RPG Superstar Question

[Scorba]

I will be submitting for the first time....just something i have seen over the past couple of years and thought that I would take a stab at it.

My Question:

Does it matter at what level the adventure is designed?

Do the judges prefer low, mid or high-powered adventures? or...

Is it based solely on the imagination, content and playability of the adventure?

Thanks....

[Gorbacz]

I'd worry about that once you get to the Top 4 :)

[Azoun The Sage]

Definitely think about the others, have them on the back burner, and focus on getting into the top 32 first!

I as well have questions about the later phases, but am now content on working out the Wondrous Item...or really to pick the one I will submit. :D

[Sean K Reynolds]

We'll reveal full details for each round's specific challenge in time for the contestants to begin work on that challenge. Stay tuned. :)

[Scorba]

I was planning on incorporating all components of the contest into one single adventure...

The Wonderous Item
The Archetype
The Villian
The Location and Map
The Adventure

all part of one cohesive package.....

maybe I have misunderstood a little....

Can they all be completely seperate and disconnected? Should I approach it from that premise instead of one package? Would one approach be better than another?

Thanks again....

[brock]

Scorba wrote:

I was planning on incorporating all components of the contest into one single adventure...

...

Can they all be completely seperate and disconnected? Should I approach it from that premise instead of one package? Would one approach be better than another?

I've always approached the contest intending to link all of the rounds as I think it would aid my creative processes and let the people voting for me know what kind of flavour they were in for. So you can do it that way.

On the other hand, witness the lack of Superstar tag next to my name :)

[Sean K Reynolds]

Scorba wrote:

I was planning on incorporating all components of the contest into one single adventure...

You CAN plan to do that.

But remember that some rounds have a "twist," and in past competitions the twist has been "use someone else's villain/monster/location," which would throw a wrench in your plan.

You may also find that designing your adventure proposal based on criteria from earlier rounds is too limiting.

[Neil Spicer]

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

You may also find that designing your adventure proposal based on criteria from earlier rounds is too limiting.

I would agree with this...but it really depends on the voting public in all the rounds that come after the Top 32 wondrous items. Some voters may want to see some "depth" and "breadth" to what you're capable of doing. Some may view you as a one-trick pony (to a degree) if you keep going back to the same well of thematic creativity by trying to link everything together. It just depends.

I'd recommend you go back and review the submissions of the Top 4 who got to the final round in each of the prior years. Look and see how many of them linked stuff together...as well as how many of them abandoned certain concepts (even the really popular ones) to keep bringing something new and different and interesting.

Sometimes synergy between re-using and linking stuff can help. Other times it can hinder. Take your examples from those who have trailblazed this path before...or, strike off on your own into uncharted territory and maybe you'll be the next guy everyone else tries to emulate. :-)

[Scorba]

Wise words.....

I will go back and review the Top 4 from the last competitions. I have already created 4 broad outlines that I was considering, though I will just put my initial energies into a compelling wonderous item.

Which is more daunting a task than it looks on the surface as you try to avoid the pitfalls of SIAC and SAK.

Should be a fun experience and that is how I will approach it. Just to have fun and see what happens.

I appreciate the responses.

[Rochambeau]

Tossing around ideas for later stages of the contest, "just in case." Probably should know this, but what is an archetype?

[Ross Byers]

Rochambeau wrote:

Tossing around ideas for later stages of the contest, "just in case." Probably should know this, but what is an archetype?

An Archetype is an alternate set of class features that modify an existing class in some way. They were introduced in the APG.

[Rochambeau]

Ross Byers wrote:

An Archetype is an alternate set of class features that modify an existing class in some way. They were introduced in the APG.

Oh, the sweet new class variations! Gears are turning... Thanks!