RPG Superstar 2010 Icon competition who would win?

[Victor Spieles]

What currently working, retired or deceased RPG Superstar Icons would you pick to be in the Top 4 for RPG Superstar 2010 if they entered? (ex: Wolfgang, Ed, Sean, Monte, Skip, Clark, Erik, Gary ... and the list goes on) And who do you think would win?

[Nicolas Quimby]

You mean, if absolutely anyone could enter?

[Victor Spieles]

Hydro wrote:

You mean, if absolutely anyone could enter?

Any published RPG Icon (writer/designer) is eligible. So that includes the likes of Neil and Boomer as well.

Give us your personal TOP 4 and your pick for winner from your TOP 4.

It's RPG Superstar 2010 Icon voting for those waiting to hear which 32 advance to the class of 2010.

For example:

1. Neil Spicer
2. Clark Peterson
3. Erik Mona
4. Gary Gygax

Winner: ?

[Nicolas Quimby]

I'd actually love to see what Mike Mearls would do in a situation like this (I haven't been following his work in the last few years because I don't play 4e, but he's a really inventive guy with a firm grasp on the sort of balls-to-the-wall awesomeness that RPG Superstar fans seem to enjoy).

Unfortunately, I don't think you could really do a professional-level competition with fan voting. We're too prone to fanboyism; I for one would probably vote for Monte no matter what he wrote.

Mearls, for instance, as a leading 4e developer, probably wouldn't have much following here.

[Victor Spieles]

It's a fun way to compare notes and see who inspires all the RPG dreamers and hopefuls. It's also a way to pass the next 13 days.

[Draeke Raefel]

kid america wrote:

It's a fun way to compare notes and see who inspires all the RPG dreamers and hopefuls. It's also a way to pass the next 13 days.

Can't we just pay someone at Paizo to set all their computer clocks ahead 13 days? That seems like it would be a lot more productive than waiting :)

[Victor Spieles]

You'll have to ask Lisa and Vic about that. Otherwise you'll have to continue working on that time machine.

[Shinmizu]

kid america wrote:

For example:

1. Neil Spicer
2. Clark Peterson
3. Erik Mona
4. Gary Gygax

Winner: ?

Mike Ditka, with God coming in at a close second.

kid america wrote:

You'll have to ask Lisa and Vic about that. Otherwise you'll have to continue working on that time machine.

I already finished it seven days from now.

[Urizen]

Shinmizu wrote:

kid america wrote:

For example:

1. Neil Spicer
2. Clark Peterson
3. Erik Mona
4. Gary Gygax

Winner: ?

Mike Ditka, with God coming in at a close second.

You, sir, are my hero. When you release your own desk calendar with daily sayings, I want to buy it. If you have a Facebook sayings of the day, I want to be a fan of it. :P

[Victor Spieles]

Hopefully we'll hear from Neil, Boomer, Vic and Ditka.

I suspect Ditka would pick Ditka.

[Telhuine]

Yeah. With Ditka, we aren't talking a repeat, three peat or even a four peat. It would be a minimum eight peat.

For me though, my choices for tops would be... whomever is currently judging my entry at the top of the list. Hahah!

[Shinmizu]

Urizen wrote:

If you have a Facebook sayings of the day, I want to be a fan of it. :P

Hadn't considered it, but I'll share my latest wall update:

Hell if I know who wrote:

The following confirmation dialog needs to be added to electronic voting machines whenever you vote for a first-party candidate: "Warning! You are not voting for the lesser of two evils! Are you sure you wish to vote for ******? Yes/No/Summon Zombie Teddy Roosevelt"

[Victor Spieles]

Since no one else wants to go first here is my Top 4.

1. Mike McArtor - for his many projects, the largest being the Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting.
2. Keith Baker - especially for Eberron that's been under appreciated for years.
3. Gary Gygax - who inspired us all.
4. Clinton Boomer - hoping one day to play in the RPG campaign setting Boomer has hidden away and is waiting to unleash when experience and the right financial offer meet.

Winner: Keith Baker

[Nicolas Quimby]

You know, I think that the "game design" that we talk about here is very different from the kind of talent it takes to actually design a game.

RPG Superstar tests your ability to work WITHIN and add ONTO an existing, expansive ruleset; one which you had no hand in shaping up until now. Gygax and Arneson invented modern roleplaying as we know it, and that takes a special kind of genius, but I don't know if either of them would do very well here.

[Lief Clennon]

+1 to Hydro. To be honest, this half of "game design" is far less familiar to me... and that's why I'm here! Trying to force myself to be creative with atmosphere and imagery, rather than just with systems and structures. :)

[Sean McGowan]

Battle of the editions:

Gary Gygax
Zeb Cook
Monte Cook
Mike Mearls

...yeah, it's been said prior to this that 4E and those who make it would be facing an uphill battle and that Monte would be heavily favored, plus the fact that Gary is certainly a sentimental fave... I myself would vote for Zeb. 2E may be the least shiny of the various editions, but on the other hand, this is the guy who gave us Planescape.

Still, the judges comments would be the fun part here. "Gary, Gary, Gary... man. You have some really strong ideas, but jeez, half the time it feels like you're just out to kill the characters. Plus, seriously, 1200 pages of rules? And 600 of them contradict the other 600! Still, bonus points for the prostitute random encounter table. I'm definitely stealing that for my home game..."

[Urizen]

Shinmizu wrote:

Urizen wrote:

If you have a Facebook sayings of the day, I want to be a fan of it. :P

Hadn't considered it, but I'll share my latest wall update:

Hell if I know who wrote:

The following confirmation dialog needs to be added to electronic voting machines whenever you vote for a first-party candidate: "Warning! You are not voting for the lesser of two evils! Are you sure you wish to vote for ******? Yes/No/Summon Zombie Teddy Roosevelt"

Again, that's a gem! If you post to your wall semi-frequently in the same fashion you post here, I need to get a friend request in there. :D

[varianor]

+2 Hydro.

I note that Monte Cook himself entered the WotC Setting Search with two entries. Neither even placed. I also note that that contest was anonymous for the first round as well. What I'm saying is that there are no guarantees for fame.

Personally I would think that any of the judges and many of the Paizo staff could win, along with people like Sam Witt, kevin Siembida, Aaron Allston, and a host of others.

[Wicht]

Hydro wrote:

I'd actually love to see what Mike Mearls would do in a situation like this (I haven't been following his work in the last few years because I don't play 4e, but he's a really inventive guy with a firm grasp on the sort of balls-to-the-wall awesomeness that RPG Superstar fans seem to enjoy).

Unfortunately, I don't think you could really do a professional-level competition with fan voting. We're too prone to fanboyism; I for one would probably vote for Monte no matter what he wrote.

Mearls, for instance, as a leading 4e developer, probably wouldn't have much following here.

I think a contest like this would be far more interesting if all the contestants were hand-picked and entered the contest under a pseudonym (i.e 'The Lone Paladin' or 'The Owlbear King.'). Then identities would only be revealed after the contest was completely over.

That would eliminate fanboyism and also make for some interesting revelations regarding real fan-pleasing talent.

[Patrick Walsh]

Wicht wrote:

I think a contest like this would be far more interesting if all the contestants were hand-picked and entered the contest under a pseudonym (i.e 'The Lone Paladin' or 'The Owlbear King.'). Then identities would only be revealed after the contest was completely over.

Ooooh! The Owlbear King. That gives me some ideas for my campaign...

heh. heh. heh.