Dungeon #187 - first issue with 0 adventures?

[delericho]

Sure there is.

Consistency.

WoTC has failed to provide consistant Dungeon crawling adventure paths since, well, they took over.

I'd go further than that - IMO, WotC have only ever produced a handful of good adventures, ever. There have been some very poor ones, quite a lot of mediocre ones, and a few that have great bits, but needed a lot of work to make shine. But only a few adventures have been good out of the box.

The thing is, though, I don't believe WotC can't do good adventures, and can't do them consistently. It's just that they haven't, for whatever reason.

I'm not saying every AP Paizo puts out is high art or something. But every month if you want it, since Pathfinder started coming out, you could go to the store and get an adventure that would increase in level till it reached its climax.

True. But there's nothing magical about what Paizo does. And, indeed, they has been a marked improvement in Paizo's output - "Serpent's Skull" is quite similar in concept to "Shackled City", but the level of polish is worlds away.

It would take time and effort, but I honestly don't believe it is beyond WotC to rebuild their reputation, and to put out consistently good adventures. Whether they want to do so, and are willing to put in the resource, time and effort, is another question.

All IMO, of course.

 

[the Jester]

I have seen people talk about the lack of adventures at a certain level, and I don't get it.... if an adventure or set of encounters from several is 'right' but for the level, why not just bump it up or bring it down?

I'm fine with adjusting the levels of things. That's not the problem; the problem is that I am paying to have to do all the work myself when it is just about as easy, and certainly more satisfying to my creative itch and more integrated into the campaign, for me to completely write the adventure myself.

 

[Riley]

So I signed up for three months of DDI back in December, and I just submitted (something very similar to) this to WOTC Customer Service:

I want to let you know that I am very unhappy with the money that I have given you for a subscription to DDI, because you have failed to deliver what you promised on the subscription page for DDI. On that page, it says:

"Dungeon Magazine provides Dungeon Masters with several new adventures every month, as well as insightful articles intended to provide DMs with new monsters and villains, world-building advice, and new plots for their own adventures."

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Subscription

You have not fulfilled this promise. Rather, in the 2 1/2 months since I signed up for a 3 month subscription on December 23, you have offered only three delve-sized mini-adventures: the 3-encounter "The Sunken Tower of the Marsh Mystic" delve, the 3-encounter "Runecutter’s Ruin" delve, and the 2-encounter "Andok Sur." And when you get down to it, "Andok Sur" isn't even a Delve. It is, as you say, an "adventure locale [which] features two encounters that you can use in any D&D campaign setting."

I'm a fairly easy sell, and I have been a regular subscriber/purchaser of Dungeon and Dragon for decades. I still have a cherished complete set of Dungeon Magazines, and of Dragon Magazines from #37 to the end. Not to mention books, and 2 years and 2 1/2 months as a DDI subscriber.

But DDI has, unfortunately, become thoroughly unacceptable in its (lack of) content in recent months. Two-and-a-half mini-adventures in two-and-a-half months remains very far short of "several new adventures every month." I feel ripped off, and very unsatisfied with your failure to deliver the content that you promised when I subscribed.

Please contact me to let me know your intentions. I would like to continue to be a Dungeon/Dragon subscriber, but that seems difficult to justify under the present circumstances.

Sincerely,

I don't know that it will help. Truth is, I want to find a reason to continue my DDI subscription. But this lack of content is just ridiculous.

 

[Aegeri]

What makes it worse is judging from the map gallery it's also a proper actual adventure (not a craptacular delve). So it's something I actually want and it's not out.

Plus it's Dark Sun.

 

[MrMyth]

I don't know that it will help. Truth is, I want to find a reason to continue my DDI subscription. But this lack of content is just ridiculous.

If they don't seem willing to listen to your point, you may wish to quote not just the description on the DDI page that refers to "several adventures", but also the blurb from the main D&D webpage - when you scroll over the Dungeon logo, it describes it as providing "2-3 adventures every month."

 

[Incenjucar]

Writing letters is always good. Forum posts are going to have little to no effect, but letters tend to be taken more seriously.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

If Mudbunny sees them, he will pass along particularly strong or poignant posts to WotC. It can have an effect. He isn't the only pair of eyes WotC has here either, at the largest 3rd party discussion forum of their D&D brand.

 

[renau1g]

Direct conversation is always better. There's too much noise on forums (both their own or here) to sift through. A well thought out email detailing your issues with the offering will be better than that same post here or on wizards boards.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

Direct conversation is always better. There's too much noise on forums (both their own or here) to sift through. A well thought out email detailing your issues with the offering will be better than that same post here or on wizards boards.

I don't dispute that it is undoubtedly better to contact them directly, only pointing out that they do listen to what people are saying on forums, and that it can have a non-zero impact.

 

[renau1g]

Ah, sorry, my misunderstanding. Yes, mudbunny does some excellent work. I hope they pay him in lots of xp's