D&D 4E Really?? Is RPGA really the best place to test 4e

[smerwin29]

I agree with you. Testing by everyday DM's would be more realistic

Interesting. Can you elaborate on what an "everyday DM" is? Also, can you provide a method by which WotC could sign up these "everyday DMs" while ensuring their credentials and trustworthiness?

 

[Badkarmaboy]

If you play in a system that has 20 pages of differences between that and the main game then you are indeed not playing dungeons and dragons as written. One page of house rules is one thing but 20 someodd pages is a big distinction. If it comes off insulting thats your own guilt telling you it may be true.

It's been stated several times now that there's no "RPGA RULES CHANGE DOCUMENT". In Living Greyhawk there's a campaign setting that lists what feats, spells, base classes and PrCs you can take. Golly Fred, that sounds JUST LIKE what a DM might do at home.

Are they not playing D&D Don? Point blank, the RULES that govern the game are not changed. Combat, spell casting, turning, etc..all in tact bud.

You should research a bit better before you go spouting this stuff off as "fact".

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

I agree with you. Testing by everyday DM's would be more realistic but I don't get the impresion the wotc gang care about any opinions or feedback. They just keep telling us how they are moving ahead and everything is so exciting. Exciting a word I'm beginning to hate as much as mooks and sith lords....

See, this is the kind of thing I'm talking about. I *AM* an everyday DM. I run a weekly Eberron game running a purchased adventure (Eyes of the Dragon Queen). I ran a game weekly through Return to the Temple Elemental Evil that moved into Castle Maure from Dungeon Magazine. It was a long campaign where I allowed nearly every WOTC book printed.

I am ALSO a Triad member for Living Greyhawk in the RPGA. I play multiple Living Greyhawk games per month and run a couple more along with working on plotlines, coordinating adventure authors and deadlines, editing and answering people's questions.

I think the implication that I not only am not an every day DM but that the campaign I help to plan and coordinate is all about people who "don't play real D&D" and "don't know anything about the way the game works" IS rather insulting. The tone of the campaign is set mostly by Triads and authors since we write and plan the adventures.

 

[Badkarmaboy]

That sums it up pretty nicely Majoru.

 

[Jin_Kataki]

Realizing this is getting too meta for the thread....

Wow. I read his comments as: There are people being critical of the RPGA. There are people who are upset about those being critical of the RPGA. He indicated that the negative reaction by the second group seems more condescending/insulting. It's a fair observation. Perhaps not accurate, but fair.

Exactly thank you.

 

[kenmarable]

I agree with you. Testing by everyday DM's would be more realistic but I don't get the impresion the wotc gang care about any opinions or feedback.

This might be valid if many RPGA members didn't also have home games, and if WotC wasn't also recruiting playtesters from outside the RPGA as well (like a random assortment of people who signed up on their website). However, both of those are not true.

Aside from picking the 10th person to walk into every 10th game store, I'd say they are doing what they can to recruit "everyday DMs". I just hope they are recruiting a large enough number of groups since there is so much variety in play styles and experience. Their selection methods, however, seem just dandy.

 

[D.Shaffer]

I agree with you. Testing by everyday DM's would be more realistic but I don't get the impresion the wotc gang care about any opinions or feedback.

If they didnt care about opinions or feedback, they wouldnt be playtesting AT ALL. Additionally, playtesting isnt exactly ABOUT realistic play. Part of the job of playtesting is to find the rules problems, EXPLOITS, and various shady areas so they can get rid of them from the game before it hits the masses. You WANT min-maxers to playtest to find those problem areas, because they're the ones who will. Your casual, every day player isnt going to exploit these things.

 

[Badkarmaboy]

Exactly thank you.

Being critical of the RPGA is one thing- making blanket statements about EVERY member of the RPGA is another. I got upset because I don't like being painted with the broad brush stroke of social-outcast-minmaxing-retard. Blanket statements also undercut all the time and energy I put in to making adventures the OP says don't exist. I feel like I'm entitled to defend myself.

 

[DonTadow]

Being critical of the RPGA is one thing- making blanket statements about EVERY member of the RPGA is another. I got upset because I don't like being painted with the broad brush stroke of social-outcast-minmaxing-retard. Blanket statements also undercut all the time and energy I put in to making adventures the OP says don't exist. I feel like I'm entitled to defend myself.

And no ones made a blanket statement about rpga members. I've even gone as far as stating that i've had a membership for a fewyears. Thus everyone is not the stereotype rpga member.

that stated, many a d and d players i've met have met rpga members whom are as u described. I can honestly say that i have not physically met one rpga player whom did not meet that criteria. I'm not saying that everyone is like that, but if i were picking people for my campaign, saying you're in the RPGA and play faithfully earns bigtime negative points with me.

 

[D'karr]

And no ones made a blanket statement about rpga members. I've even gone as far as stating that i've had a membership for a fewyears. Thus everyone is not the stereotype rpga member.

that stated, many a d and d players i've met have met rpga members whom are as u described. I can honestly say that i have not physically met one rpga player whom did not meet that criteria. I'm not saying that everyone is like that, but if i were picking people for my campaign, saying you're in the RPGA and play faithfully earns bigtime negative points with me.

So what you're saying is that because of your bias against SOME players from the RPGA, you think that the RPGA is not a good vehicle for playtesting.

Okay. Noted.