Here's why the RPGA has failed me

[Glyfair]

Then they send me not once, but twice, rpga registrations cards via expensive fedex airborne delivery.

Indeed, I've had at least 5 delivered this way, and I believe some of the GM rewards and campaign cards (under separate shipments).

Oddly enough, even though I've run 17 events last year (the last in Nov), they decided to send me an email that GM membership was canceled (although I seem to still be active through the RPGA site).

 

[Martian Agitator]

What makes the RPGA difficult to use? Are you talking about obtaining memberships?

What kind of support would be valuable to you?

Well, I live in Seattle, where WotC is headquartered, and there are few or no RPGA events going on here. So, yeah.

I mean, I don't even know if the RPGA runs events or if those events listed on the calendar are just independent GMs running home games.

I hear the GM program offers useful things like templates and minis when you join, and that sounds great. But does the RPGA act as a community organizer at all, or join newbies with good groups or run classes on learning good GMing skills?

I understand that all the Wizards game stores closed, I don't know if they were unprofitable or if they didn't want to compete with FLGS's or what, but I keep hearing people say DnD is at its most popular. So what's the deal? Why isn't Wizards (through the RPGA) reaching out to new prospects and newbies? Have you tried to rent a hall and throw a big gaming party once every other month?

I remember Wolfgang Baur was offering a spot at his gaming table for $100 to a patron of his studio. How cool would it be if the designers of 4th held a monthly get together to teach people the intricacies of the new system and talk about their experiences and just mingle? Does the RPGA do this kind of thing? Why haven't I heard about it before?

I don't know if the RPGA is underfunded. I do know I have never seen any advertising for an RPGA event anywhere except for the Wizards RPGA home page. Never seen an event advertised at any FLGS (and there aren't that many in Seattle), not at the University of Washington, not at any other website.

What am I missing? If the RPGA isn't underfunded, what are its goals? This is something I've thought about being a part of for five years, but could not join because I never attended an event.

And I live in SEATTLE.

 

[Mr. Beef]

To Tinner:

What makes the RPGA difficult to use?

I'm not Tinner, but here's a few things that makes the RPGA hard for me to use.

1. Not having a RPGA games near me. I live in Dallas, Texas and the nearest RPGA game for me is in Garland. I do have a car and can provide my own means to get there, but Garland seems to be pretty far away when fuel is going to be over $3.00 a gallon and I'm on a fixed income.

2. Not really having somewhere in my city that is convienent to play. I know this is more a problem with the gaming stores in my city than with the RPGA, but we have Wizard World here every year and I know the last few I went to had Wizards of the Coast as a big sponsor yet there were no RPGA events when I went.

3. I hate coming in in the middle of a game. It makes things kind of awkward when there's a chemistry between the players already because they have played for so long and you are the new guy. If I could play in a game for new players I would be more than happy to go.

Are you talking about obtaining memberships? Reporting play?

Obtaining memberships are kind of hard for me. I don't know who to contact about joining.

There's my problems in a nutshell.

Just my 1/4 pound.

Mr. Beef

 

[Glyfair]

...but we have Wizard World here every year and I know the last few I went to had Wizards of the Coast as a big sponsor yet there were no RPGA events when I went.

Wizard World really isn't set up for roleplaying events. Primarily CCG and CMG games are played (focusing on Heroclix, because Wizard World has a strong "comic book show" background).

I've been at Wizard World Philly for a handful of years in a row and I don't believe they have ever had any organized RPG events at all. Given the headaches I've seen with space for the miniatures events, I doubt they could handle it.

 

[qstor]

Chris T. - thanks for this info, I was wondering what was up about these e-mails. I got three.

Mr. Beef - have you tried posting on the Bandit Kingdoms Yahoo List?

For me the RPGA is fun cause the games go by the rules, no house rules and I don't have a regular steady home game. I DM and write modules, and I've grown to love Living Greyhawk and my PC's. I have a lot of friends that play too.

Mike

 

[Scott_Rouse]

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.

Our fedex discount is such that often that is the cheapest way for us to send packages.

 

[Piratecat]

Our fedex discount is such that often that is the cheapest way for us to send packages.

Interesting. Thanks for letting us know.

It may be worth noting that this, too, really struck me as wasteful when I got some RPGA giveaways. No big deal, but it left a bad impression on me at the time.

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

I joined the RPGA (UK) in about 2001 on the recommendation of a friend. I got a couple of issues of the UK RPGA magazine (excellent, but was then canned) and then heard nothing from them after, despite several attempts at contact, alas.

So I'm afraid I was rather disappointed.

 

[pedr]

I joined the RPGA (UK) in about 2001 on the recommendation of a friend. I got a couple of issues of the UK RPGA magazine (excellent, but was then canned) and then heard nothing from them after, despite several attempts at contact, alas.

So I'm afraid I was rather disappointed.

Scott and Chris might not wholly agree with this, and it may change with 4E (after all organised play was described as one of the pillars of 4E if I recall correctly) but the RPGA doesn't really exist as an entity which you 'hear from' any more. It is almost entirely a mechanism for co-ordinating organised play, via various campaigns (currently Living Greyhawk, Xen'drik Expeditions and the tail end of Living Kingdoms of Kalamar) and a few other activities like the D&D Open and some involvement with Worldwide D&D Gameday.

The extent to which the RPGA is useful to anyone is almost entirely linked to how much that person wants to play in an RPGA-facilitated campaign. If you do, the RPGA will provide countless modules via its network of volunteers, along with a certain level of volunteer support to conventions etc. If you are not interested in one of the campaigns, the RPGA has nothing to offer.

Now, I like Living Greyhawk as it meant that when I moved to a new place I could get regular and semi-regular D&D games without having to commit to one small group of people or one single campaign. I like the shared-world aspect of LG (and would like it re: Xen'drik Expeditions, if I'd ever really found anyone to play with!) and am hoping to get LFR going in Sheffield (where there isn't, it seems, much RPGA stuff going on) as soon as it starts. If these things are not a benefit to you, then there's no real point in worrying about the RPGA as it isn't applicable to you!

 

[MarauderX]

I got some of these too. It made me aware they have characters from past conventions still on file. I suppose I'll immortalize them all with proper updates of 'DEAD' if I feel like sticking with the RPGA.