Round 4 Exit Poll


RPG Superstar™ General Discussion

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka Darkjoy

Vote early, vote often!

My votes went to:
Christopher Wasko — Darkblight Fallow
Brian J. Fruzen — The Gloomsworn Path

Wanted to vote for:
Gabriel Almer — Eizenholt, Abandoned Duergar Mining Outpost
Kalervo Oikarinen — Fellforge Chapel

The above represent my desired top 4, all of them have been consistent and deliver great work.

Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Christopher and Monica for me, with Kalervo a close third. Gosh darn it, I needed 3 votes not 2! >.<

Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Clouds Without Water

After a first pass, I have 3 strong contenders for 2 votes.

Should be an interesting round. There are 3 entries I'd bet on for the finals, but slot 4 is wide open.

Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

My votes went to:

Brian J. Fruzen — The Gloomsworn Path
Monica Marlowe — The Hanging Gardens of Karexin

Wanted to vote for:

Kalervo Oikarinen — Fellforge Chapel
Christopher Wasko — Darkblight Fallow

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9

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My judging duties are over, so I don't mind telling everyone that I voted for the most consistent finalists, the most interesting mission objectives, I voted for interesting locations (and beautifully mapped to boot), I voted for Fun, Awesomeness, and Action. I voted for... High Adventure!

I wanted to vote for...
Kalervo Oikarinen - Fellforge Chapel
Christopher Wasko - Darkblight Fallow
...so I did vote for them!

Liberty's Edge

I voted for

Christopher Wasko — Darkblight Fallow
Brian J. Fruzen — The Gloomsworn Path

Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9

I voted for

Brian J. Fruzen — The Gloomsworn Path
Monica Marlowe — The Hanging Gardens of Karexin

Star Voter Season 6

I definitely haven't voted yet! It takes me quite a while to read, study, and consider each entry. I'll post again here when I've eventually voted, but, in the meantime, for anyone interested...

My Comment/Voting Process and Rationale for this Round:

Composed on Wed. 2/25:

Last round, I just barely had time to read and comment on all 16 monsters before voting closed. I make my comments right after carefully and thoroughly reading an entry, while the information is still fresh in my mind. After starting to read and comment last round, I really wanted to be fair to all 16 entries before voting, so I really pushed myself that final Monday to finish.

This round, due to an even busier family week and no Monday off work, I may not have the time to give all 8 encounters full consideration.

So, my plan is this:

At bare minimum, read, critique, and consider the three encounters earning triple judge recommendations (Brian's Gloomsworn Path using the Gloomwasp, Monica's Hanging Gardens using the Dread Glutton, and Chris's Darkblight fallow also using the Dread Glutton), and, if I don't have time to evaluate more encounters before the deadline, I will simply choose my two favorites from those three encounters for my votes.

If I have the time to read, critique, and consider two more encounters, I will add the two encounters that each earned one judge's recommendation into the mix for my vote consideration. (Steven also recommended Scott's Barca's Haven using the Wimblewyrm, and Owen also recommended Kalervo's Fellforge Chapel using the Geomaw. I don't think John recommended a fourth encounter for advancement.)

If I do end up with enough extra time, I will happily read, critique, and consider the three remaining entries, but it's possible I won't have a chance to fully read and comment on them until after voting closes.

Although not ideal, I think this system is at least fair, since I'm using the weight of expert opinion to select the pool from which I choose my votes.

That said, when I vote, I'll be looking for a mix of exciting ideas with technical proficiency, with some consideration given to entire body of work.

Cheers!

.......

Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9

I voted for

Christopher Wasko — Darkblight Fallow
Monica Marlowe — The Hanging Gardens of Karexin

Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9

I haven't voted yet. This is a hard round for me, as it is so much more mechanically oriented than other rounds, and that isn't my forte. I have it narrowed down to four that I really like for various reasons, but now I have to really delve into technicalities to break that down further.

(And I regret that I may not have much/anything to add to the commentaries to the contestants at this stage as a result of the above.)

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 4 , Star Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Snowblossom

I voted for:

Christopher Wasko — Darkblight Fallow
Brian J. Fruzen — The Gloomsworn Path

Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Clouds Without Water

I'm voting for 2 I think might fall a little short this round, but that I think deserve a seat at the final table given their work thus far.

R Pickard - The Crystallized Shrine
Kalvero Oikarinen - Fellforge Chapel

Kalvero in particular, good work in each of your three years of Superstar Top 32ness! Hope you make the final 4!

In other news, Brian, you completely dominated this round. Well done!

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka Morphemic

It's interesting that there are three entries getting virtually all the votes, and the last spot in the top four will go to an entry that gets very few votes (just more than the bottom four). It seems like I could have the most influence by voting for my favorite of the remaining five to try to get it into the top 4. But ultimately, that's not my style, so I voted for my two favorite entries, both of which were among the three locks to advance:

Brian J. Fruzen — The Gloomsworn Path
Monica Marlowe — The Hanging Gardens of Karexin

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka motteditor

It certainly seems like they're locks, but remember Victoria's module pitch last year trailed Robert's by a ton in the poll and yet went on to win.


Much like Mark (whom I happen to work with) I could do nothing but give my votes to Gloomworn Path and The Hanging Gardens of Karexin. Those are two encounters I would (and maybe will) run the heck out of. Are there a few little issues, sure, but perfection that is bland doesn't get my vote. The encounters are very well thought out, and the locations offer allot to like.

Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9

Voted for:

Darkblight Fallow
Gloomsworn Path

Wish there could have been a slightly greater spread of creatures, and would really like to have seen contestants have the courage of their convictions and use their own monsters… I'm sure that would be problematic for some voters. Damned if you do and damned if you don't I guess..

The Exchange

Oceanshieldwolf, the contestants weren't allowed to use their own monsters, only other contestants'. I voted for the same two entries you voted for. I just wasn't thrilled by the geomaw, and was disappointed so many contestants used it.

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 , Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9

I voted for the last remaining designer whose item I had on my Top list in the first round.

RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka GM_Solspiral

Brian J. Fruzen — The Gloomsworn Path
Monica Marlowe — The Hanging Gardens of Karexin

Star Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9

Darkblight Fallow, Gloomsworn Path, Hanging Gardens of Karexin.
I know, I have to narrow it down somehow....
Several more I want to include in my campaign somewhere and play with of course.

Star Voter Season 8

I voted for Darkblight Fallow and Hanging Gardens in the end. I was quite impressed with the overall quality and clarity of the maps, and in the end I narrowed it down to a few entries I felt really used the Round 3 monster as an integral part of the encounter design. It was hard to only pick two, however :P

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8, RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16 , Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 8

Give the people what they want!!!

Dedicated Voter Season 8

I went for:
Gloomsworn Path - great map, location and encounter - although I had reservations about only having two Gloomwasps in the encounter when one of their powers needs three to be present - seemed like I would only be getting part of the fun of the new critter...
Abandoned Duergar Mining Outpost - the map for this was, by some margin, the best of a very mixed bag and I enjoyed the overall setup - I think some further development would be needed to make the dark folk slightly less onerous to run (five or six different types of enemy is too much) but I think it would be worth the effort...

I liked Monica Marlowe's Hanging Gardens as well (if I had a third vote it would have gone to her) but something about that map really grates with me - I just didn't find it very interesting...regardless, from feedback here, she will be going through to the next round easily (and deservedly so)...

Star Voter Season 8

Top: Brian and Christopher. Monica would have been third. I think the crystallized shrine would be my number four; it used the geomaw well, whereas the chapel and the outpost tried to be original by not using it as a lurking predator, but in my opinion did not do the creature justice.

Star Voter Season 6

Okay, work tomorrow, so I had to decide and vote tonight...

My Comment/Voting Process and Rationale for this Round:

Composed on Wed. 2/25:

Last round, I just barely had time to read and comment on all 16 monsters before voting closed. I make my comments right after carefully and thoroughly reading an entry, while the information is still fresh in my mind. After starting to read and comment last round, I really wanted to be fair to all 16 entries before voting, so I really pushed myself that final Monday to finish.

This round, due to an even busier family week and no Monday off work, I may not have the time to give all 8 encounters full consideration.

So, my plan is this:

At bare minimum, read, critique, and consider the three encounters earning triple judge recommendations (Brian's Gloomsworn Path using the Gloomwasp, Monica's Hanging Gardens using the Dread Glutton, and Chris's Darkblight fallow also using the Dread Glutton), and, if I don't have time to evaluate more encounters before the deadline, I will simply choose my two favorites from those three encounters for my votes.

If I have the time to read, critique, and consider two more encounters, I will add the two encounters that each earned one judge's recommendation into the mix for my vote consideration. (Steven also recommended Scott's Barca's Haven using the Wimblewyrm, and Owen also recommended Kalervo's Fellforge Chapel using the Geomaw. I don't think John recommended a fourth encounter for advancement.)

If I do end up with enough extra time, I will happily read, critique, and consider the three remaining entries, but it's possible I won't have a chance to fully read and comment on them until after voting closes.

Although not ideal, I think this system is at least fair, since I'm using the weight of expert opinion to select the pool from which I choose my votes.

That said, when I vote, I'll be looking for a mix of exciting ideas with technical proficiency, with some consideration given to entire body of work.

Cheers!

.......

Although I only had time to carefully read and comment on the five entries receiving judge recommendations, I did at least peak at and scan the other three entires, but I didn't see anything impressive enough to steal one of my votes.

Although the Gloomsworn Path was clever and well done, it didn't capture my imagination enough to earn a vote.

Although Barca's Haven created an interesting encounter using a creature I liked, it wasn't quite enough to win a vote.

That left me with the Darkblight Fallow, the Hanging Gardens, and the Fellforge Chapel.
... and even now I'm second-guessing myself and considering changing my vote.

They're all such creative locations with interesting objectives and the potential for some social interaction mixed into a beautiful-yet-horrible location.

Seriously... this is a very hard decision...

It's interesting that I've narrowed my choices to the two encounters using the dread glutton, and the encounter made by the dread glutton's creator.
The dread glutton wasn't even one of my four monster votes, but it was in my top half. Seeing how Monica and Christopher have made elements written into that monster shine has made me appreciate Kalervo's design even more.

Considering body of work doesn't help too much either, since all three have good but not perfect bodies of work, in my opinion. Both Kalervo and Monica made maps I voted for and monsters I considered runners-up. Christopher had both a map and a monster I considered runner-up, but I think his encounter is probably the best this round.

Okay... I think I have to vote for the wedding-crashing Fellforge Chapel with the Geomaw blood-stained-crystal window, and the beautifully mapped three-story-mushroom Darkblight Fallow. (Unless I change my mind again before I fall asleep...)

Sorry, Monica. Your Hanging Gardens concept is awesome. Your execution is good, but not quite as great as Christopher's and Kalervo's in this case, in my opinion. I definitely hope to see you in the final round, though!

Final Votes: Darkblight Fallow and Fellforge Chapel

Best wishes to all! :)

Marathon Voter Season 8

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I barely made my vote in time, but I picked Barca's Haven (the guy that made the monster I hated the most made the encounter I liked the best using a monster I was totally ambivalent about! Nice job) and Darkblight Fallow.

The Hanging Gardens gets an honorable mention. If I were voting on the entire competition and not just this round, I would have voted Darkblight Fallow and Hanging Gardens.

However, I'm pretty sure nobody else liked Barca's Haven, so, oh well. It is interesting to me, however, that Chris Wasko has made my second favorite entry in each round so far.

The Exchange

Gloomsworn Path and Darkblight Fallow for me. I have voted for Monica consistently throughtout but I felt these guys brought a touch more mojo to their encounters.

Dedicated Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9

4 people marked this as a favorite.

I picked the 4 that continued. First round that I've been perfect - heck it's the first round that I've even had my official votes all get through, much less my "top half" all get through. But with fewer to pick from, it does get a little easier.

If I've discovered one thing following this - and this is the first time I've really even noticed RPGSS, I've only known of its existence before, not actually read/followed/voted at all - it's all about dashes.

No, wait. I've discovered another thing: I'm not a SuperStar. Had I known about this contest early enough, I think I could put together a very well written item under 300 words. It's not at all clear whether it would have been popular enough to make it to the top 32, there's a lot of luck and sales there, but I don't doubt that I have the chops to make a 32-worthy entry. (Maybe I sound arrogant here, but I've published and I don't feel like the work I've published has been flukey-good. I know that I have some level of facility with the English language.)

And, looking at the maps, I don't doubt that I have the ability to make it to the top 16 if I make the top 32 - not that I **would** make it, but that I'm not so limited by my skills that I couldn't make it. No, I think I have the chops to make it to round 3. Especially since it's quite obvious that some of those round-2 entries were severely limited by time or other factors - not everyone who has time to make up a magic item once a year is really ready to work to deadline in the contest. They might very well be better than me if they take the time, but some work in round 2 showed that some folks simply weren't planning on taking the later rounds seriously and got caught unprepared to do the map-work.

But I honestly don't know if I have the **chops** to make it INTO round 4, and reading these encounters and the ones that didn't make it, I don't think I even **could** make it to the final round. These 4 entries are all better than anything I think I would come up with in the kind of time constraints a person has during this contest. Sure I'm a parent and blah-de-blah. But other people have constraints on their time, too, and we have 4 turning out work this good?

No, I might submit an item for the first time next year. And I think I have good chops given an infinite amount of time to play with an idea before the deadline rolls around, but I'm just damn impressed with everyone in the top 16's abilities to work not merely well, but work well to deadline.

Allow me to use this occasion to salute you all again: the top 32 did a good job, and the top 16 have all impressed me quite a bit.

Star Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8

CripDyke wrote:
And I think I have good chops given an infinite amount of time to play with an idea before the deadline rolls around

Remember that a lot of us who've followed the contest for the years before this also thought we had a whole year to play with an item idea, until Superstar changed the open call requirements for the first time and threw all that work out the window.

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