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Last year I:
-Fired out my item in the first week I could.
-Went with an item I've had in homebrew games many times before.
-Was cocky about my chances of getting in the top 32 with no experience what so ever.
-Though I had a handle on the judges with prior years to look at.
-I already wrote an archetype by now.
-Made a simple item complicated, and chose a utility item that was overpriced and underpowered.
This year:
-I was busy enough that the deadline crept up on my but mums the word on if I've submitted yet.
-I invented something completely new (at least I've never seen it.)
-I have dozen blogs, wayfinder, a few 3PPs (but no hardcovers), and I feel like I spent some serious time on a lotto ticket when it comes to my entry.
-Gulp, what a curveball! There's some big names in the mix there, but the front three judges don't exactly have a Superstar judging history to read over. I suspect this will shake things up dramatically.
-I wouldn't dare work a monster yet, no idea on word count CR, terrain type... It would be a little nuts to take that on now!
-I'm hoping I learned what it is to make a superstar item.
Without giving enough detail to DQ yourself what's changed for you this year?
Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9
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It's been a bit of a crazy year in regards to work for me. I was on draft number 3 by this time, last year with a week between drafts. This year I'm on draft number 2 with a day between drafts.
I try to submit 24 hours before deadline just be sure I've given myself time and dodged any site crashes.
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I actually went and had other people peer review it for me.
I didn't submit in the first 24 hours.
I didn't make it boring (I Hope!)
I didn't obsess overly...just did due diligence in editing.
And Most Importantly
I didn't rely on RPGSS as my only avenue into publication or creative work.
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Another change for me is I'm looking at the other designers as much as I'm looking to advance myself. If you want to get into publishing as a freelancer it's advantageous to have other people you can workshop with.
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And Most Importantly
I didn't rely on RPGSS as my only avenue into publication or creative work.
Yeah, that's the big one. If I'm not in this year's Top 4, I'll try to disqualify myself for next year's through publication credits and call it a draw. :D
My big change over last year: Way lower expectations.
Agreed and agreed.
After my run in 2012, I did no more design other than practice items for 9 Blazing Months. I thought I had a great little item last year and was all set for a run, but ended up just being really bummed to not get in.
Despite that, I went out and found some open calls for submissions on Paizo's boards. I've now had a module published, and am contributing to several other products due out next year. Superstar got me started because it got me thinking about writing professionally and feeling like I could do it, but I don't think any of my work was accepted with knowledge that I got in once. I took advantage of the opportunities out there, which anyone can do.
This year, well, I'm obviously hoping to get in again, though I'm not really expecting to. If I don't make it, I'll be bummed again, but I'm already thinking about things I can do via 3PPs. Hopefully that'll be good enough to lead to more work and, then, well that'd pretty much be the definition of being a game designer, I suppose.
@Pamela good to hear the more the merrier. You win for entering.
@Jacob we should exchange emails... PM me I can point you to some places.
@Garret you too.
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Last year...
1. The competition started around the final stressful weeks of college, giving me little time to polish and iterate.
2. I never actually played Pathfinder. I just started GMing a few months ago, so I never tangled with magic items.
3. First year of tabletop RPG playing.
4. My entry was my first formally made item.
I made an item with cool visuals, but weak, clumsy mechanics.
I made a sloppy archetype and submitted it literally at the last minute.
This year...
1. The competition started literally two hours after the end of my last final exam.
2. I now play a complicated character that deals with item creation and uses a homebrew race of my design. My campaign PCs are now level 7.
3. Second year of tabletop RPG playing. I've only played Pathfinder and 4th Edition, but I've read rulebooks for several games and frequent designer blogs.
4. I've designed several homebrew archetypes and items. I'm developing my own RPG. I participated in playtests of ambitious 3rd party material.
5. I made an item with great visuals, but much cleaner mechanics.
6. I am sad there's no archetype round. I never formally created a monster stat block from the ground up, but I feel very confident in my abilities to do so, and have dedicated plenty of time for design iteration.
And finally, I'm now looking to publish my own third party material. I'm also in active development of a self-published commercial video game.
I've only played 1 day of pathfinder in the last 365, but I have more than 20 hours' notice on the contest, so I think it's a net improvement. :)
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Locke1520
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I didn't rely on RPGSS as my only avenue into publication or creative work.
This year, well, I'm obviously hoping to get in again, though I'm not really expecting to. If I don't make it, I'll be bummed again, but I'm already thinking about things I can do via 3PPs. Hopefully that'll be good enough to lead to more work and, then, well that'd pretty much be the definition of being a game designer, I suppose.
I'd like to also chime in on this. If you are at all interested in RPG design Superstar is only one of many outlets. I took what might have been my 2013 round two entry had I advanced into the top 32 relocated it from the River Kingdoms to the Darklands and was published in Wayfinder. I also made contacts with 3pps and hope to see my first professional work published soon.
This year I took what I've learned from my successes and my failures, what I learned from the judges comments from previous years and some excellent advice I received personally. As a result unlike in previous years I tried to not over design my item.
Even if I haven't created an item that woos the voters and/or the judges I'm prouder of my efforts this year than I ever have been and I look forward to the opportunities RPG Superstar has made available.
Like Samuel, I recently learned of the contest and decided to enter. So the big change for me is that I'm participating for the first time.
I was prompted to enter by two things: a recent wave of enthusiasm for Pathfinder and my continual interest in working on creative projects. My career and hobbies revolve around creativity, so when I learned of the contest, it was automatic that I'd give it a shot. This is only my second post on the messageboards, but the contest, and playing and learning about the game have lit a fire in me of late.
I've enjoyed my time here reading some great posts from great posters over the last few days, and wish every participant the best of luck!
If you had asked me a few weeks ago, I would have never guessed that I'd be frustrated about not being able to be at a computer voting on magic items...until later in the evening on the 1st!
Last year:
-Talked myself out of competing because I wasn't experienced enough.
This year:
-Failed my Will save against Sean K. Reynolds' suggestion and submitted. He even made it sound reasonable!
Now I'm just wondering where he got the training to get 5 levels in wizard...
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Last year:
-Talked myself out of competing because I wasn't experienced enough.
Never DQ yourself, there are editors, judges and voters who are more than happy to do that for you.....
Anyway,
No actual changes for this year, started designing as soon as the contest started, mulled it over for a few days and submitted.
I do have this sneaky suspicion that I blew my wad doing prep with the KQ and JBE competitions, but contracts are a good thing ;>
I hope to make the keep pile again (top 64), which means that you were doing great.
The change I made this year has me kind of quaking in my boots.
I didn't get my games club friends involved in my review circle, I only used non gamer, non relative, and kind volunteers from previous years of this competition.
I did this in the hope of eliminating the friendly support that often is just being kind to a pal sort of review.
Yes, the reviews I received were more truthful and at times painful, but here's hoping...
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Locke1520
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The change I made this year has me kind of quaking in my boots.
I didn't get my games club friends involved in my review circle, I only used non gamer, non relative, and kind volunteers from previous years of this competition.
I did this in the hope of eliminating the friendly support that often is just being kind to a pal sort of review.
Yes, the reviews I received were more truthful and at times painful, but here's hoping...
I wouldn't pass up on those gamer group reviews entirely either. I've always bounced ideas off of at least two members of my group...my wife and my oldest friend only then do I pester my internet circle. It's a matter of knowing how to make them realize honesty is better than saved feelings. Remember the internet circle won't be nearly as invested in supporting your success as your close friends and your close friends know your predilections as a story teller better than the internet. They can push you to be a better designer, root you on and help you avoid your most common missteps if you can get them to be brutally honest.
Finally switched over from 3.5 to Pathfinder in the spring.(My cohorts in the garage needed to be drug in kicking & screaming...)
Started haunting the boards and learned about the contest.
During the summer, I re-started GMing after a decade or two of absence.
Came up with an idea during a session, kicked it around for a while, finally wrote it down and refined it into my first submission.
I think its clean, and hope it has enough pizazz to grab some attention.
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last year:
made one practice item a month
submitted to KQ, non-successfully
missed submitting to KQ
submitted to Wayfinder, successfully
submitted to Wayfinder, successfully
designed an item for a small rules niche
walked the pups until the random pieces in my head fit
submitted a non-top 89 item.
collected folks knowledgeable about RPGSS for critique
this year:
made one practice item a month
submitted to KQ, unsuccessfully
submitted to Wayfinder, unsuccessfully
submitted to Wayfinder, unsuccessfully
submitted to Raging Swan, unsuccessfully
continued to collect folks knowledgeable about RPGSS for critique
submitted to Jon Brazer Enterprises, successfully
submitted to Adventure a Week, successfully
designed an item for a really cool effect
finished PFS first star and earned the second
shared item with PFS group and found out "Oh Yeah, Walter did that with [feat chain]"
designed an item on Saturday
walked the pups until the random pieces in my head fit
missed submitting RPGSS item...???