I will Living Greyhawk no more!

[Joshua Randall]

LG is not role-playing, it's simple formula is this:
1) Read box text for plot hook, you have no choice or reason why your there.
2) Proceed to Encounter 1.
3) Possibly chat with NPC's, hopefully gain insight (usually this is not the case though)
4) Proceed to Encounter 2-5. Usually involves one or more persons bickering about rules.
5) Wrap up, Conclusion. Gain XP, Gold, Fill out paperwork.

Disclaimer: I have not played in an RPGA/LG event yet, but I plan to do so next week.

From my reading up on Living Greyhawk, all of what Delgar says in numbers 1-5 above is true. So what? Maybe this is where I'm being incredibly naive or obtuse, but if you go into LG knowing what you're getting yourself into, then you can have more fun and not be as pissed off about it afterwards.

Don't go into it expecting in-depth role-playing and intricate plots. (That's what your home-brewed campaign world is for, not LG.)

 

[Henry]

What was it that hong used to say in these situations?

Oh yeah...

Adkinson

Actually, that was

Adkison

Yay! I got to do it for a change!

 

[DWARF]

That's just the thing, Joshua. I;
A) Didn't know what that was going in, and
B) Don't like that type of game.

I play roleplaying games to, get this, ROLEPLAY!
Sometimes, yes, I do enjoy a little half-orc barbarian, "Grok smash bad men!"
But most of the time, I enjoy creating more dynamic, realistic characters as a way to examine facets of my own personality.

And I'm sorry, but I don't think that there's anyway you can get an intellectual, highly structured cleric of Wee Jas to want to "pole" a boat down a river so some stinky barge captain can yell in his face. I am a priest, a chosen of one of the gods to convey their message. And her being a goddess of magic and death, I'm sure the clerics of wee jas should get a little more respect than was done to me.

Yes, my DM was partly to blame for that. But the module also had NO provision for clerics or wizards that didn't want to pole down the river, but needed to be in the party anyways.

If, IF I ever think of doing an LG module again, I'm going to make sure the DM sends me the module synopsis first, see if I can't find something that at least piques the interest of my character.

 

[Coreyartus]

My experiences with LG have been both good and bad. I have had the best of times and the worst of times. I have to agree that's it's fantastically frustrating that the role-playing aspect of the game is not emphasized at all. The writer's rules for creating LG scenarios actually relegate the experience gained from role-playing to 20% of the total (this may have changed recently, I dunno). With a combat-oriented campaign like that, it's no wonder that it's filled with powergamers and min/maxers.

Unfortunately for me, it's my only outlet for gaming. I don't have a regular group that I gel with, and finding one is (as most of you probably know) rather problematic. At least with the LG monthly gameday, I'm ensured a chance to actually use the rulebooks I spend all my money on... The people are great (at least they are out here in San Diego). I really enjoy my time with them, and I consider it time well spent. It's only once-in-a-while that I actually end up with a person that kinda spoil the experience.

My question for you all is how do the other campaigns stack up? Living City, Living Arcanis, Living Kalamar--there's a lot of different "flavors" of D&D out there. How do they compare to one another? And those other d20 games (I've heard Living Spycraft and especially Living Dragonstar are a hoot! Fun Fun Fun!)

--Coreyartus

 

[ced1106]

The drawback is that most if not all RPGA module are so linear that they leave no character flexibility to influence the plot. Back when I was helping with a con in NJ, I was asked to run a few RPGA events. If I was lucky, I received the module 15 minutes before game time, if I was unlucky, the module arrived 15 minutes after game time. A lot of the module required the GM to sell the plot hooks. That could be difficult for some dm's if they had not the opportunity to read the module in advance.

I thought about becoming an RPGA GM, but then realized I play with less than 2% of my prewritten adventures. Fussy? You bet. But I know if I really **like** a particular adventure, I'm going to run it and enjoy running it. No different than a director who likes a particular script, I suppose.

So I'm wondering: How do the RPGA GM's do it??? I've only played twice, with two GMs who... weren't that good... but, considering what material they have to work with (variable quality modules, little prep time) I'm surprised anyone's GM'ing. I'm curious and would like to know what motivates RPGA GMs.

Darn shame GMs can't run their own adventures. 3e looks like its standardizing the amount of $$$ a PC can have at a level, a useful start. Not sure how you'd make sure the DM ran a game in a 4-hour time slot.


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[heirodule]

So I'm wondering: How do the RPGA GM's do it??? I've only played twice, with two GMs who... weren't that good... but, considering what material they have to work with (variable quality modules, little prep time) I'm surprised anyone's GM'ing. I'm curious and would like to know what motivates RPGA GMs.

1. I can get free admission to a con if I run 4 games.

2. I like the Greyhawk background and what the Keoland Region (NJ, PA, NY) is doing, so I support it.

3. I know judges are needed, so if I want to play I should offer to judge.

4. I think I'm a pretty good GM and can do better than some crappy GMs I've had.

5. I'm running a LG module series as a homegame because I like the series and think it is good quality.

 

[Coreyartus]

Why GM? I know that the judges out here in Nyrond (Southern CA and Utah) are incredibly altruistic. They don't get much of anything out of it--simply a good time with their table. Generous in the extreme. While Greyhawkers are very open with their criticisms, they can be pretty miserly with their compliments sometimes (witness the thousands of thread comments both here, on WotC, and the plethora of yahoogroups...).

It's gotta be a labor of love, I think. Driven. I guess GM's get their kicks from the game in different ways than the rest of us players... Plus, if they GM once in a while, they ensure that they have enough other people who will learn to GM as well, and then they're ensured a table to play when they want...

--Coreyartus

 

[Gyoza Dog]

I think the quality of your Living Greyhawk experience is almost entirely based on your local community. If the local scene has a good and dedicated organiser who provides modules to DMs well in advance, and has a sufficient pool of volunteer DMs that some quality control can be involved in their choice then you're as likely to have a good game of LG as you are any Con game that involves a random selection of players. LG's weaknesses are not its adventures so much as those that any volunteer based organisation will experience.

That said, there is a bit of a LG play style which is built on a lot of usually unstated assumptions.

1. Writers cannot provide adventure hooks for every possible character (and multiple hooks each scenario can become quite silly). If you want to play don't create a character who will refuse many missions. Its described as a heroic campaign so that gives some guidance into what sort of hooks you'll be getting.

2. You will be relinquishing control of your character to a degree. Usually in the introductory text as your character is swooshed off in order to get the game started. If you've a character concept is so tight that you can't rationalise these lapses of control then you will not have fun (eg. "I'm guarding a caravan in the Bandit Kingdoms to which I swore never to return? Damn you Kat! how drunk did you get me?)

3. Most scenarios seem to be written to be able to be completed in a small convention slot with a minimal amount of role playing. If you have a tight time slot you will probably feel rushed if you want to roleplay a lot. However the majority of LG is now played at home and gamesdays which have no such time limits. There is usually heaps of roleplaying material in each module there to expanded only if you have the time. What is a hackfest at a con may feel completely differently when you add another 2 hours of play between the combats.

I enjoy Living Greyhawk as a player and a DM (though I've certainly experienced some disasters as both). As a player there is a real community of characters which is impossible to experience in a home game. As a DM I've found its incredible training and an oppurtunity to collaborate with other DMs (if you're willing to pitch in).

 

[Malin Genie]

I DM, as well as play LG.

Why?

Partly pay-back - others eat modules to Slot 0 so I (or other judges who then go on to DM me...) can play, and it's only fair to reciprocate occasionally.

Partly I enjoy DMing, and I'm not running an regular campaign at the moment.

Partly it's a challenge - taking a group of completely different characters each time and running them through sometimes poorly thought-out (or not poorly thought-out, but just not fitting the particular party, like our last 'detective/mystery' adventure with two barbarians, a fighter and a sorceror....) modules and getting it all to work: if it doesn't quite come together you often learn valuable lessons about DMing; if it does it's very rewarding.

 

[Ceresco]

LIVING ARCANIS

I strongly suggest you play a few rounds of Living Arcanis this summer. It's the fastest growing Living campaign in the RPGA. It's a game that has put the emphasis on the "role" in role playing. It's strongly story driven, well written (ask authors of other Living games what they play) and has a cohesive plot throughout. This game is what got me back involved with D&D and the RPGA. There are a few people on this board who are also into Livng Addiction.. I mean Arcanis. CHeck it out at LA Talk on Yahoo or the LA home page: http://www.livingarcanis.com/

If you're going to Origins they're having a huge Battle Interactive, THe Battle of FOur Armies, and many rounds of play plus all the slot zeros you can get a table together for. THese guys will always find you a GM. If you're at GenCon the culmination of the second years story arc will come to a conclusion in "To SHake the Pillars of Heaven." Again there will be more slot zeros than you can shake a stick at. Last year I personally ran 3 Wednsday 1 on Friday and another Saturday. Just start asking around, I'm sure you'll find that gamers who are looking for the best gamiong experience in a Living D&D game are playing Livng Arcanis. It's not for everyone though, be for warned. It's not your old D&D. It has many twists on races and Gods. But it's definately worth checking out.

Respectfully,

Edward J Kopp
LA GM
#352756