R4 Exit Poll

No one's started this yet? Ok, I guess I'll go...

One big vote for Robert Brookes' On Fertile Ground

I finished reading them, and I'll try to find time to write a review for last one too. After very much debating between my top 2, heres my verdict:

1. Knight's Gambit - While a bit too ambitious and has canon issues (like two of the other proposals), this has by far the most fun and memorable action. Encounters are varied and allow imaginative use of skills. With judges suggestions will be improved into excellent module.
2. On Fertile Ground: A very close second. Has lots of flair and imagination. Would love to play this one too.
3. City of Blood and Chains: Excellent read, but too little to do. Only handful of combat, and RP encounters consist of making one skill check or offering bribe. Would love to see this trimmed down to PFS scenario!
4. Daughters of Fury: Confusing to read, too repetitive in its structure: Fight a tiefling, then listen to NPCs talking to each other. And repeat.

Voted for On Fertile Ground also, though The Daughters of Fury came in a reasonably close second for me.

While I think Robert (Fertile Ground) is the better designer (and he definitely wowed me with his Impact Site encounter) I found Daughters of Fury to be the most engaging and creative, moreso than the other three by a margin.

I feel the structural issues with Victoria's writing may turn folk away from an awesome adventure story that could be developed into something we do not see much of. Much more than kill or be killed.

On Fertile Ground for Me. Overall I believe Robert is the most polished of the remaining designers. I have been impressed with his submissions each round, even Impact Site which violated my own personal bias against mixing sci-fi and fantasy.

Mikko was a very close second. His 3rd round submission alone almost pushed him over the top. But I wanted to make my vote about the entirety of their work and I feel Robert is slightly stronger.

A four of the module proposals were very strong contenders for my vote. In the end, however, I voted for Robert Brookes' On Fertile Ground.

Great job, Top 4!

I voted for the one I wanted to play the most as both a player and as a GM, and the originality of Daughters of Fury just edged the vote.

Yes there are some technical issues, but the module for the pitch will go through editing processes, allowing me to concentrate on the promise of the pitch.

For me it was the wow factor of the pitch and so congratulations to Daughters of Fury for taking my vote.

All of the module pitches were amazing, and I'd be excited to play through any of them. Daughters of Fury got my vote in the end, because, properly developed, I think it has the most potential for a great, story-strong experience. Still, this was very much a case of choosing the best of four good options.

On Fertile Ground was a very close runner-up.

"Knight's Gambit" has my vote. I think Vigil's a great location and Mikko really hits the high notes of the city. I love the ends-justify-the-means type of villain.

"City of Blood & Chains" would be my No. 2 as I think Mike was probably my favorite going in and could easily have beefed up the module so there was plenty to do.

For me, James' suggestions that "On Fertile Ground" be done at higher level and "Daughters of Fury" be relocated were indicative of problems with them. It means they didn't manage to succeed at the design goals (which were a third-level adventure set in one of the cities we were given). It's a little tough, since I have no doubt they'll make good modules if they're published and everyone forgets about the Superstar challenge aspect of their conception, but for the competition part of this, I think those fell a little out of bounds for me.

I voted for Mike Kimmel's "City of Blood & Chains," but I'm not sure I can tell you why. Maybe it was because I read his first, but my eyes glazed over less when reading his than the other three. Maybe I missed some of the awesomeness through each of them (due to the glaze), but there really wasn't one of them where I stopped and said to myself "that's a cool twist!" or "I wouldn't have thought of that!" Of course I really do love Mike Kimmel's "Chimney Troll," so maybe I was biased due to that. Anyway, it looks like "On Fertile Ground" is the frontrunner in the exit poll, but they are close this year and it's still anyone's contest. Good luck to all four contestants.

I was between Blood and Chains and Fertile Ground. Despite being a huge fan of all Mike's previous rounds, I think I have to give my vote to Robert. His adventure hit all of the right buttons for me, and I know I would buy it in a heartbeat. I can't say that of the other three. Strong work from everyone though.

I have read, and re-read, all of the submissions now and my vote has gone to Robert for On Fertile Ground...of all of the submissions, that was the one that I would be stoked to run or to play in...I couldn't say the same for any of the others (although Daughters of Fury has a great story in there...just not sure it's a great adventure...)

I also voted for Robert's entry, with Knight's Gambit in my runner-up position.

On Fertile Ground

It looks like we're starting to get a runaway, though take it from me, the exit poll isn't an exact science.

On Fertile Ground: 8
The Daughters of Fury: 3
Knight's Gambit: 2
City of Blood & Chains: 1

I came to vote, but don't seem to have the option to vote. It's missing. Will try again tomorrow I guess.

...On Fertile Ground.

Remember to stay grounded, Mr. Lucent.

Wow guess I'm an outlier I voted for Kimmels

I found myself also wanting to vote for Mike based on his previous rounds, but then I asked myself which adventure I would buy, and the answer was Robert's.

Knight's Gambit.

None of the names struck me as strong, (blood & chains was close) and no exception here, but Knights Gambit seemed the best polished. It featured well thought plot, convincing NPCs, city-appropriate flavor, a balanced sandbox approach, and a variety of different encounter types. Though others did some of these better, none did all of them better.

I should point out that everything was a Keeper for me :) of course at this level of the competition it should be, but previous years have shown that not everyone who runs the gauntlet has what it takes. I feel this is one of the strongest finishes we have had and happy with any of the four.

Congratulations y'all & thanks :)

Knight's Gambit for me too. It was the one that I'd want to buy and play.

Daughters of Fury for me, as the story lends itself to great role-playing opportunities with NPCs that have complex relationships and motivations. To me, that spells an interesting adventure that will keep my players engaged.

Updating the total tally ...

On Fertile Ground: 10
The Daughters of Fury: 4
Knight's Gambit: 4
City of Blood & Chains: 2

Wow, that was a difficult choice. I ended up going with On Fertile Ground, but I'd be happy with any of these winning, and I certainly look forward to the PFS scenarios produced by the runners-up.

I picked Daughters of Fury as well. And now I can't stop picturing Samuel L. Jackson watching over a brood of young girls in eyepatches...

city of blood and chains

Just to finalize it, as we come really close to putting a bow on this year's Superstar:

On Fertile Ground: 11
The Daughters of Fury: 5
Knight's Gambit: 4
City of Blood & Chains: 3

Daughters of Fury for me, Fertile Ground was a very close second (with very different strengths).

The locations made this tough on me, as I'm not that fond of Cheliax in general. Each write-up had some very strong points.

Knight's Gambit is a fantastic adventure idea, I'm just not sure it works as a pre-written module. Perhaps Mikko will get a chance to prove me wrong someday.

Corentyn is actually my favorite Chelaxian city, so plus there for (I think) the great-named City of Blood & Chains. Adventure is even intriguing, I'm just sick of Hellknights.

Fertile Ground is ambitious, with the open options for who to ally with (if anyone). The background was my difficulty here - it felt like a bit of a stretch.

Daughters of Fury had fantastic characters, and a great plot as well. Someone fairly commented that keeping the focus on the PCs and not the NPCs might be difficult, but it still felt like an adventure to me, not like a story.

Congratulations to everyone - tough choices all around!

Never trust an exit poll!

Congratulations Victoria!

I picked Daughters of Fury as well. And now I can't stop picturing Samuel L. Jackson watching over a brood of young girls in eyepatches...

If I hadn't made it, I would have been all over this to reuse the title.