1- Go to an RPGA event.
2- Sign up.
Problem:
-There are no RPGA events in Mississippi. Or Louisiana, Tennessee, or Alabama for that matter. The CLOSEST I could hope for would be Texas or Florida.
-When the occasional 1 a year does show up, it's in some guy in Alabama's garage. Not a real event, just someone wanting to run a 1 shot. Sorry, I don't feel like driving five hours JUST to get an RPGA #.
So, is there any way around WotC's blatant anti-Mississippian racism? ;)
Problem:
-There are no RPGA events in Mississippi. Or Louisiana, Tennessee, or Alabama for that matter. The CLOSEST I could hope for would be Texas or Florida.
-When the occasional 1 a year does show up, it's in some guy in Alabama's garage. Not a real event, just someone wanting to run a 1 shot. Sorry, I don't feel like driving five hours JUST to get an RPGA #.
So, is there any way around WotC's blatant anti-Mississippian racism? ;)
Read Hasbro's corporate manifesto, this goes waaay above WotC, man.
Think about it, when was the last time Hanna Montana performed in Mississippi or state hosted the Connect Four World Championships? You'll also note that SuperSoakers are in shockingly short supply at the Toys R Us store in Jackson.
For shame Hasbro, for shame. :P
Joe
P.S. I've never been to Mississippi.
How to join the RPGA:
1- Go to an RPGA event.
2- Sign up.
Problem:
-There are no RPGA events in Mississippi. Or Louisiana, Tennessee, or Alabama for that matter. The CLOSEST I could hope for would be Texas or Florida.
-When the occasional 1 a year does show up, it's in some guy in Alabama's garage. Not a real event, just someone wanting to run a 1 shot. Sorry, I don't feel like driving five hours JUST to get an RPGA #.
So, is there any way around WotC's blatant anti-Mississippian racism? ;)
There's a sticky post at the top of this forum that reads "How to REALLY get an RPGA number" that includes various options if there are no games local to you.
As the for RPGA being biased (however comical your post) keep in mind that games are run by RPGA members who volunteer their time.
I couldn't find anyone in Cleveland, OH running the Xen'Drik Expeditions game I wanted to play, so I started running it at a local game store. Now we need a 2nd GM to handle the overflow players some weeks.
As the for RPGA being biased (however comical your post) keep in mind that games are run by RPGA members who volunteer their time.
Yeah, that's a good thing to keep in mind, and something that people who are new to the RPGA often don't understand.
With the exception of a small number of very large conventions, the RPGA itself doesn't set up RPGA events. If there's RPGA events in your area, it's because volunteers have set them up (and, conversely, if there aren't RPGA events near you, it's because no one has volunteered to do so). So, if you want there to be RPGA activity in your area, and there isn't any right now, you may need to take the initiative to get it started.
There's a sticky post at the top of this forum that reads "How to REALLY get an RPGA number" that includes various options if there are no games local to you.
I've been trying the methods posted there for a couple of months now, and I have very little to show for it. I've made several requests with Wizards customer service. Each time they tell me that my request has been forwarded to RPGA, from whom I hear nothing. I've also sent mails to [email]rpgasanctioning@wizards.com[/email], with no response.
if there aren't RPGA events near you, it's because no one has volunteered to do so). So, if you want there to be RPGA activity in your area, and there isn't any right now, you may need to take the initiative to get it started.
Or they aren't ABLE to do so. I'm trying really hard to be able to sanction events in my area. You'd think that the RPGA would be interested in helping me, but it's like they're a big black hole where requests go in, and nothing comes out. It really shouldn't be this hard. A saner person would have given up by now.
Or they aren't ABLE to do so. I'm trying really hard to be able to sanction events in my area. You'd think that the RPGA would be interested in helping me, but it's like they're a big black hole where requests go in, and nothing comes out. It really shouldn't be this hard. A saner person would have given up by now.
Well, this kind of disturbs me, in part because the information I originally got from Ian Richards was the genesis of the "sticky" at the top of this page.
PM me, and I should be able to send you a membership form.
I've been trying the methods posted there for a couple of months now, and I have very little to show for it. I've made several requests with Wizards customer service. Each time they tell me that my request has been forwarded to RPGA, from whom I hear nothing. I've also sent mails to [email]rpgasanctioning@wizards.com[/email], with no response.
While I've had to sometimes e-mail them twice to get issues replied-to and taken care of, more than that is. .. irksome.
I'm with you, I don't know why its sometimes so difficult to get little things (like a pack of membership cards) taken care of. ~shrug~
I personally operate on the assumption that they're simply woefully understaffed.
Well to do anything much bigger then a home game I believe you have to DM a few games as an RPGA Herald Level GM first. That is where home games help if you can find some friends to play with. The way I got my card was to take the online herald test years ago even though I had no desire to GM. Now I run a couple games a year just to get some points since my regular group isn't interested. Now I've got a bunch of GM and Senior GM points. A good place to start would be to take the test I think. I don't know if they have changed their position but the last time I heard they were not requiring recertification for 4e games. Thus now may be a good time to take it if you know the 3rd ed rules well.
Anyone with a valid RPGA number can take the Herald Level test (assuming they're 18+ - had to add that before Kenobi sneaks in here and corrects me.
) Once you pass you can sanction any type of event (Home, Retail, Game Day, even Convention).You need to have a few months of GMing under your belt to take the test to move from Herald to Master GM.
However, while the *requirements* may not include several months of home play before moving into a Retail or Game Day setting, I'd suggest as much, just to get a feel for RPGA play.
I've been trying the methods posted there for a couple of months now, and I have very little to show for it. I've made several requests with Wizards customer service. Each time they tell me that my request has been forwarded to RPGA, from whom I hear nothing. I've also sent mails to [email]rpgasanctioning@wizards.com[/email], with no response.
Or they aren't ABLE to do so. I'm trying really hard to be able to sanction events in my area. You'd think that the RPGA would be interested in helping me, but it's like they're a big black hole where requests go in, and nothing comes out. It really shouldn't be this hard. A saner person would have given up by now.
Tosta,
Please PM me with your mailing details and I'll have some cards sent out to you this next week.
Tosta,
Please PM me with your mailing details and I'll have some cards sent out to you this next week.
I've been trying to contact RPGA for more membership cards for about 6 months now, with no results from the RPGA side. I do have a bunch of new numbers, and I am promised a whole lot more soon, but that's all through individual persons. I am deeply grateful to those who helped me, and I appreciate the sense of community that the RPGA members share.
However, personally, I think RPGA is not working like a well oiled machine in this regard. I base this opinion solely on personal experience and a few anectodes. Chris Tulach is a great guy in wanting to help people and is good at getting back to people who write to him (that's also from personal experience :D ). OTOH, I suspect that the RPGA's content manager is an extremely busy person and he should not have to come up and personally mail people RPGA cards. There must be another mechanism to handle that.
But perhaps not. ;) I heard somewhere that RPGA's staff consists of 2 people : Chris Tulach and Ian Richards. If that's true, it's either Mr. Tulach or Mr. Richards who's actually doing the mailing. ;) :P
Baris
Chris is right. PM us if you need things faster than our service is generating. We do have situations where mail never arrives so we'd need to look into things further. ;)
Ian
Thanks, Chris!