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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ferghis" data-source="post: 5108447" data-attributes="member: 40483">I'll really regret posting this if you take this as trolling, but being, by far, a player and not a DM, I don't read adventures that much, to preserve the mistery in the off-chance that I might play in them. Therefore, I'm unable to really make any superstar comments. To avoid such spoilers, I've also skipped over most of this thread, which otherwise would be a pretty rude thing for me to do. However, I have been playing the game since the 80s, and follow the industry with interest. A dear friend who I grew up with runs a gaming store, so, in particular, I follow some of the economics of the industry. For example, I'm an eager reader of Steve Jackson's annual report, the most recent of which should be coming out soon: <a href="http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=4418&page=15" target="_blank">Report To The Stakeholders - Page 15 - Steve Jackson Games Forums</a>My first though is this: have you considered paying adventure makers more? I can't say I know exactly what you pay them currently, but my impression is that it's less than they used to make. And I have doubts as to whether you are in a position even suggest such a notion to those that could make decision. Nonetheless, I can't help but wonder if you, or your task force, have discussed this idea. I say this because the low pay may (and I do mean may) help explain why those who do author better adventures prefer to do that work outside of WotC. But also because I think better incentives may help foster better work from those that do submit their adventure ideas to WotC. Further, I fear that vague references to "the economy" stifle the real utility that "more money" may have when invested in specific ways. After all, a bad economy means that you have to be more careful where you spend your money, not that you should stop spending money.I don't pretend that this alone may be the only solution, and, again, pre-emptive apologies if I am out-of-place or offend anyone when making this suggestion. But you asked what my thought was, and the above was my first thought.My second thought is: make more and better skill challenges. I hear experienced, talented, and hard-working DMs that have only vague ideas of how to setup skill challenges. Giving them good, milestone-worthy skill challenges would greatly assist them in making their own. For example, I would love to see the effect that the adventurers can have on a large scale battle determined by a skill challenge of some kind. Or, put together some epic skill challenges that have the players administering a territory. Or, since sending one character alone to scout has become less feasible in 4e, make scouting skill challenges that only cost the party surges if failed (whereas otherwise, a failed scouting mission would cost the party a character).I realize these suggestions are perhaps better incorporated into another DMG, but the truth is that most DMs I know buy adventures to cannibalize the ideas therein for their own adventures. Rarely do they buy and play an adventure as-is. This is, in part, what the points-of-light setting realizes. So, my hope in putting out my second though is to provide you with something I see a need for in adventures. Because any DM will be happy to read a great skill challenge in an adventure.</blockquote>

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