Congrats to everyone who entered!

[Clark Peterson]

On the eve of the contest results, I just wanted to congratulate everyone who submitted an item. It takes guts to submit yourself to review and selection. So you should all be proud of yourself, whether you are selected or not. Think about this, hundreds and hundreds entered, but thousands and thousands didn't. So you all are in the top 10% just for that. Plus, I guarantee you that if you really worked at your item, the process of creation gave you some rules review and design insight that will help your home game immensely.

So good job everyone!

And for those who don't make it, please keep in mind that the judges are NOT judging you as a person, they are only evaluating one specific item you submitted. If they happen to think your item isn't up to snuff, it is no comment on you at all. In previous years I used the example of Kobe Bryant (I'm a Laker fan) shooting freethrows. If I see him shoot one and only one and he misses, that doesnt tell me much about him as a person or a player (one of the greatest ever). All it tells me is he missed that one freethrow. Same with RPG Superstar. Like you with Superstar, I guarantee Kobe wanted to make that freethrow like you wanted to make the top 32. And the fact he may miss a freethrow doesn't mean he wont sink the game winning shot later in the game. Same thing. An evaluation of one item is not a criticism of you as a person, don't take it that way.

Great work, and good luck to everyone!

[Zombieneighbours]

Thank you Clark. I await rejection eagerly ;)

It remains really weird not having you as a judge.

[The Grandfather]

Thanks Clark.
I look forward to reading your insights as the contest progresses. Your comments are always (well almost always) worth while reading :D

[Clark Peterson]

I'm not sure how much insight you'll get from me this year since I am not judging. But with Neil and Sean and Ryan and Mark, you will be more than covered!

[Ask A RPGSupersuccubus]

Clark Peterson wrote:

I'm not sure how much insight you'll get from me this year since I am not judging. But with Neil and Sean and Ryan and Mark, you will be more than covered!

Dear Orcus,

If you're not judging entries, that means that you have more time for reviewing items and busting the skulls of people who went one word over three hundred with an otherwise awesome item.
<dares to ;) at the near omnipotent demon lord>
Yours,

Ask A RPGSupersuccubus.

[Crowface]

Clark Peterson wrote:

And for those who don't make it, please keep in mind that the judges are NOT judging you as a person, they are only evaluating one specific item you submitted. If they happen to think your item isn't up to snuff, it is no comment on you at all. In previous years I used the example of Kobe Bryant (I'm a Laker fan) shooting freethrows. If I see him shoot one and only one and he misses, that doesnt tell me much about him as a person or a player (one of the greatest ever). All it tells me is he missed that one freethrow. Same with RPG Superstar. Like you with Superstar, I guarantee Kobe wanted to make that freethrow like you wanted to make the top 32. And the fact he may miss a freethrow doesn't mean he wont sink the game winning shot later in the game. Same thing. An evaluation of one item is not a criticism of you as a person, don't take it that way.

Great work, and good luck to everyone!

I knew Clark was awesome even before this post, but...

...as a Laker fan for nearly 25 years (and RPG gamer for even longer) that was the. Best. Analogy. Ever. :)

[The Grandfather]

Clark Peterson wrote:

I'm not sure how much insight you'll get from me this year since I am not judging. But with Neil and Sean and Ryan and Mark, you will be more than covered!

Does that mean you will not comment on the contest anymore ;)

[Nethicus]

I like to look at it this way-- if I am not in the top 32, then I was beaten by 32 better submissions.

Seriously. It's an honor just to be nominated.

[Northron]

I agree. This was my first time entering RPG Superstar, and it felt good just to hit "Submit Post" and see the "Thanks for your submission" message pop up. I think if you made it that far you've already won; everything afterwards is just gravy.

Not that I'm not a big fan of gravy... ;)

[Clark Peterson]

To strive against the best is itself an honor.

For those of you who submitted, you didn't sit on the sidelines you actually entered the arena and fought.

Then I guess its appropriate for all those who entered who dont make the top 32 to embrace the supposed salute the ancient gladiators said to the emperor before entering the colloseum: "Those who are about to die salute you!"

Or, in the immortal words of Brian Johnson: "For those about to rock, we salute you!"

You guys already have rocked! Well done!

[Sean McGowan]

Clark Peterson wrote:

Then I guess its appropriate for all those who entered who dont make the top 32 to embrace the supposed salute the ancient gladiators said to the emperor before entering the colloseum: "Those who are about to die salute you!"

Wait... the penalty for not making the top 32 is DEATH? Dude, Paizo got major harsh this year. Guess you really were the softest judge.

[Ambrosia Slaad]

Sean McGowan wrote:

Clark Peterson wrote:

Then I guess its appropriate for all those who entered who dont make the top 32 to embrace the supposed salute the ancient gladiators said to the emperor before entering the colloseum: "Those who are about to die salute you!"

Wait... the penalty for not making the top 32 is unDEATH? Dude, Paizo got major harsh this year. Guess you really were the softest judge.

Fixed.

[The Grandfather]

Sean McGowan wrote:

Clark Peterson wrote:

Then I guess its appropriate for all those who entered who dont make the top 32 to embrace the supposed salute the ancient gladiators said to the emperor before entering the colloseum: "Those who are about to die salute you!"

Wait... the penalty for not making the top 32 is DEATH? Dude, Paizo got major harsh this year. Guess you really were the softest judge.

You didn´t read the small print???

You always read the small print!

[Neil Spicer]

Sean McGowan wrote:

Wait... the penalty for not making the top 32 is DEATH? Dude, Paizo got major harsh this year. Guess you really were the softest judge.

::gleefully rubs his hands together while making an evil grin:: :->

[Daedrin]

Sean McGowan wrote:

Clark Peterson wrote:

Then I guess its appropriate for all those who entered who dont make the top 32 to embrace the supposed salute the ancient gladiators said to the emperor before entering the colloseum: "Those who are about to die salute you!"

Wait... the penalty for not making the top 32 is DEATH? Dude, Paizo got major harsh this year. Guess you really were the softest judge.

Lucky for me I stocked up on 1000gp worth of special oil for my parties Druid to use reincarnate.

[Anthony Adam]

Death holds no fear for me - look , see this in the righteous book or coreness - lo and behold the rights of resurrection.

They may strike us down, but we shall rise better than we were before, better, stronger, faster.

We are the six million rpg superstars!

Fear us as we rawr!

[Tom Phillips]

Neil Spicer wrote:

Sean McGowan wrote:

Wait... the penalty for not making the top 32 is DEATH? Dude, Paizo got major harsh this year. Guess you really were the softest judge.

::gleefully rubs his hands together while making an evil grin:: :->

Darn it! Our souls now belong to Neil Spicer.

[Mike Alchus]

Tom Phillips wrote:

Neil Spicer wrote:

Sean McGowan wrote:

Wait... the penalty for not making the top 32 is DEATH? Dude, Paizo got major harsh this year. Guess you really were the softest judge.

::gleefully rubs his hands together while making an evil grin:: :->

Darn it! Our souls now belong to Neil Spicer.

In Neil's Hell all of our board responses are limited to 25 words or less...

[Greg Monk]

Sean McGowan wrote:

Clark Peterson wrote:

Then I guess its appropriate for all those who entered who dont make the top 32 to embrace the supposed salute the ancient gladiators said to the emperor before entering the colloseum: "Those who are about to die salute you!"

Wait... the penalty for not making the top 32 is DEATH? Dude, Paizo got major harsh this year. Guess you really were the softest judge.

Well, if I die, do I get to re-roll myself? If so, I want a higher Charisma in my next incarnation...

[verdigris]

Tom Phillips wrote:

Darn it! Our souls now belong to Neil Spicer.

Wait! We had to have souls to enter? No one told me that!

[Lachlan Rocksoul]

verdigris wrote:

Tom Phillips wrote:

Darn it! Our souls now belong to Neil Spicer.

Wait! We had to have souls to enter? No one told me that!

That's why you didn't make the Top 32. Duh! It's in the fine print of the rules. You have to have a 82" monitor in 4012x1560 mode to see it. :P

[verdigris]

Lachlan Rocksoul wrote:

verdigris wrote:

Tom Phillips wrote:

Darn it! Our souls now belong to Neil Spicer.

Wait! We had to have souls to enter? No one told me that!

That's why you didn't make the Top 32. Duh! It's in the fine print of the rules. You have to have a 82" monitor in 4012x1560 mode to see it. :P

I must have missed that. At least I have an entire year to grow a new one. I wonder if I can deduct the cost of a new monitor from my taxes.

[Nerrat Dei]

Aaah! Hide! The executioner is coming in 6 hours! (Luckily, I didnt' enter.) I wrote 14,000 words in a fantasy-adventure novel this November. Only excuse I can think of that is true for not entering.

[Justin Franklin]

Good luck everyone.

[Greg Monk]

Lachlan Rocksoul wrote:

verdigris wrote:

Tom Phillips wrote:

Darn it! Our souls now belong to Neil Spicer.

Wait! We had to have souls to enter? No one told me that!

That's why you didn't make the Top 32. Duh! It's in the fine print of the rules. You have to have a 82" monitor in 4012x1560 mode to see it. :P

It's true - here, I've copied the official rules, with fine print included, for those with a substandard (ahem) monitor...

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. To enter, submit an original wondrous item using the format shown in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (available free in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd). The entry must be no more than 300 words and must include all of the proper mechanics and flavor (see pages 496-532 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook for examples). Entries must be written in the English language, using correct spelling and grammar. The entry period begins at 2PM Pacific Time on December 3, 2010, and ends at 2PM Pacific Time on December 31, 2010. Entries must be submitted through the official entry form at paizo.com/rpgsuperstar. Contestants must have an account on paizo.com to enter the contest--visit secure.paizo.com/paizo/account to set up a free account. Entries will not be accepted by mail, e-mail, telephone, fax, or any other method. Incomplete entries, entries over the word limit, and entries not conforming to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game will be disqualified. All entries become the property of Paizo Publishing, LLC. Paizo Publishing is not responsible for lost entries.

The top 32 entries, as selected by our judges, may proceed to further contest rounds with additional requirements. The requirements of subsequent rounds must be met by the contestants in order to maintain eligibility for any prizes.*

*Contestants whose entries fail to advance to the top 32 will be summarily executed, their souls henceforth now and forever to be relinqushed to Neil Spicer, newly ascended demigod of Golorian, The Loquacious One.

- ;) -

[Ian Eastmond]

Thank you Clark, I have really enjoyed Necromancer products for many years now, and I learned a lot from reading your commentary from previous years. I have no clue whatsoever if I will make it into to the top 32 or not, but I already feel like I have learned quite a bit about something that I have a real passion to become a part of (i.e. RPG design and writing in general), and even if I don't make it past Round One I definitely feel that just having made the leap and submitting the item has gone many steps toward preparing me for the lifetime of possible rejection I am likely to receive if I follow the path of RPG freelancer.

I don't mean that in a negative way at all, because that is also what the path of any type of writer will lead to, and since it is my goal to one day make my living as a writer one way or another I am ready for it.

Anyway, thank you very much for being such a great cheerleader for us misfits. We, the few, the proud, the strange, the RPG society, need all the cheering we can get.

[Eric Morton]

Mike Alchus wrote:

In Neil's Hell all of our board responses are limited to 25 words or less...

What's the difference between Twitter and a PaizoCon event run by Jason Bulmahn?

Answer:

On Twitter, you're done once you've used up 140 characters.

[Jason Bulmahn]

Eric Morton wrote:

Mike Alchus wrote:

In Neil's Hell all of our board responses are limited to 25 words or less...

What's the difference between Twitter and a PaizoCon event run by Jason Bulmahn?

** spoiler omitted **

You sir.. are hilarious. Bonus points for spelling my last name right.

Jason

[gbonehead]

Jason Bulmahn wrote:

Eric Morton wrote:

Mike Alchus wrote:

In Neil's Hell all of our board responses are limited to 25 words or less...

What's the difference between Twitter and a PaizoCon event run by Jason Bulmahn?

** spoiler omitted **

You sir.. are hilarious. Bonus points for spelling my last name right.

Jason

Hey, I could use some of those. Neil's been taking away all of mine!

[Neil Spicer]

::marks off another 5 points from gbonehead::