As announced in Digital Insider, we’re publishing our current editorial calendar to offer a forthcoming look at the Dragon, Dungeon and free content you can expect throughout the month.
Talk about this calendar here.
while that is nice... I have my subscription on a monthly renewal.. if February has this many "previews"... I hate to say it.. but I may close my DDI account.
aside from that, Genasi & Warforged looks interesting, but this sounds no where as good as what we had a few issues back (mainly Gladiator, wish upon a star, and such)
two more previews... warden and sorc...
while that is nice... I have my subscription on a monthly renewal.. if February has this many "previews"... I hate to say it.. but I may close my DDI account.
really? I have always looked forward to the previw content of Dragon...
really? I have always looked forward to the previw content of Dragon...
most people feel it's a waste of their money to give them classes which already are at the printer to playtest, and that previews either lack in content, or take other content away. previews are cheap advertising, they should be free. you're paying for original content in dragon and dungeon, not for peeks at products you're supposed to buy in a month or 2.
Let's look at the contents of January's issue:
The Warden
An ad for PHB2
Creature Incarnations
Ok, some new monsters, not that bad
Hestavar
That's a city in the planes, this article seems interesting
Acererak
Another Demonomicon-style article....oh boy, they aren't bad, but how many archvillains do I need in my campaign?
Genasi & Warforged
We don't know about this article yet, but it may contain rules options or fluff (or both) on two nice races, so let's be positive.
The Sorcerer
Another PHB 2 ad...
Besides one or two articles, there is nothing interesting for me in this issue. They captured one-year subscribers with those great issues from July to October and then dropped the quality of the magazines... great...
Unless I'm mistaken, there are 5 articles in Dragon next month. confessions is nice entertainment, but it doesn't help my game. Ampersand is usually previews or editorial content, not really an article. Design and Development might or might not be helpful as sometimes it offers advice, and other times is "just" a look at the development process.
On the plus side, it looks like we MIGHT be getting 3 adventures in Dungeon next month.
They captured one-year subscribers with those great issues from July to October and then dropped the quality of the magazines... great...
I have to agree, this does appear to be the case right now. The free dungeon magazines had great conversions for the Keep on the Shadowfell, really, really well written and designed articles. Now, not so much. This is just one example.
most people feel it's a waste of their money to give them classes which already are at the printer to playtest, and that previews either lack in content, or take other content away. previews are cheap advertising, they should be free.
well getting a preview that is soo indebth (3-10 levels) is a great PREVIEW of what is to come, and I would be dissapointed if they left them out. I don't see the problme...when it was paper mag there were previews...heck I still have a whole year of ebberon preview articules (Some up to 10 pages)
Oh yeah, haven't we already had articles on genasai and warforged? Sigh.
yes, but what is the matter with expanding information.
I just want a Shadar Ki articule...
I don't use genasi or warforged, but enough people do that I guess it's valid. As mentioned above, though, both of these races have already gotten their own articles.
I hope Dhampyr is another Domain of Dread, though with Hestavar in the same week would they post two similar articles this month?
Finally, I'd like to know what the creature incarnations are. I've been hoping for goblins and hobgoblins (I am prepping to run a converted Red Hand of Doom). Maybe it's more drow, though, to go along with the Demon Queen's Enclave and Demonweb minis, or undead to supplement Open Grave?
I hope Dhampyr is another Domain of Dread, though with Hestavar in the same week would they post two similar articles this month?
So I looked it up, and a Dhampyr is totally a half-vampire.
Ugh. Here come the Blade/Vampire Hunter D clones.
Preview = advertising. I don't want to pay for advertising, especially advertising I can't use.
A three-level preview is useless to a campaign. Players will exceed the level limits of the preview far before the book comes out.
So I looked it up, and a Dhampyr is totally a half-vampire.
Ugh. Here come the Blade/Vampire Hunter D clones.
Dhampires were in 2e and common in Ravenloft. They were around more or less as early as '93 (although often under different names). And they do have a role in folklore.
Looks very, very thin.
Preview = advertising. I don't want to pay for advertising, especially advertising I can't use.
A three-level preview is useless to a campaign. Players will exceed the level limits of the preview far before the book comes out.
This is why I wanted to wait before subscribing to DDI. To see if they could keep-up the pace and pagecounts.
The articles don't have "DRA" in front of them and may not be in the compiled issues (or count to the pagecount). That will be nice.
But I'm not seeing much else that adds to the issue.
October
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4dnd/20081001a
November
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4dnd/20081101a
December
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4dnd/20081201a
January
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4dnd/calendar
Oct has 14 DRA and 6 DUN and 48 total updates.
Nov has 14 DRA and 9 DUN and 47 total updates.
Dec has 16 DRA and 8 DUN and 44 total updates.
Jan has 12 DRA and 11 DUN and 45 total updates.
So it looks like January is low on player content but much higher in Dungeon/DM content. And that depends on the pagecounts of the articles.
Also the previews are serving their purpose, to make people want to have to whole class. They were never meant to be playtest material as much as "like this? Buy it." It's the equivalent of a movie trailer.
You people are overreacting, the previews aren't part of the magazine but a bonus, they don't form part of the magazine. And December's Issue is at least 76+pages (look at the Roll vs. Role page Numbers).
Also the previews are serving their purpose, to make people want to have to whole class. They were never meant to be playtest material as much as "like this? Buy it." It's the equivalent of a movie trailer.
I do not want to pay for a movie trailer.
A bonus that you need to pay for, which includes the ezines and compendium does not promote well getting people to subscribe or buy the print product.
As for final page count, that has not always matched the draft/article page numbers.
You people are overreacting, the previews aren't part of the magazine but a bonus, they don't form part of the magazine.
They were initially called "playtests" not "previews". Odd since there was not enough information to play let alone test and not enough to implement any changes or huge errors if spotted.
And December's Issue is at least 76+pages (look at the Roll vs. Role page Numbers).
Yes. But is that 76+ counting the "preview" or not? If it is then knock-off 4-8 pages for the previews.
And don't forget the AV2 playtest.
Also the previews are serving their purpose, to make people want to have to whole class. They were never meant to be playtest material as much as "like this? Buy it." It's the equivalent of a movie trailer.
Again, they were originally called playests.
And movie trailers are free. You can get people excited without charging them for it. That's the issue, that people are paying a monthly fee for the magazines and the content seems to be increasingly ads.
We have the same amount of content as last month (pagewise). PLUS the previews. (Also there are people that do pay for trailers by buying tickets to conventions and such). Us that subscribed to DnDi have the magazine and tools we paid for, and access to a preview of the most anticipated book of next year at no extra price and without diminishing the page count of the ezines.
My only complaint is the obvious propaganda this month (they basically shoved "BUY BUY BUY" down our throats in the editorials and "Confessions").
If people feel the magazine content isn't up to par then that's opinion and I won't complain about that.
@ Sepher: Spotlight articles are interviews with the writers of a product
You're not paying more money for the previews as we have more pages that last months issue (not counting the previews, which aren't part of the ezine as much as a prize for us having subscribed).
But how does last month's stack-up to previous issues? That's a potentially misleading statement if last month was low.
Most had 80+ pages. How does this month's stack-up minus previews?
The adventures in Dungeon are almost always worth my money, so right up front, I'm okay with that side of Insider.
Articles in Dragon I expect to enjoy: Hestavar. I first remember reading about the Bright City in Manual of the Planes for 4e. If this article ends up being any thing like Minthrendain (in Dragon #366), I'll be pleased.
Acererak. An iconic D&D villain; 'nuff said.
Sorcerer Preview. It's likely to be another "level 1-3" preview but I'm gonna buy the issue just for this snippit ;).
Articles I'm curious about: Dhampyr. I enjoyed characters like Alucard from Symphony of the Night; maybe this will evoke that same sort of feeling, maybe.
Creature Incarnations. These types of articles are all gravy, help fill out my reading.
Articles I'm prolly gonna just skim over: The Warden. Can't say I'm even curious about this.
Spotlight. On what, exactly? If the editorial calendar is gonna be enigmatic, it should at least be compelling about it.
Genasi & Warforged. Been there, done that. Still, it should be worth a look-see.
Yeah, I'm buying this issue.
I guess to be honest, I'm also interested in the previews (mostly just to see what the class is) and I loved the full 30-level playtests (wish we saw more of them).
Nothing else really piqued my interest (I don't read the columns unless Ampersand is previewing something).
Sorry these things are not what I signed up to DDI for, and while they are fun and interesting I would rather have real content. I suspect the problem is that the only real content is comming out of WotC or a few select freelancers, rather than the slew of people that have existed before. Possibly because the process for submitting an article/adventure is so confusing atm. Also possibly because people cannot just drop into their gaming store, book store or news agent and pick the magazines up, because despite what WotC might think their web site is not a must visit place for DnD gamers. (A fact only reinforced by its terrible utility).
So Dragon looks like another slew of "push the new release"/"we got cut for page count" articles, either as Open Grave support or PHB2 advertising, combined with a few articles that are not targeted promotion.
At least Dungeon looks like it will have 3 adventures in it. If only I gamed 24/7 so I could use them...
I do not want to pay for a movie trailer.
A bonus that you need to pay for, which includes the ezines and compendium does not promote well getting people to subscribe or buy the print product.
when you go to the movies and pay $10 to see Dark Knight do you complain you are not getting your money's worth becse they put the Watchmen trailer before it...I mean really why pay to see that movie trailer
Ok maybe that came off more snarky then it should, but come on...
when you go to the movies and pay $10 to see Dark Knight do you complain you are not getting your money's worth becse they put the Watchmen trailer before it...I mean really why pay to see that movie trailer
your example is wrong. i corrected it for you:
you go to the movies to see a random "sneak preview" movie.
instead of some trailers for free and a full movie, you get 20 trailers and a short movie. (30 min)
-> are you satisfied?
For goodness sake the page count has increased from last month, and the previews arent included in the pages of the magazine. People are just angry because they din't give you a 30 or 10 level playtest
People aren't complaining because the previews are short - they're complaining about the existence of previews in the subscriber zone, period. Me? I like the previews (and yeah, I'd love to have 10 levels, but only because I'd like to play with the class earlier) but for my money, they should be freely accessible.
On the other hand, I'm not a good measure, either - I'm bored with the magazines regardless.
Edit: besides, page count has no bearing on whether it's actually any good.
your example is wrong. i corrected it for you:
you go to the movies to see a random "sneak preview" movie.
instead of some trailers for free and a full movie, you get 20 trailers and a short movie. (30 min)
-> are you satisfied?
Wait... was anyone making these same complaints when Paizo was running the mags and devoted nearly 20% of the magazine to ads? I mean... actual straight up advertisements. Not previews. Ads.
People seem to be forgetting that 15-20 pages of Dungeon/Dragon content was previously occupied by full page advertisements that actually provided no worthwhile material.
Personally, I prefer 8-10 pages of soft selling preview material to 15-20 pages of hard selling advertisements.
People are also forgetting that one of the most praised articles thus far has been one of those "cut content" articles... you do remember "Gladiator", right? I hope you were complaining that it was "really just an ad for Martial Powers" back then. Because, it was. It was an ad for Martial Powers, in the same way that Acerak is an advertisement for Open Grave and Mercykillers was an advertisement for Manual of the Planes. I hope you complained about the Barbarian and the Bard the same way you did about the Druid and Invoker. But the way I remember it, everyone seemed to LOVE the idea of previews and playtests back then.
Maybe it's too much, but its a whole lot better than the alternative, which would be actual ads.
The fact is, you're running out of things to complain about if you're complaining that the new Dungeon/Dragon mags have too much "promotional material". Either that, or its been a long while since you've cracked a pre-2008 issue of Dungeon/Dragon mags. They're giving as much content, at half the price, with no "real" advertisements, and you're complaining that some of the preview articles "feel like an advertisement"? Gotta say, I can't find it within myself to agree.
For goodness sake the page count has increased from last month, and the previews arent included in the pages of the magazine. People are just angry because they din't give you a 30 or 10 level playtest
EXCEPT, as I asked last time, saying the page-count is larger than last months is meaningless unless we know how the page-counts stack-up.
(And doubly so since the issue hasn't been released so the article page counts are not likely 100% accurate)
But, since you ignored me, I smelled BS and so I PMed and asked about: issue 369 has 71 pages making it the smallest issue so far.
364 had 85, 365 had 80, 366 had 87, and 367 had 75.
I don't have the compiled issue for 368 but it looks like it was sizable from the free articles.
So saying "the page count has increased since last month" means NOTHING as last month was the low bar.
So when you say the issue has 76+ pages you're really saying it's well below average including the playtests/previews. And if you take away 6-8 pages for the playtests it becomes the smallest issue.
when you go to the movies and pay $10 to see Dark Knight do you complain you are not getting your money's worth becse they put the Watchmen trailer before it...I mean really why pay to see that movie trailer
Ok maybe that came off more snarky then it should, but come on...
Rather then a Watchman trailer where getting a Pepsi music video/ commercials staring Hana Montana and her dad,pimping her album, her dads album, her show, her clothing line,dolls,toys and Pepsi.
when you go to the movies and pay $10 to see Dark Knight do you complain you are not getting your money's worth becse they put the Watchmen trailer before it...I mean really why pay to see that movie trailer
Ok maybe that came off more snarky then it should, but come on...
But how about if the move is only 65 minutes long but the theatre makes-up for it by showing an extra 20-minutes of trailers, car commercials, and those anti-piracy ads?
I have never paid 10.00 to see a movie (highest paid was 6.50 and that was a gift to me) and I was very upset with the advertisements.
The reason that it is unlikely I will even go out and pay to see a movie again.
Wait... was anyone making these same complaints when Paizo was running the mags and devoted nearly 20% of the magazine to ads? I mean... actual straight up advertisements. Not previews. Ads.
Thats part of the deal when you get a magazine in hard copy, and thou you or I might not find all the ads in the old Dragon of much use to us, still without them how would we know about other great games etc.
EXCEPT, as I asked last time, saying the page-count is larger than last months is meaningless unless we know how the page-counts stack-up.
(And doubly so since the issue hasn't been released so the article page counts are not likely 100% accurate)
But, since you ignored me, I smelled BS and so I PMed and asked about: issue 369 has 71 pages making it the smallest issue so far.
364 had 85, 365 had 80, 366 had 87, and 367 had 75.
I don't have the compiled issue for 368 but it looks like it was sizable from the free articles.
So saying "the page count has increased since last month" means NOTHING as last month was the low bar.
So when you say the issue has 76+ pages you're really saying it's well below average including the playtests/previews. And if you take away 6-8 pages for the playtests it becomes the smallest issue.
Nothin' substantial to add, but issue 368 was 100 pages. Barbarian preview was 10 pages.
your example is wrong. i corrected it for you:
you go to the movies to see a random "sneak preview" movie.
instead of some trailers for free and a full movie, you get 20 trailers and a short movie. (30 min)
-> are you satisfied?
but you still got the product...the movie or magazine...
Nothin' substantial to add, but issue 368 was 100 pages. Barbarian preview was 10 pages.
Thank you.
364: 85
365: 80
366: 87
367: 75
368: 100
369: 71
Average page count of issues so far: 83
I don't mind the barbarian playtest any more than I minded the idea of the artificer playtest. Because there was enough time to really test the class and run it through some hoops and give feedback.
I mind it even less now that I know the issue would have been 90 pages without.
But if #370 is 74-76 pages (already well below the average) and 10 of those are essentially revenue-less advertisements then you're actually paying for 66 pages of real, useable content. That's a sizable drop.
If it was a one-time event than so be it. Holidays wreck havoc on deadlines, not everyone can be creative 24-7 and sometimes magazines are lite.
But since January looks equally sparse we're complaining. If we don't this might become that status quo and the magazines might lose 1/8th the size and have an extra 1/8th in neededless previews.
but you still got the product...the movie or magazine...
yes, but not really what i paid for, and that's the point. if i pay for a full movie, i want to see a full movie.
But if #370 is 74-76 pages (already well below the average) and 10 of those are essentially revenue-less advertisements then you're actually paying for 66 pages of real, useable content. That's a sizable drop.
If it was a one-time event than so be it. Holidays wreck havoc on deadlines, not everyone can be creative 24-7 and sometimes magazines are lite.
I hate to argue the other side, but I need to stop the misinformation. The preview is not DRA content, it wont be in the compiled issue, so that 74 is without the preview added into the number.
The main point (of my) irritation is the drop in quality of articles over the DEC/January months. Where are the backdrops (we've had two, one FR one Eberron), the class acts (the warlord one was ok.. a bit too specialized though), magic items. Personally I'd like the antagonist content moved to dungeon (two of DEC's articles are antagonist articles), so that DRA has a focus on %100 player content.
Wait... was anyone making these same complaints when Paizo was running the mags and devoted nearly 20% of the magazine to ads? I mean... actual straight up advertisements. Not previews. Ads.
People seem to be forgetting that 15-20 pages of Dungeon/Dragon content was previously occupied by full page advertisements that actually provided no worthwhile material.
Personally, I prefer 8-10 pages of soft selling preview material to 15-20 pages of hard selling advertisements.
Just a few thoughts.
IIRC the print versions of Dragon and Dungeon had ads, comics, and other filler that may or may not have been of interest to "all" readers. I never had a subscription or anything, but that is just what I remember from reading some of my brothers old issues. I enjoy the DDI subscription: the magazines, the tool, the compendium, the character builder and everything else.
Remember these are all included in the subscription not just the mags.
You are correct. However, the source of our collective anger is the fact that the advertised product (the first 3-5 months or so), are far superior (in article quality, not page length) to the product we are getting now. We're not being critical of the past productions of dragon, we're being critical of the new product from WoTC.
My hope is that this is an aftereffect of the layoffs (and the holidays), not mal-oversight.
My hope is that this is an aftereffect of the layoffs, not mal-oversight.
Similarly I hope that it's a combination of the layoffs, and the holidays and that things will improve come Feb.
While I don't personally have an objection to the amount of content (some issues are going to be better than others, be it in print, online, or beamed directly into my head).
I can see where some of the current objections sprout from, and hope for an improvement all the same.
Similarly I hope that it's a combination of the layoffs, and the holidays and that things will improve come Feb.
I agree, I've edited my post just a tad, adding "and the holidays" should make the post a bit less angsty. I don't want to look like I'm peering down my nose at WoTC, it's more i'm trying to help a sore friend up from his knees.
If Holidays are the excuse, it can last out for months.
We can go back and forth with page counts preview/playtest debates but in the end when I signed up I was very excited about the magazines. Now I am not.
4 of the Dragon articles are filler. In this case to me they are extra articles that really arent about hte game. D&D Alumni talks about different classes, villains etc through different editions. An ok read I suppose but nothing that can really be used. Confessions is similar. Its an ok read but I'm not overly interested in paying to read about other people's DMing unless I get some solid tips. No offense to the author, she meets her article's goals well I just don't like the goal. Every magazine has these types of other articles and that's fine up to a point but it would be nice to have useful filler.
1: An NPC. Just 1-2 pages of a stat block, background etc.
2: Random chart of the month. Inn names menus, racial appearances, quirky sayings. it could be 1-2 pages and I dont know many GMs that could make use of these.
While I started out eager to read new articles now I am hesitant to keep paying.
Ampersand still begins with "...One is another glimpse of Player’s Handbook 2, kind of a bookend to this week’s druid preview," which is sloppy editing at best, since the magazine doesn't operate on a weekly schedule, and of course, the druid preview isn't even in the magazine!
Where did you get the page count for Jan?
That's the page count for December (#370).
64 pages. We have a new record for pitifulness. The previews were not in the issue, which as I understand it, means they're not RPGA legal either, just in case you had any hope of using one in your low-level campaign.
So it looks like the previous number spouted about (74) did include the previews. Sad.
Subscribe to D&D Insider
When you subscribe to D&D Insider, you get complete, instant access to every feature and tool currently available:
Dragon and Dungeon magazine content—about 120 pages of all-new material, with updates posted several times a week—and a PDF compilation of every issue at the end of the month
So. Is Dungeon roughly 60 pages this month?
Technically, Touch of Madness cannot help qualify for this claim either, since it's not all-new.
So. Is Dungeon roughly 60 pages this month?
Technically, Touch of Madness cannot help qualify for this claim either, since it's not all-new.
Amusingly, the adventure The Temple Between is something like 68 pages long.
Amusingly, the adventure The Temple Between is longer (or almost as long) as all of Dragon.
So it is.
Too bad it's an Ari Marmell piece.
So. Is Dungeon roughly 60 pages this month?
Technically, Touch of Madness cannot help qualify for this claim either, since it's not all-new.
The 120 pages does suggest both Dungeon and Dragon magazines, and so far the combined output has been well over the 120 pages.
The 120 pages does suggest both Dungeon and Dragon magazines, and so far the combined output has been well over the 120 pages.
Oh yeah. They've met their metric, and honestly, I've had no complaints about Dungeon.
So it is.
Too bad it's an Ari Marmell piece.
Not a fan of his work?
Wait... was anyone making these same complaints when Paizo was running the mags and devoted nearly 20% of the magazine to ads? I mean... actual straight up advertisements. Not previews. Ads.
People seem to be forgetting that 15-20 pages of Dungeon/Dragon content was previously occupied by full page advertisements that actually provided no worthwhile material.
Personally, I prefer 8-10 pages of soft selling preview material to 15-20 pages of hard selling advertisements.
However I believe the difference is that in most cases people were paying for that ad space and reducing the cost I would would have paid if that magazine didn't have those pages. Losing the ads, to me, meant that the price of the magazine would be driven up, possibly enough that I would have stopped purchasing them.
Although the preview material might be allowing for the same thing. That is the increased sales caused by the preview material would possibly allow for reduced prices on books or allowing for even more material online at the same price.
I think January is even worse than december. We get one article less than this month (a total of 5 only) and in addition to that Previews will take the place of regular Dragon updates on two Mondays.
As I said, they could blame this on the holidays. We will see if this is true or if the reduced content in Dragon will be the new standard by the time we see Febuary's editorial calender.
Any official comment on that? I don't think we will get that...
So it looks like the previous number spouted about (74) did include the previews. Sad.
how many pagges is the skill challenge articule...(It was dragon, but shifted to Dungeon)
That might explain why this month looks short...
how many pagges is the skill challenge articule...(It was dragon, but shifted to Dungeon)
That might explain why this month looks short...
Last month's Skill Challenge article was around 2,000 words, and 3 pages. This month's also around 2,000 words, so I would expect it'll be roughly 3 pages again.
However I believe the difference is that in most cases people were paying for that ad space and reducing the cost I would would have paid if that magazine didn't have those pages. Losing the ads, to me, meant that the price of the magazine would be driven up, possibly enough that I would have stopped purchasing them.
Although the preview material might be allowing for the same thing. That is the increased sales caused by the preview material would possibly allow for reduced prices on books or allowing for even more material online at the same price.
Absolutely. Ads are ads, as far as I'm concerned. Personally, these ads are far more useful to me when it comes to evaluating the content of the product and making a decision to buy or not.
On the same note, content is content. In the past, I expected about 60-70 pages of Dragon and Dungeon content. I was willing to pay about $10 a month for it. Now, I expect about 60-70 pages of Dragon and Dungeon content. I am paying less for it, and that's fine with me too.
I understand that some people had higher expectations based on a really great issue a couple months back. But I read the 120 page announcement as the baseline for my decision. As long as I am getting 60 pages of Dungeon and 60 pages of Dragon, I feel like they are living up to their promise and my expectations.
1. Did the holidays surprise them? They couldn't have planned ahead, knowing they were coming (like all print mags)?
2. Are they writing the articles right now? If it's the holidays, then January should be short and December should be just fine (yes I know January is also short). These articles should have all been done long before the holidays...Heck the content was light on the ToC from the first of the month....well before the holidays.
3. Are other "real" magazines short due to the holidays? Do you pick up an issue of Time, Cosmo, or even one of the old Paizo Dungeons or Dragons and say...well, it's 10 pages shorter...must be due to the holidays.
4. Who cares if they want to celebrate the holidays? I know this one sounds heartless, but it's not like it is the responsibility of the customer. I'm sure lots of people have jobs they don't want to do because of the holidays, but they do them, or plan ahead. How's this....it's the holidays: your cable channels have nothing on, not because it is broken, but because they didn't plan any programming.
The holidays? Bull. not an excuse to underdeliver a product customers are paying for. Not by any means.
If you think they haven't underdelivered, that's fine...but to excuse them for the holidays?
No.
It really irritates me that Jan 19 will bring us an excerpt from Practical Guide to Faeries.
I play Dungeons & Dragons, not "D&D Junior Edition", & as such, I have no interest in a Mirrorstone book on faeries that has nothing to do with D&D. When I see stuff like this, I can't help but feel that WotC has lost sight of just who they're supposed to be marketing D&D to in the first place, 'cause if I want a book about monsters for my D&D campaign, it'll be something like the Draconomicon or Open Grave, not one of the various Codex or Practical Guide books that Mirrorstone publishes for kids & teenagers. I realize that a lot of these same kids & teenagers play D&D, but I still don't wanna see Mirrorstone book excerpts on the main D&D site.
Ever.
Even if they're free.
/rant
Thank you.
364: 85
365: 80
366: 87
367: 75
368: 100
369: 71
Well it looks like the Invoker and the Druid didn't make it into the actual issue.
Final page count for 370: 66 pages.
Note 3 of those are the cover, and the 2 pages of index. So article content is a mere 63 pages, and that's counting everything other than the cover and index as an article.
If a paper issue of the magazine had turned up 15-20 pages short (2-3 articles) there would be a lot of complaints.
I think its fair that people are upset about the December issues content, and thus equally annoyed at the promoted content for January.
Previews that replace articles and are then not in the "issue" are far very bad. If getting those previews means I'm not getting real content, I'm not happy to have paid a 12 month subscription on the promise of the earlier issues.
(Real Content: means new original content, not a book excerpt.)
This is a silly complaint, but I just don't care...
It really irritates me that Jan 19 will bring us an excerpt from Practical Guide to Faeries.
I play Dungeons & Dragons, not "D&D Junior Edition", & as such, I have no interest in a Mirrorstone book on faeries that has nothing to do with D&D. When I see stuff like this, I can't help but feel that WotC has lost sight of just who they're supposed to be marketing D&D to in the first place, 'cause if I want a book about monsters for my D&D campaign, it'll be something like the Draconomicon or Open Grave, not one of the various Codex or Practical Guide books that Mirrorstone publishes for kids & teenagers. I realize that a lot of these same kids & teenagers play D&D, but I still don't wanna see Mirrorstone book excerpts on the main D&D site.
Ever.
Even if they're free.
/rant
Because you of course are the only target audience?
With respect the free excerpts naturally target both older and younger audiences.
Now if this was a Dragon article I would be exceptionally po'd.