Why Organized Play has been an Awesome Experience

[ChristianLindke]

Given the amount of amazing free swag I have received from running D&D Encounters at my local store, I don't know if Paizo spends more money on their OP or not. Both spend a lot, and the designers of the Neverwinter setting wrote the Neverwinter Encounters adventure.

My experience with OP, both Paizo and Encounters, has been universally good. One thing that changed from pre-Encounters to the new Encounters/Assault format (which also came with sweet swag), is that it is store driven and for store support. In the old days, before the now times, I used to register with RPGA that I was running a "living" game at my local store and people would show up. For Encounters/Assault, it is the store itself that must sign up.

I don't know if "FLGS" driven is the way to go, but I think that Hasbro's focus on supporting stores in organized play -- versus supporting e-tailers and flea markets -- has some benefits. It also has some big drawbacks.

Great article, but I think both are spending a lot on OP. If you are ever in LA -- far from Toronto I know -- stop by Emerald Knights. They run organized Pathfinder and 4e, and are a great store. I might even be the guy running the game for you.

 

[Erik Mona]

I'm actually pretty certain that WotC spends more on Organized Play than Paizo does, mostly due to the quality of their swag and their signage/presence at major industry conventions.

That stuff ain't cheap!

--Erik

 

[Dykstrav]

On a recent thread, I shared my experiences with Pathfinder Society. That post actually solicited a response from the local Pathfinder Society venture-captain. I have to share the good with the bad, which I did not do well in my previous posts.

To be entirely fair, two of the sessions I played were excellent. Among the Living and Voice in the Void were fun and I played with good groups that I'd play with again. The GMs were excellent and I genuinely appreciate them taking their time to entertain me and the other players. Unfortunately, the other sessions were enough to convince me to drop Pathfinder Society.

The Raleigh venture-captain contacted me through email about my post. He's far more gracious than he has any reason to be, given how open I was with my experiences... We discussed it through email, and basically, I was getting misinformation. I've been informed of the correct policies and administration procedures, and after my current project wraps, I'll give Pathfinder Society another go.

Consider me impressed and humbled by the graciousness and goodwill of Pathfinder Society's administration.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I'm actually pretty certain that WotC spends more on Organized Play than Paizo does, mostly due to the quality of their swag and their signage/presence at major industry conventions.

That stuff ain't cheap!

--Erik

In fairness, I said "D&D Encounters" -- not "OP". The money WotC spends directly and indirectly through Baldman Games at Gencon and D&D Experience for signage, ballrooms, judges et al is for OP = but I did not attribute it to the $$ spent on their D&D Encounters in-store program.

Lawyers; words. We're like that.

 

[Matt James]

In fairness, I said "D&D Encounters" -- not "OP". The money WotC spends directly and indirectly through Baldman Games at Gencon and D&D Experience for signage, ballrooms, judges et al is for OP = but I did not attribute it to the $$ spent on their D&D Encounters in-store program.

Lawyers; words. We're like that.

I fell into the trap as well. The title of your article is "Why Organized Play has been an Awesome Experience"

 

[darkwing]

I've had a good experience with D&D Encounters. Too bad your organizer flaked out on you.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I've had a good experience with D&D Encounters. Too bad your organizer flaked out on you.

It was a brief paragraph of a hundred+ words in a 5400 word pice. It was not the focus of the piece and I would be saddened if you take that element away after reading it. It was not the purpose or thrust of the article. Nor was this intended as another battle in the Edition Wars, conducted as some "stealthy" ENWorld front page Black Op, either.

Stuff happens. A few hours after posting this article on Monday, the organizer involved contacted me and subsequently explained what had been happening at or about that time which lead to my misunderstanding.

In fact we met last night and gamed together, too, at Tuesday Night PFS @ 401 Games.

So it's all good.

"Mending" isn't just a 0 level cantrip. Among gamers at least, you can cast it with the following:

V,S,M: Civil words; handshakes; smiles; eye-contact; minis; a battlemat; a d20.
Casting Time: 3-4 hours
Duration: Permanent
Effect: There may be a lot of wrong in this world that won't be fixed by this simple approach. But among gamers? There's not much that cannot be mended with this 3-4 hour ritual.

As I said, I urge you all to give it a try.

 

[Alphastream]

It was a brief paragraph of a hundred+ words in a 5400 word pice. It was not the focus of the piece

I'm confused as to what the focus of the piece was supposed to be vs. what it ended up being. The article title led me to believe you were writing about organized play. I would have really liked an article about the benefits of organized play, because I love OP. It needs more proponents. Your column was really about D&D organized play and seemed to devote a lot of time on how much you like one type (Pathfinder) over the other (LFR and Encounters).

This contradicts something you say in your first paragraph:

Instead of the negative, I wanted to take the time here to talk about the incredibly positive experiences I have had with Organized Play in the past 18 months through Pathfinder Society.

I would have liked the column to be that way as well. Instead, several times you compare the programs in ways that are biased and incorrect (the declaration that Paizo clearly cares more about OP, for example).

There is some terrific organized play out there: Shadowrun Missions, Heroes of Rokugan, Pathfinder, LFR, Spycraft, Lair Assault, Encounters, Ashes of Athas, Living Divine, Living Traveler, Shining Jewel, and others. For many reasons a good portion of the gamer community has formed a bias against organized play / RPGA. The reality is that organized play is full of options and just about any player can find a campaign that fits their style. Perhaps more importantly, organized play provides gamers with the ability to become part of a community. It allows them to be a part of something bigger than themselves and their small group and to contribute to better gaming... often on a global scale.

As gamers that enjoy organized play, we can accomplish more if we work as a team. We all have the same problems around informing store owners, motivating DMs, retaining invested players while attracting new and casual players, keeping rules simple, etc. I would very much like to read more from you about organized play but without a bias toward one system. It is fine to have a column on Pathfinder. There is an audience for that and the lessons will carry. It just doesn't do anyone any good to introduce bias and put down other programs. Ideally, our joint hobby grows. People come and play RPGs in stores. They play in cons. They play in their homes. We win when more people join our ranks as gamers, not when either Pathfinder or WotC is crowned victor and all other RPGs fail. That's actually how we lose.

 

[Hussar]

It was a brief paragraph of a hundred+ words in a 5400 word pice. It was not the focus of the piece and I would be saddened if you take that element away after reading it. It was not the purpose or thrust of the article. Nor was this intended as another battle in the Edition Wars, conducted as some "stealthy" ENWorld front page Black Op, either.

SW, I have to admit, that after the first reading of you article, that thought occurred to me. Mostly because you were so gushingly high with your praise of Paizo Open Play and your comments about WOTC's Open Play are all negative. Sure, it's not a major part of the piece, but, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

In a thread where you want to talk about how great Open Play is, why bother being negative about anything? It really does stand out like a sore thumb.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Hussar, they weren't all negative. I described the RPGA as having the best players and GMs that WotC had. And if you read the features and benefits that OP offers to grognards those comments were directed at both games.

It was also pretty clear that I said that great gamers play either game, too.

I was very emphatic that no matter what game you play at home, that if you go to play a 4E game in stores, that will make you a better gamer and GM at home.

Moreover, this was an opinion post that I wrote and posted in the general section -- not on the front page. Russ chose to move it to the front page, not me.

You can take that decision up with him if you like.