RPGA: Is it any good?

[Belen]

I've played in 3 RPGA LG games. They had good players and good GMs. However, the games sucked. There was no time for character interaction. The party was forced to be together and barely had time to communicate between combats.

I wrote a character history that meant nothing. My character was referred to by class (Ranger) because why remember the name when you will not be with that person the next time you play?

The GM was forced to read long conversations in order to further the plot and questions were kept to a minimum because the session only lasts four hours. In fact, if the group exceeds four hours, then you get less gold and experience because you did not finish the adventure in the "optimal" time allottment.

Any items that we found during the game, such as potions had to be used in that session because you could not keep them unless you purchased them at the end of the session, even though you found them! So treasure really means nothing.

A GM gives you set experience at the end of the session. It does not matter if you did a kick tail job in the game. You get what everyone else gets and it ain't much.

Basically, your character means nothing, he is just a character class with a given ability set. Roleplaying means nothing. Combat is so intensive that you have to choose an optimal character because that is all you do. As a player, your just a replaceable cog in the machine. There is no reason to be anything more than just another warm body to fill out the needed requirements of an RPGA table.

All in all....it stunk.

That is just my opinion though and that is how an LG game felt to me. Personally, I would rather not game, than have to play LG because LG is so antithetical to what I want from gaming. For others, I am sure it's fun.

 

[Caliban]

I've played in 3 RPGA LG games. They had good players and good GMs. However, the games sucked. There was no time for character interaction. The party was forced to be together and barely had time to communicate between combats.

I wrote a character history that meant nothing. My character was referred to by class (Ranger) because why remember the name when you will not be with that person the next time you play?

The GM was forced to read long conversations in order to further the plot and questions were kept to a minimum because the session only lasts four hours. In fact, if the group exceeds four hours, then you get less gold and experience because you did not finish the adventure in the "optimal" time allottment.

Any items that we found during the game, such as potions had to be used in that session because you could not keep them unless you purchased them at the end of the session, even though you found them! So treasure really means nothing.

A GM gives you set experience at the end of the session. It does not matter if you did a kick tail job in the game. You get what everyone else gets and it ain't much.

Basically, your character means nothing, he is just a character class with a given ability set. Roleplaying means nothing. Combat is so intensive that you have to choose an optimal character because that is all you do. As a player, your just a replaceable cog in the machine. There is no reason to be anything more than just another warm body to fill out the needed requirements of an RPGA table.

All in all....it stunk.

That is just my opinion though and that is how an LG game felt to me. Personally, I would rather not game, than have to play LG because LG is so antithetical to what I want from gaming. For others, I am sure it's fun.

All I can say is that this is not the experience I've had, for the most part. I have several LG characters, from my gruff, no nonsense 14th level Dwarven warrior with the nearly impenetrable defenses, to the very "friendly" 6th level sorcerer with a talent for languages, to the half-backlunish desert nomad from the bright desert (1st level 1/2 orc barbarian).

Also, the RPGA experience really does vary depending on if you play at a Game Day or Home Game (where you have more time to play the modules and have a chance to game with the same people regularly) and a Convention Game (where you are often thrown together with a nearly random assortment of players and are highly restricted on time). I prefer Game Day and Home Games over Con Games, which is why I usually volunteer to run at a Con, so I can play the modules before the Con starts with the other judges.

It is harder to get a quality gaming experience at a Con. It can happen, but usually requires more effort on the part of the players to make it happen. Gather your own table of players ahead of time, do your best to locate a judge you like ahead of time, and ask him to run your table. That way when the slot starts you are there with a table and a judge and can immediately start.

 

[Belen]

All I can say is that this is not the experience I've had, for the most part. I have several LG characters, from my gruff, no nonsense 14th level Dwarven warrior with the nearly impenetrable defenses, to the very "friendly" 6th level sorcerer with a talent for languages, to the half-backlunish desert nomad from the bright desert (1st level 1/2 orc barbarian).

Also, the RPGA experience really does vary depending on if you play at a Game Day or Home Game (where you have more time to play the modules and have a chance to game with the same people regularly) and a Convention Game (where you are often thrown together with a nearly random assortment of players and are highly restricted on time). I prefer Game Day and Home Games over Con Games, which is why I usually volunteer to run at a Con, so I can play the modules before the Con starts with the other judges.

It is harder to get a quality gaming experience at a Con. It can happen, but usually requires more effort on the part of the players to make it happen. Gather your own table of players ahead of time, do your best to locate a judge you like ahead of time, and ask him to run your table. That way when the slot starts you are there with a table and a judge and can immediately start.

None of my experiences were at a con.

 

[Coreyartus]

There was no time for character interaction. The party was forced to be together and barely had time to communicate between combats.

Yeah, RPGA games are highly criticized for not allowing time for role-playing. But there are mods that are all about role-playing, too, depending one what campaign you play in. Living Kingdoms of Kalamar is much more about role-playing than Living Greyhawk.

I wrote a character history that meant nothing. My character was referred to by class (Ranger) because why remember the name when you will not be with that person the next time you play?

Well, how much of your entire past do you personally share with people you've just met? It takes time...

The GM was forced to read long conversations in order to further the plot and questions were kept to a minimum because the session only lasts four hours. In fact, if the group exceeds four hours, then you get less gold and experience because you did not finish the adventure in the "optimal" time allottment.

This is wrong. You don't get docked XP for going over the time limit. Like any home game, some GM's will be more aware of certain rules than others. Obviously someone got their wires crossed somewhere, and that happens.

Any items that we found during the game, such as potions had to be used in that session because you could not keep them unless you purchased them at the end of the session, even though you found them! So treasure really means nothing.

They have to do it that way to prevent all those power-hungry munchkins out there from ruining the game by "finding" whatever they want... With no monitoring system on treasure, there's no balance, and the campaign as a whole is just so much wasted time...

A GM gives you set experience at the end of the session. It does not matter if you did a kick tail job in the game. You get what everyone else gets and it ain't much.

No, it's not. But the point of playing the game is not character advancement. It's having fun playing the game with other people. And if everyone did indeed get a different amount of XP, can you imagine the whining that would happen?

Basically, your character means nothing, he is just a character class with a given ability set. Roleplaying means nothing. Combat is so intensive that you have to choose an optimal character because that is all you do. As a player, your just a replaceable cog in the machine. There is no reason to be anything more than just another warm body to fill out the needed requirements of an RPGA table.

Combat is intensive because role-playing is relative depending on the player, table, and judge. What one person considers a good role-playing experience won't be the same as another's. In fact, HOW you role-play is relative, too. There are too many factors involved to maintain any consistent criteria for judgement from one table to another. In fact, the D&D rules aren't set up to define what a good Role-playing experience is as much as they outline pages and pages of combat stats and tactical movement. It is the lowest common denominator from one D&D experience to another. So, as a result, some of the RPGA campaigns have chosen to emphasize the combat aspect of the game to provide more consistency in the experience from table to table.

All in all....it stunk.

Well, for 14,000 other players across the world, something is workin'.

Hey, I'd rather have a home game, too. But one can't expect an RPGA game to be the same as a home game. They just aren't. Most of the people I know expect that because the parameters aren't the same. But that doesn't mean it can't be fun. And it doesn't mean that it isn't valid and fulfilling for some people.

Bad experiences happen, that's for sure. But they aren't representative of every possible RPGA experience out there.

Coreyartus

 

[Belen]

There was no time for character interaction. The party was forced to be together and barely had time to communicate between combats.

Yeah, RPGA games are highly criticized for not allowing time for role-playing. But there are mods that are all about role-playing, too, depending one what campaign you play in. Living Kingdoms of Kalamar is much more about role-playing than Living Greyhawk.

I wrote a character history that meant nothing. My character was referred to by class (Ranger) because why remember the name when you will not be with that person the next time you play?

Well, how much of your entire past do you personally share with people you've just met? It takes time...

The GM was forced to read long conversations in order to further the plot and questions were kept to a minimum because the session only lasts four hours. In fact, if the group exceeds four hours, then you get less gold and experience because you did not finish the adventure in the "optimal" time allottment.

This is wrong. You don't get docked XP for going over the time limit. Like any home game, some GM's will be more aware of certain rules than others. Obviously someone got their wires crossed somewhere, and that happens.

Any items that we found during the game, such as potions had to be used in that session because you could not keep them unless you purchased them at the end of the session, even though you found them! So treasure really means nothing.

They have to do it that way to prevent all those power-hungry munchkins out there from ruining the game by "finding" whatever they want... With no monitoring system on treasure, there's no balance, and the campaign as a whole is just so much wasted time...

A GM gives you set experience at the end of the session. It does not matter if you did a kick tail job in the game. You get what everyone else gets and it ain't much.

No, it's not. But the point of playing the game is not character advancement. It's having fun playing the game with other people. And if everyone did indeed get a different amount of XP, can you imagine the whining that would happen?

Basically, your character means nothing, he is just a character class with a given ability set. Roleplaying means nothing. Combat is so intensive that you have to choose an optimal character because that is all you do. As a player, your just a replaceable cog in the machine. There is no reason to be anything more than just another warm body to fill out the needed requirements of an RPGA table.

Combat is intensive because role-playing is relative depending on the player, table, and judge. What one person considers a good role-playing experience won't be the same as another's. In fact, HOW you role-play is relative, too. There are too many factors involved to maintain any consistent criteria for judgement from one table to another. In fact, the D&D rules aren't set up to define what a good Role-playing experience is as much as they outline pages and pages of combat stats and tactical movement. It is the lowest common denominator from one D&D experience to another. So, as a result, some of the RPGA campaigns have chosen to emphasize the combat aspect of the game to provide more consistency in the experience from table to table.

All in all....it stunk.

Well, for 14,000 other players across the world, something is workin'.

Hey, I'd rather have a home game, too. But one can't expect an RPGA game to be the same as a home game. They just aren't. Most of the people I know expect that because the parameters aren't the same. But that doesn't mean it can't be fun. And it doesn't mean that it isn't valid and fulfilling for some people.

Bad experiences happen, that's for sure. But they aren't representative of every possible RPGA experience out there.

Coreyartus

I think you forgot that I said this:

That is just my opinion though and that is how an LG game felt to me. Personally, I would rather not game, than have to play LG because LG is so antithetical to what I want from gaming. For others, I am sure it's fun.

My comments were personal opinion based on real experience with LG. Attacking them does no good, as I still believe everything I said and my percetions are based on the game I played.

 

[Dogbrain]

Do you ever say anything useful? All I see you post are verbal attacks and complaints that have little or no factual basis.

You call me a liar? YOU ARE THE LIAR! I tried their worthless "test" exactly as I related here and got the exact results that I posted.

YOU ARE A LIAR, A COMPLETE AND UTTER LIAR TO CLAIM THAT I HAVE LIED ABOUT THIS.

 

[Piratecat]

Caliban? Please don't bait people.

Dogbrain, this is a warning: walk away from the computer, drink less coffee, whatever. But if you post here, you're going to need to be both calm and polite. This post is an example of neither.

 

[Pielorinho]

Do you ever say anything useful? All I see you post are verbal attacks and complaints that have little or no factual basis.

Moderator's Notes
Just to expand on what Piratecat said: Caliban, please find a polite way to express your disagreement with someone, or don't respond to them at all. Insulting them is unacceptable, and can really drag the thread down into a fight; the discussion can only remain useful if folks forebear from exchanging barbs, however tempting it may be. (And both of y'all, believe me, I understand the temptation; nevertheless, we gotta not do it).

Next time either of you is disgusted at someone's tone or attitude or post or whatever, please report their post to the moderators, along with the URL, and do not respond to the problem post in any other way.

All the mods will thank you for it .

Daniel

 

[Krail Stromquism]

Can we say passive aggresive?

Issuing an insult (since removed) after two moderator warnings shows astonishingly bad planning.

Krail, see your email.

~ Piratecat


I think if your into the rewards, of both the RPGA and our Hobby in general youre much better off doing a homegame, get connected to people, make solid friends. Its a much better pay off in both respects.

SALUTE!

 

[Caliban]

Moderator's Notes
Just to expand on what Piratecat said: Caliban, please find a polite way to express your disagreement with someone, or don't respond to them at all. Insulting them is unacceptable, and can really drag the thread down into a fight; the discussion can only remain useful if folks forebear from exchanging barbs, however tempting it may be. (And both of y'all, believe me, I understand the temptation; nevertheless, we gotta not do it).

*shrug* Hey, it was an honest question. And I recieved an acceptable answer.

Next time either of you is disgusted at someone's tone or attitude or post or whatever, please report their post to the moderators, along with the URL, and do not respond to the problem post in any other way.

All the mods will thank you for it .

Daniel

I used to do that. It rarely results in any action unless the person in question is doing something extremely egregious. I've pretty much stopped bothering unless someone is going off the deep end.

I think both of you are overreacting just a little, but maybe that's just me.