Dragon Bashing- Why is it en vogue?

[hong]

Dragon bashing has always been en vogue. Scientists have proved that anyone who claims never to have bashed a dragon either has a very bad memory, or is lying. Why, I am bashing my dragon RIGHT NOW, if you know what I mean, et al etcetera ad nauseum.

 

[RedCliff]

But since we're talking about our personal likes and dislikes here, I have no use for the fiction nor the Silicon Sorcery section. If I want info about computer games, I'll visit Gamespot, to which I subscribe. I read Dragon for it's relevance to my RPGs, not my CRPGs.

I see this sort of comment a lot, and I used to think the same thing before I read a few of the columns. They only have relevance to the computer game in that the computer game provides the inspiration for the D&D material. You'll typically get a little background, and then it's on to the crunchy bits. Writers are told specifically not to review the game, but write some D&D material based on it (I know because I've written a few recently). Really, it's little different from creating D&D material from a novel series, like the Shannara issue or the upcoming Westeros issue.

But to avoid hijacking this thread, I'll throw in my two cents on Dragon. In general, I've been very happy with it since it began covering 3E, and even moreso lately. I'd let my long running subscription lapse years ago because the magazine failed to excite me at all anymore, but these days I find myself thinking of ways to use the new material presented each month. Some issues are better than others (I loved the world building issue, but didn't find too much of use in the Shannara issue, for example), but in general I'll find something I want to work with.

The only thing I'd like to see more of are some more role playing articles that are less rules intensive. For example, I was incredibly excited about the article in this month's magazine about playing a character with a dark past, or an evil character on the path of redemption. I love this dramatic troupe, and couldn't wait to get at the article. Unfortunately, most of the material was a build up to an alignment tracking system; I'd been hoping for something less tangible, something more along the lines of role-playing tips rather than book keeping systems. They've had articles like this in the past (the piece entitled "So You Rolled a 3" was fantastic), and I'd like to seem more of them in the future. When done, they tend to be done very well.

 

[WizarDru]

What specifically makes you hate Dragon?

I don't. Kinda leadin' the witness there, aren't ya? I'm not thrilled with the current cover, and I'd like to see those (IMHO) poorly executed computer game articles go away, but these are minor quibbles. I actually like the idea of the computer game articles...they just never seem to work for me, though.

What would you like to see in Dragon?

Exactly what I'm seeing now, minus the two things mentioned. I think Dragon is better and more useful now than it was for YEARS, and I want that to continue. I'd just much rather have had some of the new demons on the cover, maybe battling a party, than Seductress 234a (tm).

 

[Dinkeldog]

There have been some issues lately with delivery to European subscribers. (and that's as far as that topic is going to go in this thread--keep it civil, please).

 

[Steverooo]

Does Paizo's Dragon ever answer its E-mail?

2- I can't off the top of my head think of any other magazine (or any other other hobby for that matter) that has the editor, writters, publishers respond to its readers so timely and listen to our critisims. I think its great Pazio takes the time to respond to us when we have questions and concerns.

I sent in an article query... what?... Almost two months ago? After the first month, I sent a follow-up, with more detail. To date, I still have received no answer. It would be nice if they did respond, at least with a polite "No thank you!"

 

[Psion]

What specifically makes you hate Dragon?

I don't hate Dragon. I do find some of the trends disturbing,. They quality was very high for the first 10 or so issues after the 3e issue, but it seems to have gone down since then.

To insinuate that since I am critical of Dragon implies that I hate dragon is erroneous. I like Dragon (an in fact, if you do a quick search, you will find I praised issue #304), I just seems to me that some trends threaten to make the magazine that is less and less useful, and I hope that by speaking up I will, in the end, have a more useful magazine. Jesse Decker and Matt Sernett, and the various contributers have done some good work; I know they can do it.

What would you like to see in Dragon?

Disclaimer, you did ask what I like, so I would ask readers to not pounce on me for being selfish or unrealistic. (Not that I think I am, BID.)

1. The Return of the Annual sans advertorials - If you dig in the publishers forum, you will find a statement by Johnny Wilson that says the reason the annual went away is because people complained about it.
   
   He rather missed the point, I think. The thing people were complaining about was the fact that the d20 issue was composed almost exclusively of material reprinted from d20 products. In essence, it was an ad.
   
   The Annual needs to come back and it needs to be all new material.
   
2. Less low brow marketing - There is a thread about the latest cover, so I won't presume to repeat it here. Further, in addition to better covers, I really think Dragon could do without the sensational declarations on the cover. That's just so grocery-store. This is not the enquirer.
   
3. Less Fiction - Preferably none. If you want fantasy fiction, there are magazines out there like SF/F dedicated to this. If there is fiction, it should be game related. Dragon is a D&D magazine.
   
4. Less "Family Hostile" Content - To be fair, an editorial in the last Dungeon indicates that Paizo intends to ease up a little on this, which is good.
   
   Paizo's usual defense is "our marketing data shows that a very small portion of our audience is under 18." Okay, but do they presume that people over 18 want this sort of content. I don't, and I am far from the only person here to express such.
   
   It would be different if this was a stand alone product we were talking about here, like the BoVD. You could buy it if the content pleases you, skip it otherwise. But this is a Magazine, and I did not subrcibe to Fantasmagora or something.
   
   As I said, Paizo has promised to lighten up here; let's just hope they follow through.
   
5. Lighten up on the "Themes" - Theme issues seem to be every issue now. This has multiple problems.
   
   First off, themes often center around an upcoming product. This gives readers the impression that they are paying for a marketing hook, perhaps rightly so. One or two articles that tie into the product is okay, but that should be it.
   
   Second, if you don't like the theme and the theme is very specific, then very little of that issue would be useful to you. Again, this is a case of "this wouldn't be a problem if we weren't talking about a magazine." But we are.
   
   Third, it seems as if the theme heavy issues have the weaker/less useful article. It almost seems as if in coming up with enough articles to support an issue-wide theme, they have to dredge the bottom of the barrel for articles. I think it is a good policy to select the best articles, not the ones that fit the theme.
   
   As always, when speaking of this issue, I point back to the halfling theme issue as an example of what to do. It had a couple of nice articles on halflings, but it also had other strong articles in the issue, such as two very nice elemental articles.
   
   What I would like to see here is: keep themes light. Further, don't insist on a theme every issue. A potpourri is nice now and then.
   
6. Less "campaign specific" material - Again, to be fair, Dragon has improved here, and most articles that adress the realms or Greyhawk are fairly adaptable. That said, I don't think these articles need to be compulsory at all. Back when this was a major issue (I think it was pre-Paizo), Dragons defense was the the realms are the most played campaign. That may be true in terms of plurality, but the majority of players do not play the Realms; more play homebrews, and there are more people overall that do not play the realms. That being the case, the more generic and adaptable the material is, the better.
   [/list=1]

 

[drnuncheon]

What's Best About Dragon:

Dungeoncraft - either Ray Winninger's or Monte Cook's version.

DM's Toolbox - we need more Johnn Four! (and if you don't subscribe to RoleplayingTips, you should!)

Campaign Components - These have universally been excellent, and I'd like to see them continue. One that focused on something other than fighters would be great - while there are certainly ways to use all of the classes, you ave to admit that knights, gladiators, and swashbucklers are all traditionally 'fighting' oriented. How about 'Crime'? How to run a thieves' guild-centered campaign, with how the various classes can fit into guild activities, etc. Or 'University'. 'Temple' or 'Crusade'. 'Performers'. Maybe these wouldn't have as much appeal as Knights and Gladiators, I'm not sure.

Lighten up on the "Themes" - Theme issues seem to be every issue now. This has multiple problems.

Ironically, they're getting mixed signals here. I remember a lot of people complaining when the so-called "Mercenaries" issue came out, and there was a single article on a single group of mercenaries.

Really, it seems like about half of the issues lately have a strong 'theme'. That's not too bad. (Strong theme in the last year: Castles, Epic, Drow, Knights, maybe Vile, Swashbucklers, Gladiators. 'Weak' themes: maybe Worldbuilding, Deities, Anniversary, Magic, Mercenaries, Urban. Note that the number of 'weak themes' has been increasing lately - and when I say 'weak' I mean that the theme does not dominate the issue, not that the theme is a weak concept!)

Less Fiction - Preferably none. If you want fantasy fiction, there are magazines out there like SF/F dedicated to this. If there is fiction, it should be game related. Dragon is a D&D magazine.

I'd rather have no fiction at all. But if I have fiction, I'd rather have it be by the likes of George R.R. Martin and Gregory Keyes than I would by T.H.Lain. The gaming fiction isn't half as inspiring as the other stuff. Compare the excerpt from A Feast of Crows in #305 with the lead-in to The Bloody Eye from #303 to see what I mean.

Gaming fiction always struck me as vaguely incestuous anyway. So many people play RPGs to be the star of their own fantasy novel, and D&D in particular is constructed to mimic the fantasy tropes. But if you get all your inspiration from stuff that's based on D&D in the first place...

J

 

[Sagan Darkside]

Or just stick your tongue out at me.

Since you are making presumptions and out right insulting my opinion about the current direction of Dragon by reducing it to some "en vogue" trend- do you really think you are going to get a response?

I think I have had enough of this place for today (gee.. only 10 am this time).

have fun
SD

 

[Psion]

Ironically, they're getting mixed signals here. I remember a lot of people complaining when the so-called "Mercenaries" issue came out, and there was a single article on a single group of mercenaries.

You mean the issue I pointed to earlier in the post as a good example?

 

[John Crichton]

You mean the issue I pointed to earlier in the post as a good example?

I didn't think much of that article until I read it a second time. Then I liked it for what it was: inspiration for my game; rules optional.