Post/Author/DateTime	Post
jimmy_dowdall 05-18-07, 04:32 PM	just wondering what the general opinion on expanded priemere's biting the dust is. personally i think it sucks
Southernskies 05-18-07, 11:57 PM	It depended on your local convention scene and the regular release schedule. We've had the XP at the same convention for 3 years in a row (the only *major* convention within the premiere period) and didn't get it this year. We were lucky that it got downgraded to only the specials, otherwise we would have had zero living greyhawk games to offer outside our regional premiere; in which case we wouldn't have even bothered with an RPGA stream for the convention. The RPGA release schedule may work in the US, but in Australia, there is a long release drought during our convention period (Jan-July)
Bogjob 05-19-07, 05:49 AM	Jimmy is from the same neck of the woods as me, N. Ireland. The only chance for us now to do the special is to go to Gen Con UK which isn't going to happen as I am not prepared to spend a small fortune to line Horsemens pockets. :mad: Previously we could have gone to Excaliber and played it along with a lot more LG mods than Gencon offers or what we did this year which was go to Homecon in Holland (that's correct flying to Holland is cheaper than playing at our 'local' con) and play it. Sadly this will no longer happen and as such the game can only suffer. I am 99% sure no one from Ireland will be at Gencon UK this year because of pricing and lack of mods and now none of us will get to play a special due to this. Does anyone actually know why the Expanded Premiers have been pulled and if we will ever get them back ?
pedr 05-19-07, 06:51 AM	Just to clarify a thing or two. In years with a GenCon UK, there was only one Excaliber a year - the D&D XP extended premiere was held at Excaliber and the GenCon Indy programming went to GenCon UK (apparently different from the XP programme, but because it was a GenCon). You're right that this effects Homecon, but Homecon has only had GenCon Indy programming once, I think, namely last year when there wasn't a GenCon UK and XCaliber 2 was only arranged at the last minute (I could be wrong about this!) GenCon UK looks to have a phenomenal amount of RPGA content. Regional modules haven't been worked out yet, but just about everything you could play at Indy you could play at GenCon UK. This includes things which would never have been part of an extended premiere programme, such as the Undermountain modules, and the D&D Open scenarios. It looks like the Star Wars prelude will be running too. I have a feeling this GenCon is going to be very good ... but I realise that there are still some problems to iron out! I don't know what's happening with wider thinking about the programme. I expect that there will be various re-thinking about how to support large conventions, smaller regional conventions and home-play. Whether that will mean two European sites or just one I don't know, but I expect something to happen in Europe which will let us play the D&D XP LG special. However, it is, currently, just about only the LG Special which people are missing out on, which isn't that much of a special incentive to encourage people to attend the major cons.
Bogjob 05-19-07, 07:32 AM	The amount of material at Gencon UK isn't what I am grumbling about it is the costs incurred in attending it. I for one do not have that sort of money lying around to attend it. The likes of Homecon is within my price range and also has the additional advantage of another countries regionals too. I personally don't see the point of attending an expensive con to play my own regional, cores, Undermountain etc that I can play at home. If you are into the larger con experience then fine but D+D Open, minis, Star Wars etc don't interest me. As for being able to play the Specials, that is the precise reason a bunch of us paddys headed to Gencon UK 2 years ago, to liberate Scant and play the core special, I think specials have a bigger draw than some think (this is one of the reasons being mooted by our local players for the cancellation of the expanded program, people not attending the bigger cons as they could play them at cheaper, local cons).
jimmy_dowdall 05-19-07, 07:52 AM	if you look at what it normally costs to attend a con and slap at least £100more ontop (or about $200) and then thereis the rip off cost of accommadation at gencon uk this year, with other commitmentsi can't justify the cost of gencon uk to my wife (rpbane), to me and the rest of gang on belfast if we have to fly to con which we always to do we want value for money. this is reason in the you will see more irish players in homecon than any uk based events. i wonder if we can get ireland movedto sunndi:P
pedr 05-19-07, 09:20 AM	Ah, you're talking about regional specials as well as the Core Special. Regional specials have nothing to do with the extended premiere programme. As to large vs small events, well that's a matter of personal preference and GenCon UK is always going to have a cost relative to its size. I've run the numbers a couple of times and the cost of attending GenCon UK (excluding transport) is equivalent to the cost of attending GenCon Indy, despite the fact that property, therefore things like accommodation space, cost considerably more in the UK than in the mid-west of the USA. Now I have a suspicion that there will be some kind of roll-out of the LG Special to another European site, perhaps not for the GenCon one, but next year for the D&D XP one. However I'm still not entirely sure what you feel you're losing out on if the extended premiere programme isn't renewed: aside from slightly slower roll-out of some core LG modules, if you're not interested in Xen'drik, or Undermountain, or Star Wars, all that's missing is the LG Special - there's nothing to stop regions putting special events at any convention they want - as Sunndi does at Homecon and as Onnwal has done at Q-Con.
jimmy_dowdall 05-19-07, 10:04 AM	speaking of Q-con if anyone has any requests for games that are not on con schelue let us as the belfast lg communtiy will do our best to anything xtra anyone wants to do if they are in town for the con
King Kashue 05-19-07, 01:38 PM	just wondering what the general opinion on expanded priemere's biting the dust is. personally i think it sucks I'm evidently way out of the loop... I hadn't heard anything about the Extended premiere program stopping, and in fact, I played an extended premiere less than three weeks ago...
Kithran 05-19-07, 02:46 PM	if you look at what it normally costs to attend a con and slap at least £100more ontop (or about $200) and then thereis the rip off cost of accommadation at gencon uk this year, with other commitmentsi can't justify the cost of gencon uk to my wife (rpbane), to me and the rest of gang on belfast if we have to fly to con which we always to do we want value for money. this is reason in the you will see more irish players in homecon than any uk based events. i wonder if we can get ireland movedto sunndi:P OK Disclaimer up front - I'm the Senior GM for GenCon UK and thus associated with Horseman Events, however it also means I have details on the reasons for the pricing. Cost for GenCon UK (excluding accomodation) would be £82 if you register now, or £90 if you left it for the last minute. Thats entrance and 16 tickets with a 1 round module costing 2 tickets to play, so unless the con you are talking about is paying you to attend I think you are exagerating. Yes it is more expensive than other cons however there are also opportunities than you will get at another con. Is it by any measure reasonable to compare a con that basically _only_ offers LG and relies on peoples houses as the venues to a convention offering a vast range of games (both RPGA & others), minature and card game events, guests, a large trade hall and numerous other attractions? Simply by virtue of its size GenCon will have costs that smaller cons won't have - security, equipment hire, venue hire etc etc. These costs need to be met. As for the accomodation the cost being charged to guests is the cost being charged to Horseman Events - and right there thats another cost, GM's working 7 slots get their accodmodation paid for, just the same as if they do 7 slots at GenCon Indy. Yes accomodation is quite expensive but that is simply the reality of prices in the UK (and probably Ireland as well). Its fairly simple to find cheaper accomodation in either country for a small number of people, but not if you have a couple of thousand to worry about. The only options that have enough space are dedicated conference facilties, holiday camps or universities. The last GenCon UK took place at a holiday camp but the price they wanted to continue using it was (I believe) considerably more than previously and would lead to costs higher than those you are already complaining about. Now as to why you might want to make it - all the LG from GenCon Indy (at considerably less cost to you I'm sure) as well as the three Undermountain modules (indluding the benefits for Xen'drick or LG characters) and many other things. Kithran GenCon UK Senior GM
Kithran 05-19-07, 02:49 PM	The amount of material at Gencon UK isn't what I am grumbling about it is the costs incurred in attending it. I for one do not have that sort of money lying around to attend it. The likes of Homecon is within my price range and also has the additional advantage of another countries regionals too. I personally don't see the point of attending an expensive con to play my own regional, cores, Undermountain etc that I can play at home. If you are into the larger con experience then fine but D+D Open, minis, Star Wars etc don't interest me. As for being able to play the Specials, that is the precise reason a bunch of us paddys headed to Gencon UK 2 years ago, to liberate Scant and play the core special, I think specials have a bigger draw than some think (this is one of the reasons being mooted by our local players for the cancellation of the expanded program, people not attending the bigger cons as they could play them at cheaper, local cons). See my previous post for most of the response to this but bear in mind GenCon UK will also have the Open Fiest - a chance to play a module from _any_ region. Kithran GenCon UK Senior GM
King Kashue 05-19-07, 03:34 PM	See my previous post for most of the response to this but bear in mind GenCon UK will also have the Open Fiest - a chance to play a module from _any_ region. Kithran GenCon UK Senior GM Assuming that someone from that region is there :D And I know that my perception of the cost/reward ratio for GenCon UK are still colored by sitting in the cold, and getting dizzy from inhaling gasoline fumes in a tent in Minehead...
kenobi65 05-19-07, 04:39 PM	I'm evidently way out of the loop... I hadn't heard anything about the Extended premiere program stopping, and in fact, I played an extended premiere less than three weeks ago... That would have been an extended premiere con from the D&D Experience-related group. It was announced a couple of weeks ago that the program is on hold, and that the "summer" program (i.e., the modules from GenCon Indy) isn't going to happen.
Kithran 05-19-07, 05:28 PM	Assuming that someone from that region is there :D And I know that my perception of the cost/reward ratio for GenCon UK are still colored by sitting in the cold, and getting dizzy from inhaling gasoline fumes in a tent in Minehead... Well that's not strictly true - I'm seeking confirmation of the exact rules but I currently believe that members of the Onnwal Triad and members of the Circle can run a module from anywhere. As for the tent unfortunately all the organisers of that particular GenCon had to go on with regards to the venue was what they were told, the actual arena wasn't erected until about a week before the con took place. Those who went the following year will be able to tell you the RPGA gaming area was warm, well lit and fume free. Kithran
King Kashue 05-19-07, 05:43 PM	Well that's not strictly true - I'm seeking confirmation of the exact rules but I currently believe that members of the Onnwal Triad and members of the Circle can run a module from anywhere. If that's the case, that's cool. Those who went the following year will be able to tell you the RPGA gaming area was warm, well lit and fume free. Yes, well that doesn't help my frost bite or headache...from um, two and a half years ago :D I'm still amazed at how bad the customer service was there...Other than the GenCon folks, there was like one family there, and they still treated everyone as unwanted visitors... When the Brits are complaining to the Yanks about how bad the customer service is, you know somethings gone horribly, horribly wrong ;)
Bogjob 05-20-07, 05:25 AM	Everyone seems to be missing my point, which is if the smaller cons that I can attend due to cash flow i.e. Q-Con (costs me £15.00 to attend, which although not paying me to go isn't that bad considering Thomas is writing 3 regional battle interactives for it) and Homecon (10 euro a day including bed and board, £100.00 for flight where I played the core special plus 6 or 7 Suundi mods) don't get the opportunity to apply for extended premiers then I don't get to play it, this is the reason for this thread, that stopping the programme sucks for those of us who can't afford Gencon ! I'm sorry Kithran but the £82.00 ticket price, £100.00 (probably) plane ticket and the unreal amount of money charged to stay in student halls and share a toilet with a load of other people is not good value since all I want to play is LG. Thats why we are posting in the LG forum and not the RPGA one. Trade stands mean nothing nowadays as we all have internet and the companies all have websites. All the LG from Gencon Indy that I cant play at home consists of, I believe, the very core special access that we are complaining about. Once more the main point of this thread is that the ceasing of the expanded prem sucks as we can't afford to go to Gencon to play it.
Timlagor 05-20-07, 07:02 AM	There's also the Undermountain stuff which is nonLG but LG-related.
Bogjob 05-20-07, 07:27 AM	There's also the Undermountain stuff which is nonLG but LG-related. It's being released for homeplay as well, the only difference is that there is some treasure that is only available at cons, I assume on some sort of cert.
TallGuy 05-22-07, 08:07 AM	In years with a GenCon UK, there was only one Excaliber a year - the D&D XP extended premiere was held at Excaliber and the GenCon Indy programming went to GenCon UK (apparently different from the XP programme, but because it was a GenCon). You're right that this effects Homecon, but Homecon has only had GenCon Indy programming once, I think, namely last year when there wasn't a GenCon UK and XCaliber 2 was only arranged at the last minute (I could be wrong about this!) HomeCon never had the GenCon Indy programming. Last time it went to the Ekbir/Dullstrand Cross-Border convention in Switzerland. While we did apply for it, we didn't get it. We have gotten the Winter Fantasy/DDXP one since the start. If the expanded premiere program is resurrected this year (and I was told it will return in some form), we'd love to run the Indy special, but I'm not sure if that's going to happen. Bas Vermeulen
jimmy_dowdall 05-23-07, 07:54 AM	basicly what i want to know is there support out there for the return of the expanded priemere program, i think there is
smickra 05-24-07, 01:41 PM	Seeing these posts i have to post my support for the extended premiere program. The issue is not with Gencon uk, but with the cost and problems of Transatlantic travel. Untill the arival of the program there was zero chance of my wife (Who plays and can't be left behind) and Myself getting to INDY or DDXP. The costs of the convention means that in cannot be justified without upgrading to a family Holiday which adds to the cost and means exposing my 3 year old to an 8 hour flight..... hence with the demise of the european expanded premiere i don't get any of the big con opportunities and flavour. I would love to go to DXP or INDY but it is a once in a lifetime trip and not for many years
jimmy_dowdall 05-24-07, 03:19 PM	i'm in the sameboat as smickra, there seems to be a major divide between what is availble depending on where in the world you live, is this fair? if u are non us you dont get to play the core special every year unless you are loaded.
Shaudius 05-24-07, 04:52 PM	Just judge seven slots, free badge, free accomidations(I don't know about the free badge, but I assume if they're paying for your room they're paying for your badge), and then slot 0 everything with your crew, who can also judge. if you look at what it normally costs to attend a con and slap at least £100more ontop (or about $200) and then thereis the rip off cost of accommadation at gencon uk this year, with other commitmentsi can't justify the cost of gencon uk to my wife (rpbane), to me and the rest of gang on belfast if we have to fly to con which we always to do we want value for money. this is reason in the you will see more irish players in homecon than any uk based events. i wonder if we can get ireland movedto sunndi:P
jimmy_dowdall 05-24-07, 07:53 PM	the thing is without the special there is nothing avaible really that cannot be played at home, i have a sister inlaw living in reading so i could even get free digs for me and a couple of mates, but there is still the costs of flight and in august they are not cheap, compared to homeplay with my mates. in belfast we have a pretty strong group of about 14 players including a couple that sometimes travel from dublin to game with us we always enjoy playing with other people as well that's why a crowd of us went to the last homecon in holland and enjoyed it so much that maybe more of us we going to tne one about september, i myself hosted an aussie who some of the others hooked up with last year and ran regionals for him. i think i was going of on a tangent there sorry. the main purpose of my orginal post is unless now you live on the other side of the ocean it is impossible to play core specials
pedr 05-24-07, 09:20 PM	That's patently false. The situation with respect to the Indy core special in Europe is exactly the same as it was in 2005. You play it at GenCon UK or you don't play it. Whether there will be regional specials at GenCon UK is unclear at the moment. I'd imagine not - there isn't the culmination of a five-year plot arc to deal with - but more information on unique regional LG events will come out closer to the time, if they are going to happen. There will almost certainly be premieres of new regional modules, though, and one thing you can be sure of is that if you play in a premiere your results will 'count'. So, frankly, I still don't understand you: if you want to play the core special enough, you'll go to GenCon UK. If you don't really care enough about it, then you won't! I have a suspicion there'll be a lot more at GenCon UK than just the Core Special to appeal (note the Undermountain thing gives rewards uniquely at GenCon Indy and GenCon UK...) but that's the decision you have to weigh up. The EP programme in North America and mainland Europe may be under reconsideration... the situation in the UK and Ireland is precisely as it was two years ago.
jimmy_dowdall 05-24-07, 09:40 PM	there's a big difference between caring enough to play the game and being able to afford it. and the situation 2 yrs was not great ethier.
jimmy_dowdall 05-24-07, 09:55 PM	The EP programme in North America and mainland Europe may be under reconsideration... the situation in the UK and Ireland is precisely as it was two years ago. would you not like to see it change?
smickra 05-25-07, 02:11 AM	That's patently false. The situation with respect to the Indy core special in Europe is exactly the same as it was in 2005. You play it at GenCon UK or you don't play it. ...... The EP programme in North America and mainland Europe may be under reconsideration... the situation in the UK and Ireland is precisely as it was two years ago. Exactly, but the expanded premire system gave more choice. The smaller local cons tend to be cheaper because they do not have the overheads of the large cons. The result of the expaned premiere was that more people got to play the specials and those who for economic reasons could not go to one of the big cons could often get to one of the smaller ones. Also without the expanded premiere anyone in Europe wishing to play the DDXP special has to cross the atlantic with all the associated costs, and hence the play numbers will be reduced.
pedr 05-25-07, 04:01 AM	GenCon UK is the only logical venue for any UK-based offering of the GenCon Indy programming. It's moving forward to the end of August even makes that easier to justify. While GenCon UK exists there will never be anywhere else in the UK and Ireland to play GenCon Indy programming. I'm agnostic over whether mainland Europe should be a separate area and have an additional site for the Indy programming. I can see pros and cons: in general I'm a supporter of GenCon UK (or a GenCon Europe): I believe that Europe deserves and requires a large-scale multi-genre gaming convention, though perhaps it would be better at a different point in the year to encourage traders/publishers to attend it as well as GenCon Indy, but that's a different discussion. Note: comments about the D&D XP special are completely premature - the EP for that hasn't been cancelled, it is simply under review to see what can be done to achieve the twin goals of supporting regional conventions without reducing the draw to the RPGA/Wizards' main con. I would be surprised if there wasn't somewhere in the UK, Ireland or mainland Europe to play most of or all of the D&D XP programming.
Haro 05-25-07, 04:34 AM	This isn't just a Europe vs USA situation. Australia has plenty of gamers and our major convention, Spring Revel Down Under, will get the GenCon Indy special events, as we have done for many years. It is a shame that many people say that they cannot afford to go to conventions for the special events, however, I believe these events are a reward for making the effort to attend. Joe
Timpan 05-25-07, 10:00 AM	Whether there will be regional specials at GenCon UK is unclear at the moment. I'd imagine not - there isn't the culmination of a five-year plot arc to deal with - but more information on unique regional LG events will come out closer to the time, if they are going to happen. There will almost certainly be premieres of new regional modules, though, and one thing you can be sure of is that if you play in a premiere your results will 'count'. There will neither be premières nor reruns of regional modules nor will there be regional specials. So, frankly, I still don't understand you: if you want to play the core special enough, you'll go to GenCon UK. If you don't really care enough about it, then you won't! I have a suspicion there'll be a lot more at GenCon UK than just the Core Special to appeal (note the Undermountain thing gives rewards uniquely at GenCon Indy and GenCon UK...) but that's the decision you have to weigh up. Whether or not I wanted to play the core special (and after the ridiculously tricked-out nonsense that was the City of Brass HL I am not sure I do) I simply couldn't cost-justify it. And that's talking from Dublin where there are around two dozen flights a day to London. The EP programme in North America and mainland Europe may be under reconsideration... the situation in the UK and Ireland is precisely as it was two years ago. For the time being they are under reconsideration. However the options for people in the UK and Ireland have reduced since there is no longer a mainland European option for those who like to travel or prefer to pay reasonable and not outrageous prices.
Timpan 05-25-07, 10:07 AM	Just judge seven slots, free badge, free accomidations(I don't know about the free badge, but I assume if they're paying for your room they're paying for your badge), and then slot 0 everything with your crew, who can also judge. Easier said than done to get that many slot 0s in when you live overseas from the convention.
pedr 05-25-07, 10:29 AM	There will neither be premières nor reruns of regional modules nor will there be regional specials.Could you let me know where you get this information from? If it's true, it's news to me. I have two friends who are both finishing modules and have as a possibility in the back of their minds that they might premiere at GenCon UK. GenCon UK has never in the past been subject to the 'only Core module' restriction imposed on GenCon Indy and D&D XP. There will be an open fiesta slot (in fact, two, I believe, though you'll almost certainly only be able to play in one) which is a draw which I forgot to mention earlier in the thread.
jimmy_dowdall 05-25-07, 11:56 AM	where timpan get's his info from is no mystrey he's on the inside:P, i believe there will only be one onnwal triad there so the fiesta options are limited.
pedr 05-25-07, 12:06 PM	Would anyone mind revealing who Timpan is, then? After all, it's still a mystery to me if I don't know. For the record (it's no secret!) I'm Pete Griffith, currently one of the organisers of Tassek in Oxford (www.tassek.anang.com)
Kithran 05-25-07, 02:16 PM	Could you let me know where you get this information from? If it's true, it's news to me. I have two friends who are both finishing modules and have as a possibility in the back of their minds that they might premiere at GenCon UK. GenCon UK has never in the past been subject to the 'only Core module' restriction imposed on GenCon Indy and D&D XP. There will be an open fiesta slot (in fact, two, I believe, though you'll almost certainly only be able to play in one) which is a draw which I forgot to mention earlier in the thread. OK as previously mentioned I'm the Senior GM for GenCon UK. I don't know who Timpan is however they are partially correct. There will be no Onnwal regional or Splintered Suns metaregional modules running at GenCon UK outside fo the two Open Fiesta slots. GenCon UK is opearting under the same restrictions as GenCon Indy and D&D XP - namely no regional or metaregional however we also get the same benefits - the Core Special, three Undermountain modules which can give benefits for Xen'drik or Living Greyhawk characters etc. This is not something that I've been keeping secret. The presence (or absence) or the Onnwal Triad (and there will be defintiely one member, me) makes no difference on how many Onnwal modules are run in the Open Fiesta - anyone from the UK can run an Onnwal module in the Open Fiesta. Kithran Onnwal POC Senior GM GenCon UK
Timpan 05-25-07, 02:34 PM	The presence (or absence) or the Onnwal Triad (and there will be defintiely one member, me) makes no difference on how many Onnwal modules are run in the Open Fiesta - anyone from the UK can run an Onnwal module in the Open Fiesta. And additionally anyone from a region can run a module from that region/metaregion (e.g. Polish players can run Geoff modules), and any Onnwal triad members and any circle members can run a module from any region or metaregion.
Kithran 05-25-07, 03:09 PM	And additionally anyone from a region can run a module from that region/metaregion (e.g. Polish players can run Geoff modules), and any Onnwal triad members and any circle members can run a module from any region or metaregion. Onnwal Triad Members can _not_ run a module from any region in the Open Fiesta. I had a conversation with Chris Tulach last night to confirm the exact rules for he Open Fiesta. Kithran
gomeztoo 05-25-07, 03:23 PM	Well that's not strictly true - I'm seeking confirmation of the exact rules but I currently believe that members of the Onnwal Triad and members of the Circle can run a module from anywhere. I hope so. I was planning to run a Verbobonc mod (and play an Iuzian one). Those who went the following year will be able to tell you the RPGA gaming area was warm, well lit and fume free. And we got to blow up Scant, too (well, not on purpose).
gomeztoo 05-25-07, 03:41 PM	Onnwal Triad Members can _not_ run a module from any region in the Open Fiesta. I had a conversation with Chris Tulach last night to confirm the exact rules for he Open Fiesta. Oh. Drat. How about metaregional coordinators? Gomez
Haro 05-26-07, 07:35 AM	Onnwal Triad Members can _not_ run a module from any region in the Open Fiesta. I had a conversation with Chris Tulach last night to confirm the exact rules for he Open Fiesta. Kithran That's interesting to know, as there *definitely* were triad members at last year's Spring Revel Down Under (expanded premiere) running out of region fiesta modules. I can only assume the rules have changed, with Mr Tulach being promoted just after that particular convention. Joe
Kithran 05-26-07, 10:07 AM	That's interesting to know, as there *definitely* were triad members at last year's Spring Revel Down Under (expanded premiere) running out of region fiesta modules. I can only assume the rules have changed, with Mr Tulach being promoted just after that particular convention. Joe I think there have been different rules used for the Open Fiesta depending on where it happened in the past - I know in the past Onnwal Triad have been able to run out of region fiesta modules. The Open Fiesta also changes slightly depending on the actual convention as well - DDXP had a single open fiesta slot which counted towards referee rewards, GenCon Indy this year has three open fiesta slots as midnight madness but don't (I believe) count towards referee rewards, GenCon UK will have two Open Fiesta slots which will count towards referee rewards but people will only be able to play in one of the two slots (because I realise a lot of players coming from overseas like to play in a new region and this way they can get to play and still be able to run a module from their region). Kithran
Madfox11 05-30-07, 03:36 AM	Oh. Drat. How about metaregional coordinators? Gomez Good question... I will ask. Although it seems logical to say that they can run regionals from any region within their meta-region. Otherwise you are stuck with running Sunndi adventures. I am sure there is enough interest for those anyway ;)
Shaudius 05-30-07, 02:58 PM	Thats what online play is for, which as of now seems to be okay to slot 0 pretty much everything. Judging 7 slots gives you room to play anything thats not, i.e. the special, Undermountain, etc. Easier said than done to get that many slot 0s in when you live overseas from the convention.
jimmy_dowdall 05-31-07, 11:31 AM	well thats it anyway the ep program is now dead and we are getting any specials nomore. looks like a lot more playing at home or smaller regional mods
Bogjob 06-01-07, 05:37 PM	Is it true that Gencon Paris is only in French ? If so it means Gencon Uk or nowt for most European players as English is most peoples second language, cons like Homecon who have Dutch, French, German and British/Irish play their games and give AR's out in English as they recognise this.
pedr 06-01-07, 05:59 PM	I get the impression we're having this conversation elsewhere as well but I'll make some of my points here: Giving the D&D XP Premiere events to GenCon France might well cause some problems. The primary market for GenCon France is clearly Francophone. Whatever the convention's policy or view on English-speaking tables is, many of the visitors will be unable or unwilling to play in English, and that makes it a poor location for Premiere events, as they're all going to be written in English and the aim of having a European location for them is twofold: to allow more people to play, and to attract people to the convention who wouldn't otherwise attend. If many of the francophone players won't play in English, and if many of the non-French-speaking players won't attend a primarily francophone convention then neither aim is being achieved. In fact, the second aim, of supporting the convention, is hindered if the RPGA offerings are limited to the same programming as D&D XP: Without Ekbir and VTF modules run in French, many French LG players will have no reason whatsoever to attend GenCon France. One way of reducing this problem would be to remove the 'Core modules only' rule, but even then, attending a convention which is primarily held in a foreign language isn't going to be convenient for many people - one of the major problems for a Europe-wide convention. I'm not saying 'All major cons should be held in English', incidentally, just pointing out that putting English programming at a francophone convention, and in doing so prohibiting it from running modules which were written in French isn't likely to do anyone much good.
redgamer 06-01-07, 08:27 PM	Not to long ago I was reading a discussion about how the big show and gencon indy in particular sold out ever year *including* the years of expanded specials. Now they take away this program at the same time they tell us sorry you can't sign up to play because we ran out of tickets the same day we open prereg. Seems like people don't need more or an incentive to go to the premiere cons. It seems like the premiere cons need to find more floor space or give up some of their specialness to other cons that can take their overflow. As it stands in order to give people more reason to attend shows that sell out every year we have events written by some of our strongest (and most time strapped) writers being written for 180 people instead of thousands. Its nice to have a flagship con but were are new players more likely to go to: an expensive con that require preregistering months in advance to play more than a small handful of RPGA events or on that they can walk up to pay 20 bucks and sit down and play? I apologize if my generalizations insulted anyone coordinating the premier cons I just don't buy that the premier cons need or even deserve special consideration to drive attendance unless they actually are having attendance problems.
Bogjob 06-02-07, 05:38 AM	I get the impression we're having this conversation elsewhere as well but I'll make some of my points here: Not that I know of, this is my first post on the subject anywhere :confused: I didn't mean the whole con should be in english as thats unfair (I don't speak any other langauges and so I don't expect anyone else to be forced to speak/play in mine), what I would like to see is some english tables much as Bordercon (?) in Switzerland does with its mods which, I believe included French regional mods. Having read the official statement about the reason for the programme being cancelled I was definately starting to see red, the people who are able to go to the big cons don't think they are special enough anymore as all of us scum can play the special in other locations and they no longer felt chosen. perhaps an online poll of all Living players would have been a much fairer way of getting opinion. I came very close to throwing my Living characters in the bin if that how much the RPGA value me and my input. Whats next, asking turkeys if they want Thankgiving cancelled (extended premiere of Christmas after all)? I still think the whole thing is very unfair especially since the mods ant Gencon Indy booked out so quick and I am assuming Gencon UK were the same. The whole attitude reeks of elitisim.
pedr 06-02-07, 12:57 PM	I'm in two minds about the new system. I will see how GenCon UK pans out, but I have a feeling it might actually weaken the draw that RPGA programming provides to those shows. However the stated aim is to support very few large shows. I'm not entirely sure why that is - in a sense, GenCon Indy doesn't need any 'support', so perhaps the main driving force is D&D XP and a (very understandable) view on the part of WotC that their marketing arm, which includes the RPGA, ought to organise things in such a way that as many people as possible attend D&D XP, as it's WotC's show. Egalitarian? No. But clearly good business sense. Having said all that, the practical effect is actually quite slim: LG players can no longer play the Core Specials without travelling to one of a miniscule number of sites but aside from that, there is absolutely no difference between this year and last year. It will be interesting whether all the 'goodies' (which the old EP sites never got hold of) and the LG Core Special will be enough of a draw to overcome the loss of regional modules. I'm not convinced yet. Incidentally, player registration for the RPGA and other organised rpgs (Dragonmouth, Lihr, Living Arcanis) at GenCon UK opens tomorrow, so nothing's sold out yet as it's not on sale yet.