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Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="der_kluge" data-source="post: 1887593" data-attributes="member: 945">I skimmed a lot of the responses here, since I didn't want them to alter my opinions, or give me ideas to detract me from my response.Having said that, I would echo the general theme of too much crunch as my biggest complaint.  I just don't need any more monk variants or samurais in my campaign.  I'm not 12 years old anymore.What I would don't want to see in Dragon:No fictionNo more prestige classes, or only very, very rarely.  Less crunch.  I can see that you guys are awful proud of it, because issues lately boast it on a seal on the cover: "184 prestige classes, 1,246 new feats!" Bah.What I do want to see in Dragon:Writers who actually recognize that there is a popular 3rd party market out there.  The only reference to 3rd party products are in the advertisements that they buy.  It's like buying USA Today and seeing no mention of the Middle East.  I think the best "issue" you guys did was the special d20 issue where you actually reviewed AEG's modules, and talked candidly about the license and other publishers.  That was great!  More reviews of 3rd party products, more discussions of 3rd party products.  Use 3rd party OGC - that's what it's there for.Echoed on here a lot already - more plot hooks, campaign ideas, world-building rules, etc.  DM's read Dragon more than players do, I suspect.Lastly, - invite feedback!  I let my subscription expire several months ago.  Before that, the only "articles" I ever read were Gygax's column, the letters to the editor, and maybe the occasional article by Monte or Skip if I saw something that caught my eye.  That was pretty much it.  On feedback, I'd like to see a regular column where readers can contribute.  The thing I love about ENworld is that I can ask people about their campaign settings, their interesting games, or neat ideas that they've used.  I love this place for the ideas.  I don't get that from Dragon.  Feature a special segment where people can send in their failed Campaign setting submission.  I suspect many of them are really, really cool, even though they didn't win.  Eberron isn't everyone's cup of joe.  Most people I know don't follow the "corporate line" when it comes to their campaign setting.  Even people who run FR or Eberron are probably using at least 1 or 2 3rd party products, or homebrew modifications.  The game I'm currently playing in is set in Harn, using the d20 rules, for example.Erik, I suspect you have a balancing act to perform.  On the one hand, you seek to give what the readers want - a noble goal.  On the other, I imagine that you have to tow the corporate line and have to maintain a certain image and responsibility to the magazine since it *is* a vehicle for advertising for WoTC and D&D.  You have to ask yourself which is more important - increasing the fan base, or pleasing your corporate masters?</blockquote>

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