What do you want in a role-playing club?

[der_kluge]

Just filled out the survey on WoTC's site (see the news for today here if you haven't yet).

I'm curious - the poll seems a bit sparse. It didn't ask very many questions. I'm just curious what WoTC is trying to do, and if anyone has any insight into that.

My main problem against the RPGA is the whole "gaming for trophies concept". Remove that, and the whole organization improves 100%. As it is, people that are in the RPGA, IMHO, seem to care only about their "points" and how many modules they can fit into their busy schedule. They are powergamers to the extreme, and the whole organization tends to promote that. Again, this is all just IMHO.

I know there are good role-players in the RPGA, but it would seem that the organization doesn't really promote that aspect of it. I think opening up free memberships was a great idea, but they need to move away from the "living" events and more towards promoting gaming in local areas, attracting new gamers, and encouraging new game systems.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[TalonComics]

man, if the 30 minute phone poll I took last night is indication what Hasbro's main concern is it sure isn't roleplaying.

I swear there was 10 minutes of "Do you carry <insert any magic, Pokemon, Harry Potter CCG release>?"

What was really fun was saying "no" over and over until she got to the RPGs.

~Derek

 

[pensiv]

I took the survey and there didn't seem to be any questions about role-playing. . . It just asked my age, how often I played and whether or not I belonged to the RPGA.

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I agree that they sould focus more on ecougeing local games as apposed to the current game con focus. I thought that wizards was going to do an area league type setup when they first bought out TSR, but I never saw any real eveidence of it.

In my opinion it would have been a good thing, when local shops started hosting arena league games for Magic it seemed to work well. It drew in a lot of business to local shops, i think that if the RPGA focused more on this type of thing it would really give the industry a boost.

 

[der_kluge]

Well, I suspect that the CCGs are by far the biggest money maker in the WoTC division. The D&D stuff is probably not their big marketing concern, which is a shame.

I wonder if there are any statistics concerning how many RP'ers make the transition to CCGs, versus how many Card players transition to RPGs?

What they need to do is make a simplified version of M:TG that is family friendly, and remove all the geek elements from it so that girls will play it. Like, remove the whole fantasy element from it.

 

[der_kluge]

I agree that they sould focus more on ecougeing local games as apposed to the current game con focus. I thought that wizards was going to do an area league type setup when they first bought out TSR, but I never saw any real eveidence of it.

In my opinion it would have been a good thing, when local shops started hosting arena league games for Magic it seemed to work well. It drew in a lot of business to local shops, i think that if the RPGA focused more on this type of thing it would really give the industry a boost.

Couldn't agree more. Most game stores that I go in now are mostly devoid of people, and the RPGA club in my area is more concerned with getting PHAT LEWT for their Living Grayhawk character, and how many points they can acquire from their local Cons, which they only run to see how many LG events they can fit into a weekend.

I chose the newsletter option on the survey, and if they did something like that, I'd like to see it take a "small town" approach - very much highlighting what individual organizations are accomplishing. Remove the "good ol' boy" atmosphere from it, and expand their focus on attracting new gamers, and encouraging people to try new game systems. I mean, if a 12-yr old M:TG doesn't like D&D, but is introduced to Dragonstar, they might like that - and then guess what - they've got to buy the core rulebooks to flesh out the rules in their DS campaign. That's the value of the D20 system, and WoTC isn't doing JACK to promote that.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

Couldn't agree more. Most game stores that I go in now are mostly devoid of people, and the RPGA club in my area is more concerned with getting PHAT LEWT for their Living Grayhawk character, and how many points they can acquire from their local Cons, which they only run to see how many LG events they can fit into a weekend.

Yup, It's kind of like playing Everquest with pencil and paper.

I chose the newsletter option on the survey, and if they did something like that, I'd like to see it take a "small town" approach - very much highlighting what individual organizations are accomplishing. Remove the "good ol' boy" atmosphere from it, and expand their focus on attracting new gamers, and encouraging people to try new game systems. I mean, if a 12-yr old M:TG doesn't like D&D, but is introduced to Dragonstar, they might like that - and then guess what - they've got to buy the core rulebooks to flesh out the rules in their DS campaign. That's the value of the D20 system, and WoTC isn't doing JACK to promote that.

So, we should invite lots of prospective RPGers to things like...
The Chicago Games Day at Games Plus in Mount Prospect

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I keep looking but I can't find "More Slutty Goth Chicks" among the options...

What's it take to find an RPG club that really panders to my needs?

 

[Randolpho]

In a Homer drooly voice:

Uhh.... Slutty Goth Chicks...

Although I know I should not eat thee...

 

[Arkham]

I keep looking but I can't find "More Slutty Goth Chicks" among the options...

What's it take to find an RPG club that really panders to my needs?

Try a Vampire LARP.