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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5655740" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Magazine Issue 243: January 1998part 1/8124 pages. Another new year, another layout revamp. Well, considering how fast things slid under the last one, they'd be mugs to stick with it. In some ways it feels like a return to 80's layout, with more narrow vertical columns and bright primary colours. But in other ways it's clearer and more sophisticated looking. It's pretty obvious that these days, everything is being laid out on a computer, rather than cut around physically. But that does also mean they can switch colours and fonts around a little too easily, and wind up with clashing combinations. The novelty will wear off eventually. Let's see if there's any novel stuff in the contents. In this issue:Baldur's gate! One of the most fondly remembered D&D computer games coming soon. Cool. The wyrm's turn is back to making efficient use of it's space again, with the header and staff credits reduced in size, so they can actually get more written. And as part of their second attempt to get back to basics, they're also trying to get back to actually playing the game, instead of just working on it. Many of them haven't played properly in years, which of course didn't help when it came to making good supplements in the last few years of TSR. And it's no surprise that they're not using any of those supplements in their actual play either, instead going for an old skool module that they might remember if time hadn't blurred the details. So really, this illustrates the gulf between the written books and actual play that's really grown up in recent years, and is probably one of the things that contributed to people drifting away. Close that gap, and you've got a better chance of attracting and keeping players. So a valuable lesson to be found in this month's editorial, even if it is hidden as a gaming anecdote. One that they do pay attention too, if I remember correctly how big the list of playtesters for 3e was. D-Mail: We start off with a request from the assistant editor for more letters. They aren't getting enough! I think the cause of that problem is pretty obvious. With so many people suspicious or confused after their lengthy absence, and distribution in a bit of a mess, plus their recent address change, there are issues all along the chain. Hopefully the direct approach will yield results like it has when people have craved specific articles. A letter complaining Ed Greenwood is overexposed. But he just sends in so much, and so many people love him! They'll try to keep him to just 1 article per issue, but no promises. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> He laughs at obstacles that would kill a lesser writer's creativity for ever. A letter from someone pissed off about stirge rehash. With the complete staff turnover, they'd forgotten all about the old one. They'll try to pay more attention to the archive in the near future. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> A letter complimenting the assistant editor on his new job. Well, since he's obviously in charge of this section, how could he pass up on this one? <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> They do love a little ego stroking. Kindred of the east! White wolf starts off their year of the lotus. That took them less time than it did for TSR to do their own oriental setting.</blockquote>

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