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Hey Everyone, Thanks for the interest in our teeny, tiny part of the web. I will be happy to answer any questions about our products or product lines. I will say, we are hard at work with the Feudal Lords Player's Guide (working title) and it should be available in .pdf format around December/January. However, until then, we do have FL adventures scheduled as well as other supplements - all work well with existing homebrewed and other 4th edition campaign settings.
Well, I do not have the books yet . . . just the adventure with the quick start rules and pre-gen characters. My group is playing tonight for the first time, so we will see how it goes. At first glance, it seems just like an alternative D20 system and mechanically looks just as good as 3.5. With that said, I am a little concerned how WoTC presented the rules as a conversion of a computer-like game atmosphere. However, it is really how the Game Master presents it to their players. I remember flipping through 3rd Edition Player's as a GM (I've played since 1st Ed.) and cringing at the +20 to hit the spell True Strike gave a character - and it's 1st level, I thought. Well, some other GMs I knew restricted that spell, while others continued to play 2nd Edition (and still do - go figure), but after playing the game, that spell along with other facets of the game began to look more like the D&D I knew and loved. As a game designer, I am excited to dig in - as it is a refreshing change of pace and some of the elements run parallel with our own plans for the Feudal Lords campaign release. As I discussed with Jonathan Tweet in another forum several months back, they designed a great game in 3rd Edition and 3.5 made it flow even better. It is a solid system. Maybe the reason it is so solid is that it borrowed a lot from other RPGs that developed in the wake of Gary Gygax's initial creation - in hopes to build a better mousetrap. However, as contradictory as it may sound, it is a solid game because of its flexibility, with which myself, and many other 3rd party publishers could tweak or add new rules to the system mechanics without gumming up the works. I think 4th Edition will follow toward the same trend and you will soon begin to see 3.x-like elements in 4th Edition. I am not a proponent for or against the latest D20 system, but if 4th Edition is a better game, I will play - if not, I still have all my 3.x books not far from reach.
Unfortunately, three votes is all I needed. Land of the Stained Peaks
Some others peaked a little interest, but in the end their entries were not what I wanted out of this contest. I hope to see more in the next round - for those who make it, step up your game. It is time to get hungry.
I am glad I continued reading through the entries. Good, solid, with lots of room for a GM to sink his teeth into. Okay, nine more entries to read and time is running short.
Good concept and original idea - it reminds me somewhat of China Mieville and his bird people of Perdido Street Station. Execution - I wanted more. A solid idea, but quickly lost interest due to the uninteresting writing. I am not sure I will use all of my five votes - your're not number one for me, but maybe in the top five.
I did not want to nitpick, but try not to go over the top with names. For me, a good rule of thumb is to take real names that might embody your theme and change it slightly. Examples I use: Egyus, Romas, and the city-state Argos. As Erik stated earlier - for some, it is a turn off to use real names. Personally, I do not mind since it evokes descriptive visions and allows me to go to an encyclopedia to learn more about how to run that fantasy country. With that said, though well received, when I wrote A Question of Loyalty: Guidebook to Military Orders, I wish I instead used new names for historic orders. To bridge the gap between the fantasy prestige classes and their historic counterparts, a simple sidebar referencing the real inspiration is sufficient. Also, always make them pronounceable. An elven player should be able to pronounce his own homeland. Overall, you hit the nail on the head. So analyze your entry again - do not copy your method - but learn why people found it fascinating. Then take a chance, and improve your formula. If you make it to the next round, they are not going to want you playing it safe. In addition, despite what people may say, they are not expecting a blink-dog villain (Though, for some reason, that appeals to me now; but still, blink-dogs). P.S. Watch the passive voice. My advice to all writers, get The Elements of Style, by E.B. White.
You took an overly used theme - dwarven kingdoms - and reinvented it without taking from dwarves their basis of characterization: their dedication to survival, mining, and ancestral monuments. As I championed in other forums what I sought in a RPG Superstar, this entry definately inspired me to rethink a few concepts about my dwarven kingdoms. Now, I imagine an old race, clinging desperately to ancient traditions without realizing that with each generation they spiral farther into corruption.
Yeah! Well put. (I do some editing for d20 products myself.) Or to look at it differently, one hopes that the ultimate RPG Superstar can hit the grand slam of entries where it doesn't need tons of fact checking, tons of rewrites, and lots of work with the SRD to get it right. Exactly - while I read the entries for those killer ideas, I also need drawing in by good, solid writing. I read a lot of philosophy and classic lit., and with numerous fantasy works on the market, something has to hit me from the get go or else I toss it aside. It is hard for me, since I sometimes I want a good fantasy book to read, but often find myself disappointed with the same old song and dance routine used time and time again. I say all this for that is what I feel RPG Superstar is about - looking for new and innovative ideas, stretching the boundries of the d20 realm. Ideas are great, but well chosen words and solid grammer makes those ideas into inspiration.
That is an excellent observation.Rules issues, formatting etc. can be picked up at the editing stage. If there's not a killer idea to start with, it might never make it to editing stage. True, but editing is a tedious job - more so than writing, IMHO. I do some editing for those wishing to publish with us - it is something I do not wish on my worst enemy. This is especially true in the RPG realm, because you must make sure every stat block, rules, and other technical aspects are correct (in addition to grammar) before publishing. While ideas are grand, good grammar and other skills are essential tools to clearly express your ideas. A killer idea is just that, but an editor should not have to write the article. Plus, ideas are for cliff notes. It is good, well constructed sentences that carry a solid idea into eternity.
I like the concept of the Faceless, but I am afraid it is not enough to garner a vote for me. Good, solid concept, though. A country filled with Faceless soldiers or law-keepers might fit the bill for me instead of were-elephants. This is especially true if the blurring effect is initially meant to keep their appearance secret or from frightening any who look upon them more so than added protection.
Though I have yet to read all the entries, I thought the same. There were one or two entries that caught me with a phrase, which is just as good, but often failed to deliver. I am looking foward to reading the rest, but seeing some of the names, my hopes are quickly fading. Still, I will but forth a vote or two, but I doubt I will use all my five votes.
I read this entry twice because I did not believe what I read. I respect your yearning for uniqueness, but I must say I respect the opportunity the judges presented you much, much, more. I am disappointed. A pseudo-gnoll/blink dog humanoid nation might make the entire entry much more palatable for my taste. I look through each one of these entries in two ways: Is there something I can take away from this entry (since I imagine most creative GMs rarely use a product in its entirety, but scavenge bits to marry their own innovations)? Secondly, though a bit egotistical, would those sitting in the "Loser's Lounge" have a better entry? While I did get something out of this entry (it made me think about pseudo-gnoll/blink dog creatures), is it something I necessarily need (I think D&D has too many humanoid creatures running about - as a commoner, I would never leave my house to farm the fields)? It almost feels you opened the MM to a random page to pick the main inhabitants of your nation entry. There is a reason (and I might be wrong, for there are a lot of craziness in D&D history; I am a diehard Dark Sun fan - I am looking at you Squark) why a nation of blink dogs did not exist, before now. So, if this entry does get through, blink dogs everywhere will bark resounding rejoice for RPG Superstar. Personally, I think your uniqueness wasted a unique opportunity.
You are not being a tool, but honest. I understand that your candor when discussing these items with one another is an important process of judging. With 850+ entries, along with an array of different applicants, not everyone can stand up to harsh criticism. Even if they say they can. As a part-time publisher (Alea Publishing Group; plug, plug), I honestly respect your wishes on not showing your comments and I hope others on the various superstar threads can respect that as well. I know some of you (all of us "losers") might take the criticism, but others might run back under their rock. To give you an example, I make no money at what I do - we put it back into the company. So in essence, I devout my free "hobby time" in writing, doing page layout, designing covers, and producing maps, for the products I publish. Keeping this in mind, when a customer does not like a product I do, they may rate it on one of the various .pdf retailers. And a lot of the time, when someone dislikes the product, it receives a low rating and a comment like "Waste of Money!" Now, I do not mind the low rating, but lack of constructive criticism and detailed reasoning behind their quip is frustrating. This is not a point for us (the losers) to ask for constructive criticism on each of our 850+ items, but I am sure there is a lot of items that were rejected outright without any comment. Even if they did comment in detail on every item, it still will not be enough to console those of us who lost. Another quick example - I wrote an article for Dragon many years ago. One editor rejected it because the crunch wasn't crunchy enough, but liked the story (an Ecology Article). They asked me to add more stuff and send it back. I did (in the mean time a new editor took the reins), and it got rejected, not because of the crunchy stuff (they loved it), but thought the story weak. That is the way it is. There is no way to satisfy everyone. So, let us suck it up - respect their wishes, wait for the next open call, submit your idea (never stop submitting), and (the most important part) continue gaming. P.S. You can always do what I do, start a small publishing company and join us in the small pond with the other small fish. And whoever created the item Clark commented about, thank him for commenting - because criticism, harsh as it is sometimes, is still a valuable tool.
Pricing aside, that is a good item to model it after - maybe dispel is usable only once, then becomes inert (like bead of summons) or if used to unlock a door it has a chance to dispel magical traps enchanted on just the door (this way, it limits the versatility of dispel magic and doesn't prevent traps protecting the area in front of the door). Either of those suggestions drops the price significantly. Like I said, it needs some tweaking. Maybe someone can start a tweak item thread to make these "losing" items winning ones.
You want to see a "Swiss Army Knife" mine is it - The Belt of Heroic Action. Personally, the Copper Key and Platinum Key doesn't really fit with the theme of a skeleton key. Secondly, the item does not take up a body slot, so essentially you have 4 wands on a stick without every losing their charges - and is usable by every class. The price is perhaps a little off . A wand of Dispel Magic is 11,250 gp. That in itself is an indicator your item is too powerful. I like the idea and theme, but needs some fine tuning. I would drop the two keys I mentioned and work from there. Maybe instead of metal keys, what about actually skeleton or undead fingers (lich, zombie, ghoul, etc.)
But let me end with this, so I dont seem like so much of a tool: You are not being a tool, but honest. I understand that your candor when discussing these items with one another is an important process of judging. With 850+ entries, along with an array of different applicants, not everyone can stand up to harsh criticism. Even if they say they can. As a part-time publisher (Alea Publishing Group; plug, plug), I honestly respect your wishes on not showing your comments and I hope others on the various superstar threads can respect that as well. I know some of you (all of us "losers") might take the criticism, but others might run back under their rock. To give you an example, I make no money at what I do - we put it back into the company. So in essence, I devout my free "hobby time" in writing, doing page layout, designing covers, and producing maps, for the products I publish. Keeping this in mind, when a customer does not like a product I do, they may rate it on one of the various .pdf retailers. And a lot of the time, when someone dislikes the product, it receives a low rating and a comment like "Waste of Money!" Now, I do not mind the low rating, but lack of constructive criticism and detailed reasoning behind their quip is frustrating. This is not a point for us (the losers) to ask for constructive criticism on each of our 850+ items, but I am sure there is a lot of items that were rejected outright without any comment. Even if they did comment in detail on every item, it still will not be enough to console those of us who lost. Another quick example - I wrote an article for Dragon many years ago. One editor rejected it because the crunch wasn't crunchy enough, but like the story (an Ecology Article). They asked me to add more stuff and send it back. I did (in the mean time a new editor took the reins), and it got rejected, not because of the crunchy stuff (they loved it), but thought the story weak. That is the way it is. There is no way to satisfy everyone. So, let us suck it up - respect their wishes, wait for the next open call, submit your idea (never stop submitting), and (the most important part) continue gaming. P.S. You can always do what I do, start a small publishing company and join us in the small pond with the other small fish. And whoever created the item Clark commented about, thank him for commenting - because criticism, harsh as it is sometimes, is still a valuable tool.
Well, here is mine: Belt of Heroic Action Spoiler:
Belt of Heroic Action: This wide, thick leather belt has bronze plates each etched with heroic deeds of past possessors. A belt of heroic action has 3 charges, which replenish daily at dawn. Spending 1 charge, as an immediate action, allows the wearer to alter a single d20 roll used to make an attack, skill check, an ability check, a level check, or a saving throw by adding 1d6 to the result.
The wearer can declare the use of a charge before the Game Master reveals the result of that roll. The wearer cannot use a charge on a skill check or ability check when taking 10 or 20. Expending additional charges allows the wearer to roll more than one d6, applying the highest result.
Note: In a campaign setting allowing the use of action points, a belt of heroic action instead grants the wearer one additional action point. It also allows him or her to roll more than one d6 when spending an action point, applying the highest result.
It is a "catch all item" (which probably led to its dismissal), but I do like the Action point mechanic and wanted a way to implement that idea in a non Action point campaign. Furthermore, I thought the randomness of a d6 would downplay the "catch all" aspect. Anyway, that is where the idea began.
Ah - success!Oh, good going jerkface. Your meddling in time just got Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in 1914. How are we going to clean that one up? I will have to live with causing World War I on my conscious for the rest of my life. However, if I am one of the top 32, then it will make my suffering a little easier.
If I had a certain kender's Device of Time Journeying I would certainly be able to sleep a lot more tonight than I know I'm going to be....But who's kidding who, the tension is unbearably exquisite.... Oh, man - how did that slip under my radar? I didn't know a Device of Time Journeying already existed. That was my submission. Oh, well - must use it to go back to the past to convince myself to submit a new submission. Hopefully, I can do this without messing up the space/time whatever thingy. If the universe explodes - I am truly sorry, but this contest means a lot - I must risk it.
Writing a d20 horror adventure for APG while dreaming of getting paid one day for what I do. And of course I'm in Florida so I have to wait until 3pm. Augusta, GA. So, I'm in it with ya.
One Hundred Billion Gold Pieces . . . Muwah, ha, ha, ha! Well, give our take a billion. However, I did write there is a significant discount if bartering with chickens.
Ahhhh Boones - I remember the days. Six pack, hell - give me three bottles of Boones. I might just run out to the store.
You should live at d20srd.org. that site is amazing. It is what I use. It's a great site - I use it whenever I can - but I hope one day it will contain the MSRD as well. Or at least a d20msrd.org site.
No, prob. I think you came up with the new slogan for the famed orc baker and his business: Grul'Ve Throk's Chunky Cookie Crunch Consortium. His last slogan was "ARRRRRRG - Kill, Bake, Elf!" His associates will be over later today to sign the papers. You will be knee deep in vanilla elfers for years to come - a very wealthy person by orc standards.
I know exactly what . . . AH! Cursed!
Now, I only wonder if Keebler's instant elven cookie factory has a remote possibility of making it to the next round.Please, please tell me that makes cookies with elves baked in them. Of course . . . deep drow chocolate chip, mocha high elf chunk, oakwood elf and raisin, and much, much more.
No real anxiety here. I made an item which amused me, mechanics are pretty much what they are (and price was pulled out of the hat, as the subtype where my item belongs tend to have really random prices, not following any logic obvious to me). For me, pricing a magic item is the hardest part of creation. It makes an item broken if priced too low and not worth a player's time if priced too high. This is usually why I make lower cost, simple magic items since they are easier to gage. This time, however, I pushed my own envelope a little. I will see how it goes. They way I look at it - if just 32 people entered the contest, I will be all right. Hang in there everyone.
Ahhh, submitted - this time, before the deadline! Now, I only wonder if Keebler's instant elven cookie factory has a remote possibility of making it to the next round. Anyway, good luck to all - may fresh cookies be with you, always.* *jraynack is not an elf nor is associated with Keebler or his band of cookie-baking renegades.
The article, I believe, is to further publicize Shelly Mazzanoble's new book, Confessions of a Part-time Sorceress - a naive girl's guide to the world of Dungeons and Dragons that came out last month.If the book is anything like the article, then.....blaaarrrgghhhhh!! My wife is enjoying it, though, so far, there is nothing new to what she already knows since she gamed for over 11 years. But a few things made her laugh out loud. Otherwise, I have know idea the difference between the two.
The article, I believe, is to further publicize Shelly Mazzanoble's new book, Confessions of a Part-time Sorceress - a naive girl's guide to the world of Dungeons and Dragons that came out last month.
I suck at following directions. Well, mine is 800 words on the dot - including name, e-mail, questions, right format, etc. Unfortunately, I mistook 11:59 a.m. for 11:59 p.m. - and I read the requirements at least three times in detail. My brain, for some reason, did not process and I posted my entry late (Oct. 1st, 10:30 p.m. and extremely proud of myself until I realized my horror). Oh, well. One can only laugh.
First off, congrats to all you losers for some great ideas (present company included, of course), but, more importantly, congrats to those advancing to the second round. This is the first time I really paid attention to these boards, and I must say, you all are a great bunch of people. Now, the unveiling of my entry - Spoiler: Most recently published work: Caldor, City of Crossroads
“Legends say a raven cannot resist eating dead flesh. A plague of anger and passion brought much death to the region centuries ago – so much so their feathers soaked red with blood. It is said: “When a hungry wolf runs throughout the night, a red raven often takes to flight.”
What is the object that vanished and why is it important to retrieve it?
Since its disappearance, the town folk of Azurestone are changing. Generations later, the inhabitants, unbeknownst what disease boils in their blood, are more irritable, ornery, and impatient, then ever remembered. Worse still, a hero’s tomb is desecrated, some people disappeared, while others are found seemingly mangled by wolves and blood-soaked ravens. The return of Cerulean Moon is imperative and its mystery solved unless the Red Raven Plague will again wash the land with blood. What are two of the obstacles the PCs must overcome while chasing down the culprit?
Who took the object and why?
To his shock and dismay, Sir William found the sword not merely a werewolf bane, but within its presence, the werewolves instantly became human once more and had no knowledge of their reign of terror. Believing them innocent of their actions and recognizing his true nemesis, the accursed affliction, the noble knight could not bear sending these men, women, and children, to the hangman’s noose, despite the overwhelming urge of Cerulean Moon. It is also perhaps William loved a woman among the guilty and this is what turned him to lead a life as a pariah. Whatever reason, William refused to return the sword to the church deciding to live the remainder of his life in the newly christened town of Azurestone. The church outraged, severed his deific link unless he returned the weapon and atoned. However, Sir William never sought atonement, for with Cerulean Moon within the immediate vicinity, the inhabitants had a proper chance to live a normal life. Upon his death, the town folk interred Cerulean Moon along with its new master and placed an enchantment that none but his offspring could wield the weapon. Generations later, Gilead entered the tomb, took the weapon, with plans to return it to its proper place within the church. This, he believed, would allow him to atone his ancestors, restore the deific link to his family, and finally become a paladin himself. Unfortunately, Gilead does not have the same willpower as his wise ancestor. Immediately upon release from the tomb, Cerulean Moon overpowered the young squire and he killed two villagers. Distraught, Gilead fled into the wilderness and now fights to regain control over the intelligent weapon. The moments he is able to gain control, he flees further toward Fog Peak Mountains to save his friends further tragedy. But, as control slips from his grasp, the sword beckons him back to the village to kill the progeny of the werewolves of centuries past. What will the final showdown with the culprit look like?
What new monster do you plan to include in this adventure?
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