by Forge » Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:52 am
by emperor799 » Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:38 am
by emperor799 » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:51 pm
Chris Tulach wrote:But perhaps the most important thing that's changed is the philosophy
behind being a DM for our shared-world games. In the past, emphasis
was placed on tournament-style play. Under this philosophy, adventures
had to be run "as written" to provide a "consistent" play experience.
Tournament-style play is an artifact of the past, and while it does have
its place (like the D&D Championship Series) it runs counter to the
experience of an accessible shared-world campaign. Now, the DM has
been given one golden rule: Make decisions and adjudications that enhance
the fun of the adventure when possible. DMs are now empowered to adjust
adventures to accomplish this task, just like they would in their home games.
Having a good play experience is now the number one priority.
by emperor799 » Sun Aug 17, 2008 1:20 am
Dear RPGA Member;
For several years, we've talked about our vision of having all RPGA data in the same place as the rest of the Wizards of the Coast Organized Play data. Many members play a variety of our games, and until now, that necessitated them having two records and two numbers, one RPGA and one DCI. As of Wednesday, August 13, that is a thing of the past. We are very excited to announce that our vision is complete, and we have one membership management system for all of our games!
Members can now request a combine for their DCI and RPGA numbers, ensuring they have just one account, one number, and one place to check their games, points, ratings, and characters for all Wizards of the Coast games.
Please note that on Wednesday, August 13, the RPGA database will be offline as we finalize the move. Everything should be back online by early evening Pacific Standard Time (GMT +8).Requesting Combines
- Search the Wizards Knowledge Base for "Combine DCI/RPGA numbers."
- If you already are an RPGA Dungeon Master, please see the following on how to sanction and report events.
Sanctioning Events
Follow these steps to start sanctioning events.
- Open the main RPGA page.
- Expand the left navigation section under RPGA.
- Click the link "Sanction an Event."
- On the next screen, log in using your RPGA number and password. You are now in your Personal Information Center.
- On the right is a link navigation box headed "My Links." Click on "Sanction Event" in the "My Links" box.
- Follow the onscreen instructions as you go through the sanctioning process.
Reporting Events
Follow these steps to report your events.
- Open the main RPGA page.
- Expand the left navigation section under RPGA.
- Click the link "Sign In."
- On the next screen, log in using your RPGA number and password. You are now in your Personal Information Center.
- On the right is a link navigation box headed "My Links." Click on "Event Reporting" in the "My Links" box.
- Follow the onscreen instructions as you go through the reporting process.
If you wish to become an RPGA Dungeon Master and start running events in your home or public location, please visit the main RPGA page and click on GM Program.
[Converting Your Number]
Some people reported that their old RPGA number was causing some challenges when trying to log in to the new data system.
Your old RPGA number is still part of the new number but needs to be converted to a 9-digit number to log in. Follow these steps and you should be good to go!
To convert your RPGA number to a 9-digit number, you need to add a combination of a 1 and/or 0s.
Examples:
- If your RPGA number is currently 123456 (6 digits), please add '100' to the front, becoming 100123456. This is your new membership number.
- If your RPGA number is currently 12345678 (8 digits), please add only a '1' to the front, becoming 112345678. This is your new membership number.
Once into your account, you may notice that it lists a 10-digit number. We recommend you print and keep the online card so you can use that 10-digit or the converted 9-digit number from this point on. Both will work for all interaction with the RPGA. Note that use of unconverted numbers will not work from this point.
If you experience any difficulties, please review possible answers or contact Customer Service.
by emperor799 » Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:36 pm
Dear WPN Organizer,
This Wednesday, April 8, we’ll be implementing improvements to the D&D event scheduling process. Below is a list of these changes and how they impact your D&D event scheduling.
Two Logos for D&D Events
When you log in to schedule a D&D event (including Living Forgotten Realms, D&D Delve Night, and Worldwide D&D Game Days), you’ll now see two logos.
· If your game is private, meaning it is not open to the public, click the Dungeons & Dragons Private Play logo. Private D&D events can be run anywhere, including homes, stores, etc. We will no longer ask where you are holding your private events.
· If your game is public, meaning it’s run at a public venue (like a game store, library or hotel) and is open to the public, click the Dungeons & Dragons Wizards Play Network logo.
Living Forgotten Realms events can be either public or private, but only public LFR events count for purposes of the organizer’s standing within the Wizards Play Network.
Note that D&D Delve Night and Worldwide D&D Game Day are always public, so click on the Dungeons & Dragons Wizards Play Network logo to schedule those events.
Phone and Email Required for Public Events
When you schedule a public event, you will now be asked to provide a phone number and email address. Please provide the contact information for someone that can provide comprehensive information about your event to potential participants. If you are running a public event at a non-retail location (hotel, library) you should usually not provide the facility phone number or email address.
Improved Shipping Info Form
When you finish scheduling a D&D Delve Night or Worldwide D&D Game Day event, and you live in a region that receives physical materials for these events, you will be required to fill out a mailing fulfillment form so we can ship the materials to you. You can have the materials delivered wherever you choose (except PO Boxes). There is a new drop-down box that will help you enter shipping information.
As a note, Living Forgotten Realms events don’t have physical materials to ship; you’ll always find your download materials available instantly after scheduling your events via link to a .zip file in the “My Events” section of your profile.
Please note that you may not be able to schedule D&D events between noon and 5pm (Pacific Time) on Wednesday, April 8 while the scheduling system is updated to implement these improvements.
We trust these changes will make scheduling D&D events even easier. As always, please let us know if you have any questions or comments about these changes.
Thank you,
The WPN Team
Wizards of the Coast
by emperor799 » Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:07 am
Here is a recap and additional information regarding the changes in D&D scheduling announced last week:
RPGA and Wizards Play Network Event Scheduling Changes
On April 8, we made some important changes to the ordering and reporting databases. You can read about these changes here. We've since received a number of questions about these changes, so we wanted to give you a brief FAQ to clarify.
Q. Why did you change the event types from convention, retail, gameday, and home to Wizards Play Network and private?
A. We had a lot of confusion over the term "gameday," since it was being used to describe both Worldwide D&D Game Day and a type of RPGA public event that was essentially a mini-convention. In addition, we decided it would be much easier for an organizer to simply select whether their game was open to the public or a private session. Public play, no matter where it occurs, counts toward an organizer's credit in the Wizards Play Network. Conventions will still receive special attention through the convention support program; information on the program and its benefits can be found at http://www.wizards.com/conventions.
Q. What is the difference between Wizards Play Network play and private play? How do the previous RPGA types fit into these categories?
A. Wizards Play Network play is simply any play that occurs in a public location that is open to public participation. Private play is closed to the public – either you're playing a game in a home or other private location, or you're playing a closed session in a public place. The previous RPGA categories of convention, gameday, and retail all map to Wizards Play Network play, except for the old home category, which is now considered private play. All RPGA organizers that organize public events (like conventions or in-store games) are Wizards Play Network organizers, and should sign up through the Wizards Play Network at http://www.wizards.com/wpn to receive credit for their work.
Q. When I log into the character tracker to check on my Living Forgotten Realms character, I seem to have 2 versions of that character. What's going on?
A. When we split the play categories into 2 separate types, the character tracker database also split. We are working on correcting that issue, and before the summer convention season arrives we'll have an update about the future utility of the character tracker for Living Forgotten Realms.
Q. I want to run Wizards Play Network games. How do I start?
A. You may already be doing so, and you should definitely receive credit for your work! Simply go to http://www.wizards.com/wpn and sign up to ensure that you're getting the support you need. All public RPGA play is part of the Wizards Play Network, so if you organize any RPGA games in public, you should definitely take advantage of the program and its support.
Q. Do DMs still get credit toward their DM Rewards if they run games in private?
A. Yes. If you DM a game and you're signed up for our DM Rewards program, your activity will count toward your reward regardless of the event type. If you haven't signed up for DM Rewards, you should definitely do so – the program has just been re-launched, and the first mailings are going out soon. You even get a very cool adventure just for signing up, and each year just for updating your contact information. For more information on DM Rewards, head to http://www.wizards.com/dndrewards.
* * *
Please let us know if you have any questions or need any assistance setting up your D&D events.
Thank you,
The WPN Team
Wizards of the Coast
by emperor799 » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:18 pm
Prizes
Teams that successfully complete all six encounters within the allotted time will each receive copies of new D&D game product and will have their characters placed in the Ultimate Dungeon Delve Hall of Fame!
by emperor799 » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:34 pm
by emperor799 » Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:30 am
I took notes during the meeting/seminar Thursday morning. Keith hit some of the highlights in an earlier e-mail but I thought you all might be interested in some of the details. I believe that Shawn M. and Pieter were the only others of our group in attendance.
Chris was joined by Andy Collins (WotC R&D) who said very little.
Chris mentioned that there is team of people who are designated top assist those organizing WPN (Wizards Play Network) events and that you can contact them via the “Help” link on the D&D WPN page or via customer service. The six on the team each have a geographical area that they are responsible for.
Chris broke down D&D organized play activity into 4 main programs, the first being the World Wide Game days (WWGD). Chris went over a bit of the history and purpose of the WWGD. The next one is Sept. 19th to coincide with the release of DMG2.
The second program he covered was LFR. [info in the LFR thread] - [WitR 2009 info in it's thread]
The third program he mentioned was the D&D Rewards program. The program will focus on rewards any DM might want to use in their D&D game.
To participate DM’s need to update their information to gain access to the free adventure. If you have not gotten the adventure and you have updated your contact information then he said you should contact customer service. (Note that there were at least 3 of us there who had issues regarding having multiple DMs who live at the same address and only one of them received the adventure.)
He seemed unaware that there were still outstanding issues with DMs getting credit for D&D XP events (I know neither Keith nor I have anything listed) or Origins.
They hope to have a system for larger cons to use spreadsheets (Excel and another systems whose name I did not catch) to upload their table information available soon. However, the exact date this would be available was still a bit fuzzy, though he seemed confident that it would be available by the end of this year.
Convention Support
This program includes the Classic Dungeon Delve. Basically "last season's delve" will become available for cons to order after the new one premiers. So the classic delve from D&D XP is now available for cons to order (no matter the size) since a new one was used at GenCon.
Chris also explained the reasoning behind having both the “Ultimate” Delve and the “Classic”. Apparently there were issues because most of the delve players were of two different types: one would be those new to 4e or were there to try out a different PC class/role and playing quickly was not something they could/wanted to do and the others who were playing for the challenge. So the Ultimate delve is designed as an endurance race (get through 6 encounters without an extended rest ). Only 25% of the tables are expected to complete this in the time allowed. Those who do will have their PCs name (and some information about them including class/race and something about what they did) posted on a “Hall of Fame” page which will be on the website. Ultimate delves are not currently available to other cons.
The D&D Championship program expanded this year to have a “use your own” PC option and is set in Ebberon. Winners received engraved ipod touches besides product.
Convention organizers can get product bundles, $20. get you $60.00 of product (and not old unwanted stuff) and the D&D kits include reward cards. More information at rewards.com/events
THE FUTURE
The D&D website as a whole will be updated soon...possibly as soon as September, but some time this fall. It will be elegant and stream lined. The front page will have less information pasted all over it, instead their will be links to click to get more detailed information as you go deeper. The forums will also be upgrade (going on now in fact) and there will be ways for the LFR community to add content. No more details than that. He did indicate a person at the con people could contact for more info but Andy Collins spoke up then and said that he believed they were keeping details “close to the vest” because they would rather people see the changes than talk about them.
Testing New Programs
Apparently they did a test of a relaunch of the delve program (in May I think) and the feedback they got had them rethink a few things. It also confirmed to management that we should be testing out new programs before launching them wholesale. This is the first time the RPGA has tested programs, in public, before launch.
The next test will occur the weekend after WWGD (so Sept 26) and this for a program called: "LFR Excursions" and it is a Public Play Only program. The kit will include the adventure and possibly other physical materials to enhance play experience. The goal is to drive play to public places. The plan is to have connected stories but to also allow PCs to jump in and out. This is actually the next LFR mini-campaign and it takes place in Undermountain. The actual mini-campaign/LFR Excursion is scheduled to start January 20th. Locations for testing (game stores) will be selected by WotC based on criteria regarding how frequently the location hosts events and spread out geographically. Note that both locations that see a lot of play and those who see infrequent play will be chosen. Feedback will be gathered and evaluated. This offering will be available to order (eventually) by those with “Gateway” access to events.
The next program to be tested is called “Lair Assault.” While the Ultimate Delve is an endurance test this will be a sprint. Testing will occur sometime this fall. There will be some method for players to use their LFR PCs (and get xp). Ordering this program (when approved) will require “Core “level access.
Epic level LFR will appear at D&D XP 2011 and will focus on tight story arcs. It is likely to have multiple rounds per adventure.
Chris also hinted that in 2010 there will be some adventures that occur in an area beloved by some of the older members and that the second word in the name of the location is also the name of the skill. Yes he actually said it in that manner. (For the younger crowd he was referring to Raven’s Bluff).
D&D XP 2010 Ft. Wayne Jan 28th-31st
There are plans to expand the seminars and Andy hinted that it will be the first place to play in the new campaign setting (not then announced as this was Thursday). It was also noted that this is Not Super Bowl Weekend.
Claire
Keith & Claire Hoffman
LFR Co-Writing Directors for Waterdeep
by emperor799 » Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:12 pm
by emperor799 » Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:16 pm
by emperor799 » Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:07 pm
by emperor799 » Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:54 pm
More Details on D&D Encounters Revealed!
Starting March 17, a new in-store weekly play program begins with D&D Encounters. Over the course of the next few weeks, I'll be sharing with you some design insights into the play experience, and provide organizers, DMs, and players with some tips and tricks to make their D&D Encounters play experience awesome.
For now though, I wanted to give you a little more information on the basics of the program. Here's the scoop on our newest D&D play experience!
Weekly in-store D&D play on Wednesdays.
D&D Encounters runs each week in your local Wizards Play Network store. This is the first D&D program that Wizards has designed specifically for weekly play. And since it’s on Wednesday nights, it stays away from busy weekends and coincides nicely with comic book day.
An ongoing mini-campaign.
D&D Encounters is set up with an ongoing narrative element, played as a mini-campaign lasting a few months. Each mini-campaign is also known as a season of play; after one season finishes, the next one begins the very next week, without interruption. The season is divided up into 3 chapters; each chapter is composed of a few sessions of play.
One encounter per week.
Fitting D&D Encounters into a busy schedule is made much easier with its one encounter per week sessions. You can get the encounter done within 1-2 hours, making it easy to finish at a reasonable hour and keeping the DM’s prep time minimal each week.
Earn Renown Points for accomplishments.
At the conclusion of each session, you earn Renown Points for different types of accomplishments made in game – defeating encounters, hitting milestones, doing something spectacular during a game session, etc. As you accumulate those points, you’ll earn rewards cards that can be used in-game for your current and future D&D Encounters characters. Some rewards are easy to get, and can be obtained after only a few sessions of play; others might take a while to qualify for. The first reward is the Delver reward, and it’s given to you on the session you’ve earned it. The other two rewards (Explorer and Adventurer) are awarded at the end of the season based on those that qualify for them by earning a certain higher total of points.
DMs get rewards too!
In addition to the player rewards in the D&D Encounters kit, there are also special rewards for the DMs, consisting of valuable game aides and other cool specially-made, not-available-for-sale items. Each new season will bring a different DM reward in the kit.
Each season takes you to new D&D worlds.
Every D&D Encounters season is a self-contained mini-campaign, giving you an ongoing story in a different D&D setting each time. Short enough to keep you from making a long-term campaign commitment but long enough to give you a sense of growth and accomplishment, the length of each season will last approximately 3-4 months. The seasonal nature of D&D Encounters also means you’ll be able to sample new game content and different worlds a few times every year. The first season of D&D Encounters is set in the Forgotten Realms, where you’ll be uncovering the secrets of Halaster’s Lost Apprentice in one of the most infamous dungeons of all, Undermountain! And in season two, journey to the blasted lands of Athas as you play in a mini-campaign preview of the Dark Sun campaign setting!
Get social by following us and sharing.
The D&D Encounters play experience goes beyond the store as Wizards uses social networking tools like Twitter and Facebook to communicate messages each week, sometimes offering special in-game benefits or events that affect your current play session. In addition, you can share your stories, post photos, and join the discussion right here at the D&D Community Group.
D&D Encounters: Undermountain
Halaster’s Lost Apprentice: A lost passageway on the upper level of the most infamous dungeon in Faerûn has recently been uncovered. When a patron hires a band of adventurers to brave the dangers of Undermountain, a search is on to uncover secrets of an apprentice of the dungeon’s lost creator – Halaster. Bring a 1st-level character or use a pre-generated character. Characters this season can be exported to the Living Forgotten Realms campaign at the conclusion of the mini-campaign!
Season Length: 12 sessions (3 chapters of 4 sessions each)
Season Dates: March 17 – June 2 (Wednesdays)
Make sure your local store signs up for D&D Encounters through the Wizards Play Network. Signups begin on February 8th. Make sure they sign up early, because kit quantities are limited!
by emperor799 » Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:37 pm
by emperor799 » Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:31 am
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