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4 years ago ::
Jan 06, 2009 - 9:33AM
#41
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Date Joined:
Jun 18, 2003
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Let's just resign to playing the mod instead of muling on about it here :D
Yeah, can't we talk about what an awesome adventure it is instead!?
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4 years ago ::
Jan 06, 2009 - 11:11AM
#42
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Date Joined:
Aug 10, 2007
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So, when will CORE1-4 be available? 
Dan Anderson
@EpicUthrac
Living Forgotten Realms Calimshan Writing Director
Living Forgotten Realms Epic Writing Director
Meet me at TotalConfusion:
http://www.totalcon.com/RolePlaying.html
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4 years ago ::
Jan 06, 2009 - 12:36PM
#43
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
- Dragon Slayer
- D&DI News Guide
Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2005
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So, when will CORE1-4 be available?
A little birdy tells me it's gone out to the admins, so I'd expect it very soon.
And of course, your Regional Event Manager should be able to get it to you.
Wolf Star76 Community Advocate (SVCL) for D&D Organized Play, Avalon Hill, and the DCI/WPN LFR Community Manager DDi Guide  Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter
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4 years ago ::
Jan 06, 2009 - 1:20PM
#44
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Date Joined:
Sep 17, 2006
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Yeah, that New Years holiday really came out of nowhere. Nobody could have predicted that would have come up. 
You seem to have a problem with people who are complaining. Look, I'll break it down for you. I spend money on D&D products so I can play in and organize RPGA events. When the RPGA screws up, it causes me problems. This makes me unhappy, and I complain about it in the hope that the underlying issues will be corrected. As a paying customer, I have some expectation that WotC cares enough about what I think to address my complaints.
You don't have the same issues, or choose not to complain about them. That's fine. But coming here and telling the rest of us that we shouldn't be complaining because you aren't affected is rather silly.
Again just because they said sometime (in August) SPEC 1-1 would be available after 01-01-09 doesn't mean it was going to be 100%. The reason this date is give is more than likely due to it's expiration date. As I look at all the mods I have now they all have an expiration date that is the last day of the year of it's expiration. Things happen. If something happened (time off for employees, snow, etc) then it is outside of their control. Again no one can predict the future. I'm sorry that I can not make this clear. You have a right to complain however telling me I have no right to voice my opinion, or point out how silly it is to get up in arms about this issue (when common sense shows that getting angry doesn't fix the problem) is contrary to the right by which you state you are allowed to complain.
I understand the need to complain, however mentioning this to customer service would be a better option, imho of course.
For instance I had a question about a mod I am going to run soon. I used the e-mail listed on the mod and received no response. Instead of pounding my fist and getting angry at WotC all over these boards for something that...in the grand scheme of life...is not even a blip on the radar I chose to e-mail the module's author. I got my response.
You pay money for your D&D products, as do I. I don't see the logic in getting angry at the company that you want to provide you products for your game. The level of anger that has been thrown at WotC (especially on these forums that they don't have to provide us btw) is bizzare (imho). I don't see how people can't understand that snow/winter/severe weather + holidays can shut nearly everything down. WotC of course isn't going to be the only business effected by this. Nothing can change, correct, or rectify that problem as the snow has already fallen and the holidays are past. It's also common knowledge that the first Monday after the holidays is (usually) the first full "normal" day of business for everyone (at least within the USA). It's been that way for years, and probably will not change.
Those were the points I was trying to make. Sorry if I sounded so vague, but again I apply common sense to problems I encounter and try not to get overly worked up over things that can be easily corrected (or have an alternate way of reaching a positive outcome).
Some minor nitpicking and that is the only thing I will add to this discussion since it's overdue anyway.
First of all you paid money for the DnD system, nowhere in your purchase records you will find anything related to buying any rights or services from the RPGA. Wizards offers the RPGA organized play network as a free service run mostly by volunteers, they don't earn any money with it except for the runoff when attracting new players that like the system and thus buy the books.
I agree with your second statement but I do think this isn't entirely the fault of wizards either. Arguments pro and con have already been posted above.
Let's just resign to playing the mod instead of muling on about it here :D
Quoted for the -real- truth.
--------------
Now has anyone run the mod? How is it? Did you have a difficult time with this? The reason I ask is I plan on running this along with some other 1-4 mods and I would not want to run 1st level characters through an overly tough mod.
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4 years ago ::
Jan 06, 2009 - 2:33PM
#45
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Date Joined:
Dec 15, 2005
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I playtested it way back for GenCon and ran it about 6 times now. It is perfectly suitable for 1st level characters as long as you make sure you alert them to the pressure of time. Make sure you get the best out of the SC in the middle, every time I ran it it was totally different but awesome nonetheless. Great work also in the flavour department. Chappeau Sean and Shawn 
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4 years ago ::
Jan 06, 2009 - 7:48PM
#46
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Date Joined:
Aug 14, 2006
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telling me I have no right to voice my opinion
I didn't, so your indignation is unwarranted. I merely pointed out that your position is ridiculous.
As for anger, I suggest you read my posts again, then read your own, and tell me which of us sounds angry.
Wizards offers the RPGA organized play network as a free service run mostly by volunteers, they don't earn any money with it
There seems to be a large contingent here that dismisses any troubles with the RPGA by saying, "You can't complain; it's free." Except, of course, that it isn't. WotC maintains the RPGA because it entices people to play D&D and purchase D&D products. My decision to spend money on D&D was based entirely on the existence of the RPGA and what it has to offer me, and I'm sure there are many others for whom the existence of the RPGA played at least some part in their decision to spend money. It's disingenuous to act like WotC is doing this out of the goodness of its heart.
I understand the need to complain
No, I don't think you do. You characterize complaints as "biting the hand that feeds you" and you seem to think that the only motive for complaining is venting one's anger. That isn't true at all.
I enjoy playing RPGA adventures, but some recent issues have made my experience much less enjoyable than I'd like. If the issues continue, then I won't be able to continue participating in the RPGA, because, frankly, it just won't be worth my time when I have other fun things I could do instead.
Further, I spend money on D&D products solely because of my involvement with the RPGA. If that's no longer worth my time, it's no longer worth my money either.
I complain because I'd like things to get better, and complaining is the only way WotC is going to know that these issues are a problem for me. Since this is directly related to how much money I spend with them, I'd like to think that WotC cares about that.
If something happened (time off for employees, snow, etc) then it is outside of their control.
It's hardly credible to suggest that schedule holidays are beyond the parent company's control.
Let's just resign to playing the mod instead of muling on about it here
I would, but my group's rescheduled for a weekend when I'll be out of state.
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4 years ago ::
Jan 06, 2009 - 8:29PM
#47
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Date Joined:
Mar 29, 2001
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I point out where they had to CLOSE THE OFFICE EARLY due to weather.
Might have had some some SMALL effect on getting the stuff onto the website on time.
Ya think?
It was delayed a few days. SO WHAT.
-karma
LFR Characters:
Lady Tiana Elinden Kobori Silverwane - Drow Control Wizard
Kro'tak Warscream - Orc Bard
Fulcrum of Gond - Warforged Laser Cleric
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4 years ago ::
Jan 07, 2009 - 1:22AM
#48
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Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
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There seems to be a large contingent here that dismisses any troubles with the RPGA by saying, "You can't complain; it's free." Except, of course, that it isn't. WotC maintains the RPGA because it entices people to play D&D and purchase D&D products. My decision to spend money on D&D was based entirely on the existence of the RPGA and what it has to offer me, and I'm sure there are many others for whom the existence of the RPGA played at least some part in their decision to spend money. It's disingenuous to act like WotC is doing this out of the goodness of its heart.
I think you misunderstand. WotC understands the importance, relatively, of the RPGA, which is why it currently exists at all. What you don't seem to understand is that the RPGA is not a direct income flow for WotC, but purely an expense.
And, like all marketing-related expenses, it will usually be one of the first things to be cut, if there are cash-flow issues. And the current economy is causing cash-flow issues pretty much generally, no?
I complain because I'd like things to get better, and complaining is the only way WotC is going to know that these issues are a problem for me. Since this is directly related to how much money I spend with them, I'd like to think that WotC cares about that.
Complaining almost never causes things to get better. If the complaints are too vociferous, it is likely to cause things to get cut and/or canceled.
If you want to help things improve, you need to can the complaints, and instead concentrate on a different approach; what is called constructive criticism. That is what companies provide to their employees during their annual reviews, you know. Not complaints that such-and-so stinks, but, rather, "We think there is a better way to handle this aspect of your job. Let's discuss what you are doing now, and some possible ways to improve your performance."
Actually, someone (Alphastream1, I think?) has a thread on the AKAN1-1 module that is almost a perfect example of constructive criticism. It is masked as DME modifications, but it can also be used as an example of how to use similar monsters in multiple encounters in the same module while giving the encounters their own flavor.
It's hardly credible to suggest that schedule holidays are beyond the parent company's control.
A couple of things to think about: Weather problems (which WotC's area had); FMLA, which is seldom scheduled, other than "Here is the amount of FMLA time you have for this year." in advance; personal illness (I am probably going to be staying home from work tomorrow myself, I didn't even recognize my own voice when I called a friend earlier to cancel out of our Tuesday night D&D game, and my job is based on talking on the phone.); sudden injuries (which can be caused by bad weather, since icy conditions are more likely to have slip-and-fall accidents); other family emergencies (my mom died, and I had to fly across the country for her wake (true story for me a decade ago, by the way); my child slipped yesterday, and we spent all night in the emergency room; etc.)
Not to mention, to be honest, that I was surprised that their servers managed to stay up at all. I have had a couple of power failures at home in the past few days.
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4 years ago ::
Jan 07, 2009 - 2:47AM
#49
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Date Joined:
Feb 16, 2008
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Now has anyone run the mod? How is it? Did you have a difficult time with this? The reason I ask is I plan on running this along with some other 1-4 mods and I would not want to run 1st level characters through an overly tough mod.
Well, I played it on Sunday. I thought it was rather good, one of the better LFR modules that I've played (I've played most of the 1-4 ones). Although we had only four players (including a couple of 1sts and my own fourth-level healing cleric), we didn't have that many severe problems with the module, and we had good synergy. Granted, in every combat at least two characters were bloodied, sometimes more than once, but with a high-level cleric that's not a problem.
The room in the middle, with the statue (I'm trying not to be too spoilery here) caused us a small amount of problems, and given what happens almost straight afterwards, I can see how not seperating out the two encounters could cause problems. Ironically, the later encounter, the one with the err, consecrated ground, which initially looked difficult was a complete piece of cake due to our ranger doing over 60 points of damage in one round due to action-pointing and rolling three crits in a row. Loved the guy at the end, too.
This scenario was a whole order of magnitude better than the dreadful WEEK1-1 - and this quite easiiy should and could have been a special event.
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4 years ago ::
Jan 07, 2009 - 5:01AM
#50
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Date Joined:
Sep 17, 2006
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I didn't, so your indignation is unwarranted. I merely pointed out that your position is ridiculous.
As for anger, I suggest you read my posts again, then read your own, and tell me which of us sounds angry.
Twas not I. I remained quite calm through the whole thing even including this post. I used to be angry but learned of different ways of achieving the same outcome without become so angry.
There seems to be a large contingent here that dismisses any troubles with the RPGA by saying, "You can't complain; it's free." Except, of course, that it isn't. WotC maintains the RPGA because it entices people to play D&D and purchase D&D products. My decision to spend money on D&D was based entirely on the existence of the RPGA and what it has to offer me, and I'm sure there are many others for whom the existence of the RPGA played at least some part in their decision to spend money. It's disingenuous to act like WotC is doing this out of the goodness of its heart.
Again, your decision. You could also play a home game or a non-RPGA campaign of your own style and build (or even one based in The Realms) with your product. I'm not trying to state the obvious however IIRC this is how D&D became popular, and probably how a large portion of people play (and probably would play if there was no RPGA).
No, I don't think you do. You characterize complaints as "biting the hand that feeds you" and you seem to think that the only motive for complaining is venting one's anger. That isn't true at all.
When complaints from others are read as angry posts then this is why I posted what I did. It appeared that others were biting the hand that feeds them. I'm sorry if you find it false however being overly angry without providing a solution (in a calm manner) to someone providing a "free" product will more than likely result in someone pulling that free product for use. The RPGA content is not a pay-to-play because one does not have to pay for the PHB to play, they can borrow someone else's...DMing though requires purchase of the product, but the modules are free.
I enjoy playing RPGA adventures, but some recent issues have made my experience much less enjoyable than I'd like. If the issues continue, then I won't be able to continue participating in the RPGA, because, frankly, it just won't be worth my time when I have other fun things I could do instead.
Further, I spend money on D&D products solely because of my involvement with the RPGA. If that's no longer worth my time, it's no longer worth my money either.
I complain because I'd like things to get better, and complaining is the only way WotC is going to know that these issues are a problem for me. Since this is directly related to how much money I spend with them, I'd like to think that WotC cares about that.
This is where the customer service link/e-mail comes in handy. Also writting a letter to someone would probably be a good idea. Again I have been angry with something I invested my time and money in (not D&D), and I wrote a letter. Someone is more likely to read a letter than an e-mail, imho.
It's hardly credible to suggest that schedule holidays are beyond the parent company's control.
I would, but my group's rescheduled for a weekend when I'll be out of state.
Seeing as how some of the jobs I have had have closed down during the holidays, and that businesses around me close during the holidays, I feel my statement is 100% credible...and is filled with something I call common sense.
Now if you wish to discuss this further I invite you to PM me off this thread. There's enough mud here already. 
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