Question on "My Characters" for LFR - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Question on "My Characters" for LFR

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
CyphenX
May 15, 2009 3:15:18 I'm new to all this RPGA stuff, so I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to ask...

A few weeks ago, a played a couple of LFR games. I gave them my RPGA number, filled out my advancement tracker, and did all that jazz. I was poking around my account (updating my account info) when I noticed a "My Characters" link along the bar at the right.

So when I log into my DCI/RPGA account and click on "My Characters" and select Living Forgotten Realms, I don't have any characters listed! Isn't my character that I used to play supposed to show up (the event organizer is supposed to send in all of my data, right?) I can click the "create character" button, but that just creates a new, level 1 character. Was I supposed to have "created" my character before attending the event?

Sorry if all this is obvious, but I'm new to all this RPGA stuff, and the online system is a bit... archaic. I really appreciate the help!
#2
Herrbard
May 15, 2009 5:32:37
So when I log into my DCI/RPGA account and click on "My Characters" and select Living Forgotten Realms, I don't have any characters listed! Isn't my character that I used to play supposed to show up (the event organizer is supposed to send in all of my data, right?) I can click the "create character" button, but that just creates a new, level 1 character. Was I supposed to have "created" my character before attending the event?

Yes, you need to go to "My Characters" and create an entry for each character you plan on playing. When the table DM reports the game you played, they select the character from your list, so that the correct character gets the XP and GP it should. The DM does not enter the character information, as they do not have access to your account to do so.

If the tables you played in have not yet been reported by the DM, then you will have no issues. If they have already been reported, you will see something like "Default character" that will have the gold and XP from the games you played. In that case, you will have to contact Customer Service to get the issue resolved.

I'd tell you how to contact Customer Service, but with the way the email addresses have been changing, I'm just not sure myself. ;)
#3
Madfox11
May 15, 2009 7:11:16 Just remember: paper trumps bytes. Hopefully you noted down the xp, gp, items and story awards your character gained, because those are ultimately more reliable and above all more important then what is booked on-line.
#4
pedr
May 15, 2009 7:40:20
I'd tell you how to contact Customer Service, but with the way the email addresses have been changing, I'm just not sure myself. ;)

www.wizards.com/customerservice

Click the 'Email Us' tab.

See this thread if the Email Us tab does not work.
#5
syrinx_dm
May 16, 2009 0:15:40 Also note, that there are 2 LFR Character databases right now. One listed under D&D Private Play, and one listed under D&D Wizard Play Network. If your DM has already recorded the event online, you could have a “Default Character” created in either one of the databases. This is a bug in their current character tracking system.
#6
CyphenX
May 16, 2009 17:33:21 Wow, that's... a bit more complicated than what I was hoping for.

I've played two games: LURU1-1:Slivers of Eaerlann and CORE1-3:Sense of Wonder. The first is listed in "My Events" under DnD Private Play, the second under DnD WPN, despite the fact that I played both games back-to-back in the same location. That said, I finally found the "default character" you guys were mentioning - he's listed under DnD Private Play (I had previously only been looking at DnD Wizard's Play Network) and has both adventures recorded as progress.

I take it that the "My Events" stuff doesn't really matter, and I've now found my character. I should contact customer service to get the name changed to my actual character's name, and I'll note to any DMs at RPGA events I go to that my character can be found under "private play" not under "WPN". That said, do I have to only sign up for "private play" games and not "WPN" games now? Do I have to look through both event calendars to check for events in my area?

This is all rather confusing, but I think I'm finally getting a foothold. I really appreciate your help (especially since the RPGA Character Creation guide doesn't really tell me anything about the online aspect of the game). Good think I've got everything recorded on paper!
#7
pedr
May 16, 2009 18:53:11 Essentially the online tracking system is broken at the moment.

It worked reasonably well - if games were correctly reported - until WotC changed the ordering/reporting system to separate 'WPN' (public play) and 'Private Play'.

Doing so wasn't compatible with the way they had the characters set up previously, and they've not found a solution yet.

I'd not worry about it at all and - essentially - ignore the online character tracker, at least for now. I suggest making back-ups of your paper adventure records and/or using the 'journal' feature in the DDI Character Builder which creates records which look like the paper journals. I can't see a reason why that feature wouldn't work perfectly even in the demo/free version of the Character Builder, even though you can't use the program to create character sheets (etc) for characters above 3rd level.

Telling GMs where your character is listed won't help - the database which is altered when reporting takes place is based on the way the event was ordered, not anything done when the event is reported. Unless, of course, things are working slightly better than we realise - it seems that you've had your private play character updated by an event which appears to have been ordered as WPN/public play. You ought to be able to rename the 'Default Character' by clicking on it, and clicking 'Edit' or something similar.
#8
CyphenX
May 17, 2009 1:11:44 Well then, nothing to worry about! I already keep a paper record, and transcribe everything into the Character Builder Journal (I've got the full version), so I guess I'm good!

Thanks again for all the help, everybody! As a gamer, I get all antsy when I think that my progress might go to waste (i.e. I recently lost a memory card with a veritable ton of progress in Street Fighter IV... so I gotta unlock everything again). I really appreciate everybody pitching in some time to help me out and ease my worries. If you're in CA, hopefully I'll see you!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 CyphenX May 15, 2009 3:15:18	I'm new to all this RPGA stuff, so I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to ask... A few weeks ago, a played a couple of LFR games. I gave them my RPGA number, filled out my advancement tracker, and did all that jazz. I was poking around my account (updating my account info) when I noticed a "My Characters" link along the bar at the right. So when I log into my DCI/RPGA account and click on "My Characters" and select Living Forgotten Realms, I don't have any characters listed! Isn't my character that I used to play supposed to show up (the event organizer is supposed to send in all of my data, right?) I can click the "create character" button, but that just creates a new, level 1 character. Was I supposed to have "created" my character before attending the event? Sorry if all this is obvious, but I'm new to all this RPGA stuff, and the online system is a bit... archaic. I really appreciate the help!
#2 Herrbard May 15, 2009 5:32:37	So when I log into my DCI/RPGA account and click on "My Characters" and select Living Forgotten Realms, I don't have any characters listed! Isn't my character that I used to play supposed to show up (the event organizer is supposed to send in all of my data, right?) I can click the "create character" button, but that just creates a new, level 1 character. Was I supposed to have "created" my character before attending the event? Yes, you need to go to "My Characters" and create an entry for each character you plan on playing. When the table DM reports the game you played, they select the character from your list, so that the correct character gets the XP and GP it should. The DM does not enter the character information, as they do not have access to your account to do so. If the tables you played in have not yet been reported by the DM, then you will have no issues. If they have already been reported, you will see something like "Default character" that will have the gold and XP from the games you played. In that case, you will have to contact Customer Service to get the issue resolved. I'd tell you how to contact Customer Service, but with the way the email addresses have been changing, I'm just not sure myself. ;)
#3 Madfox11 May 15, 2009 7:11:16	Just remember: paper trumps bytes. Hopefully you noted down the xp, gp, items and story awards your character gained, because those are ultimately more reliable and above all more important then what is booked on-line.
#4 pedr May 15, 2009 7:40:20	I'd tell you how to contact Customer Service, but with the way the email addresses have been changing, I'm just not sure myself. ;) www.wizards.com/customerservice Click the 'Email Us' tab. See this thread if the Email Us tab does not work.
#5 syrinx_dm May 16, 2009 0:15:40	Also note, that there are 2 LFR Character databases right now. One listed under D&D Private Play, and one listed under D&D Wizard Play Network. If your DM has already recorded the event online, you could have a “Default Character” created in either one of the databases. This is a bug in their current character tracking system.
#6 CyphenX May 16, 2009 17:33:21	Wow, that's... a bit more complicated than what I was hoping for. I've played two games: LURU1-1:Slivers of Eaerlann and CORE1-3:Sense of Wonder. The first is listed in "My Events" under DnD Private Play, the second under DnD WPN, despite the fact that I played both games back-to-back in the same location. That said, I finally found the "default character" you guys were mentioning - he's listed under DnD Private Play (I had previously only been looking at DnD Wizard's Play Network) and has both adventures recorded as progress. I take it that the "My Events" stuff doesn't really matter, and I've now found my character. I should contact customer service to get the name changed to my actual character's name, and I'll note to any DMs at RPGA events I go to that my character can be found under "private play" not under "WPN". That said, do I have to only sign up for "private play" games and not "WPN" games now? Do I have to look through both event calendars to check for events in my area? This is all rather confusing, but I think I'm finally getting a foothold. I really appreciate your help (especially since the RPGA Character Creation guide doesn't really tell me anything about the online aspect of the game). Good think I've got everything recorded on paper!
#7 pedr May 16, 2009 18:53:11	Essentially the online tracking system is broken at the moment. It worked reasonably well - if games were correctly reported - until WotC changed the ordering/reporting system to separate 'WPN' (public play) and 'Private Play'. Doing so wasn't compatible with the way they had the characters set up previously, and they've not found a solution yet. I'd not worry about it at all and - essentially - ignore the online character tracker, at least for now. I suggest making back-ups of your paper adventure records and/or using the 'journal' feature in the DDI Character Builder which creates records which look like the paper journals. I can't see a reason why that feature wouldn't work perfectly even in the demo/free version of the Character Builder, even though you can't use the program to create character sheets (etc) for characters above 3rd level. Telling GMs where your character is listed won't help - the database which is altered when reporting takes place is based on the way the event was ordered, not anything done when the event is reported. Unless, of course, things are working slightly better than we realise - it seems that you've had your private play character updated by an event which appears to have been ordered as WPN/public play. You ought to be able to rename the 'Default Character' by clicking on it, and clicking 'Edit' or something similar.
#8 CyphenX May 17, 2009 1:11:44	Well then, nothing to worry about! I already keep a paper record, and transcribe everything into the Character Builder Journal (I've got the full version), so I guess I'm good! Thanks again for all the help, everybody! As a gamer, I get all antsy when I think that my progress might go to waste (i.e. I recently lost a memory card with a veritable ton of progress in Street Fighter IV... so I gotta unlock everything again). I really appreciate everybody pitching in some time to help me out and ease my worries. If you're in CA, hopefully I'll see you!