Why not ask them to paint the next Mona Lisa? Or Mona Erik for that matter?
;)
(Everyone says it's about the eyes following the viewer from every vantage point, but it's actually the smile)
Don't you mean "it's about the EYE following the viewer" ?
Seriously though, while I agree with you on the matter of colorful items having trumped items with sound basing in rules during the first "RPG Superstar", I look at the whole thing the same way I looked at the first essay exams given by professors back in college. You have to learn how the professor tests - then you tailor your essays to his/ her preferences. Now that we know the judges valued flash over strict adherence to rules, we know what to shoot for in the next round of entries. If you change the format or challenges in a significant manner, we loose that advantage to knowing how the Paizo Profs test.
BTW - as for valuing flash - I think this is a legitimate concern - you need to show you can sell product after all !
Seriously though, while I agree with you on the matter of colorful items having trumped items with sound basing in rules during the first "RPG Superstar", I look at the whole thing the same way I looked at the first essay exams given by professors back in college. You have to learn how the professor tests - then you tailor your essays to his/ her preferences. Now that we know the judges valued flash over strict adherence to rules, we know what to shoot for in the next round of entries. If you change the format or challenges in a significant manner, we loose that advantage to knowing how the Paizo Profs test.
BTW - as for valuing flash - I think this is a legitimate concern - you need to show you can sell product after all !
I concede that you and I, and many others now have an advantage for the next contest. And, ultimately *I* do have to accept responsibility for having written a mediocre item.
And yeah.. you have to be able to sell the item.
I guess only the judges can really comment on how big an issue item redundancy is. I've pointed it out, and if they don't think it's a big factor, then that's all I can do. I'll stop beating the horse corpse now.
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Round 2: Here is a map (insert generic island map), describe the locations on the map. 1500 words.
I like this one.
Take this stick of gum and ball of twine and fashion me a working explosive McGuyver!
If you change the format or challenges in a significant manner, we loose that advantage to knowing how the Paizo Profs test.
While I have nothing against the judges chosen for this last run, I wouldn't mind seeing a few different judges for this very reason. Erik sounds like a guarantee, but bringing in Lisa Stevens or James Jacobs or Sean Reynolds or Monte Cook as alternate judges could living things up.
Or hey, perhaps Christine could guest judge!
An intelligent magic item round might be neat...
While I have nothing against the judges chosen for this last run, I wouldn't mind seeing a few different judges for this very reason. Erik sounds like a guarantee, but bringing in Lisa Stevens or James Jacobs or Sean Reynolds or Monte Cook as alternate judges could living things up.
Or hey, perhaps Christine could guest judge!
Why change horses in midstream? Everyone knows how the judges on American Idol will go. It doesn't stop everyone from competing or enjoying the show. If you bring in new folks, then nothing we've learned from this year applies to the next. (No knock on the notion of Christine judging either, but she's just getting started on her career. I think the least amount of experience on the current panel is umm, 15 years?)
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Everyone knows how the judges on American Idol will go.
That comparison pains me.
If you bring in new folks, then nothing we've learned from this year applies to the next.
That was the goal I was shooting for, actually. We don't need to have people deliberately crafting submissions after parsing every line from the judges to find their particular kinks and beefs. The ideal submissions should appeal to a larger cross-section of the fanbase than, 'Judge X, who likes monkeys.'
I would almost feel kind of guilty having let those 32 poor suckers be the guniea pigs and now we all know how things work so we don't make the same types of critcal mistakes. So changing things would seem more fair to me.
Changing judges sounds exciting but then those judges have to go through a learning curve, just like the guys did this round. Of course Erik and company could give them a bunch of advice to lessen the degree of suffering.
One thing that will be interesting either way is to see how many of the top 32 will once again make it past the first round. I've already made sure that my entry will use the word "turgid" as secret code to make the judges think that I'm Sam Kisko.
Changing judges sounds exciting but then those judges have to go through a learning curve, just like the guys did this round. Of course Erik and company could give them a bunch of advice to lessen the degree of suffering.
I the judges this round enjoyed the job so much that they'd fight off any replacements. Heh.
I dunno if there's a lot of value in making major changes to the rounds. Worst case from keeping it the same is that people prep their entries over the next however many months and we get better entries. Where's the downside?
I dunno if there's a lot of value in making major changes to the rounds. Worst case from keeping it the same is that people prep their entries over the next however many months and we get better entries. Where's the downside?
The time factor does make for exciting TV but I'm not sure how concerned Paizo is about it. Meeting deadlines is important and something you have to be able to do if you're a superstar so changing things up would help test that. But I do agree, if they didn't then the entries would be better overall.
RPG Superstar 2013
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Steven T. Helt
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I would almost feel kind of guilty having let those 32 poor suckers be the guniea pigs and now we all know how things work so we don't make the same types of critcal mistakes. So changing things would seem more fair to me.
Changing judges sounds exciting but then those judges have to go through a learning curve, just like the guys did this round. Of course Erik and company could give them a bunch of advice to lessen the degree of suffering.
One thing that will be interesting either way is to see how many of the top 32 will once again make it past the first round. I've already made sure that my entry will use the word "turgid" as secret code to make the judges think that I'm Sam Kisko.
Similarly, I plan to throw in four extra adjectives, reference onkey-goblins, and 'accidentally' slip into German for a few words during my first round submission.
It'll have to be a few words, I don't speak German.
Whatever you try, your purple prose will not invoke thoughts of barnacle-encrusted tureens the way mine would! I already have a cunning plan: A tropical land full of ziggurats, run by sultry, curvaceous dwarves!
Wulf orders a big vat of purple ink for his rough drafts...
aka Robert G. McCreary
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Whatever you try, your purple prose will not invoke thoughts of barnacle-encrusted tureens the way mine would! I already have a cunning plan: A tropical land full of ziggurats, run by sultry, curvaceous dwarves!
Wulf orders a big vat of purple ink for his rough drafts...
I am interested in subscribing to your newsletter and learning more about sultry, curvaceous dwarves in a tropical land full of ziggurats. :P
Dwarf valkyrie ziggurats! That come alive! In a land of extremes, where night is day and day is night. ;)
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RPG Superstar 2013
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Steven T. Helt
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I was thinking, with the cameraderie some of us have gained during the last few months, we should start our own werecabbages thing. But what kind of mascot to have? What's more ridiculous than a were-cabbage?
Hmmm?
I am interested in subscribing to your newsletter and learning more about sultry, curvaceous dwarves in a tropical land full of ziggurats. :PWhatever you try, your purple prose will not invoke thoughts of barnacle-encrusted tureens the way mine would! I already have a cunning plan: A tropical land full of ziggurats, run by sultry, curvaceous dwarves!
Wulf orders a big vat of purple ink for his rough drafts...
Written in ink, no less!
;-)
:-j(enni)
I was thinking, with the cameraderie some of us have gained during the last few months, we should start our own werecabbages thing. But what kind of mascot to have? What's more ridiculous than a were-cabbage?
:-j(enni)
You do one of the other things that made up the kind Dragon articles I liked:
A collection of 5-7 thematically linked items
A new race
Alternative class features
A variant class
or given the apparent success of the warlock and the shortage of design
new invocations
Or all of the levels of thhe contest could be linked:
Design his race
Design a feat
Design a class/PrC
Design a unique magic item of 50,000-100,000 gp value
Design an NPC of that race and class with that feat and magic item
Design the country/city that NPC calls home
Describe an organization that NPC belongs to (with 3 plot hooks)
Design an adventure path involving that NPC in a core way (cannot be part of the adventuring party
I think it would be fun to see the different writers have an idea that grew over the contest period.
I was thinking, with the cameraderie some of us have gained during the last few months, we should start our own werecabbages thing. But what kind of mascot to have? What's more ridiculous than a were-cabbage?
Hmmm?
Green Tea Ice Cream Golems
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Contributor
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I was thinking, with the cameraderie some of us have gained during the last few months, we should start our own werecabbages thing. But what kind of mascot to have? What's more ridiculous than a were-cabbage?
:-j(enni)
Mmmm... vampire bunnies. That's just what werecabbages like for breakfast! ;-)
I was thinking, with the cameraderie some of us have gained during the last few months, we should start our own werecabbages thing. But what kind of mascot to have? What's more ridiculous than a were-cabbage?
:-j(enni)
About eight months ago I actually created a second group within the werecabbages called the vampiric rutabegas. So far I'm the only member and I've accomplished little, but I'm hopeful someone will convert to my wicked literary ways.
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RPG Superstar 2013
,
Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Steven T. Helt
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While I really appreciate Green Tea Ice Cream Golems, it might be useful to join forces with the likes of Rone. After all, it's already established and carries a little Werecabbage bling.
Plus, the long hair gets chicks.
Go Vampire Bunnies!!!!! (Where's my holy hand grenade of Antioch?)
Bunnicula or the Suicide Girls (...or both)
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RPG Superstar 2013
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Steven T. Helt
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Thinking hard about Lich-Lettuces (maybe Clark would join) or Ghoul Greens (Wolfgang?). I dunno. I don't really like those.
This consortium-naming business is hard!
Hey - Ragwaine: I am trying not to think about your contest criteria, and since today is Completely-Rearrange-The-Whole-House-On-My-Wife's-Whim Day, it looks like I won't be checking out your listtoday. I remember that one of them is 'one word plot hook', but that one is easy. I promise not to check out the rest until I am ready to answer right away.
For now, we'll go with 'Contest'.
Hey - Ragwaine: I am trying not to think about your contest criteria. I promise not to check out the rest until I am ready to answer right away.For now, we'll go with 'Contest'.
Don't worry about it. I really don't think you want to waste your time writing out the worlds largest dungeon (unless you can creatively write in under a couple hundred words)!
I think I'd like to see 'create a religion' as a fluff round.
That's a GREAT idea. Include cults and secret socities to give some leeway, and watch the fun fly!
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4: we clearly need a mercury dragon (shapeshifter subtype), a carbon dragon (very hard scales), and a barium dragon (best breath weapon ever: radioactive, poisonous lightning!)
Hehe you know carbon's not a metal, right? I do like the barium one though. And the mercury one keeps giving me flashbacks to T2, but with a draconic bent. :)
4: we clearly need a mercury dragon (shapeshifter subtype), a carbon dragon (very hard scales), and a barium dragon (best breath weapon ever: radioactive, poisonous lightning!)Hehe you know carbon's not a metal, right? I do like the barium one though. And the mercury one keeps giving me flashbacks to T2, but with a draconic bent. :)
And maybe a Tin Dragon to keep all dem varmints in line.
While I really appreciate Green Tea Ice Cream Golems, it might be useful to join forces with the likes of Rone. After all, it's already established and carries a little Werecabbage bling.
Plus, the long hair gets chicks.
I think the suffix -ling is necessary. Green Teafling Ice Cream Golems.
And maybe a Tin Dragon to keep all dem varmints in line.
4: we clearly need a mercury dragon (shapeshifter subtype), a carbon dragon (very hard scales), and a barium dragon (best breath weapon ever: radioactive, poisonous lightning!)Hehe you know carbon's not a metal, right? I do like the barium one though. And the mercury one keeps giving me flashbacks to T2, but with a draconic bent. :)
Why not gallium - attacks as a "liquid metal elemental" (sounds like a rock band) if attacks by fire or at temperatures above about 70 - but as a dragon in cold climes or at altitude.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4
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Why not gallium - attacks as a "liquid metal elemental" (sounds like a rock band) if attacks by fire or at temperatures above about 70 - but as a dragon in cold climes or at altitude.
I'm still surprised that we've never seen the "Metal Dragon".
He's made out of METAL! Hard-core METAL! BWEEE-DIDDLE-DILDILDILDIDIDIDIDIDIDI! SO F%!~ING METAL!
Wooooo!
/makes me want to jump up and down shirtless in the back of a pick-up truck
//and bang my head while screaming some sweet air-guitar riffs
///WOOO!
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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Why not gallium - attacks as a "liquid metal elemental" (sounds like a rock band) if attacks by fire or at temperatures above about 70 - but as a dragon in cold climes or at altitude.I'm still surprised that we've never seen the "Metal Dragon".
He's made out of METAL! Hard-core METAL! BWEEE-DIDDLE-DILDILDILDIDIDIDIDIDIDI! SO f&&@ING METAL!
Wooooo!
/makes me want to jump up and down shirtless in the back of a pick-up truck
//and bang my head while screaming some sweet air-guitar riffs
///WOOO!
A couple years ago I heard a hilarious comedy routine about rock videos, talking about how they were always "filmed in factories that produced nothing except sparks! And when Ted Nugent started wailing he could deflect bullets WITH THE POWER OF HIS ROCKIN'!!! At the end of the video, the kids aided by these superheroic kings of rock would say 'Thank you, Night Ranger!'"
Wish I could remember the comedian, but it was funny funny.
Green Tea Ice Cream Golems
This one (or the variant Green Tiefling Ice Cream Golems) is cool (pun fully intended) but its a bit long don't you think?
About eight months ago I actually created a second group within the werecabbages called the vampiric rutabegas. So far I'm the only member and I've accomplished little, but I'm hopeful someone will convert to my wicked literary ways.
This one has a nice ring to it and keeps it within the vegetable family (A good thing since, apparently, werecabbages eat vampire bunnies and, presumably, other small supernatural and/or undead mammals). It also has the benefit of being previously established!
Go Vampire Bunnies!!!!! (Where's my holy hand grenade of Antioch?)
EXACTLY!!! All vampire bunnies have "big, pointy, teeth!"
Thinking hard about Lich-Lettuces (maybe Clark would join) or Ghoul Greens (Wolfgang?). I dunno. I don't really like those.
I suppose those do keep it in the "leafy green" family - resulting in rival siblings rather than kissing cousins. What about these options that keep things within the Cruciferous vegetable family:
- Broccsidhes (pron: Brockshees, aka Broccoli Bansidhes
- Brussels Spectres
- Bok Chuuls
- Centauradishes (vile experiment crossing horseradish and humans)
- Chaos Cauliflora
- Cruciferous Elementals
- Dire Sprouts
- Ehtereal Turnips
- Fiendish Broccoli
- Ghost Radishes
- Shadow Sprouts
- Tiefnips
- Wraith Radishes
(note that Vampiric Rutabegas also fits into this category)
While I'm still partial to Vampire Bunnies, from the above list I'd favour Bok Chuuls, Chaos Cauliflora, Dire Sprouts, Shadow Sprouts or Vampiric Rutabegas.
:-j(enni)
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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- Broccsidhes (pron: Brockshees, aka Broccoli Bansidhes
- Brussels Spectres
- Bok Chuuls
- Centauradishes (vile experiment crossing horseradish and humans)
- Chaos Cauliflora
- Cruciferous Elementals
- Dire Sprouts
- Ehtereal Turnips
- Fiendish Broccoli
- Ghost Radishes
- Shadow Sprouts
- Tiefnips
- Wraith Radishes
(note that Vampiric Rutabegas also fits into this category)While I'm still partial to Vampire Bunnies, from the above list I'd favour Bok Chuuls, Chaos Cauliflora, Dire Sprouts, Shadow Sprouts or Vampiric Rutabegas.
:-j(enni)
Bok Chuuls FTW definitely!
While I really appreciate Green Tea Ice Cream Golems, it might be useful to join forces with the likes of Rone. After all, it's already established and carries a little Werecabbage bling.
Plus, the long hair gets chicks.
Yeah, but what good is walking around with a bunch of hair-tangled baby chickens when you're a vegetarian?
I mean... I guess it's a look.
I really like dire sprouts.
And Dire-This versus Were-That makes for a good round of combat too. ;-)
I suppose you could actually "dire" up any one of the cruciferous vegtables, giving the following additional alternatives to :
- Dire Broccoli
- Dire Cabbages {nuh-uh}
- Dire Cauliflora
- Dire Kale
- Dire Turnips
- Dire Radishes
- Dire Rutabegas
Dire Radishes and Dire Rutabegas have a nice ring to them, but Dire Sprouts is probably the most ridiculous. ;-)
:-j(enni)
All we need now is some Jumbo Shrimp (are they Dire Shrimp, really?) and we're making Half-Fiendish Gumbo.
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RPG Superstar 2013
,
Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Steven T. Helt
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Hehe you know carbon's not a metal, right? I do like the barium one though. And the mercury one keeps giving me flashbacks to T2, but with a draconic bent. :)
Hey - take the hint.
Seriously, I am not sure where I heard it but I have somehow managed to always think carbon was a metal. Guess that's what I get for taking debate and stage choir instead of chemistry.
Oi.
Why not gallium - attacks as a "liquid metal elemental" (sounds like a rock band) if attacks by fire or at temperatures above about 70 - but as a dragon in cold climes or at altitude.I'm still surprised that we've never seen the "Metal Dragon".
He's made out of METAL! Hard-core METAL! BWEEE-DIDDLE-DILDILDILDIDIDIDIDIDIDI! SO f&&@ING METAL!
Wooooo!
/makes me want to jump up and down shirtless in the back of a pick-up truck
//and bang my head while screaming some sweet air-guitar riffs
///WOOO!A couple years ago I heard a hilarious comedy routine about rock videos, talking about how they were always "filmed in factories that produced nothing except sparks! And when Ted Nugent started wailing he could deflect bullets WITH THE POWER OF HIS ROCKIN'!!! At the end of the video, the kids aided by these superheroic kings of rock would say 'Thank you, Night Ranger!'"
Wish I could remember the comedian, but it was funny funny.
That would be the incredibly funny Patton Oswalt.
Enjoy!
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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Why not gallium - attacks as a "liquid metal elemental" (sounds like a rock band) if attacks by fire or at temperatures above about 70 - but as a dragon in cold climes or at altitude.I'm still surprised that we've never seen the "Metal Dragon".
He's made out of METAL! Hard-core METAL! BWEEE-DIDDLE-DILDILDILDIDIDIDIDIDIDI! SO f&&@ING METAL!
Wooooo!
/makes me want to jump up and down shirtless in the back of a pick-up truck
//and bang my head while screaming some sweet air-guitar riffs
///WOOO!A couple years ago I heard a hilarious comedy routine about rock videos, talking about how they were always "filmed in factories that produced nothing except sparks! And when Ted Nugent started wailing he could deflect bullets WITH THE POWER OF HIS ROCKIN'!!! At the end of the video, the kids aided by these superheroic kings of rock would say 'Thank you, Night Ranger!'"
Wish I could remember the comedian, but it was funny funny.
That would be the incredibly funny Patton Oswalt.
Enjoy!
Thanks for the heads up! I'll have to see if I can find that routine.
Ideas :
Create an alchemical item.
Create a building.
Create an ally, follower, or cohort.
Create a low level encounter.
Create a starter town.
Why not gallium - attacks as a "liquid metal elemental" (sounds like a rock band) if attacks by fire or at temperatures above about 70 - but as a dragon in cold climes or at altitude.I'm still surprised that we've never seen the "Metal Dragon".
He's made out of METAL! Hard-core METAL! BWEEE-DIDDLE-DILDILDILDIDIDIDIDIDIDI! SO f&&@ING METAL!
Wooooo!
/makes me want to jump up and down shirtless in the back of a pick-up truck
//and bang my head while screaming some sweet air-guitar riffs
///WOOO!A couple years ago I heard a hilarious comedy routine about rock videos, talking about how they were always "filmed in factories that produced nothing except sparks! And when Ted Nugent started wailing he could deflect bullets WITH THE POWER OF HIS ROCKIN'!!! At the end of the video, the kids aided by these superheroic kings of rock would say 'Thank you, Night Ranger!'"
Wish I could remember the comedian, but it was funny funny.
That would be the incredibly funny Patton Oswalt.
Enjoy!
Thanks for the heads up! I'll have to see if I can find that routine.
It's right here.
Ideas :
Create an alchemical item.
Create a building.
Create an ally, follower, or cohort.
Create a low level encounter.
Create a starter town.
I like the alchemical item that something I hadn't thought about. I think the "ally, follower, cohort" thing would be a good challenge because it would be hard not to just make a really cool stand alone character. Maybe instead of a starter town (which could get long) a unique city/town location summarized, similar to the country entry in the 1st contest.
The building thing could be fun too since I'm sure no one would make an empty warehouse or something else boring. I can just picture the cogs in everyone's heads turning as they try to figure out what they would do to make a "building" exciting.