Dungeon (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine
targeting consumers of role-playing game
s, particularly Dungeons & Dragons
. It was first published by TSR, Inc.
in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150. Its sister publication was the more widely read Dragon
. Both magazines are now published by Wizards of the Coast
in an online format.
Each issue featured a variety of self-contained, pre-scripted, playtested game scenarios, often called "modules" (now more commonly referred to as "adventures" or "scenarios"). Gamemaster
s could either enact these adventures
with their respective player groups as written or adapt them to their own campaign setting
s. By providing a full complement of ideas, hooks, plots, adversaries, creatures, illustrations, maps, hand-outs, and character dialogue, Dungeon aimed to save gamemasters a great deal of time and effort in preparing game sessions for their players. Plus, as a resource containing several modules per issue, it was significantly cheaper than standard-format modules
, which perhaps explains its enduring popularity.
The publication's original editor, Roger E. Moore
, later elaborated upon this basic outline:
The premiere issue of Dungeon: Adventures for TSR Role-Playing Games was undated, but "November/December 1986" appears on the cover of the subsequent issue, and Moore stated that it had been released prior to the November issue of Dragon. The magazine's format consisted of 64 pages of short D&D and AD&D game adventures of various lengths, themes, and tones, written by both amateur and professional fantasy role-playing writers.
In conjunction with the debut of Dungeon Adventures, Ken Rolston
included a brief review in Issue 125 (September 1987) of Dragon. Regarding the modules themselves, he called them "[c]heap and cheerful, full of the basic fun of D&D games", and said that they reminded him of "the selection of game sessions you find at gaming conventions or in old-fashioned modules." Rolston further commented on the anthology format, which allowed writers to "publish fine little bits" and provided "great training grounds for new writers" that offered "an opportunity to experiment with offbeat themes and tones". Rolston concluded that "sophisticated gamers will find a lot to snicker at here, but there are some cute ideas", and added that the "writing ranges from young and enthusiastic to polished, and when compared with some of TSR's current modules...the quality of the layout and graphics is quite decent."
acquired publishing rights to both Dungeon and Dragon as part of a move by Wizards of the Coast
to divest business ventures not related to its core business.
Beginning with Issue 90 (January 2002) and lasting until Issue 111 (June 2004), Polyhedron
, the monthly membership publication of the Role-Playing Game Association
, was combined with Dungeon into a single magazine. Many of the Polyhedron sections presented complete mini-games for the d20 system
in genres other than fantasy.
In September 2004, starting with Issue 114, editor Erik Mona
changed the format, discontinuing the Polyhedron component and focusing solely on Dungeons & Dragons. In addition to three adventures per issue (one each for low, medium, and high levels), a few issues each year contained another substantial article which typically provided further details on the setting of one of the adventures in that issue (previously, Dungeon almost never had any features other than modules). Following the adventures and articles, many issues also included the three-page "Dungeoncraft" column, at the time written by Monte Cook
, as well as a handful of shorter articles on various subjects, collectively titled the "Campaign Workbook".
On April 18, 2007, Wizards of the Coast announced that Paizo would cease publication of Dungeon in September of that year. Scott Rouse, senior brand manager of Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast, stated, "Today the internet
is where people go to get this kind of information. By moving to an online model we are using a delivery system that broadens our reach to fans around the world."
s (DMs). Mainstay columns such as "Dungeoncraft" (now written by James Wyatt
) were retained, and DM-focused articles that formerly appeared in Dragon magazine (like "Save My Game") were incorporated into Dungeon, making it a "one-stop shop" for DMs. The magazine also shifted to a landscape format with the intent of making the articles and adventures more readable onscreen, and content is released daily and gathered into PDF compilations on a monthly basis. As of May 2011 Wizards of the Coast has stopped compiling the issues every month and instead decided to leave them in single article format.
, Age of Worms
, Savage Tide
, and Scales of War – have been published. In addition, several shorter campaign arcs (typically consisting of three parts) and various sporadic, open-ended series and side treks figured in these later issues. The Shackled City Adventure Path was later collected into a hardcover edition (August 2005) with various revisions and corrections, new background information, and a bonus adventure meant to fill a gap near the beginning of the series.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
targeting consumers of role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s, particularly Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
. It was first published by TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150. Its sister publication was the more widely read Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
. Both magazines are now published by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
in an online format.
Each issue featured a variety of self-contained, pre-scripted, playtested game scenarios, often called "modules" (now more commonly referred to as "adventures" or "scenarios"). Gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
s could either enact these adventures
Adventure (role-playing games)
An adventure is either a published or otherwise written collection of plot, character, and location details used by a gamemaster to manage the plot or story in a role-playing game. Each adventure is based upon a particular gaming genre and is normally designed for use with a specific game or gaming...
with their respective player groups as written or adapt them to their own campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s. By providing a full complement of ideas, hooks, plots, adversaries, creatures, illustrations, maps, hand-outs, and character dialogue, Dungeon aimed to save gamemasters a great deal of time and effort in preparing game sessions for their players. Plus, as a resource containing several modules per issue, it was significantly cheaper than standard-format modules
Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an adventure or module is a pre-packaged book or box set that helps the Dungeon Master manage the plot or story of a game...
, which perhaps explains its enduring popularity.
TSR
Dungeon Adventures first received mention in the editor's column of Dragon Issue 107 (March 1986). Lacking a title at that point, it was described as "a new magazine filled entirely with modules" made available "by subscription only" that would debut "in the late Summer or early Fall" of 1986 and "come out once every two months."The publication's original editor, Roger E. Moore
Roger E. Moore
Roger E. Moore is a designer of role-playing games. He is best known for his long-running tenure as editor of Dragon magazine, and was the founding editor of Dungeon magazine.-Early life:...
, later elaborated upon this basic outline:
Dungeon Adventures is a new periodical from TSR, Inc., in which you, the readers, may share your own adventures and scenarios from AD&D and D&D gaming with the legions of other fantasy gamers. Each issue offers a number of fairly short (but often quite complicated and long-playing) modules, selected from the best we receive.
What kind of adventures do you want to see? We're going to offer as broad a spectrum of material as possible: dungeon crawlDungeon crawlA dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinthine environment, battling various monsters, and looting any treasure they may find...
s, wilderness camp-outs, Oriental AdventuresOriental AdventuresOriental Adventures is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
modules, solo questsQuest (gaming)A quest in role-playing video games — including massively multiplayer online role-playing games and their predecessors, MUDs — is a task that a player-controlled character or group of characters may complete in order to gain a reward...
, tournament designs, BattlesystemBattlesystemBattlesystem is a tabletop miniature wargame designed as a supplement for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It was first released in 1985, compatible with either Advanced Dungeons & Dragons or the Basic / Expert Dungeons & Dragons...
scenarios, and more.
The premiere issue of Dungeon: Adventures for TSR Role-Playing Games was undated, but "November/December 1986" appears on the cover of the subsequent issue, and Moore stated that it had been released prior to the November issue of Dragon. The magazine's format consisted of 64 pages of short D&D and AD&D game adventures of various lengths, themes, and tones, written by both amateur and professional fantasy role-playing writers.
In conjunction with the debut of Dungeon Adventures, Ken Rolston
Ken Rolston
Ken Rolston is an American computer game and board game designer best known for his work with West End Games and the hit computer game series The Elder Scrolls...
included a brief review in Issue 125 (September 1987) of Dragon. Regarding the modules themselves, he called them "[c]heap and cheerful, full of the basic fun of D&D games", and said that they reminded him of "the selection of game sessions you find at gaming conventions or in old-fashioned modules." Rolston further commented on the anthology format, which allowed writers to "publish fine little bits" and provided "great training grounds for new writers" that offered "an opportunity to experiment with offbeat themes and tones". Rolston concluded that "sophisticated gamers will find a lot to snicker at here, but there are some cute ideas", and added that the "writing ranges from young and enthusiastic to polished, and when compared with some of TSR's current modules...the quality of the layout and graphics is quite decent."
The Paizo/Polyhedron Era
In late 2002, Paizo PublishingPaizo Publishing
Paizo Publishing is an American publishing company in Redmond, Washington that specializes in game aids and adventures for "the world's oldest fantasy roleplaying game" and its flagship spin-off game and setting, Pathfinder...
acquired publishing rights to both Dungeon and Dragon as part of a move by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
to divest business ventures not related to its core business.
Beginning with Issue 90 (January 2002) and lasting until Issue 111 (June 2004), Polyhedron
Polyhedron (magazine)
Polyhedron was a magazine which started out as the official publication of the RPGA . Publication began in the year 1981, and the target audience was players of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
, the monthly membership publication of the Role-Playing Game Association
RPGA
The RPGA , is part of the organized play arm of Wizards of the Coast that organizes and sanctions role-playing games worldwide, principally under the d20 system...
, was combined with Dungeon into a single magazine. Many of the Polyhedron sections presented complete mini-games for the d20 system
D20 System
The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast originally developed for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons...
in genres other than fantasy.
In September 2004, starting with Issue 114, editor Erik Mona
Erik Mona
-Career:Erik Mona served as the editor-in-chief of Dragon magazine since 2004 and Dungeon magazine from 2004 to 2006; at the time, both magazines were published by Paizo Publishing, until the license through Wizards of the Coast expired in September 2007...
changed the format, discontinuing the Polyhedron component and focusing solely on Dungeons & Dragons. In addition to three adventures per issue (one each for low, medium, and high levels), a few issues each year contained another substantial article which typically provided further details on the setting of one of the adventures in that issue (previously, Dungeon almost never had any features other than modules). Following the adventures and articles, many issues also included the three-page "Dungeoncraft" column, at the time written by Monte Cook
Monte Cook
Monte Cook is a professional table-top role-playing game designer and writer. He is married to Sue Weinlein Cook.-Roleplaying:Cook has been a professional game designer since 1988, working primarily on role-playing games. Much of his early work was for Iron Crown Enterprises as an editor and writer...
, as well as a handful of shorter articles on various subjects, collectively titled the "Campaign Workbook".
On April 18, 2007, Wizards of the Coast announced that Paizo would cease publication of Dungeon in September of that year. Scott Rouse, senior brand manager of Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast, stated, "Today the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
is where people go to get this kind of information. By moving to an online model we are using a delivery system that broadens our reach to fans around the world."
Dungeon Online
Coinciding with the release of the 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons in June 2008, Wizards of the Coast launched a website that included online versions of Dungeon and Dragon magazines for subscribers. In this new format, Dungeon retained its mandate to deliver adventures of varying lengths and levels as well as articles with information and advice for dungeon masterDungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
s (DMs). Mainstay columns such as "Dungeoncraft" (now written by James Wyatt
James Wyatt (game designer)
James Wyatt is a game designer and a former United Methodist minister. He works for Wizards of the Coast, where he has designed several award-winning supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
) were retained, and DM-focused articles that formerly appeared in Dragon magazine (like "Save My Game") were incorporated into Dungeon, making it a "one-stop shop" for DMs. The magazine also shifted to a landscape format with the intent of making the articles and adventures more readable onscreen, and content is released daily and gathered into PDF compilations on a monthly basis. As of May 2011 Wizards of the Coast has stopped compiling the issues every month and instead decided to leave them in single article format.
Adventure Paths
A notable feature of Dungeon magazine from 2003 to the present day has been its use of episodic, multipart adventures, referred to as "Adventure Paths", which are designed to take a group of player characters from the very beginning of their adventuring careers (1st level) up through epic levels (20th and above). Four such serials – Shackled CityShackled City
The Shackled City Adventure Path is a role-playing game campaign designed for Dungeons & Dragons, originally appearing as a series of modules in Dungeon Adventures, later published in a hardcover edition collecting all previous installments plus an additional chapter written especially for the...
, Age of Worms
Age of Worms
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Age of Worms is an age of darkness and despair heard of only in ancient prophecies...
, Savage Tide
Savage Tide
The Savage Tide Adventure Path is the third and final Adventure Path for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game published in Dungeon Adventures...
, and Scales of War – have been published. In addition, several shorter campaign arcs (typically consisting of three parts) and various sporadic, open-ended series and side treks figured in these later issues. The Shackled City Adventure Path was later collected into a hardcover edition (August 2005) with various revisions and corrections, new background information, and a bonus adventure meant to fill a gap near the beginning of the series.
Awards
- 1990: Origins AwardOrigins AwardThe Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
for Best Professional Adventure Gaming Magazine of 1989 - 1991: Origins Award for Best Professional Adventure Gaming Magazine of 1990
- 2002: ENnie AwardENniesThe Annual Gen Con EN World RPG Awards are annual, fan-based awards for role-playing game products and publishers hosted at Gen Con in Indianapolis, Indiana...
for Best Aid or Accessory - 2005: ENnie Awards for Best Cartography ("World Map of Greyhawk", Issues 118–121), Best Adventure (Maure Castle, Issue 112), Best Aid or Accessory (Dungeon magazine), and Best Free Product or Web Enhancement (Maps and handouts, Issues 114–122)
- 2006: ENnie Awards for Best Cartography, Best Adventure, and Best Campaign Setting/Setting Supplement (Shackled CityShackled CityThe Shackled City Adventure Path is a role-playing game campaign designed for Dungeons & Dragons, originally appearing as a series of modules in Dungeon Adventures, later published in a hardcover edition collecting all previous installments plus an additional chapter written especially for the...
Adventure Path); and Best Free Product or Web Enhancement (Age of WormsAge of WormsIn the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Age of Worms is an age of darkness and despair heard of only in ancient prophecies...
Overload) - 2007: Origins Award for Best Fiction Publication of the Year 2006
- 2007: ENnie Award for Best Free Product (Savage TideSavage TideThe Savage Tide Adventure Path is the third and final Adventure Path for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game published in Dungeon Adventures...
Player’s Guide)
Nominations
- 2006: Origins Award for Best Role-Playing Game Supplement of the Year 2005 (Shackled City hardcover)
- 2006: ENnie Award for Best Production Values, Best d20/d20 OGL Product, and Best Product (Shackled City Adventure Path)
- 2007: Origins Award for Best Fiction Publication of the Year 2006
- 2007: ENnie Award for Best Adventure (Age of Worms Adventure Path)
External links
- Wizards of the Coast - Dungeons & Dragons RPG Homepage: Dungeon Master.
- Paizo Publishing - Products, resources, news, and message boards for Dungeon Adventures.
- RPGnet - Partial catalogue of Dungeon Adventures issues with cover images, content descriptions, and user reviews and comments.
- Unofficial indices of adventure modules: Issues 1–71 (basic list) and Issues 1–139 (searchable).