A Slightly Comforting Thought re: Dragon/Dungeon

Some shit-for-brains at the BBC actually canceled Doctor Who once. Then when the idiot was gone, the show came back.

We can only hope the same thing will happen for Dragon and Dungeon magazines.

People all over ENWorld, the Paizo boards, and the WotC website are comparing this decision to "New Coke" -- the irony is that the moron at WotC whose idea this is (or at least who's most publicly visible with it) used to be an ad exec for Coca-Cola.

Let's hope that, like "New Coke" this is recognized quickly as a fiasco, reversed, and swept under the rug in sheepish embarassment.

Until then, they'll be getting some letters.

-The Gneech

Happy Birthday, berin!

For your present, here's today's Forgotten English!

indumentum
In ornithology, the plumage of birds.

--Rev. John Boag's Imperial Lexicon, c. 1850

Tenbury Cuckoo Fair
There is a belief in [Worcestershire] that you never hear the cuckoo till Tenbury Fair day or after Pershore Fair day, which is the 26th of June. It is a popular belief in Norfolk that whatever you are doing the first time you hear the cuckoo, that you will do most frequently all the year. Another is that unmarried person will remain single as many years as the cuckoo, when first heard, utters its call. ... There are in England remnants of other old customs marking the position which the cuckoo held in the superstitions of the Middle Ages. In Shropshire, till very recently, when the first cuckoo was heard, the labourers were in the habit of leaving their work, making holiday of the rest of the day, and carousing in what they called the cuckoo ale. Among the peasantry in some parts of the kingdom, it is considered to be very unlucky to have no money in your pocket when you hear the cuckoo's note for the first time in the season.

--W. & R. Chambers' Book of Days, 1864

But then really, do labourers need a reason to leave their work, make holiday the rest of the day, and carouse in ale?

-The Gneech

Open Letter

From: John Robey (thegneech@gmail.com)
to: corporateinfo@wizards.com
date: Apr 20, 2007 10:47 AM
subject: Hurt by the Cancellation of Dragon / Dungeon Magazines

I will be sending a paper copy of this letter as well, but I wanted to make sure this was received quickly.

I want to let you know that I am stunned, angry, and hurt that you are planning to discontinue Dragon and Dungeon magazines -- and I feel that this is a very bad move both for Wizards of the Coast, and for the gaming community at large.

D&D is the flagship of tabletop RPGs, and always has been -- and its support magazines are vital to the gaming community. Even in the pre-3e days when I wouldn't play D&D, I would still regularly buy the magazines. Being on magazine racks and in bookstores, Dragon and Dungeon are the face of gaming as a whole that is seen by the general public -- who will not be going to the Wizards website, and most assuredly not be subscribing to the website content. By removing this from the public eye, you make gaming (which is already a niche market) even MORE obscure. How can this possibly grow the hobby -- and with it your business?

I suggest you peruse the WotC, Paizo, and ENWorld message boards if you have not already done so, to see just how personal a connection these magazines have for people. For many, myself included, Dragon magazine in particular was their introduction to D&D and to roleplaying games generally. Even before I bought my first gaming product, I was reading issues of Dragon that I managed to get from my older brother or my friends' older brothers.

A website is a passive communication channel -- it depends on people coming to you. Magazines are active -- they reach out. I won't begin to talk about the profit or lack thereof involved in the magazines, because I don't have the numbers. I have read that Erik Mona says the magazines were in the black, and that should be more than enough. Because the magazines are not a revenue stream, they are a marketing channel! People are PAYING YOU TO GIVE THEM YOUR ADVERTISEMENT, for crying out loud. By all rights, the magazines should be considered an expense, and yet they're making a profit. You would throw that away? I'm flabbergasted!

Even if I were inclined to pay for exclusive online content (which I emphatically am NOT), I would not take part in this vague "electronic initiative" that Dragon and Dungeon are being killed to make room for. My remaining subscription credit will instead go to Paizo's "Pathfinder" series, which is the closest thing I see to a true successor to Dragon and Dungeon. If and when Dragon and Dungeon return, you'll get my business again -- but not before.

On top of everything else, Dragon and Dungeon have a history that should be honored, not simply thrown away on the whim of an "electronic publishing" fad. I hope it doesn't fall on deaf ears when I say that owning the rights to "Dungeons and Dragons" is not merely "managing a brand" -- but that it makes you heirs to a legacy. Long-term, "hard core" gamers -- your best, highest-paying customers -- have a love for the game and its traditions, and to simply decide one day that those traditions are old hat is a slap in the face.

Please reverse this ill-advised course of action as soon as possible. I can easily believe that you did not realize just how negative a reaction this would get, nor how personally the gaming community might take it. But as I have said elsewhere, this feels like you've killed an old friend of mine.

Thank you for your time.

-John "The Gneech" Robey

Response

from: Corporate Info (corporateinfo@wizards.com)
to: John Robey (thegneech@gmail.com)
date: Apr 20, 2007 4:22 PM
subject: RE: Hurt by the Cancellation of Dragon / Dungeon Magazines

Dear John,

Thank you for your email.

I know that you might not believe us, having made this decision but we
are disappointed too...that the physical magazines can no longer be
produced. But we feel that this will be the best way to continue to
provide the content our fans need and want.

We hope that you will give this transition a change before making a
finial judgment.

I have forwarded your email to the brand manager for D&D, so he reads
your disappointment and feedback.

Best regards,
Pat
Corporate Information

***

from: John Robey (thegneech@gmail.com)
to: Corporate Info (corporateinfo@wizards.com)
date: Apr 20, 2007 4:29 PM
subject: Re: Hurt by the Cancellation of Dragon / Dungeon Magazines

I'm sorry, I don't see how that can be true. Producing them cost you
nothing. It -gave- you money in the form of license fees from Paizo.

Nevertheless, thank you for your response.

-The Gneech

*** EDIT

Hi John,
I really can't say a lot, but you really can't think that they "cost us
nothing"? Or that they cost Paizo nothing? That's just not really
thinking about how business works.

Really we do understand how upset people are, and I'm not trying to make
you more upset, but please understand we didn't just "do" this because
we felt like it.

Thank you for emailing back, I appreciate it very much.

Pat

***

I'm sure they cost Paizo plenty! I'm just as sure that their loss will
cost Paizo even more. However, my impression has been that the process
of running the magazines was handed over to them precisely to minimize
the cost to Wizards while still producing the magazine. I certainly
don't claim to know the ins and outs of your business, but beyond
having someone review and approve the content, I thought the whole
purpose of giving it to Paizo in the first place was so they could
operate on smaller margins and remain profitable. That was certainly
how the deal was described when Paizo first started producing the
magazines. Hence, my confusion.

I'm not trying to be belligerent; I'm sure you're not exactly having a
wonderful day yourself.

-The Gneech