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I would submit that it's not that everyone will be able to do it, it's that people choose not to.
Then again, I rarely submit anything on any sort of message board without hitting the preview button compulsively.
I have to admit, I love the energy and enthusiasm I've seen on all sides of RPG Superstar.
I especially love seeing it from the judges, such as Clark. The posts that he, the other judges, and past contestants have made all contain a wonderful mixture of expectation and hope -- including the rants.
The energy I see tells me several things, such as 1) people take RPG Superstar seriously. This is not a joke, or a foregone conclusion by any means; and 2) the judges actually WANT you to enter and impress them with your creativity and design talents.
How often is there a contest where the judges specifically tell you what NOT to do, let alone draw you the best path to success?
Honestly, most word processors have the word count displayed as you type. There's no real excuse. Thinking over the list of items, I can't think of an item that even approaches the 300 word limit.
Man if it weren't for this thread, I wouldn't even had known about this contest.
(scurries off to write submission)
What's the record, out of curiosity, for longest submitted item? (And shortest as well.)
Senior Software Developer
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The shortest ones are probably the entries the tech team makes for testing. This year's was the Thing of Testing All the Things (11 words):
Ross submitted the Stick of Poking last year (17 words):
The first item ever submitted was The Magical Cat Litter Box of Stinky Cleansing (3 words):
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
aka primemover003
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If it wasn't completely mean spirited I'd almost want to see a thread or blog of the "Worst of RPG Superstar round 1!" It'd be like the episodes showcasing the intentionally bad singers that try to get on American Idol.
--Vrock bottom
If it wasn't completely mean spirited I'd almost want to see a thread or blog of the "Worst of RPG Superstar round 1!" It'd be like the episodes showcasing the intentionally bad singers that try to get on American Idol.
--Vrock bottom
I wouldn't, because I'm pretty sure my submission would be featured. Looking back, I can only think that I came down with a serious case of mediocrity compounded by an attack of stupidity.
I wouldn't, because I'm pretty sure my submission would be featured. Looking back, I can only think that I came down with a serious case of mediocrity compounded by an attack of stupidity.
Awesome seems to devolve to mediocre stupidity once you've taken a glance at something you've built a few months down the road.
Perception or reality? Both?
I'd say that it would be neat, with the authors' permissions, to see a thread of a selection of the "almost made it"s with tips on what they could have done to step their game up a notch.
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Which is good, because it would be a major disincentive to trying again. If you've given it one go and had your item publicly trashed, why risk the humiliation?
ALL submissions are confidential. In fact, the very fact that you have submitted at all is itself confidential unless you choose to reveal it.
The only people who get any feedback or see their (edited) critiques are those who willingly request it.
So your decision to submit an item as well as the judges thoughts on said item will never be revealed unless you want to reveal it and ask for it to be revealed.
In short: there is no downside. Give it a try!
I'm totally on-board with word count limits and their purpose, but I'm suddenly reminded of the infamous stories of bands making really weird/specific demands on their venue requirements just to see if the people managing the venue are paying attention. The most well-known of these is Van Halen asking for a bowl of M&Ms with the brown ones removed. The one time they let someone get by without fulfilling that part of the rider, the stage collapsed under them because it couldn't handle the weight of their equipment.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
aka primemover003
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Correct I'm not really advocating for a Worst of Thread/Blog... but like a train wreck sometimes you just can't help but watch (or in this case think about it). I'm sure some people have submitted joke items just to see if they'd get a rise out of the judges. It'd be those I'd like to see more than just plain poorly designed or broken items.
Something crazy like a Left-handed Flumph Scrubber.
I wouldn't, because I'm pretty sure my submission would be featured. Looking back, I can only think that I came down with a serious case of mediocrity compounded by an attack of stupidity.Awesome seems to devolve to mediocre stupidity once you've taken a glance at something you've built a few months down the road.
Perception or reality? Both?
I think the other two items I've submitted in years past were good. Thanks to judge's critique and the threads here I know why they aren't superstar. But year one...yeah, that one was just lame. Really didn't think that one through.
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BTW, from the "it's so obvious you should know better" department:
If, when previewing your entry, you notice that it's over the word count, don't trim required elements like the word "Cost" or the words "Craft Wondrous Item" to make it fit the word count.
Neil will notice that sort of thing. :)
Indeed. >(
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Hey all, hoping you all had a good holiday and those of you working managed some fun too.
I dont get to reply as often as I like to threads, but one item caught my eye asking why you would risk public humiliation.
This got me a tad cross.
It's not humiliation. It's constructive feedback.
I have entered every year and most years were brave enough to post my item to the feedback threads - I believe whole heartedly that the feedback I got was invaluable, including feedback on the other brave souls like myself who put their item out there.
I have never ever seen a post that ridicules an entry, every single one of them points out where an item fell foul. We all learn from each other and THAT is what makes this competion so enjoyable and unique.
So why do it?
Easy. Without feedback, I cannot grow as a designer. This many years into the competition, I now look back at my first ever attempt and think "Oh my god, what was I thinking?". I hope this means I have gotten better.
Then there is the other side of the coin...
Many, many times Clark (and others) has iterated that working in the business means deadlines, schedules, requirements lists, specifications and restrictions that simply have to be adhered to if you want to carry on working in the business.
This competition, albeit fun, imposes such restrictions to test your professionalism and ability to follow instructions, to read requirements and fulfill those items that have to be followed.
It's not rocket science.
So there you go, a big tuppence ha'penny of support for the competition, the judges and the rules (which are posted and easy to look up from the competition main page).
Anyway, rare cross rant over. Enjoy the competition and cheer on your favourites once they top winners are announced. And dont forget, if you entered, you are a winner, maybe nota top winner but still a winner.
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@Anthony: I'm pretty sure the "public humiliation" line was referring to the idea of a "Worst of RPG Superstar" thread by the judges, which Scott F suggested in jest. And that's absolutely correct - it's one thing to provide feedback (particularly on request), and quite another to single out hilarious howlers for public entertainment.
I'm sure you see the difference here - Tinalles was talking about actual humiliation and ridicule, not implying that anybody with public negative feedback is being humiliated.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Star Voter Season 6
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If it wasn't completely mean spirited I'd almost want to see a thread or blog of the "Worst of RPG Superstar round 1!"Well, it would be completely mean-spirited. Hence, I infer you don't actually want such a thing.
Which is good, because it would be a major disincentive to trying again. If you've given it one go and had your item publicly trashed, why risk the humiliation?
Have you ever watched* reality TV? Lots of people think they're hot, when they're told over and over again that they have no talent.
What always blows me away is the people who get constructive criticism from the judges, and then get all upset.
*
Something crazy like a Left-handed Flumph Scrubber.
*Sigh* So much for that idea. Thought I was on to something...
Something crazy like a Left-handed Flumph Scrubber.*Sigh* So much for that idea. Thought I was on to something...
I'm right handed too - shame he didnt create one for us.
Guys, you will not believe it. We just had a 1137 word entry.
Seriously.
1137 words.
I am in awe of its sheer rules violation-y-ness. It is resplendent in its auto-rejection glory. Never before has an item so truly achieved auto-rejection.
Of course, in keeping with nearly all over word-count items, it has way more problems than just being over word count. It fails to use the template properly. It fails to include price or construction requirements. But in omitting those key words, it manages to include not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5 but SIX paragraphs of backstory (which, at least, they put at the end rather than the beginning, not that that actually makes it OK). It also included many grammar mistakes.
And I was shocked when we had a 500+ item earlier this contest. This one eclipses that by a long shot. This is nearly 4 times the max word count. Crazy.
Sounds like you just got trolled. I bet it was a katana.
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Guys, you will not believe it. We just had a 1137 word entry.
I do wonder if they were aiming for 1337 and miscounted.
Oh dear god. I really feel for you judges.
That almost smacks of done on purpose for some weird and unknown reason.
I hope not. But one does wonder.
Guys, you will not believe it. We just had a 1137 word entry.
Seriously.
1137 words.
Crud. Double checked my copy of my entry.
I thought it weird that the word counter said "point-seven". I figured the BBC code must not count as whole words.Here I sit, thinking I was doing great with half the word count and had to keep adding more awesome only to find out my screen needed cleaning :P
When you hit Preview, the word count is listed after you're item's name in the subject line, like this fake utterfail entry from last year: LINK
When you hit Preview, the word count is listed after you're item's name in the subject line, like this fake utterfail entry from last year: LINK
It was wrong because it dealt with a single-timeline theory of time travel, right?
geez, i could do this judge thing in my sleep [/kidding]
seriously, though, one of my greatest fears was getting rejected based on something like word count or formatting. I probably spent more time previewing my item and checking it for errors than i did making the dang thing... and it took me days to finalize it!
When you hit Preview, the word count is listed after you're item's name in the subject line, like this fake utterfail entry from last year: LINK
One day, Sean, your character will be totally killed by that sword.
I'm a little worried that I didn't change my avi name in time. If I changed my avi name after submitting am I ok?
Avi name?
Avatar. Really I should say screen name. I registered on the site a while ago as a customer. I lurked a bit but never posted. So I didn't know my screen name was my own until after I submitted. I saw that you aren't supposed to use your real name.
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Avatar. Really I should say screen name. I registered on the site a while ago as a customer. I lurked a bit but never posted. So I didn't know my screen name was my own until after I submitted. I saw that you aren't supposed to use your real name.
You're not supposed to type your name or any way of indicating who you are into the submission form.
You are supposed to make sure you are using your real name for your account name in your account settings; your avatar name has no bearing on this unless you enter it into any of the submission forms since each submission is anonymous for this round.
Hope this clears things up for you. (I use my real name for most forum posts, this is completely OK.)
Ok that clears it
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Guys, you will not believe it. We just had a 1137 word entry.
Seriously.
1137 words.
I am in awe of its sheer rules violation-y-ness. It is resplendent in its auto-rejection glory. Never before has an item so truly achieved auto-rejection.
Of course, in keeping with nearly all over word-count items, it has way more problems than just being over word count. It fails to use the template properly. It fails to include price or construction requirements. But in omitting those key words, it manages to include not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5 but SIX paragraphs of backstory (which, at least, they put at the end rather than the beginning, not that that actually makes it OK). It also included many grammar mistakes.
And I was shocked when we had a 500+ item earlier this contest. This one eclipses that by a long shot. This is nearly 4 times the max word count. Crazy.
Like a train wreck I really want to see this item!
Like a train wreck I really want to see this item!
I know, so did I!
I heard from Neil that we had one but I couldnt find it. So I asked Vic/Ross/Gary to link me to it because I had to see it, too.
It was truly amazing.
Like a train wreck I really want to see this item!I know, so did I!
I heard from Neil that we had one but I couldnt find it. So I asked Vic/Ross/Gary to link me to it because I had to see it, too.
It was truly amazing.
Ah, so Orcus is attempting to add Teasing/Taunting to his divine portfolio?
Correct I'm not really advocating for a Worst of Thread/Blog... but like a train wreck sometimes you just can't help but watch (or in this case think about it). I'm sure some people have submitted joke items just to see if they'd get a rise out of the judges. It'd be those I'd like to see more than just plain poorly designed or broken items.
Something crazy like a Left-handed Flumph Scrubber.
Damn! NOW what am I going to submit in 2013?
Edit: Wasn't the first who thought of this. Damn.
In my failed *sob* attempt to beat the submission clock I was typing directly into the text entry box and checking with the 'preview' button, but I didn't see any word count indicator. Was I not seeing it or Opera not displaying it? For next year, how about setting up something similar to the feedback/question forms on various websites, with separate fields for Title, etc, and a character/word limit counter that updates as you type (unless it was there per ^, in which case nevermind).
On my browser the preview appeared as SKR's example but it put the line with my name and time at the top of the screen, such that I had to scroll up to see my item name and word count.
Maybe there should be an auto "flag" page for people who submit over word count entries. Something like "Hey. Can't you count?" Might turn on some otherwise unlit light bulbs.I actually appreciate that the word count issue helps eliminate people who either can't read the rules or don't choose to follow them. We don't need either of those types working with us as freelancers, after all.
In the first couple of years, we didn't even *have* a word counter on the submission tool—the main reason we created one was so that the judges didn't have to run the word counts themselves after they'd come up with a pool of potential candidates.
Back then, being over word count was one of the last things that would get you eliminated; now it's the first. And I'm ok with that.
I have never been able to find the word count amount by using the preview button on paizo.
I have never been able to find the word count amount by using the preview button on paizo.
It's not on ordinary posts, only on RPG Superstar entries.
I know.
I just read the post that shows it by the title(for the Superstar Contest). I was under 250 so I was safe this year, but next year, if I need to enter I will know where to look.