Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
|
We're evaluating the items on a hidden message board. In the beginning, all of the items appeared as individual posts that we could reply to for discussion purposes. As time went on, we moved entries into two folders, KEEP and PASS. It took two of three of us voting one way or the other to put an entry into one of those folders, but often all three of voted the same way.
ALL ITEMS HAVE NOW MOVED TO EITHER THE KEEP OR PASS FOLDERS.
Wolf, Clark, and I are currently discussing how to narrow down the 71 items currently in the KEEP folder to the Top 32, and it is looking like it's going to be a fairly difficult task.
In the very beginning, we were a bit nervous that we might have to allow some "merely good" items in the Top 32, and I am pleased (and perhaps a bit proud) to say that that absolutely will not be the case. In fact, a large number of very good submissions are not going to make it, simply because the competition was so strong.
I have very, very high hopes for the following rounds of this contest based on the strength of the submissions. What a ride this has been!
And we're nearly at the finish line.
Of this round, anyway. :)
Good luck, everyone!
--Erik Mona
Judge
RPG Superstar
Yay!
*looks at the clock*
Dude, get some sleep!
We have found consensus on 21 items and are deciding what to do with the final 50. Man, those 21 are amazing.
We have found consensus on 21 items and are deciding what to do with the final 50. Man, those 21 are amazing.
And everyone of us greatly appreciates all the hard work, time, blood sweat and tears that everyone involved with this project has put in! And the mere opportunity to display our best creative efforts to such awsome evaluators!
I concur.
Thank you for the opportunity and for the time, energy, and effort.
Will these folders become available for public view at all???
Mere curiosity on my part I admit...
Thanks to you all for the effort you have put in as well!
Can we have a list?
A list with the item's name and the date + time it was moved to the pass pile?
Everyone knows the date and time they submitted so they can probably work out for themselves how good their item actually was.
I would love to see all of the top 71! After final selections are completed, could you reveal the 39 magic items that almost made it into the competition?
I'm just worried that I'll go all Monty Haul the next time that I DM, trying to fit cool items from the competition into my game.
Can we have a list?
A list with the item's name and the date + time it was moved to the pass pile?
While I can understand wanting to know how close one came, isn't this taking transparency a bit far? It would seem like a lot of extra work for the judges and Paizo.
I think the joy of being in the top 71 would be overshadowed by the *not quite making it*, or the "devastation" of not even being in the top 71.
I for one would rather not know where I was, if not in the top.
Wolf, Clark, and I are currently discussing how to narrow down the 71 items currently in the KEEP folder to the Top 32, and it is looking like it's going to be a fairly difficult task.
Any chance those from the top 71 that don't make the final cut will see light of day? Technically they belog to you guys now, could they be used in future publications?
Just wondering if not making the final 32 is the end for some items that by your own admission are pretty good.
TTFN
Any chance those from the top 71 that don't make the final cut will see light of day? Technically they belog to you guys now, could they be used in future publications?
In a previous thread they said that they might publish some of the items if they seem very useful for a material in the future, but it seemed unlikely to them.
While I can understand wanting to know how close one came, isn't this taking transparency a bit far? It would seem like a lot of extra work for the judges and Paizo.Can we have a list?
A list with the item's name and the date + time it was moved to the pass pile?
Don't really know, but I guess it would depend how this messageboard runs. If it runs on a database (likely) then a simple query should be able to generate the list. I am talking about two colums here: name of item and the date, export to Excel and we are done.
I agree with Struan and Timault, as an aspiring writer and designer the fact that I had those judges taking the time to look over my creation is a major honor.
Thanks for doing this contest, and thanks for the consideration.
An update.
I'm actually causing trouble. I proposed the list of 21 be cut to 16. The 21 are ones that we all had no issues with. However, I found 5 of them to be perhaps not up to our final standard, which raised as the contest went along. So that would open more slots for the other 50 items.
There are some really really good items here. I am geeked. I made a pdf of the final 71 items for use as our reference to hash out the top 32 and man oh man there are some great items in there.
I think each of the judges will get a "golden ticket" (or maybe more than one) to select an item that we each MUST have from the keep list in the final 32 that may not otherwise have the consensus of all 3 judges. It was Erik's idea. In the end, I think we are going to be pretty much unanimous on the items. But the golden ticket idea is a good one. And no we will not be indicating what items got golden tickets, so dont ask... :)
We may have our final phone conference as early as later today to has out the final 32.
An update.
We may have our final phone conference as early as later today to has out the final 32.
Then y'all should post tomorrow. ;) (I jest)
Between this messageboard and WotC announcing that fiction submissions to Dragon are re-opening, my discipline on work and school projects have been tested since the end of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The intellectual adult in me, "we will know in two days, so just sit back and wait".
The excited little kid in me, "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!! I'M GONNA EXPLO..."
The intellectual adult in me, "we will know in two days, so just sit back and wait".
The excited little kid in me, "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!! I'M GONNA EXPLO..."
Exactly.
Can't wait for Hollywood week to be over.
An update.
I'm actually causing trouble. I proposed the list of 21 be cut to 16. The 21 are ones that we all had no issues with. However, I found 5 of them to be perhaps not up to our final standard, which raised as the contest went along. So that would open more slots for the other 50 items.
Don't cause trouble! Or at least don't trouble us with it, the idea of my item being "in" and then being "out" because of trouble is all too familiar.
If ofcourse, my item is "out".......
Cause trouble!
An update.
I'm actually causing trouble. I proposed the list of 21 be cut to 16. The 21 are ones that we all had no issues with. However, I found 5 of them to be perhaps not up to our final standard, which raised as the contest went along. So that would open more slots for the other 50 items.
Don't cause trouble! Or at least don't trouble us with it, the idea of my item being "in" and then being "out" because of trouble is all too familiar.
If ofcourse, my item is "out".......
Cause trouble!
Heh, I'm almost resigned to not having used flavorful enough writing. Course, I hold out for the option of being re-signed, just in case.
(ah, sports journalism jokes. I'm gonna go elsewhere and be productive now, guys.)
Looks like we're up to consensus on 23 items....
Europe's 'Final Countdown' seems oddly appropriate right now.
That's a troubling thought.
It's these final counts that are really starting to needle me. I was fine until the later part of this thread. Dang you all! Now I'll start compulsively start checking threads for more numbers as the count comes down.
(as if I haven't been checking more than is healthy anyway)
How does checking for more numbers help? There are 32 slots. Given that none of us know where our item was in their pile, we are still all vying for those 32 slots (unless we were auto-rejected).
Stressing about it will only give you heartburn. Let it go, assume you lost, and then if you find out you won it will be a pleasant surprise.
- Ashavan
Star Voter Season 6
|
An update.
I'm actually causing trouble. I proposed the list of 21 be cut to 16. The 21 are ones that we all had no issues with. However, I found 5 of them to be perhaps not up to our final standard, which raised as the contest went along. So that would open more slots for the other 50 items.
There are some really really good items here. I am geeked. I made a pdf of the final 71 items for use as our reference to hash out the top 32 and man oh man there are some great items in there.
I think each of the judges will get a "golden ticket" (or maybe more than one) to select an item that we each MUST have from the keep list in the final 32 that may not otherwise have the consensus of all 3 judges. It was Erik's idea. In the end, I think we are going to be pretty much unanimous on the items. But the golden ticket idea is a good one. And no we will not be indicating what items got golden tickets, so dont ask... :)
We may have our final phone conference as early as later today to has out the final 32.
So, uh, will the pdf of the 71 eventually be released? Cause, I for one would find that cool.
I know where I screwed up. I know that it was a "top 32" thing, but when I entered my item I somehow had it in my head that to qualify one merely needed to make a good, solid, item to spec. In retrospect I should have tried harder and made a phenomenal item...well there's always, "So You Think You Can Dance"
I'm right there with you guys.
Chad
Kobold Press
|
There were a lot of solid items, but the Top 32 tended to make three judges say "Cool!" or "I wish I'd written that". A few entries aimed too low, but several low-powered-but-well-designed items did make the final list.
Tight mechanics plus sizzle = Win.
Ok, gotta go consider the Golden Ticket items again.
|
In retrospect I should have tried harder and made a phenomenal item...well there's always, "So You Think You Can Dance"
I don't know about the specifics of your item, Michael, but I went with a "solid but tasty" approach rather than the "flashy, in your face" one. We'll see if that strategy pays off. :)
I'm not comfortable with boasting as a means of inflating my own self-confidence, or using myself as an example to inspire others (without something concrete other than my earnestness).
Having said that.. I figured creativity and originality were going to be challenges.. so in developing my idea I never cracked a book (I did that after I had an idea).
I think it's more prevelent in weapons, but it seems too easy to take ability or power off of "Chart 1" and apply it to an object on "Chart 2", and make a magic item out of it. I think that's a trap, because you run out of combinations, eventually.
So, as I was saying, I never cracked a rule or source book until it was time to become SRD legal. I sat down and drew upon my imagination, comics, movies, fiction that I had read. I came up with a core concept, and then I started to see how I could make it work with SRD. And it changed a lot of times during that process... but by the time I was done I had an SRD based item I had never seen before anywhere else.
That's why I've been kind of upbeat and positive. I want everybody to feel good about their entry.. because I do about mine. And even if I don't make the cut, I think I made something pretty special.
The mechanics are where I'm less confident. I think they're rock solid, but if there is a chink in my design, that's where it will be. There's a logical thought process behind it, but if the judges don't see it, or agree with it... <shrug> Benoist certainly has a point when he says, "We'll see if that strategy pays off."
I started a new thread...
Ok, we have our top 32. The list is compiled.
Yay! Go Vic go!
Cheers,
Roger
|
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
|
Right back at you, Clark.
PHEW! I think I speak for all the judges when I say that this was WAY more work than any of us anticipated, but I think I also speak for all the judges when I say that this has been a tremendously interesting and rewarding experience.
I am very pleased--and perhaps a bit proud--of the final list of 32 items. They display amazing creativity and design acumen, and it's great to think how much undiscovered talent there is out there. The following rounds are truly going to be a joy to watch.
Come back on Wednesday for the big reveal. I'm excited to see what you guys think of the finalists, and I'm even more excited to see the submissions for the next round!
In all we reviewed 858 items in less than a month. That's more items, I believe, than I've reviewed in my entire RPG career! Thanks to everyone for making it such a joy to judge this contest.
If you don't make it, don't worry. Plenty of really awesome items almost made it in, and there's a good chance yours was one of them. There's always next year!
For those of you who did make it, we'll see you in the next round!
If you don't make it, don't worry. Plenty of really awesome items almost made it in, and there's a good chance yours was one of them. There's always next year!
Ooooo! Does this mean there's a semi-official decision that the RPG Superstar™ was enough of a success to become an annual thing?
Oh I hope so! This was so much fun... And I kind of hope you mix things up a bit so the first task won't necessarily be a Wondrous Item again - otherwise some of us may start crafting "practice" items in preparation for the next contest as early as next week ... ;-)
:-j(enni)