They sure don't make it easy for new members to understand exactly what RPGA is, how it works, and what to do to get activated online. More than once we had people at Gencon answer questions by telling us how long they have been in RPGA rather than helping us join.
What RPGA needs is a dirt simple "here's how to sign up and get started" page. That or a major web overhaul.
My wife and I signed up with new RPGA cards at Gencon. Now when I try to log in it asks for either a password (which I was never assigned) or an activation code (which I don't have). What can I do to see if I'm in "the system"?
They sure don't make it easy for new members to understand exactly what RPGA is, how it works, and what to do to get activated online. More than once we had people at Gencon answer questions by telling us how long they have been in RPGA rather than helping us join.
What RPGA needs is a dirt simple "here's how to sign up and get started" page. That or a major web overhaul.
I've been working on an RPGA FAQ here in the forums (though, I freely admit, I'm not much of an FAQ author). It's stickied at the top of this very forum, please take a look at it, and let me know what could be improved about it.
Membership Applications
Enclosed are membership applications. Please use them for players that are not RPGA members. Each player must have a member number in order to play RPGA sanctioned events and membership is free. Players use the stub at the top for their member card.
Send completed membership cards to:
RPGA New Memberships
P O Box 1080
Renton WA 98057-1080
Please note that until we receive these membership cards, the players will not be able to access the Members Only page found on the RPGA website. So, please send them in as soon as possible!
If you have any questions please email [email]rpgasanctioning@wizards.com[/email]
Thank You
Tim Kelley
RPGA Data Coordinator
So as I read that statement, players are not added anymore until the cards are entered by RPGA staff. How one gets a password once the data is entered is still speculation at this point.
If RPGA organisers start requesting those DCI cards, or get them via DCI Tournament Organisers, we might be able to avoid this delay, which is particularly problematic for reporting LFR if players play more than one character before their first event is reported.
Note that new players using this method (or DCI members wanting to play in RPGA events) might speed things up by emailing [email]dci@wizards.com[/email] and asking to have the "RPGA D&D Player" status added to their account. The auto-reply is pretty discouraging, but everyone I've heard of who's done this has had it changed within a day or two.
It's also worth trying to use the default password once you know that an event has been reported and/or pestering the people at http://wizards.custhelp.com to get memberships activated.
I think that the best course of action should be to ignore RPGA-branded cards. Unless I'm mistaken, DCI-branded cards have scratch-off activation codes which allow you to log in even before your first event is reported.
I wouldn't be surprised (and I think Ian alluded to this in a quote I saw elsewhere) if future cards are either dual-branded "DCI/RPGA" or simply branded "Wizards Play Network" and include scratch-off codes at that time.
It's been over a month and I guess I'm just getting anxious to log in, manage my characters, sign up for D&D rewards, etc...
I attempt to log in using my RPGA number and various passwords (WA98055 or my state-zip) about twice a week, but so far no dice. Has anyone that joined RPGA from Gen Con been able to log in or received an email from the RPGA with login info yet? Just curious.
I realize that it was going to take some time for new RPGA members from Gen Con to get added to the "system", but is there a projected completion date for this effort?
It's been over a month and I guess I'm just getting anxious to log in, manage my characters, sign up for D&D rewards, etc...
I attempt to log in using my RPGA number and various passwords (WA98055 or my state-zip) about twice a week, but so far no dice. Has anyone that joined RPGA from Gen Con been able to log in or received an email from the RPGA with login info yet? Just curious.
I'm in the same boat you are. I signed up at GenCon and still haven't been able to log in.
I sent a message to the Customer Service folks in late August and they sent me a copy of the "Processing Times" FAQ that says "3-4 weeks". They suggested I wait.
I sent another note today (6+ weeks out), but haven't heard back, yet.
The RPGA Database was recently merged into the DCI Database, and this caused some technical issues. The RPGA is aware of these issues and is working to resolve them. Unfortunately, until they have been, the GenCon data cannot be entered into the system. Thank you for your patience and understanding with this matter.
So there is apparently no ETA, or alternate option. If only I had known this was happening when I signed up at GenCon, as both my wife and I already had DCI numbers. I just wasn't aware the two organizations were being merged. That wasn't shared by the folks sitting at the HQ table in the Sagamore Hall, if they knew it.
[snip]
So there is apparently no ETA, or alternate option. If only I had known this was happening when I signed up at GenCon, as both my wife and I already had DCI numbers. I just wasn't aware the two organizations were being merged. That wasn't shared by the folks sitting at the HQ table in the Sagamore Hall, if they knew it.
Well the database merge took place (IIRC) just before GenCon, so it wouldn't be at all surprising if some of the HQ staff didn't know - I susepct the first clue would have been when they tried to start data entry.
As for an ETA my guess would be October 15th - because that is the cutoff for the next batch of reward cards.
I know it is not what you are wanting to hear but having only just finished the data entry for Gen Con UK I have some sort of idea of what they have to deal with. One of the big stumbling blocks was up until recently it was not possible to save information when trying to report an event.
Kithran
Gen Con UK Senior DM
Luruar POC
My wife and I are in the same boat as well. I also sent a message to customer service in late August or early September and received the same response about waiting 3-4 weeks. I again sent a message today, and here is the response:
So there is apparently no ETA, or alternate option. If only I had known this was happening when I signed up at GenCon, as both my wife and I already had DCI numbers. I just wasn't aware the two organizations were being merged. That wasn't shared by the folks sitting at the HQ table in the Sagamore Hall, if they knew it.
It wasn't made particularly clear to us at the time. While we knew the database merge happened late the night before, it was never mentioned (that I'm aware of) that DCI numbers could be used.
I'm getting impatient, I guess. I'd like to sign up for the rewards program. I've been playing LFR adventures (and created one more character) since Gen Con, but I'm afraid that I'm totally getting screwed on the rewards front since I believe none of the adventures I've been in will be credited towards rewards and I'm anticipating problems with incorrect adventure assignment due to playing some adventures with my second LFR character.
Wizards has lost a lot of my respect at this point.