Here's why the RPGA has failed me

[Tinner]

Got this in my email inbox today (2/9/2008) which pretty much sums up my opinion of the RPGA.
Note the date of the event in question.

The DCI has not received results for the following event, although some
time
has passed since the scheduled date of the event:

Event name: Follow the Key
Sanctioning #: FOLX05OH
Coordinator: Steven Tinner, DCI# XXXXXXXXXX
Brand: RPGA Dungeons & Dragons
Game: RPGA
Location: Eastlake, United States
Date: 2005-10-15

Please use the latest version of DCI Reporter to upload the event
results.

If this event simply needs to be cancelled, please contact your DCI
Representative.

Please do not respond to this email as it is being sent from an
automated process, and the email address is not monitored.

I don't even play with this group any more.
This "important" notice didn't even get sent to me until two YEARS after the fact.
As an "ORGANIZED" play organization, the RPGA has been less than useful to me.
Reporting events is needlessly complicated. Arranging new events is overly complex. And now I'm forced to conclude that no one is even looking at the records.

I really want the RPGA to be a success. I want to be part of a large group that actually makes a difference in the hobby.
This just disappoints me.

 

[jdrakeh]

Holy crap. Three years? That's [insert profanity here] ridiculous.

 

[The Lemon Merchant]

I've also got a slug of these emails, for events that I was unfortunately unable to run 3 1/2 years ago. I think "some time has passed" is understating things a bit.

 

[Piratecat]

Never attribute to malice what can more reasonably be ascribed to human error. My guess is that someone meant to set a date parameter, and didn't. As a result, LOTS of people probably were emailed.

Which doesn't excuse any communication problems, but would explain this happening now.

Of course, the RPGA lost me when Classics were canned. So my opinion is suspect.

 

[pedr]

Well without wanting to be the RPGA apologist (there's plenty wrong with the organisation, 85% of which can be put down to under-resourcing by WotC), this isn't something which actually has any meaning. These emails are the result of WotC merging the RPGA and DCI databases, and some events not matching up properly with the new system. They can probably be ignored. Errors happen when doing things like this, and there's no real harm done - in fact this is one of the more benign errors made by the RPGA!

The RPGA is easily a source of annoyance. I think the only sensible way to approach it is to take everything it gives as a gift to which you have no right or legitimate expectation - that way you're never disappointed. Should it be that way? Of course not, but from a completely free organisation resourced from the WotC marketing budget, it's always going to have some significant problems, and the fact that there are roughly three people in the whole world whose job is actually to make the RPGA work makes it inevitable that things are going to go wrong!

 

[Mark]

Never attribute to malice what can more reasonably be ascribed to human error. My guess is that someone meant to set a date parameter, and didn't. As a result, LOTS of people probably were emailed.

I got one just the other day, filed it for later, then got a repeat of it last night. It is for an event from a year and a half ago. I'm guessing they are just cleaning up their lists before the big switch to 4e and are triggering a few glitches in the process.

 

[Tinner]

I got one just the other day, filed it for later, then got a repeat of it last night. It is for an event from a year and a half ago. I'm guessing they are just cleaning up their lists before the big switch to 4e and are triggering a few glitches in the process.

Maybe my original post was too mean-spirited. I really WANT the RPGA to be this amazing awesome tool to promote the hobby and support the fans.
I've just never had that experience. I've played in a few RPGA games at conventions, and they have been largely good games. However as an RPGA DM, I have had nothing but a struggle to make use of anything the RPGA has offered.

I guess I'm just frustrated by the ridiculous lack of support the RPGA gives its supporters. Especially when you compare it to groups like Privateer's Press-Gangers. Man, those guys are like WarMachine Missionaries! They're out there pimping the game like crazy, and getting a solid tournament structure and regular updates from Privateer.
Look at the Shadowrun Missions section of the Shadowrun website. There's a bunch of good adventures, and a simple reporting tool that gets used, and updated more often than every three years.
Heck, look at the DCI! They run a MASSIVE schedule of events and give out LOADS of prizes and cash every year, and they are from the same company responsible for the RPGA!

Maybe it's too much to ask, but I'd like the RPGA to be:
1. Simple to use.
2. Actually supported by WotC.

Give me those two things, and my entire attitude would change.

 

[Black Flame Zealot]

There will be an email going out soon to all members that we have addresses on file regarding these issues. They are the result of data merging and have absolutely no impact on your play record.

After a long time, we're finally moving the RPGA database to a more flexible and modern system. Reporting and interactivity will change. There might be a few little bumps along the way, but it will be worth it in the end. We should have everything migrated by the summer.

To Tinner:

What makes the RPGA difficult to use? Are you talking about obtaining memberships? Reporting play? I'm always interested in hearing what barriers exist for folks concerning the RPGA. We're certainly in a restructuring mode right now with the new game on the horizon, and we have several new programs coming up in the near future that are aimed at bringing organized D&D play much closer to home. (Of course, you can always sanction and run home games and receive rewards just for doing that.)

The RPGA = Wizards RPG organized play. Wizards definitely supports the organization (I know because I see the budget we have each year.) If it wasn't for the RPGA, external playtesting for 4th Edition wouldn't have been as valuable as it was. It's through the RPGA that people are getting their first hands-on look at 4th Edition at our show, D&D Experience. We're expanding our D&D Championship to qualifiers around the world so that more people have a chance to experience tournament/classic-style adventures. Money, time, and hard work are spent here on the RPGA to give players of Wizards' RPGs an organized play experience. What kind of support would be valuable to you?

RPGs are fundamentally different types of games than minis or card games since they're not directly competitive. We don't give out huge cash prizes because we don't run tournaments on the scale that the DCI does. We do sink a lot of time, effort, and money into the rewards program we currently have and we want to add to that as well.

 

[jhilahd]

Wow.... that's coincendental. I got a ton of them this week also for events I ran 3-5 years ago. Weird.

sigh... I feel your grief, brother.

 

[mhensley]

Yeah, I got a couple of these recently too. The funny thing is I only registered an event so I could see an example of the modules. Then they send me not once, but twice, rpga registrations cards via expensive fedex airborne delivery. They sure do know how to waste money.