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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Serge" data-source="post: 378861" data-attributes="member: 4049">I'm glad to see the manner in which Paizo is defending their decision to offer something a bit beyond the grain for the readers of DRAGON Magazine. While I don't agree with every aspect of their position, particularly the point about their decision being market driven, I do agree with the fact that they do need to, on occasion, present material that pushes the envelope and remembers who their target audience is. I think the problem here has always been more about the manner in which Paizo decided to publicize and market this issue. It's similar to the way in which WotC has been marketing the Book of Vile Darkness. The marketing has been sensationalized. Both parties used certain words and/or images to draw the attention of an audience. Unfortunately, in this case, the audience seems to be dominated by the uninitiated (who are unaware of the goals of D&D) or the ultra-sensitive (those who remember how misinterpretations of the past adversely impacted the game). Personally, I'm of the opinion that both sides are the very vocal minority. I don't think either DRAGON Magazine 300 or the upcoming Book of Vile Darkness the critics think they are. I don't think most critics have any business in critiquing the subject matter of either text since, in most cases, they never saw the material before opening their mouths. For those who have read the material from the magazine, I would ask them to consider the source of their frustration. If their concern is based upon the manner in which the material has been presented (the questionable... but amusing marketing and sealed content), then perhaps their justified. If they're mad about the actual content, which is no different in substance from recent issues, but a bit more detailed, then they are victims of their own paranoia. Finally, if people are worried about drawing on younger audiences, there are many other things out there that concern me more about their interest (or lack thereof) in D&D and other table-top rpgs. I see games like Grand Theft Auto, which is blatantly marketed to adolescent and older males (look at what time these commercials appear on MTV) far more threatening to D&D than so-called "vile" content (which equates more to gross in my assessment). There are many other threats to D&D beyond so-called "vile content." Furthermore, without older players, who buy all the books, accessories, models, novels, and so on, there are no younger players. More than most hobbies, D&D requires a sort of tutor/trainer relationship. A kid can pick up the nuances of a video game in a minute. She can grab a comic and read it just like that. Most kids aren't going to have a map or figs. Most can't afford every book. And most will need and look up to a role-model to help them figure out a relatively complex game. If anything, I'm more concerned about D&D loosing its adult audience. In the end, I think people have overreacted to this entire thing. I commend Paizo and hope they do more of these issues. I hope they offer some mature content that features the good-guys, and mature material that challenges our concepts of neutrality. It can be done. It just takes someone with the courage to do it.</blockquote>

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