Paper verses Pixels

How do you get your information about your Hobby? If you're reading this blog then I guess there's a good chance you get some from the blogs you read and maybe from various Internet Forums like ENWorld or The Miniatures Page. I regularly use the Internet as a vast resource of news in general. In particular I follow (currently) over 50 Blog's using Google Reader and dip into this excellent pool of information several times a day. But I also enjoy that most endangered of species, the Magazine.

I subscribe to Wargames Illustrated and try to pick up several others (such as Battlegames and Minaiture Wargames) on the news stand on a semi regular basis. My reading selection covers the whole breadth of the hobby, from purely wargaming magazines through to those dedicated to roleplaying like Flagship and Kobold Quarterly. But there is an insidious trend spreading across the world of gaming magazines and I'm not sure I like it.

In recent years several magazines have stooped producing paper versions of their publication and either stopped entirely or made the move to PDF versions. The most famous example has to be Wizard of the Coasts decision a couple of years ago not to renue their licencing agreement with Piazo and to stop making paper versions of Dragon and its sister publication Dungeon. I used to buy both magazines on a regular basis when they were made from paper rather than pixels but I must admit they have lost their appeal for me completely now thay are pdf only. Part of the problem is I am not terribly interested in subscribing to WoTC's D&D Insider suite of tools which now includes the magazine content. However that is not the only down side for me, and others like me.

There seems to have been a concerted effort over the years to make readers feel like they are old fashioned or behind the times if they don't convert seamlessly to electronic format. I'm certainly not a Luddite when it comes to technology. I enjoy new tech and new modes of communication immensely. Aside from this blog I have an active facebook page and I participate in several dozen online forums. But I have to say that the electronic magazine is a step too far for me.

Part of the attraction of a paper magazine is that I can read it anywhere I like. In bed; On the bus: At my desk; Over lunch: In the bath and a dozen other places where a laptop or notebook just wouldn't be appropriate. I certainly haven't got the spare cash to pay out for a Kindle or other reader device. And I spend all day looking at a screen as it is without filling my spare time reading magazines on one as well.

I think that part of the problem is the nature of the format as well as its accessibility while sitting in the bath (sorry for the scary mental image). Digital information, especially when presented on a screen, tends to get skimmed across more quickly -its not called 'surfing the net' for nothing. That's not necessarily a criticism of the Internet per-se but a natural evolution of utility that lends itself to fast information presented in small parcels. I doubt if I'm alone when I say that I am more inclined to read something in-depth in a printed format.

On the plus side some pdf magazines, like Dragon and Dungeon are now in landscape format so they read better on a screen. And there has been a huge increase in the use of pdf sales to distribute smaller independent games. I've purchased lost of material this way, from Dungeon floorplans through to scenarios and sourcebooks.

Having said that I have to admit to being a hypocrite in that I do follow some pdf magazines like Kobold Quarterly and Flagship. But I would much prefer to hold a real life paper copy instead. At least with Flagship it's possible to purchase a paper version of the magazine as well as accessing it online. For my money that's a much better option than stopping the paper copy entirely.

Scale Creep - Follow Up

As predicted my blog essay created some interest and debate. I posted a notice on The Miniatures Page but it seems I woke the 'beast' because within a few hours this forum had spawned two others and started a 'heated' debate on the subject of scale. Here are links to the various threads on TMP:

Thread One - Scale Creep - A Blog Essay

Thread Two - Length or Girth

Thread Three - What is "scale" and whether it is "creeping"

Another TMP Thread on Establishing a common miniatures scale

In addition to these discussions I would point you in the direction of this blog http://thunderboltmountain.com/serendipity/ which has a series of excellent articles on proportion and scale.

As a roleplayer and a painter I'm not actually that bothered about scale [oh the blasphemy!]. I just want my miniatures to look good when painted and I want them to stand out on the games table. Having said that I can totally appreciate why a wargamer or collector would want some consistency in size and proportion.

My motivation for writing my article was to try and sort out my own muddled thinking on the subject. I don't mind necessarily if my 28mm minis are actually 34mm, or anywhere in between, so long as they look good when painted. As a roleplayer I like to use good mini's on the games table but I'm not going to have a heart attack if there is 6mm difference between the Fighter and the Cleric.

However I am interested in finding if there is any industry standard and so far I can't see one. And maybe that's the biggest downfall of referring to 28mm as a scale. Its not exact enough to maintain scale discipline within manufacturers. Having said that if you were to ask most gamers if 28mm (or 15mm etc) is a 'scale' I suspect most would say "of course it is". So maybe the real problem isn't scale creep but more the void between the technical definition and the common vernacular for scale.

Salute 2009

I'm glad I'm not the only person already looking forward to SALUTE 09. It seems the buzz has already started and, like me, people are already saving and planning. Check out this Message Board discussion on TMP.