Living Greyhawk:Living Greyhawk:

A Community of “Gamers”A Community of “Gamers”

What is Living Greyhawk What is Living Greyhawk (LG) ?(LG) ?

Worldwide Shared Dungeons and Worldwide Shared Dungeons and Dragons™ Campaign administered by the Dragons™ Campaign administered by the Role Playing Gamers’ Association (RPGA)Role Playing Gamers’ Association (RPGA)

Set in the ‘original’ Dungeons and Set in the ‘original’ Dungeons and Dragons™ campaign world of Dragons™ campaign world of Greyhawk™Greyhawk™

Started in August 2000 at GenCon™ with Started in August 2000 at GenCon™ with the release of the 3the release of the 3rdrd Edition of Dungeons Edition of Dungeons and Dragons™, currently using edition and Dragons™, currently using edition 3.5 (released in 2003)3.5 (released in 2003)

What is the LG What is the LG Community?Community? Currently (July 2006) estimated at Currently (July 2006) estimated at

over 30,000 players worldwide.over 30,000 players worldwide. Concentrated in the United States Concentrated in the United States

and Canada, but with a strong and Canada, but with a strong presence in Western Europe and presence in Western Europe and Australia/New Zealand. Games have Australia/New Zealand. Games have been reported played on every been reported played on every continent.continent.

Growing at about 5-7% (net) Growing at about 5-7% (net) annually.annually.

Who is a member of Who is a member of the LG Community?the LG Community? The 30,000 players.The 30,000 players.

– This number includes judges, event This number includes judges, event organizers and campaign administration organizers and campaign administration (There is significant overlap)(There is significant overlap)

Players?Players?– Any individual who attends an event and Any individual who attends an event and

plays a session of Living Greyhawk with an plays a session of Living Greyhawk with an anticipated return to the game.anticipated return to the game.

Judges?Judges?– The first tier of volunteers, who serve as The first tier of volunteers, who serve as

Dungeon Masters for individual events.Dungeon Masters for individual events.

Who is a member of Who is a member of the LG Community?the LG Community? Event Organizers?Event Organizers?

– Volunteers who coordinate “game days” Volunteers who coordinate “game days” and conventions where Living Greyhawk and conventions where Living Greyhawk games are offered and played.games are offered and played.

Campaign Administrators?Campaign Administrators?– Very senior volunteers who are Very senior volunteers who are

responsible for the smooth running of the responsible for the smooth running of the campaign and the production of campaign campaign and the production of campaign materials (including rules changes and materials (including rules changes and scenarios)scenarios)

Who are the Campaign Who are the Campaign Administrators?Administrators?

– 1 Professional staff member on the paid 1 Professional staff member on the paid staff of RPGA and Wizards of the staff of RPGA and Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro (WotC).Coast/Hasbro (WotC).

– 6 Senior Volunteers known as the “Circle of 6 Senior Volunteers known as the “Circle of Six”. Collectively responsible for the day to Six”. Collectively responsible for the day to day administration of the campaign as a day administration of the campaign as a whole and individually responsible for a whole and individually responsible for a certain geographical region.certain geographical region.

– Regional Triads. Volunteer teams of 3 Regional Triads. Volunteer teams of 3 members, responsible for the administration members, responsible for the administration of smaller geographical regions. Answer to of smaller geographical regions. Answer to one of the members of the Circle of Six.one of the members of the Circle of Six.

DemographicsDemographics

There is limited demographical information There is limited demographical information available for the community, however…available for the community, however…– A typical gamer:A typical gamer:

MaleMale Between 15-25 years oldBetween 15-25 years old Highly educated/intellectually talentedHighly educated/intellectually talented

– This stereotype doesn’t completely fit the Living This stereotype doesn’t completely fit the Living Greyhawk community. From observations and Greyhawk community. From observations and interviews with volunteers and players:interviews with volunteers and players:

There are a substantial number of female players and There are a substantial number of female players and volunteers (as much as 10-15%)volunteers (as much as 10-15%)

Living Greyhawk players and volunteers tend to be Living Greyhawk players and volunteers tend to be older. A significant percentage are in the 25-40 age older. A significant percentage are in the 25-40 age category.category.

MethodsMethods

Observations:Observations:– Conventions and Game days (Mostly Utah and Conventions and Game days (Mostly Utah and

Western U.S.Western U.S. Interviews with volunteers (face to face and e-Interviews with volunteers (face to face and e-

mail)mail)– RPGA/WotC Staff MemberRPGA/WotC Staff Member– Current Member of Circle of Six / Former Circle of Six Current Member of Circle of Six / Former Circle of Six

MemberMember– Several current and former members of regional Several current and former members of regional

triads (Western U.S. and Australian regions)triads (Western U.S. and Australian regions)– Event organizersEvent organizers

Informal interviews and discussionsInformal interviews and discussions– Utah playersUtah players

ProblemsProblems

Much of the data is anecdotal.Much of the data is anecdotal. No real way to gather official data except No real way to gather official data except

data mining through records controlled by data mining through records controlled by RPGA/WotC/Hasbro and governed by RPGA/WotC/Hasbro and governed by corporate policycorporate policy– Even this data will be incomplete and contain Even this data will be incomplete and contain

significant errors.significant errors. Other methods of gathering better data will Other methods of gathering better data will

skew results; it has been attempted by RPGA skew results; it has been attempted by RPGA and results were discounted as there was and results were discounted as there was significant deviation from database entries.significant deviation from database entries.

Information Services in Information Services in the Communitythe Community Living Greyhawk uses the internet Living Greyhawk uses the internet

almost exclusively for official almost exclusively for official information distribution.information distribution.– WebsitesWebsites– Email list-servesEmail list-serves– Internet forumsInternet forums

Have also used several “official Have also used several “official magazines” but this practice has been magazines” but this practice has been discontinueddiscontinued– Living Greyhawk JournalLiving Greyhawk Journal– Polyhedron MagazinePolyhedron Magazine– Dungeon™ / Dragon™ MagazinesDungeon™ / Dragon™ Magazines

Websites:Websites:

Official RPGA Campaign website.Official RPGA Campaign website.– http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/arch/dndlhttp://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/arch/dndl

gg– Hard to remember the URLHard to remember the URL– Corporate Run (WotC/Hasbro)Corporate Run (WotC/Hasbro)– Large amount of Wizards of the Coast Advertising Large amount of Wizards of the Coast Advertising

and Brandingand Branding– Difficult to navigateDifficult to navigate– ClutteredCluttered

Websites:Websites:

Regional WebsitesRegional Websites– http://http://www.nyrond.orgwww.nyrond.org// ; ; http://http://

www.duchyurnst.orgwww.duchyurnst.org// ; ; http://www.living-dyvers.nethttp://www.living-dyvers.net//

– Easy to remember URLsEasy to remember URLs– Fan/volunteer runFan/volunteer run– Varies, but tend to be easy to navigateVaries, but tend to be easy to navigate– Tend to be uncluttered and well organizedTend to be uncluttered and well organized– One region even runs its own “wiki”One region even runs its own “wiki”

http://duchyurnst.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Pagehttp://duchyurnst.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

E-mail List-servesE-mail List-serves

None that are “OFFICIAL” run by RPGA/WotC.None that are “OFFICIAL” run by RPGA/WotC. Too many to count. Most initially sponsored Too many to count. Most initially sponsored

by players or low-level volunteers, have been by players or low-level volunteers, have been adopted as official.adopted as official.

Most run on Yahoogroups.Most run on Yahoogroups. Most of the 32 regions have one or moreMost of the 32 regions have one or more Two or three claiming to be campaign wideTwo or three claiming to be campaign wide Membership varies massively. From 5-10 Membership varies massively. From 5-10

members into the thousands (2775 as of members into the thousands (2775 as of 7/28/06 for Living_greyhawk)7/28/06 for Living_greyhawk)

Internet ForumsInternet Forums

Were really strong early on Were really strong early on (2000) have been in decline as (2000) have been in decline as free e-mail list-serves have free e-mail list-serves have become more popular.become more popular.

Still one on the WotC website. Still one on the WotC website. Traffic varies, most new Traffic varies, most new discussions are off-topic.discussions are off-topic.

Some regions still have them on Some regions still have them on their websites.their websites.

Magazines:Magazines:

Living Greyhawk JournalLiving Greyhawk Journal– Ran in 2000/2001, produced 7-8 issuesRan in 2000/2001, produced 7-8 issues– very irregular print schedulevery irregular print schedule– problems obtaining contentproblems obtaining content– Expensive to printExpensive to print

PolyhedronPolyhedron– Official Magazine of RPGAOfficial Magazine of RPGA– Was independent publication until 2002Was independent publication until 2002– Briefly was printed as part Dungeon™ MagazineBriefly was printed as part Dungeon™ Magazine– Now on “hiatus”Now on “hiatus”

MagazinesMagazines

Dungeon MagazineDungeon Magazine– Printed Polyhedron for a timePrinted Polyhedron for a time– Included Living Greyhawk content, but discontinued in Included Living Greyhawk content, but discontinued in

part due to complaints from LG Players (who didn’t want part due to complaints from LG Players (who didn’t want to purchase a magazine for content that they had earlier to purchase a magazine for content that they had earlier received for free) and from subscribers (many of whom received for free) and from subscribers (many of whom had little interest in LG)had little interest in LG)

– Occasionally will have a special LG Feature, but with Occasionally will have a special LG Feature, but with application to the D&D™ Community as a wholeapplication to the D&D™ Community as a whole

Dragon MagazineDragon Magazine– Still occasionally prints LG materials. Mostly Still occasionally prints LG materials. Mostly

announcements that there are changes coming, please announcements that there are changes coming, please watch the website.watch the website.

– Occasionally LG will adopt parts of articles printed in Occasionally LG will adopt parts of articles printed in Dragon™ Magazine.Dragon™ Magazine.

My Theory:My Theory:

Despite well publicized information Despite well publicized information online, there are many players who online, there are many players who are less invested in the community are less invested in the community and rely on others for their and rely on others for their information.information.

This is difficult to prove with the This is difficult to prove with the current information and would current information and would require other methods of require other methods of triangulationtriangulation

Other alternativesOther alternatives

Survey:Survey:– Difficult, large number of players, Difficult, large number of players,

very diversevery diverse– Distribution will skew results. By Distribution will skew results. By

use of internet distribution, will only use of internet distribution, will only get the players who regularly check get the players who regularly check the online sources. Distribution at the online sources. Distribution at major conventions may well result in major conventions may well result in similar problems.similar problems.

More alternativesMore alternatives

Extensive ObservationExtensive Observation– Expensive. Games happening all Expensive. Games happening all

over the world. Conducting a over the world. Conducting a representative observations would representative observations would require observations all over (I require observations all over (I would love to do this however!)would love to do this however!)

– Access. Many games occur in small Access. Many games occur in small private groups in homes or other private groups in homes or other private locations.private locations.