Mr. Peterson recently posted ...
I just logged into the Judges Chambers to review any new items that might have come in.
Well, some "genius" decided to submit an obvious gag item.
I can't tell you how pissed off I am right now.
I don't work for Paizo. I don't get any pay or reward of any kind from this. Nevertheless, it is hours and HOURS each year of late nights and tons of reading to judge this contest. Believe me, you have no idea. Its a lot of work. And I try to do it fairly. I try to give each submission its due. I try to help afterwards with feedback. Because this is a great community.
And then we get "geniuses" like the guy who just submitted this gag item. Totally disrespecting the time the judges put in. Totally disrespecting the time we have to spend reading his item that we could have spent on someone else's legitimate item. Thinking this is some big joke. This is serious! People are trying to launch an RPG career here, perhaps! Its disrespectful to the other contestants who are taking this seriously. Frankly, I was shocked to see something like that.
So if you are either the "genius" (aka idiot) who just submitted that item or another "genius" considering submitting a joke item, please just give it a pass.
It clearly was not a kid or anything like that. Its not a mistake or an ESL issue. That was an adult English speaking grownup who just apparently thinks this contest is his little joke fest.
Oh, I am so mad. Luckily I don't have the power to ban people permanently from the forums. I don't know what can be done, but I hope something happens.
I'm going to take tonight off so no one has to get judged while I am this pissed.
Sorry to be so upset, but this is a great contest and I hate seeing someone just piss all over it like that. That's what this was. Unbelievable. Someone here should really be ashamed of themselves. Luckily for them the process is anonymous and I dont know who it is.
Let me put it this way: I better not see another one of those.
/rant
Then what is a "Gag" item?
If both of these would be "Gag" items, would either be a legitimate submission to the contest?
Dude...you've made the Top 32 before. Why do you even need to ask this question? ;-)
But seriously, a "gag" item is usually an item that's making an inside joke about something in the game or real life, disguised as a "serious" wondrous item. It may or may not be mechanically-sound in terms of the rules. And it may even be well-written. But, all that's superceded by whatever tongue-in-cheek humor the designer is trying to convey. While that might score you points with those who appreciate a good joke, it doesn't hold very well within a serious competition to find the next professional RPG Superstar.
But that's just my two-cents,
--Neil
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Star Voter Season 6
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Both would qualify I think, but the later would definately make Clark eat a kitten.
the first could be something like this:
Aura faint enchantment; CL: 5th
Slot hand; Price 2000 gp; Weight n/a
Description
A smiple hand puppet, made from cloth and wood, the Hand puppet of inspiration carries a small stringed instrument and has a smiling face. When used by a bard with ranks in Perform (hand puppet) it increases his effective level by three for purposes of Bardic magic.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, creater must be a bard; cost 2000 GP
Is it a useful item? Yes, in a very narrow band of uses. Is it broken? Not exceptionally, though the cost is likely off. Is it a joke item, meant to be funny? Ask Elan.
That said, my <redacted> is built around a specific trope, and might cross into a gag item. I don't think so, but we'll see.
Dude...you've made the Top 32 before. Why do you even need to ask this question? ;-)
But seriously, a "gag" item is usually an item that's making an inside joke about something in the game or real life, disguised as a "serious" wondrous item. It may or may not be mechanically-sound in terms of the rules. And it may even be well-written. But, all that's superceded by whatever tongue-in-cheek humor the designer is trying to convey. While that might score you points with those who appreciate a good joke, it doesn't hold very well within a serious competition to find the next professional RPG Superstar.
But that's just my two-cents,
--Neil
I never said last year was not a fluke.
And, I had briefly considered entering the Chainmail Bikini that I posted on the other thread. It is mechanically sound, but clearly meant to be humorous.
I never said last year was not a fluke.
Give yourself more credit than that. It wasn't. :-)
And, I had briefly considered entering the Chainmail Bikini that I posted on the other thread. It is mechanically sound, but clearly meant to be humorous.
And that is most certainly a gag item. I expect the judges would have rejected it almost immediately...even if it did manage to give them a chuckle.
Really, it gets back to what Clark stated in his rant. This is a shot at getting your foot in the door as a professional RPG designer (freelance or otherwise -- just ask Rob McCreary!). Would you really want your submission for such a serious opportunity to rely on the Chainmail Bikini to convince the judges to give you a shot at the Top 32?
I never said last year was not a fluke.Give yourself more credit than that. It wasn't. :-)
I will give myself "more credit" when/if I ever get beyond round 1.
I will give myself "more credit" when/if I ever get beyond round 1.
That's admirable and a good way to motivate yourself.
But, it's still a good thing to stop and realize there are literally hundreds of other candidates you beat out last year. Out of all those people, you landed in the Top 32. That's very significant and not easy to do.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2012
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Yeah, last year I almost submitted an anvil that would have a serious "main" power, but I also wanted to make it usable as a weapon where it would unerringly drop on an opponent's head. After reading the 2008 feedback, I realized that second feature would tick off the judges.
Yeah, last year I almost submitted an anvil that would have a serious "main" power, but I also wanted to make it usable as a weapon where it would unerringly drop on an opponent's head. After reading the 2008 feedback, I realized that second feature would tick off the judges.
Even moreso if it had "Acme" written on it somewhere. ;-)
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Contributor
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Yeah, last year I almost submitted an anvil that would have a serious "main" power, but I also wanted to make it usable as a weapon where it would unerringly drop on an opponent's head. After reading the 2008 feedback, I realized that second feature would tick off the judges.Even moreso if it had "Acme" written on it somewhere. ;-)
I had definitely considered that. :)
Carl,
Humor is a matter of taste. An editor can't possibly please everybody (Paizo will be the first to tell you they can't do that right now). They have to aim for pleasing as many people as they can. Its really hard to do that with something as subjective as humor.
Carl,
Humor is a matter of taste. An editor can't possibly please everybody (Paizo will be the first to tell you they can't do that right now). They have to aim for pleasing as many people as they can. Its really hard to do that with something as subjective as humor.
So you are saying ...
"Dying is easy; comedy is hard." - George Bernard Shaw
Even so, I like my Chainmail Bikini interpretation. :)
Even so, I like my Chainmail Bikini interpretation. :)
As do I.. But I'm not sure Paizo could sell it, that's all. Heck, I'm not sure I would buy it if it was in a book. It doesn't mean I don't find it funny or mechanically sound.
As do I.. But I'm not sure Paizo could sell it, that's all. Heck, I'm not sure I would buy it if it was in a book. It doesn't mean I don't find it funny or mechanically sound.
Even so, I like my Chainmail Bikini interpretation. :)
Hey, I actually plan to use it, if I can justify 17 days of uninterrupted work for my Korvosan Wizard. ;D
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Hey, I actually plan to use it, if I can justify 17 days of uninterrupted work for my Korvosan Wizard. ;D
If all things work out, maybe a magical lingerie store is in his future? Viktor's Secret.
If all things work out, maybe a magical lingerie store is in his future? Viktor's Secret.
Hey, I actually plan to use it, if I can justify 17 days of uninterrupted work for my Korvosan Wizard. ;D
Fredricks of Oppara.
A true gag item
Aura faint illusion; CL: 3rd
Slot mouth; Price 6,000 gp; Weight n/a
This normal plain white rag does not work unless it is shoved inside a humanoid's mouth. Once inserted into the mouth the rag activates and the humanoid with the rag is silenced as per the spell silence. The handkerchief ceases to function if it is removed from the targets mouth.
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, silence; cost 3,000 GP
Director of Brand Strategy
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Even so, I like my Chainmail Bikini interpretation. :)
A chainmail bikini isn't a wondrous item, though. It's armor. So not only would it probably get nixed for being an obvious gag, it also doesn't follow the rules.
Even so, I like my Chainmail Bikini interpretation. :)A chainmail bikini isn't a wondrous item, though. It's armor. So not only would it probably get nixed for being an obvious gag, it also doesn't follow the rules.
Bracers of armor act as armor, but are actually wondrous items. I would rule that the bikini, since it covers nearly the same amount of body area as a set of bracers, would not qualify as armor.
Bracers of armor act as armor, but are actually wondrous items. I would rule that the bikini, since it covers nearly the same amount of body area as a set of bracers, would not qualify as armor.
What body slot do bracers occupy? What feat do you use to make them?
What body slot does armor occupy? What feat do you use to make it?
Sorry, I forgot to add these: [humor][/humor]
Bracers of armor act as armor, but are actually wondrous items. I would rule that the bikini, since it covers nearly the same amount of body area as a set of bracers, would not qualify as armor.What body slot do bracers occupy? What feat do you use to make them?
What body slot does armor occupy? What feat do you use to make it?
Actually, Armor occupies its own slot, which is different then "body."
(Pathfinder RPG p. 459)
Sorry, I forgot to add these: [humor][/humor]
Ahh. :)
Actually, Armor occupies its own slot, which is different then "body."
(Pathfinder RPG p. 459)
In the text you quoted, by "body slot" I mean "magic item slot on the body." I don't actually mean the Body slot that robes and vestments occupy. :p
Sorry, I forgot to add these: [humor][/humor]Ahh. :)
In the text you quoted, by "body slot" I mean "magic item slot on the body." I don't actually mean the Body slot that robes and vestments occupy. :pActually, Armor occupies its own slot, which is different then "body."
(Pathfinder RPG p. 459)
True. A technicality that is easy to confuse. :)
In any event, the Chainmail Bikini is clothing (Body), not armor (Armor).
In any event, the Chainmail Bikini is clothing (Body), not armor (Armor).
And it requires Craft Wondrous Bikini to make? ;-)
What do you call someone whose craft is making magic bikinis? A bra-smith? A bikini-wright? Ann Summers? Sadie the Bra Lady?
In any event, the Chainmail Bikini is clothing (Body), not armor (Armor).And it requires Craft Wondrous Bikini to make? ;-)
Nope. :/
What do you call someone whose craft is making magic bikinis? A bra-smith? A bikini-wright? Ann Summers? Sadie the Bra Lady?
Someone who makes the world a better place!
What do you call someone whose craft is making magic bikinis? A bra-smith? A bikini-wright? Ann Summers? Sadie the Bra Lady?Someone who makes the world a better place!
So true...
So true...What do you call someone whose craft is making magic bikinis? A bra-smith? A bikini-wright? Ann Summers? Sadie the Bra Lady?Someone who makes the world a better place!
And, I had briefly considered entering the Chainmail Bikini that I posted on the other thread. It is mechanically sound, but clearly meant to be humorous.
While I overreacted to the gag item that caused my above-quoted rant, I can tell you that the chainmail bikini was no where near as annoying and offensive as the gag item that got me all pissed off.
Here is what I would have said for the bikini
[Clark's review]
"Ha! Chainmail bikini! I get it. This is pretty funny. Too bad its a gag item. Reject."
I probably would have thought about it more and made a second post like this (I dont know why, but I love to do multiple posts. I'm a bit slow and all my thoughts dont come to me quick enough before I hit "submit post" the first time)
"You know, why do people submit gag items to a competition? I'll never know. This is for a serious prize. Yeah, I get humor. D&D is funny, always has been. From Wormy to Nodwick to cursed items and random effect tables. But this is really an application for a job, in a sense. My guess: the decision to submit a gag item stems from insecurity--'if I submit a gag item and fail I can say I was just trying to be funny and I dont have to deal with the fact that really my item wasnt good enough.' That's weak. Or the other possibility that the submission is just a 'hey look at me I think I am so clever.' Neither make that great of an impression on judges. Nut up. Write a proper item and submit it. Dont use the gag item dodge, because that's what it seems to me that it is. Its a built in excuse for failure. Because you KNOW going in that gag items dont make the cut. Either that or you are just a joker trying to waste our time."
If I were in the judges' seat, I'd have rejected the chainmail bikini on the grounds that there's nothing really original about the concept behind the item. Chainmail bikinis already exist as specific items in multiple RPGs now, and they almost always have the exact same special properties.
This is true. :(
Similar concepts had existed since the pulps of the 1920s, but the idea of such costumes actually being armor doesn't come 'til later.
The chainmail bikini really goes back to Esteban Maroto's work in the early 1970's for Red Sonja.
And, on and on from then. :)
Granted, the delivery of the punchline was spot on. But Superstar is about creating original content, not about finding clever ways of wording things that have been discussed at length in gamer culture.
Well, 80% of comedy is delivery. ;D
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A lot of these items bring to mind something that a player I once knew created for a flashy wizard. The item was referred to out of game as the Spielberg Gem. It allowed the character to increase the volume of his voice, and create flashy effects to try to intimidate the common folk or the character's enemies. Unfortunately, the item had a flaw and the settings would sometimes back fire -- so the big booming voice came out as squeaky and very soft. So, it was a gag item that cost a lot for the special effects. (Motto: A fool and his money are soon parted -- even if he can drop fireballs on enemies and allies alike.)
My item may be confused with a gag item. The name is not quite a pun, but it has a double meaning. Like, let's say I had a "Hat of Giant Wounding". It could be a hat that wounds giants or a hat that causes giant wounds.
My item has a name that uses a similar naming convention, but it is a serious and (I hope) useful item.
What really im afraid of is that my own submission for the Superstar will be rejected because of a wacky name.
This year I went for simple, low magic, and utilitarian as an item. However since it could have been overlooked, and because I didnt go with a complicated backstory for it, again to set myself apart, I used a wacky name to attract attention to it.
Now with the gag item thread, im afraid that my item will be simply rejected "just in case its a gag". I hope not. I know the judges are good enough to notice the difference, im just afraid when making the final cut that the scissors falls on my submission.
That is if I even get there.
Anyways, I should stop ranting and giving my strategy away.
You won't know until the 19th.
But look on the bright side. The way I read the judges responses, they look at the "whole item", not just one aspect of it. Provided you don't get hit with an auto-reject for an obvious rule violation like word count, someone will read it. And so I trust they're going to see that your item is not a gag.
Then comes the tough part of comparison with all the other items. Hang in there. It's not over till it's over.
What really im afraid of is that my own submission for the Superstar will be rejected because of a wacky name.
This year I went for simple, low magic, and utilitarian as an item. However since it could have been overlooked, and because I didnt go with a complicated backstory for it, again to set myself apart, I used a wacky name to attract attention to it.
Now with the gag item thread, im afraid that my item will be simply rejected "just in case its a gag". I hope not. I know the judges are good enough to notice the difference, im just afraid when making the final cut that the scissors falls on my submission.
Complicated back stories dont set you apart in any positive way. Nor do whacky names. In fact, they start you in the hole with a strike against you. Published wondrous items dont have either whacky names or back stories.
Thinking you need a backstory or a whacky name to set yourself apart is bad design thinking. We want great items with great names and no back story. Not good items with whacky names and backstory.
Complicated back stories dont set you apart in any positive way. Nor do whacky names. In fact, they start you in the hole with a strike against you. Published wondrous items dont have either whacky names or back stories.
Thinking you need a backstory or a whacky name to set yourself apart is bad design thinking. We want great items with great names and no back story. Not good items with whacky names and backstory.
I now wish I had started this thread way back at the start of the competition.
It is proving to be much more relevant they I would have thought. :(