Rate 4e Dragon Magazine

[Jack Colby]

Poor. I wouldn't even call it Dragon as far as content goes. It's technically Dragon because they own the right to call their random assemblage of game files that, but the spirit of many authors, new ideas, etc. is missing. Feels like web enhancements designed to promote the hardcover books. Also, the typos and errors have been really discouraging. The worst part is, I would never use the majority of what I have seen. I'll give it a pass once they ask us to pay for it.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

3 stars. Obviously still finding its feet, but by now a solid offering to which I'm definitely interested in subscribing.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

No - it's because they're individual articles on the web with rules content.

Dragon magazine as a print magazine also disenfranchised many of its readers from participating in such conversations. In my case, by the time I received the magazine it was 2-3 months after everyone else had got it.

This and also the fact that by each article being released separately and to everyone at the same time it gives us time to really dig into each article and find the juicey stuff.

Before, it was all at once and things were either never brought up, missed, or by the time some people wished to talk about something it was already far behind current discussion.

On a off-note: I have to admit, I am surprised how many people dislike the digital format. I knew there was a fair number but was surprised by just how many. While I agree reading say a whole magazine or say a corebook on the computer is a hassle, the format of individual articles I find adapts quite well to the computer and allows for the benefits of the computer to shine through. Such as easy to catalogue, find things, cut and paste, etc.

Like, for example, making a copy of a monster-stat box in one of the articles and just pasting it too my DM print-outs for a game, is quite handy.

 

[Stalker0]

I gave it a 4. I've never read the print versions, but I've been impressed by the content so far. The crunch has been solid, but I'm finding the flavor very nice.

I think it helps round off 4e, who some believe is "flavor starved"

 

[stonegod]

4.5 if I could. While I liked reading the Paizo Dragons, I didn't get a lot of use out of it (other than that Construct article in #341; loved those junk golems). Right now, there are more things that I'm using in the new Dragon. That might change as more stuff comes out, of course.

 

[Filcher]

I haven't followed Dragon or Dungeon at all until I saw, last night, that I could download a compiled PDF. I went to print in and saw that these are 70+ pages long. With decent art.

Wow. That changed my opinion of the "magazines." Still wish there was a print incarnation, but for this much material, I think I might subscribe.

 

[The Little Raven]

1) I agree completely with Plane Sailing about the magazine releasing in bits and pieces. This is easier to read, but I see an article I like in the table of contents and it is not out yet. This really bums me out. I don't like not being to enjoy the articles in the order I prefer while the content is still fresh. So the waiting until the end of the month to read the magazine is not a preferred option.

How is that any different from seeing a "Next Month in Dragon" teaser, seeing an article you like, and having to wait a month for it?

The difference is that in the mean time, you are still getting access to content, as well as feedback from the public being incorporated to fix errors in the original article release so that the compiled version is corrected. I don't recall much correction or errata from the in-print Dragon.

4) The subscription has me hot and cold to. I want to pay for quality material, but I do not like the idea of paying for what I described above.

For roughly the same prize as a subscription to one magazine, I get 2 magazines with 25% more content, since they don't have to give up 1/4 or more of their page count for advertisements.

 

[Starglim]

What there is, is good, but it's very thin. Articles seem short. There's not much more in Dragon, which lest we forget, is a preview for something they expect to charge for, than they were putting out as free previews a couple of years ago. I think they're struggling to fill a monthly issue.

 

[Jack99]

What there is, is good, but it's very thin. Articles seem short. There's not much more in Dragon, which lest we forget, is a preview for something they expect to charge for, than they were putting out as free previews a couple of years ago. I think they're struggling to fill a monthly issue.

What is thin? I am not sure I understand your sentence.

 

[Starglim]

The content, or each issue, either one.