James Wyatt + FR!?

[Gwathlas]

On the topic of the RPGA running a Living FR campaign and its effect on the development of and continuing relevance to the FR setting, I think it is wise to not overstate things in either direction, especially with all the misinformation and prejudice about the organization out there already.

No one knows for sure how the Living FR campaign is going to integrate with the development of the setting, probably not even the people at RPGA HQ. The only public statement concerning this I am aware of was made by RPGA Content Manager Chris Tulach at GenCon 2007, where he said something to this effect: there was buy-in on the campaign from the Novels department, and wouldn't it be cool if the characters in a novel took one path, and the PCs in a Living FR adventure got to take the other path. Some have complained that the whole FR concept for 4e is being done because of the RPGA. That is laughable. The RPGA does not have that sort of power within WotC.

On the other hand, let's not understate the value of the RPGA to WotC, and not just as a marketing and OP vehicle. The RPGA is at the vanguard of 4e playtesting for a reason, and the Novels department at WotC is enthusiastic about RPGA interaction for a reason. The RPGA membership is large and diverse, and it is ever-growing. The RPGA play environment is one of the few good ways that WotC has to see in a reliable manner how the game is being played and what the players think about things on a large scale. It is one of the few ways that, if WotC wanted to let players help dictate the direction of a setting's development, they could do that. Yes, there are other ways they could do it, but none that WotC has as much control over and easy access to.

So while what happens in the RPGA does not--and should not--affect what happens in a home campaign or drive the development of the setting, people should not be surprised if an RPGA-run campaign does have an impact on a setting or the peripherals.

Hmmm that reminds me time to get out of the rpga and any other wotc/hasbro organ. Oh and don't buy 4e!

 

[smerwin29]

That's a good thing. Consumers/participants making informed choices lets the company know what is working and what isn't. If 4e does not sell well, in the long run, WotC learns from it. If the 4e version of the Realms does not sell well, lesson learned as well.

 

[mhensley]

I suspect that's what people say when they talk about "Eberronification." That's certainly how I mean it.

It's the edge of the world
And all of western civilization
The sun may rise in the East
At least it settles in the final location
It's understood that Wizards of the Coast
sells Eberronification

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

First I'm done buying any wotc/hasbro product from mini's to novels to rules. They get no more money from me. Second if they keep smoothing down the edges their new game is going to make Axis and Allies seem complex.

Your welcome to the anime combat system and the wreck they are making of the Realms.
I'm perfectly happy with 3.5 and none of their improvemtns excites or impresses me in the least. My players with Rapid will still get 2 shots, so much for starwars and dragons!

Yeah, you and Razz show 'em!

 

[F4NBOY]

Your welcome to the anime combat system

You mean we'll need to shout the name of the character's power everytime before we use them?
That sucks!

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

You mean we'll need to shout the name of the character's power everytime before we use them?
That sucks!

Nope - wrong anime. It means every character has to spend the first 30 rounds of every combat gathering their power in order to go up to Super Saiyan level (at which point they can win the combat).

Then, in the next adventure, the and the enemies can spend the first 30 rounds to get to Super Saiyan level, at which point the PCs need to spend another 30 rounds moving up to Double Super Saiyan level in order to win.

It's the most elegant and streamlined combat system yet!

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Yeah, you and Razz show 'em!

The two won't be the only ones turning their backs on WotC, you know.

I know I'll buy a lot less WotC stuff than before, and how they dealt with the Realms is one of the main reasons for this.

You can belittle those two as much as you want, but Wizards will feel that one. I think that they have miscalculated here, that the loss resulting from FR fans leaving will outweigh the profit they make from those who will will not only consider coming (back) to the 4e Realms but also stick to it. They traded actual customers for potential ones.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

ONo one knows for sure how the Living FR campaign is going to integrate with the development of the setting, probably not even the people at RPGA HQ. The only public statement concerning this I am aware of was made by RPGA Content Manager Chris Tulach at GenCon 2007, where he said something to this effect: there was buy-in on the campaign from the Novels department, and wouldn't it be cool if the characters in a novel took one path, and the PCs in a Living FR adventure got to take the other path. Some have complained that the whole FR concept for 4e is being done because of the RPGA. That is laughable. The RPGA does not have that sort of power within WotC.

It didn't USED to have that powers within WOTC. However, part of their presentation on 4th Ed at Gencon mentioned that Organized Play was one of 4 parts of 4th Edition. The game itself being 1 part out of 4 as well and the Digital Initiative being another part. They mentioned that they were going to be using things like the RPGA as a MAJOR part of their 4th Edition strategy STARTING with using it to choose most of the playtesters and releasing their new Living Campaign right at the beginning to be the vanguard of 4th Edition. The novel department and the RPGA mentioned they would be collaborating and integrating as far as Living Forgotten Realms was concerned. It was said that while Living Greyhawk was the quintessential 3rd Edition campaign, that Living Forgotten Realms would be the quintessential 4th Edition campaign.

What all of that means? I'm not sure. But it certainly sounds like Organized Play (of which the RPGA is just one part) is going to be a bigger deal in 4th Edition than it was in 3rd.

 

[smerwin29]

Just as background, I run (with three other fine folks) one of the RPGA's campaigns: Xen'drik Expeditions. So while I do not have direct knowledge of anything happening at WotC (and can't talk about it if I do), I do have a pretty good view of the RPGA, from all sides of the equation. That doesn't mean I am right in my assumptions and postulations, of course.

It didn't USED to have that powers within WOTC. However, part of their presentation on 4th Ed at Gencon mentioned that Organized Play was one of 4 parts of 4th Edition. The game itself being 1 part out of 4 as well and the Digital Initiative being another part.

This is true, but do not equate RPGA with OP. RPGA is a part of the OP they were talking about, but they are also talking about the other parts of the game making it easier for DMs and players to get together. There will be some OP tools and programs, I am guessing, that are outside of the RPGA. OP could mean WotC putting out an adventure in Dungeon, then porting that adventure to the online table top, and then having volunteers run the game online for anyone interested in playing. And this could fall outside of the RPGA's control. So while you are correct that they did highlight OP as 1 part of the puzzle, OP does not necessarily equal RPGA.

They mentioned that they were going to be using things like the RPGA as a MAJOR part of their 4th Edition strategy STARTING with using it to choose most of the playtesters

This is true. The RPGA was the obvious vehicle to put together the first part of a highly oragnized and easy-to-track playtest. Not the only playtest, of course, but the start of the process.

and releasing their new Living Campaign right at the beginning to be the vanguard of 4th Edition.

This is where one small two-letter word can make a huge difference. Yes, the new Living Realms campaign is going to be launched at GenCon 2008, in coordination with the launch of 4e. That does not mean the LFR campaign is going to be THE VANGUARD of 4E. It means it will be AT the vanguard of 4e.

The novel department and the RPGA mentioned they would be collaborating and integrating as far as Living Forgotten Realms was concerned. It was said that while Living Greyhawk was the quintessential 3rd Edition campaign, that Living Forgotten Realms would be the quintessential 4th Edition campaign.

Now was this said at the presentation that announced 4e, or was this at the RPGA meeting?! See the difference?! Of course at the RPGA meeting they are going to say this.

What all of that means? I'm not sure. But it certainly sounds like Organized Play (of which the RPGA is just one part) is going to be a bigger deal in 4th Edition than it was in 3rd.

I think you and I are on the same page, but we disagree to the matter of degree. To bring the discussion back around to somewhere near the topic at hand, I have seen people saying that the whole new direction of FR is because they had to do it in order to make the setting viable for the RPGA's new Living Campaign. In my wildest dreams, that would be true. The RPGA does not have that much pull in the WotC world. I know it doesn't.

On the other hand, there are people saying the RPGA doesn't matter at all. It does. It is a huge and growing group, very diverse in its play styles and membership, that contains the infrastructure which makes it a useful tool to WotC. And it also has the capability to allow for player feedback into the rest of WotC, in small but significant ways. So again I say that it is important to see the RPGA for what it is, and not to overstate or understate its relevance within the game and within WotC.