New Dragon+ (Feb 2019): Saltmarsh & Greyhawk edition

Best of the DM's Guild includes a free adventure to download.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I really like that they included Luke Gygax's contrasting interpretation of Greyhawk's original tone. The other interpretation, while enjoyable to read and get ideas from, seems a bit forced--an intentional attempt to make Greyhawk different. That's probably a good marketing angle, but including a credible alternative interpretation like that is the kind of goodwill building action I like to see.

Which brings up a point I think the discussions we regularly have here about D&D marketing strategies fail to address, but which I think the D&D team themselves is actually quite aware of and trying to incorporate: the financial value of building goodwill with consumers. One consideration that most people take into account to some degree or another when making purchases is how much they like the company they are buying from. That's rarely the only consideration, but it is a consideration. I know it applies to me and my friends--some places of business we actively avoid, and others we only shop at if we can't find something elsewhere, despite those places being less expensive. Some of the things that might not seem like the most profitable on the surface (such as doing less profitable things to make older fans happy) actually might increase profits in the long run, because those older fans will not only buy your products, they will introduce their kids and others, and they'll put their seal of approval on the current game. I know some Pathfinder players who wouldn't even look at 5e because they were upset at WotC for 4e and/or other issues from the past. Anyway, for some reason that element of that article just made me think of that, even if the actual reason for it might have been more about respect for Luke Gygax.

 

[Grimstaff]

My memory’s not too clear on this, but wasn’t The Styes a sort of “Mature Audiences Only” adventure? If I’m thinking of the right adventure I wonder if it will be toned down for a contemporary release or left as it was?

 

[Demetrios1453]

That was a long section on Greyhawk. I keep trying to decide if all this Greyhawk publicity lately (Mearls interview, Dragon+) is a sign that

1) They have something in the works and are building up to it
2) Mearls is trying to drum up support so he can do something
3) This is the sort of support they are willing to provide

AD

I'm wondering if this is, in part, a sort of trial balloon to see what sort of feedback and how many clicks on the links to the DMs Guild they get. If enough interest is shown, we might see something more substantive, such as an Eberron-style setting PDF and the opening of the setting for original DMs Guild products...

 

[Henry]

This looks like some fantastic content, if only it weren’t presented in such a damned annoying fashion. In the app, the text is either oversized or too small, and in the on-screen viewing in the browser, the page doesn’t quite fit on the screen due to the overlap with the two vertical navigation lanes on the left that I can’t see any way to turn off! I REALLY don’t want to scroll to the right a quarter-inch just to read the first few letters of the left-hand side of the page! Honestly, WHO is in charge of the magazine UI, and why is this such a spastic design? I take in content from dozens of news sites and gaming sites in a day, from sites like CNN, Washington Post, CNET, and various gaming blogs, and I NEVER have problems the way I do with the Dragon+ content?! They finally start producing content that’s interesting reading, something I’d happily pay for instead of being produced for free, and they still choose this crazy interface? I don’t get it.

 

[Prakriti]

This looks like some fantastic content, if only it weren’t presented in such a damned annoying fashion. In the app, the text is either oversized or too small, and in the on-screen viewing in the browser, the page doesn’t quite fit on the screen due to the overlap with the two vertical navigation lanes on the left that I can’t see any way to turn off! I REALLY don’t want to scroll to the right a quarter-inch just to read the first few letters of the left-hand side of the page! Honestly, WHO is in charge of the magazine UI, and why is this such a spastic design? I take in content from dozens of news sites and gaming sites in a day, from sites like CNN, Washington Post, CNET, and various gaming blogs, and I NEVER have problems the way I do with the Dragon+ content?! They finally start producing content that’s interesting reading, something I’d happily pay for instead of being produced for free, and they still choose this crazy interface? I don’t get it.

People (myself included) have been making these complaints for as long as Dragon+ has existed, and nothing has changed. It really is incredible.

 

[Zaukrie]

I'd like to download the fiction, so I can read it when I want, how I want.....

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

This looks like some fantastic content, if only it weren’t presented in such a damned annoying fashion. In the app, the text is either oversized or too small, and in the on-screen viewing in the browser, the page doesn’t quite fit on the screen due to the overlap with the two vertical navigation lanes on the left that I can’t see any way to turn off! I REALLY don’t want to scroll to the right a quarter-inch just to read the first few letters of the left-hand side of the page! Honestly, WHO is in charge of the magazine UI, and why is this such a spastic design? I take in content from dozens of news sites and gaming sites in a day, from sites like CNN, Washington Post, CNET, and various gaming blogs, and I NEVER have problems the way I do with the Dragon+ content?! They finally start producing content that’s interesting reading, something I’d happily pay for instead of being produced for free, and they still choose this crazy interface? I don’t get it.

I am not sure of your settings or monitor, etc, but when I go to the browser version of the magazine, I have a good 2 or 3 inches of white space one either side. No overlap of anything like that.

Oh, and for everyone else, there is a reader survey on page three, if you want to give feedback on the magazine.

 

[dave2008]

This looks like some fantastic content, if only it weren’t presented in such a damned annoying fashion. In the app, the text is either oversized or too small, and in the on-screen viewing in the browser, the page doesn’t quite fit on the screen due to the overlap with the two vertical navigation lanes on the left that I can’t see any way to turn off! I REALLY don’t want to scroll to the right a quarter-inch just to read the first few letters of the left-hand side of the page! Honestly, WHO is in charge of the magazine UI, and why is this such a spastic design? I take in content from dozens of news sites and gaming sites in a day, from sites like CNN, Washington Post, CNET, and various gaming blogs, and I NEVER have problems the way I do with the Dragon+ content?! They finally start producing content that’s interesting reading, something I’d happily pay for instead of being produced for free, and they still choose this crazy interface? I don’t get it.

Interesting, I'm not thrilled with the layout, but I don't have that issue at all. Is this not what it looks like for you:

View attachment 105125

 

[Henry]

Interesting, I'm not thrilled with the layout, but I don't have that issue at all. Is this not what it looks like for you:

I use an iPad for my viewing mainly, and in both Firefox and Chrome, the left-hand side of the right pane is cut off; plus, that font is ENORMOUS. I have to scroll right in a column of text (like the editorial in the front) to read the first few characters on the left. In a PDF, I don’t have that problem; on every web page I regularly visit, I don’t have that problem. The only other place I see problems like it is Google Sites, when the panes are not dynamically resized, but fixed widths and heights. I even tried switching between mobile site and desktop site, and it doesn’t change it.

EDIT: ok, I just went back this morning, and it actually fits the screen! Damndest thing, since I used two different browsers last night and both had the same issue! And I haven’t restarted my ipad in a week, so I don’t think it was a wacky setting or display issue... I retract my vitriol, it looks far better now for some reason!

 

[dave2008]

I use an iPad for my viewing mainly, and in both Firefox and Chrome, the left-hand side of the right pane is cut off; plus, that font is ENORMOUS. I have to scroll right in a column of text (like the editorial in the front) to read the first few characters on the left. In a PDF, I don’t have that problem; on every web page I regularly visit, I don’t have that problem. The only other place I see problems like it is Google Sites, when the panes are not dynamically resized, but fixed widths and heights. I even tried switching between mobile site and desktop site, and it doesn’t change it.

Interesting, the only thing I can suggest is following [MENTION=6818233]Enevhar Aldarion[/MENTION]'s suggestion and fill out the survey - hopefully they will get it corrected.