Living campaign

Last updated

A living campaign, or shared campaign, is a gaming format within the table-top role-playing game community that provide the opportunity for play by an extended community within a shared universe. In contrast to traditional isolated role-playing games, living campaigns allow and encourage players to develop characters that can be played at games run by many different game masters, but which share a game world and campaign setting, as well as a plot line that is overseen by a central core of professional or volunteer editors and contributors. Many living campaigns serve a dual role of providing a creative outlet for highly involved volunteer contributors while also serving as a marketing tool for the publisher of the game system that is the focus of the living campaign. While the earliest living campaigns were run by the now defunct RPGA (Role Playing Gamer's Association), [1] many groups around the world run active living campaigns which are independent or sponsored by other publishers.

Contents

Overview

Living campaigns are a shared campaign setting with a codified set of rules for the campaign that govern how to build and advance characters as well as how the campaign will handle rules elements of the setting. Campaign staff create, distribute, and manage new adventures in that campaign setting, and quite often administer a player database and promote various products. A living campaign lets players build and advance characters, develop their personalities, and forge relationships. Living campaign games are run at conventions, game days and other gatherings. The rules for character tracking allow a player to take their PC they created for the campaign to any of these gatherings and play it in the adventures offered. It is still common for adventures to be offered at conventions with premade characters that fit to the story, but Living campaigns allow for additional options.

The original living campaign was the Living City, set in the Forgotten Realms city of Ravens Bluff, and created by the RPGA. [2] : 13  The campaign ran in its original form in Polyhedron magazine starting in the mid-1980s, and continued until shortly after the advent of 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) in 2000. [3] It then restarted under the auspices of the company Organized Play, but lasted only two years under that license and then reverted in 2003 to Wizards of the Coast. [4] [3] Living City proved to be a popular concept and "the number of Living City events actually surpassed the 'classic' RPGA tournaments — possibly as early as late 1993". [5] In the first decade of the twenty-first century, RPGA created a variety of living campaigns. [5] The largest was Living Greyhawk, played by thousands of people around the world from 2000 to 2008. [6] [7]

Organized play programs

Shared campaigns have occurred for multiple role-playing games:

NameYearSetting/systemNotesRef
Ashes of Athas 2011 – 2013Dark Sun (4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons)Administered by Baldman Games at conventions such as Winter Fantasy. [8] [9] [10]
Chronicle for Vampire2019 – present Vampire: The Masquerade (5th Edition)The official campaign produced by Modiphius Entertainment. [11] [12]
Cypher Play2016 – present Numenera , the Cypher System, and The Strange Organized by Monte Cook Games.. [13] [14]
D&D Encounters2010 – 2016 Forgotten Realms (4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons)An official Dungeons & Dragons organized play program launched by the RPGA and then administered by the D&D Adventurers League after 2014. [15] [16] [17]
D&D Expeditions2014 – 2016Forgotten Realms ( 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons)An official Dungeons & Dragons organized play program launched by the D&D Adventurers League; envisioned as the living campaign successor. [18]
Legacy of the Green Regent2003 – 2006Forgotten Realms (3.5 Dungeons & Dragons)The first of the RPGA's Dungeons & Dragons Campaigns program; it also included digital tracking. [19] [20]
Legends of the Shining Jewel2003 – presentWorld of RAIA (3.5 Dungeons & Dragons/Pathfinder)Transitioned to Pathfinder in 2009. [21] [22] [23]
Living Arcanis2001 – 2009 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons Originally a part of the RPGA, it was then relaunched as a separate program by Paradigm Concepts. [24]
Legends of Arcanis2010 – presentArcanis Roleplaying Game systemParadigm Concepts relaunch program. [25] [26] [27] [24]
Living Arcanis 5E2016 – presentArcanis (5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons) [24] [28] [29]
Living City1987 – 2003Forgotten Realms (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons)The first Living Campaign launched by RPGA; it was a series of adventures set in the city of Raven's Bluff. [5] [30] [31]
Living Death1997 – 2007 Masque of the Red Death (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons, 3.5 Dungeons & Dragons)A RPGA Living Campaign; the campaign was played in seasons assigned to specific campaign years, from 1890 (1996) through 1899 (2007). [32] [5]
Living Divine2011 – 20124th Edition Dungeons & Dragons [33]
Living Force2001 – 2012 Star Wars Roleplaying Game A RPGA Living Campaign; the campaign was set in the Mid-Rim Cularin system one year after The Phantom Menace – it jumped forward in time after the release of Attack of the Clones . [34] [35] [36]
Living Forgotten Realms2008 – 2014Forgotten Realms (4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons)A RPGA Living Campaign; this living campaign utilized the new 4th Edition rules and replaced the 3.5 Edition Living Greyhawk campaign in organized play. [37] [38] [18]
Living Greyhawk 2000 – 2008 Greyhawk (3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons, 3.5 Dungeons & Dragons)A RPGA Living Campaign; the largest RPGA living campaign. [6] [7]
Living Jungle1995 – 2003Forgotten Realms (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons)A RPGA Living Campaign; a spinoff from Living City set in Kara-Tur. [39]
Living Spycraft2002 – 2007 Spycraft A RPGA Living Campaign; in 2005, the campaign converted to the Spycraft 2.0 ruleset. [40] [41]
Mark of Heroes2004 – 2006Eberron (3.5 Dungeons & Dragons)The first RPGA Campaign set in Eberron. [42] [43]
Pathfinder Society2008 – presentPathfinderThe official Pathfinder organized play program. [44] [45] [46]
Quelmar2012 – presentThe Quelmar Realm (Dungeons & Dragons, Candela Obscura, Swords of the Serpentine, among others.)Community-driven series of living campaigns which share the single living realm of Quelmar, primarily at conventions and in local chapters. [47] [48] [49] [50]
Sarbreenar the Living City1992 – 2008Forgotten Realms (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons)A RPGA Living Campaign; a spinoff from Living City specifically for the United Kingdom. [5]
Shadowrun Missions2004 – present Shadowrun (3rd - 6th Editions)The official organized campaign setting sponsored by Catalyst Game Labs. [51] [52] [53]
Starfinder Society2017 – present Starfinder Roleplaying Game The official Starfinder organized play program. [54] [55] [56]
Star Trek Adventures Living Campaign2017 – presentStar Trek AdventuresThe official organized campaign setting by Modiphius Entertainment. [57] [58] [59]
Virtual Seattle1996 – 2004Shadowrun (2nd - 3rd Editions)The first non-Dungeons & Dragons RPGA-sponsored campaign; it was replaced by Shadowrun Missions. [60] [61]
Witch Hunter: Dark Providence2011 – 2013 Witch Hunter: The Invisible World A Paradigm Concepts convention program. [62] [63]
Witch Hunter: Revelations2007 – 2010Witch Hunter: The Invisible WorldA Paradigm Concepts convention program. [64]
Xen'drik Expeditions2006 – 2008Eberron (3.5 Dungeons & Dragons)The second RPGA Campaign set in Eberron. [65] [66]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravenloft</span> Dungeons & Dragons fictional campaign setting

Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a pocket dimension or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land pieces called "domains", brought together by a mysterious force known only as the Dark Powers. Each domain is tailored to and mystically ruled by a being called a Darklord who is forever trapped and surrounded by magical mists surrounding the domain. Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire in the original AD&DRavenloft I6 module released in 1983, became the first Darklord, both ruler and prisoner of his own personal domain of Barovia. The story of how Count von Zarovich became Darklord of Barovia was detailed in the 1993 novel I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire. As originally established in the Ravenloft: Realm of Terror boxed set known as "the Black Box" released in 1990, the Ravenloft campaign setting was located in the Ethereal Plane. As a physical manifestation of that plane, lands, monsters and even people were created out of the mysterious mists, and the realm acted as a prison where one could enter or be transported, but means of escape were few. Other Ravenloft Domains and Darklords were eventually added in various AD&D 2nd edition products establishing a core continent attached around Barovia which could be traveled to by others if their respective lords allowed entering or leaving their borders; while some Domains remained isolated in the mists and were referred to as Islands.

<i>Spelljammer</i> Dungeons & Dragons fictional campaign setting

Spelljammer is a campaign setting originally published for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, which features a fantastic outer space environment. Subsequent editions have included Spelljammer content; a Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition setting update was released on August 16, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Greenwood</span> Canadian fantasy writer and game designer

Ed Greenwood is a Canadian fantasy writer and the creator of the Forgotten Realms game world. He began writing articles about the Forgotten Realms for Dragon magazine beginning in 1979, and subsequently sold the rights to the setting to TSR, the creators of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, in 1986. He has written many Forgotten Realms novels, as well as numerous articles and D&D game supplement books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Baker (game designer)</span> American writer and game designer

Keith Baker is an American game designer and fantasy novel author. In addition to working with Wizards of the Coast on the creation of Eberron, he has also contributed material for Goodman Games, Paizo Publishing and Green Ronin Publishing. In 2014, Baker and Jennifer Ellis co-founded the indie tabletop game company Twogether Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D&D Adventurers League</span> Tabletop role-playing game association

D&D Adventurers League is the organized play association for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) roleplaying game which is officially administered by D&D's publisher, Wizards of the Coast. It was rebranded with the launch of D&D's 5th Edition in 2014. Prior to 2014, it was known as the Role Playing Game Association Network. The organization was originally established by D&D's previous publisher, TSR, Inc., in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean K. Reynolds</span> American professional game designer

Sean K. Reynolds is an American professional game designer, who has worked on and co-written a number of Dungeons & Dragons supplements for Wizards of the Coast, as well as material for other companies.

James Daniel Lowder is an American author, anthologist, and editor, working regularly within the fantasy, dark fantasy, and horror genres, and on tabletop role-playing games and critical works exploring popular culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erik Mona</span> American game designer

Erik Mona is an American game designer who lives in Seattle, Washington.

Paizo Inc. is an American role-playing game publishing company based in Redmond, Washington, best known for the tabletop role-playing games Pathfinder and Starfinder. The company's name is derived from the Greek word παίζωpaizō, which means 'I play' or 'to play'. Paizo also runs an online retail store selling role-playing games board games, comic books, toys, clothing, accessories and other products, as well as an Internet forum community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Stevens</span> CEO of Paizo Publishing

Lisa Stevens is an American editor, CEO and founder of Paizo Publishing, and COO of Goblinworks. She began her career in games in the 1980s, working with Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein•Hagen to help produce the tabletop roleplaying game Ars Magica. She later worked at White Wolf and Wizards of the Coast before founding Paizo. She announced her gradual retirement from her role in June 2020.

<i>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</i> Tabletop role-playing game

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) that was published in 2009 by Paizo Publishing. The first edition extends and modifies the System Reference Document (SRD) based on the revised 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) published by Wizards of the Coast under the Open Game License (OGL) and is intended to be backward-compatible with that edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Bulmahn</span> Game designer

Jason Bulmahn is an American game designer who has written or contributed to several works.

Owen K.C. Stephens is a game designer who has worked on a number of products for the Starfinder, Pathfinder and Star Wars Roleplaying Game and other games.

Free RPG Day is an annual promotional event by the tabletop role-playing game industry. The event rules are fairly simple: participating publishers provide special free copies of games to participating game stores; the game store agrees to provide one free game to any person who requests a free game on Free RPG Day.

<i>Eldritch Role-Playing System</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Eldritch Role-Playing System is a role-playing game published by Goodman Games in 2008.

This is a complete list of works by American science fiction and fantasy author Margaret Weis.

Amanda Hamon Kunz is an American game designer known for her work on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and other d20 role-playing game products.

<i>Starfinder Roleplaying Game</i> Tabletop role-playing game

The Starfinder Roleplaying Game is a science-fiction/science fantasy role-playing game published by Paizo Publishing. It is built on Paizo's previous game, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, both in its game mechanics and universe, but adapted to a more futuristic style than its fantasy predecessor; game content is intended to be easily convertible between the two systems. Like its predecessor, the Starfinder RPG supports adventure paths and other material written by Paizo and third party publishers.

References

  1. ↑ Lindsay, Chris (2017-11-13). "Adventurer's League Survey: You say you want a revolution…". Dungeons and Dragons. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Shannon Appelcline (2011). Designers & Dragons. Mongoose Publishing. ISBN   978-1-907702-58-7.
  3. 1 2 Appelcline, Shannon. "Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (3.0) | Product History". DMs Guild. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
  4. ↑ "Pyramid: Organized Play Drops Living City". www.sjgames.com. December 18, 2003. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Appelcline, Shannon. "LC4: Port of Ravens Bluff, The Living City (2e) | Product History". DriveThruRPG.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  6. 1 2 "Dungeons & Dragons FAQ". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  7. 1 2 Appelcline, Shannon. "Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (3.0) | Product History". DriveThruRPG.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  8. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Rodney Thompson, "D&D Experience Podcast" at 2:02, Wizards of the Coast "D&D Podcast", February 11, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Ashes of Athas | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  10. ↑ "Ashes of Athas". Alphastream. 2015-12-18. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  11. ↑ "Modiphius Announces Organized Play And New Releases For Vampire: The Masquerade". Tabletop Gaming News. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  12. ↑ "Modiphius launches V5 Organised Play Program & new V5 books announced". Modiphius. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  13. ↑ "Monte Cook Games Launches Organized Play". icv2.com. May 25, 2016. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  14. ↑ "Cypher Play Organized Play Program". Monte Cook Games. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  15. ↑ "Dungeons & Dragons tries to lure back players - CNN.com". CNN. June 8, 2010. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  16. ↑ "'D&D' Adventurers League Launches with New Edition". ICv2 . May 21, 2014. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  17. ↑ Thorne, Scott (January 18, 2016). "Rolling for Initiative--WOTC's Changes to 'D&D' OP: A Death Knell for the Program?". Icv2 . Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  18. 1 2 Tulach, Chris (July 3, 2014). "D&D Expeditions". Wizards of the Coast . Archived from the original on August 3, 2014. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  19. ↑ "Legacy of the Green Regent: The Legacy Begins". archive.wizards.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  20. ↑ "LGR - Legacy of the Green Regent | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  21. ↑ "paizo.com - Store / The Shining Jewel". paizo.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  22. ↑ "Legends of the Shining Jewel | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  23. ↑ "Legends of the Shining Jewel – Home of Legends of the Shining Jewel". the-shining-jewel.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  24. 1 2 3 "Paradigm Concepts - Arcanis the World of Shattered Empires - Kickstarter". Tribality. 2017-04-03. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  25. ↑ "Living Arcanis D20 | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  26. ↑ "Legends of Arcanis | PARADIGM CONCEPTS" . Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  27. ↑ "Legends of Arcanis". U-Con Gaming Convention. 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  28. ↑ "D&D 5e Living Arcanis — LA5E-INTRO-02: A Thousand Words". BFGcon 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  29. ↑ "Living Arcanis 5E | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  30. ↑ Appelcline, Shannon. "LC2: Inside Ravens Bluff, The Living City (2e) | Product History". DriveThruRPG.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  31. ↑ "RPGA Living City Adventures | Series | BoardGameGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  32. ↑ "The Living Death Campaign | Family | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  33. ↑ "Living Divine (4e) | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  34. ↑ "What's the Living Force?". Wizards of the Coast. September 6, 2001. Archived from the original on October 27, 2002. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Living Force: Last Stand (The Final Living Force Update)". Wizards of the Coast. February 1, 2007. Archived from the original on February 7, 2007. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Living Force | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  37. ↑ "Living Forgotten Realms". www.livingforgottenrealms.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  38. ↑ "Living Forgotten Realms | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  39. ↑ "Malatra (Living Jungle) | Setting | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  40. ↑ "Patrick Kapera Interview". UK Role Players. 23 February 2008. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  41. ↑ "Living Spycraft Site, Boards, and Lists". Crafty Games. 7 January 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  42. ↑ "Mark of Heroes". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on August 29, 2005. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  43. ↑ "EMH - Eberron: Mark of Heroes | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  44. ↑ "Tabletop RPG Showdown: Dungeons & Dragons 5E vs. Pathfinder". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  45. ↑ Hiller, Ryan (2017-02-07). "Getting Your RPG Fix With Play-by-Post Gaming". GeekDad. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  46. ↑ "Pathfinder Society | Organized Play | Paizo". paizo.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  47. ↑ "Quelmar Community Campaigns" . Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  48. ↑ "Experience a New World with Quelmar" . Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  49. ↑ "Setting the Stage Podcast: James and Quelmar" (Podcast). Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  50. ↑ "PAX Unplugged 2024 RPG Freeplay Community Game Schedule" . Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  51. ↑ "Tabletop Review: Shadowrun Missions: Showcase". Diehard GameFAN. March 4, 2013. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  52. ↑ "Missions". Shadowrun 5. 2011-02-04. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  53. ↑ "Shadowrun Missions | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  54. ↑ "Starfinder Society | Organized Play | Paizo". paizo.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  55. ↑ "Latest Paizo Starfinder and Pathfinder Second Edition News - March 2021". Nerds on Earth. 2021-03-16. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  56. ↑ "Begin Your Science Fantasy Adventuring With the 'Starfinder Beginner Box'". GeekDad. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  57. ↑ GameCentral (2021-01-15). "The 11 best board games to try on lockdown - movie tie-in edition". Metro. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
  58. ↑ Wieland, Rob (June 26, 2020). "A Beginner's Guide To Space Opera Games". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
  59. ↑ Wieland, Rob (January 12, 2021). "What You Need To Get Started On Your Star Trek Adventures". Star Trek. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
  60. ↑ "Virtual Seattle | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  61. ↑ False, Noble Knight Games. "#107 Virtual Seattle, A Few Good Rangers - Polyhedron from TSR". Noble Knight Games. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  62. ↑ "2011 Dragon*Con Gaming Guide". Issuu. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  63. ↑ "Witch Hunter: Dark Providence | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  64. ↑ "Witch Hunter: Revelations | Series | BoardGameGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  65. ↑ "Xen'drik Expeditions". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on July 9, 2006. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  66. ↑ "The Xen'drik Expeditions Campaign | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.