Why 2 Magazines?

Scribble · Jan 9, 2009

So now that they've gone digital do we really "need" two magazines? Why not just one big section of digital articles/adventures?

Not that I think it makes a huge difference one way or another... just wondering?

Squizzle · Jan 9, 2009

Do different editors work on the magazines? I honestly have no idea--but if so, then having two different editorial philosophies and voices would offer a nice (if subtle, given the ultimate control of the line developers) difference in content styles, even aside the crunch/DM tool split the magazines currently have.

Bagpuss · Jan 9, 2009

Legacy, the names have familiarity, also while you can't enforce it you could perhaps ask your players only to read the Dragon content, so they won't read any adventures you are planning (although do any "Player only" people subscribe to DDI?).

delericho · Jan 9, 2009

Bagpuss said:
Legacy, the names have familiarity, also while you can't enforce it you could perhaps ask your players only to read the Dragon content,

This. It's useful to have two different labels to apply to two different sections (player vs DM). That being the case, might as well re-use the familiar titles.

Although it does leave those of us who miss the real mags to lament how the mighty have fallen.

Scribble · Jan 9, 2009

delericho said:
Although it does leave those of us who miss the real mags to lament how the mighty have fallen.

Nah dude. It's like in Star Wars when Vader strikes Obi Wan down, and Obi Wan gets to turn all blue ghost and become "more powerful then you could possibly imagine."

Festivus · Jan 9, 2009

Isn't RPGA legal only content from Dragon magazine as well?

delericho · Jan 9, 2009

Scribble said:
Nah dude. It's like in Star Wars when Vader strikes Obi Wan down, and Obi Wan gets to turn all blue ghost and become "more powerful then you could possibly imagine."

Yeah, but Obi-Wan is all talk. Sure, it sounds cool and all, but all blue ghosts can actually do is chase little yellow smileys around mazes. Bet he was really mad at Yoda when he found that one out.

(Psi)SeveredHead · Jan 9, 2009

Scribble said:
So now that they've gone digital do we really "need" two magazines? Why not just one big section of digital articles/adventures?

Not that I think it makes a huge difference one way or another... just wondering?

In the print days of Dragon & Dungeon, the latter did quite well.

I suspect Dragon did poorly because many DMs wouldn't allow the material into their game. Meanwhile, there's always a demand for adventures -- while some DMs write their own, others don't have the time to do so -- and people kept asking WotC to write more.

I don't have any e-subscriptions however, so I don't know how much has changed now.

fba827 · Jan 9, 2009

As a DM reader, it may not matter so much.

But, as a player, it would be too easy to see or accidently notice/skim stuff that is currently in Dungeon if it were all in the same magazine. If I wre the DM for those players, I would not want to make it so easy for the players to notice (even if casually or on accident) the same material I am using for inspiration on what will be surprising them in the next session.
Sure, they can easily look now but it takes just a little more effort for someone doing it on purpose, but you won't have the accidental noticing of the content if it were all in one magazine mixed together in the same pages.