Ok, we have our top 32. The list is compiled.
Nice work everyone!
Now the web guys have to figure out how to post it and alert the winners.
We are ahead of deadline--which is what RPG Superstars are supposed to be!!!
And may I just say what an honor and a pleasure it was to work with Erik and Wolfgang on this project. Those two guys are the sharpest designers and writers I have ever had the pleasure to work with.
(I hope I didnt steal Mona's thunder by posting, I am just so freaking geeked! Our top items are so good, I am loving all of them.)
PS--26 were selected unanimously and each of us then had 2 "golden tickets" to select 2 items each to add to the top 32.
Let me be the first to thank you for all of your hard work.
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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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!
Let me be the second to thank you guys! Have a good night's sleep! We probably won't! ;)
Thanks for your hard work and the fun we've had on our end.
I hadn't been anxious about it. Now I am. Thanks for that too. Heh.
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Well, I can only speak for myself, as an entrant, but win or lose, it was an awesome process to watch and take part in.
I mean, seriously, I've seen quite a few open calls in my time, but this has to be one of the most transparent, open, and educational ones I've ever seen.
Between this and Wolfgang's Open Design, I've gotten one of the deepest looks into RPG design, development, and the like over this past year than I have in 27 years in the hobby.
Well done and thanks, one and all!
Not only were the entries great--and so many of them were--but I am really glad about our process. I thought we have been transparent in how we do things. The judges are friends and worked together collegially.
We had a general rule that it took two of us to either keep or reject an item and that is how we went through them--all of them.
We had great discussions. We tabled some items to come back to them later and fresher and after more thought. Each of us brought a different perspective to the judging, in ways you probably wouldnt have expected. I was all theme and focus. Erik really cared about impact on play and how the items fit in a campaign world. Wolfgang is a genius on mechanics. We really wound up complementing and overlapping very well.
When we got done with all of them we had 71. I made a pdf of the items. We went through our posts and found 16 that we all by consensus agreed were top 32 items. Then we cut some that we all agreed were good but not top 32. Then we discussed some more and came up to 22 items. We then said we got to 23 and each have 3 golden tickets or we get to 26 that we agree on and each have 2 golden tickets.
Erik came up with the brilliant golden ticket idea, which allows each of us to pick 2 items we just wanted in the top 32. There was no way there would be total agreement on all 32. Though they were golden tickets, we still only drew from that pool of the 71 final items that we thought made the cut. We each have a slight bent in how we look at things. Erik doesnt like my #1 golden ticket for instance. But for those golden ticket items we really looked for creative spark. I mean, we were chosing from about 20 remaining items that were clear keepers and clearly could be top 32. So we relaxed the normal criteria and looked to find that spark that might show through in the next round. Now that isnt a great criteria for determining who makes the cut, but once an item makes the cut that was a great way for each of us to decide between great items.
All in all a great process.
I believe the final list will be alphabetical so that you cant infer any order or preference by the judges. And no I dont think you will get to see which were golden tickets and which werent.
Thanks again for your submissions. The suspense will be over soon and the real fun will begin!!!
There are a lot of RPG Superstars out there on these boards, thats for sure...
Its killing me that I cant post the winners...
I have them in my clipboard. I could just hit paste and you would see them...
Just a right click...
Oh no I cant do it! Mona would be SO pissed.
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Its killing me that I cant post the winners...
I have them in my clipboard. I could just hit paste and you would see them...
Just a right click...
Oh no I cant do it! Mona would be SO pissed.
Even though many of us would love to see it, we'd so prefer the Mona not pissed. :D
Anyhow, time for bed, alas I've work to be tomorrow, learning more about supporting the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Or, as it's more commonly known, sitting in a room with lovely, albeit a decade or so younger then I, woman.
Man, getting old makes ya feel creepy. ;)
I'm glad to hear that you all finished with your judging. I've been checking back now and again on your progress. I look forward to seeing the winners. From the sounds of it, there was a lot of deliberation put into it.
Hmmm... never seen a pissed Mona before... what does that look like?
I dont know. I've never seen it. I'm not sure why I am so worried. He's on vacation right now. He couldnt do anything for atleast another day. And I'm 6'5" anyway... But Lisa has ninjas. I guess I am more worried about those.
You should just send the list for me for safe keeping. In case there's a server crash or something.
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Unknown to many outside of the Pacific Northwest, the feared Gnome and Halfling Wetwork Ninjas strike terror from the coast and well into the Rocky Mountains.
It is rumored that DB Cooper was actually Dhan and Bhan Coppersmith, twin gnomish HALO Jumpers from an US Army Ranger Shadow Ops squad from Vietnam who were disgruntled after the war.
They said that they liked to fool the "longlegs" who couldn't tell them apart, regardless of who formed the head.
And now, seriously, I really should be asleep...I'm such a junky.
Was that a Prison Break reference?
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Was that a Prison Break reference?
Although I am asleep, my subconcious will say it was part-Prison Break (mainly season one and two, I've given up since) and listening to a lot of Coast to Coast AM this weekend (they had a guest talking about DB Cooper and some more recent theories).
*grins*
Plus, I've always been a DB Cooper junky, having grown up in Oregon my whole life before self-imposed exile in Boise. ;)
I'm in Coeur d'Alene, which is definately NOT exile. :)
By the way, Erik went through our "Keep" folder and cut out all but the top 32.*
Clark
*This statement subject to later revision.
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I'm in Coeur d'Alene, which is definately NOT exile. :)
If only exile could be so good, I mean southern Idaho ain't bad, but I've been as far north as Lewiston and I'm more pleased with the terrain in the state the farther north I see than I am down around there.
My Gramma and Grampa Emerson live up around Sandpoint way and the pictures of there look just as nice as that lake you've got around where you live.
Lovely country, that's for sure.
Yes it is, and it is snowing up here tonight.
Which leads me to think of a certain elemental item that is on our top 32....
Mooohhhooohhoooohahahahahahahahahah!!!!
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Yes it is, and it is snowing up here tonight.
Which leads me to think of a certain elemental item that is on our top 32....
Mooohhhooohhoooohahahahahahahahahah!!!!
Yeah, we had that sudden winter switch flipped down this way, too.
One week, it was in the 50s and 60s and I was happier and the next we had four days of 20s and the blowout for my sprinkler system broke, which sucks as it's less than a year old.
It's getting blown out tomorrow and I'm calling the company to get the part replaced under warranty.
Feh.
Normally I love the winter, having grown up in Klamath County Oregon, but this one is starting off on a sour note.
Anyhow, I took NyQuil, so this will be my final missive...I'd sleep with a scarf on, but it might choke me and that'd be bad.
Night one and all, enjoy the anticipation! :D
So, technically, you are living in your own private Idaho?
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4
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I dont know. I've never seen it. I'm not sure why I am so worried. He's on vacation right now. He couldnt do anything for atleast another day. And I'm 6'5" anyway... But Lisa has ninjas. I guess I am more worried about those.
I feel you, man. I always want to post videos, like, the exact second that they get filmed.
Resist the urge. Seriously. In the end, we will still love and respect you, no matter what you do. But death by Lisa’s ninjas is a terrible way to go.
We’ll all gladly wait for Wednesday.
Err . . . semi-gladly.
No . . . “Anxiously”. That’s the word I’m looking for.
I was just finalizing the contest instructions for Round Two.
I was just finalizing the contest instructions for Round Two.
This man...he never sleeps!!
That's right. Never. Being the demon prince of undead pretty much means I'm up late. After all, I've got a harem of succubii to entertain...at least until 4E comes out and they make them devils (curse you!)
That's right. Never. Being the demon prince of undead pretty much means I'm up late. After all, I've got a harem of succubii to entertain...at least until 4E comes out and they make them devils (curse you!)
But..shouldn't the harem be entertaining you? ;)
BTW..I lurk more than I post, and just want to say thanks to you, erik, and wolf for judging this beast of a contest! I am counting the hours until the 32 are revealed, and this accursed night job is just making it worse! :)
That's right. Never. Being the demon prince of undead pretty much means I'm up late. After all, I've got a harem of succubii to entertain...at least until 4E comes out and they make them devils (curse you!)
There are still the lilitu (FC I), of course. But then again, the demon prince of undead (i.e. Orcus?) deserves such a fate! If only for harrassing Kiaransalee!
Fan-damn-tastic! Many many thanks for taking the plunge where the run-of-the-mill won't go. Good fortunes to all involved.
Looking back over the last two weeks of the contest I have to say that the experience has been a win/win situation for me. If I make the final 32 I win. If I don't make the final 32 I still win, because I was engaged by Paizo to join such a great group of players and be a part of this really exciting contest. I have been glued to the boards reading everything from everybody and have had a blast doing it. Thanks to the judges, but many thanks to all on the boards that made coming here so much fun for the past few weeks.
Woo!
Thanks to the judges for all your hard work!
Good luck everyone!
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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!
If you do this next year, could you change up the order of contest entries? I mean, I did my best with Wondrous Items, but I feel I would've really been able to bring my A-game with a country or critter. Everyone has a weak area. I mean, even the Beatles, superstars without a question, had Revolution No. 9!
I agree with everything positive that has been written. Thank you to the judges and the whole Paizo crew for your hard work, transparency, and obvious passion for good design.
This was a blast to take part in and the discussion on the process was invaluable.
I've never even considered trying anything like this before and it has certainly reinvigorated me -- got the creative DM/design juices flowin' like they haven't in years. Much appreciated.
Good luck to everyone. After recognizing the level of talent taking part in this contest, I have given up any serious hope of making the top 32 but I am sooooooo looking forward to voting on their countries!
"The sky is not less blue because the blind man does not see it.”
Danish Proverb
Tomorrow will be the big day. Here's to all your guys. I'm hoping for at least a golden ticket here.
I don't know. Worked out okay for Charlie, but the rest of them got pretty messed up ;)
Blergh! I wanna know! I mean patience is something good but when it's this close! Blergh!
I too have the jitters.
This wait is gonna make this day just dddrrraaaggggg
I am very pleased--and perhaps a bit proud--of the final list of 32 items. They display amazing creativity and design acumen,
Crap, I'm out.
;)
I look at it this way, even if I did not make the cut, I no longer have to hear one of my players asking about a magic item for his druid that he cannot find in any books, but thought existed.
It does now so quit yer yapping. ^_^
*sings Tom Petty*
"and the waiting is the hardest part..."
There are still the lilitu (FC I), of course.
Feh. A disappointment to my namesake. >.>
Wait! Is there still time to revise my entry?
Wait! Is there still time to revise my entry?
I think we may have a full year based on part of Erik's post on another thread:
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!
So, the items will be posted at 12:01 tonight, right?
No, I'm not extremely impatient. Why do you ask?
