Scribble
First Post
So I recently read the Dungeon Editorial by Chris Perkins, and in it he states they want to know what "specifically" we want to see in the magazines... It started me thinking about what types of things I like, and what things turned me away from the magazines before...
To start the stuff I want to see:
1. I want to see more innovative stuff. Stuff almost like house rules, or optional rules. This is something I really really liked about the magazine in the 2e days. They weren't just "another feat or prc," they were entirely new systems and ways of doing things. It felt like DMs sharing their ideas and hints.
I think the game community was under the "3e is perfectly balanced and shouldn't be changed" idea for a while. I hope this doesn't happen with 4e. I hope they don't latch on to one or two concepts and do them to death. (Not all the articles were like that, but the majority seemed to be especially after 3.5)
2. We're always told things like "The math is important to the game." When I look at the rules, I can tell these things are important. If you study it as well, you can also pick pout the "patterns." Like say the types of dice used for what types of spells and such...
I'd like to see more articles about that stuff. The implications it has on the game math wise et al. Help us play better by understanding the game.
3. More ways to customize characters and such using existing rules... I liked articles like this. The ones that don't add a million new feats or PRCs, but still inspired you to see a class differently. (Maybe even showing how just renaming things can dramatically change a feel of a character...)
4. More premade NPCs and locations. ALWAYS a help in my opinion. The Ed Greenwood stuff about realms locations was one of my favorite columns... And I haven't played in the realms in a while. They just seemed to be places and things that were relatively common. (Potion shops, Inns, Bars, General Stores, Shrines...) Places that see a lot of play, and therefore you need a lot of. (Every city has an inn, and it should never feel generic.)
Detailed NPCs are always helpful as well.
I don't know what the status of the "spellbook" in 4e will be, but I know in 3e I've always wanted a number of pregenerated spell books for characters of various levels. Someties that was the larges PITA I had with using High level Wizards... I had the spells I knew he needed for the ncounter, but then inevitably I'd run out of time before I stocked the rest of the book... So when I got the dreaded "what's in his book?" from my Wizards player, I'd cringe and say: "I'll lt yo know soon."
SO if there's anything like that in 4e, give us premade stuff, and give us some flavor with it as well.
5. Ecology articles... Always cool. Personally I'd like to see them perhaps switch each month between a common monster and an uncommon one.
6. FICTION! Bring it back! It's digital now. It' not like you need the space for other stuff. Give us the fiction back.
7. I'm sure I'll have more ideas once I see how the DI works...
8. Maybe i possible the ability to add the "new rules" into your big DI book of stuff you're using for your campaign? Like click here to add this rule to your house rules list on your registered campaign...
Ok... so... Some stuff I don't want to see:
1. Repetition of the same old same old. I can deal with new feats new monsters, and new PRCs.... But don't slam me over the head with it. If you're going to do it, maybe give us new "types of feats..." (or whatever powers characters can acquire in 4e.) Like how they started to come out with reserve feats, or divine feats and such. Give us new things, not just more of the same with a different coat of paint.
2. Totally flavorless crunch. I like crunch. It's useful. But with no flavor it's hard to get me dreaming. Even if I end up not really using the flavor as it was written, 9 times out of 10 a well written flavor piece will get my creative thoughts moving, and gt me excited to use the item.
3. Style over substance... It's ok to have a stylized article. It's ok to have stuff thats flashy. But when you put a lot of work into th style and not the substance I get annoyed.
4. A magazine that tries to talk in a "hip" way instead of treating me like an equal. Sometimes it's OK to throw some slang in there, or get a little more personal... But sometimes it just gets annoying.
Hrmm... Now that my really long post is over... Anyone else have a few suggestions?
To start the stuff I want to see:
1. I want to see more innovative stuff. Stuff almost like house rules, or optional rules. This is something I really really liked about the magazine in the 2e days. They weren't just "another feat or prc," they were entirely new systems and ways of doing things. It felt like DMs sharing their ideas and hints.
I think the game community was under the "3e is perfectly balanced and shouldn't be changed" idea for a while. I hope this doesn't happen with 4e. I hope they don't latch on to one or two concepts and do them to death. (Not all the articles were like that, but the majority seemed to be especially after 3.5)
2. We're always told things like "The math is important to the game." When I look at the rules, I can tell these things are important. If you study it as well, you can also pick pout the "patterns." Like say the types of dice used for what types of spells and such...
I'd like to see more articles about that stuff. The implications it has on the game math wise et al. Help us play better by understanding the game.
3. More ways to customize characters and such using existing rules... I liked articles like this. The ones that don't add a million new feats or PRCs, but still inspired you to see a class differently. (Maybe even showing how just renaming things can dramatically change a feel of a character...)
4. More premade NPCs and locations. ALWAYS a help in my opinion. The Ed Greenwood stuff about realms locations was one of my favorite columns... And I haven't played in the realms in a while. They just seemed to be places and things that were relatively common. (Potion shops, Inns, Bars, General Stores, Shrines...) Places that see a lot of play, and therefore you need a lot of. (Every city has an inn, and it should never feel generic.)
Detailed NPCs are always helpful as well.
I don't know what the status of the "spellbook" in 4e will be, but I know in 3e I've always wanted a number of pregenerated spell books for characters of various levels. Someties that was the larges PITA I had with using High level Wizards... I had the spells I knew he needed for the ncounter, but then inevitably I'd run out of time before I stocked the rest of the book... So when I got the dreaded "what's in his book?" from my Wizards player, I'd cringe and say: "I'll lt yo know soon."
SO if there's anything like that in 4e, give us premade stuff, and give us some flavor with it as well.
5. Ecology articles... Always cool. Personally I'd like to see them perhaps switch each month between a common monster and an uncommon one.
6. FICTION! Bring it back! It's digital now. It' not like you need the space for other stuff. Give us the fiction back.
7. I'm sure I'll have more ideas once I see how the DI works...
8. Maybe i possible the ability to add the "new rules" into your big DI book of stuff you're using for your campaign? Like click here to add this rule to your house rules list on your registered campaign...
Ok... so... Some stuff I don't want to see:
1. Repetition of the same old same old. I can deal with new feats new monsters, and new PRCs.... But don't slam me over the head with it. If you're going to do it, maybe give us new "types of feats..." (or whatever powers characters can acquire in 4e.) Like how they started to come out with reserve feats, or divine feats and such. Give us new things, not just more of the same with a different coat of paint.
2. Totally flavorless crunch. I like crunch. It's useful. But with no flavor it's hard to get me dreaming. Even if I end up not really using the flavor as it was written, 9 times out of 10 a well written flavor piece will get my creative thoughts moving, and gt me excited to use the item.
3. Style over substance... It's ok to have a stylized article. It's ok to have stuff thats flashy. But when you put a lot of work into th style and not the substance I get annoyed.
4. A magazine that tries to talk in a "hip" way instead of treating me like an equal. Sometimes it's OK to throw some slang in there, or get a little more personal... But sometimes it just gets annoying.
Hrmm... Now that my really long post is over... Anyone else have a few suggestions?
