The New Viewer's Guide to RPGSS

[Monica Marlowe]

Every year RPGSS brings new people to the forum and it can be a little daunting to get up to speed on the lingo. I am not the person who knows all the answers, but I have never shied away from being willing to give something a go. Hopefully this thread will pick up some steam and people will add more to it.

Coding instructions for italics, bold and other fun things can be found under the "Show" button below the comment box. You can include spoiler buttons, make your text larger, smaller and put in links.

Here are some of the abbreviations you see and wonder about:

SAK - Swiss Army Knife; the item that has everything and the kitchen sink. Usually this item lacks a cohesive theme to tie everything together.

SIAC - Spell in a Can; just what it sounds like, spell on demand without a special something something to make it SuperStar.

Never be afraid to ask a question, this is one of the few troll free spaces in the internet and someone will be kind enough to help you out. Also, be kind to one another, we love this troll free space and Paizo doesn't allow nonsense around here.

If you think of something else that perplexed you the first time you saw it, add it in the comments. Good Luck everyone!

[Curaigh]

Well said mamaursala.
Welcome newcomers!

[Template Fu]

Template Fu - forum alter ego and homunculus of Anthony Adam

Most often used in reviewing Top 32 entries, particularly eating points from some weird scoring mechanisms in item reviews for template miss-steps -

Always tries to do this in a semi comical, jovial, take the mickey way.

Repeat template offenders use his name as a swear word ;)

After the template part of those item reviews, Anthony's game designer ego takes over and gives serious and more formal thought and feedback on the item.

"We" also post way to many words on the forum every year at this time!

[Monica Marlowe]

Voting begins on the 18th, here's what it has been like in the past.

Paizo's code monkeys are amazing and they have set up a voting algorithm that randomly presents two items side by side. You have a minimum of 60 seconds to read them through and to decide which one is the best of the two. The goal is to attempt to put every item up against every other item at least once (more on this later).

Everyone's process is going to be different, but you should take the time to read each entry and through whichever auguries you prefer, decide which of the items is "better". "Better" is a relative thing in voting. "Better" could mean that Item A is more clear in its explanation or Item B has punctuation and is formatted. There will definitely be entire threads dedicated to discussing the process.

There will be a "I cannot decide" button but do not use this button except in absolute case of emergency. The purpose of the open anonymous voting is to help the cream rise to the top. The "better" votes are tallied in a secure vault at Paizo (some artistic license may be used in this entry) and all the items are listed in descending order from "best" to "not so much". In the past there has been a clear line of demarcation, where there are more overall "better" votes than not. The judges will look at the top group of entries and from those items the Top 32 will be chosen.

Also in years past there was a mid-vote cull, where the bottom most items were removed from the voting pool. These items have some larger than average "not so much" votes against them. This is quite stressful for some since you may not ever see your item in voting, but it could still be there. It's okay, until the Top 32 are revealed, you're still in the game.

Back to the match ups, there are several very talented people on the boards who will astonish and amaze you with their math skills, among other great talents. While we wait for the reveal there will be speculation on the final number of entries, which Paizo does not reveal, so don't ask. It does not appear that we ever achieve 100% match ups, but we try really hard, there are a lot of entries. Paizo is incredibly transparent on this whole process and once we're through the Top 32, you'll see some of this year's magic explained, this post is just to help the new people out who have questions on voting.

In the end, only 32 people go on to compete, the rest of us get to vote, learn and entertain. It's a really good time, we're glad you're here.

[Monica Marlowe]

So, what do you do between voting and voting?

While in the first week (or more) of voting you're going to need your 60 seconds of minimum voting time to read, you are going to start seeing some things over again or at least a fast glimpse is going to tell you "Huh, that one on the right has no formatting and thus is not SuperStar material."

This is the point where you start really enjoying the RPGSS forum. We are a quite a fun group of people. We'll have statistics and programming threads on how many items there are, threads on the over all themes we're seeing and off the wall unimaginably ridiculous things. So, don't get bogged down in voting, remember to take a breath from time to time and visit the rest of the forum, there are some incredibly awesome people here who make themselves available to help improve the over all designing community.

You have less than 4 hours to enter as of the posting of this comment. You still even have time to get something together. Go for it and may the odds be ever in your favor! Oh wait, wrong game.

[Doc_Outlands]

My 9yo was designing a quiver last night... :D

[Anne Sullivan]

Thank you so much for all the great info! I'm in the throes of the "second guessing" part of this where I realized I messed up something and didn't add something else I wanted to. Oh well! I won't be making those mistakes again, at least. :)

I do have a question about the voting. How many things do you need to vote on to get the special "Marathon Voter," "Champion Voter," etc. titles?

[Jacob W. Michaels]

I think Marathon is 1,000 votes. Champion is 5,000 (and IIRC has had only three recipients each year).

I think dedicated is 500 and star is 100, if I'm remembering correctly? I'm sure they'll tell us again come Thursday.

[Anne Sullivan]

Jacob W. Michaels wrote:

I think Marathon is 1,000 votes. Champion is 5,000 (and IIRC has had only three recipients each year).

I think dedicated is 500 and star is 100, if I'm remembering correctly? I'm sure they'll tell us again come Thursday.

Awesome, thank you! :)

[Andrew Black]

Star Voter : 100 votes
Dedicated Voter: 500 votes
Marathon Voter: 1000 votes
Champion Voter: 5000 votes

[Monica Marlowe]

Anne Sullivan wrote:

Thank you so much for all the great info! I'm in the throes of the "second guessing" part of this where I realized I messed up something and didn't add something else I wanted to. Oh well! I won't be making those mistakes again, at least. :)

I do have a question about the voting. How many things do you need to vote on to get the special "Marathon Voter," "Champion Voter," etc. titles?

I totally forgot to put that in after reminding myself to do so. Thank you Andrew for catching this earlier!

For the record, I did turn in my entry with a couple of stupid mistakes, so it's not like it never happens ;-)

[bugleyman]

Deranged Voter: 50,000 votes
(not a thing...I hope)

[Monica Marlowe]

bugleyman wrote:

Deranged Voter: 50,000 votes

(not a thing...I hope)

Can't be done, the voting isn't open long enough ;-)

[Andrew Black]

Deranged voter tag or die trying.

[Mark Seifter]

Deranged voter with a requirement of 25,000 votes instead of 50,000 would be I think possible to do, though not for a living human.

[Moik]

Champion Voter would pretty much mean voting as a full time job for two weeks. Or, a part-time job for the month that voting is open.

Marathon is on the edge of plausibility for my schedule. I'm going to commit to shooting for Dedicated.

[bugleyman]

I expect I'll get well into Star again this year, but that's it.

[Joey Haeck]

The urge to get Marathon Voter will not help my procrastination...

[Jeff Lee]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Deranged voter with a requirement of 25,000 votes instead of 50,000 would be I think possible to do, though not for a living human.

Assuming a person had nothing better to do, and sat at the computer for 18 hours a day, allowing 6 hours for sleep and other necessities, and managed to get 1 vote every 60 seconds, they could rack up 29,160 votes.

I'm not sure that would be considered an admirable achievement so much as a cry for help.

[Thomas LeBlanc]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Deranged voter with a requirement of 25,000 votes instead of 50,000 would be I think possible to do, though not for a living human.

What about a lifetime achievement voter award? I think I could hit deranged in 4 years...

[Oceanshieldwolf]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Deranged voter with a requirement of 25,000 votes instead of 50,000 would be I think possible to do, though not for a living human.

So….undead human?

[Oceanshieldwolf]

Thomas LeBlanc wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Deranged voter with a requirement of 25,000 votes instead of 50,000 would be I think possible to do, though not for a living human.

What about a lifetime achievement voter award? I think I could hit deranged in 4 years...

Oooh, I think most people could get behind a lifetime achievement that keeps on giving year after year...

[Taylor Hubler]

The semester just ended, I have only a few things to pay attention to, and I can vote as much as I want at work.

25,000 votes it is!

Kidding. I will probably get burned out after 250 and decide that is enough.

[Monica Marlowe]

Getting to "Marathon Voter" the first year was down to the wire, I believe I hit it in the last two hours or so of voting. Last year it became a necessity because I couldn't not achieve it again, right? I did get to 1000 votes much earlier due to a change in employment. I will undoubtedly do so again, since I will be unemployed come the first of the year.

Here's how hitting the voting milestones feels -

Star - "Huh, 100? That's not so bad. There's some interesting stuff in here."

Dedicated - "Wow, I've voted a lot and it's not quite half over. 500 times? Maybe I need another hobby."

Votes 700-999 - "OMFG ARE WE THERE YET!?"

Marathon - head desk "Forget that 5,000 thing, LeBlanc is on his own."

[TwoDee]

bugleyman wrote:

I expect I'll get well into Star again this year, but that's it.

Realistic goals, ho!

[Sean McGowan]

mamaursula wrote:

Getting to "Marathon Voter" the first year was down to the wire, I believe I hit it in the last two hours or so of voting. Last year it became a necessity because I couldn't not achieve it again, right? I did get to 1000 votes much earlier due to a change in employment. I will undoubtedly do so again, since I will be unemployed come the first of the year.

Here's how hitting the voting milestones feels -

Star - "Huh, 100? That's not so bad. There's some interesting stuff in here."

Dedicated - "Wow, I've voted a lot and it's not quite half over. 500 times? Maybe I need another hobby."

Votes 700-999 - "OMFG ARE WE THERE YET!?"

Marathon - head desk "Forget that 5,000 thing, LeBlanc is on his own."

You know, we are back up to a four-week voting period again this year. Champion might still be within your grasp...

[Jacob Trier]

mamaursula wrote:

Getting to "Marathon Voter" the first year was down to the wire, I believe I hit it in the last two hours or so of voting. Last year it became a necessity because I couldn't not achieve it again, right? I did get to 1000 votes much earlier due to a change in employment. I will undoubtedly do so again, since I will be unemployed come the first of the year.

Here's how hitting the voting milestones feels -

Star - "Huh, 100? That's not so bad. There's some interesting stuff in here."

Dedicated - "Wow, I've voted a lot and it's not quite half over. 500 times? Maybe I need another hobby."

Votes 700-999 - "OMFG ARE WE THERE YET!?"

Marathon - head desk "Forget that 5,000 thing, LeBlanc is on his own."

Yup, that's pretty much my experience right there. My Christmas vacation period begins on Dec 19th and extends to Jan 2nd, so I'm confident I'll hit marathon for the third year. I'll just have to be sure I remember to practice on my map making while voting.

[Monica Marlowe]

First round entry window is now closed and from now until 2pm PST 12/18/14, we sit around and chat about our secondary ideas, what we have been doing for the last 8 months and gripped by the fear that we will and will not be in the Top 32 in equal measure. Here's what you can expect from Round 2 and beyond -

If you have entered, Good Luck! You should start familiarizing yourself with maps. LOOK at maps that are already available in adventures and in general. The second round will require 32 (and 2 alternates) to draw a map of some kind. It could be an indoor setting, a dungeon/cave, an outdoor setting or something we cannot even guess at.

There is always a twist to each round, this twist pretty much prevents any kind of pre-planning so all you can do is arm yourself with preparation, which is exactly what publishers are looking for in freelancers - individuals who can make something exciting happen on the fly.

That's why the reveal and turn in time happens 3 days apart, Tuesday to Friday. The judges of that round take the weekend to look at the entries, write up a review and make their recommendations. The recommendations are then published on the Tuesday following the turn in date and voting begins again. Tuesdays are BIG days around here for new information, Fridays are contestant important days.

At no time may the contestants discuss their current entry. Let me repeat that at no time may the contestants discuss their current entry. This will disqualify them or you, if you make it. Please don't do it, don't tempt yourself. In the past it has been close and a little nerve wracking to watch. Please, still your fingers.

If you make it into the Top 32 you need to gird your loins for the criticism. The written medium isn't always easy to parse and often times individuals say things off the cuff that can be quite harsh, you cannot say anything. There is always going to be that one person who just cannot understand what you wrote, no matter how clear you think it was written, you must not help them understand. DO NOT DISCUSS YOUR ITEM THAT IS UNDER REVIEW.

Part of the whole RPGSS contest is to see if you have what it takes to be a freelancer, that includes being a professional when you are faced with things from left field or criticism, whether valid or not. If you can put on your best game face and weather the storm, people will take notice. If you go off the deep end, people will notice. People who will pay you to design games for them will notice. Don't blow it! This advice goes for everyone, there are 3rd party publishers on these forums, heck some even work for Paizo, they are also looking for talent. Don't leave a bad first impression, it's a small industry and you will be remembered.

Should you find yourself in the Top 32, you can discuss your previous items, however, so once your entry is complete and turned in, go take a look at the critique my (whatever) threads. Often times the rest of us play along, we'll be making maps or discussing the twist or well, we will be busy filling the forum, I promise.

[Joey Haeck]

On maps, I think it's pretty safe to say--from Owen's hints--that this map will be an encounter-sized or dungeon-sized map. The sort of thing you would see in the middle of an adventure module.

But don't forget about the other main kind of map: the overland map. The challenge could be designing a map showing a series of encounters in a wild forest, or even creating showing where important towns and geographical features are for a more intrigue-focused adventure.

I know that I'm going to be practicing both kinds over the holidays.

[R Pickard]

Joey Haeck wrote:

On maps, I think it's pretty safe to say--from Owen's hints--that this map will be an encounter-sized or dungeon-sized map. The sort of thing you would see in the middle of an adventure module.

But don't forget about the other main kind of map: the overland map. The challenge could be designing a map showing a series of encounters in a wild forest, or even creating showing where important towns and geographical features are for a more intrigue-focused adventure.

I know that I'm going to be practicing both kinds over the holidays.

Remember also Round 2 is create a map but round 4 is design an encounter with a map so it's possible you end up creating 2 maps... or working with the one you made... or working with someone else's....

If it is an overland map it would probably be a smallish area as IIRC most of Golarion is already overland-mapped (so it would be more like an island or forest or stretch of river).

[pH unbalanced]

DeathQuaker wrote:

Remember also Round 2 is create a map but round 4 is design an encounter with a map so it's possible you end up creating 2 maps... or working with the one you made... or working with someone else's....

I'd bet on it being this...but that could just be me.

[Joey Haeck]

pH unbalanced wrote:

DeathQuaker wrote:

Remember also Round 2 is create a map but round 4 is design an encounter with a map so it's possible you end up creating 2 maps... or working with the one you made... or working with someone else's....

I'd bet on it being this...but that could just be me.

I know that most of the Inner Sea is mapped, but isn't most of Golarion is still relatively uncharted? At this point that's just wild theorycrafting, I seriously doubt they'll ask us to go map some of Azlant for them, but still.

[JJ Jordan]

Joey Haeck wrote:

I know that most of the Inner Sea is mapped, but isn't most of Golarion is still relatively uncharted? At this point that's just wild theorycrafting, I seriously doubt they'll ask us to go map some of Azlant for them, but still.

I'm guessing the maps will be limited in scope. Probably encounter sized maps or a regional map at the largest scale.

I also believe that Paizo's strategy is to exhaust the Inner Sea setting before moving on to something else.

[Cthulhudrew]

Agreed with JJ Jordan. I had the same thought at first- "What if someone draws a City map?" but quickly realized that Owen and Co. had probably thought of that eventuality as well, and that the rules of the Create A Map round will be more specific so as not to run into that sort of problem.

That said, it will still need to be broad enough to allow for some variance and creativity. And I think one of the traps encountered (ha!) might be to avoid the temptation to create or imply too specific a sort of hazard or encounter in the map itself, thus limiting its utility for the Encounter round.

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

There are lots of different types of maps we use. Encounter Maps. Dungeon maps (which are really just big encounter maps). Overland maps. City maps. Region maps.
All of them are important. All of them take practice, and being able to do any of them is a very useful skill. Heck, if you prove you can draw an awesome city map (even if it's just clear and evocative line art we'd still need to send to a professional cartographer), there's a good chance Mark Moreland would hire you to do some eventually.

When it comes time to talk about the specifics of the next round, I'll absolutely give folks guidance on what is and isn't desired and acceptable.

Until then?

I recommend you practice drawing them all. :D

[R Pickard]

Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:

There are lots of different types of maps we use. Encounter Maps. Dungeon maps (which are really just big encounter maps). Overland maps. City maps. Region maps.

All of them are important. All of them take practice, and being able to do any of them is a very useful skill. Heck, if you prove you can draw an awesome city map (even if it's just clear and evocative line art we'd still need to send to a professional cartographer), there's a good chance Mark Moreland would hire you to do some eventually.

I can do a pretty good city map....

Quote:

When it comes time to talk about the specifics of the next round, I'll absolutely give folks guidance on what is and isn't desired and acceptable.

Until then?

I recommend you practice drawing them all. :D

Can I ask a question that is hopefully askable now? Well, I guess I can, and if you can't answer it so be it:

Short version: are simple line drawings best/preferred/required? Or can nicer artwork be used if it's your own or the source's license allows for it?

I've got Campaign Cartographer 3 (profantasy.com). In an extremely unlikely universe where I make the top 32, I'd most likely use it to make my map, as it's what I'm best versed in (outside of drawing by hand, and it's easier to correct mistakes on the computer version--mind, CC3 isn't easy software to use, but I've used it for a long time).

I CAN tweak the settings so it looks like a very plain line drawing. That actually takes more work in some ways since you have to set it to non-default, but still easy to do.

But its defaults are set to relatively pretty looking symbols and textures. IIRC the license allows these to be used freely as long as you don't claim the artwork as your own or appropriate their individual symbol artwork for something else. Would it be okay to use the pictorial artwork or, again, would it be better to just keep it as basic as possible?

[Monica Marlowe]

DeathQuaker wrote:

Can I ask a question that is hopefully askable now? Well, I guess I can, and if you can't answer it so be it:

Short version: are simple line drawings best/preferred/required? Or can nicer artwork be used if it's your own or the source's license allows for it?

Mikko wrote a great blog about his experiences mapping last year, you might want to take a look at that post. I'm sure Owen will be back to answer this, but I believe the answer is going to be "use whatever works best for you that works out to make a map."

[Monica Marlowe]

Almost voting time! Good Luck everyone!

[R Pickard]

mamaursula wrote:

DeathQuaker wrote:

Can I ask a question that is hopefully askable now? Well, I guess I can, and if you can't answer it so be it:

Short version: are simple line drawings best/preferred/required? Or can nicer artwork be used if it's your own or the source's license allows for it?

Mikko wrote a great blog about his experiences mapping last year, you might want to take a look at that post. I'm sure Owen will be back to answer this, but I believe the answer is going to be "use whatever works best for you that works out to make a map."

Link pls? Thank you. :)

[Monica Marlowe]

And in the fine tradition of Paizo Goblins in the works, there is still no up and running voting link :-) I'm sure they're subduing the problem now.

[thunderspirit]

bugleyman wrote:

I expect I'll get well into Star again this year, but that's it.

Well...you do have other, new demands on your time... ;-)

[thunderspirit]

mamaursula wrote:

Getting to "Marathon Voter" the first year was down to the wire, I believe I hit it in the last two hours or so of voting. Last year it became a necessity because I couldn't not achieve it again, right? I did get to 1000 votes much earlier due to a change in employment. I will undoubtedly do so again, since I will be unemployed come the first of the year.

Here's how hitting the voting milestones feels -

Star - "Huh, 100? That's not so bad. There's some interesting stuff in here."

Dedicated - "Wow, I've voted a lot and it's not quite half over. 500 times? Maybe I need another hobby."

Votes 700-999 - "OMFG ARE WE THERE YET!?"

Marathon - head desk "Forget that 5,000 thing, LeBlanc is on his own."

This.

So, so much of this.

[Chris Shaeffer]

There are 26 days of voting. Let's say 25 for simplicity. Multiplying up a bit (x1.25) to account for the fact that we can't really vote exactly once every 60 seconds due to internet troubles and human imperfection. :p

Star (100) = 4 votes per day. ~5 minutes. "Pfft, easy!"

Dedicated (500) = 20 votes per day. ~25 minutes. "I can do that on the bus to work!"

Marathon (1000) = 40 votes per day. ~50 minutes. "Whatever! That's what lunch hours are for!"

Champion (5000) = 200 votes per day. ~4.2 hours. "Ugh, why am I doing this to myself!?"

---

Basically, being a Champion voter is the equivalent of having a 30 hour/week job.

Of course, you could just go on a 5-day straight binge to get the equivalent number of votes...

[Snorter]

mamaursula wrote:

I'm sure Owen will be back to answer this, but I believe the answer is going to be "use whatever works best for you that works out to make a map."

So....Dayglo finger paints aren't explicitly ruled out!

Huzzah!

[Lightminder]

Okay, as to day glo fingerprints... Yes if you layer them with crow quill black ink lines after mixing in wet blender-pulp from recycled linen and paper. It ends up looking like ancient money that was kept in a reactor, think techno wastes...

[William-Scott Hathaway]

Is there something on the website that tracks how many votes you've made? I haven't been doing it manually, but I'm kind of curious now.

[Feros]

William-Scott Hathaway wrote:

Is there something on the website that tracks how many votes you've made? I haven't been doing it manually, but I'm kind of curious now.

Nope, though some people have used tracking software in the past to keep a tally of their own votes.

[Feros]

mamaursula wrote:

Getting to "Marathon Voter" the first year was down to the wire, I believe I hit it in the last two hours or so of voting. Last year it became a necessity because I couldn't not achieve it again, right? I did get to 1000 votes much earlier due to a change in employment. I will undoubtedly do so again, since I will be unemployed come the first of the year.

Here's how hitting the voting milestones feels -

Star - "Huh, 100? That's not so bad. There's some interesting stuff in here."

Dedicated - "Wow, I've voted a lot and it's not quite half over. 500 times? Maybe I need another hobby."

Votes 700-999 - "OMFG ARE WE THERE YET!?"

Marathon - head desk "Forget that 5,000 thing, LeBlanc is on his own."

AHEMMM... :|

[Feros]

Feros wrote:

mamaursula wrote:

Getting to "Marathon Voter" the first year was down to the wire, I believe I hit it in the last two hours or so of voting. Last year it became a necessity because I couldn't not achieve it again, right? I did get to 1000 votes much earlier due to a change in employment. I will undoubtedly do so again, since I will be unemployed come the first of the year.

Here's how hitting the voting milestones feels -

Star - "Huh, 100? That's not so bad. There's some interesting stuff in here."

Dedicated - "Wow, I've voted a lot and it's not quite half over. 500 times? Maybe I need another hobby."

Votes 700-999 - "OMFG ARE WE THERE YET!?"

Marathon - head desk "Forget that 5,000 thing, LeBlanc is on his own."

AHEMMM... :|

For the record, there have only been a few of us stupid...er...dedicated enough to push through and hit Champion the two years voting has been allowed.

I'll say this: when you get the Champion tag you keep going. It is as if a compulsion has taken you over and you must go on.

Even though at that point you are effectively numb. :)

[Feros]

DeathQuaker wrote:

mamaursula wrote:

DeathQuaker wrote:

Can I ask a question that is hopefully askable now? Well, I guess I can, and if you can't answer it so be it:

Short version: are simple line drawings best/preferred/required? Or can nicer artwork be used if it's your own or the source's license allows for it?

Mikko wrote a great blog about his experiences mapping last year, you might want to take a look at that post. I'm sure Owen will be back to answer this, but I believe the answer is going to be "use whatever works best for you that works out to make a map."

Link pls? Thank you. :)

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