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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GuardianLurker" data-source="post: 1888146" data-attributes="member: 786">Why I'm not, and what it would take to get me backI'll try to give a slightly different take on a lot of stuff that's already been said, many many times.I've been gaming since '81, and my first Dragon was #72 (which still makes me laugh after all these years). I was an avid reader/subscriber up to #140. I still have the old collection.I stopped subscribing for a number of reasons. One was I just had too many issues to find what I wanted (though #112 helped lots). But the bigger reason was a conscious attempt on my part to avoid new toy syndrome. Dragon back then (and still) produces a lot of really cool, wanna-use-it-now, crunch. Sometimes it was because the crunch was obviously just too overpowered (the Cavalier from #72). Other times because it was just tool cool ("A rock that acts like a calculator - both punnish and useful.") I didn't have my filters built, and I couldn't stay afloat. And when I finally developed the filters, towards the end of my subscription run, 80-90% of the new cool stuff was being filtered out.Honestly, I think this is what the "too much crunch" crowd is complaining about. New crunch is cool - is just that Dragon produces so much of it that sifting through the sand to get the nuggets is hardly worth it.I didn't touch Dragon again until just after 3e - when I picked up the issue with "How to Build a Monster". It was obvious that Dragon hadn't changed, content-wise, since I let my subscription lapse. And the article that got me to buy the magazine was essentially worthless to me, as it didn't say substantially more than what was already in the Monster Manual. I really haven't touched the magazine since.What would it take to get me back? More than you are probably willing to (or even can) do; but here it goes...1) Reduce the publishing interval. I game twice monthly, and there's going to be at least a 3-5 session delay before I can use any new material. If the magazine is monthly, I'm going to be so far behind the curve that subscribing is pointless. I'd suggest bi-monthly (alternating with Dungeon), or even quarterly. That sounds bad, but I'd also expect you to increase the page count to cover all the in-depth articles I want. Assuming a 100-page magazine/month (and I have no idea if that's accurate), I'd rather have 150 pages I *will* use than 200 pages that will get recycled.2) In-depth - and I *mean* in-depth - articles on what ever aspect things are exploring. 5 pages of "take the monster's HD, divide by 3, and guess at the adjustment" just doesn't cut it. One of the things Dragon is (or should be) is a learning/teaching tool. And newbies to a subject need a different level of advice than experienced veterans. In the case of "fluff" articles, that would be general broad-strokes that reveal sound principles. In the case of "crunch" articles, that would be specific cookbook-style instructions.3) Advanced theory articles - articles not just about new monsters, feats, et cetera, but articles that expose exactly why this or that was chosen, or what the affects of a proposed rule change would be. Articles that advance the state-of-the-game-art. Unearthed Arcana and Arcana Unearthed would be example material here. Again, in-depth, not just a few pages.4) Player/GM Aid - articles that help me be a better player/GM. Not just with guidelines, but with concrete examples. As an example, there's a thread (very politics-heavy) over on RPG.net (<a href="http://www.rpg.net/forums/phorum/pf/read.php?f=97&i=1214&t=1198" target="_blank">http://www.rpg.net/forums/phorum/pf/read.php?f=97&i=1214&t=1198</a>) that has a fairly decent scenario description for building a theme-based adventure. It's crude and simplified, but more detailed than most theme-is-good pieces I've read. Then there's the whole G/N/S argument that I sure we're all tired of; but how many newbies are even aware of it?5) Other system/OGL content - WotC doesn't own Dragon anymore, so it shouldn't be the house-organ that it started as either.In short, I'd change the focus from trying to satisfy the *current* crop of gamers to building the *next* crop of game designers. I believe you'll find it will solve the other problem as well.Oh, and lest I forget :6) Advertise - fantasy fiction magazines, gaming websites, webcomics, anywhere. Get Dragon and Dungeon back into the bookstores, not just the hobbystores.</blockquote>

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