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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 8795337" data-attributes="member: 27780">Polyhedron Issue 122: August 1996part 1/532 pages. The contents pages gets a thoroughly confusing reformatting. Like Dungeon, they're trying to be edgier, so they're changing things from a nice vertical list detailing the pages in order to a flow chart who's logic is not immediately obvious. Ironically, this comes just as they're doing another introductory issue aimed at making it clear what they do to newbies. This might not have been the best time. Let's see if the contents get more people engaged or further muddy the waters. Larger than Life: Rather than stating out characters for your games, they decide to stat out the staff of the newszine in comedic style, telling you more about themselves in an indirect way. Scott Douglas and Robert Wiese are both 9th level AD&D characters, (with abilities that don't stick to RAW, as is usual for these kinds of things) while Jeff Quick is a starting level Werewolf: the Apocalypse character that is actually legit statistically, although the writing remains just as flippant. The kind of thing normally only seen in april issues, it's reasonably entertaining as a read, but you're even less likely to actually use than you are the stats for Bugs Bunny or Fox Mulder. Regional Directors: We're currently at 37 regional directors, which is actually slightly down from last time they listed them in issue 109, with international ones being hit hardest. D&D is currently in decline in general and the far flung outposts are losing touch with the centre of the empire. Well, it's harder to get people to sign up for your Living stuff when there's hardly any conventions supporting it in the entire country. If you can't get things above critical mass it'll just fade away as soon as you stop putting in energy from outside. But just one enthusiastic volunteer can make a difference to a whole region! Maybe you could be one of them? Of course, they phrase it less cynically than I do and don't mention the decline, but the numbers don't lie. The RPGA is currently down from it's peak, just like the magazines in general. That's got to be adding some extra tension behind the scenes. A World Of Members: Ironically, following on from that we have short pieces from Australia, Scotland & Hawaii where they talk about their own experiences of gaming & conventions. Australia is the most different, with considerably less D&D in general, more Shadowrun, Paranoia and other games, as well as a greater emphasis on large scale interactive events rather than party based play. None of them are as big as the giant midwestern conventions, but what they lack in numbers they make up for in friendliness. Maybe you could pay some of them a visit. No rigorous statistical analysis here then, but a reminder there are plenty of gamers all around the world, probably in your very town, it's just tricky to connect with them when it's not obvious. Good thing the internet is rapidly making that easier. To Boldly Go: Another trio of little personal anecdotes tell us about how you get more involved with the RPGA than just playing the odd tournament. Most important one is volunteering as a judge, because it may sound like a broken record by now, but the ratio is just not good enough and they almost never have enough to go around. You can also take on the roles of marshal, making sure players are all directed to the right tables and sat down ready to play in good time, or the person who collects all the paperwork afterwards and makes sure all the Living characters get their XP and new toys entered into the databases. They do that online as well now, (plus there now are several online conventions you can play from anywhere in the world, as we saw last issue) so you could be anywhere in the world and still make yourself useful. The more you put in, the more you'll get out of being here and the greater your chance of making connections that might lead to paying RPG projects. Another demonstration that technology can help with logistical issues, but human nature remains an eternal struggle. Gotta boost that engagement, because even small things like liking, subscribing and commenting are only done by a tiny percentage of watchers.</blockquote>

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