course, married to Monte, and discussing projects at home, the line between writer and editor probably gets blurred a bit. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Her current job is as head editor of Amazing Stories, as they attempt to relaunch it again. Since that flops and dies for good pretty soon, I'm not sure that's the best recommendation of her talents. She's also worked on the Dragonlance Saga game. (um, er. This isn't really making her look good, is it. ) So yeah, whatever her talents as an editor, her ability to pick the big profitable projects is definitely a bit dubious. I think I'll stop now, before the snark gets out of hand, and I say something I regret, as I do like quite a few things that she's worked on. Funny how these things can actually wind up not selling you on someone. </p><p></p><p></p><p>I enjoyed most of the regular columns in this one, but not the special features, which ironically felt like the more formulaic and tired parts this time around. I suppose that's just normal issue to issue fluctuations. It still felt like it was over noticably quicker, but not insubstantial like last time. So it leaves me reasonably positive, as the amount of continuity seems to be rising again. After a year of flailing, WotC is finally making it stick. I guess they're ready to write their own stories. At least, once the nostalgia celebrations are over. And I just bet next issue is going to be full of those.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="(un)reason, post: 5764619, member: 27780"] [B][U]Dragon Magazine Issue 259: May 1999[/U][/B] part 7/7 Armed & Dangerous: Alternity gets a second computer game conversion in a row, making me feel a little groundhog dayed. Are the writers doing this because they're genuinely fans of the games, or are they getting paid or paying for these bits of promotional material. Indeed, what is the official status of them, and why are they doing so many more suddenly? If the letters page is anything to go by, it doesn't seem to be due to reader demand. So anyway, this time they're doing Fallout 2. And mostly skipping the setting detail, instead giving us 4 pages of solid crunch on their weaponry, which is indeed pretty extensive, going from the basic spiked power fist, to the overkill of the turbo plasma rifle. What you get is very much what you pay for here. So overall, this is pretty dry, and not a huge amount of use unless you already know the game, or are just a gun fiend in general. Their promotional filler may not be quite as annoying as 5 years ago, but it's still not really what I want to see finishing off the month's articles. This month's contest is a dungeon design one. Only 750 words to work with? Can't be a very big one then. On the plus side, the winners of the earlier competitions are starting to come in now. The CSS Nomad doesn't look bad at all, even if it makes me think of a ship from an old shoot-em-up. Their artists have done a good job representing it from above, below, and interior. Shop keep faces the stupidity of reality. Dragonmirth should be relieved computers are still pretty stupid. Swordplay considers giving it all up. Actually, they do, since this is the last in the series. Guess these deaths are permanent for a change. KotDT make their GM give up. Again. This really is a one-joke series. TSR Previews: Clerics get their turn at having all the spells ever produced for them compiled. Part one, anyway. Will it take 4 volumes like wizards spells and magic items did? Dragonlance gets a double bill, partly rehashed. All the original series gets a 15th anniversary deluxe omnibus release with bonus features and conversion stuff for the Saga edition. This really is turning into the year of the rehash. There's also Reavers of the blood sea by Richard A Knaak. Yet another perspective on the chaos war, as it sweeps across the continents. The realms gets another novel set in Waterdeep. Dream Spheres by Elaine Cunningham. Several familiar characters make an appearance. Woo. Ravenloft continues it's Children of de niiiight series with one on Golems. 13 more named creatures with their own histories for you to build adventures around. Every monster a special experience, that's the Ravenloft way. Alternity gets Killer Clack, a StarDrive adventure. More alien problems, leading you to explore their base, and possibly kill them all. It's the best way. ProFiles: Sue Cook (nee Weinlein) is one of our editors. In fact she seems much happier as an editor than as a frontline writer. Of course, married to Monte, and discussing projects at home, the line between writer and editor probably gets blurred a bit. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Her current job is as head editor of Amazing Stories, as they attempt to relaunch it again. Since that flops and dies for good pretty soon, I'm not sure that's the best recommendation of her talents. She's also worked on the Dragonlance Saga game. (um, er. This isn't really making her look good, is it. ) So yeah, whatever her talents as an editor, her ability to pick the big profitable projects is definitely a bit dubious. I think I'll stop now, before the snark gets out of hand, and I say something I regret, as I do like quite a few things that she's worked on. Funny how these things can actually wind up not selling you on someone. I enjoyed most of the regular columns in this one, but not the special features, which ironically felt like the more formulaic and tired parts this time around. I suppose that's just normal issue to issue fluctuations. It still felt like it was over noticably quicker, but not insubstantial like last time. So it leaves me reasonably positive, as the amount of continuity seems to be rising again. After a year of flailing, WotC is finally making it stick. I guess they're ready to write their own stories. At least, once the nostalgia celebrations are over. And I just bet next issue is going to be full of those. [/QUOTE]
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