| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
This year was great for round 1.
I thought the voting aspect worked really, really well. The top 89 items broke naturally at a point when votes for were not exceeded by votes against. So that naturally gave us a top 89.
Then within the top 89, we had shocking agreement on about 28 of the top items. I've never seen that before. Meaning, all three judges agreed on about 28 of the items that made the top 32. Usually at best you have 10 items that we all agree are good and then you have items you want to champion and we golden ticket the rest. Not this year. This level of agreement by the judges is unprecedented and is a really good thing. Heck, even with the alt there were ones we liked and even those judges who said they weren't top 32 items didnt have strong negative reactions to them.
In a way, these items naturally sorted themselves really well this year--first, by your voting and then second by our agreement.
That means you have the vast majority of these items (through about 28) that all three judges agree are top 32 items. That is an amazing level of quality from top to bottom.
In part, it is a credit to this community. You will see some familiar names who are motiviated and dedicated to improve.
So if you didn't make it, please take heart and keep at it like many of the names you will see who hadnt made it before but kept learning and growing. It is clear to me you can teach yourself how to do this through being a part of this process--the proof is in the pudding, look at the names of the people who made top 32.
If you are one of the marathon voters who didnt make it in, keep up the good work and let us know how we can help.
Amazing quality, not just with the starting 5, but all the way to the end of the bench. Now that is scary.
This is going to be a KILLER year of Superstar, I can feel it.
You are deliberately teasing folks an hour before actual reveal, aren't you?
Yeah, I think we can interpret this as Clark going "Huh...They don't ALL appear to be sweating bullets yet... I should fix that."
Kidding. ;)
Seriously, though, hurry up and show us the goods! We want to see the awesomeness already.
I can only speak for me but win, lose, or untapped alternate I can still mark a check in the win colum for all that I've learned by participating in this contest. If you have the desire to participate in this contest but held back for fear I can truly say there is absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.
1 hour before we all find out, best of luck to all the other folk out there waiting with nervous trepedation.
I really hope that bit Clark hinted at means that folk from the blazing 9 made it, I read that thread and I'm kind of pulling for them.
He he, it might be a very well disguised way of getting people to read last years blazing 9 practice items, come up with the participant list and spot those who made it from all that work - yes Ronars - I am looking at you :D
Contributor
,
Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 9
|
I had the pleasure of commenting on the items as a guest judge, and I agree that this is a strong group of items. Well done, everyone!
You have less than an hour to decipher Clark's message to find clues to this year's Top 32...
Contributor; Publisher, Kobold Press; RPG Superstar Judge
|
Clark and I disagreed on a few items, but he's right overall: A strong bench this year, lots of originality, flavor, and solid mechanics, and a sense that people really delivered good entries.
Returning to judging after skipping the last few years, I have to say, people are better about sticking to format, better about avoiding most of the obvious traps and duds, and the bar has been raised for contestants.
I'm both happy to have seen these items, and quite grateful to the voters who made the judge's job much easier than it was in Years 1 and 2!!