A point in the rules I'd like clarification on, please.
5. During public voting rounds, contestants are prohibited from any public discussion that could be considered as adding to, expanding upon, or clarifying the content of their current submission. This applies to (but is not limited to) interviews, personal blogs, and messageboard posts on paizo.com or elsewhere, including the paizo.com discussion thread for the entry itself. Any such discussion may result in disqualification, in the sole discretion of the judges and/or Paizo.
What I want to make sure I understand correctly is that it's only public discussion that's prohibited. In other words, as I understand it, it's all right for me to show my work-in-progress to friends, family, my gaming group, etc., to get advice and encouragement - yes? I just can't do that publicly - on a blog, Facebook, etc. - but if I were, say, to email my WIP to a bunch of friends, I'd still be within bounds. (Maybe it'd have to be a small bunch?)
So really I just want to clarify that I've understood correctly - the rules are no discussion in any public forums; not an NDA. I'm fairly sure that's correct, but this is a delicate enough subject that I'd like to be more than fairly sure :) I'd hate to try to thank friends who helped me when a round was over, and then get DQ'd for it...
Thanks much!
In my eyes this paragraph only refers to the archetype/villain/location/adventure that is currently voted for (or against). So I don't see a rule prohibiting the discussion of could-be next round's submission.
ôA,
In my eyes this paragraph only refers to the archetype/villain/location/adventure that is currently voted for (or against). So I don't see a rule prohibiting the discussion of could-be next round's submission.
I don't think it could be as simple as that. I've got a near-ready draft for next round; I don't think it would follow the rules to post it publicly today, with a full explanation of my intentions and my goals, and then submitting an improved version on Friday for the actual round.
I see this as really simple.
If you make top 32, your item is open, you submit your arcetype.
You can on the discussion threads say something like "omg I made it - thank you every including the judges for this moment of stardom" and thats about it until
AFTER
the round is over and voting is closed and the round 3 begins.
To be safe, if in doubt, just say thanks and good luck to your fellow top x and leave it at that.
I think once the competition is closed or your knocked out, at that point you can probably revisit the comments on each round and add clarification then should you feel so inclined.
Good luck everyone - tomorrow's the big day!
Standback,
I think you got it right, I'm reading the intent is to prevent you from swaying the "vote" beyond the alotted word limits.
If our Archetypes have a 450 word limit that's it, but if I'm an amazing inspiring thought provoking prose writer (which I could be, LOL)... and go off to give the archetype a history, background, etc...
Voters that may have read the 450 words and said, "Meh... I could live without it," might go gaga over the treatment of it, and vote for it.
Did I really succeed? No... I advanced, but I failed at the assignment which is limited to 450 words.
Also, I start a blog discussion and someone offers and idea, a feat with synergy... a possible min-max situation. It's not even my own idea at that point, but it's insinuated into the voters' minds. It's really cool, "that 'would' make it awesome". Lemme vote for it.
Still actually a failure.
Peace.
In my eyes this paragraph only refers to the archetype/villain/location/adventure that is currently voted for (or against). So I don't see a rule prohibiting the discussion of could-be next round's submission.I don't think it could be as simple as that. I've got a near-ready draft for next round; I don't think it would follow the rules to post it publicly today, with a full explanation of my intentions and my goals, and then submitting an improved version on Friday for the actual round.
well technically the rules say so but I think you're right that this is not the intention. actually it isn't at all a possibility that came to my mind. Probably whoever made these rules didn't think of it, too, or hoped that no wise guy would try to do such thing.
Hopefully we're all sportsmen and keep to the intention of the rule. Still I can see no reason not to discuss yout archetype/villain/location/adventure with your mates.ôA,
I think the root of you question is, "can I ask my friends for advice?" I'd say yes. Your group of friends and players is a great resource. My friends are all excited and hope i advance, and would probably beat me if i shut them right out.
Is showing your friends your work going to buy votes that would not otherwise have been yours? No, they're your friends, and your name is on the entry, they'll find you and vote for you regardless.
Does getting their input on grammar, diction and such mean that the entry is no longer truly yours? No, they have played the roll of an editor, that's all.
and at the risk of sounding smug...
Is anyone going to know that you asked your best friends to look over your stuff? No, unless you are being hacked and stalked in the interest of enforcing a rule which has never been stated and cannot be prevented.
No one works well in a vacuum, even the best writers need someone to bounce ideas off of.
Is anyone going to know that you asked your best friends to look over your stuff? No, unless you are being hacked and stalked in the interest of enforcing a rule which has never been stated and cannot be prevented.
No one works well in a vacuum, even the best writers need someone to bounce ideas off of.
Thanks, Nick. This is the direction I'm thinking about, and I'm obviously in enthusiastic agreement with you on the value of friendly feedback. The reason I'm asking is not because I'm afraid Mr. Spicer is secretly monitoring my email account and taking points off; it's because I have a few individual friends I'd like to bounce things off of. And if I do that, I'm going to want to acknowledge their help at the end of any round I get past. So it's not a case of "it isn't really a rule, and nobody will ever check anyway"; it's a case of "I'm almost certain it isn't a rule, but if I do this, I'm going to tell everyone about it my very own self."
However, if after your submission, you send out emails to all your friends explaining yourself and your item, and ask them to show up and defend you on your item's thread...
Oooooh, you're a devious one...
...The reason I'm asking is not because I'm afraid Mr. Spicer is secretly monitoring my email account and taking points off; it's because I have a few individual friends I'd like to bounce things off of.
...The reason I'm asking is not because I'm afraid Mr. Spicer is secretly monitoring my email account and taking points off; it's because I have a few individual friends I'd like to bounce things off of.
What??
You marked ten points off mine!
Bump.
I'd appreciate a clear-cut ruling on this, please. Showing entry WIPs individually, non-publicly, to a small group of friends, and getting feedback: allowed, prohibited, or don't-ask-don't-tell?
showing your friends your entry is allowed as long as you dont post it some where on the web and direct them to it.
There is nothing in the rules that says you cant invite your friends over to view it, you can print it out and bring it to them or snail mail it if you want, but do not post it to any forum, art sight, or anywhere that it can be viewed by the public just by following a link.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Star Voter Season 6
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showing your friends your entry is allowed as long as you dont post it some where on the web and direct them to it.
There is nothing in the rules that says you cant invite your friends over to view it, you can print it out and bring it to them or snail mail it if you want, but do not post it to any forum, art sight, or anywhere that it can be viewed by the public just by following a link.
This sounds about right. Copies of my work exist on the work server, because we archieve everything, and I e-mailed it to coworkers for review. It wasn't 'shared with the public' by any means.
Here's my take:
You're mostly on the honor system here, but in general, my expectations would be that it's okay to use someone as a sounding board for feedback, proofreading, and advice. Working together on something whereby you and your friends each take turns tweaking it, would be bad form...but hard for anyone to prove. Posting your actual item anywhere else for others to see during the voting period and then interacting with them on it, whereby you explain your decision-making and choices in an effort to win votes for yourself...now, that's a violation of the rules, regardless of where you post the item.
The bottom line is this: Don't flirt with disqualifying yourself. Be smart. Chart your own course. Seek feedback during your design process from those you respect. But do your own work. And by all means, don't post or talk about your work at all while the voting is underway. And, I'd probably skip the part about thanking everyone who helped you until the end of the contest (not just the current round), lest you give the impression that your design contained more than just your own individual work.
But that's just my two cents,
--Neil
Thank you kindly, Neil. That's very helpful. The sounding-board scenario is exactly what I wanted to be sure about; the other ones seem clearly out-of-bounds. And, of course, entering this contest without intending to do one's own work would be missing all the fun :)
Not mentioning feedback-givers midway does sound reasonable.
Thanks, and good luck to us all!
Everyone, back away slowly from the dragon. Don't make eye contact; it will assume aggression and attack.
Gbonehead, keep distracting him.
Everyone, back away slowly from the dragon. Don't make eye contact; it will assume aggression and attack.
Gbonehead, keep distracting him.
What? Why am I always the one thrown under the bus?!
What? Why am I always the one thrown under the bus?!
Because if you didnt stop it for us, we wouldnt be able to get on. :P
And, I'd probably skip the part about thanking everyone who helped you until the end of the contest (not just the current round), lest you give the impression that your design contained more than just your own individual work.
Does my cat count, or can I start thanking him right now? He's a really good listener.