Heh. See, my problem ...
itty bitty execution chops
Now, give me three random monsters to string together in a coherent story/scenario ... no problem!
Osyluth, Shoggoth, Swarm of Ticks.
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Hey, thanks a lot for all your responses and views on this issue! I guess I just wasn't sure what to make of the wording, especially with some bad experiences from other writers in my head (different kind of writing though), and therefore my alarms went off. That's why I posted it in here, to get some feedback from people more experienced with this industry and these kinds of contests.
You guys rock!
And, yeah, after reading through your posts and rethinking the issue, I think I'm giving it a shot. Now I just have to get the formatting straight.... ;)
Best,
your crazy gnome lady from next door
...realized I don't know Neil well enough to know if he'd be offended or find it humorous, if I made an analogy that likened his daughters to monkeys with typewriters.
Not offended. I call them "little monkeys" myself sometimes, especially when they're misbehaving.
You, ah, might want to qualify that statement so that they will type out most but not all of the complete works of Paizo. He might not appreciate the implications for everything :)
True. HMM would raise all kinds of concerns for me as their father.
I'm guessing you didn't have older sisters?
Nope. Only one brother. However, I don't base that statement about my daughters spoiling their baby brother on my own assumptions. That's what everyone else has been telling me will happen (and that includes those who grew up in such families). Sure, I expect they'll fight and annoy each other just like all siblings do. But, you have to understand the personality of my daughters to get where I'm coming from. They're all pretty strong "caretakers" and they model that behavior from my wife. So, at least in the early going, they're likely to help quite a lot in looking after the boy.
Hey, thanks a lot for all your responses and views on this issue! I guess I just wasn't sure what to make of the wording, especially with some bad experiences from other writers in my head (different kind of writing though), and therefore my alarms went off. That's why I posted it in here, to get some feedback from people more experienced with this industry and these kinds of contests.
You guys rock!
And, yeah, after reading through your posts and rethinking the issue, I think I'm giving it a shot. Now I just have to get the formatting straight.... ;)
Best,
your crazy gnome lady from next door
Good for you - and us!
To help with the formatting and things to look out for, there is a ton of helpful links in THIS THREAD and you may also want to look at Sean's advice on dashes.
Best of luck.
Osyluth, Shoggoth, Swarm of Ticks.
After passing empty farms, one after another, the group comes across a field of cattle that have been left nothing but dried husks. After examining the cattle, they start once again for a nearby farm, only to hear what sounds like the rustling of leaves - surrounded by fields, not forests.
A shadow overhead is the only warning of a great leaping swarm of ticks, followed by another, and another - worse than locusts, truly!
Tick Swarm - Encounter 1
Finally making their way to Pitax proper, the group is met with distrust, and near hostility - along with the horrible decor. While on the surface, the bad art covers the filth and squalor that the enslaved people live in.
Brought to visit the would-be God King, Castruccio Irovetti, the group is forced to kneel before the man, a whispered warning given by the Vizier to obey. Even so, Irovetti is in the throws of madness, and speaks to himself, as much as to the Vizier, concerning the possible treachery and true motives of the group. Irovetti then calls for his new guards, much more trustworthy than his old human guard, of Bone Devils to step forward and kill the group - all while he cackles with glee taunting the group with an open chest full of gold just at his feet.
Bone Devils - Encounter 2
With the defeat of his guard, and the disappearance of his Vizier, who wasn't much help to him anyway!, Irovetti howls insanely as he flees the room, trailing food and wine behind him. The group follows as he darts into the dungeons, pushing their way through the torture chamber slick with fresh blood, and the tattered rags of the uniforms of his own guards, along with a rather unsavory looking Devil taking too much pride in his work to get information.
Bone Devil Inquisitor/Rogue - Encounter 3
Irovetti's howls have soften, but the man can still be heard through the door he fled - sobbing about his shattered and torn soul - one too many contracts signed. Following the sound, the group also begins to hear a sinister slithering whisper, no whispers, as they approach - comforting and maddening at the same time.
Stepping beyond the dungeon walls, the group enters a cavern that has been re-purposed as a shrine of some sort. Only finding the place because of Irovetti's wailings, and the fact that he left the passage, by way of a swirling, luminescent portal, open. On the other side they are met with Irovetti, cowering behind some sort of stone structure, even as a mass of slimey, dark tendrils of chaos seems to shuffle towards them - singing praises to secrets so old, the mind threatens to shatter.
Shoggoth - Encounter 4
If the group managed to survive, they chase Irovetti out of the strange demi-plane that was home to that most unholy of creatures. They they find the Vizier, and a few human guards waiting. They are presented with an offer - Give them Irovetti so that the Vizier can use the man as a puppet, and work Pitax's way towards sanity, or kill the man, and risk destabilizing the area as rival nations accuse one another of assassination - not that any of them liked Irovetti, but who wants to live next to a neighbor willing to kill a petty rival like Irovetti?
(Helps if I reply with the right posting alias....)
Contributor
,
Star Voter Season 6
|
Hey, thanks a lot for all your responses and views on this issue! I guess I just wasn't sure what to make of the wording, especially with some bad experiences from other writers in my head (different kind of writing though), and therefore my alarms went off. That's why I posted it in here, to get some feedback from people more experienced with this industry and these kinds of contests.
You guys rock!
And, yeah, after reading through your posts and rethinking the issue, I think I'm giving it a shot. Now I just have to get the formatting straight.... ;)
Best,
your crazy gnome lady from next doorGood for you - and us!
To help with the formatting and things to look out for, there is a ton of helpful links in THIS THREAD and you may also want to look at Sean's advice on dashes.
Best of luck.
Sean also offered some very astute advice on writing clear item descriptions here (specifically, he addresses how and why to avoid the "prized by" pitfall).
Good luck!
I'm confident that my female gaming acquaintances and friends could potentially write some great adventures, but the focus - based on the people I know - would be on the story and setting rather than the mechanics. This is in part, I think, because PF does have a intense, rules-based side to it that harkens more to wargaming than cooperative play.
Even so, there's got to be some geeky, mechanics-interested, creative women out there!
Neil Spicer got into the Top 32 with a spell-in-a-can that had an evocative name and awesome flavor.
Even a female gamer who thinks "rules mechanics are icky" could do the same.
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Thank you, guys :) I found the thread where Anthony Adam explained the formatting (basically a walk-through step-by-step guide for people like me), so I think I'll get it all done and submitted soon. Already read through quite a few of the advice threads here (especially the 27 auto-rejects, which resulted in me changing my complete item concept again) and think I successfully manoeuvred around all of them.
Contributor
,
Star Voter Season 6
|
I'm confident that my female gaming acquaintances and friends could potentially write some great adventures, but the focus - based on the people I know - would be on the story and setting rather than the mechanics. This is in part, I think, because PF does have a intense, rules-based side to it that harkens more to wargaming than cooperative play.
Even so, there's got to be some geeky, mechanics-interested, creative women out there!Neil Spicer got into the Top 32 with a spell-in-a-can that had an evocative name and awesome flavor.
Even a female gamer who thinks "rules mechanics are icky" could do the same.
Good point.
Thank you, guys :) I found the thread where Anthony Adam explained the formatting (basically a walk-through step-by-step guide for people like me), so I think I'll get it all done and submitted soon. Already read through quite a few of the advice threads here (especially the 27 auto-rejects, which resulted in me changing my complete item concept again) and think I successfully manoeuvred around all of them.
Beware that "manoeuvred" Queen's English trap too!
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I'm confident that my female gaming acquaintances and friends could potentially write some great adventures, but the focus - based on the people I know - would be on the story and setting rather than the mechanics. This is in part, I think, because PF does have a intense, rules-based side to it that harkens more to wargaming than cooperative play.
Even so, there's got to be some geeky, mechanics-interested, creative women out there!Neil Spicer got into the Top 32 with a spell-in-a-can that had an evocative name and awesome flavor.
Even a female gamer who thinks "rules mechanics are icky" could do the same.
I always thought Neil is a male name... ;-)))
Oh for crying out loud I forgot to put on the hide tag!
That should be better now!
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...Half of my gamer friends are female, but none of them feel like they can take on the rules aspect of things, and none of them DM...
This was me in Dec 2010 when I submitted my Verdant Vine to RPGSS 2011. It made Top 32, and I went on to Top 16. I submitted something last year, and my entry for this year is already in.
If they don't want to work in game design as freelance or in-house professionals, that's one thing. If they're afraid to take the chance this opportunity (and others) represents, that's something else entirely.
They truly have nothing to lose by entering if game design is something they want to do. I'm pretty sure that's one reason the first round is anonymous - to take the "OMG! Everyone will know I failed before I'm even in the contest for really!!!" excuse away from people like me (I didn't submit for RPGSS 2010 for just this reason).
Edit: I realize when I'm posting about hows and whys of entering I use a lot of "me/myself/I" and it can come off as grating and obnoxious. I apologize if it does. I simply have no other frame of reference since I'm the only person I know of (face to face) who competes.
Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
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Submitted mine! Last year, my entry was one of the 'also-rans' that got extra feedback, so I'm hopeful.
Every year, even when I didn't participate, I always check the names of winners to see if the ladies are representing and I give a little cheer when one of the estrogen-rich makes the cut!
My advice to anyone who is 'considering' submitting an entry (regardless of gender) - JUST SUBMIT.
Do your best work. Read the advice threads. Work on your idea for as long as you feel it is productive to do so. Then submit it. Spend your energy on writing, not on finding reasons why you should not/could not participate.
You have no idea how good your idea might actually be. But if you don't participate, you don't get to find out.
SUBMIT!
Pendin, I don't have any words with spelling differences in my text. Don't ask me how I ended up with that, I didn't specifically plan it, but that makes it even easier for me to use US spelling for the contest ;)
Anyway, thanks for pointing it out! :)
Edit: I realize when I'm posting about hows and whys of entering I use a lot of "me/myself/I" and it can come off as grating and obnoxious. I apologize if it does. I simply have no other frame of reference since I'm the only person I know of (face to face) who competes.
Ha. I'm glad you said this because I keep *not* posting things because it feels like I'm just talking about myself constantly and I don't want to seem completely self-centered*!
For anyone interested, I'd just add this competition is *tons* of fun, some of the best gaming-related time I've ever had, regardless of your long-term designs on becoming a designer. Heck, if I thought it'd get me more votes, I'd happily put on a dress and wig whenever I'm working on Superstar stuff. ; )
* (though I am in fact completely self centered.)
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I'm not qualified this year, and I've mentioned the contest to my groups. Half of my gamer friends are female, but none of them feel like they can take on the rules aspect of things, and none of them DM.
It's kind of a cliche - women gamers as roleplayers over rules lawyers. I personally think this makes the games I run far better. Is this a gender thing? I don't know. It seems like it's a cultural thing, but it's still a giant problem for entering the industry.
I think individual female gamers vary as much as male gamers do. I'd say I've seen more male rules lawyers than female ones, but I've also seen more male gamers than female ones, so the odds are skewed in males' favor.
Is it partly the "wondrous item" issue? Fitting an interesting description and (brand new rules-based) effect into a tightly limited word count seems more of an engineering challenge than a storytelling challenge, though it still rewards creativity.
I don't think it's a turn-off to women in particular, but I'd say very very very generally speaking, there are two factors here:
1) Women, very generally speaking, tend to be drawn to characters and character development over other aspects of gaming FIRST (though there may be other draws). There are many notable exceptions to this, again talking in big generalities. But if the entry point to the contest was instead, say, they "design an NPC" or even "design an archetype/class" it might draw more character-oriented gamers (of either gender in fact)
2) Although there have been women gamers ever since there were gamers, female RPGers have risen in numbers only relatively recently. This means there are probably a number of women who'd be interested in a creative challenge, but as you note yourself, are less experienced and may feel daunted not by designing something, but worrying whatever they come up with has in fact already been done.
As a non-gender issue related to #2, the Design a Wondrous Item contest also becomes a bigger and bigger challenge every year, because it's always the same, with no alterations or new permutations. This means not only do you have to worry about whether you might accidentally "create" something that already exists in print, but that you might also create something similar to a prior year's submission by the many entrants who've already participated, and if you haven't followed (or were aware of) prior years' contests, then you may feel especially out of the loop and daunted by the possibility of participating.
Even so, there's got to be some geeky, mechanics-interested, creative women out there!
There are. I'd like to say I was one of those women. But then, part of me feels like this thread is a nice idea to help draw attention to get more people to contribute, and part of me feels like I am, and other female gamers are, being pandered to because of my anatomy, rather than, say, encouraged to participate because I might have good game ideas. I ABSOLUTELY know that was NOT the intention, but it kind of comes off that way to me, a little.
I will say what has led me not to participate in the past are the following, none of which are to do with my gender (unless it's some deep gender psychology thing):
1) There is an inconsistent message about whether this is a competition between professionals/would-be professionals or a solicitation of all gamers to engage in a fun little contest. Something named "Superstar!" sounds like a fun little contest. People egging each other on in the discussion threads makes it sound like a fun little contest. People saying "this is fun and EVERYONE should do it" makes it sound like a fun little contest." But then you read things like the rules and Sean's Umpteen Things That Will Get Your Entry Rejected list, and there's things that people say like, "Everyone should not, in fact, do this, but only people interested in working professionally on game design. People should come in with professional expectations and submit work of a certain standard of quality, and be willing to work with the Paizo staff, etc. etc." I realize there is room to have it both ways here to some degree but I still feel like I am receiving mixed messages here about what the goal and tone of this content is.
2) Speaking of the Umpteen Things, the zillion "Don't Do This!" threads are a huge turnoff. Part of this is because many (note the word "many," and that the word "many" is not synonymous with the word "all") of them frankly come off less like the helpful advice threads they are ostensibly meant to be, and more like an excuse by the judges and staff to complain about the poor entries they have to sort through to get to the good stuff. Sure, there is some very useful advice offered, but there's also frankly quite a bit of ranting, and even some thinly veiled finger pointing ("Someone once wrote an entry about a pink dog collar and it was terrible because..."), where names aren't named but the person who wrote that entry know they're being talked about, and that's both embarrassing and not what I expect of staff and judges overseeing what is supposed to be professional competition (it is supposed to be a professional competition, right? See 1).
It's not about worrying about being criticized--but there is a time and place for that criticism. I used to be a journalist, you HAVE to have a thick skin about your writing in that field because even if you write something you think is Pulitzer worthy, someone will hate it and tell you so in no uncertain terms to your face, and you have to accept that fact and deal. Especially since often that person is your editor. But I want someone to tell me what I did wrong after they see my writing, not nag me while I'm in the writing process about obvious things they think I might be doing but am probably not doing anyway (with very little preemptive feedback about what I do need to do, see the next paragraph).
Another part is there's a heck of a lot of talk about what NOT to do, and very little advice about what TO DO. When I used to work in journalism and publications, my editors didn't give me an assignment by handing me a list of 25 things they didn't want me to write about (including obvious things like "don't use poor grammar"). My editors gave me assignments by telling me what they DID want to see. Stuff like "use good taste," "don't steal ideas," and "use good grammar" went without saying, because you know, you don't need to tell a pro or someone who wants to be a pro those kind of things (and this is supposed to be a professional competition, right?).
I understand the urge to weed out bad entries before they're entered, but the fact is, people who aren't going to write what is expected of them and use common sense in their design are the kind of people who also aren't going to read/heed advice threads. I'd very much like to see more examples and more about what TO DO. Also more specific, positive encouragement than just "this is fun and you should enter!"
((ETA: Sean Reynolds' thread on advice for designing archetypes is an example of a truly helpful do this/do not do that thread. That's the kind of thing I like to see.)))
And yes, I realize part of the solution is to ignore those threads but it's hard if you also want to pay attention to what's going on in the competition as a whole (not to mention seek out the occasional actual useful advice).
3) What I said above about wondrous items. By now it feels like a very tired and overused entry point.
I offer what I say here as feedback that I hope is helpful for the contest and contest-runners as a whole. I apologize if anything I say comes off as insulting -- but I do want to explain why I sometimes feel like entering the contest isn't worth my time, not as a woman, but just as a Paizo community member. A lot of this comes out of my own emotional reaction to things I see posted here (typical woman ;) ), and I acknowledge my perceptions of things may be skewed. But if anyone's wondering why more people don't participate, maybe these are some of the reasons, and they might be worth considering, even if your first reaction is that you think I'm wrong.
My three or four cents. Good luck to everyone in the contest.
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There are. I'd like to say I was one of those women. But then, part of me feels like this thread is a nice idea to help draw attention to get more people to contribute, and part of me feels like I am, and other female gamers are, being pandered to because of my anatomy, rather than, say, encouraged to participate because I might have good game ideas. I ABSOLUTELY know that was NOT the intention, but it kind of comes off that way to me, a little.
I can't win, wheee! :p
(I'm a male feminist in a male-dominated industry and I want there to be more gender parity in the industry, so I'm asking more women to be involved in RPG Superstar, and asking that people ask their women gamer friends [who may not be visiting the site at all] to get involved in RPG Superstar.)
(I also have a teaching background and are aware of all the studies that say teachers tend to ignore girls in science class in preference to calling on boys for answers, and I don't want the RPG industry to be another example of that.)
(All I'm saying is we've only had about 3-4 females in the Top 32 since I started judging, and if I can encourage more women to participate, I'll do so, even if some people think I'm pandering.)
I was actually very happy about the thread listing the 27 auto-rejects, since my first idea had indeed been guilty of one of them. It was a good guideline for me when I developed my second idea, and I didn't feel like I had too little information about what to do.
Maybe it's because I've been writing creative stuff for all my life (okay, for all my life since I learnt how to write), and have been working as a professional writer, editor, and translator for some years now. For me, knowing exactly what I shouldn't do while at the same time knowing the theme of the contest gives me a good framework to spin my ideas around, but it also leaves me enough freedom in my creativity. I'm not so much a plotter but rather a pantser, and coming up with a module pitch before I actually start writing will be an interesting challenge I'm already looking forward to (if I make it that far).
Anyway, I know there are good female game designers out there; a friend of mine actually writes for a big German tabletop game ;)
Best,
your crazy gnome lady from next door
There are. I'd like to say I was one of those women. But then, part of me feels like this thread is a nice idea to help draw attention to get more people to contribute, and part of me feels like I am, and other female gamers are, being pandered to because of my anatomy, rather than, say, encouraged to participate because I might have good game ideas. I ABSOLUTELY know that was NOT the intention, but it kind of comes off that way to me, a little.I can't win, wheee! :p
(I'm a male feminist in a male-dominated industry and I want there to be more gender parity in the industry, so I'm asking more women to be involved in RPG Superstar, and asking that people ask their women gamer friends [who may not be visiting the site at all] to get involved in RPG Superstar.)
(I also have a teaching background and are aware of all the studies that say teachers tend to ignore girls in science class in preference to calling on boys for answers, and I don't want the RPG industry to be another example of that.)
(All I'm saying is we've only had about 3-4 females in the Top 32 since I started judging, and if I can encourage more women to participate, I'll do so, even if some people think I'm pandering.)
As I said, I know it was not the intention. It just feels a little awkward sometimes, to me personally, to be asked to do something because I am a woman, not because of other traits (not that you were soliciting me personally, as I seriously doubt that, but just feeling spoken to generically as one of the women in this community). It doesn't mean you were wrong to encourage people to enter, it just means that situations like this are bound to be complicated.
I was actually very happy about the thread listing the 27 auto-rejects, since my first idea had indeed been guilty of one of them. It was a good guideline for me when I developed my second idea, and I didn't feel like I had too little information about what to do.
Maybe it's because I've been writing creative stuff for all my life (okay, for all my life since I learnt how to write), and have been working as a professional writer, editor, and translator for some years now. For me, knowing exactly what I shouldn't do while at the same time knowing the theme of the contest gives me a good framework to spin my ideas around, but it also leaves me enough freedom in my creativity. I'm not so much a plotter but rather a pantser, and coming up with a module pitch before I actually start writing will be an interesting challenge I'm already looking forward to (if I make it that far).
Anyway, I know there are good female game designers out there; a friend of mine actually writes for a big German tabletop game ;)
Best,
your crazy gnome lady from next door
Part of this is because many (note the word "many," and that the word "many" is not synonymous with the word "all") of them frankly come off less like the helpful advice threads they are ostensibly meant to be, and more like an excuse by the judges and staff to complain about the poor entries they have to sort through to get to the good stuff. Sure, there is some very useful advice offered(...)
There are. I'd like to say I was one of those women. But then, part of me feels like this thread is a nice idea to help draw attention to get more people to contribute, and part of me feels like I am, and other female gamers are, being pandered to because of my anatomy, rather than, say, encouraged to participate because I might have good game ideas. I ABSOLUTELY know that was NOT the intention, but it kind of comes off that way to me, a little.I can't win, wheee! :p
(I'm a male feminist in a male-dominated industry and I want there to be more gender parity in the industry, so I'm asking more women to be involved in RPG Superstar, and asking that people ask their women gamer friends [who may not be visiting the site at all] to get involved in RPG Superstar.)
(I also have a teaching background and are aware of all the studies that say teachers tend to ignore girls in science class in preference to calling on boys for answers, and I don't want the RPG industry to be another example of that.)
(All I'm saying is we've only had about 3-4 females in the Top 32 since I started judging, and if I can encourage more women to participate, I'll do so, even if some people think I'm pandering.)
You are right to do so!
The key game-writing credential that any amount of writing skill or technical know-how won't help overcome is an imagination.
Diverse imaginations make for more interesting and more unexpected adventures. Homogenous writers (and artists) - in one aspect or another - ends up creating blinders in gaming. Hence the whole "male gaze" issue with computer gaming. Thankfully Paizo has a pretty diverse collection of contributors and artists.
Anyway, even if there's no real "win" here - choosing "pandering" versus silence, engaging with the problem is still a good thing. Conversations don't have to win to be useful.
I think we also need more non-Caucasian writers as well, but that's not as visible an issue on the boards. Less normative gaming is simply more interesting, and even if the product sin't to your taste, it challenges conventions and makes things continue to evolve in a positive way. White Wolf made that clear in the 90s.
This also bugs me: apparently female (non-romantic) fantasy writers are still pressured by publishers to write using male pseudonyms or androgynous names. (See here).
Thank goodness that sort of thing never caught on in game writing.
Well, guess that note never reached me ;) While I do use a pen name for some of my writing, it is clearly a female name (and has more to do with keeping the languages in which I write apart).
Anyway, when you see the highs and lows of the round 1 submissions, you'll understand why the judges get annoyed with the many low-quality submissions (and you won't even see the ones that we rejected because they didn't follow the actual rules).
You shouldn't complain that we spend time trying to point out common mistakes in the hopes of improving the average quality level of a submission... especially because the average quality level is improving.
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My circle of friends that I've gamed with long-term since around 2001 or so has spawned no fewer than three women who've done RPG stuff. One of them has done stuff for Battletech, another works for Posthuman (Eclipse Phase), and another has done stuff in Dragon and Dungeon.
I'm not responsible for their being talented and crazy creative, but I've pushed them to do more writing, and one of them to submit to RPGSS in the past. :)
It also depends I think on game - I know loads n loads of ladies that play Werewolf/Vampire the Masquerade who simply aren't interested in DnD/Rolemaster/Pathfinder and similar.
It seems from my experience, that table games tend to attract the boys with the miniatures and toys, but the games that are social based / politic / scheming, dealing and plotting tend to appeal to the ladies.
See, and here is where I get confused:
With a good Storyteller, Werewolf was fun. I never had a good storyteller for Vampire. And I admit, I do like the world behind Exalted and Scion.
But, again, finding a good Storyteller is hard.
Thus, I don't play the White Wolf games. Played a Werewolf online, before the Storyteller got too busy to continue. But I've always had to deal with Storytellers who were male, and getting into the gritty, 'realistic' side of these games - not the story.
Where as, the DM's I've had for DnD, Rolemaster and Pathfinder, while male as well, were more fun, more easy going, less creepy, and generally appreciated the story.
Thus, my preference for Pathfinder (even if Rolemaster/MERP was my first).
As for what games attract what gender, honestly, if there is story to be had, and actual role-play, then I think the female population will show up for it. As I pointed out, it depends on those first impressionable encounters with each game.
I think you have hit it on the head there - if the game is run by a story teller, a weaver of words and delight, you love the game irrespective of gender.
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Just out of curiousity, what's the demographic makeup of women to men when it comes to tabletop role-playing? Sean, if you (or anyone else reading this thread) have some reliable wide data regarding the industry, I think that'd be very interesting to read.
I don't have any data on this. I don't think there's been a large-scale survey since the WotC one.
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Awesome stuff, DeathQuaker! That was a good read and I'm really glad you shared your perspective, because a lot of what you bring up here resonates with me, even though I'm obviously not a female gamer. Despite that, like Sean (and many others involved with the game industry and specifically RPG Superstar), I'd like to both encourage and better understand the female perspective and capabilities on game design.
So, in my usual fashion, I want to comment on a few of the things you've brought up and maybe widen the discussion a little...and that means a really long response. Normally, I spoiler this stuff. But as Gary once indicated to me, it's best to leave it un-spoilered for people to see. Philistines (and those who don't care take the time to read it) can scroll on by! ;-)
I think individual female gamers vary as much as male gamers do. I'd say I've seen more male rules lawyers than female ones, but I've also seen more male gamers than female ones, so the odds are skewed in males' favor.
I would agree...and on both points. It's tough to generalize. And the male-heavy statistics will definitely skew things. But, I've had the opportunity to run quite a few games with ladies involved as players. And, just from how I read them (as any good GM will strive to do), it did seem to me that they tended not to concern themselves with the rules-related aspects of gaming quite as much. And, when faced with a rules lawyering male in the group, they tended to tune out (as many story-centered players will) when the rules would come up and threaten the enjoyment or flow of the game. So, I think you're onto something there. I can't think of any instance where I've ever had a female rules lawyer in my group...or even a female player who enjoyed the dynamic of a GM having to pause to engage or interact with a rules lawyer.
...I'd say very very very generally speaking, there are two factors here:....1) Women, very generally speaking, tend to be drawn to characters and character development over other aspects of gaming FIRST (though there may be other draws). There are many notable exceptions to this, again talking in big generalities.
I agree here, too. Almost to a whole, the female gamers in my groups have been story-oriented players who enjoy character development over the other aspects of gaming. Doesn't mean the other stuff didn't interest them, too. But usually to a lesser level. And, being a story-oriented GM, that's probably one of the largest reasons why I've always encouraged and enjoyed having female players in my games. It's something I'm consciously developing in my girls (currently ages 8, 6, and 3).
...if the entry point to the contest was instead, say, they "design an NPC" or even "design an archetype/class" it might draw more character-oriented gamers (of either gender in fact)...
While this might be true, there's a long list of reasons why the earliest round of RPG Superstar still needs to remain focused on a tight, short assignment like wondrous items. Now, this year, the twist involving public voting for Round One (where only 64 or so entries bubble up to the Keep folder) could help Paizo re-think the Round One assignment. That model certainly cuts back the burden on the judges to slog through so many entries and render their quick sort/judgment. I think changing up the Round One assignment will likely hinge on how well this experiment works this year. The voting public needs to come out in enough force, rendering lots of votes, to ensure the best submissions actually do bubble up to the Keep folder.
If that goes well, I could see a different (and even longer) assignment being explored next year. Of course, the voting public would then have the additional burden of needing to look over 400-600 words in each submission instead. Someone still has to carry that load. In the past, it was always the judges. Now, it's a combination of the voters and the judges. So, let's see how it goes. I'm really curious to watch how it plays out.
2) Although there have been women gamers ever since there were gamers, female RPGers have risen in numbers only relatively recently. This means there are probably a number of women who'd be interested in a creative challenge, but as you note yourself, are less experienced and may feel daunted not by designing something, but worrying whatever they come up with has in fact already been done.
This is where I'm hopeful that the growing Pathfinder population of female gamers...perhaps continuously fostered by organized play like Pathfinder Society, as well as other venues...will steer more and more of them here to Paizo's web community. Then, as a result of seeing and learning from this annual contest, hopefully more and more of them will be encouraged to try their hand at game design, too. And, ultimately, I'm really glad Sean started this thread, because it too should serve as further encouragement. I know Sean reasonably well (or, at least, I believe I do) and he's not the pandering type. He's as sincere as you get on issues like this...and I feel the same...as do many others who have chimed in here. So, hopefully, more female gamers will find their way to this thread, read through this conversation, and understand the full intent behind it.
As a non-gender issue related to #2, the Design a Wondrous Item contest also becomes a bigger and bigger challenge every year, because it's always the same, with no alterations or new permutations. This means not only do you have to worry about whether you might accidentally "create" something that already exists in print, but that you might also create something similar to a prior year's submission by the many entrants who've already participated, and if you haven't followed (or were aware of) prior years' contests, then you may feel especially out of the loop and daunted by the possibility of participating.
Believe me, as a freelancer, I face that challenge all the time. And I suspect many others do, as well. I don't know how many times I've been called upon to create new magic items...including wondrous items...for a Paizo assignment and worried over whether or not my involvement in RPG Superstar (and subsequent exposure to so many wondrous item ideas) would subconsciously influence my designs. I worry that I'll potentially recreate something that was submitted in the contest, or even duplicate something Paizo has already done in Ultimate Equipment or some other product.
Here's what you need to know if that concerns you, too. First, that concern is never going to go away. It's really part of the challenge. And I don't just mean for RPG Superstar. For anyone who's daunted by that, I'd say don't let that hold you back. Just do what I've done in dealing with it. Research everything you can and move on. That means you should check out the prior contests, read the existing Paizo products and the PRD, and then...put forth your best effort anyway. Give it a go! You can't let that fear hold you back.
Also, just so everyone knows, there have certainly been occasions where the judges have seen new item submissions and thought to themselves, "Hey, didn't we see something like this last year?" We'll check with each other and if someone recalls the same thing, we'll do a quick search on the item submissions from prior years (which are still all anonymous) and maybe even compare the two items together. We might also ask the tech team to check and see if it's the same designer. If so, we'll avoid rewarding that person with inclusion in the Top 32 (because you can't repeat your submission ideas now). But, if it's from someone entirely new...and the submissions aren't too similar, we'll just chalk it up to parallel design (which happens all the time in this industry, because we're all contemplating a lot of the same tropes and design spaces).
The important thing is that if you design an awesome, clean item...that's enough for us. Obviously, you want to stand out and that's where the concern about duplicating something stems from...i.e., because you don't want to duplicate something that's been done before and risk getting passed over. But, just like how you can buck the auto-reject advice and still get in, I'm of the belief you can also buck the potential duplication trap and still get in. The secret to doing either of those things is to be AWESOME. You do that...and the rest takes care of itself. And, in some of those instances where we saw an item that was similar to something from a prior year, the judges definitely still kept some of them around...because they were that good and just different enough that they warranted keeping anyway.
Remember, it's not the item that's being judged. It's the designer behind it. The judges want to see what you're capable of. That wondrous item submission gives them their first glimpse into your capabilities. And, if they deem your talent to be of potential Superstar quality, that's what's going to get you into the contest. That's why it's important to show them how creative you can be in naming your item, describing it, and its overall concept. Then, show them how capable you can be both in the mechanical creativity, your fluently clean description of how the mechanics work, and in your use of the proper format/template and math involved. Those are the things the judges are trying to get an angle on in evaluating you for Top 32. They're not as concerned about how valid your item submission would be for Ultimate Equipment 2*.
*I'm not saying there's an Ultimate Equipment 2 on the horizon.
...part of me feels like this thread is a nice idea to help draw attention to get more people to contribute, and part of me feels like I am, and other female gamers are, being pandered to because of my anatomy, rather than, say, encouraged to participate because I might have good game ideas. I ABSOLUTELY know that was NOT the intention, but it kind of comes off that way to me, a little.
I can understand how it might be perceived that way. If I put myself in your shoes (a difficult feat to be sure), I can't say I might not feel the same way. The only means of combatting that, however, is to reassure everyone that's not the intention (as you've already surmised). For those who can't discern that for themselves, well, I hate to be harsh, but that might mean they're not yet focused enough to see past that type of concern and 1) not take offense by it, and 2) not let it hold them back.
To me, Sean's whole point...and one which I would assert, as well...is that the game industry (and future Paizo products, specifically) could benefit tremendously from more female game designers and the perspectives and talents they could bring. Are those perspectives and talents going to be entirely different from male game designers? In some ways, yes. In other ways, no...they'll just be as equal to the same tasks as their male counterparts. But they'll also have some different perspectives, too.
Regardless, that doesn't mean girls shouldn't be encouraged to kick down the door and take advantage of this same opportunity. RPG Superstar (and gaming, in general!) is there for everyone. And that's how it should be. This thread isn't meant to pander to the community of female gamers. It's simply meant to encourage and inspire ladies who might be reluctant to give it a try to buck up and do it anyway.
Additionally, where there are differences in how a female game designer might approach a certain assignment or deal with a certain subject matter, let's see what that looks like! I'd be excited by it. And, I think it would encourage even more ladies to get involved in the hobby. This is an opportunity to be a trailblazer. There are other female game designers who have come through the industry and this contest. Christine was the very first winner of RPG Superstar. That's a good thing. But we need more of it.
So, bring it, ladies! And when my girls are old enough to submit, you better believe I'll be encouraging them, as well. And it won't be pandering on my part. It'll be a proud dad happy to see my girls get out there and show what they can do. Not simply as girls. Instead, it'll be as gamers first. But there's no denying it'll be as girl gamers, too. And that's okay. Because I know they'll be awesome at it and it's another thing we can both love and share with one another.
...There is an inconsistent message about whether this is a competition between professionals/would-be professionals or a solicitation of all gamers to engage in a fun little contest.
You know, I've seen some folks bring this up before...usually when they're taken to task for taking the contest maybe less seriously than others have...or than the judges might expect them to. I'm one of the former-judges who have made statements along those lines and I'm of mixed feelings on it now.
First, some background for my opinion: As a competitor who went through RPG Superstar, you better know I was dead serious about it. I charted a course, had a methodical plan, stuck to it, and it reached far beyond the contest itself. To me, it was most definitely a job interview...or a doorway to a larger opportunity than just the prize offered at the end. And that's why it's bugged me in the past to see folks who submitted to the contest and when they don't make it, claim "Well, I didn't have enough time to do it justice anyway...or, I wouldn't really be able to commit to writing the adventure at the end if I won...or, I don't even know or care all that much about Paizo's campaign setting since I just run homebrew all the time." I guess to them, it was just a fun little exercise to challenge themselves and see if they'd make it, or to see how far they could go.
But here's the rub to me. I know there are a lot of would-be freelancers out there who'd love to win this contest and go through that same door that opened for me. I've spoken to many of them at conventions and elsewhere. They struggle to stand out during the wondrous item round...and they've been trying for years. They've clearly got the commitment. And they're taking it just as deadly serious as I did during my run. Yet, there's this potential that someone who's not as serious about the contest...and who has no commitment to following through on the opportunities it provides...getting into the Top 32 and taking away that opportunity from someone else who really wants it and would really do it justice if they could just get their foot in the door.
Now, to some, I'm sure they might shrug and say, "Well, if those who really want it did a better job and impressed the judges, they'd get into the competition over the less motivated who just happened to catch lightning in a bottle anyway. So, it's on them that they don't make it." And, while most of that might be true, the competition is really fierce for the Top 32. As Sean put it once before, those who make the cut are like the top 4% of all the submitters. The guys sitting below that cut-line are talented, too. And it's not always easy for the judges to get a perfect read on someone's capabilities with just that short, wondrous item submission. But it's all they've got to go on. Sometimes, the judges elevate someone on potential that just doesn't pan out. And, I don't think I'm alone in worrying sometimes that the folks who sit just outside the Top 32 might have been able to bring a more awesome Round Two entry...or even go all the way to the end and submit a winning adventure proposal over someone else who squeaked in and then flamed out.
To me, Russ Taylor is the poster boy for the kind of ability which can still sit waiting among the alternates and those just outside the Top 32 hoping for a chance to take the contest by storm. Russ has gone on to do quite well for himself in a freelancing capacity after making the Top 6 in 2008. And yet, if not for a few dropouts and disqualifications, his Superstar designs and abilities might have never been seen. As a result, he might have never gone on to contribute so mightily to so many of Paizo's products (he's a contributor to a lot of the rulebooks). He takes this thing seriously. And he took the contest seriously. But he nearly missed his chance. So, for someone else who just tosses in something to the contest for fun (or on a lark), and takes away an opportunity like that from someone like Russ, it's something that I worry about.
Now, setting that aside, I also have to acknowledge there's still an element of just pure fun to challenging yourself with this contest. Others are going to look at this through a different frame of reference than my own (or the one Russ had). Much like there are different playstyles in gaming, there's going to be different playstyles to how people approach this contest. If people want to submit just for the fun of it, I guess that's their choice...and, in many ways, Paizo still benefits from that because it encourages more participation in the hobby, and specifically here on the Paizo messageboards. They need lots of people to be drawn to it even if just as people who miss the cut, but go on to become active voters in the process. So, the contest serves multiple purposes and only one of them involves identifying future freelancers. It's also a great marketing tool for drawing more interest here to their online community and webstore. And, the contest is an educational tool in helping to foster growth in the hobby and inspire a future generation of gamers and game designers. I have to acknowledge that not all gamers go on to become freelancers. And not everyone who submits to RPG Superstar has an intention to become one.
So, like I said, I'm conflicted and have mixed feelings on this particular issue. I think you've rightly pointed out how the hardline stance of "Everyone must take this seriously!" can discourage participation in the contest. And that includes the female gamers we all want to encourage to participate. The end-goal, however, does involve a serious commitment. And Paizo will need those who make the Top 4 to adopt a serious attitude towards delivering on whatever opportunity offered to them. There's no skirting that issue (and I don't mean that as a pun). So, if you make it into the contest, I'd heavily encourage those who entered for fun to start modifying their perspective to take it more seriously. There are a lot of people sitting on the outside watching you that are serious about it. And they'll want to see you taking it seriously, too. Not because they resent you made it when they didn't. But because they'll want to see you go on to produce some really awesome stuff for the gaming community. Personally, I think you owe it to everyone to take it more seriously after that and come through for them...and yourself, even if you didn't start out with the intention of launching a very busy freelance career.
I realize there is room to have it both ways here to some degree but I still feel like I am receiving mixed messages here about what the goal and tone of this content is.
I agree with you that it can be about both things. But, in the long run, it does need to eventually turn to a more serious attitude. Paizo needs everyone to be serious. That doesn't mean it can't also be fun. It certainly should be! And, looking back across the five years it's been running, it certainly appears that it has been...and for a lot of people. It's grown every year. And I suspect that'll continue. And again, some of the purpose of this thread is to encourage additional growth among the community of female gamers and game designers.
...the zillion "Don't Do This!" threads are a huge turnoff. Part of this is because many (note the word "many," and that the word "many" is not synonymous with the word "all") of them frankly come off less like the helpful advice threads they are ostensibly meant to be, and more like an excuse by the judges and staff to complain about the poor entries they have to sort through to get to the good stuff.
Oh, trust me, some of it is definitely blowing off steam after seeing the (to borrow your word) umpteenth entry that falls directly into the pit that the auto-reject advice threads tried to warn against. You're also right that for a long time there was a focus on "what not to do" rather than encouraging posts about "what to do."
I'm not sure if you've had a chance to listen to the RPG Superstar panel discussion that was recorded a couple of years ago at PaizoCon? There's a link floating around on the messageboards where people can still go and hear it. That panel was something I suggested we do that year. And, in my opening comments in welcoming those who attended it, I very specifically pointed out that we'd done lots of "what not to do" advice (and even rants) before, but I wanted that panel to focus more on "what to do." That's why we stepped through the process I used when designing my wondrous item entry. And, we tried to keep it light, with involvement from the attendees in generating ideas as a group for a wondrous item submission that might make the Keep folder. It worked out really well. And, along the way, all four judges (Sean, Clark, Ryan, and I) did our best to explain what worked well and what wouldn't work all that well.
Additionally, in the years I participated as a judge, I wanted to go to a deeper level of feedback in the "Critique My Item" threads to give further insight into how and why the judges viewed certain items. I went line-by-line through as many items as I could, pointing out both the good and the bad, where possible. So, while I hear what you're saying about the sometimes "ranting" tone that might show up in the auto-reject advice threads from time to time and how that might impact the reader, I also think people need to view that collection as a focus on "what not to do"...but then treat the deep-dive item critiques and especially the RPG Superstar panel recording as "what to do." By combining those two perspectives, it should help would-be competitors find their balance on how to approach the contest.
Also, I want to repeat something I've brought up repeatedly in the past. This contest is what you make of it. You get to choose how you interpret and respond to the feedback and information that's been offered out there. We always encourage folks to do their homework. But we also can't control your reactions to how you take in all that stuff that's out there for you to review. We can alter our tone here and there, but what's written is already out there now. The serious (there I go using that word again) competitor should be thick-skinned enough in reading the occasional rant from a judge and look beyond the perceived "heat" of their commentary for the principled design knowledge behind what they're conveying. If you can develop that kind of skill in assessing feedback and applying it to improve your designs regardless of how you personally interpret the nature of how the commentary was shared, you'll be way ahead of the game. And that's true for RPG Superstar, as well as how you need to read/receive/interpret feedback from your editor as you go forward in a real freelancing situation.
Sure, there is some very useful advice offered, but there's also frankly quite a bit of ranting, and even some thinly veiled finger pointing ("Someone once wrote an entry about a pink dog collar and it was terrible because..."), where names aren't named but the person who wrote that entry know they're being talked about, and that's both embarrassing and not what I expect of staff and judges overseeing what is supposed to be professional competition (it is supposed to be a professional competition, right?....
Sometimes, the judges need to reach for an example to make a larger point that's applicable not just to the designer of the item they reference, but to the entire field of would-be competitors. And, I know nobody likes to be an object lesson. It's most definitely embarrassing, but that's why we make sure we don't give the name of the person whose item we're talking about. Nevertheless, they get the message...and so does the rest of the field.
Typically, that kind of commentary from the judges is rooted in an attempt to be helpful and head off a particular problem so it doesn't repeat itself from anyone else who might make the same mistake (including the original submitter). But, other times, it's also blowing off steam. It's hard for those who haven't gone through the judging process to understand. But, there's a need to blow off steam sometimes with what we've had to review.
Have you ever watched American Idol before (or Pop Idol as it's called in the UK)? RPG Superstar is very much patterned after that show. Lots of would-be performers/singers try out for it. Some take it seriously and really have the chops for it. They're shoe-in's (i.e., Top 32 material for our purposes here). Other, don't take it seriously at all (i.e., joke entries, people who truly auto-reject themselves for not following instructions, etc.). Others, don't take it seriously, but are only looking for their 15 minutes of fame in the hopes of making it on TV...i.e., the show can't possibly show you every audition, but it does make a point of showing the viewer at home both the good and the bad. They usually show the really bad as another form of entertainment for the folks at home. And there's no denying that people get pulled in by a good train wreck of a performance. They also show you the judges' reactions to that performance...which can often be very negative and even humorous...and some judges receive backlash for coming across as insensitive. It's raw. And it can be embarrassing to those who have to stand there and take their criticism.
I'd equate this situation very much to what's transpired here at times on the messageboards when an item gets referenced negatively by the judges as an object lesson, too. But, Paizo is more protective of the original submitter...i.e., unlike American Idol you don't get to see who designed a certain item unless they request feedback in the "Critique My Item" threads and we show everyone the raw commentary from the judging chambers. Instead, anonymity is still protected for these bad item submissions. And, let's be honest with ourselves, they really are bad item submissions. To soften it up and characterize it differently does no one any good. Varying degrees of encouragement are necessary, depending on the type of submission. And, personally, I think the judges do a pretty good job with it. Clark is especially mindful of whether an entry that isn't up to snuff yet might have been submitted by a younger gamer (because we've seen a few of those come through the contest before). It's a balancing act. The judges can stand to bring a bit more sunshine sometimes. And, the readers and potential future competitors can also stand to alter their perception of what they're reading and look for the intent behind the judges' commentary without letting it dampen their motivation to participate in the contest.
Another part is there's a heck of a lot of talk about what NOT to do, and very little advice about what TO DO.
As I mentioned above, I think there's been alot more advice on "what to do" in recent years. It needs to be called out and referenced just as strongly as the advice on "what not to do" that appears throughout the auto-reject advice threads.
I understand the urge to weed out bad entries before they're entered, but the fact is, people who aren't going to write what is expected of them and use common sense in their design are the kind of people who also aren't going to read/heed advice threads. I'd very much like to see more examples and more about what TO DO. Also more specific, positive encouragement than just "this is fun and you should enter!"
Well, let’s be careful with just how far we go on telling people "what to do" as well. The judges (or Paizo's development staff) can't write these submissions for you. They're looking for people who have steeped themselves at least a reasonable amount in game design and how to write. Those things can be taught, but the Paizo design blogs rarely have the time or frequency to spend on training everyone up for RPG Superstar (or even just general design issues one after another).
Additionally, if there are people who aren't going to read/heed advice threads still choosing to participate in the competition (and there are...we see them every year), are those really the people Paizo (or the judges) should worry over? If they can't take the time to find, read, and heed the advice threads, it's highly unlikely they'd ever make a dependable freelancer. And that is still the end-goal of the contest. So, the advice threads (both on "what not to do" and "what to do") are there for whoever has the self-motivation to study them. Those who do, have a leg up on the competition...as they should.
Nevertheless, I get your meaning. You're saying the focused attention on "what not to do" isn't helping those who seek out advice threads as much as "what to do" posts would. And, again, that's something I know I sensed and tried to address a bit in more recent years. Doesn't mean there can't be more focused attention on that, but I do know the judges and Paizo also worry over just how much advice they give. At some point, it stops being advice and it turns into actual training...or, in more unpleasant terminology..."hand-holding."
I offer what I say here as feedback that I hope is helpful for the contest and contest-runners as a whole. I apologize if anything I say comes off as insulting -- but I do want to explain why I sometimes feel like entering the contest isn't worth my time, not as a woman, but just as a Paizo community member. A lot of this comes out of my own emotional reaction to things I see posted here (typical woman ;) ), and I acknowledge my perceptions of things may be skewed.
I'm glad you commented. You did it respectfully, tactfully, and constructively, in my opinion. I think it's true that some of your perceptions might be a bit skewed...or at least, missing some additional perspective that you just don't have access to on the outside of the contest, looking in. That's true every year, though. And, as much as Paizo makes an effort to be as transparent as possible, they can really only go so far while still preserving anonymity and the overall contest's integrity. That's just my opinion and not an official Paizo stance on anything.
To address your position (and perhaps, similar positions for others) on whether or not the contest is worth your time, you already know my answer to that: it is. And I can say that with a different perspective than the other judges. I've gone through this thing. Obviously, it paid off for me and so my frame of reference is colored by that. But, seriously, it does pay off. If anything you've read or come across in the depth and breadth of all the messageboard discussion on RPG Superstar has ever given you pause on whether or not you should choose to participate, I'm here to tell you, you should. Look past whatever reservations you might have. Control your own perceptions and reactions to everything you're presented with or confronted with here and in your life, as a whole. And then, move past those self-imposed barriers and enter the competition anyway. As in life, it's what you choose to make of it. And everyone else can stand here and encourage you to make the choices they'd make for themselves...or that they'd like to see you make. But only you can choose to make it for yourself.
My three or four cents...
Hey...that's my line. ;-)
Sincerely,
--Neil
Wow!
I think you just set a new Neil post record word count there fella!
*settles down to read it properly*
And that is (one of many reasons) why Neil rocks.
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I lost track somewhere in the middle :(
Following the mega wall of Neil's there is one bit I didn't think was in there that needs mentioning (and I'm using myself here as the example along with some more popular TV show stuff)
I was watching X-Factor UK this year and noticed that quite often all Lewis Walsh ever said was "Vote for them, they deserve to come back" and to the contestant it was always "you are great", "that was awesome as usual" and so on.
Gary on the other hand critiqued even the good performances.
What I noticed was that the next week, it was the acts that had harsh critique that worked really hard to change and improve, whereas the acts that were constantly praised with no useful feedback simply kept giving the same thing week after week.
Superstar has been like that for me to the extent that I look for the critiques, I look through every review, not just my own, to learn where the pitfalls are, to improve my skills. I need the honesty that is given, it may be brutal but it sure as heck gets the point across.
I need the feedback here - it is quite unique, you only get this level of feedback as a writer here. Send a book proposal to a publisher, sample chapters, you tend to get two responses - a) send the rest of the novel, b) no thanks". These forums are awash with writing advice and where it can go wrong. I'm going to use it for as long as it's available.
Last year, I really knuckled down, my item wasn't good, technically it was perfect in presentation and form, but didn't have that Superstar spark or shine (I can see that now). The kick up the pants the judges gave my item gave me the incentive to study even harder this year (and they really did slate it and deservedly so on reflection).
I started by reviewing as much of every round as I possibly could (with my mum being ill, it wasnt easy sometimes). I started getting PM from finalists saying "hurry up, get to mine already" :) Not only did I discover my honesty and reviewing helping me, I was getting gratitude from the finalists for doing so.
I took part in the "what would you have submitted for" threads as well, to practice the rounds I have never tried before.
I worked in the Blazing 9 thread all year long with like minded individuals, including past finalists and took every single work of critique on the chin. I needed to improve, and I was being told where I was failing and why. I won't deny it can be crushing, it can. But I decided I need to up my game and for that, I had to work damned hard, changing my entire writing style from technical IT style to a more fantasy style - and this is proving very very hard after 30 years of technical writing.
I don't know if all the practice and work has paid off yet, but we will see. Even if I don't make it, I know personally that I am improving every year and I will get there in the end, I will be disappointed BUT this year more than any, I will know I tried really hard.
Will I ask for feedback on my item, most assuredly - I will continue to delve and learn until Paizo, Sean, Clark, etc. can proudly say "Anthony? Yeah, we recommend using him as a freelancer. He has a work horse attitude, takes critique really well and will constantly strive to improve all of his work you ask him for."
I can only do that with honest to the bone feedback. It does hurt, but I really think I can only come back stronger from it.
K, I think I have said everything I need to say, So I'll stop now before this turns into a Neil size post :)
In summation:
I don't care what sex you are, just enter. If your item is good, I will praise it, if I find things to comment on, I will. I expect no less when people look at my item. So lets all enter and learn together.
If only one extra person submits after reading this, I win :)
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Contributor
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Star Voter Season 6
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Control your own perceptions and reactions to everything you're presented with or confronted with here and in your life, as a whole. And then, move past those self-imposed barriers and enter the competition anyway.
I absolutely do not want to steal Neil's thunder here, but just let me emphasize that this quoted portion is so, so key. If you're on the fence about entering because you're unsure whether you're capable of good RPG design, *especially if you're a woman*, just move past that fear and take the leap.
*Now, let me explain my inclusion of this phrase a bit. I'm a woman who has played tabletop RPGs since I was 15. I've also been a professional writer for seven years, first for newspapers and now for a Big Ten university. But when the prospect of writing for and designing RPGs came up, my very first internal reaction was to be intimidated. Quite frankly, I didn't think I could do it. Was it because the thought of trying game design, a quite daunting endeavor, never crossed my mind until that point? That was part of it. Was it because I was female, and all but a handful of the game designers I'd either met or familiarized myself with through their works were male? Yeah, honestly, I think that was a huge factor. I just wasn't sure I could hack it in that crowd.
It wasn't so much that I was worried about being taken seriously, because I knew how fantastic some of the folks in the RPG industry are. It was more that I felt internally intimidated because I was different than the average person who designs RPGs. That combined with trying to do such complex work almost made me want to give up before I even tried.
Luckily, though, I had some fantastic people encouraging me and some fantastic support, and I was able to get over my intimidation and really pursue freelance work at Paizo. (The whole story is a lot longer, but Wes Schneider can really be credited for giving me a shot at this. I just can't thank him enough.)
So, to the ladies in particular, I don't know if you at all feel what I felt when I was mentally wrestling with whether to pursue game design. But if you do, know that there is no reason to be intimidated, and no reason to think you can't give this a shot. You have such a great community supporting you, as it supports all contestants. Plus, like I said before, you just never know -- you might find a love for game design that you never thought you'd have.
In short, go for it, and know we're all rooting for you!
Neil:
Congratulations on completing your dissertation. Holy crap, man! ;-)
Wow! I think you just set a new Neil post record word count there fella!
Hey! It's under 6,000 words. I'll be banging out that much tonight and every other night this weekend, hopefully. ;-)
I lost track somewhere in the middle :(
I'm sorry if my wordiness contributed to that. I try to make these dissertations as clear and entertaining as possible.
Neil: Congratulations on completing your dissertation. Holy crap, man! ;-)
Eh. I was due for a Superstar-inspired word-explosion. It was bound to happen sooner or later. It all just depends on which posts motivate me to speak up.
I absolutely do not want to steal Neil's thunder here...
Steal away! This is way more interesting when a lady's presenting her perspective on this topic.
(The whole story is a lot longer, but Wes Schneider can really be credited for giving me a shot at this. I just can't thank him enough.)
Wes is indeed an especially awesome person. One who stands alongside a great many other especially awesome folks among Team Paizo. And I think I remember meeting you at GenCon last year when you were looking for him at the Paizo booth.
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Star Voter Season 6
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(The whole story is a lot longer, but Wes Schneider can really be credited for giving me a shot at this. I just can't thank him enough.)Wes is indeed an especially awesome person. One who stands alongside a great many other especially awesome folks among Team Paizo. And I think I remember meeting you at GenCon last year when you were looking for him at the Paizo booth.
Woah, you're right, we DID meet at Gen Con last year! I just now made that connection -- well met again, sir! I definitely hope we cross paths again soon.
And you're absolutely right about all the folks at Paizo. I've had exceptionally warm and positive experiences with everyone I've met from the company. They deserve all our praise and then some.
I can't win, wheee! :p
Keep fighting the good fight, Sean. :-)
Speaking as someone who both is a woman and has been employed as a game designer, there are lots of reasons why women don't enter design, or even when they have, are reluctant to put themselves forward, but that's a different and long post.
What's good news is that whether it's auditioning for orchestras, submitting resumes, or proposing talks for conventions, women have been shown to perform better when the judging is blind.
And the first round of RPG Superstar is anonymous! So, there is nothing to lose by submitting. If your item doesn't get picked, no one has to know you even submitted anything. :-) Give it a shot.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply, Neil. My lunch break's about to end so I don't have time to respond at the moment in kind (I may later, to address a couple points) but just wanted to say I appreciated your taking the time to respond like that and your encouragement.
Also, just so everyone knows, there have certainly been occasions where the judges have seen new item submissions and thought to themselves, "Hey, didn't we see something like this last year?" We'll check with each other and if someone recalls the same thing, we'll do a quick search on the item submissions from prior years (which are still all anonymous) and maybe even compare the two items together.
So, if we choose an idea that someone else submitted (that we have never ever seen) then we can get disqualified. Or is it only if it's our previous submissions?
So, if we choose an idea that someone else submitted (that we have never ever seen) then we can get disqualified. Or is it only if it's our previous submissions?
Basically, in the RPG Superstar panel recording I remember someone asking the question about whether or not they could resubmit one of their earlier submissions if they went back and corrected it. The judges weren't very definitive about it. I said I'd be open to the idea, because there were a lot of cool items that didn't make the cut in the past, which were really, really close, but just needed a few tweaks so it didn't break a significant rule, etc. However, Clark rightly questioned how much we could reconsider something if someone broke anonymity, requested feedback on an item, got all kinds of suggestions on how to fix it, and then did so and resubmitted. In essence, his question was: "Did you design that item, or did the community design that item for you?"
Well, that next year, Paizo made sure there wasn't any ambiguity anymore. They've simply gone with a flat, "You can't resubmit your item from an earlier competition." And the tech team will (presumably) check on that sort of thing, as needed. Check the FAQ or Round One rules. I believe it lays out what is and isn't possible in terms of item submission (including the exclusion of item resubmission. That'll disqualify you...but only if it's a resubmission of your earlier item...not a submission which inadvertantly shares a lot of similarities with what someone else submitted in a prior year. That said, if you're reskinning and submitting something that's too similar to an item that actually made the Top 32 in prior years, I doubt the judges would champion that the Keep pile this go-around.
Regardless, I'm not a judge this year. And I can't speak for what Paizo has established in terms of the rules for this year. Consult the FAQ and seek verification here or elsewhere (maybe with a private message), if necessary.
And by the way, if anyone doubts my sincerity, let me point out that meeting Liz Danforth was the highlight of GenCon 2011 for me.
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Star Voter Season 6
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Well, that next year, Paizo made sure there wasn't any ambiguity anymore. They've simply gone with a flat, "You can't resubmit your item from an earlier competition." And the tech team will (presumably) check on that sort of thing, as needed. Check the FAQ or Round One rules. I believe it lays out what is and isn't possible in terms of item submission (including the exclusion of item resubmission. That'll disqualify you...but only if it's a resubmission of your earlier item...not a submission which inadvertantly shares a lot of similarities with what someone else submitted in a prior year. That said, if you're reskinning and submitting something that's too similar to an item that actually made the Top 32 in prior years, I doubt the judges would champion that the Keep pile this go-around.
Regardless, I'm not a judge this year. And I can't speak for what Paizo has established in terms of the rules for this year. Consult the FAQ and seek verification here or elsewhere (maybe with a private message), if necessary.
The problem is, if I wanted to game that, I'd pick out someone ELSE'S item that seemed to come close (based on judge comments), fix what was pointed out, then "reskin" it so it looked like an innocent, unintentional copy.
Yes, this would be blatant plagurism, and anyone who had to go this route would be unlikely to advance, but it's something that needs to be considered.
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Ok so, I play pathfinder and I'm kind of new at it still. One of our players said he was doing this contest so I started looking into it the other day and after reading this thread I decided to give it a shot. So there ya go, another female in the rpg superstar :D
I'm encouraging my wife to do so! She's got lots of ideas, but she's been eager since last year (when we didn't have a good functional computer and she didn't have the time).
I'm working on my submission. Thanks for the encouragement! :)