| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| ksu_bond |
Posted - 17 Sep 2013 : 02:07:17
FYI - an excerpt from Dragon 427
Going Dark
By Chris Perkins
In years past, when we found ourselves at the lonely crossroads between game editions, the magazines simply went from one edition to the next with nary a breath in between. This time is different. As we turn our attention to the next D&D® rules set, we’re putting Dragon® and Dungeon® on hiatus.
The D&D magazines are going dark beginning in January. In other words, the December issues (#221 of Dungeon and #430 of Dragon) will be the last issues you see for a while. The magazines will continue on their present trajectories for the next few months, during which time we will answer questions such as the following: when will Dragon and Dungeon return, what form(s) will the magazines take, how much D&D content will the magazines publish, and how does one submit pitches for articles?
As it stands, we have all the 4th Edition content we need to fill the remaining issues between now and the end of the year, and we are not ready to solicit content for D&D Next. Consequently, we are not accepting articles or adventure pitches this fall, and the submission window (which normally opens on October 1st and closes on November 30th) will remain closed. Anyone who sends a pitch to submissions@wizards.com will receive an automated “Thanks, but no thanks” response, along with a short explanation of why we’re not accepting content at this time.
Every new edition is a chance for the magazines to evolve, and evolve they will. If you are interested in contributing to the D&D tabletop roleplaying game in the future, my best advice (for the time being) is to start up a regular D&D Next game and familiarize yourself with the new rules. Hone your writing skills as best you can. Then wait to see what happens next. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Absatalar |
Posted - 03 Aug 2014 : 10:14:19
Well, the magazines in Spain were translated and edited as long as they were in paper, but I never had notice of digital contents avaliable in our language. Anyway, I always thought that you must read D&D stuff in english in order to fully understand what a D&D game is; besides, I have been reading some other forums, apart from this one, about the subject and it seems that WOTC chose a wierd way to manage the magazines and specially the suscriptions. I was about to pay for a three months DDI just to follow the transition from 4E (wich I never played) to 5E, but it all went to black and now lots of people are having nothing for their money; lucky me that I did some sort of investigation before paying.
It's a pity that no paper version is to be released (I still have hope), but what George Krashos said about the GENCON is enough information for me and my question.
Thank you. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 03 Aug 2014 : 05:12:25
I hope when they resume the digital "magazines" that they actually put some content in them... A lot of them were only 40 pages or so, which is a far cry from what the print versions were -- and we had free web content at the same time we have the print versions, too. Now these things they call "magazines" aren't worthy of the name, and they're barely giving us any web content... Even the trickle of web content we get, they can't even stick to a set schedule. It used to be that we got stuff pretty much every weekday, with some features always coming on particular days of the week. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 03 Aug 2014 : 02:46:19
I think it's pretty certain that they'll be re-released again, but in the digital format, not paper (unfortunately). I expect that there will be news at GENCON as to when they are likely to return. Can't do DUNGEON until all the rules are out there officially. I'm guessing they'll kick off in the new year.
-- George Krashos |
| Absatalar |
Posted - 02 Aug 2014 : 17:37:29
I know this thread is old.
Anyway, does anyone know what will happen to the Dragon/Dungeon magazines? I'm trying to jump from AD&D 2E to 5E and I think all the material from the mags would be handy. |
| ksu_bond |
Posted - 04 Oct 2013 : 01:10:34
That is correct...I did that in August when I finally made the mistake of signing up... |
| Thieran |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 14:28:59
So if I subscribe in December for one month for 9.95 $, I can download every single issue of Dragon and Dungeon that has been produced for D&D Insider? Sounds not too bad. |
| Lord Bane |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 09:21:13
One sentance to WotC: STOP BEING "INNOVATIVE" AND RESPECT THE LORE!
First they mess up the fiends and the planes with 4e and now they mess with spelljammer lore? They are aware that they push away Fans by that move? Right? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 04:20:34
quote:
Originally posted by Derulbaskul
The difference is that Spelljammer is now a fairly obscure setting (20+ years ago) and a major turn-off to many. I can understand why they left such a reference off neogi.
So if Spelljammer is so obscure, how can it be a major turn-off? And if it is a turn-off, why retcon one of its signature races? Neogi are not just iconic, they are signature creatures of the setting, like draconians are for Dragonlance. |
| Shemmy |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 02:51:41
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Derulbaskul
The difference is that Spelljammer is now a fairly obscure setting (20+ years ago) and a major turn-off to many. I can understand why they left such a reference off neogi.
I wouldn't say references to SPELLJAMMER-specific material could be considered obscure. Until the release of 4e D&D, SPELLJAMMER-specific elements -- even spelljamming itself -- was almost annually referenced and detailed in parts throughout much of the 3e/3.5e material until 2008.
Absolutely. Even with Spelljammer proper being out of print as a distinct campaign setting, neogi references in and out of FR material up till 2008 retained continuity with their origin in SJ, and spelljamming itself and races from outer space was all over the place.
It's poor form to randomly alter a race's preexistant lore, or just contravene existing continuity. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 02:48:15
quote:
Originally posted by Derulbaskul
The difference is that Spelljammer is now a fairly obscure setting (20+ years ago) and a major turn-off to many. I can understand why they left such a reference off neogi.
I wouldn't say references to SPELLJAMMER-specific material could be considered obscure. Until the release of 4e D&D, SPELLJAMMER-specific elements -- even spelljamming itself -- were almost annually referenced and detailed in parts throughout much of the 3e/3.5e material until 2008. Both the published DRAGON and DUNGEON Magazines also provided a wealth of updated material for the setting and it's particular elements for the 3e rules. |
| Derulbaskul |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 01:12:56
The difference is that Spelljammer is now a fairly obscure setting (20+ years ago) and a major turn-off to many. I can understand why they left such a reference off neogi. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 01 Oct 2013 : 21:14:43
If they're going to mine from prior editions, they should remain faithful to prior lore. I've not seen them entirely revamp githyanki or change the background for barghests... Stripping an existing critter of its background instead of creating something new is uninspired at best, lazy at worst. |
| Derulbaskul |
Posted - 01 Oct 2013 : 14:22:47
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
...And I just saw something else to bug me. The newest Dragon has neogi as an Underdark race, hailing from the Far Realm. That pisses me off on so many levels! 
Don't forget, these articles are aimed at DMs who actually run 4E games rather than simply read these articles because they're interested in D&D worlds like the Forgotten Realms. And any post-2E DM is quite unlikely to be familiar with Spelljammer so it makes more sense to simply give them the bog standard "aberrant = Far Realm" origin story.
And for those of us who both run 4E and remember Spelljammer we can keep the old story in our games. |
| Derulbaskul |
Posted - 01 Oct 2013 : 14:19:02
quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
quote:
Originally posted by Derulbaskul
Clearly, the D&D team at WotC are being allowed to run their department in a manner inconsistent with a real business.
I don't think it's clear at all. We have no indication that it's the D&D Team who's making these decisions. There is a monstrosity of a marketing and brand team that could very well be making these decisions for them. In real business, the people who sign the checks often make the decisions.
By D&D team I mean the whole of the D&D business - brand, marketing, cheque-signers - and not simply the design team. If you look at my post from that perspective then maybe you will agree.
As for the "real business" comment, yes, my "being allowed" comment also implied that approval is coming from a higher level... and that also doesn't make a lot of sense. Not in a real business, anyway....
|
| Matt James |
Posted - 01 Oct 2013 : 11:45:06
quote:
Originally posted by Derulbaskul
Clearly, the D&D team at WotC are being allowed to run their department in a manner inconsistent with a real business.
I don't think it's clear at all. We have no indication that it's the D&D Team who's making these decisions. There is a monstrosity of a marketing and brand team that could very well be making these decisions for them. In real business, the people who sign the checks often make the decisions. |
| Derulbaskul |
Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 16:11:27
Clearly, the D&D team at WotC are being allowed to run their department in a manner inconsistent with a real business. They've got next to no products to sell, they've got a half-finished update of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition that still hasn't had the maths ironed out even after two years (and now needs its own second team to handle that), they're losing key people (Bruce Cordell a month or so ago, Jon Schindehette today) and now their bright idea is to scrap the DDi content that is, for most DDi subscribers, what is keeping them as subscribers.
(Personally speaking, I'll resubscribe for the 4E tools but I'm in a very small minority here who actively likes 4E.)
There's either a level of stupid at work here that I have not encountered before or there is a very cunning plan in place that is going to surprise us all.
BTW, for those advocating the return of the two magazines as print products, you should be aware that WotC has killed their magazine distribution channels. It would cost something like two years' revenue (not profit: I really hope people know the difference between these two) to get distribution back in place which would mean the magazines would be unlikely to show a profit for about five years. In other words, it won't be happening. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 02:37:52
As soon as they stop providing subscriber FR content for me, my DDI subscription will be history.
-- George Krashos
|
| Diffan |
Posted - 26 Sep 2013 : 21:20:40
I'm still going to continue my DDI subscription for the game tool they provide and the compendium is extreamly useful. It is sad that we won't be receiving new content for quite a while and I could see why people would get mad if they were mainly concerned with the non-edition material they've been producing for the past 12 months or so. |
| Zireael |
Posted - 26 Sep 2013 : 10:18:28
quote:
Originally posted by Drustan Dwnhaedan
After reading everybody else's posts, I'm glad I never bothered with DDI. 
Ditto. |
| SirUrza |
Posted - 25 Sep 2013 : 00:44:19
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
As far as I was concerned, Dungeon & Dragon died a long time ago, when Paizo stopped publishing them.
Close, for me they died when they stopped being published. IMHO both digital magazines felt like a shadow of their former selves.
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
To me, this is nothing more then a downgrade to a website I haven't been interested in anyhow.
Pretty much. The lack of the maptool is the main reason I NEVER subscribed to DDI.
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Either way, I am hoping they are planning some sort of replacement along the lines of Paizo's subscriptions, focusing on FR they way Pathfinder focus's on Golarion.
I certainly hope not, they've done enough damage to the Realms. |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 24 Sep 2013 : 14:11:36
I really hope the Realms goes the Adventure Path route too. Those books pretty much include adventures, bestiaries, fiction, and backdrop type articles. Doesn't that pretty much cover everything that needs to be published? Even if you never use the actual adventure itself, there is always info, encounters, ideas and plenty of maps to appropriate for whatever campaign your currently running. |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 24 Sep 2013 : 13:17:46
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
As far as I was concerned, Dungeon & Dragon died a long time ago, when Paizo stopped publishing them.
To me, this is nothing more then a downgrade to a website I haven't been interested in anyhow.
Either way, I am hoping they are planning some sort of replacement along the lines of Paizo's subscriptions, focusing on FR they way Pathfinder focus's on Golarion.
The only thing that may bring me back into WotC's products would be a Forgotten Realms AP series of books. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 24 Sep 2013 : 12:35:21
As far as I was concerned, Dungeon & Dragon died a long time ago, when Paizo stopped publishing them.
To me, this is nothing more then a downgrade to a website I haven't been interested in anyhow.
Either way, I am hoping they are planning some sort of replacement along the lines of Paizo's subscriptions, focusing on FR they way Pathfinder focus's on Golarion. |
| ksu_bond |
Posted - 23 Sep 2013 : 23:10:22
While I do miss the the feel, not to mention the anticipation and excitement, of receiving the printed mags in the mail...I was originally excited by the prospect of having my favorite magazines as e-zines, mainly because the publishing costs could have been diverted to further content if not just outright reduced, and the problem of limited space for content would have been permanently resolved...
Unfortunately, as everyone knows...none of this came to pass...despite the reduction of publishing costs we never really saw a significant change in the subscription costs, nor was there an increase in the size of the articles, the number of articles, much less an increase in the quality of these articles (please don't miss-understand, I'm not saying that these articles were bad, but just that they were no better than they were in print). More to the point, since the magazines were brought "in-house", WotC has effectively reduced the amount of content that is available...
Depending on the outcome of the hiatus, and the GL for the new edition, there may be room for a fanzine (such as the Candlekeep Compendium) to step up and fill the void...and I for one would be willing to help make it a reality... |
| xaeyruudh |
Posted - 23 Sep 2013 : 15:32:05
Dragon and Dungeon are separate entities because fans wanted both adventures and articles. There was room for (and profit in) two publications, so they made two publications. Given that there's room for (and profit in) another, they should be willing to make another. Particularly now that producing it costs them so much less than it did back in yesteryear, and especially since they have multiple published and popular authors who are eager to fill its "pages" with stories that fans will enjoy. Not jumping on this opportunity seems weird. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Sep 2013 : 06:09:55
That'd be awesome, but WotC won't stray too far from the "It's gotta have rules!" mentality. They've done it a couple of times, but they're obviously not willing to take that chance in the same place they have all of their rules.  |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 23 Sep 2013 : 05:21:37
Imagine a monthly magazine filled with nothing but fiction, short stories set in the Realms and other D&D campaign worlds. What better way to feed dedicated fans their staple fare and offer enticing tastes to those who have sequestered themselves in one little corner of fantastic time and space?
I‘m sure my interest in “other“ settings could be invigorated by some choice fiction.
Don‘t need rules. Got plenty of rules, can always invent, buy, or download more ... never use them all anyways. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Sep 2013 : 05:11:04
Considering that they are getting ready to roll out a new edition, it does kinda make sense to step back from pushing the current one... Granted, they could run non-edition stuff, like historical backgrounds on weapons/armor, articles on castles, roleplaying guides... Of course, I don't know that they could generate enough of that to fill up what currently passes for a magazine, but it's an option. |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 23 Sep 2013 : 03:27:12
Someone else will fill the gap if Hasbro decides to whack Dungeons and Dragons. Rule sets don't really matter to me. The fate of the Realms most certainly does concern me though. I like Paizo and their adventure paths, but there's something in that setting that's missing that gets me excited like the Realms does.
I just hope they are doing a restructuring of the magazine content. Maybe they will build up a years worth of content before putting it back on the table who knows. Considering this stuff is all in the electronic format I really hope they consider increasing the page count and bringing this into the 21st century. They could really make Dungeon and Dragon into titans again.
Fiction would be great to see again and all our classic staples. But with page count no longer really meaning anything they should take all info that gets cut from products etc and put it into the mags. And think about how much info they could fill the magazines up with stuff like this from past editions (provided it still survives). If supplement books don't sell well, maybe they should address that with the magazines. A Realms backdrop article every single issue would be most excellent.
Ed has a warehouse of info that has never seen the light of day. Start plowing all that info into the digital content. I'm rather curious to see what happens. Like ahem, when do we get the 5E campaign guide. :) |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 23 Sep 2013 : 02:41:02
A shame that Wizbro is considering this at all - removing these publications from their DDI package is going to cost a lot of subscribers. And it‘s not as if they haven‘t figured out that disgruntled fans are often zealous champions of revenue for the competition.
A double shame that Hasbro will sit on their registered trademarks and legal IPs indefinitely, not doing anything with the “brand“ yet being vindictively litigious towards anyone who dares to intrude.
I would‘ve thought WotC smart enough to just merge the titles, duh DUNGEON & DRAGON, and maybe even roll in MTG stuff or whatever in some sort of attempt at saving the classic titles. Y‘know, at least put on a show and pretend they care before making a cold ruthless business decision. I know it ain‘t a big company, and it‘s a small world, but it‘s also a niche market and I would think the RPG publishers would fight tooth and claw for every single fan they have, no less tenaciously than fiends squabbling over precious souls.
Ah well, wait and see. Maybe Wizbro will surprise us with something great ... not holding my breath, but it has happened before. |
