I noticed something, Correct me if I am misremembering?

[Jarrett Sigler]

Didn't last year the front page look a little different for this contest?

Didn't last year go something like?

Open Call: Design a Magic Armor, weapon Ring, Rod or Staff
Round 2: Top 32: Create a Map
Round 3: Top 16 Create a monster and a Stat Block
Round 4: Top 8: Design an Encounter with a Map
Round 5: Top 4: Submit an Adventure Proposal

And wasn't that sort of, known at the get go.

This year it's:

Open Call
Round 2: Top 32
Round 3: Top 16
Round 4: Top 8
Round 5: Top 4

This implies that the next round may in fact not be a map round. Is this only my secret worry or everyone else's as well?

I would like to be corrected, if I'm mistaken. Because, One of the things it seems like this contest does is change up expectations in the last minute to test people's "Creative Agility" as I like to call it.

[Jason Dandy]

Tothric wrote:

Didn't last year the front page look a little different for this contest?

Didn't last year go something like?

Open Call: Design a Magic Armor, weapon Ring, Rod or Staff
Round 2: Top 32: Create a Map
Round 3: Top 16 Create a monster and a Stat Block
Round 4: Top 8: Design an Encounter with a Map
Round 5: Top 4: Submit an Adventure Proposal

And wasn't that sort of, known at the get go.

This year it's:

Open Call
Round 2: Top 32
Round 3: Top 16
Round 4: Top 8
Round 5: Top 4

This implies that the next round may in fact not be a map round. Is this only my secret worry or everyone else's as well?

I would like to be corrected, if I'm mistaken. Because, One of the things it seems like this contest does is change up expectations in the last minute to test people's "Creative Agility" as I like to call it.

Owen K.C. Stephens has posted that the next round will be a map. Based on that, I am fully expecting that next round will be a map. Based on totally different stuff, I fully expect that next round I will be watching as an observer only, not a participant.

[Jarrett Sigler]

Jason Dandy wrote:

Tothric wrote:

Stuff

Owen K.C. Stephens has posted that the next round will be a map. Based on that, I am fully expecting that next round will be a map. Based on totally different stuff, I fully expect that next round I will be watching as an observer only, not a participant.

Good to know. I didn't see where Owen said that. Though, Owen is a clever man. Just wanted to help out my fellow contestants that are prepping for future rounds.

[Ambrosia Slaad]

Tothric wrote:

Jason Dandy wrote:

Tothric wrote:

Stuff

Owen K.C. Stephens has posted that the next round will be a map. Based on that, I am fully expecting that next round will be a map. Based on totally different stuff, I fully expect that next round I will be watching as an observer only, not a participant.

Good to know. I didn't see where Owen said that. Though, Owen is a clever man. Just wanted to help out my fellow contestants that are prepping for future rounds.

It's in the blog post.

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

Season 9 round 2-5 will be:

Round 2: Top 32: Create a Map
Note that this is specifically a flip-map style encounter map, and we'll provide a grid for folks to download if they so desire.
Round 3: Top 16 Create a monster and a Stat Block
Round 4: Top 8: Design an Encounter with a Map
Note that we will provide specific flip-maps for contestants to choose from for this encounter.
Round 5: Top 4: Submit an Adventure Proposal

[Donald Robinson]

Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:

Season 9 round 2-5 will be:

Round 2: Top 32: Create a Map
Note that this is specifically a flip-map style encounter map, and we'll provide a grid for folks to download if they so desire.
Round 3: Top 16 Create a monster and a Stat Block
Round 4: Top 8: Design an Encounter with a Map
Note that we will provide specific flip-maps for contestants to choose from for this encounter.
Round 5: Top 4: Submit an Adventure Proposal

Awesome! Thank you!

[Jarrett Sigler]

Owen, thank you for taking the time to answer my random question. I really appreciate it. :-)

Thank you for confirming no sneaky-fun surprises. Thank you Again!

[Tripp Elliott]

Jason Dandy wrote:

Owen K.C. Stephens has posted that the next round will be a map. Based on that, I am fully expecting that next round will be a map.

That's high quality humor right there.

Jason Dandy wrote:

Based on totally different stuff, I fully expect that next round I will be watching as an observer only, not a participant.

The addition of this makes it amazing quality humor!

[TimsterMon]

Nice! Good to have the line-up, just in case. Now I can at least have semi-formulated ideas, if not more complete material, for a specific round. 8')

[Jason Dandy]

Tripp Elliott wrote:

Jason Dandy wrote:

Owen K.C. Stephens has posted that the next round will be a map. Based on that, I am fully expecting that next round will be a map.

That's high quality humor right there.

Jason Dandy wrote:

Based on totally different stuff, I fully expect that next round I will be watching as an observer only, not a participant.

The addition of this makes it amazing quality humor!

lol, good, as that was the intention!

i started off deciding to enter this year's contest with zero expectation or even hope of advancing to round 2. after hours of research and contemplation, i created something i'm not only proud of, but that i believe might have a sliver of a chance. so now i am looking at disappointment in 12 days, if not culled sooner, plus the body- and soul-ravaging anxiety of watching these forums like a hawk and voting incessantly. and i couldn't be happier.

[Anthony Adam]

Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:

Season 9 round 2-5 will be:

Round 2: Top 32: Create a Map
Note that this is specifically a flip-map style encounter map, and we'll provide a grid for folks to download if they so desire.
Round 3: Top 16 Create a monster and a Stat Block
Round 4: Top 8: Design an Encounter with a Map
Note that we will provide specific flip-maps for contestants to choose from for this encounter.
Round 5: Top 4: Submit an Adventure Proposal

Could we have the grid now please? That way I can practice with it and make sure I can scan/digitize my scribble colouring appropriately - I live in the sticks so scanning isn't so readily available for me, so I need to know my printer top scanner is up to the job :(

[OhGodTheRats]

Sorry if I'm missing the obvious, but is the Grid for Round 2 available for download yet?

[Wren Brown]

OhGodTheRats wrote:

Sorry if I'm missing the obvious, but is the Grid for Round 2 available for download yet?

Soon™

[OhGodTheRats]

Rocking. I'm curious if what's expected is a map design outline/schematic or something akin to the work of a legit cartographer. My eyes shall remain open for more info on Round 2 as it...unveils?
8 Days until it's due...if I'm reading things correctly.

[Jarrett Sigler]

For those who have Microsoft Excel. I used that for my basic outline, and my "Grid" for planning and plotting features.

Then I copied it into Paint to do detail work. Hope that helps SOME people with the lack of grid.

[Arianwen]

OhGodTheRats wrote:

I'm curious if what's expected is a map design outline/schematic or something akin to the work of a legit cartographer.

You need to produce something that could be sent to a cartographer, but you're not judged on artistic merit. (Except insofar as voters may be biased, I guess.) It seems like the rules are going to be very similar to previous years -- I found looking at the judges' comments from then super helpful.

[Arianwen]

Tothric wrote:

For those who have Microsoft Excel. I used that for my basic outline, and my "Grid" for planning and plotting features.

Then I copied it into Paint to do detail work. Hope that helps SOME people with the lack of grid.

If you don't have MS Excel and want to use this idea LibreOffice is free (and reputable) software with the same basic functionality.