This will be my 4th year entering. I'd considered giving the contest a rest for this year but seeing this "call to arms" thread changed my mind.
I can't say enough how much I am continually impressed by the support and encouragement I see from the people at Paizo on these boards. It really isn't often that you see such a successful company whose employees not only read their own boards but take the time out to reply and engage people. As much as I love the Pathfinder product line, it's that commitment and involvement with the community that I think is truly awesome.
As a female gamer myself, I've submitted for the first time this year. While my rules-fu is indeed not as strong as it could be (I've never GM'd beyond level 3 or played beyond level 7), I rather liked getting down and dirty with formatting and phrasing in such a way that my item can only be exploited in ways I intend for it to be exploited. So what if I don't know what suits a twelfth level adventurer's needs? I just made a low-level item and kept it a cute and simple concept. :)
Speaking as someone who both is a woman and has been employed as a game designer, there are lots of reasons why women don't enter design, or even when they have, are reluctant to put themselves forward, but that's a different and long post.
Share your thoughts about that, if not here then we'll start anew thread for you.
Speaking as someone who both is a woman and has been employed as a game designer, there are lots of reasons why women don't enter design, or even when they have, are reluctant to put themselves forward, but that's a different and long post.
Share your thoughts about that, if not here then we'll start anew thread for you.
Oh man, that's a long and exhausting post, and most of those reasons aren't things you'll have to deal with in working with Paizo, thank heaven (Paizo is an impressive sanctuary from most of them, and the RPG industry in general seems a lot gentler than the videogame industry from whence I came), and I don't want to distract people from having fun with RPG Superstar. :-)
Tell you what -- after RPG Superstar is over and we've celebrated the winners, male or female, if you're still interested, I'll tell you a bit about it.
But the point here is: anonymous first-round submissions, awesome judges, and the chance for professional critiques make this a great way to get into the industry, whether you're male or female. :-)
Tell you what -- after RPG Superstar is over and we've celebrated the winners, male or female, if you're still interested, I'll tell you a bit about it.
Tell you what -- after RPG Superstar is over and we've celebrated the winners, male or female, if you're still interested, I'll tell you a bit about it.
Tell you what -- after RPG Superstar is over and we've celebrated the winners, male or female, if you're still interested, I'll tell you a bit about it.
Oh man, that's a long and exhausting post, and most of those reasons aren't things you'll have to deal with in working with Paizo, thank heaven (Paizo is an impressive sanctuary from most of them, and the RPG industry in general seems a lot gentler than the videogame industry from whence I came), and I don't want to distract people from having fun with RPG Superstar. :-)
Tell you what -- after RPG Superstar is over and we've celebrated the winners, male or female, if you're still interested, I'll tell you a bit about it.
But the point here is: anonymous first-round submissions, awesome judges, and the chance for professional critiques make this a great way to get into the industry, whether you're male or female. :-)
As a woman just starting school to study game design with the express intent of eventually ending up in the video game industry (and the RPG industry -- I like diversification!) I'd be interested in reading this, too. But waiting until Superstar is over sounds fair. :)
Re: the anonymous first-round submissions -- THAT is exactly why I entered. When I initially heard about Superstar (way later than I would have preferred), I wrote it off initially upon hearing about the public voting. I'm glad I investigated long enough to find out it was anonymous, or I wouldn't have bothered.
I admit, though, I don't know how much of that was influenced by being female (I hate the idea of either advancing or being held back solely on basis of anatomy) and how much of that decision would have been out of a feeling that, since I am Jane Nobody on the message boards, no one would have even read my entry, let alone voted on it. XD
As a woman just starting school to study game design with the express intent of eventually ending up in the video game industry (and the RPG industry -- I like diversification!) I'd be interested in reading this, too. But waiting until Superstar is over sounds fair. :)
Do a twitter search for #1reason and #1reasontobe, both tags from just a while ago touching on being a female game designer in the video game industry. Specifically the latter.
Woah, thank you for pointing me to those tags. I'm not on Twitter, so I completely missed this (and am now re-thinking my Twitterless...ness). Found lots of good reading to pore over, good, bad and rage-inducing.
A co-worker told me about the contest but 'twas too late for me to have time to finish my item... well there's always next year right? And at least I'll get to vote. Anyways, I'll be rooting for all the female contestants, the best of luck to you! :)
I know I'll be slightly biased towards any items, archetypes, etc. thematically suited for female PCs. Bonus points to anyone who referred to the user of their item as "her" - why's it always his this and his that... ;-) But I guess what matters most is a name and description that makes me go "wow", and that it's something useful for my PCs and villains alike... well that's all for now I guess, holding my breath here, can't wait to see the items! I'll be sure to list my favorites if it's allowed...
Belladonna, twitter is a great place for networking for the introverted. Like myself for instance, you can follow me at @ronarcorruption (stupid character limit). ;)
Magical_Beast
Dedicated Voter
Jessica Price
Project Manager
Jeff Lee
Marathon Voter
aka Shadowborn
