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<blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5976888" data-attributes="member: 27780"><p><strong><u>Dragon Issue 286: August 2001</u></strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>part 7/7</p><p></p><p></p><p>Dungeoncraft: Meanwhile, while Ray might be repeating himself, he's once again doing it better than last time round, giving us new angles on building a homebase that shows he's learnt from the last time he did it. Careful consideration of scale for the map, sketching out the mechanical details of the area, and a refinement of the taxation system introduced last time all fill out information about the world. This reveals that while 1st level characters won't have much chance against the guards, they will rapidly outpace them, and I'm pretty sure they'll be running roughshod over the security measures by 10th level. I suppose that's another thing about 3e many designers haven't picked up on. Because advancement is so much faster and there's NPC classes to choose from as well, it's easier to justify having a range of levels in your everyday folks, making them less fragile and easily exploited. If he gets to do this a third time with the benefit of a decent amount of actual play, this will probably turn out differently again. So really, this shows that some things lose impact with repetition, while others improve, and worldbuilding definitely rewards repeated practice. There's so much to learn, and so many different ways to go about it that it shouldn't get boring, even after you've made dozens of different worlds. So put the work in to get better if you want to be a great GM. </p><p></p><p></p><p>PC Portraits: This column isn't part of the theme for a change, as using named characters would kinda miss the point. Instead, they set a fairly big name free to do whatever he likes. And the result sure does have a lot of ear and nose rings. And a slightly feline looking pope. With the overall emphasis on savagery and tribal dressings, most of these would be pretty appropriate for the world Ray's developing at the moment. So it does seem pretty fitting with the overall direction of the magazine at the moment. Let's keep things punk for a little while longer before moving on entirely. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Role models: This column has a sudden attack of executive meddling, being tied into their new Chainmail minis game. And so they give you advice specifically aimed at those minis, and large scale wargaming in general. If you're going to paint 'em all in a reasonable period of time, you'll need to start practicing those mass production techniques, doing one part on each model, and then moving on to the next one while letting that bit dry. So this is somewhat more advanced advice than they've done before, but it also has very cynical motivations promoting the latest product. Guess this column continues to have a fairly unstable position in the office making it the first in line when they want to shuffle things around. I am very dubious about it's prospects for long-term survival. </p><p></p><p></p><p>DM's toolbox: This column isn't quite as obviously promotion as the last one, but it does have a commercial agenda. Making you feel that you need all sorts of physical widgets to make your game run better, so they can sell you something in the future. Aka the health & beauty mag approach to manufacturing demand. People might want something, but they don't know it yet, and you make them want it by social pressure and advertising, telling them they're incomplete without the latest style, and their friends will look down on them. Buy buy buy! Fill your room with knick-knacks! Preferably official ones, but 3rd party products are better than nothing. Whatever happened to using your memory? This isn't a direction I'm keen on. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Dragonmirth is very topical indeed. That's what happens when you assign value to intangibles. What's new rules the world. What a fun job to have. Put aside your tears and fears and go for it. </p><p></p><p></p><p>This definitely qualifies as an interestingly different issue, even if it isn't that great overall. And it does make them feel like they're more connected to the outside world again, experimenting with novels outside the company, and miniature wargaming again. If they can couple that with good writing, they can continue to avoid the repetition that plagued the late 90's quite nicely and broaden the magazine's appeal along the way.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="(un)reason, post: 5976888, member: 27780"] [B][U]Dragon Issue 286: August 2001[/U][/B] part 7/7 Dungeoncraft: Meanwhile, while Ray might be repeating himself, he's once again doing it better than last time round, giving us new angles on building a homebase that shows he's learnt from the last time he did it. Careful consideration of scale for the map, sketching out the mechanical details of the area, and a refinement of the taxation system introduced last time all fill out information about the world. This reveals that while 1st level characters won't have much chance against the guards, they will rapidly outpace them, and I'm pretty sure they'll be running roughshod over the security measures by 10th level. I suppose that's another thing about 3e many designers haven't picked up on. Because advancement is so much faster and there's NPC classes to choose from as well, it's easier to justify having a range of levels in your everyday folks, making them less fragile and easily exploited. If he gets to do this a third time with the benefit of a decent amount of actual play, this will probably turn out differently again. So really, this shows that some things lose impact with repetition, while others improve, and worldbuilding definitely rewards repeated practice. There's so much to learn, and so many different ways to go about it that it shouldn't get boring, even after you've made dozens of different worlds. So put the work in to get better if you want to be a great GM. PC Portraits: This column isn't part of the theme for a change, as using named characters would kinda miss the point. Instead, they set a fairly big name free to do whatever he likes. And the result sure does have a lot of ear and nose rings. And a slightly feline looking pope. With the overall emphasis on savagery and tribal dressings, most of these would be pretty appropriate for the world Ray's developing at the moment. So it does seem pretty fitting with the overall direction of the magazine at the moment. Let's keep things punk for a little while longer before moving on entirely. Role models: This column has a sudden attack of executive meddling, being tied into their new Chainmail minis game. And so they give you advice specifically aimed at those minis, and large scale wargaming in general. If you're going to paint 'em all in a reasonable period of time, you'll need to start practicing those mass production techniques, doing one part on each model, and then moving on to the next one while letting that bit dry. So this is somewhat more advanced advice than they've done before, but it also has very cynical motivations promoting the latest product. Guess this column continues to have a fairly unstable position in the office making it the first in line when they want to shuffle things around. I am very dubious about it's prospects for long-term survival. DM's toolbox: This column isn't quite as obviously promotion as the last one, but it does have a commercial agenda. Making you feel that you need all sorts of physical widgets to make your game run better, so they can sell you something in the future. Aka the health & beauty mag approach to manufacturing demand. People might want something, but they don't know it yet, and you make them want it by social pressure and advertising, telling them they're incomplete without the latest style, and their friends will look down on them. Buy buy buy! Fill your room with knick-knacks! Preferably official ones, but 3rd party products are better than nothing. Whatever happened to using your memory? This isn't a direction I'm keen on. Dragonmirth is very topical indeed. That's what happens when you assign value to intangibles. What's new rules the world. What a fun job to have. Put aside your tears and fears and go for it. This definitely qualifies as an interestingly different issue, even if it isn't that great overall. And it does make them feel like they're more connected to the outside world again, experimenting with novels outside the company, and miniature wargaming again. If they can couple that with good writing, they can continue to avoid the repetition that plagued the late 90's quite nicely and broaden the magazine's appeal along the way. [/QUOTE]
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