What would you like to see dropped from Dungeon?

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

I voted Downer, but only because I didn't see the choice to vote for it twice.

Keep all of the other features: they're great

Get rid of Downer. I've never liked long-term, serialized comics and I can't imagine that they're of any value to the newstand/hobbyshop buyers. Maybe some subscribers like it, but I'm not among them.

 

[loki44]

Anything related to Eberron should be dropped.

 

[tek2way]

I have been very happy with Dungeon since its change in direction last year. Sure, there are some things that I don't read, but that is the case with any magazine (aside from Protoculture Addicts at the height of my anime fandom years ago).

Do I read Downer? Not really. Occasionally I do, and I realize there is a nifty story brewing, but I've never gone back and started from the beginning, which is why I don't read it every month.

I read Wil Save constantly, but that's moot now.

I love the adventures, the comics, and the columns. Right now, at least, nothing should be dropped.

Great work, Erik!! Thank you!

EDIT: I personally LOVE the Eberron content, too.

 

[Vocenoctum]

I like Downer. When I was a kid, one of my favorite things about Dragon was Wormy. Downer is our attempt to create something similar. It's not perfect, but I really like the art and I really like the approach.

I understand that, but for me, Downer doesn't match up to Wormy or Snarfquest. I still have no interest in it.

I'm taking a hard line on Downer because I like Downer. My job is to publish material that I like, and that I feel brings something to the magazine. I'm aware that a lot of people don't like it, but a lot of people don't seem to like Mt. Zogon, either, and it's one of my favorite parts of the magazine.

Mt Zogon is perfection, ignore those people, they're Insane.

Whatever. One day, one of you might be editing these magazines, and the decision will by yours.

Right now, it's mine.

Can I have it next Wednesday at 3PM? I've got something I want to try!



I don't like Downer, I don't like Monte Cook's stuff. But, like I've said before, that's the wonderful thing of Subscribing. I'm only paying for half the magazine, and Downer and Monte Cook's articles happen to be in that half!

I trust you for the most part to run the magazine in a manner that I enjoy, so I'm still subscribing. Downer & Portent do nothing for me, but they don't offend me, so I don't mind.

Heck, if anything, I think the Dungeon comics are better than the Dragon comics. (Excepting Zogonia of course.)

 

[The_lurkeR]

Erik, since you're reading this thread, I'll make a couple points.

Good: Overall I really like the direction you've taken the magazines, they're both about the best they've ever been in my opinion. Also you seem to have listened to peoples advice and changed the covers from simple one character closeup poses, to great action scenes that relate to the contents. They've really been great lately.

Bad: You have to realize that it isn't a 'vocal minority' but rather a MAJORITY that dislike Downer, or are at least indifferent to it. It is not a selling point of the magazine. To take the stance that you have really casts you and the situation in a bad light. You really don't see anything wrong with it? You're basically saying... I don't care if we could fill those two pages with something that people would actually like, something that would actually draw in customers and sell more magazines? He's my buddy and he's staying on the payroll.


nepotism

n : favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)

Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University

 

[The_Fan]

Ahem, I happen to enjoy Downer. In fact, I seek out back issues I'm missing JUST for downer. I can't say why, but I do. Something about the mix of IC and OOCness, the hidden sight gags, the offbeat art style, and the unique translation of game rules to IC play (Coolest. Rebuke undead. Ever.)

I voted for Monte Cook. His column sounds like too many whiny grognards I know saying "well back in my day..." Ugh. I would've also voted for The Portent if my brain hadn't formed a complete mental block about its existence.

 

[RatPunk]

I say don't let the bastards get you down, Erik.

You're doing an awesome, and obviously thankless, job.

I subscribed back in November to get in on the Greyhawk map and AP2. I didn't have an opinion about Wil Save one way or the other. Some of them I liked, some I didn't. None of them ever made me want to drop my subscription.

Same goes with the comics. I'm not personally a big fan of Downer or Mt. Zogon, but that's fine. You know what? I just don't read them. It's that freaking simple. Could the space be used for other things? Possibly, but it's not my decision to make. It doesn't bother me if they are there or not.

I trust Erik to decide what fits best in the magazine. That's his job. If it ever becomes my job, then we'll see what happens. Until then, it'll take way more than a page or two of content I don't read to make me drop my subscription.

In the meantime, I think everyone should just get off their high horses, soap boxes, and most importantly Erik's back, and let him get back to doing his job.

 

[Erik Mona]

Bad: You have to realize that it isn't a 'vocal minority' but rather a MAJORITY that dislike Downer, or are at least indifferent to it. It is not a selling point of the magazine. To take the stance that you have really casts you and the situation in a bad light. You really don't see anything wrong with it? You're basically saying... I don't care if we could fill those two pages with something that people would actually like, something that would actually draw in customers and sell more magazines? He's my buddy and he's staying on the payroll.

Not quite.

There is a slim majority of the posters to this thread at this website who dislike Downer. I think it's possible that that breakdown mirrors the readership in general, but I have no evidence to support that conclusion, and I don't want to go against my own preference for what to publish simply based on the evidence presented in this thread.

I'm not of the opinion that every single page needs to be a selling point for the magazine. I'm personally content to let 90% of the magazine do that work.

I see several things wrong with Downer, and work as the editor of the magazine to get Kyle to address those things. That we are personal friends makes that more convenient for me, so I do agree that that plays a role in my willingness to keep working on the strip to make it better.

I am saying that I think that those two pages are served fine by Downer, and it's a part of the magazine that I enjoy publishing, and that I know has an audience. It's not a huge audience, but I'm satisfied with it enough to keep it in the magazine.

If that should change, I'll make whatever changes are necessary to fill those pages with something else I like, and that I think the readers will like too.

Until then, I'm sticking with Downer.

--Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dragon & Dungeon

 

[ecliptic]

I say Erik should keep Downer. I personally may not like Downer but I am not going to whine and complain for it to be dropped. I don't have to like every page of a magazine to consider it worth my money.

I do hope Erik looks to expand Mt. Zogon and maybe include Order of the Stick.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Bad: You have to realize that it isn't a 'vocal minority' but rather a MAJORITY that dislike Downer, or are at least indifferent to it.

Nothing on the Internet is a majority. We’ve gone over this many, many, times in a greyhawk thread. Look at all the people on this board craving to see more Star Wars d20 products but there is none cause they don’t sell enough.

Most RPG players don’t get on message boards. We are still a minority so theirs really no evidence for Erik to pull the plug.

Besides, if having Downer in the magazine makes Erik happy then I'm all for it, the magazine is near flawless right now and I wouldn't want to see anything done to effect Erik's happiness and the quality of the magazine.