Advice for Round One


RPG Superstar™ 2010 General Discussion

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Contributor

Larcifer wrote:
Clark, and I guarantee the rest of the judges want quality and would be PLEASED if they actually received 800 superstar items.

Hear, hear!

Damn, that would be a hard contest to judge... but it would SO mean I'd have a fine stable of freelancers to draw from on every project I coordinate....

Contributor

Butterfrog wrote:
*goes back to corner and continues waiting for Fansasy Illustrator RPG Superstar* :P

You know, that would be a fun thing to do....

Legendary Games, Necromancer Games

Bruce Bogtrotter wrote:
but, is this really encouraging people to participate?

No, but this probably is:

Cool Items But still room at the top

And this:

Just Do it

Or maybe this:

Its wide open so get your submission in!

It strains credibility to suggest I am not a big jumping up and down rah rah guy trying to get people to take a chance and swing for the fences.

:)

Star Voter Season 6

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Adam Daigle wrote:
Blaze73 wrote:
No I am not entered in this contest...
You really should enter, however. ;)

Strange, not used to people asking for my input. Okay...well here's something i use in a game... (and yes, I made sure it fit the criteria and rules and formatting - just with a lot of editing from the original)

You know, usually it's my fiancee' that's the brains with this sort of stuff.


Clark Peterson wrote:

It strains credibility to suggest I am not a big jumping up and down rah rah guy trying to get people to take a chance and swing for the fences.

:)

Begone logic! Flee, evidence! Your kind has no place here!

(Why no, I have no connection to the gnome selling Sarcasm Detectors. Why would you ever believe such a ridiculous thing? Although, at less than 35 gold each, they certainly are a bargain!)

Legendary Games, Necromancer Games

I'm pretty crummy at discouraging people, it appears. My strategy sucks. I jump up and down encouraging people for 26 days and then wait till the last day to scare them off. Oops. Looks like I did that backwards. Remind me next year to scare people off at the beginning and then encourage them at the end. Or, perhaps, I actually want people to submit to the contest. Nah, that can't be.

Silver Crusade Star Voter Season 6

Adam Daigle wrote:
Sean, you should really stop harping on Bob. It's going to hurt his feelings. ;)

Yeah, start picking on Alice for a change. Or that nosy b##@% Eve...

Scarab Sages

Autoreject away, Clark. Leaves more room for those of us who can follow instructions. One less competitor I have to worry about... I think....maybe ... ummmmmm... hold that thought, `kay?

<fx: quadruple spellchecking submission while leafing through his Strunk & White>

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

Blaze73 wrote:
Adam Daigle wrote:
Blaze73 wrote:
No I am not entered in this contest...
You really should enter, however. ;)
Strange, not used to people asking for my input. Okay...well here's something i use in a game... (and yes, I made sure it fit the criteria and rules and formatting - just with a lot of editing from the original)

Best of luck!

And to those who still haven't entered, take this as an example of how easy it is to give it a shot. While you can spend a month designing and redesigning an item, you can also do your best and submit what you can in the time you have. There is no penalty for trying and not making the top 32.

Happy New Year!

Star Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7

I've entered and would like to thank all the posters in this thread. Reading through it before I started my entry I found many useful tips and advice.

All the best to everyone having a go.

Scarab Sages

Just realized I may have missed clarifying what action was required for activation of the item.

Damn...


Unless there's something unusual about it, activations are already specified for magic items.

Star Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 8

holylink718 wrote:

Clark Peterson, I have to say the last few posts of yours are some of the most ignorant things I have seen posted on the internet in a long time (and I've seen some ridiculous crap, especially around election times...).

...

I for one will NOT ever submit one single thing to this site ever again for one reason and one reason only: People like you. It's not enough that you don't think one's submission isn't good enough to make it to the next round...you are going to insult the said person's intelligence while you're at it...that's just terrible.

I think the worst part is that nobody ever says anything. But I will say something. Your title of "Publisher, Necromancer Games" does NOT impress me one iota. And I know I am not the only one who feels this way.

Wow Clark's post about being a rule nazi pisses somebody off. Who would have thought that would have happened? I suspect that this trolling was done by somebody who failed to read the instructions, or read the forums since the judges hinted at what Clark finally posted. I think its ironic that the poster chooses to insult others after faced with their own failing. It was also humorous that the poster considered Clark's post as being some of the most ignorant things ever posted yet the FAQ specifically states:

"Entries for the Open Call round of RPG Superstar must be 300 words or less. This includes the text required for the Pathfinder RPG magic item format (Aura, Slot, Price, and so on) and any explanation or justification for the rules used, item price, and so on. Entries that exceed this maximum will automatically be removed from the competition."

The poster also made me laugh when he said that he doesn't care about Clark's tag yet he specifically mentions it. Damn I just paid attention to some meaningless tag.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 16 aka amusingsn

About the whole "Clark Peterson is terrible" thing:

Being a critic is dirty work. Clark, don't let it get under your skin.

In Orcus' defense, I feel he's definitely the right man to judge competitions such as this.

1) He has the ridiculous amount of free time and energy needed.
2) He enjoys it, clearly.
3) He has knowledge of the gaming industry.

On the other hand, I happen to also disagree with at least 90% of his opinions and his method of delivering them (and I sometimes wonders if he plays the same D&D game I do), but -- that's why they have 3 judges every round. To cover a range of tastes.

Keep in mind that Clark actually said my round 2 entry was so bad it didn't deserve a serious review (other than an F), so when I ask that you cut him some slack, I'm speaking with some personal authority. I can't imagine how many hours he's put into this contest, and it upsets me that a good-hearted volunteer would be subjected to such abusive sentiments.

Even if you think people are being kiss-ups and sycophants, the least Clark deserves is thanks in exchange for the effort he puts into this god-forsaken contest.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

Clark Peterson wrote:
Someone has to be Simon to Wes' Paula, after all... ;)

I saw this comment and had to laugh. Not for equating Wes to Paula...but rather, I've always seen Clark as far more "Paula" than "Simon" in the judging process.

Clark? You called me a 'softie' earlier for being disappointed some people got autorejected for failing to follow the rules despite repeated advice to do so? Well, the last couple of guys bemoaning your gleeful autorejects has me hardening my heart quite a bit more against such folks.

The irony, to me at least, is that you are the real 'softie' despite your fiendish avatar...and that's because you've done more than any other judge (in my opinion) to encourage participation in RPG Superstar...constantly telling people to enter...letting everyone know there's still time to get a really cool item into the Top 32. You also go out of your way (year after year) to educate people on wondrous item design by going over why certain items got rejected. You even coach the contestants throughout each round of the competition with your continued critiques.

And, you've done it for every year of the contest. You're obviously a glutton for punishment. But just as obviously, you have a passion for this thing...and it shows to everyone except those too blind to perceive it. For someone to take umbrage at the notion you're happy to autoreject people for not following the rules is just completely laughable. For them to do that means they haven't followed the previous years of the competition...they didn't do any research to discover how items have been judged in the past...don't understand the seriousness of the rules or what freelancing entails...and generally just don't know what they're getting into...

So I'll invoke the words so often uttered during Year One of the competition...

Not an RPG Superstar.

There. I said it. ;-)

--Neil

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

It's hard to top Neil's last post, but here's another interesting Clark Peterson fact.. that you can see if you actually read the previous comments in prior years.

Clark is the judge most likely to reconsider his own initial reaction.

Seriously. If you look at their remarks, Clark is the one most likely to come back a few days later and look at something a second time after he's thought about it awhile. He doesn't always change his mind, but he doesn't always close the book with a snap judgment either. That's not being soft, that's being fair. You can't ask for more than that, provided you followed the rules in the first place.


Mr Peterson also has the class to take these poster's comments seriously, and to post a conciliatory response (with 200+ items still to judge, no less). I wonder if either of the malcontents will return the gesture.

Scarab Sages Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games

I've said it before and I'll say it again - it's a tough contest, and if you're gonna go down you wanna go down swinging, not on a technicality.

But you *CAN* go down on a technicality, and guess whose responsibility it is to make sure that you don't? YOURS!

I'm a sports fan, and I get annoyed sometimes when I'm watching a game and the officials call a penalty, and then the announcers start griping about how "the official is trying to take over the game" or "the official just needs to swallow his whistle and let 'em play." Guess what, the game has RULES and it's not the official's fault that the player in question BROKE those rules. If the player doesn't want to get called for a penalty, DON'T COMMIT THE PENALTY.

Spoiler:
Yes, I know, there are judgment calls and officials can make mistakes, etc., but just roll with me here.

In the immortal words of the Knights of the Dinner Table: "Rules are rules, suck it up!"

Perhaps Sean said it best, though: This is like an extended job audition. Even if you don't win American Idol, you might still get enough exposure to become successful (like, say, Jennifer Hudson or Chris Daughtry). Even if you don't win RPG Superstar(like, say, ME), you might still get enough exposure to get yourself regular freelance work. There's no guarantee of success; you need to keep putting out good product, and do it in a way that makes the editor/developer's job easier, not harder. This is what Sean was saying: You need to show that, as a freelance writer, you can deliver what is asked for, when it's asked for, how it's asked for. There is abundant room for you to show your creativity and rules-fu, but while doing so you have to hit your marks: word count, deadline, and most importantly did you give me what I asked for?

Do you turn stuff in on time?
Do you get it in under budget, or very close to it?
Did you give me what I needed?

It MUST be cool also - and as Sean has said a writer should remember "don't try to be clever, try to be awesome" - but all the awesome in the world may not help much if it's a month late, thousands of words over the limit, and not what your editor asked for.

Bob might have made a really awesome magic sword for his RPG Superstar submission, the best magic sword in the history of game design, but he gets an F-minus on the "design a wondrous item" test, and that tells a potential employer that Bob cares more about his "artistic vision" than about delivering on a product. There is art *IN* the work of game writing, of course, but it is *WORK*, make no mistake, and if you're gonna do a job, do the job right.

Here endeth the rant! :)

Legendary Games, Necromancer Games

NSpicer wrote:
The irony, to me at least, is that you are the real 'softie' despite your fiendish avatar...and that's because you've done more than any other judge (in my opinion) to encourage participation in RPG Superstar...constantly telling people to enter...letting everyone know there's still time to get a really cool item into the Top 32.

Don't give away my secrets :) [actually you are probably right, I am a softie despite my avatar]

Legendary Games, Necromancer Games

NSpicer wrote:
Well, the last couple of guys bemoaning your gleeful autorejects has me hardening my heart quite a bit more against such folks.

Don't let it get to you. This is the internet. You will always have a couple people who either dont like what you do or dont like how you do it. And my job as a judge is to sort people into the "accepted" and "rejected" pile and that is bound to hurt some feelings whether I want it to or not--even the very fact that I am judging and sorting, whether or not I do it to them personally, makes me a target of negative emotions.

So it doesnt upset me to see the posts like the ones in this thread. Quite the contrary. Its a reminder to me that my job carries with it the ability to hurt people regardless of my intent and that I should keep that in mind. It also reminds me that I do not have control over how people interpret what I do or say and that I can't loose sleep over that. I know where my heart and head are at with this and if others dont see it, you have to take it in stride and resist the urge to try to convince them "no, really I'm a great guy!" You cant do that.

Each year we have some type of little incident with hurt feelings. It happens. I guarantee you it will happen again this season of the competition once comments are posted. Its inevitable. And sometimes those incidents carry with them melodramatic proclamations of "I'm done here, I'm never coming back, ever!" and sometimes they dont. But someone else's melodrama is beyond my control.

Don't harden your heart. :) You can't let negative comments change your view of things. In addition to doing this, as many of you know, I am a trial attorney. I am also a sports official for basketball. So I am used to being the guy making the call and getting yelled at for it. You can't let it change who you are.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

Clark Peterson wrote:
Don't harden your heart. :) You can't let negative comments change your view of things.

Oh, I know. (softie)

;-P

Sovereign Court Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7

Butterfrog wrote:

Beign funny is a risky business in this threads... croak!

*goes back to corner and continues waiting for Fansasy Illustrator RPG Superstar* :P

Oh you know you would make the Top 32 easily in that competition Hugo.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

Ever since last year when Hugo illustrated my wondrous item and villain submissions, I've thought it would be a great idea to have an artist's competition that parallels RPG Superstar. The artists would all be asked to illustrate each designer's submission from round-to-round as the contest goes along...with the public voting on which artists advance as well.

Scarab Sages

varianor wrote:


Unless there's something unusual about it, activations are already specified for magic items.

Well that's good to note. Now as long as my (hopefully) minor formatting error doesn't get me an auto-reject, I should have a chance... maybe. I think.

Also, beautiful thing about anonymity is I can tell Clark how much of a boss he is with seeming like a suck up. At least for this round.

So, Clark, you're a boss. It sucks for people who blow it on a technicality, but as far as I can tell you're giving them more of a "sorry, we can't accept that when other people followed the format, PLEASE TRY AGAIN NEXT YEAR" than a "I can't believe these idiots don't follow the format, I never want to see this person again."

As it is, I'm concerned that I may have a fatal error in mine, but, it is probably so much the better since I may not have a lot of time this upcoming quarter. Nonetheless I will be very excited if by some stroke of luck I *do* make it, but I am expecting not to. And that might be from the technicality, which would be a bummer, but hell, there are other ways to break into freelancing.

Anyway, just wanted to thank you, Neil, and the other positive posters for what you're doing.

-Drillboss

Legendary Games, Necromancer Games

Clark Peterson wrote:


No, but this probably is:

Cool Items But still room at the top

And this:

Just Do it

Or maybe this:

Its wide open so get your submission in!

I forgot this one

Hi Welcome and Give It A Shot

Contributor

Drillboss D wrote:
Well that's good to note. Now as long as my (hopefully) minor formatting error doesn't get me an auto-reject, I should have a chance... maybe. I think.

Minor formatting errors usually aren't enough to do it; professional designers make little mistakes, too, and we can't expect newbies to be perfect.

Not using the correct format at all, however (say, your submission is just a long running paragraph without the aura, slot, price, requirements, or cost info) is another story....


uriel222 wrote:
Yeah, start picking on Alice for a change. Or that nosy b@~*! Eve...

I'd be careful about messing with Eve. She figured out how to break quantum encryption, so I'm sure she'll have no problem breaking any of your stuff. Eve's scary!


varianor wrote:
Unless there's something unusual about it, activations are already specified for magic items.

We all know that patting your tummy and rubb... wait, rubbing your tummy and chewing bubbl..

There's one of those standard actions that activates magic items, I just can't remember which one. I do know that getting them wrong is bad, though. Anyone else remember that Hat of Rabbit Summoning that created the Tarrasque when the owner used the wrong left foot while doing the Hokey Pokey?

Scarab Sages

Sean K Reynolds wrote:
Drillboss D wrote:
Well that's good to note. Now as long as my (hopefully) minor formatting error doesn't get me an auto-reject, I should have a chance... maybe. I think.

Minor formatting errors usually aren't enough to do it; professional designers make little mistakes, too, and we can't expect newbies to be perfect.

Not using the correct format at all, however (say, your submission is just a long running paragraph without the aura, slot, price, requirements, or cost info) is another story....

That's comforting. Definitely didn't do that.

God, before I submitted I was wondering why people were second guessing themselves so much.

Now I get it.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Ok... so here's another thing I keep seeing in the judges' comments: people keep coming up with body slots that don't exist. There's a single, easy-to-find list of valid slots. Naming a location that's not on that list will significantly increase the chances that somebody—probably Sean—will reject your submission.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8

Vic Wertz wrote:
Ok... so here's another thing I keep seeing in the judges' comments: people keep coming up with body slots that don't exist. There's a single, easy-to-find list of valid slots. Naming a location that's not on that list will significantly increase the chances that somebody—probably Sean—will reject your submission.

*runs off to double-check the list*

Phew - in the clear on that one.

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 16 aka Clandestine

Vic Wertz wrote:
people keep coming up with body slots that don't exist.

That sounds awkwardly funny. I can't help but wonder what these "new slots" really are.


I think theys are along the lines of:

Neck, Torso, Legs, Pants, Eyes, Mask, Tattoo, Ear ,...


Azmahel wrote:

I think theys are along the lines of:

... Neck, Eyes ...

Actually, those do exist.


I hear Prince Albert misplaced a ring.


Zurai wrote:
Azmahel wrote:

I think theys are along the lines of:

... Neck, Eyes ...

Actually, those do exist.

and this happens if you don't double check all changes from 3.5 to Pathfinder.

In the Magic Item Compendium those didn't exist, or were called different.

and so i used a slot that doesn't exist (anymore). grml


Now I'm really, really hoping, that it is obvious, which slot i meant (it should be) and this oversight (it ran by 5 pairs of eyes unnoticed, speaking of perfect editing :| ) doesn't stop my item dead in its tracks.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32, 2012 Top 4

Urizen wrote:
I hear Prince Albert misplaced a ring.

No. Just no. (But LOL.)

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32 aka Madgael

Azmahel wrote:

I think theys are along the lines of:

Neck, Torso, Legs, Pants, Eyes, Mask, Tattoo, Ear ,...

How about:

Gizzard
Brain
Uvula
Pinky Toe
Navel


You know, if you ever have an appendix or tonsils removed, maybe those voids could be used...

Beware the Appendix of Vecna!

Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2013 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Steven T. Helt

Adam Daigle wrote:
Sean, you should really stop harping on Bob. It's going to hurt his feelings. ;)

I dunno. Sounds to me like Bob just sucks.

Seriously, I know it's late-coming, but my two cents [EDIT-$1.50] on the "Clark is evil" thread consists of the following:

1. Evil? Orcus avatar? Hello? (and with an Acererak avatar, I really feel a kinship here. I've been to Renais. Love what you did to the place.)

2. I haven't seen it noted that Clark does not actively insult the intelligence of people who are rejected. If you don't get accepted, you don't see the comments. Over and over again I have seen "Clark, give me feedback!" And he will either give constructive feedback, or will warn "I dunno. You mgiht have to brace yourself." Clark didn't get around to previewing my spellshare bracelets last year, but when he reviewed the prescience pillow, he was gracious and matter-of-fact. I thought it was a great item, he thought it left too many questions unanswered, and I was a content spectator (sort of). I thought his feedback was important and respectful. COnstantly, we contestants are barraged with the comments "Remember, follow the rules and take it seriously." and "We aren't reviewing you, or even your work. Just this one item at this time." If someone cannot accept either of those pices of advice they are the ONLY people who should not throw their hat into the ring.

3. For my part, the offending posts smack of the same level of self-importance that they accuse Clark of. I have had a chip on my shoulder about growing the hobby and how as a demographic, we aren't very good at recruiting more sales for our favorite companies. As gamer, we find other gamers. We don't often develop nongamers into gamers. We are too smart for our own good when it comes to that stuff. We (speaking as a demographic) steal books off the internet, don't shower for a whole convention (ew), and spend more time groaning about a game than we do having fun with it. The offending posters remind me strongly of people who take themselves and their gaming so seriously that they will ignore al the evidence available to the in order to insult someone who, frankly, makes RPG Superstar what it is. And anyone who knows me knows I am not a kiss up. Ask Logue.

4. If the title of Publisher doesn't mean anything to you, why address the guy at all? Would you also tell Erik Mona his title of publisher doesn't impress you? Looking into Necromancer, you find one of the greatest throwback dungeon crawls in hobby history. I admit I don't know much about hisother products, but I am attracted to the first edition feel style (as long as you can throw in some actual roleplay). SO I am impressed with anyone who makes it to publisher in an industry where selling 10K copies of something is considered a marvelous success. And when I think of places to shop an idea I'm working, I think of three: Paizo, Necromancer and Open Design. So to me if there are three publishers to be impressed with, Clark fits the bill.

And I like what a previous superstar said: Dude was so unimpressed with Clark's tag that he noticed it AND mentioned it.

Okay, longer than I wanted. I think I am just looking for an excuse not to replace my dishwasher.

Ooh! Football's on!

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Azmahel wrote:
Now I'm really, really hoping, that it is obvious, which slot i meant (it should be) and this oversight (it ran by 5 pairs of eyes unnoticed, speaking of perfect editing :| ) doesn't stop my item dead in its tracks.

"Misnamed slot" coupled with "but everything else is AWESOME" could still possibly get you through to the Top 32. But if you have a number of other minor issues, adding "misnamed slot" to the pile sure isn't going to help...

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32 aka Hydro

Clark Peterson wrote:

I agree with your post. And if you think for a minute I take actual joy in rejecting people, then maybe I'm not as funny as I think I am :) I have a funny feeling most people "get it."

[Edit] Oh, I want a title that says "most ignorant things I have seen posted on the internet". Now THAT would be an impressive title.

Clark Peterson wrote:
I can't tell you how pissed off I am right now. (...) And then we get "geniuses" like the guy who just submitted this gag item. (...) Thinking this is some big joke. This is serious! People are trying to launch an RPG career here, perhaps!

Clark, I like and respect everything that you do for this contest (it just wouldn't be the same without you), but you shouldn't be surprised when that sort of cynical playfulness offends people. As you of all people know, some people do take this very seriously and don't want to be made fun of.

Contributor

Clark Peterson wrote:
Someone has to be Simon to Wes' Paula, after all... ;)

OH! I'm PAULA! Glee!

Liberty's Edge Contributor , Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 9

F. Wesley Schneider wrote:
Clark Peterson wrote:
Someone has to be Simon to Wes' Paula, after all... ;)

OH! I'm PAULA! Glee!

But...but...didn't Paula quit?

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

taig wrote:
But...but...didn't Paula quit?

Nah. She got replaced. Big difference. ;-)

Liberty's Edge Contributor, RPG Superstar 2012 , Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 9

NSpicer wrote:
taig wrote:
But...but...didn't Paula quit?
Nah. She got replaced. Big difference. ;-)

Wait, what? Are you saying that Rob is replacing Wes? :D

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

taig wrote:
Wait, what? Are you saying that Rob is replacing Wes? :D

Well, they did say Rob was coming in to "assist the editors" and that's kind of like how Kara joined the judges on American Idol. Then, they brought in Ellen and that's when Paula got completely bumped. But as soon as Kara joined them, the writing was on the wall for Paula anyway.

So...Rob replacing Wes...hmmm... ;-)


Vic Wertz wrote:
Azmahel wrote:
Now I'm really, really hoping, that it is obvious, which slot i meant (it should be) and this oversight (it ran by 5 pairs of eyes unnoticed, speaking of perfect editing :| ) doesn't stop my item dead in its tracks.
"Misnamed slot" coupled with "but everything else is AWESOME" could still get you through to the Top 32. But if you have a number of other minor issues, adding "misnamed slot" to the pile sure isn't going to help...

Bummer...

Well, theres always next year :)
I surely will learn from my mistakes.
... quintuple checked everything but not the slot. i can't count how many times such little oversights nearly killed all my work.

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