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Pay to Play and FLGS

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Jiji
Dec 12, 2008 15:34:22 Okay here is the situation, my FLGS is moving soon to a larger building and the owner and I have discussed having RPGA Conventions at the store.

A few questions have come up during these discussion.

1) How does one set up a convention to be pay to play?

2) What is the minimum amount of tables needed to be legal?

3) What is the minimum RPGA level needed to make keep this legal?

Thats all the questions we have so far but I know once we get rolling I will probably have 10 billion more.
#2
kenobi65
Dec 12, 2008 16:16:55 1) There are no particular rules for making your convention (or game day, or whatever) a pay event, versus a free event. The RPGA really doesn't have any say in that.

2) I think the minimum table size for a convention is 20 tables (below that, and you're running a "game day" instead). I'm not positive on that, and when I tried to look it up just now, the RPGA home page was down.

3) I'm not sure I understand this question. What do you mean by "minimum RPGA level"? Your level as the Senior GM?
#3
Jiji
Dec 12, 2008 18:12:34
1) ...
3) I'm not sure I understand this question. What do you mean by "minimum RPGA level"? Your level as the Senior GM?

Right now I am a Herald-GM and I have seen where I can sanction a Convention just wondering the feasibility of doing such.
#4
Jiji
Dec 12, 2008 18:24:08 Okay where do i find the definitions of the various types of activities i can sanction?
#5
kenobi65
Dec 12, 2008 19:48:59
Okay where do i find the definitions of the various types of activities i can sanction?

Take a look here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=rpga/events/hosting

RPGA has a very specific definition for a "Convention": 25 or more tables, over at least 2 days. Fundamentally, a "Game Day" is a public gaming event (a convention) that simply doesn't meet those two criteria.

As a Herald-level GM, I don't see any limitations on what sorts of events you can set up.
#6
_Mithreinmaethor_
Dec 12, 2008 20:31:51 Also if you are not a member of the WPN and have the FLGS listed as one of your authorized places you wont be able to order it as a convention until you meet those 2 guidelines.
#7
Jiji
Dec 12, 2008 20:57:31
Also if you are not a member of the WPN and have the FLGS listed as one of your authorized places you wont be able to order it as a convention until you meet those 2 guidelines.

Its in my signature that I am a member pf the WPN. I'm the volunteer coordinator for D&D at the store
#8
Jiji
Dec 12, 2008 20:59:03 I thank you all for your input and it seems that a Game Day is the best course of action for the time being...

Good news is with the new facilities i could have 25 tables....just would take over the whole store :D
#9
telvin3d
Dec 12, 2008 21:16:49 in a related question, what is meant by 25 tables? Does that mean 25 tables with 25 DMs running three or four times a day for two days? Or could it mean five tables run five times each over two days?
#10
kenobi65
Dec 12, 2008 21:20:31
in a related question, what is meant by 25 tables? Does that mean 25 tables with 25 DMs running three or four times a day for two days? Or could it mean five tables run five times each over two days?

The latter. In this case, a "table" is a single instance of one DM and 4-6 players playing one adventure. As long as, over the course of the event, you're running at least 25 "tables" over two or more days, RPGA considers that a "convention".
#11
arnold_judas_rimmer
Dec 23, 2008 22:42:02 So if one DM runs 5 tables on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, that meets all requirements?
#12
sdrowsfognik
Dec 24, 2008 3:03:29
So if one DM runs 5 tables on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, that meets all requirements?

Well, if three multiplied by five equaled twenty-five, then yes.

However, three multiplied by five does not equal twenty-five.
#13
arnold_judas_rimmer
Dec 24, 2008 3:26:21 So I made a mistake, I meant to include five days. There is a less rude way of answering me.

Let me try this another way. Say for the example this one DM ran two tables at once for those five sessions on each of those days. Would this senerio work?

I'm just trying to understand this to get a better feel of the rules.
#14
sdrowsfognik
Dec 24, 2008 10:02:16
So I made a mistake, I meant to include five days. There is a less rude way of answering me.

Let me try this another way. Say for the example this one DM ran two tables at once for those five sessions on each of those days. Would this senerio work?

I'm just trying to understand this to get a better feel of the rules.

Haha. Don't mind me, I just have a very snarky of humor. :P

I really don't know about the logistics of a DM running two tables at the same time. I've never seen it at any cons or gamedays, and I don't think it would actually work out too well in practice.

However if the gist of your question is "Can one DM sanction and run a convention" then the answer as far as I am aware is "yes," there is nothing specifically prohibiting it that I've ever seen. So as long as this super-DM ran a total of at least 25 tables, and the event lasted two or more days, then I'm pretty sure it could be classified as a "convention."

Also I think somewhere in the language it stipulates that it has to be at a publicly accessible location. Anybody know for sure on that one?
#15
Dragon9
Dec 28, 2008 19:16:06 As a former con organizer, I'm here to correct you. It's not 25 tables over the duration of the con. It's 25 tables per day. However, you don't actually have to run 25 tables per day, just schedule them in the RPGA ordering system. I ran a small annual con for several years and we usually only had 25+ tables on Saturday. It didn't invalidate the event by not reporting at least 25 tables.

The definition on the RPGA page hasn't changed, but the 25 tables/day was a requirement in the ordering system. That may have changed with the new ordering database.
#16
howie23
Dec 28, 2008 19:46:01
As a former con organizer, I'm here to correct you. It's not 25 tables over the duration of the con. It's 25 tables per day. However, you don't actually have to run 25 tables per day, just schedule them in the RPGA ordering system. I ran a small annual con for several years and we usually only had 25+ tables on Saturday. It didn't invalidate the event by not reporting at least 25 tables.

The definition on the RPGA page hasn't changed, but the 25 tables/day was a requirement in the ordering system. That may have changed with the new ordering database.

The text for what constitutes a convention for RPGA purposes is on page 6 of the RPGA General Rules. It must be at least 2 days. It may be no more than 4 days. You must expect to run a total of 25 sessions (total, there is no statement about per day). If you run fewer than 25 sessions, that's what you report.

The ordering system doesn't know how many games you expect to run; they never get scheduled in the system. I've never ordered a convention, but have ordered 50 or more retail and gamedays. Unless there was something dramatically different about convention ordering that I've never heard of, I think you may be thinking of titles rather than sessions; titles are specified, and are limited to 6 per day (24 maximum for a 4 day convention).

David
#17
Dragon9
Dec 29, 2008 0:57:03 No, not titles. When I ran my con with the old ordering system, I had to tell it how many tables I was going to be running when I was setting up the event before I chose the mods. They may have updated the general rules at some point because I distinctly remember it used to say 25/day. Regardless, it didn't matter when it ame time to report it. I input the tables, deleted the unused sessions, and hit verify and all was well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Jiji Dec 12, 2008 15:34:22	Okay here is the situation, my FLGS is moving soon to a larger building and the owner and I have discussed having RPGA Conventions at the store. A few questions have come up during these discussion. 1) How does one set up a convention to be pay to play? 2) What is the minimum amount of tables needed to be legal? 3) What is the minimum RPGA level needed to make keep this legal? Thats all the questions we have so far but I know once we get rolling I will probably have 10 billion more.
#2 kenobi65 Dec 12, 2008 16:16:55	1) There are no particular rules for making your convention (or game day, or whatever) a pay event, versus a free event. The RPGA really doesn't have any say in that. 2) I think the minimum table size for a convention is 20 tables (below that, and you're running a "game day" instead). I'm not positive on that, and when I tried to look it up just now, the RPGA home page was down. 3) I'm not sure I understand this question. What do you mean by "minimum RPGA level"? Your level as the Senior GM?
#3 Jiji Dec 12, 2008 18:12:34	1) ... 3) I'm not sure I understand this question. What do you mean by "minimum RPGA level"? Your level as the Senior GM? Right now I am a Herald-GM and I have seen where I can sanction a Convention just wondering the feasibility of doing such.
#4 Jiji Dec 12, 2008 18:24:08	Okay where do i find the definitions of the various types of activities i can sanction?
#5 kenobi65 Dec 12, 2008 19:48:59	Okay where do i find the definitions of the various types of activities i can sanction? Take a look here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=rpga/events/hosting RPGA has a very specific definition for a "Convention": 25 or more tables, over at least 2 days. Fundamentally, a "Game Day" is a public gaming event (a convention) that simply doesn't meet those two criteria. As a Herald-level GM, I don't see any limitations on what sorts of events you can set up.
#6 _Mithreinmaethor_ Dec 12, 2008 20:31:51	Also if you are not a member of the WPN and have the FLGS listed as one of your authorized places you wont be able to order it as a convention until you meet those 2 guidelines.
#7 Jiji Dec 12, 2008 20:57:31	Also if you are not a member of the WPN and have the FLGS listed as one of your authorized places you wont be able to order it as a convention until you meet those 2 guidelines. Its in my signature that I am a member pf the WPN. I'm the volunteer coordinator for D&D at the store
#8 Jiji Dec 12, 2008 20:59:03	I thank you all for your input and it seems that a Game Day is the best course of action for the time being... Good news is with the new facilities i could have 25 tables....just would take over the whole store :D
#9 telvin3d Dec 12, 2008 21:16:49	in a related question, what is meant by 25 tables? Does that mean 25 tables with 25 DMs running three or four times a day for two days? Or could it mean five tables run five times each over two days?
#10 kenobi65 Dec 12, 2008 21:20:31	in a related question, what is meant by 25 tables? Does that mean 25 tables with 25 DMs running three or four times a day for two days? Or could it mean five tables run five times each over two days? The latter. In this case, a "table" is a single instance of one DM and 4-6 players playing one adventure. As long as, over the course of the event, you're running at least 25 "tables" over two or more days, RPGA considers that a "convention".
#11 arnold_judas_rimmer Dec 23, 2008 22:42:02	So if one DM runs 5 tables on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, that meets all requirements?
#12 sdrowsfognik Dec 24, 2008 3:03:29	So if one DM runs 5 tables on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, that meets all requirements? Well, if three multiplied by five equaled twenty-five, then yes. However, three multiplied by five does not equal twenty-five.
#13 arnold_judas_rimmer Dec 24, 2008 3:26:21	So I made a mistake, I meant to include five days. There is a less rude way of answering me. Let me try this another way. Say for the example this one DM ran two tables at once for those five sessions on each of those days. Would this senerio work? I'm just trying to understand this to get a better feel of the rules.
#14 sdrowsfognik Dec 24, 2008 10:02:16	So I made a mistake, I meant to include five days. There is a less rude way of answering me. Let me try this another way. Say for the example this one DM ran two tables at once for those five sessions on each of those days. Would this senerio work? I'm just trying to understand this to get a better feel of the rules. Haha. Don't mind me, I just have a very snarky of humor. :P I really don't know about the logistics of a DM running two tables at the same time. I've never seen it at any cons or gamedays, and I don't think it would actually work out too well in practice. However if the gist of your question is "Can one DM sanction and run a convention" then the answer as far as I am aware is "yes," there is nothing specifically prohibiting it that I've ever seen. So as long as this super-DM ran a total of at least 25 tables, and the event lasted two or more days, then I'm pretty sure it could be classified as a "convention." Also I think somewhere in the language it stipulates that it has to be at a publicly accessible location. Anybody know for sure on that one?
#15 Dragon9 Dec 28, 2008 19:16:06	As a former con organizer, I'm here to correct you. It's not 25 tables over the duration of the con. It's 25 tables per day. However, you don't actually have to run 25 tables per day, just schedule them in the RPGA ordering system. I ran a small annual con for several years and we usually only had 25+ tables on Saturday. It didn't invalidate the event by not reporting at least 25 tables. The definition on the RPGA page hasn't changed, but the 25 tables/day was a requirement in the ordering system. That may have changed with the new ordering database.
#16 howie23 Dec 28, 2008 19:46:01	As a former con organizer, I'm here to correct you. It's not 25 tables over the duration of the con. It's 25 tables per day. However, you don't actually have to run 25 tables per day, just schedule them in the RPGA ordering system. I ran a small annual con for several years and we usually only had 25+ tables on Saturday. It didn't invalidate the event by not reporting at least 25 tables. The definition on the RPGA page hasn't changed, but the 25 tables/day was a requirement in the ordering system. That may have changed with the new ordering database. The text for what constitutes a convention for RPGA purposes is on page 6 of the RPGA General Rules. It must be at least 2 days. It may be no more than 4 days. You must expect to run a total of 25 sessions (total, there is no statement about per day). If you run fewer than 25 sessions, that's what you report. The ordering system doesn't know how many games you expect to run; they never get scheduled in the system. I've never ordered a convention, but have ordered 50 or more retail and gamedays. Unless there was something dramatically different about convention ordering that I've never heard of, I think you may be thinking of titles rather than sessions; titles are specified, and are limited to 6 per day (24 maximum for a 4 day convention). David
#17 Dragon9 Dec 29, 2008 0:57:03	No, not titles. When I ran my con with the old ordering system, I had to tell it how many tables I was going to be running when I was setting up the event before I chose the mods. They may have updated the general rules at some point because I distinctly remember it used to say 25/day. Regardless, it didn't matter when it ame time to report it. I input the tables, deleted the unused sessions, and hit verify and all was well.