Drmg047, Dragon
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
March 1981
Dragon
1
Dragon
Vol. V, No. 9
Kim Mohan
Assistant editor, THE DRAGON
Dragon Publishing
bout my handling of your manuscript in-
volves the discovery and correction of
three “typos.” Okay, I’ll give you the be-
nefit of the doubt on “FINEOUS.” But a
lot of people think “persistance” is the
correct spelling of that word, and I’m not
so inclined to believe it was “just” a typo.
As far as “assistant” goes, I can tell by
the typing on the top of your letter that
you’re having a hard time breaking an
old habit.
I’m truly sorry if you or anyone got the
impression from my editing remarks that
I am a “nasty little man who says horrible
things to new writers.” Sure I took a few
shots at you, but that was just return fire.
Sure, I was not 100 percent encouraging.
I was meticulous in my editing of the
piece (at least, I tried to be). My com-
ments about our approach and our poli-
cies regarding manuscript submissions
were straightforward and sometimes
blunt — because I saw this as a golden
opportunity to impress writers with some
important facts about the way we operate.
It was an opportunity that I took ad-
vantage of at your expense, to some de-
gree — but no more, I think, than was
appropriate and necessary. I believe that
the uncomplimentary things I said about
the style and wording of your article
were valid criticisms. And judging by the
fact that you didn’t take issue with any of
them in your comments to me, I assume
you aren’t going to argue about any of
them. So, what is it that bothers you? Do
you rebel at being singled out for criti-
cism — “
savaged in public”? If so, con-
sider these facts: Few people could have
written such a complete, comprehensive
article to begin with — and someone
who can’t write well enough to get pub-
lished would trade places with you in a
second, to get his name on an article
whether it was being criticized or not.
You addressed a very special subject —
one on which I, as an editor, and DRAG-
ON, as a magazine, have very strong feel-
ings. Your article gave us a vehicle to
present those thoughts to our readers,
and I and we thank you for that.
Because your letter was addressed to
“Out on a Limb” as well as to me person-
ally, I’m going to take the liberty of pub-
lishing it, along with this response. I
know writers don’t get paid for letters to
the editor, but I figured you wouldn’t
mind.
Vol. V, No. 9 March 1981
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E. Gary Gygax
Editor
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jake Jaquet
Assistant editor
. . . . . . . . . . Kim Mohan
Editorial staff
. . . . . . . . . . . . Bryce Knorr
Marilyn Mays
Sales & Circulation
. . Debbie Chiusano
Corey Koebernick
Office staff
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dawn Pekul
Cherie Knull
Roger Raupp
Contributing editors . . . .
Roger Moore
Ed Greenwood
Dear Orcface:
You couldn’t resist, could you? Those
little red scribbles on contributor’s manu-
scripts didn’t get you enough play, did
they? You. had to try for the big time and
savage someone in public, didn’t you?
“The Write Way to Get Published” in
DRAGON #45 has probably fixed the
name Kim Mohan in everyone’s mind.
You’re now the nasty little man who says
horrible things to eager new writers,
leaving their egos crushed and their manu-
scripts mangled.
Bad PR, Kim.
Somebody should tell your readers
that you’re actually much nicer when
you’re really working with a writer, and
not hamming it up. The sarcasm general-
ly stays at your office, and the comments
that you scrawl all over people’s manu-
scripts are generally well-considered
and constructive. I’m probably the best
one to say it, since I’m the one who got so
brutalized.
Hey, folks, Kim’s easy to work with —
really. He won’t do anything horrible to
you if you send him a manuscript. He’s
positively friendly to new writers —just
don’t call him “Orcface.” It turns him
from a mild-mannered editor to a savage
beast.
Really, Kim; complaining about three
little typos in a 2700 word article is a bit
much. Imperfect proofreading is one
reason why people like me work with
people like you — editors are supposed
to delete all the author’s mistakes, so
that the only errors in the final draft are
the editor’s.
Up until now, you’ve done it perfectly.
Many wishes,
Robert Plamondon
This month’s contributing artists:
John Blumen
James Holloway
Todd Oleck
Steve Swenston
Dave LaForce
David Trampier
Roger Raupp
Darlene
Jeff Dee
DRAGON magazine is published monthly by
Dragon Publishing, a division of TSR Hobbies, Inc.
The mailing address of Dragon Publishing is P.O.
Box 110, Lake Geneva, WI 53147; telephone 414-
248-8044.
DRAGON is available at hundreds of hobby
stores and bookstores throughout the United
States and Canada, and through a limited number
of overseas outlets. The magazine can be pur-
chased directly from Dragon Publishing by in-
dividual subscription. The subscription rate within
the United States and Canada is $24 U.S. for 12 is-
sues. Outside the U.S. and Canada, rates are as
follows: $50 U.S. for 12 issues sent surface mail,
or $95 U.S. for 12 issues sent air mail.
A limited selection of DRAGON back issues is
available by mail from Dragon Publishing for cover
price of a particular issue plus $1.00 per issue
ordered for postage and handling. No issues prior
to #22 are available. The cover price for issues #22-
31 is $2.00, for #32-36, $2.50, and for #37 to
present, $3.00. Payment must accompany all
orders. If one or more issues in an order is sold
out, a credit slip will be substituted which may be
exchanged for cash or merchandise from Dragon
Publishing.
The issue of expiration for each subscription is
printed on each subscriber’s mailing label.
Changes of address for subscriptions must be re-
ceived by Dragon Publishing at least 30 days prior
to the effective date of the change in order to
guarantee uninterrupted delivery.
All material published in DRAGON becomes the
exclusive property of the publisher upon publica-
tion, unless special arrangements to the contrary
are made prior to publication.
Dear Robert,
I have read your letter several times
and find myself still at a loss to phrase an
adequate and sufficient response in a
limited number of words. I am not at all
sure how to take some of your com-
ments: Is the first paragraph supposed to
be sarcastic, or are you just letting off
some steam, or are you really mad at
me?
Aside from some general criticism
about how I’ve portrayed myself as a
“savage beast,” your only complaint a-
DRAGON welcomes unsolicited submissions
of written material and artwork; however, no
responsibility for such submissions can be as-
sumed by the publisher in any event. No submis-
sion will be returned unless it was accompanied
by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of suf-
ficient size.
DRAGON™ is a trademark for Dragon Publishing’s
monthly adventure role-playing aid. All rights on the
contents of this publication are resewed, and nothing
may be reproduced in whole or in part without securing
prior permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright
1981 by TSR Hobbies, Inc.
Second class postage paid at Cary, Illinois 60013.
March 1981
Dragon
eturn with us now to those action-packed days of
yesteryear, as the superhero of gaming magazines
strikes another blow for life, liberty and the pursuit
of experience points with CRlMEFlGHTERS, a set
of rules for role-playing adventure in the era of the
tion starting on page 9 which deals with adventuring on the
other planes. In addition to Steven’s observations, Karl Horak
adds new meaning to “soul searching”; Patrick Amory postu-
lates the existence of seven strange creatures from obscure
planes; and our Bazaar of the Bizarre is stocked with magic
items which travellers between the planes might find...inter-
esting.
Appearing for the first time in this issue is Figuratively Speak-
ing, a photographic and analytical look at miniature figures and
accessories. Reviewer Bill Fawcett will provide ratings and gen-
eral comments on figures and other items from as many differ-
ent manufacturers as possible. The figures are professionally
photographed to yield the best quality reproduction, so you can
literally see what you’re getting in a Figuratively Speaking
review.
Creating a time frame for a world and designing a calendar to
fit it might seem like an awesome task to any DM contemplating
such an effort. But contributing editor Ed Greenwood presents
and describes his creation, The Calendar of Harptos, in a single
page. By retaining some of the aspects of our normal Gregorian
calendar, Ed’s calendar is familiar and unusual at the same time.
In this month’s Leomund’s Tiny Hut column, Len Lakofka
takes a close look at the abilities and liabilities of the thief class.
Two formidable females, Camilla and Medea, are depicted by
Katharine Brahtin Kerr in Giants in the Earth. Merle Rasmussen,
author of the TOP SECRET™ game, reveals a few more of his
valuable papers in another installment of The Rasmussen Files,
and Sage Advice is back with a page of questions and answers
about the AD&D™ rules.
John Prados provides an in-depth look at the history of Simu-
lations Publications, Inc., and a description of the new trends
emerging at SPI, in Simulation Corner. Mark Herro examines
electronic and computer-program sports games in The Electric
Eye, and Bryan Beecher sets forth rules for replaying the Rus-
sian conquest of Berlin in his latest Squad Leader scenario.
Dragon’s Augury, made up primarily of reviews by Tony Wat-
son this month, features games based on land, in the sea, and in
outer space, plus a pair of adventures designed for Traveller..
Our five pages of comics in this issue include the next two
pages of Pinsom, which made its debut last month; a double-
page spread of Wormy; and the continuing saga of Jasmine.
Now, go forth and become Crimefighters heroes. Here’s hop-
ing that all your contacts are sweet, honest guys, and the secret
formula ends up in your hands at the end of the chase. — KM
pulp heroes.
If you thought a pulp hero was some rare strain of paper
golem, then the game setting might take some getting used to.
But Dave Cook, a member of the design staff of TSR Hobbies,
Inc., did extensive research into the subject while drawing up his
rules and attempted to incorporate as many specifics as possi-
ble. Still Crimefighters greatly resembles the original D&D®
game in the number of things left to the Game Master’s discre-
tion. “The Case of the Editor’s Envelope,” a sample scenario
supplied by Dave, helps to illustrate how an adventure can be
designed and played. And DRAGON staff member Bryce
Knorr’s brief essay on pulp heroes and the people who created
them will flesh out the history of this segment of Americana.
Good reading and good playing —and if you find yourself at the
wrong end of a dark alley, you’re on your own.
You’re also on your own (no peeking!) with the AD&D™ exam
awaiting at the front of this month’s article section. As a belated
followup to the Dungeon Master Evaluation Form (issue #43),
we present 50 questions designed to separate the players from
the page-turners.
Some of you may recognize the kindly old gent pictured on
page 6. A black & white rendition of this Todd Oleck painting is
used to introduce “From the Sorcerer’s Scroll,” the column
written by E. Gary Gygax, publisher of DRAGON magazine.
Artist John Blumen went right to the head of the class in his first
appearance in — or rather, on — the magazine by supplying us
with this month’s cover painting.
A “Sorcerer’s Scroll” column many issues ago was the inspi-
ration for a couple of letters written by Steven Kienle to Mr.
Gygax. The resulting article is the foundation of a special sec-
SPECIAL ATTRACTION
Leomund’s Tiny Hut — The Thief ........................ 20
CRIMEFIGHTERS — Role-playing rules for pulp heroes
... 29
Giants in the Earth — Two legendary women ............. 22
The Case of the Editor’s Envelope —
The Rasmussen Files — More TOP SECRET directives .... 26
A sample
Crimefighters
scenario.......................
46
Sage Advice — Questions and answers................... 52
The Pulps: Paper Heroes — Thoughts on the pulps . . . . . . . 50
Convention schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Dragon’s Augury
ROBOTS!............................................. 60
Fast Attack Boats .....................................
61
Starfire and Starfire II .................................
62
Across the Bright Face/Mission on Mithril .............. 63
Research Station Gamma ............................. 63
Simulation Corner — New Approach at
SPI
............... 66
Squad Leader scenario — “Two eyes for an eye". ......... 67
Pinsom
................................................
68
The Electric Eye — Sports games surveyed.
.............. 70
Wormy
.................................................
74
Jasmine ................................................
76
OTHER FEATURES
Take the AD&D exam — To test players’ knowledge. . . . . . . . 7
Special section: The Other Planes
Elementary ideas for elemental adventuring —
Letters to EGG
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Seek, but don’t expect to find —
Astral & ethereal searches.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Creatures from elsewhere —
Seven out-of-this-world monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Bazaar of the Bizarre
— Magic involving other planes . . . 18
The merry month of...Mirtul? —
Design your own calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Figuratively Speaking — Miniatures on display. . . . . . . . . . . . 64
If your mailing label says TD-47
this is your last issue — resubscribe!
REGULAR OFFERINGS
Out on a Limb — Letters from readers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]