Blog posts on DDI should be free

[Mark]

I just read the interview with James Wyatt from Dungeon Mastering. Within the text, was a link to a column that James Wyatt wrote, concerning the perception that characters do not have as many options in 4e as they did in previous editions.

He's referring to the Dungeoncraft column from Dungeon 173 (December 2009), not a blog post.

Those columns that specifically offer a defense of the system should probably be free to maximize their impact.

Why would they target this type of content only at paying customers?

 

[Shroomy]

Why would they target this type of content only at paying customers?

The column in question is not really a defense of the system or an exploration of player psychology, in fact, Wyatt's musings on the subject are mostly confined to the first two paragraphs of the column and mainly serve as a segue into what is its real subject...giving advice to DMs on how to insert interesting things into their adventures for their players to interact with.

 

[Mournblade94]

Sounds like it wasn't a blog post, but an editorial article.

You had to pay to read those when the magazine existed in paper form.

Unless you're one of those people that read the magazine in the store and never bought it.

I very often read PARTS of a magazine before I bought it. Sometimes I just read an article and never bought the magazine, othertimes I bought the magazine for the cover. Sometimes I read the entire issue of Dragon while I was hanging around the store. In Barnes and Noble now I very often just bring magazines into the coffee shop and read them there, without purchasing them. I don't see anything wrong with that at all.

When the magazine was in print, you could flip through it and decide whether or not you wanted to buy it. You cannot do that now.

DDi subscriptions are really cheap so just subscribe. Problem solved.

Actually there is no problem. Really though, why would I subscribe if I am not a fan of 4e. It would be wasted dollars. I am certainly not going to demand these things be free "or else".

The column in question is not really a defense of the system or an exploration of player psychology, in fact, Wyatt's musings on the subject are mostly confined to the first two paragraphs of the column and mainly serve as a segue into what is its real subject...giving advice to DMs on how to insert interesting things into their adventures for their players to interact with.

That is fair enough. From James Wyatt's interview I thought it rebuttal to criticism.

I am not interested in the playing advice or system advice. I was specifically referring to editorial columns and opinion columns.

 

[Paul_Klein]

I very often read PARTS of a magazine before I bought it. Sometimes I just read an article and never bought the magazine, othertimes I bought the magazine for the cover. Sometimes I read the entire issue of Dragon while I was hanging around the store. In Barnes and Noble now I very often just bring magazines into the coffee shop and read them there, without purchasing them. I don't see anything wrong with that at all.

Yes, and I'm sure WotC/Paizo/TSR just loved that aspect of magazines. Paying dozens of peoples' salaries to produce something you read for free while drinking a coffee that cost almost as much a magazine.

Is it really any surprise things are the way they are now?

 

[vagabundo]

There is enough information out in the wild right now to make an informed decision on whether someone will or won't like 4e.

I don't think the designers need to defend the system - and really it shouldn't be attacked either, there are plenty of alternatives.

 

[Mournblade94]

Yes, and I'm sure WotC/Paizo/TSR just loved that aspect of magazines. Paying dozens of peoples' salaries to produce something you read for free while drinking a coffee that cost almost as much a magazine.

Is it really any surprise things are the way they are now?

Actually I didn't drink coffee. I don't like it. I either drank diet soda or bottles of water.

In general I really don't care what the company that publishes the magazine thinks about me reading it in the store. I would not open the shrink wrap. If I bought every magazine from which I read articles, I would not have any money to eat. I broke down and subscribed to Scientific American and Game Informer since I read those cover to cover in general.

Ultimately, it does not make that much difference to me. I don't think the company should be obliged to make it free, but I thought it might actually serve WOTC to do so on some occasion.

 

[Vascant]

I may have a different way of getting to the same opinion, I am fairly sure there are many people like myself who just never switched to 4e for one reason or another. As time goes by there really is nothing coming out from WotC to peek interest, you no longer can read up on a few things in Dragon Magazine like you once did, what will draw those gamers like myself back to the current edition? Now I am the first to admit, perhaps my view might be only a small market share or even just my view alone but I know for myself I would have never purchased an Eberron book based on what was being said on forums instead it came from a few articles in a magazine and suddenly I was buying all the Eberron books (even though never played it or will play but I do steal some idiots from them).

 

[Mark]

The column in question is not really a defense of the system or an exploration of player psychology, in fact, Wyatt's musings on the subject are mostly confined to the first two paragraphs of the column and mainly serve as a segue into what is its real subject...giving advice to DMs on how to insert interesting things into their adventures for their players to interact with.

Ah, thanks. Sounds like the editor allowed some system defense blather to get into an otherwise useful article. They must be geting a lot of feedback complaining about the number of player options to have it so front and center in their minds. My own experience with 4E wouldn't bring to mind too few options being a problem so much as the options available being narrowly written and too geared toward combat only.

 

[Hussar]

I very often read PARTS of a magazine before I bought it. Sometimes I just read an article and never bought the magazine, othertimes I bought the magazine for the cover. Sometimes I read the entire issue of Dragon while I was hanging around the store. In Barnes and Noble now I very often just bring magazines into the coffee shop and read them there, without purchasing them. I don't see anything wrong with that at all.

So, in other words, you abused the bookstore by reading an entire magazine then put it back on the rack, completely ignoring supporting the writers or the company that produced that product and now, you're complaining that you can no longer do that.

And people wonder why print magazines are dying in droves.

 

[Mournblade94]

So, in other words, you abused the bookstore by reading an entire magazine then put it back on the rack,

Yes, yes I did. Often magazines are left in the coffee shop as well. B&N seems to have no problem with it. I worked in a bookstore. I do not think it felt the abuse.

completely ignoring supporting the writers or the company that produced that product and now

No quite the contrary I support them by reading the work. Occasionally I buy the magazine if it is worth the money. I suppose I am an immoral human being. I will probably just wallow in hell, since I read an article in Scottish Heritage tonight without paying for it. It was an article on Glen Coe. I have bought this magazine often in the past. Tonight I chose not to because there were not that many interesting articles within this month.

I am quite OK with my moral failing I suppose.

, you're complaining that you can no longer do that.

No not REALLY. It would be nice to read the occasional column but really I am quite over it. There is no content in Dragon I would need.

And people wonder why print magazines are dying in droves.

People have been reading magazines for decades without paying for them. When you visit B&N or a large borders watch what people are doing at the magazine racks. They are reading them. Terrible people each and every one.

The fading of print has very little to do with people reading magazines in bookstores. I guarantee I have bought MORE magazines because I was able to read an article here or there. Large bookstores know that. It is a customer draw.

DDI making nothing free will not cause me any angst.