I have a feeling that this will be the best year yet for quality of submissions.
I have this feeling that the chatter and forum post rate seems much lower than previous years. Then it hit me as to why - the very distinct lack of usual judging posts like "Seriously guys, this is your best idea?", "And we have just received a 3000 word entry", "Oh come on, a coin, really?" and "The meme this year is a gun toting, judge shooting, monkey glove of brachiation" and similar.
This can mean only one of two things
a) The judges aren't looking because they don't want to be in the position of "why didn't that get votes and these ones did?". I don't think it's this reason, so, I think it's b)
b) With all the advice, forum practice and history of previous years, people are submitting a much higher, varied and polished set of submissions this year.
I so can't wait to see all these entries now.
I am very envious of all you judges, you get to preview, digest, point, growl, etc at them all way before we get to. The suspense is agony.
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Option C
Clark pre-emptively made all the ranting threads he needed, so he doesn't need to make individual ones per entry. See the many sarcastic threads he has made
Option C
Clark pre-emptively made all the ranting threads he needed, so he doesn't need to make individual ones per entry. See the many sarcastic threads he has made
Correct! :)
So Clark made a SAK post...?
So Clark made a SAK post...?
Careful, or he might whup you with a hardcover-edition SAIK which definitely exceeds the 300 word limit and uses a template that mortal man was not meant to gaze upon!
Every year I am dismayed by some of the submissions--that year after year despite our advice and comments and help and support people can't seem to even read the basic directions.
But it's out of my system. I've posted my threads. It is what it is. Why people do that I don't know.
This year we had a huge wave of them early. Now, maybe that's good. Maybe that means we are getting to a new batch of people who didnt know about the contest before (how else can you explain a total lack of doing homework or following the contest rules?) And if my cautionary thread helps one person put on the brakes and edit their submission, well then I was successful. But who is kidding who, if that is where your submission is, its probably not a winning submission anyway. Still, every little bit helps. :)
Best of luck to everyone!
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OK I can't resist--one more comment.
Ryan Dancey said it best: "if your PC didn't play in Gary Gygax's original campaign, his name should not be in the name of your wondrous item."
So Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments, fine. Nolzur was in Gygax's campaing. But since your PC, Scradrak, wasn't in Gygax's campaign, you should NEVER submit "Scradrak's Spectral Scapular". Just call it "Spectral Scapular."
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First time submitted this year... Was unaware of this contest until I saw it in my email yesterday and I read every top 32 and all the threads before submitting. Took me 10 hours even when halfway thru I started skimming.
Clark you rants were not in vain, they kept me in the proper format and under the word count.
I have independently been developing a game world that I was pondering trying to sell to PF or start out as a 3PP. The posts here are fantastic for anyone interested in working on PF products.
So Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments, fine. Nolzur was in Gygax's campaing. But since your PC, Scradrak, wasn't in Gygax's campaign, you should NEVER submit "Scradrak's Spectral Scapular". Just call it "Spectral Scapular."
I was hoping your example PC would be "Kralc" just to make it double-Gygax-examplish. :)
It did seem to me that the Fighters and Rogues of those campaigns got a raw deal, everything being named after the darn Wizards (Tenser, Mordenkainen, Bigby, etc.)
Well, that's because it's the wizards crafting all the magic items. Fighters and rogues might be known for their deeds, but not really for their ability to create cool items.
"Watcha got there?"
"Robilar's Really Stabby Sword..."
I would suggest that the rule might be as follows: A named magical item would *not* be duplicated but singular; carrying the properties of its owner even after they might have died.
Example: Mal Dun's Sharpening Stone
That does not scream mass production to me.
Now
What you do want is an item name that is flashy, catchy, original yet screams mass production.
Example: Cloak of the Banshee
I can see 30 gnomes in a dungeon under the watchful eye of a Ogre Magi forcing them to make those!
Pick one up at your local Magic shop.. as a kid you were always eyeing the darn thing.. and now as an adventurer you can finally afford it! You will be the envy of all the punks you troll with in town.
Anyway.. moving away from the Departed legendary icon (Gary) and his former world. I would never suggest bringing those ideas into the realm of Pathfinder. For here we are attempting to break original ground.
Correct?
Good luck friends and purchase that cloak today!