WotC has ended support for Living Forgotten Realms (and the RPGA, too)

[Minicol]

How is any of this a surprise ?

It looks to me the writing was on the wall long ago.

 

[eyebeams]

How's it feel to be an externality, kids?

 

[darjr]

Wofstar, thanks for commenting. I have had a really great time in the LFR, I don't know how many events I've run or organized, nor how much I've spent personally for prize support at conventions. Around here LFR does seem alive, if not what it was in 2008-2009. The switch to community support was scary and disappointing from WotC but you folks have done a bang up job.

There are some fantastic LFR mods, I've run a great many of them, so I'm not knocking them when I say I think that charging for mods has empowered Paizo to ramp up the quality and support for the Society. As freaking busy as Paizo is, it seems like a great way to go.

There are other living campaigns that I wish would follow this example.

 

[Dannager]

Look at some of the authors for the Pathfinder mods. Look at the content of many of them.

There are some fantastic LFR mods, I've run a great many of them, so I'm not knocking them.

However, charging for the mods has empowered Paizo to ramp up the quality and support for the Society. As freaking busy as Paizo is, it seems like a great way to go.

There are other living campaigns that I wish would follow this example. There are other living campaigns that already do.

Agreed. I think, frankly, it's ludicrous to believe in not having to pay for a good living campaign. It's entertainment, and high quality entertainment should have a price tag attached commensurate with its quality. I'd totally pay by the adventure, or pay monthly dues to participate in a truly fantastic living campaign.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Oh, and Steel_Wind? You should be ashamed of yourself for this thread.

And thus edition wars grow stronger.

 

[Plane Sailing]

But not in this thread please!

There have been some relatively heated exchanges in the last page or two, could those involved please tone it down.

Thanks

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Agreed. I think, frankly, it's ludicrous to believe in not having to pay for a good living campaign. It's entertainment, and high quality entertainment should have a price tag attached commensurate with its quality. I'd totally pay by the adventure, or pay monthly dues to participate in a truly fantastic living campaign.

So what ideally would you like WotC to be doing in regards to LFR? By handing it over to the community, are they doing what you would prefer or is this the type of thing that will eventually see LFR eventually run its course?

Personally, I would prefer WotC to be more active in their support (like what Paizo are with what they're doing). Hopefully, what is on the horizon will be what everyone's looking for and will be the bees knees.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

PS: You really need to take your WotC defender shields down. Life's more fun that way. <= less of the snark, please. Plane Sailing

 

[Dannager]

So what ideally would you like WotC to be doing in regards to LFR? By handing it over to the community, are they doing what you would prefer or is this the type of thing that will eventually see LFR eventually run its course?

LFR isn't really designed with that whole paid premium living campaign thing in mind. It was rolled out to be accessible, though its accessibility is now trumped by Encounters. I think, all things considered, handing it over to the community was the best choice for the campaign.

Personally, I would prefer WotC to be more active in their support (like what Paizo are with what they're doing). Hopefully, what is on the horizon will be what everyone's looking for and will be the bees knees.

It would be cool to see WotC start a premium living campaign along those lines. I'd be really tempted. I'm not sure that's where they see their organized play program going, though. As others have pointed out, such a living campaign is more focused on providing play opportunities for established fans, rather than acquiring new players (like Encounters).

 

[Steel_Wind]

Hi! I'm an LFR Admin, and while I've only had time to skim this thread since someone brought it to my attention, this was the statement that jumped out at me the strongest.

We've actually released content just this year - there were problems and we've restructured a bit, so things haven't been (and won't be) the fast-and-furious "adventure a week" pace we've held in the past, but so far this year we've released:

Wolfstar76,

First - thanks for the post.

Secondly, it is unclear from the manner of the language you employed in your post as to just exactly who "we" and "our" means. There are a lot of pronouns used in your post.

By "we" do you mean "Wizards of the Coast" and you are speaking for WotC here?

Or when you say "we" do you simply mean the LFR admins who are administering this community run program now?

If "we" means WotC and you are speking for WotC, then ok. It seems a little odd given your present address, but fair enough.

If by "we" you mean the LFR admins, when the issue as phrased touched and concerned WotC's direct support? Then as you might appreciate, that might be a little confusing to readers.

Nobody was suggsting that members of the community were not releasing modules for LFR. The question concerned what WotC was doing for LFR.

Are you aware of what, exactly, the RPGA is being used for now? If there is no reporting requirment or membership necessary to participate in organized play -- then what, exactly, is its current function? Is if fair to say it's unclear, or is there some other function it now serves that I am failing to understand?

 

[WolfStar76]

LFR isn't really designed with that whole paid premium living campaign thing in mind. It was rolled out to be accessible, though its accessibility is now trumped by Encounters.

While I can't really speak to what was planned at the outset of LFR, I don't know that accessibility was one of its original goals, so much as it is/was intended tobe for 4E, what Living Greyhawk was to 3.X.

If you mean accessibility from the point of view that you can play it everywhere (in a store, at home, at a convention, in a library) - then certainly, yes, that was a goal.

One of the biggest hallmarks of LFR is that we (try to) support everything that WotC has published for 4E. PHBs 1 - 3, Powers books, Encounters, D&Di Content - come one come all, and we'll take you! Bring us your Revenant (Warforged) Cleric of Pelor (a running gag - and yes, perfectly campaign legal), he can sit here next to this nice Hexblade for a few hours.

Another is that, as a Living campaign, you can play through every level of potential play - if you work your way up to the Epic Tier, we're still there for you.

Essentials, by contrast, has a design goal of being the preferred entry path to 4E Organized Play. It only allows Essentials characters, only plays in stores, and only supports levels 1 through 3(ish). At least officially, many GMs wave the Essentials requirement, some play outside their store, some skip the Wednesday Night requirement - but by design these are the intended rules.

This isn't to say one program is superior to the other - instead they're options for people who might like to play different "flavors" of D&D, just like the <Name Not Released> new program will be later this year.