Why _DON'T_ You Buy Dragon Magazine?

[PJ-Mason]

Odd, I'd have to say Niall of the Far Travels was the only fiction I read on a regular basis. I would probably read the fiction if it helped flesh out a setting and was tied into a theme issue, or if it was from a popular fantasy writer (for example, George R.R. Martin's preview), as long as there was some D&D tie-in to the story.

Well i guess i'd prefer no fiction but, if it MUST be there, i agree that it should tie into an article. Not just fiction pertaining to a specific setting, but something tied into a specific article, not just the theme of the issue.


Topic Change: One theme books generally don't appeal to me because they are largely hit and miss. I'm not going to spend money on a subscription for a year (or more) if there is a good chance that several issues will be wasted money. Thats irratating. Its far more responsiblle of me to get a subscription to a comic shop for 20% off and only buy the 3 or 4 issues that appeal to me, rather than buy 12 "in-the-dark" issues for 50% off.

Variety is the key for me. An issue with many themes and different articles can only mean good things and can't really piss off anyone that is fair-minded. An issue all about one thing will automatically alienate a whole slew of people that will invariably dislike the theme. Another thing about themes...if you HAVE to create an entire issue with, say, undead...alright. But let that be it for undead that year! I don't want to see undead articles in next months issue or the one after that.

I guess when it boils down to it...its all about balance to me. Dragon Mag needs better balance. I don't mean balanced game mechanics (though thats always good!), but a balance between mechanics/fluff, balance between specific settings and generic material, and......no fiction.

 

[Creamsteak]

For the fiction/not fiction argument: I kinda of liked the small booklet that came with Eberron: Shadows of the Last War. Little inserts like that might be a better solution than spending 8 pages full of stories.

 

[Eremite]

(snip) And, if you want to appeal to a broader audience, you can follow the Monster Manual IIIs example and show how various rules bits work in Greyhawk, the Forgotten Realms, and Eberron - plus have notes for developing it in your own campaign. (snip)

I think that there is a real opportunity for Dragon to give examples of how to use old and new material in the D&D campaign worlds as Dragonhelm has suggested.

Of course, can I make a strong recommendation that such articles aren't handed out to people who aren't particularly fond of the setting or who have no knowledge of it (eg: the recent Sharn web enhancement was very well written and a good piece of design work... but it lacked a great deal of consistency with already published Eberron/Sharn material).

Old material can also get this treatment. What about an article on the Blood War? Why are tanar'ri immune to electricity (surely there is some reason other than just lazy design... nahhh, it was probably just lazy design)? What about revisiting the old connections between night hags, larvae and liches? Hmmm, fiendish amulets again perhaps?

Then again, there is no point having good content if there is still no index. I think this has been a general theme of many of the posts to this thread so I'm sure the message is getting through.

 

[jshelky]

Almost Forgot, I don't know about everyone else, but as much as I enjoyed being able to read the catalog section about upcoming products a few months back I didn't appreciate loosing a huge chunk of the magazine to it. Exspecially since 75% was for products that were already out. If I didn't currently have a sub or once my sub expires I would never again waste the money on an issue that said it had the WOTC product catalog in it.

 

[thundershot]

Wow... I can't believe how much feedback this thread has received in such a short time..

I AM a Dragon subscriber, and I freely admit that I do NOT read the fiction. I never have read the fiction. And I likely won't ever read the fiction. To me (and apparently others), the fiction is a waste of space for a gaming magazine.

The only other thing that hasn't been said several times, is that you should try to get the Order of the Stick as a monthly comic. The comics are good, but haven't been the same since KODT.



Chris

 

[Timeboxer]

For the fiction/not fiction argument: I kinda of liked the small booklet that came with Eberron: Shadows of the Last War. Little inserts like that might be a better solution than spending 8 pages full of stories.

Actually, that was kinda cool, but for me, only so because it actually had to do with the adventure.

...hmmmmmmm. Maybe if the fiction in Dragon were tied up with the adventures in Dungeon? It would be really nifty if I could hand out something to my players as the "prologue" to the adventure, or something, before their characters factor into it.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

Almost Forgot, I don't know about everyone else, but as much as I enjoyed being able to read the catalog section about upcoming products a few months back I didn't appreciate loosing a huge chunk of the magazine to it. Exspecially since 75% was for products that were already out. If I didn't currently have a sub or once my sub expires I would never again waste the money on an issue that said it had the WOTC product catalog in it.

The catalog section is in addition to the regular magazine content, not instead of. There's no loss of content in those issues with catalogs.


Jeff

 

[Muad'dib Pendragon]

Delivery time

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet (no patience to read through 10+ pages)... As an active subscriber of both Dungeon and Dragon, one thing that will affect my decision to re-up is delivery time. I live in Europe, but I'm military with an APO address. It kills me that I can go to the base bookstore and see the latest mags a full 7-10 days before I actually receive mine in the mail. I've broached this with Paizo, but no resolution.

And to second others' requests:

• annual index in December issue
• 1-page world specific stuff, a la the monthly class breakouts
• more ecology
• theme/world-related fiction, or no fiction at all
• more consistent comics
• objective d20 product reviews

 

[Azul]

Actually, that was kinda cool, but for me, only so because it actually had to do with the adventure.

...hmmmmmmm. Maybe if the fiction in Dragon were tied up with the adventures in Dungeon? It would be really nifty if I could hand out something to my players as the "prologue" to the adventure, or something, before their characters factor into it.

The idea of tying fiction to an adventure is kind of cool. The idea of tying fiction in Dragon to an adventure in Dungeon... ehh... that I'm not keen on. Keep both items in a single magazine or you are essentially just arm-twisting people to buy additional product to fully enjoy their original purchase. Not cool. It smacks of cross-marketing rather than focussing on maximizing the audience's benefit.

Now putting together a magazine with a theme, some flavour material about the theme, a moderate amount of relevant and related crunch, an adventure that uses all these new ideas and some fiction that ties into the adventure (e.g. adventurers in the adventure or perhaps some backstory material)... that's interesting.

Might be too focussed though, but then some of the best Dragon magazines of the past were that focussed. Anyone remember issues 75-76? The two issue long theme describing the Nine Hells and devils in great detail? Awesome issues that saw use in my campaigns for years.

 

[Azul]

I thought this idea was interesting:

"I'd almost like to see Dragon be the D&D National Geographic. I'd like to see articles on historical settings, unique places, creatures and races, etc. Ideas are what drives the game IMO, not new PrC's and feats. "

Think about articles on magical, mystical places, the people that live there and how they are affected by what is going on around them. There are a million rules books, we need ideas (or at least I do) that can be used in many ways. I think back to articles on fantasy castles, the Nine Hells, AKA, Ecology, Sheens, you get the idea.

That is a very cool idea on how to present Dragon. Assuming it was done even half-way decently, I would buy that magazine. I would subscribe that magazine.