Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 med Jan 04, 2011 17:00:04	I am relatively confused.  From what I understand, RGPA is how we track our LFR games, experience, and carry over our characters from level to level and game to game. Since there is no longer organized play, how is this or will it, effect the RPGA? Almost seems as if it will make it non-existant and unnecessary.  Having heard one person tell me that the RPGA is going to be a term like TSR, something we used to do, but is retired.
#2 pedr Jan 05, 2011 1:25:37	The terminology has become confused, as WotC seem to have stopped using the name 'RPGA' in marketing etc. However the existence or demise of any sense of the RPGA as a brand name or organisation has no practical significance. In a nutshell: Wizards of the Coast facilitates the organised play of D&D in a number of ways: - through attending a few conventions and organising games at them directly (e.g. PAX, NY Comic Con I think) or via Dave Christ (GenCon, DDXP) - through the Wizards Play Network, basically a store-based retailer support programme, currently focused on D&D Encounters, with Worldwide D&D Game Days in the past and indications that there'll be some more later in 2011 alongside possible new events -  through permitting and overseeing Living Forgotten Realms Regarding LFR, the changes to the relationship between WotC and the LFR campaign staff, and the (ongoing) changes to the process for accessing LFR adventures are not directly linked to the 'concept' of the RPGA, and they have, as far as I can tell, no effect on the way players (as opposed to organisers) interact with LFR. Players of LFR should obtain and read the latest version of the campaign guidelines, currently the interim 2.0 version available via community.wizards.com/lfr and follow all the rules contained within it (even the ones in red text!) This document indicates how to create and track a legal LFR character - the changes to the ordering/reporting process have no effect on the validity of previous LFR games, the requirement to track LFR play, or the ability to take legal LFR characters from one event to another. LFR is still a 'Living' campaign, and from the perspective of a player it works the same way it did before; although table-mustering and loot rules have changed, the underlying 'living game' system hasn't changed at all. In short: if you think that "the RPGA is how we track our LFR games..." then I understand why things might be confusing; it's better to say that LFR is how we track our LFR games, and if you are following the Campaign Guide and reading the LFR group, you'll see that although there's no meaningful link with any active organisation called the RPGA, things are continuing as usual from a player perspective. Hope that helps!
#3 RadioKen Jan 30, 2011 12:38:36	Recent changes to the sanctioning pages suggest that WotC has sharply narrowed the types of public play that will be sanctioned--in particular, the catchall "D&D Campaign (Other)" category has been dropped.  Is there somewhere I can find an announcement that details and explains the recent changes to the sanctioning process? EDIT:  I found Chris Tulach's announcement about the Jan 2011 changes--though it's not very good at explaining the how, let alone the why.  But I'll pick this up in that thread instead of here.  Thanks!