Hi everyone.
I had to pop in and give the Superstar boards a long overdue hello.
I am so sorry I can't be involved this year but with the addition of Ryan Dancey I'm sure no one will even notice I am gone. I can't tell you how lucky you all are to have Ryan as a judge (as well as Sean, of course, and Mark and Neil). Not only is it my pleasure to call Ryan a friend, but there is also no greater champion of Open Gaming than Ryan Dancey. And without open gaming, there would be no OGL, and thus no Pathfinder. And since, in my view, Pathfinder is the true heir to the D&D throne and is the spiritual successor to 3E, that means we all have a lot to thank Ryan for.
I just wanted to take a minute and encourage everyone to enter the contest. If you have watched the process in any of the prior years then you already know what an amazing, supportive process this is. The very act of creating and submitting an item, even if you don't advance, is well worth the time and effort. Its an amazing community here. The feedback and support is wonderful. And the depth of knowledge on these boards, collectively, is without peer.
So take a shot! Submit an item! You can do it. Put aside the fears and excuses. What you come to learn, even as a published author, is that those fears of whether people will like your stuff never really goes away. So if you are worried about that, well, the published authors worry about it too. Creation is a personal and revealing process; it leaves you vulnerable. Which is why you need to create in a supportive and caring community. And I dont know of a better one than this one. So give it a go.
I have two bits of advice: (1) do your homework. We have always posted threads about successful (or unsuccessful) item types. I see Sean has started an even better set of threads this year. Look at the old submissions from prior years. See what works and what doesn't. (2) Swing for the fences. By that I don't mean be intentionally gonzo. I mean go big. Don't go for another figurine of wondrous power (no matter how cool it may be). Find something common and make it uncommon. That is a wondrous item. Think helm of brilliance, not spoon of stirring. I hope that helps. And if you are having trouble deciding between multiple items, go with your heart. Pick the one you love, because likely that passion will come through in your item design.
I know every year I am king of rah rah about this same topic, but I love Superstar and I love the process and I love Paizo and everyone associated with the process. Believe me, you will be glad you submitted. And hopefully past contributors, even those who didn't make the cut, will chime in and agree.
So best of luck to everyone! I'll do my best to chime in from time to time. And believe me when I tell you that I will very much be missing the insanely crazy and long nights of reading submissions and writing reviews.
Clark
Clark you're too kind. As someone who made it all work for real more than in theory, the Open Gaming communitiy owes much more to you and the other pioneers than me. I just had to win a few arguments. You all took much greater personal and professional risks.
RyanD
Hi everyone.
... Which is why you need to create in a supportive and caring community. And I dont know of a better one than this one. ...
This is in large part credit to you Clark. Thanks for that!
Thanks for the words of encouragement and for all the time you have (and probably will :) give to this cool contest :)
Hey, Clark! I was hoping you'd pop in eventually. I'll really miss your commentary and all the flat-out fun you always brought to this thing. It's really interesting to view this from the other side of the curtain now. I have a HUGE appreciation for the efforts you and all the prior judges put into this thing. Thank you for that. And keep bringing the awesome commentary as you can...
--Neil
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Nice to hear from you, Clark! It's hard to imagine RPG Superstar without you on the judging panel, so it is reassuring to know that you'll be popping in now and again :). I haven't made it to the Top 32 (yet!), but your input on my previous submissions has been thoughtful, challenging and encouraging -- and has hopefully made me a better designer!
I'll do my best to chime in from time to time.
Awesome!
Hey Clark,
Good to know you'll be looking in on the competition. I hope that you can find the time to guest judge on one of the later rounds.
And yes, Clark is completely right, the whole process of RPG Superstar is something I wouldn't have missed for the world. So, craft that idea, chisel it into shape, smooth out its rough patches, polish it till it glows, and SUBMIT IT!
Clark, while I'm sorry to see you won't be judging (and not just because it meant I had to scratch my plan of bribing my way in with another monkey-based item...) I'm glad to hear you'll still be following the madness. I hope you'll have as much (or more) fun watching as you did judging.
Clark, while I'm sorry to see you won't be judging (and not just because it meant I had to scratch my plan of bribing my way in with another monkey-based item...) I'm glad to hear you'll still be following the madness. I hope you'll have as much (or more) fun watching as you did judging.
Oh, I'm not sure you should give up on the banana peel of monkey summoning just yet. There's plenty of other judges who are just as keen on monkeys :)
gbonehead, I just wanted to complement you on your sexy purple avatar border. :)
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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I'll be missing the Clarkmania from this year's contest, but certainly give you big ups for all you've done in the contest from the get-go. As I said to my main man Boomer von Boomerstein I will say also to you, Clark:
You, sir, are a madman, and I mean that in the best possible way. :)
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Oh, I'm not sure you should give up on the banana peel of monkey summoning just yet. There's plenty of other judges who are just as keen on monkeys :)
Oh, NOW look what you've done.
Boomer's pants just exploded.
Maybe this will put things right...
<A-hem>
"Revenez à vos cimes d'arbre, sil vous plait."
Clark,
As someone that is following the path that you blazed, thank you. For everything.
And Ryan,
Thank you for getting the whole ball rolling. We're here because of you and your efforts all those years ago.
Dale McCoy, Jr
President of Jon Brazer Enterprises.
gbonehead, I just wanted to complement you on your sexy purple avatar border. :)
Heheheh. Why, thank you. I'm so glad someone finally noticed! :)
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4
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CLARK! A pleasure to hear from your amazing self, and I'm glad to see you popping in and saying hello!
I'll even reiterate & echo your cheer: "... I love Superstar and I love the process and I love Paizo and everyone associated with the process. Believe me, you will be glad you submitted {to RPG Superstar}."
Hip-hip-hooray! If you've got an idea for an item, send it!
Also: thank you for the monkeys, Snorter. Monkeys make the world a better place.
Monkeys make the world a better place.
Monkeys are evil, EVILE I say!!!! Now Ferrets on the other hand are nature's noblemen. :)
What's left to say? Clark you'll be missed, definitely show up and chime away. It wouldn't be RPGsuperstar without your posts.
The Judges this year as with every year are amazing iron men to stand against the deluge of submissions the good folks here get every year in this contest. My hat is off to them, past and present.
I add my own voice, definitely submit. My experiences in the contest has always been positive and it just goes to show the community that has grown here is one of the best out there, always a great source of inspiration.
Clark so glad you popped in to say hello.
I'm sorry to see that you aren't a judge this time around, but I understand how busy you must be, and it was great of you to be a part of this contest for so long.
@ Ryan... welcome aboard! I hope my item (and ALL my fellow entrants items WOW you and all the judges) and that this year is the BEST RPG Superstar contest ever!
My item has gone through a couple drafts, and likely has a few more to go through before I consider submitting it.
@Sean - thank you for all the advice that you have been giving us. (What more can I say than that?) It is invaluable advice and should be heeded.
@ Neil - If I didn't say so earlier (and in a different thread) congratulations on the promotion to judge. You are a classy guy and I feel you are up to the challenge of being a judge.
Well... that's that. (Time to begin my 3rd draft).
Peace,
Dean; The_Minstrel_Wyrm
I've only just noticed, Ryan Dancey has the best sig on the boards.That was the nickname that we gave him when we all worked together on 3rd edition at WotC.
-Lisa
(emphasis mine)
Ah, the glory days.
The cool thing is that it looks like the present is a rebirth of the glory days. So we got that goin' for us. Which is nice.
Not notice you're gone? Are you kidding? Clark, you were the best voice in years past of telling it like it is. The voice letting us know what we did wrong as well as what we did right, and you encouraged everyone to try. RPGSuperstar just won't be the same without you. I am sad to see that you will not be involved this year. Thank you for your insight, your encouragement and your valuable time. Maybe next year... :)
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
aka AWizardInDallas
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Clark, I for one will miss you as judge! We need judges that can look forward as well as look back and catch those occasional classic vibes from gaming tradition, especially those that still remain relevant and cool. Fortunately, I think Ryan's just as well dialed in and that your interests are well represented by the judging panel overall. Nonetheless, I guarantee that your unique wit, analytical ability and down to earth viewpoint will be missed.
Yes, and I am one bad mutha on bass, just like Randy.
Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the kind words.
I really can't wait to see how this first round goes. I miss it already!
Everyone who submits is a winner.
Clark
Yes, and I am one bad mutha on bass, just like Randy.
Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the kind words.
I really can't wait to see how this first round goes. I miss it already!
Everyone who submits is a winner.
Clark
Thank you so much for everything, I noticed and was sad at the fact you where not judging this year. It has been your supportive, and very useful critism in the 'Cark...' threads which have turned up each year that have kept me participating in this compition. So thank you for that.
You guys are in such good hands with the judges this year, its crazy. Every year the contest has great judges, but adding Ryan is a huge upgrade. I love Superstar, and I tried my best to help, but I don't have the game of Ryan. He is the man. Add Ryan to Sean and the internet might actually melt.
