Here's why the RPGA has failed me

[kenobi65]

Actually, I'd say you have.

Everything I know about GMing came from studying astonishingly good DMs in the RPGA. Jay Tummelson (now with Rio Grande Games), Teeuwynn Woodruff (who is now at WotC), the late Brett Bakke, and a dozen more -- people who could make a pre-written module simply sing. I've had some of the funniest, most exciting D&D games of my life running or playing in RPGA classic games. I've also made dozens of great friends who I'm in touch with to this day.

Of course, I've also played with sucky tables and beginning DMs. It happens. But in my experience, the superb outweighs the mediocre.

QFT. In 6 years of RPGA play, I've played in hundreds of enjoyable games (and, yes, a few lousy ones). I strongly believe that 80% of the enjoyment that one gets out of an RPG is the people you play it with, and the vast majority of the folks I've played with in the RPGA are good players, and good people, too. I, too, have made friends all over the country through the RPGA, and I know that my experiences in RPGA play have helped me to become a better player and DM in my home games.

(I'd also point out that, back when Piratecat was an active DM in the RPGA, he, too, was widely considered to be one of the top DMs in the organization.)

The Campaign style of RPGA play doesn't appeal to me, so I can't speak for games nowadays. But I'm hesitant to condemn RPGA games as a whole.

I joined the RPGA at the tail end of the "Classic" era, and most of my experience has been with Campaign-style games, but I'd say that everything that PC notes above is still true.

 

[Glyfair]

I don't think this has been covered. I got an email from WotC yesterday...

Dear RPGA Member,

The RPGA is undergoing database migration to our new system over the next 3 to 4 months. While the new system has undergone extensive testing before rolling out the upgrades, there may be some hiccups while the data is being migrated to a live state. If you receive emails from us regarding past sanctioned tournaments, invalid events, or other unexpected topics, please disregard them.

Thank you very much!
The RPGA Staff

 

[kenobi65]

I don't think this has been covered. I got an email from WotC yesterday...

That's the e-mail that Black Flame Zealot (Chris Tulach) mentioned in post #8.

 

[Silver Moon]

I've had some of the funniest, most exciting D&D games of my life running or playing in RPGA classic games. I've also made dozens of great friends who I'm in touch with to this day.

Agreed! Back in the 1990's the RPGA was the place to be - the classics tournaments were excellent, with only the better half of the players advancing to the next round, so by the third round of a tournament you were gaming with phenominal role players.

Some of the one-shot RPGA "concept" games were great fun - like the one where all of the characters were insects (Dragonfly Paladin, Ladybug Cleric, etc.), or the one where the six playing characters found their consciousness in a single body and had to work together to get anything done, or the one that you wrote PC where all of the playing characters were different-aligned clerics!

My wife Kriskrafts and I were the RPGA coordinators for several wonderful years for two different New England conventions - unfortunately everything went south for us when TSR went under. But great memories none-the-less.