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<blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5972051" data-attributes="member: 27780"><p><strong><u>Dragon Issue 285: July 2001</u></strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>part 7/7</p><p></p><p></p><p>Dungeoncraft: Homebase time again. Having spent quite a while discussing the larger scale stuff, Ray goes back to this topic, to give us somewhere halfway safe for our PC's to come from. And he goes for the classic route of making it a casablanca in a hostile world, a place where people of all tribes and races can meet up in an uneasy peace. Gotta have one of those in your world, even if it is a few orders of magnitude smaller than Sigil or Waterdeep. And has bloody high taxes too, charged each time you enter, which is designed to keep the players from just popping in and out every time they need a healbot. So here you see him juggling the essential needs of a game, with the desire to make his new world non-stereotypical. Which means this is different from the first time around, and probably a little better. You'll be able to assemble a decent set of equipment, but even once you've got a few levels up, you'll still have to work to get in and out of here, and uncover it's secrets. And the world outside will remain big and hostile. Let's try and get that challenge rating just right in the next instalment. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Role models: Most of this column is devoted to how you paint and otherwise customise the base of your minis. After all, we've covered people and creatures, but a good base really finishes a model off. Of course, it also makes them look stupid if you put a particular terrain type on the base, and then use the mini in a different context. But that's only a problem if you have a limited supply of minis and space. That's the advantage and disadvantage of specialisation. Varnishing, on the other hand, makes your minis look cooler and last longer, so it's kinda a no-brainer. So it's the part that's more likely to be a problem that gets the most attention. Which makes sense, I guess. This column is still building on it's previous instalments nicely, but talking about finishing up makes me wonder where it's going to head next. They've introduced a lot of new columns recently. Will this one be on the chopping block or retooled again? </p><p></p><p></p><p>DM's toolbox: Ah yes, shifting the focus from adventures, worlds, or campaigns to Encounters as the basic building block of your play. I was wondering when that was going to start. Here we kick off the process that would eventually lead to D&D Encounters being one of the cornerstones of their organised play. This does have advantages in that smaller blocks are more modular and able to be inserted into an existing game. The problem becomes when those blocks are almost exclusively combat encounters, and the DM doesn't put effort into building them into part of a larger continuity in their own campaign. So this article approaches adventure building from a different perspective than we're used to here, and is notable as a historical landmark. But I also have a sense of forboding about this. They've already reduced their coverage of settings by a fair chunk. And I'm quite aware that they can do a lot more on that front. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Dragonmirth applies real world analogies to fantasy tropes again. What's new gets JRR Tolkien in. Ya Srysly. Hilarity ensues. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Not one of their better issues, as halflings prove to be a tricky subject to build an entire issue around. While they have refined their art style in recent issues, they are probably still trying too hard to be cool and modern rather than timeless and classic. No matter how you try, halflings will never be as ubiquitous as elves and dwarves. Just accept it, and give us a good few years before you do this topic again. So, what's next? O_O Broooooooooooooooksssssssssssss! :shakes fist:</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="(un)reason, post: 5972051, member: 27780"] [B][U]Dragon Issue 285: July 2001[/U][/B] part 7/7 Dungeoncraft: Homebase time again. Having spent quite a while discussing the larger scale stuff, Ray goes back to this topic, to give us somewhere halfway safe for our PC's to come from. And he goes for the classic route of making it a casablanca in a hostile world, a place where people of all tribes and races can meet up in an uneasy peace. Gotta have one of those in your world, even if it is a few orders of magnitude smaller than Sigil or Waterdeep. And has bloody high taxes too, charged each time you enter, which is designed to keep the players from just popping in and out every time they need a healbot. So here you see him juggling the essential needs of a game, with the desire to make his new world non-stereotypical. Which means this is different from the first time around, and probably a little better. You'll be able to assemble a decent set of equipment, but even once you've got a few levels up, you'll still have to work to get in and out of here, and uncover it's secrets. And the world outside will remain big and hostile. Let's try and get that challenge rating just right in the next instalment. Role models: Most of this column is devoted to how you paint and otherwise customise the base of your minis. After all, we've covered people and creatures, but a good base really finishes a model off. Of course, it also makes them look stupid if you put a particular terrain type on the base, and then use the mini in a different context. But that's only a problem if you have a limited supply of minis and space. That's the advantage and disadvantage of specialisation. Varnishing, on the other hand, makes your minis look cooler and last longer, so it's kinda a no-brainer. So it's the part that's more likely to be a problem that gets the most attention. Which makes sense, I guess. This column is still building on it's previous instalments nicely, but talking about finishing up makes me wonder where it's going to head next. They've introduced a lot of new columns recently. Will this one be on the chopping block or retooled again? DM's toolbox: Ah yes, shifting the focus from adventures, worlds, or campaigns to Encounters as the basic building block of your play. I was wondering when that was going to start. Here we kick off the process that would eventually lead to D&D Encounters being one of the cornerstones of their organised play. This does have advantages in that smaller blocks are more modular and able to be inserted into an existing game. The problem becomes when those blocks are almost exclusively combat encounters, and the DM doesn't put effort into building them into part of a larger continuity in their own campaign. So this article approaches adventure building from a different perspective than we're used to here, and is notable as a historical landmark. But I also have a sense of forboding about this. They've already reduced their coverage of settings by a fair chunk. And I'm quite aware that they can do a lot more on that front. Dragonmirth applies real world analogies to fantasy tropes again. What's new gets JRR Tolkien in. Ya Srysly. Hilarity ensues. Not one of their better issues, as halflings prove to be a tricky subject to build an entire issue around. While they have refined their art style in recent issues, they are probably still trying too hard to be cool and modern rather than timeless and classic. No matter how you try, halflings will never be as ubiquitous as elves and dwarves. Just accept it, and give us a good few years before you do this topic again. So, what's next? O_O Broooooooooooooooksssssssssssss! :shakes fist: [/QUOTE]
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