Community

WolfStar76 wrote:

I'll be happy to make a "non-published updates" sticky thread to help track such changes if it would help admins and/or RPGA staff out. Heck. . . might do so anyway, just because.

I think that this would be a very helpful thread for players both new and old. LG had a couple sites (the Theocracy of the Pale's website comes to mind) where rulings by the global admins and errata were linked and referenced; a thread doing that might also be helpful.

RancherChef wrote:

I'd say lets see what happens with the next update to the CCG. The problem with allowing all admins to be listed as rules sources is that you then have a number of folks who can create contradictory rulings and without any "paper trail" you be creating more issues that you're solving.

I say the real solution is to give the titular head of the RPGA a venue to make changes to the CCG on both a permanent and interim basis. This source needs to be listed somewhere "official" that all players, old and new, are referred to. The admins interpret the rules, but they should not "officially" make rules on the fly; they should function as (again) interpreters and advisors.

And if you're going to list all internet forums as a rules source - well might as well pack up and quit now; it's neither practical or legal (not that legal matters yet) and how are you going to control everything and everyone on them... Also what happens when Admin's disagree? Check on how every other gaming organization works; no need to reinvent the wheel; it's the way to do it.

Clarification - by "the forums" I was referring to these official RPGA forums. Mailing lists, fan sites, and the like would not be included.

While I don't think there'd be a big issue with allowing all admins as rules sources/qualifiers, I'd also have no objection to limiting to Global Admins. That would have the added bonus of being a short list that could be published (and easily edited - y'know, for when we overthrow Merwin) in the CCG.

RancherChef wrote:

Regarding giving Global Admins (or anyone else) any sort of decisive rule making ability I'd suggest a reread of the RPGA rules as posted on the website.

I'm not suggesting giving the admins rule *making* abilities (although I thought that worked pretty well in LG given that they only issues campaign-specific rules decisions), I was suggesting giving the admins the authority to clarify campaign (again, not Core game) rules in the realm of, "is this document official", etc. I suspect that such rulings will be less necessary now that we have a system that more closely follows the Core rules of the game, but I would bet my hat that they're going to be required (see "do I have to worship a living deity if I'm a diving character" and "can I worship Lolth" as examples of this).

RancherChef wrote:

The VCL's and other folks associated with the RPGA can and should be paying more attention to these items in fact than game rulings.

Clarification - As the RPGA VCL, I don't represent the RPGA. I'm simply a task holder for the Forum Community Management Team. Nobody from the RPGA had any say (for better or worse) in my appointment.

I simply applied for the task in the Community Business forum (VCL Application Thread) and will have to renew in November, at which point other candidates have the option to apply for the position.

The only approving body is Solice, the Community Liason (so far as I know).

That said, I *have* found that it increases my communication from a couple of the globals, but I think that just comes with the position of being the "focal point" for RPGA forum communication.

In short - I'm nobody official.

[EDIT]
Added a link to the VCL application thread. I'll link it again when the time comes for me to renew, so that others have a chance to apply themselves (or to comment for/against my renewal).

RancherChef wrote:

Thanks for the clarification - with so little spelled out it's hard to tell who does/is what.

Oh, the VCL program is spelled out fairly well in community business - the catch is I'm not listed in the RPGA documentation, because it isn't an RPGA position.

I'm the first VCL we've had (and was only recently appointed), however, so it isn't surprising people aren't fully aware of what the position does/doesn't entail.

You can read more about it here (VCL Handbook), or in my "introductory" post, here.