Marathon Voter Season 7
|
During public voting rounds, contestants are prohibited from any public discussion that could be considered as adding to, expanding upon, or clarifying the content of their current submissions. This applies to (but is not limited to) interviews, personal blogs, and messageboard posts on paizo.com or elsewhere, including the paizo.com discussion thread for the entry itself. Any such discussion may result in disqualification, in the sole discretion of the judges and/or Paizo Publishing.
Does this mean that we cannot talk about other items during the voting rounds? For example, let's say I really like the cloak of tree puns and make a comment on it being one of my favorite items I've seen so far. Is this okay, or should I wait until the voting finishes to so much as mention items in the contest?
Thanks, and good luck to all contestants!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The first rule of RPG Superstar is, don't talk about the entries (yours or others). The second rule of RPG Superstar is, don't talk about the entries. At least this is how last years was ran. Just don't, and you can be sure you will not get DQ'ed.
I think they have to take this stand so that a contestant or his friends don't come on the forums and talk up their entries. Then the judges have to watch the discussion forums very carefully to see if anyone is talking about their own entry. Just don't do it.
The entire point of these rules is to prevent bias in the voting. Any discussion of an item creates bias. No item should get unfair advantages or disadvantages because people were talking about it.
Here's a thread I started last year. It pretty much toes the line on what you can talk about during voting. A few posts were removed from the very start, but after that it tends toward generalities.
RPG Superstar 2015
,
Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka mamaursula
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
During public voting rounds, contestants are prohibited from any public discussion that could be considered as adding to, expanding upon, or clarifying the content of their current submissions. This applies to (but is not limited to) interviews, personal blogs, and messageboard posts on paizo.com or elsewhere, including the paizo.com discussion thread for the entry itself. Any such discussion may result in disqualification, in the sole discretion of the judges and/or Paizo Publishing.Does this mean that we cannot talk about other items during the voting rounds? For example, let's say I really like the cloak of tree puns and make a comment on it being one of my favorite items I've seen so far. Is this okay, or should I wait until the voting finishes to so much as mention items in the contest?
Thanks, and good luck to all contestants!
When in doubt, do not speak. Contestants have been disqualified because they couldn't keep their mouths shut. It is part of the contest - can you keep a "secret" and can you gracefully take kind and coarse criticism.
RPG SuperStar is like Fight Club, the first rule of RPG SuperStar is you don't talk about RPG SuperStar entries, especially your own. And most importantly if you are a contestant.
Do not think you will go unnoticed if you break this rule, you are wrong.
Don't do it!
I hope I haven't understated the importance of following this rule.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
There's also a long-standing RPGSS guideline, whereby nobody subjects an item to direct public critique unless its creator has OK'd it specifically (or, y'know, made it into the Top 32).
That's aimed to make the contest friendlier and kinder - you will never be subjected to criticism or mockery, unless you specifically say that you're willing to hear other people's feedback.
(That being said, Clark has a long-standing tradition of pointing out general trends and individual errors, without tying them to particular items and submissions. Now that the public also sees the entries through voting, we can also join in the fun.)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Actually, I would counter these comments and be bold enough to suggest that all my worthy competitors feel free to discuss their items at length before the top 32 reveal!
Go on! Do it!
>:)
.
.
.
.
.
(On a serious note, do it!)
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'll add, not in ANY Forum. The temptation is there to talk and post and get feed back and explain what you were thinking so voters understand your item better. Dont do it here or anywhere on he web. If you seriously want the final prize, practice your skills at following a no -disclosure clause.
I have a question that's related to this issue.
I was wanting to do sort of a personal "transparent voting" thread, where at the end of each voting day I would post every single pair of items that I saw that day, including an indication of which item I voted for out of every pair.
I would not discuss the items, nor would I discuss why I voted for a specific item over it's counterpart, it would simply be my raw transparent voting data made public for everyone on these boards to see.
Would this violate rule 5?
Why do people keep saying this? Have people really never had a job where they're not allowed to talk about their work?
People keep saying this because almost every year of the contest, contestants have been warned or disqualified for failure to keep quite about their submission.
I have a question that's related to this issue.
I was wanting to do sort of a personal "transparent voting" thread, where at the end of each voting day I would post every single pair of items that I saw that day, including an indication of which item I voted for out of every pair.
I would not discuss the items, nor would I discuss why I voted for a specific item over it's counterpart, it would simply be my raw transparent voting data made public for everyone on these boards to see.
Would this violate rule 5?
A lot of people would probably like the first part (posting the pairs of items you saw each day), as that would help alleviate a lot of the stress people felt last year when they voted hundreds of pairs without seeing their own item, and since the item pairings are random, there would be no bias.
A lot of people would probably really hate the second part (saying which you voted for). That would, inadvertently perhaps, sway other people against voting for the items you didn't support. It just has disaster written all over it.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Why do people keep saying this? Have people really never had a job where they're not allowed to talk about their work?
Because it is in our nature to want to get excited about a contest. To want to hear what good things people think about our work, or to defend what people are critical of. Many enter because it is fun, hopeful of the final prize as a dream, but not necessarily thinking of it as a job interview. The reality: it is a job interview and even then not everyone recognizes the importance of keeping the mouths (keyboards) shut. Partly because this interview is in the form of a contest which is exciting and fun and makes you want to get involved and talk. Which leads to people trying to find ways around the rule so they can do just that. A good rule of thumb, if your asking "does this violate the rule"...it probably does.
I have a question that's related to this issue.
I was wanting to do sort of a personal "transparent voting" thread, where at the end of each voting day I would post every single pair of items that I saw that day, including an indication of which item I voted for out of every pair.
I would not discuss the items, nor would I discuss why I voted for a specific item over it's counterpart, it would simply be my raw transparent voting data made public for everyone on these boards to see.
Would this violate rule 5?
A lot of people would probably like the first part (posting the pairs of items you saw each day), as that would help alleviate a lot of the stress people felt last year when they voted hundreds of pairs without seeing their own item, and since the item pairings are random, there would be no bias.
A lot of people would probably really hate the second part (saying which you voted for). That would, inadvertently perhaps, sway other people against voting for the items you didn't support. It just has disaster written all over it.
Hmmmm... good point. I didn't think about how it might affect the voting of others. I suppose the best course of action then is to just wait until the voting period ends to post my data.
The added benefit, of course, is that I am now free to add comments about each pair!
I have a question that's related to this issue.
I was wanting to do sort of a personal "transparent voting" thread, where at the end of each voting day I would post every single pair of items that I saw that day, including an indication of which item I voted for out of every pair.
I would not discuss the items, nor would I discuss why I voted for a specific item over it's counterpart, it would simply be my raw transparent voting data made public for everyone on these boards to see.
Would this violate rule 5?
Yes. Note the link to the thread I posted. Posts were removed for talking about specific items during the voting process.
And to add to what Nazard said, it has been noted in the past that unless a person specifically asks for critique or feedback on their item, it's bad form to do so.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Going back to the original question. Should you become a freelancer, you may often be asked to work on future product under an NDA (non disclosure agreement), so by not talking about any of your entries shows the judges and prospective employers following the competition that you are able to do this, no matter how exciting the work is.
Developer
,
Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
|
Going back to the original question. Should you become a freelancer, you may often be asked to work on future product under an NDA (non disclosure agreement), so by not talking about any of your entries shows the judges and prospective employers following the competition that you are able to do this, no matter how exciting the work is.
This is actually one of the excruciating things about freelancing. Freelancers (and us here in the office) are working on things that won't find their way into people's hands for months, and it's super exciting at the time and you really want to share fun and exciting things with people, but instead you have to keep all that excitement to yourself. It's hard, but it really sweetens the reveal sometimes.
It also explains number of [redacted] tags in "Overheard in Paizo offices" thread.
It also explains number of [redacted] tags in "Overheard in Paizo offices" thread.
Really? I just assumed those were swears...
:)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
FIRST AMENDMENT! COMMIE OPPRESSORS! LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD!
I'll add, not in ANY Forum. The temptation is there to talk and post and get feed back and explain what you were thinking so voters understand your item better. Dont do it here or anywhere on he web. If you seriously want the final prize, practice your skills at following a no -disclosure clause.
This is why you have an internal pit crew of trusted associates who will help you on what you're working with and tell no one about it. Everyone has such a pit crew who does this seriously-- either a good friend or a spouse, a mentor... It's not talked about, but it's out there.
I've been on the pit crew for three different top 32 competitors. It's an essential part of not burning out over the course of the competition and making your schtick better.
You want to talk over something? Take it to the pit. Churn on it there. Keep it offline and keep writing. Don't take any part of your competition design on to the internet until it's submission time.
-Ben.
This is actually one of the excruciating things about freelancing. Freelancers (and us here in the office) are working on things that won't find their way into people's hands for months, and it's super exciting at the time and you really want to share fun and exciting things with people, but instead you have to keep all that excitement to yourself. It's hard, but it really sweetens the reveal sometimes.
I guess we need someone to start a Pathfinder Rumor/Gossip site. "Word is that a popular freelancer for Paizo is working on something that involves pirates and spaceships."
This is actually one of the excruciating things about freelancing. Freelancers (and us here in the office) are working on things that won't find their way into people's hands for months, and it's super exciting at the time and you really want to share fun and exciting things with people, but instead you have to keep all that excitement to yourself. It's hard, but it really sweetens the reveal sometimes.
It's not just Paizo either... I do a lot of ghost writing on projects (generally non-rpg related these days) that I am super excited about that I am never allowed to take credit for, nor even talk it about before publication. The RPG industry is nice because you almost always get name credit for work for hire material... a lot of other forms of writing you do not.
Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
|
Going back to the original question. Should you become a freelancer, you may often be asked to work on future product under an NDA (non disclosure agreement), so by not talking about any of your entries shows the judges and prospective employers following the competition that you are able to do this, no matter how exciting the work is.This is actually one of the excruciating things about freelancing. Freelancers (and us here in the office) are working on things that won't find their way into people's hands for months, and it's super exciting at the time and you really want to share fun and exciting things with people, but instead you have to keep all that excitement to yourself. It's hard, but it really sweetens the reveal sometimes.
Unless the product gets cancelled. In which case you get to squirm... forever.
This is actually one of the excruciating things about freelancing. Freelancers (and us here in the office) are working on things that won't find their way into people's hands for months, and it's super exciting at the time and you really want to share fun and exciting things with people, but instead you have to keep all that excitement to yourself. It's hard, but it really sweetens the reveal sometimes.It's not just Paizo either... I do a lot of ghost writing on projects (generally non-rpg related these days) that I am super excited about that I am never allowed to take credit for, nor even talk it about before publication. The RPG industry is nice because you almost always get name credit for work for hire material... a lot of other forms of writing you do not.
Well of course. How can the person that is supposed to have written take credit and get any awards if they share it with someone else? The idea! ;)
FIRST AMENDMENT! COMMIE OPPRESSORS! LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD!The First Amendment doesn't apply at all. It does not protect you against censorship by corporations or individuals, only against government intervention in your freedom of speech and peaceable assembly.
Some people forget that, or think that it does.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Some people forget that, or think that it does.FIRST AMENDMENT! COMMIE OPPRESSORS! LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD!The First Amendment doesn't apply at all. It does not protect you against censorship by corporations or individuals, only against government intervention in your freedom of speech and peaceable assembly.
Other people just don't know when someone is being ironic, and then ruin the joke.
One more question! It won't come up for about another week or so, but once the public voting ends, can we discuss items, or does that need to wait until the top 32 are announced?
You have to wait for the Top 32 are announced. The items are still in contention and the judges have to remain unbiased. So no one can know who made what.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
,
Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Boxhead
|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Also, if an item didn't make the top 32, wait until its creator asks for feedback. DO NOT START THREADS TO DISCUSS ITEMS! It's very bad taste to dogpile on "bad" items before (or even after, really) the creator asks for any advice. Some people are going to want to slink off anonymously. Let them. They've probably enough from the very transparent gripe thread. Let it go.
Agreed. Lots of people mentioned the items they liked best, which seemed nicely positive, but otherwise wait for the critique thread.
Yeah, I have a funny and cool combination of three items together that I want to mention, but one item of the three has aspects of its design that have been negatively spoken of on the boards. So I won't be doing that. It's about respect.
|
Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
|
Why do people keep saying this? Have people really never had a job where they're not allowed to talk about their work?
Non-disclosure agreements and Non-compete agreements are very prevalent in business today.
They're also prevalent in the publishing industry.
It's another aspect of the job interview that is the core of RPG Superstar.
The rules are there for a reason. They're like an employee handbook. They are not optional and they won't change; most of the current rules are the same ones from 2008. It's pretty simple. The rules say, "Don't talk about your item"; don't do it. Your day job says "Wear a tie," so you do. Don't follow the rules at your own risk.
Complaining about them only reinforces the point of the rule. It's also somewhat boggling that we have the same discussion about this every year. It honestly tempts me to cut and paste my old posts on the topic.
FIRST AMENDMENT! COMMIE OPPRESSORS! LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD!
NSA Amendment approved by apathy, and hey, are you accusing the readers of oppressing chinese communists? i dont even shop at wall mart. Are fair trade miniatures available?