As part of these meetings it is traditional for Chris to hold a Q&A period afterward.
If you can't attend the show, but have a burning question you feel should be asked, please post it here.
I'll try to compile a list of the questions before I head to the show, and will ask as many as time, and Chris' patience allows. I'll also be pointing Chris to this thread so he can be aware of it beforehand, and possibly work some of the answers into his announcements saving time for everyone.
So, what's on your mind about what's in store for the RPGA in 2009?
For the record, I expect Chris to talk about at least two major things:
1) How the rewards program is changing
2) What new campaign(s) we'll be seeing this year.
So, while I'll take down questions on those topics as well - I suspect they won't need to be asked.
Also, while it likely goes without saying - questions should be asked in a neutral fashsion. There's a world of difference between "why didn't 'X' happen?" and "How do you feel about misleading people by saying 'X' would happen, then screwing us over and dropping the ball?"
Let the questions begin!
1) What is the status of SWSE and RPGA? - Kinevon
1a) Any word on the last 2-3 modules for DoD?
1b) What is the chances of a new Living Force/Star Wars campaign?
2) What are the chances of including more regional background information and/or flavor into the various regional LFR modules? - Kinevon
3) I'm wondering if that question on the survey given out at Weekend in the Realms, hinting that Vesparin might be one of a few possible future adventure settings for LFR, was just a cruel tease for us old LC players, or can we actually hold out hope of visiting the old homestead? - KarmaInferno
4) Are my player points from December lost? - Arnold Judas Rimmer
5) I have 20 DM points from December that's been rolled over to the new system, will 15 of them be discarded?
(Even though it says 5+, the page looks like a rough draft, seems to suggest more to come, and I hope they bring back the levels.) - Arnold Judas Rimmer
6) Will you bring back the level system? - Arnold Judas Rimmer
7) When a magic item is issued errata, can it be removed from your LFR character, and the magic item slot freed? - Reylance
8) Is there a possibility of incentivizing the delve program for the Living campaign? (I.e., with X amount of delves played, get a special racial unlock) I've seen very little delve play in my sphere of knowledge, but I know that if there were any sort of incentive to do so I'd see a lot more. - Sutro
9) What is the reasoning for allowing playtest, but not preview classes in RPGA play? It seems that a comleted class that's being previewed would be more balanced and healthier for the campaign than a potentially "broken" class still under development.
I understand that the straightforward answer is "because they don't make it in the compiled issue" but couldn't an exception for these classes be given? - Sutro
10) "Are there any plans to improve the Online Appeal process to make it more responsive and helpful? hopefully including so method by which a user can see if anyone has read the appeal, fixed it, etc." - Wade J "Asoka"
11) Is there anyone within the RPGA that players can contact if they have concerns about results from a large convention not being entered in a timely fashion - or worse if they fear the results may not be entered at all? DragonCon results, for example, do not yet appear to be reported, and while the option exists to contact the senior GM for the show, what if such contct isn't generating appreciable/noticeable results? - Wade J "Asoka"
1a) Any word on the last 2-3 modules for DoD?
1b) What is the chances of a new Living Force/Star Wars campaign?
2) What are the chances of including more regional background information and/or flavor into the various regional LFR modules?
Just to clarify on 1a (as I'm, unfortunately not a SWSE player) - are the last DoD mods not released, or are they just not available for RPGA sanctioning? It's my understanding that those mods are being written by Rodney(?) independently of the RPGA - so their release doesn't (AFAIK) fall under Chris' domain (though the sanctioning is, obviously, Chris').
Please clarify/correct me where I'm wrong.
added - though I suspect the answer to #2 will fall back to the module authors and/or the regional writing directors. ;)
To clarify, the lack or sparseness of regional information seems to be more the result of the current LFR writer's guidelines, and the limited word count/page count of the modules, so it becomes a bad choice between enough information to run the module, and enough background to flesh out the module.
No, I don't want a 72 page module with only 12 pages of actual adventure, but I think it would be possible to add a couple of pages to the modules, maybe as an appendix, with additional information on NPCs and regional "spice" possibly explaining the purpose, in the grander scheme of things, that the PCs are involved in this adventure.
As I mentioned in another thread, I don't have that much of a background in the FR, so I didn't know about the situation in the background of Behind Haunted Halls where the two regions involved in the incipient war/conflict are also involved as the primary choke point against an evil region's schemes, until someone else mentioned it in passing in one of the WitR threads.
That is the kind of information that it would be useful to the GM to know, so he can convey it to the PCs if needed.
Just to clarify on 1a (as I'm, unfortunately not a SWSE player) - are the last DoD mods not released, or are they just not available for RPGA sanctioning? It's my understanding that those are being written by Rodney independantly of the RPGA - so their release doesn't (AFAIK) fall under Chris' domain.
Please clarify/correct me where I'm wrong.
As of today, 1/1/09, the last 3 modules have not been released yet. I understand, as Rodney Thompson has posted, that they have taken a lot more time to complete than he originally thought they would, although they are also, last I checked, lagging behind on being added to the RPGA adventure ordering database.
So, my interest is in whether the RPGA still intends to produce those last adventures for the campaign. Don't mind me too much, I am somewhat paranoid, sometimes.
Also, as a side effect, the slowness of the module production makes me wonder if that will adversely affect the chances of the possibility of there being a "Living Force II" campaign, since they are either much harder to write than D&D modules, or have to run through a significantly longer gauntlet to see publication. Do they need to be vetted by George Lucas or his company?
To clarify, the lack or sparseness of regional information seems to be more the result of the current LFR writer's guidelines, and the limited word count/page count of the modules, so it becomes a bad choice between enough information to run the module, and enough background to flesh out the module.
No, I don't want a 72 page module with only 12 pages of actual adventure, but I think it would be possible to add a couple of pages to the modules, maybe as an appendix, with additional information on NPCs and regional "spice" possibly explaining the purpose, in the grander scheme of things, that the PCs are involved in this adventure.
As I mentioned in another thread, I don't have that much of a background in the FR, so I didn't know about the situation in the background of Behind Haunted Halls where the two regions involved in the incipient war/conflict are also involved as the primary choke point against an evil region's schemes, until someone else mentioned it in passing in one of the WitR threads.
That is the kind of information that it would be useful to the GM to know, so he can convey it to the PCs if needed.
As, I see the focus of your question a little better now (I really do need to read the writer's guidelines one of these days).
As of today, 1/1/09, the last 3 modules have not been released yet. I understand, as Rodney Thompson has posted, that they have taken a lot more time to complete than he originally thought they would, although they are also, last I checked, lagging behind on being added to the RPGA adventure ordering database.
So, my interest is in whether the RPGA still intends to produce those last adventures for the campaign. Don't mind me too much, I am somewhat paranoid, sometimes.
Also, as a side effect, the slowness of the module production makes me wonder if that will adversely affect the chances of the possibility of there being a "Living Force II" campaign, since they are either much harder to write than D&D modules, or have to run through a significantly longer gauntlet to see publication. Do they need to be vetted by George Lucas or his company?
I'll phrase the question then if Chris knows anything about Rodney's planned release schedule, and how that will affect the inclusion of the DoD mods into the RPGA Sanctioning database.
And yes, I believe Lucas. . . Arts or Film - Kenobi65 will no doubt correct me - does have to give the final stamp of approval on any SW mods (DoD or a theoretical Living Force II) because of their IP rights, and simply due to the nature of the contracts between them and WotC. I'm NOT an expert on this topic in any way, however, so I could well be wrong. If someone else knowledgeable on the topic (Kenobi?) posts otherwise - trust them over me.
=)
-karma
And yes, I believe Lucas. . . Arts or Film - Kenobi65 will no doubt correct me - does have to give the final stamp of approval on any SW mods (DoD or a theoretical Living Force II) because of their IP rights, and simply due to the nature of the contracts between them and WotC. I'm NOT an expert on this topic in any way, however, so I could well be wrong. If someone else knowledgeable on the topic (Kenobi?) posts otherwise - trust them over me.
Lucasfilm Licensing, in particular (LucasArts is a video-game company, and has no involvement in this). And, yes, I recall from the days of Living Force that every single thing released for the campaign...every module, every web article, every revision to the Hero Creation Guidelines, even the logsheets...had to go through Lucasfilm Licensing for approval.
WotC (and, by extension, the RPGA) is an official licensee of Lucasfilm, and, thus, everything that they produce needs to be reviewed and approved. From what I've heard, compared to many other licensed products (such as action figures or t-shirts), RPG materials take longer for them to approve, because there's simply more to review.
As I remember, there were times when the approval process from Lucasfilm for LF materials took quite a while (I seem to recall a revised version of the character creation document that took months to get back from Lucasfilm).
2. I have 20 DM points from December that's been rolled over to the new system, will 15 of them be discarded?
(Even though it says 5+, the page looks like a rough draft, seems to suggest more to come, and I hope they bring back the levels.)
3. Will you bring back the level system?
4. Will they'll be reward programs for the other sanctiong games like Star Wars Minis and Axis and Allies?
5. Is it true that some games like D&D Minis won't be sanctionable soon?
4. Will they'll be reward programs for the other sanctiong games like Star Wars Minis and Axis and Allies?
I believe these are handled through the DCI process, as they're officially DCI games. You might get better answers to those questions in the DCI Forums (tell BillBo I sent ya.
).5. Is it true that some games like D&D Minis won't be sanctionable soon?
I can't speak for any other game lines, but this appears to be true for the DDM line. The D&D Minis Skirmish game will no longer be produced by WotC, as they're going to repurpose the minis line to support the RPG instead.
What the deadline is for Organized Play I don't know - check the DCI forums (linked above) or possibly the D&D Minis forum area. Johnny Quest is the VCL over there (and I think there's a second VCL there as well) so they'll take good care of you.
Because these are DCI questions and not RPGA questions I'll not be adding them to the list.
Edit: I believe ddmguild will still be allowed to use DCI sanctioning to run its tournaments.
DDM sanctioning will pass on to the ddmguild after XP.
Are you sure?
Look at this:
In short, DCI sanctioning will continue, and the Guild will continue to support organized play :D
Looks to me that although the Guild will support the game, and I'll still be able to log into the DCI using my RPGA number, sanction a game, and it appear in the events calender.
This is a matter that involves RPGA/DCI sanctioning and WPN Tournament Organizers, so it shouldn't be left to speculation.
So I want to know if it will be determined at the RPGA Member's Meeting if I can still report DDM games using my RPGA/DCI card and search for games though my RPGA/DCI Personal Information Center.
I'm sorry if my post confused the issue. It's a worthwhile question to ask, although I suspect the answer will be 'yes'.
So I want to know if it will be determined at the RPGA Member's Meeting if I can still report DDM games using my RPGA/DCI card and search for games though my RPGA/DCI Personal Information Center.
The RPGA and DCI are both separate parts of the Wizards Play Network.
Chris Tulach, head of the RPGA is going to be the person presenting the RPGA Members Meeting. He is not directly affiliated with DCI, so I don't expect he will be well versed in the future of minis.
I will keep your question in mind for if/when I catch him at RPGA HQ or otherwise running about the show - but I'm not going to add DCI questions to my list for the RPGA meeting. I suspect that if I do the answer will simply return "you'd have to ask the DCI for more information about that".
We share a reporting system, but the organizations are not the same.
When a magic item is issued errata, can it be removed from your LFR character, and the magic item slot freed?
Issue 1: Events Oversight
DragonCon 2008 had a lot of LFR modules this year, given that it occured right after GenCon08. To the best of my knowledge that event (DCon08) has still not been entered into the DCI/RPGA system.
The coordinator of the DCon RPGA events has stated that he can not get the data input to the system for technical reasons and that WotC has failed to help him resolve the problem. I, obviously, can't verify that claim, but I don't think it matters.
What matters is that the RPGA's system for reporting events and Rewards/Character Activity failed for this event. Completely. So my question is roughly this:
"Who at WotC is responsible for overseeing that events billed as "RPGA Sanctioned" are actually doing things properly? How can the general member contact that person when they discover a problem?"
DragonCon08 itself is just one con. But the handling of it is troubling and has left a really bad impression on alot of folks. The fact that, 6 months later it's still not reported, is an issue. It makes the whole organization look bad. I doubt that it's the first time this has happened, and it's probably not the last. So, I'm curious if it will ever be addressed - of it already has and I'm just not aware of it.
Issue 2: Appeals Feedback
Currently, the Appeal system in use through the RPGA Member pages give about zero feedback until someone actually does something. There's no way to check on an appeal, or to even know if it's been properly recieved. You just send it off and hope.
That means that at the times when a member is most needing help from the organization (fixing records issues and the like) they get the least help possible. so...
"Are there any plans to improve the Online Appeal process to make it more responsive and helpful? hopefully including so method by which a user can see if anyone has read the appeal, fixed it, etc."
Thank you for listening. I understand if these don't get asked, as they aren't "fun" questions. but It's this sort of organizational work that helps make the RPGA a better place to game.
-wade j
I'll put the "cons" question lower on the list, because I suspect the answer is simply going to be "the Senior GM of the convention is responsible for data entry pertaining to their conventions. How you contact that person is going to vary based on how they prefer to be contacted."
However, I suspect what you're really getting at is "who can a Senior GM contact when data entry becomes an insurmountable task?"
FWIW - I thought I'd read elsewhere that DragonCon *was* final and complete. . . but I haven't followed it closely enough to be very sure. I'll try to dig it up in my gmail.
[EDIT]
I can't find an e-mail stating that it was ever completed, but I did find a contact address for someone who apprears to be in charge of the data entry. I've taken the liberty of inquiring with them directly, and linking them to this thread in case they have anything to add on the matter.
I'll put the "cons" question lower on the list, because I suspect the answer is simply going to be "the Senior GM of the convention is responsible for data entry pertaining to their conventions. How you contact that person is going to vary based on how they prefer to be contacted."
However, I suspect what you're really getting at is "who can a Senior GM contact when data entry becomes an insurmountable task?"
The question about who the Senior GM can contact is a fine one, but not really what I'm asking. I'm more after - "what happens when a senior GM fails to deliver?" who do I, as a player, talk to about that? Who does that Senior GM answer to?
That's important because in a situation where things have fallen apart, it's quite easy for the org to move on like it didn't happen. You mention that you thought DCon08 was all squared away - I'm willing to bet you aren't the only one who thought that. I don't see any profit or gain from calling out the Senior GM, but I see no way to politely inquire "up the chain" as it were.
Problems can't be corrected if the org isn't aware they exist, and given that the Rewards programs hinge on proper reporting, it seems like it should be a priority to ensure people are properly credited with their time.
:* What are the limiting reasons for not being able to sign up for RPGA numbers online directly?
Sometimes the WPN method works, sometimes it doesn't... I successfully got one friend signed up by the WPN method and one never got a WPN number. I'm just unsure what the reason would be that signing up for the RPGA isn't as simple as enter your information here, get a number in your e-mail. I can't believe it hasn't been thought of before to just do it that way, so I'm interested in the reason it hasn't been implemented.
* Why are preview classes (which are completed content) not allowed for LFR while playtest classes (which are in development and may have balance issues) are permitted?
* Is there a possibility of incentivizing the delve program for the Living campaign? (I.e., with X amount of delves played, get a special racial unlock) I've seen very little delve play in my sphere of knowledge, but I know that if there were any sort of incentive to do so I'd see a lot more.
-Sutro
The question about who the Senior GM can contact is a fine one, but not really what I'm asking. I'm more after - "what happens when a senior GM fails to deliver?" who do I, as a player, talk to about that? Who does that Senior GM answer to?
That's important because in a situation where things have fallen apart, it's quite easy for the org to move on like it didn't happen. You mention that you thought DCon08 was all squared away - I'm willing to bet you aren't the only one who thought that. I don't see any profit or gain from calling out the Senior GM, but I see no way to politely inquire "up the chain" as it were.
Problems can't be corrected if the org isn't aware they exist, and given that the Rewards programs hinge on proper reporting, it seems like it should be a priority to ensure people are properly credited with their time.
I suspect, ultimately, the answer will either be (in order of likelihood):
1) The Senior GM is where the buck stops. The RPGA can't force people to report sessions
2) If enough people contact Customer Service about a convention failing to report there may be some action that can be taken to help a Senior GM having problems, or action to be taken against a Senior GM that "doesn't care"
Regardless, I'll try to get this in.
Wolf, I'm gonna be at the show, but I might be tied up during the meetings. So here's a few questions I'm interested in. You can obviously pick and choose which you want to ask
I'm going to take a stab at some of these here, but I can add them to the list if you want more info.
* What are the limiting reasons for not being able to sign up for RPGA numbers online directly?
Sometimes the WPN method works, sometimes it doesn't... I successfully got one friend signed up by the WPN method and one never got a WPN number. I'm just unsure what the reason would be that signing up for the RPGA isn't as simple as enter your information here, get a number in your e-mail. I can't believe it hasn't been thought of before to just do it that way, so I'm interested in the reason it hasn't been implemented.
Two notes here. First and foremost, I've actually been asked to remove the WPN method. That is to be reserved for people who truly intend to organize events. Long story short - the people who hand out numbers there are expect to generate play numbers for the WPN by having people actually RUN (not just play in) events. When numbers are created that way that don't run events, their reports look bad and people get in trouble. (You'll note the WPN method is no longer part of the FAQ).
As for online signups, there actually was (I'm told) a method for getting a player number online in the past. Unfortunately, the story is not unlike the problem with the WPN signup. People would get a number, then never use it. This caused database bloat, not to mention reports that couldn't look good. (Well, we signed up 10,000 new players this year, but only 250 of those people played any games. . . ).
It may well makes sense for the RPGA to re-examing this issue, however. So if you'd like I could easily reword the question more along the lines of:
"With online resources becoming more and more prevailent in the world at large, as well as in our hobby - I have to wonder if the RPGA is giving any thought to once again allowing new RPGA members to get numbers online? This will be especially useful in the near future when the DDI Game Table Online becomes available and people may not be gathering in a physical location to play together"
That ties in WotC's other digital initiatives with the perceived need of a faster/easier way to get RPGA numbers.
Feel free to word/re-word that if you like - or I can stick to the original question, your choice. * Why are preview classes (which are completed content) not allowed for LFR while playtest classes (which are in development and may have balance issues) are permitted?
Likely short answer? We can use whatever's in the final printed issue (See the Bard Preview from Dragon #369). There's also something to be said about the RPGA playerbase being a great resource for feedback on playtest classes.
However, I can ask this and if that is the answer, get a clarification if Preview classes that are labled "Dragon Magazine" but cut from the final compilation might get an "exception" to the final compilation rule - does that match what you're looking for?
* Is there a possibility of incentivizing the delve program for the Living campaign? (I.e., with X amount of delves played, get a special racial unlock) I've seen very little delve play in my sphere of knowledge, but I know that if there were any sort of incentive to do so I'd see a lot more.
-Sutro
Easy enough to add this one.
Re: RPGA numbers, that's understandable... although I personally think it'd make a great intra-Hasbro marketing metric to say, "We have X million RPGA members!!!@@@ X00,000 in the last year&asdf&asdf!!!"
And as far as the database getting too large, by my limited understanding of databases, I thought that can design a database to include "rarely" and "frequently" called sequences and not have to function the entire database routine unless the number wasn't found on the first call. This is based on two years of CompSci in undergrad, so don't take it too seriously. ;p
-Sutro
Sutro - RE: Databases. I didn't say it was a perfect answer. ;) I'm just repeating what others have mentioned about the issue. I believe the online signup for RPGA numbers was before I was even a member.
Now that we're merged with the DCI database and there are (allegedly) people who actually understand this "new" database and can program it to suit our needs, it may be less of an issue.
It's my understanding that part of what necessitated the merger (among several factors) was that nobody knew how to "massage" much less program the (apparently archaic) RPGA database.
It's my understanding that part of what necessitated the merger (among several factors) was that nobody knew how to "massage" much less program the (apparently archaic) RPGA database.
Yeah, from what I was told, back in those days (a few years back, you *could* get an RPGA number by taking the Herald-level test), every new RPGA membership "spawned" in that way required some manual work to enable or enter into the system or something. They found that the vast majority of those numbers never "followed through" -- that is, most of the new RPGA members never actually went on to play in an RPGA event. They suspected that many of those people were taking the Herald test to "test themselves" on D&D rules knowledge, and not because they were actually interested in RPGA play. Thus, the RPGA was spending a lot of time and money processing memberships that never went anywhere.
I've also been told that they were avoiding making joining the RPGA easily done online due to concerns about how they would handle the personal information of minors online, which, from what I'd read, potentially created significant legal liability for WotC.
-Sutro
EDIT: Sigh. Never mind. There's still continued tempest over this in the LFR forum since it didn't provide an explicated exception for Previews.
Magic items that have an enhancement bonus can be upgraded. If you have purchased or found a magic item with an enhancement bonus (like a weapon or suit of armor), you can pay the difference in cost to upgrade your item to the next enhancement bonus. You cannot upgrade the item until you are the same level or higher as the item you want. You don’t need access to a higher level version of the item to upgrade it. If you upgrade a suit of magic armor, you may select a new legal masterwork quality for the armor.
If you want to make any other change to a magic item, you must use the Transfer Enchantment ritual found in the Adventurer’s Vault and pay the appropriate costs for use. You can transfer any magic item quality to another legal item, as long as you have access to the quality (see the Transfer Enchantment ritual for more details).
Does this mean that you cannot use the Enchant Magic Item ritual to add a specific ability/property (e.g. Lightning) to a magical weapon or armor; or are you supposed to use the Transfer Enchantment ritual to do so?
Options:
Increase basic enhancement (e.g. +1 to +2) - Enchant Magic Item, covered
Move enchantment to a different, legal, target (e.g. move +2 enhancement from dagger to longsword), Transfer Enchantment, covered
Add a magical property to an item (e.g. +1 longsword to +1 Lightning Longsword) - Enchant Magic Item, not explicitly covered. Incorrectly lumped under the Transfer Enchantment ritual, or not possible in LFR?
Increase non-numeric enhancement for items (e.g. upgrade a Shield of Protection (heroic) to a Shield of Protection (paragon)) - Enchant Magic Item, not covered, unless, again, it was lumped into the Transfer Enchantment section.
Pardon me for being confused, and hopefully this isn't too late to get clarified...
I'd copy/paste them, but I don't think the formatting will survive the transition to vBulletin formatting.
For now, here's a link to my notes (no extra charge for typos, I throw them in for free). http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dftrw6m8_217zpztwf3&hl=en
I'll eventually pull "highlights" for public consumption - but . . . my brain's not letting me do it right now.
I did get several of the questions from this thread in - Q&A is at the end.
DDXP 2009
RPGA Member's Meeting
- 2008 RPGA moved into 4E.
- Chris joined WotC at the end of 2006, and started work on 4E and FR.
- LFR is the largest campaign ever
- LFR has broken every record for play, reporting, players, etc.
- 2009 is going to see the RPGA start to exapand, and do more things with LFR than just adventures.
- WWDnDGD - Biggest Game Day Ever (by far!)
- Over 350 locations worldwide
- 6000 players in one weekend
- 25% new players
- Over 350 locations worldwide
- LFR is the largest campaign ever
- 2009 Going to do some new stuff
- WWD&DGD will be three game days
- March 21st
- Upping the quality (to retail standards) [it really does look like an off the shelf mod]
- "One dark night in leaping briar"
- Full color poster map.
- 12 page adventure.
- This is the new standard.
- March 21st
- MMII
- May 27th
- DMGII
- September 23rd (or that weekend)
- Build your own adventures - team build encounters and then play against them.
- Based off an old LC adventure "Tomb of the Unknowns"
- September 23rd (or that weekend)
- DM Rewards
- Decided that in 2009 focus on DMs for what they do.
- Combined resources from player and DM levels into DM rewards.
- going to try to give DMs things that will be used more often than templates.
- Everyone in the program gets an adventure.
- Retail Quality
- Update of a classic D&D location.
- "Something to do with giant frogs"
- Just keep your contact info current
- # All player rewards members are in the DM rewards program
- going to try to give DMs things that will be used more often than templates.
- Twice annual mailings for active DMs
- One reward at the end of the cycle.
- Cycles are begining of the year to the middle of the year, and mid to the end
- 5 sessions = a reward mailing
- One reward at the end of the cycle.
- Offering nice quality items
- Things the RPGA has wanted to do, but hasn't been able to do.
- Products that RPGA members have requested.
- First product is custom dungeon tile made (one custom sheet of ships).
- Peter Lee did the artwork
- Several differnt ship styles and sizes.
- Above/below decks.
- Two copies of each tile in your mailing.
- Peter Lee did the artwork
- Mailings go out in Feb and August
- Things the RPGA has wanted to do, but hasn't been able to do.
- Living Forgotten Realms
- Will be expanding
- Adventuring Companies
- Moving the idea further - creating events around AdCos
- GenCon Indy will have the first module based around AdCos
- More info in coming months.
- Basically, bring your team, play the event, and walk away with some sort of participation reward
- Might be winners or other recognition for doing well in the event.
- Moving the idea further - creating events around AdCos
- The next types of adventures in a LFR "mini-campaign" will be set in a new area.
- Start at level 1 (new character preferred) and play through the story arc
- Get to bout level 5.
- Area picked based on feedback from other cons.
- Start at level 1 (new character preferred) and play through the story arc
- Adventuring Companies
- D&D Championship
- At GenCon
- Spotlights Eberron.
- Some different things will be done with it
- Looking to draw in new championship players
- At GenCon
- RPGA General Rules will be getting an update this Spring
- Will include better penalty guildelines.
- What is the RPGA, how do these rules get enforced.
- Will include better penalty guildelines.
- Website (D&D and RPGA) will be getting an overhaul this summer
- Going to move information around and make it easier to find.
- Going to remove some older out-of-date information
- Going to move information around and make it easier to find.
- Definately going to be at Origins, PAX, GenCon
- Going to provide support at AnimeExpo and San Diego ComiCon
- Convention Support is improving
- http://www.wizards.com/events will get convention organizers more support
- [email]conventionsupport@wizards.com[/email] is another contact point
- Lets organizers order stuff to help support their shows.
- Each kit is $20
- Get ~$60 worth of product
- Each time you order a D&D prize pack you'll get a pack of 20 D&D Rewards cards.
- One show can order up to 5 packs.
- Get ~$60 worth of product
- Premier shows (GenCon, DDXP) events will be available soon after the show - for Cons Only
- until they become available for normal retail play.
- Goal is to allow more cons to get "premier" access to content
- until they become available for normal retail play.
- http://www.wizards.com/events will get convention organizers more support
- Will be expanding
- Decided that in 2009 focus on DMs for what they do.
- WWD&DGD will be three game days
- Chris joined WotC at the end of 2006, and started work on 4E and FR.
Dave's notes
Delve tickets will be used as raffle tickets at the end of the show (around 1:00)
Winner will get ~$300 worth of stuff.
Winner must be present.
Judges for Origins/GenCon
Signups for Origins end of March
Gencon around 3rd/4th week of April
Did 1200 table at GenCon last year - want to top it.
Winner of DM giveaway (SUPER awesome DM screen with built in dice towers) is:
Frank Pont
Q&A
Q: Will the construction at the Indy convention center affect our games?
A: No
We're the only ground that EXCEEDS our projections at GenCon.
We seat 125% of what Sagamore is designed to fit.
Q: What is the status of SWSE and the RPGA?
A: We're going to continue to support DoD, and will work with R&D for special products. People interested in playtesting SWSE stuff should contact Chris Tulach (contact info will come later)
Q: D&D Championship - will the results from 2008 get posted?
A: YES
Q: Will championship materials get better/more consistent?
A: Yes. Likely going back to printed maps, etc.
Q: GM Rewards: what happened to the last rewards points?
A: Can't promise there will be anything for GMs from GenCon and last year's events. We've basically hit the "reset button" on the old rewards program.
A2: database merge screwed up the old rewards - everyone should have received SOME cards in the mail. There weren't enough cards to send "everything to everyone" because the scope of the problem and its fixed wasn't anticipated. Will try to do more, if possible, for the GM rewards.
Q: Character Tracking - all new characters are screwed up. Will this get upgraded?
A: We've evaluating the system now - if you have issues with characters, report to customer service. I will mention that customer service is lacking
Q: Veteran's Armor
A: Limited exception - special to Veteran's Armor. You can ditch Veteran's Armor, and get any magic item you have access to of the level of your armor or less.
Q: How do you hope to market D&D to new players?
A: We can only reach in so many places without help from the community. This is why we're doing more D&D Game Days. Marketing is always a challenge for us.
The RPGA is less a new player aquisition tool, and more about trying to get players playing more.
Q: Local Cons could use more support
A: More events and Con Support options are coming, as was mentioned earlier.
Q: Outside of store loyalty, there's no real incentive for players to run at a store instead of at home - will the RPGA be changing that?
A: If your store wants play in the store, that's up to the store to incentivize. WE'll try to help retailers do that, but it isn't fully in our hands. WE want to reach out to as many people as possible.
Q: Judge levels?
A: No plans to support this going forward.
Q: I'm wondering if that question on the survey given out at Weekend in the Realms, hinting that Vesparin might be one of a few possible future adventure settings for LFR, was just a cruel tease for us old LC players, or can we actually hold out hope of visiting the old homestead? - KarmaInferno
A: No region is off limits for us. Will we play there, who knows? We got a lot of responses, however - which gives us a lot of data to make decisions with.
Q: Could maps be made printable inch-to-inch in the modules?
A: We're concerned about file size, but I'll approach it within WotC. It might undercut Dungeon Tiles
Q: Is there anyone within the RPGA that players can contact if they have concerns about results from a large convention not being entered in a timely fashion - or worse if they fear the results may not be entered at all? DragonCon results, for example, do not yet appear to be reported, and while the option exists to contact the senior GM for the show, what if such contct isn't generating appreciable/noticeable results? - Wade J "Asoka"
A: Should talk to the Senior GM, if that isn't helping, he should contact Customer Service. Customer Service will contact the outreach team, who work with the organizers. Best place to contact game support is throught he knowledge base on the website. There's also e-mail as [email]customerservice@wizards.com[/email]
Q: Everron campaign?
A: We're not currently planning on a new shared campaign for 2009.
(WolfStar76 is a sad monkey)
At this point I had to get back to my table, but I hope everyone reading this has enjoyed my jumble of notes.
Thanks everyone!
Wolfstar's Meeting Notes in VB Format
Holy crap that's awesome. How long did that take you?
It looks like I'll be the Point of Contact on that (to buffer things for Chris), but don't start spamming my PM box just yet - I have to get the details from him first.
Holy crap that's awesome. How long did that take you?
Longer than I care to admit, normally I am pretty good at nested lists but that one about got me.
Q: Could maps be made printable inch-to-inch in the modules?
A: We're concerned about file size, but I'll approach it within WotC. It might undercut Dungeon Tiles
Please let them know that at least one player would rather have the option to pay $5 for a printable map for each module I run than have to buy, store, set-up and deal with a bazillion tiles.
Please let them know that at least one player would rather have the option to pay $5 for a printable map for each module I run than have to buy, store, set-up and deal with a bazillion tiles.
You are aware that with a paint program and access to a Fedex/Kinko's, these can be printed right now. It's about $2-3 in B&W, color runs about 10x that.
You are aware that with a paint program and access to a Fedex/Kinko's, these can be printed right now. It's about $2-3 in B&W, color runs about 10x that.
I am aware. I'm also aware that that is potentially a violation of copyright, especially when it's to be used for an event that might earn you money. I've prefer to have WoTC blessed, high-quality goods, and don't mind paying $20 to print a module if it's going to be used repeatedly.
I am aware. I'm also aware that that is potentially a violation of copyright, especially when it's to be used for an event that might earn you money. I've prefer to have WoTC blessed, high-quality goods, and don't mind paying $20 to print a module if it's going to be used repeatedly.
Wait, what?
Firstly, whether or not you are earning money from something is (almost) irrelevant when it comes to working out if something is an infringement of copyright rights. It might matter in the quantification of damages later, and can form part of a discussion of whether something was fair use in some jurisdictions (I think) but mainly it's irrelevant to the question of whether you have the 'right' to do it.
The idea that WotC reserves the right to prohibit the printing of a pdf file distributed to RPGA event organisers so that the contents of the file can be used at RPGA events by an RPGA event organiser in order to use the contents of the file at an RPGA event is ... baffling!
Now, that doesn't mean that a copy shop will allow you to do it: they have corporate reasons for being very shy about potentially breaching copyright (even if the damages WotC could claim even if they did not have the rights to do so would be miniscule). But since you can obviously print a copy of the map onto A4/letter sized paper, I find it hard to understand any reasoning which would suggest you could not print it onto a larger piece of paper.
Any updates on point of contact and time frame for volunteering to test SW RPGA stuff?
And back on point...
Any updates on point of contact and time frame for volunteering to test SW RPGA stuff?
Post made today: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=17873988#post17873988
PHB2: March 21st ( I think this one is correct)
MM2: May 27th (this is not a weekend day)
DMG2:Sept 23rd( again not a weekend day)
Thanks,
~Matt