Planning will probably start to solidify when DDXP is closer or (perhaps more likely) after its ended (last weekend of January).
I'll do my best to co-ordinate and let people know what's happening if/as I get news (as I'm watching eagerly for information myself). ;)
I've been assured that WotC will officially be present, but haven't gotten any farther than that.
As soon as I learn something more, I'll pass it along.
[EDIT]
My network of spies have clued me in, but I don't know if the person in charge is ready to say/announce anything or to be announced yet. I'm following-up right now, and will post here when there's news to share.
I've not yet been able to determine that.
I've been assured that WotC will officially be present, but haven't gotten any farther than that.
As soon as I learn something more, I'll pass it along.
[EDIT]
My network of spies have clued me in, but I don't know if the person in charge is ready to say/announce anything or to be announced yet. I'm following-up right now, and will post here when there's news to share.
How many Bothans died to bring you this information?
There are some adventures premiering at DDXP, and I suspect a decent number of them will be available for public play at DDXP. I'm no one official, so this is just fan specualtion, but here is the list of new adventures from DDXP, it should tide you over for information on PAX East for a little while.
From The DDXP Page - See Events
Core2-1 Killing the Messenger
Living Forgotten Realms - An ancient drow city, long thought dead, has begun to stir and a battalion of Zhentarim soldiers marches to support it. Can you discover who is behind this unlikely partnership? A Living Forgotten Realms espionage adventure set in the Underdark for characters levels 11-14. Sequel to QUES1-1 Black Cloaks and Bitter Rivalries.
Core2-2 Rising of the Dark
Living Forgotten Realms - During the rise of the Netheril Empire, many battles were fought. One battle sank a Netherese ship, sending it between the waves of the Sea of Fallen Stars. There it lay for many years, vessel and cargo forgotten. Until now... A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in the Sea of Fallen Stars for levels 11-14.
Spec2-1 (Heroic)
Living Forgotten Realms
SPEC2-1 H1 The Scourge of Scornubel - The paladins of Elturgard are at wits end; bandits are looting the trade city, Scornubel. With the depletion of much needed resources, someone needs to flush the bandits out of their nests -- and perhaps become local heroes while doing it. A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in Elturgard for characters levels 1-4.
SPEC2-1 H2 Dogs of War - The paladins of Elturgard cannot tolerate a threat from the gnolls of the Reaching Woods at this time. Will heroes step forward to undertake a risky mission to foil the gnolls and their demon allies? A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in Elturgard for characters levels 4-7.
SPEC2-1 H3 The Morninglord’s Laughter - Three years ago the outpost of Fort Morninglord underwent a terrible catastrophe, and the leaders of Elturgard proclaimed that any who even approached the haunted place would be arrested. Now it appears that something locked inside the sealed fortress might be needed for an upcoming battle. A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in Elturgard for characters levels 7-10.
Spec2-1 (Paragon)
Living Forgotten Realms
SPEC2-1 P1 Blinking Eye of Fire - The second sun above Elturel blesses the land with never-ending light. But deep beneath the streets lurk things determined to see night fall. A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in Elturgard for characters levels 11-14.
SPEC2-1 P2 Scout’s Honor - Amongst the towering trees of the Forest of Wyrms live countless serpents, dragons, and other fell creatures that few dare brave. Only the strongest adventurers can best the dangers within and help the paladins of Elturgard achieve victory. A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in Elturgard for characters levels 14-17.
ADCP2-1 The Paladins’ Plague
Living Forgotten Realms - The leaders of Elturel are concerned about the plagueland a few miles outside the city, which has recently begun spewing out even more twisted monstrosities than usual. The paladins have put out a call for adventuring companies to send their best and bravest explorers to venture to the border, if not into the plagueland itself. The expedition's charter is to bring back any information about the horrors within and what might be causing the increase in Spellplague activity. This is a very dangerous assignment, but also one that offers adventurers the chance to make a name for themselves by braving one of the most dangerous and least understood threats in all of Faerun -- an active plagueland. It is not required for any character to be a member of an Adventuring Company in order to participate, but tables where at least four characters are members of the same Adventuring Company will receive an additional benefit. A convention-only, two-round continuous-play LIVING FORGOTTEN REALMS BATTLE INTERACTIVE set in Elturel for characters levels 1-17. This adventure at D&D Experience 2010 will contain unique certificates, unique magic items, and unique titles that will not be in the released version later in the year. This adventure takes place after the events in SPEC2-1 and is recommended you play it first though it is not required.
Dale2-1 Forever
Living Forgotten Realms - In a world where even gods die, nothing lasts. Yet, some may seek any means to recover old glory, regain love, or cling to the vestiges of life itself. This adventure is a sequel to DALE1-4, and references events in that adventure. A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in the Dalelands for characters levels 4-7.
Moon2-1 Darkness Falls over Moray
Living Forgotten Realms - Only a sliver of light separates those who profit and those who perish on the island of Moray. When that light is extinguished, it is difficult for even the greatest heroes to find their way. A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in the Moonshae Isles for characters levels 4-7.
Wate2-1 Gilding a Noble
Living Forgotten Realms - Stedd Moonstar is planning the first, and hopefully the best, grand gala of the season. The Moonstar gala is almost ready; only a few last-minute preparations are needed to make the party a huge success. This adventure starts the major quest Restoring Splendor, which continues in WATE2-2 (P1) and concludes in WATE2-3 (P1). A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in Waterdeep for characters levels 7-10.
Impi2-1 Goblins from Below
Living Forgotten Realms - Strange goblins wielding weird arcane powers have been spotted in the Earthspur Mountains. Arcane fire flares at the goblins' command and the authorities of Impiltur want to know the goblins' plans and where they came from. A Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in Impiltur for characters levels 7 - 10.
Corm2-1 For Crown and Kingdom
Living Forgotten Realms - For decades, knights-errant of Cormyr have sought glory in the untamed Stonelands. It is common for these knights to bring a retinue of adventurers on such quests, and what better way to make a name for oneself? A Living Forgotten Realms adventure for characters levels 1-4.
As soon as I have anything solid to share - you'll hear about it in this thread.
I'm still trying to get in touch with the PAX East RPGA Organizer, but alas, I've got no replies to date. I know the person in charge, and I know I'll see them at DDXP if all else fails.
On the one hand, its just poor form to not reply. On the other hand, I understand being very busy. But seriously, hit "reply" and "really busy, email me again after XXXX".
I'm still trying to get in touch with the PAX East RPGA Organizer, but alas, I've got no replies to date. I know the person in charge, and I know I'll see them at DDXP if all else fails.
On the one hand, its just poor form to not reply. On the other hand, I understand being very busy. But seriously, hit "reply" and "really busy, email me again after XXXX".
Well, other intermediary contacts haven't heard from the organizer in a couple weeks, so I'm starting to wonder if there was a change-of-email address we're not aware of, or something far more dire (I certainly hope not!).
Again, no real worry on my end, I simply know I'd like to help put all the right people in touch with each other - and at the very worst I expect to see the organizer in person in about two weeks - so I'll shake answers out of them there.
Stay tuned.
Brand-New to D&D
D&D Learn-to-Play
Want to learn how to play D&D 4th Edition? We’ll teach you all the basics, and send you out on your first adventure! Everything is provided for you, and you can even keep your character. A 3-4 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 3 pm and 7 pm; Saturday 11 am, 3 pm, and 7 pm; Sunday 11 am
New and Experienced D&D Players
D&D Encounters: Undermountain Session 1
Get caught up with D&D Encounters, our newest official D&D 4th Edition play program. Journey to Undermountain, one of the most infamous dungeons ever created, and uncover the secrets of Halaster’s Lost Apprentice. D&D Encounters is a weekly, in-store mini-campaign played out each Wednesday one encounter at a time. If you play sessions 1 and 2 here, you’ll be ready to play session 3 at your local store next week! You can create your own 1st-level character or use one of our pre-generated characters. Session 1 is a 2 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 3 pm and 7 pm; Saturday 11 am, 3 pm , and 7 pm; Sunday 11 am
D&D Encounters: Undermountain Session 2
This is session 2 of the D&D Encounters: Undermountain convention special. See Session 1 for details. It is recommended you play session 1 before playing session 2. Session 2 is a 2 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 5 pm and 9 pm; Saturday 1 pm, 5 pm, and 9 pm; Sunday 1 pm
D&D Convention Delve: Ruins of the Spectral Glade
The deadly woods of the Spectral Glade hold ancient ruins and priceless treasures. Will your hero vanquish the evil at the heart of the forest and claim its riches, or become just one more nameless corpse? Play as often as you like and earn prizes! 3rd-level characters are provided. A 1 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 2 pm – 10 pm; Saturday 10 am – 10 pm; Sunday 10 am – 2 pm
Some D&D Experience Recommended
D&D Dark Sun Preview: Death in the Arena
Get special sneak peeks at the newest D&D campaign setting releasing this summer! A templar holds a relic believed to be the key to unlocking a site of ancient power. Can you convince an agent of the sorcerer-king to relinquish the Seal of the Seven Winds without paying the ultimate price? A DARK SUN preview adventure set in the city-state of Tyr. 1st-level characters are provided. A 4 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 3 pm and 7 pm; Saturday 11 am and 3 pm; Sunday 11 am
D&D DM Challenge: Horrors of the Underdark
This DM Challenge is a special one-time event running only at PAX East! DMs bring their best and most dangerous 6th-level Underdark adventures for you to conquer; rate your play experience to determine the best adventure of the evening! 6th-level characters are provided. A 4-6 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Saturday 7 pm
Other Events
Three-Dragon Ante Tournament
Play a few rounds of this fantastic card game using images from the Dungeons & Dragons game! The tournament winner takes home a stack of D&D books, and we might have some other surprises in store! A 4 hour play experience.
Runs Friday 7 pm
D&D Seminar: Save My Game! Live
Have a rules question or a problem at your table? Keep the action flowing and get DM tips as we troubleshoot your gameplay and DMing questions. The Wizards staff takes on all questions and gives you answers!
Runs Sunday 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Can't wait to play in some of these, thank you for the info
Hey Chris, thank you for the update! I'm wondering if RPGA is also present, or if your going to have the local LFR group run stuff for RPGA?
Can't wait to play in some of these, thank you for the info
It is my understanding that the official RPGA presence (Willi and his volunteers) will not be running any LFR at the show, instead sticking to the schedule you see above. If other organizers want to run LFR at the show, there's no problem with that.
Our presence at wider-media shows (like the PAX shows, comic-cons, etc.) will usually be focused on providing convention experiences that interact a little more directly with D&D, rather than bucketing folks into a campaign. It makes it a little more casual (like our audiences at those events) and we'll always be willing to help guide them beyond their play experiences that weekend.
At shows like D&D Experience, Origins, and Gen Con Indy, we're definitely going to provide the type of content that our veteran players have come to expect - that means special LFR play content, etc.
It should be noted, however, that D&D Encounters: Undermountain characters are exportable to Living Forgotten Realms after the season ends, so it should be considered basically the next mini-campaign for LFR.
Our presence at wider-media shows (like the PAX shows, comic-cons, etc.) will usually be focused on providing convention experiences that interact a little more directly with D&D, rather than bucketing folks into a campaign. It makes it a little more casual (like our audiences at those events) and we'll always be willing to help guide them beyond their play experiences that weekend.
At shows like D&D Experience, Origins, and Gen Con Indy, we're definitely going to provide the type of content that our veteran players have come to expect - that means special LFR play content, etc.
It is important to have some LFR premieres. I would guess that some people did not attend DDXP because they live in the Northeast and figured they could catch the events at PAX East. I know many of the Seattle and Portland-area gamers figure they can skip Gen Con and attend PAX Prime (they are 1-3 weeks apart).
I felt the delve and ultimate delve presence at PAX Prime was good for new/casual players, but it did take away from LFR. I'm cool with seeing more program sharing, but abandoning LFR seems a bit too harsh. After all, there were a good number of higher-level LFR tables going off at PAX Prime. We still want those folks to attend, I think. Otherwise, they will all go to Portland/Vancouver for GameStorm instead of PAX, in all likelihood. GameStorm is already a mini-Gen Con with lots of non-D&D gaming, so it would offer the breadth that could replace a Gen Con instead of PAX. I could even see a second convention starting up in the Portland area.
Don't get me wrong, little could keep me away from a return judging trip to PAX Prime, but I'm also a big fan of judging for new players. Not everyone is. Many will judge a bit but want to play higher-level play. PAX Prime seems poised for huge growth - a combo of LFR special stuff and the content you described could really see the attraction grow.
(Equally important is working with PAX to improve information. Last year I was all over PAX forums trying to let gamers know how to find what was playing and when. There is literally 0 scheduling information. Unlike Gen Con, where there are program guides and searchable databases to find what to play when, PAX is one big unorganized mess of "go to the RPG area". To attract more players we need content but also we need to work with PAX to make scheduling a direct link on their web site. I suspect the PAX Prime RPGA coordinator (Robert) would agree with me, as he is the one last year that asked me to help get the word out on the PAX boards. As it was, there was a lot of confusion on the boards and lots of gamers showed up mid-slot to ask if they could play, then headed out when they could not. Having CB stations was huge, though, trapping some of them as they decided to make a character until the next slot started - I worked with them a fair amount, so I have some knowledge of what they were thinking when they arrived mid-slot. A slot-less option might also help, but I would prefer to just get the word out on slot scheduling.)
PAX has a fantastic demographic of bright-eyed bushy-tailed gamers that could be brought into our hobby. Going light and easy is good, but you need experienced hands to judge. Many of those want to play LFR and will come only if there is a decent LFR presence. And, we don't want to turn our back on the core base.
I do agree there should be LFR, not just delve and encounters, I was pushing just to find out what they were planning on offering so we might be able to coordinate our own games.
Daren
[snip]
It is important to have some LFR premieres.
[snip]
PAX has a fantastic demographic of bright-eyed bushy-tailed gamers that could be brought into our hobby. Going light and easy is good, but you need experienced hands to judge. Many of those want to play LFR and will come only if there is a decent LFR presence. And, we don't want to turn our back on the core base.
This. My group has been looking at going to this con, but the lack of announced LFR events has given me pause. I was hoping they would get a large LFR prescence and maybe the BI from DnDXP. If this is not the case, we won't be going.
Daren
PAX has a fantastic demographic of bright-eyed bushy-tailed gamers that could be brought into our hobby. Going light and easy is good, but you need experienced hands to judge. Many of those want to play LFR and will come only if there is a decent LFR presence. And, we don't want to turn our back on the core base.
If you didn't preorder your tickets, you won't be going anyway, from the sound of it. If you really want to do the BI (which was AWESOME), I know Totalcon in MA has it, and they are the weekend of the 18th of this month. There has been very little said about official support at PAX East so far, which is a bit surprising, given that it is coming up pretty soon.
Chris posted the list of events above, and we've announced that Willi Burger is going to be the "Senior GM" for PAX East. We're just waiting on Willi to post here (or to give me the word) about how potential volunteers can sign up for a chance to run events.
No fair using a post just a handful above mine to make me sound like a dope. Wait... We got the official support down, but so far no word on LFR events. Willi will probably post while I'm typing this, now, just to keep my streak going.
*Edit* I at least got my initial "mea culpa" in before proved wrong - doing well!
I'll give Willi a week or two to post something before I go ahead with this plan.
(I was more hoping to play in a few games since I'm mostly running five at Totalcon already.)
BTW If you already got a three-day pass for PAX and find no need to keep it, they have a badge exchange thread in the PAX East forums. No reason to lose out on the 50 bucks, right?
RPGA at PAX-East will be focusing entirely on `acquisition' efforts, like the Delve and the new D&D Encounters program. I wouldn't be surprised to see some Magic the Gathering, Three Dragon Ante, and D&D Heroscape stuff as well, but there won't be any LFR.
Chris posted the list of events above, and we've announced that Willi Burger is going to be the "Senior GM" for PAX East. We're just waiting on Willi to post here (or to give me the word) about how potential volunteers can sign up for a chance to run events.
No fair using a post just a handful above mine to make me sound like a dope. Wait... We got the official support down, but so far no word on LFR events. Willi will probably post while I'm typing this, now, just to keep my streak going.
*Edit* I at least got my initial "mea culpa" in before proved wrong - doing well!
I guess I won't point out post #19 that mentions there won't be any LFR at PAX East then. ;)
Not hosting LFR events at a con like PAX is a mistake, Especially whereas there is a large LFR community in New England. The fact that WoTC is there and not hosting LFR makes me wonder at what they feel the future of the RPGA is?
I'm not asking WoTC to fly a whole bunch of judges up north, I'm asking if we can share a space to host some of our own RPGA sanctioned games.
PAX East is likely to be 2-3 times the size of Origins, which had full representation in 2009...can I request maybe 3-4 tables for us to run something?
I'm not asking for any big show benefits, I only plan on reporting events for the DM rewards.
I was going to quote him, but he and Chris Tulach may want the numbers kept secret. Basically, there were a ton of seats for the 1-hour delve... more than 1000. It was the biggest event by far. There were multiple tables of the Ultimate Delve in every slot. There were a good number of D&D for Beginners slots. The tables of H1 play was more than twice the number of tables of H2+ play.
All of that says that PAX is a fantastic vehicle for the new player.
So, I'm willing to back off of my earlier post a bit, but I still absolutely know that the core group of regional LFR players will go from attending to not attending if there is no LFR presence. (And therefore, we will lose judges). Undermountain may let you get to LFR, but for the experienced LFR player it seems a long way to go to get to LFR. Many people, myself included, have little interest in one-shots like the delve, even with reward cards. The only reason I did the DS preview is because I am a huge DS fan; I would not have done a preview delve of Eberron.
Now, of course, PAX has lots of open gaming. Anyone can set up an LFR slot... but that possibility is not the same as having formal and secure slots of LFR gaming. There should be some gaming in each slot. Last PAX we had ADCP1-1, which scaled, brilliantly handling any type of player, plus the SPEC1-3, handling different levels to some extent. Something should be there for the LFR player or it will hurt attendence, growth, and judging.
Something should be there for the LFR player or it will hurt attendence, growth, and judging.
I know people who have decided not to attend PAX East because of the total lack of LFR, and I know several more who are considering it. I do not believe that it will affect the bottom-line success of PAX East at all (judging from `PAX Prime', there is as far more demand than supply), but I do believe it will negatively affect the quality of the RPGA efforts at PAX East. Judging at PAX last year, I will echo the sentiment that the (large) majority of the people were `new players', but a very large number of the new-player groups that I saw were brought to the `D&D area' by an existing LFR player, and I fear the effect of losing large parts of that group.
Here's to hoping PAX East is awesome either way!
Brand-New to D&D
D&D Learn-to-Play
Want to learn how to play D&D 4th Edition? We’ll teach you all the basics, and send you out on your first adventure! Everything is provided for you, and you can even keep your character. A 3-4 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 3 pm and 7 pm; Saturday 11 am, 3 pm, and 7 pm; Sunday 11 am
New and Experienced D&D Players
D&D Encounters: Undermountain Session 1
Get caught up with D&D Encounters, our newest official D&D 4th Edition play program. Journey to Undermountain, one of the most infamous dungeons ever created, and uncover the secrets of Halaster’s Lost Apprentice. D&D Encounters is a weekly, in-store mini-campaign played out each Wednesday one encounter at a time. If you play sessions 1 and 2 here, you’ll be ready to play session 3 at your local store next week! You can create your own 1st-level character or use one of our pre-generated characters. Session 1 is a 2 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 3 pm and 7 pm; Saturday 11 am, 3 pm , and 7 pm; Sunday 11 am
D&D Encounters: Undermountain Session 2
This is session 2 of the D&D Encounters: Undermountain convention special. See Session 1 for details. It is recommended you play session 1 before playing session 2. Session 2 is a 2 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 5 pm and 9 pm; Saturday 1 pm, 5 pm, and 9 pm; Sunday 1 pm
D&D Convention Delve: Ruins of the Spectral Glade
The deadly woods of the Spectral Glade hold ancient ruins and priceless treasures. Will your hero vanquish the evil at the heart of the forest and claim its riches, or become just one more nameless corpse? Play as often as you like and earn prizes! 3rd-level characters are provided. A 1 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 2 pm – 10 pm; Saturday 10 am – 10 pm; Sunday 10 am – 2 pm
Some D&D Experience Recommended
D&D Dark Sun Preview: Death in the Arena
Get special sneak peeks at the newest D&D campaign setting releasing this summer! A templar holds a relic believed to be the key to unlocking a site of ancient power. Can you convince an agent of the sorcerer-king to relinquish the Seal of the Seven Winds without paying the ultimate price? A DARK SUN preview adventure set in the city-state of Tyr. 1st-level characters are provided. A 4 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Friday 3 pm and 7 pm; Saturday 11 am and 3 pm; Sunday 11 am
D&D DM Challenge: Horrors of the Underdark
This DM Challenge is a special one-time event running only at PAX East! DMs bring their best and most dangerous 6th-level Underdark adventures for you to conquer; rate your play experience to determine the best adventure of the evening! 6th-level characters are provided. A 4-6 hour D&D 4th Edition play experience.
Runs Saturday 7 pm
Hi - We're looking for judges for the events above. You can email me at RPGAMarshal@aol.com or fill out the firm at www.williburger.com/JudgeReg.pdf (form prefered).
We'll have the usual DM rewards as well as badges and a limited amount of rooms.
Willi
I'm hoping (though I don't know) that players will still need to fill out tracking sheets and get DCI numbers to participate. This lets them know what Organized Play is, makes them members, and will whet their appetites for more play opportunities going forward.
At that point, judges and organizers can pitch them on both D&D Encounters (for lighter play opportunites in their area) and on LFR - for more in-depth play opportinites. While I don't, personally, think it would hurt to have one LFR module there - I suspect it's a matter of time and playspace as well.
Short events (without the "baggage" of LFR) can get more people through more D&D events faster than a few tables of LFR can.
If I were to guess - this plan is pretty set in stone at this point, though - again - individuals are certainly welcome to organize LFR games if they wish.
Feedback from/during/after the show will also be weighed, I suspect, for planning next year's show.
I am happy that we are still able to offer some special things like the Battle Interactive just released at DDXP that PAX isn't offering so smaller events can still compete. Now, having said that, if PAX becomes a main stay in the area then that is a game changer to be sure. It will have to offer more LFR. I understand that, business is business. We don't have a huge major event in the area and the PAX organizers are capitalizing on that fact. Kudos. Doesn't mean I don't feel like the Wal-Mart of Cons is coming in to put the small Main St events out of business. I'll get over it. Until then, hang in there. They will adust, as we will adjust to meet the demands of our fan base.
If you want a good LFR fix, I suggest you try a local event for now. It'll send PAX the message they need to bring in more fans if this is an area they want to see grow.
Hope everyone has a great time.
It is a huge pain if the big con comes at a time when you had planned your con, for sure. However, it can create a lot of excitement for the area. Having Winter Fantasy / D&DXP in DC didn't destroy local cons, however. It created some energy. Cons made sure to schedule around it, but otherwise it was a very positive event.
Thanks! I know many organizers from the local cons in that time frame that are disappointed that PAX put their con in the NE busy season (mainly because it's off season for hotels so the small cons can get price breaks and afford it). Many of the cons have been around for years ( ex. TotalCon for 24, always the same weekend). I don't think it will destroy us, that's for sure. There are people who don't like the big crowds at larger events so there will always be a market to target. The question is how many will remain with resources like the numbers of available judges in the area stretched a bit more? You may be right, some time shuffling might be in order.
And I also agree that it does create alot of excitement in the community!! Even I am curious/excited because I have never attended a super large show before. It should be good! Still, I'm glad that WOTC isn't handing things off to a big con just because it's a big con right on the first running. Loyality with proven table numbers/attendance has been WOTC's benchmark in the past for allowing conventions to host certain events and it should remain that way. If PAX continues in the area, it will gain in numbers and will get sanctioned events for LFR as it should, if that is what they choose to pursue...and I will be there to enjoy the fun
First off, PAX East is pretty much sold out, so you're not going to get too many walk-ins; if folks haven't already registered for the show, they're not going to get in at this point. That will limit the amount of LFR play available anyway.
Second, we have limited space and very precise goals for the show. If folks want to play LFR at the show, that's great - they'll need to set something up on the side with PAX East if that's the case. I'll be interested to see if someone takes this and runs with it.
Compared to Gen Con Indy, Origins, or D&D Experience, we've seen very little interest in any sort of LFR play at these sorts of shows beyond the lowest-level play experience, and we have a special D&D Encounters play experience to give newer players the build-your-own-character, campaign feel.
It's all a question of resources - where we think we'll get the most out of our DMs and volunteers at the show. If there's a high demand for LFR play at this show this year, we'll consider it for next year. And again, D&D Encounters: Undermountain characters are exportable to LFR, so it can be considered the intro to LFR experience.
Cheers all, I'll likely be writing a review of PAX on RPGBomb.com, I'll link to it here once I get it up on there.
And by all means, they could use help next year if the show returns to East, I believe they have planned for 3 more years now...so if you want to see more events go off get to GMing, Wizards takes care of the people that volunteer.
On Friday night my friend and I ended up volunteering as DM's showing new players how to play D&D. While I got a chance to play the Dark Sun adventure on Saturday night, the most fun I had was teaching 6 complete strangers how to play that Friday night. I saw them at various times later in the con continuing to play. It brought a tear to my eye.
As a suggestion, WotC may want to consider having sign-ups done in advance of the show online with a link from the PAX website. This way they can see what the general interest level is and still make room for those walking in.
Congrats to those who did their best to organize play and make things as fun as possible. While I know some were upset with not being able to play, those that did really seemed to enjoy themselves.
We are seeing seven to eight tables for D&D Encounters in one area store alone... there are going to be a lot of new players at PAX Prime, I suspect. While I like the idea of a new player focus, to bring experienced DMs we need to give them something as well. Having a scalable adventure, such as an ADCP, or at least H1 LFR, will help attract and retain experienced judges. I heard a lot of grumbling from last year's PAX Prime judges at GameStorm - many don't want to judge all con long, but the con might not offer anything for them to play. LFR H1 play would be a decent compromise, especially if the adventure scales (they could slot 0 at a high tier, then run it at H1).