RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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Star Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka CalebTGordan
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"If you're going to blatantly turn a modern item into a magical one, could you at least pick a modern item that isn't boring?"And don't use modern terms in the name...
Or just use the modern item's name as the magic item's name...
Or just use the modern item's name as the magic item's name..."If you're going to blatantly turn a modern item into a magical one, could you at least pick a modern item that isn't boring?"And don't use modern terms in the name...
Yeah, I'm just not comfortable with owning the Weedwhacker of Herbicide. Not only is it copyright infringement, but it breaks the verisimilitude of the game.
"Why the hell would I want a magic item that isn't even going to do what I want it to do? Isn't that the point of magic items: to do stuff that is normally unobtainable? If this item isn't going to do what I want, I'll grab something else."
Ok, the item itself is interesting but why it has exactly specified range? Why not 20 feet, 30 feet, or 60 feet?
"It's either an ability penalty, damage, or drain. Those other words you're using aren't part of the system."
At least no one referred to "memorizing spells". Yet. I think that they started to learn...
At least no one referred to "memorizing spells". Yet. I think that they started to learn...
Some of my players still say that. We're old school. :)
At least no one referred to "memorizing spells". Yet. I think that they started to learn...Some of my players still say that. We're old school. :)
I am so sorry. Thankfully, we can cure that...
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I'd rather hear terms from older versions of the game than MMO terms. I've told one of my players that the next time she clarifies her action as "I'll attack the nearest mob" I'm going to just have her take a ready action, as she sees no mobs in sight, only the hobgoblins that are currently attacking.
I hope that our kvetching about the items isn't hiding the fact that we LOVE getting to vote on them.
I do anyway.
I do too. I'm actually enjoying myself. I complain about the bad stuff as a way to vent frustration and provide comic relief. It's a lot easier to speak in a generalized way about the bad stuff. Since we can't post about specific items, it's near impossible to say anything positive about the really good items I've seen. So all I can say is that the good items are really good. There are even some that, while they may not be superstar, are intriguing and well worth yoinking for my game.
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Apparently Golarion has as many brands of [INSERT ELECTTRONIC DEVICE HERE] as europe.
Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
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Here's something crazy:
Not only has Neil voted and judged items multiple times in the past, but he's provided detailed critique in addition to posting a bit of redactd judge's commentary.(I hope he does it this year too)
And, he gave us two cents every time.
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Not only has Neil voted and judged items multiple times in the past, but he's provided detailed critique in addition to posting a bit of redacted judge's commentary.(I hope he does it this year too).
Nope. I'm out this year. Two very large commitments will be taking up my time instead. First and foremost, I'll be a father again with a newborn son in mid-January. Second to that, I'm on a major writing deadline for Paizo. Best not to load RPG Superstar duties on top of that.
I'd rather hear terms from older versions of the game than MMO terms. I've told one of my players that the next time she clarifies her action as "I'll attack the nearest mob" I'm going to just have her take a ready action, as she sees no mobs in sight, only the hobgoblins that are currently attacking.
Hey, it's perfectly legal ready action. She is reading action to hit nearest Mobile OBject. Well, more properly it should be Animated OBject in Pathfinder...
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
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Nope. I'm out this year. Two very large commitments will be taking up my time instead. First and foremost, I'll be a father again with a newborn son in mid-January. Second to that, I'm on a major writing deadline for Paizo. Best not to load RPG Superstar duties on top of that.
Well crud.
However, congratulations. Just had my first in 2011.
Well... Deadlines for Paizo mean we get to buy more of your stuff.
Two positives outweigh the single, minor negative.
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I've become aware of about a dozen--give or take--items that I sincerely wish never to appear in my browser again. Yet they keep coming back. It's like the program is saying to me: "Sure, you didn't vote for this item the first twenty times it popped up in a pairing, but how about now?"
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I've become aware of about a dozen--give or take--items that I sincerely wish never to appear in my browser again. Yet they keep coming back. It's like the program is saying to me: "Sure, you didn't vote for this item the first twenty times it popped up in a pairing, but how about now?"
I had a pair of items that showed up and were both essentially unusable. I hit the 'neither' button and they showed up in the next comparison in opposite columns. And that is after both of them have been haunting me for a while.
At least no one referred to "memorizing spells". Yet. I think that they started to learn...
You mean it changed?!?!? I started playing D&D in 1980, this will take me some time to adapt.
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Bad repeat items are starting to remind me of the Daleks from the "Bad Wolf" episode of Doctor Who...
Doctor: "No."
Doctor: "I said no."
Doctor: "It means no."
Doctor: "No!"
Bad items that repeat are the Daleks... How many times have they been totally destroyed by the Doctor only to turn up the next season.
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Ok, the item itself is interesting but why it has exactly specified range? Why not 20 feet, 30 feet, or 60 feet?
My favorites are the items that specify range, movement, or distance outside of five-foot increments.
I think I just found my favorite item ever. I don't "think" it's a joke item... but I swear I would give it to my gamers JUST to watch them screw around with each other over it.
The thoughts alone of what they would do to each other had me laughing so hard I was crying.
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Sure, the reject button is nice. And it may be annoying to see items again and again and to get lame pairings, but one thing you won't ever see (at least this year) that we got to see is the massive list of items left to review. Talk about seeing the mountain you had to climb. I mean, clicking the link over and over for another pair is one thing, but actually staring at a screen and seeing you still have 600 more to review, now that really gets you. You have to start early and really consistently do about 50 or more a night.
But as you folks are seeing, the good ones really sort themselves out. I mean the really good ones. You can tell pretty quick the "potential superstar" ones from the "might make a book of magic items but not superstar" ones.
But you have to read even the lame ones.
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But as you folks are seeing, the good ones really sort themselves out. I mean the really good ones. You can tell pretty quick the "potential superstar" ones from the "might make a book of magic items but not superstar" ones.
But you have to read even the lame ones.
One observation:
I am learning way, way more about good design from the lame ones than I am from the fantastic ones.
Sure, the reject button is nice. And it may be annoying to see items again and again and to get lame pairings, but one thing you won't ever see (at least this year) that we got to see is the massive list of items left to review. Talk about seeing the mountain you had to climb. I mean, clicking the link over and over for another pair is one thing, but actually staring at a screen and seeing you still have 600 more to review, now that really gets you. You have to start early and really consistently do about 50 or more a night.
But as you folks are seeing, the good ones really sort themselves out. I mean the really good ones. You can tell pretty quick the "potential superstar" ones from the "might make a book of magic items but not superstar" ones.
But you have to read even the lame ones.
It's totally understandable now why, in the Critique My Item threads, it turned out the judges' comments for some items were nothing more than, "Reject...Reject...Rejected".
I can also understand the ones that set off the steam-venting rants in the judges' voting chamber.
It's totally understandable now why, in the Critique My Item threads, it turned out the judges' comments for some items were nothing more than, "Reject...Reject...Rejected"....I can also understand the ones that set off the steam-venting rants in the judges' voting chamber.
If nothing else, I'm really glad this year's voting method helped open everyone's eyes. Of course, I'm not sure it's going to help those who took umbrage at the "Reject...Reject...Rejected" evaluations. Sometimes you're just too close to your own stuff to understand how others see it. But, nonetheless, the voting this year hopefully builds more understanding among those who are ready for it.
There's also some value in being able to see those items that really are stellar without being tainted by the cold bitterness of fresh rejection in finding out that we have yet again failed to make the top 32.
Out of curiosity, are you planning on doing any item critiquing post-Round 1, Clark?
Perhaps :) I'm sure Neil will not be able to resist and will beat me to it, as always.
I have to admit, I *MISS* reviewing all the items this year. As hard as it is, it is one of my favorite parts of the contest. I love seeing the good tries and near misses. When I hit the reject button, its not hatred or anger, its just reject. In fact, most of the time the rejected items are just of the "good but not good enough" variety and I always think "good try, try again next year." I love the creative process and the submission process. The ones that truly generate my vitriol are rare (usually joke items since I find them disrespectful to the process and to our time, or offensive items with improper content). You guys may think I am crazy, but I love sorting round 1. I told Paizo that this year, I told them "dont make it public voting on my account, I love reading them!" But I am insane.
In the past, the Critique My Item thread has just been me repeating observations I already made, since I would have reviewed all or nearly all the items (sometimes Sean gets to one and rejects it before I've seen it, but we had a two judges have to see it and reject it rule). This year, I haven't read them all. I've read lots of them, but no where near what I usually read. So the Critique My Item thread this year will be a bit different in that I wont be sharing my prior thoughts I will be giving fresh comments. But I am interested in doing it.
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
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I've just always enjoyed seeing what you guys think of the stuff I've submitted. I'll readily admit I have an ulterior motive.
I've been writing since my 20s and the only way you can really hone your skill as a writer is by receiving, analyzing, and responding to critique. Hell, being able to actually withstand a critique is a valuable skill, as a writer and in life.
It also helps that my submissions have all seemed to hit that "almost" level, which mitigates the sting of not getting into the top 32... a little.
...I'm sure Neil will not be able to resist and will beat me to it, as always.
It's all yours this year, man. I've got to buckle down on my writing assignment. And even that will face some interruption with the inclusion of a newborn in the household.
...I'm sure Neil will not be able to resist and will beat me to it, as always.It's all yours this year, man. I've got to buckle down on my writing assignment. And even that will face some interruption with the inclusion of a newborn in the household.
Darned children. Keep getting born and interrupting the writing process.
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Darned children. Keep getting born and interrupting the writing process.
And it only gets worse as they age. ;-)
Darned children. Keep getting born and interrupting the writing process.And it only gets worse as they age. ;-)
** spoiler omitted **
Darned children. Keep getting born and interrupting the writing process.And it only gets worse as they age. ;-)
...well, until they're old enough to collaborate with!
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I didn't think I put anything specific in that post. There are several items that provide the bonus I mentioned (and I didn't mention to what the bonus was added) and there are also many items that are unclear as to their actual function.
Oh, great, item that only costs 40 times of what would potion doing the same cost...
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Uncool stuff, you say?
Okay, some people are going a bit overboard with the alliteration.
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Like Alaster's alliteration of aerial awesomeness?