The Official Unofficial Top 32 Guildhall

[Mikko Kallio]

Wow, it was a good round. :) Thanks everyone!

As for r4, I think I'm at around 2,300 words at the moment. Though there's still a lot of "notes to self" and other types of content that will have to go. Still a lot of work left to do...

[Jacob Trier]

Mikko Kallio wrote:

Wow, it was a good round. :) Thanks everyone!

As for r4, I think I'm at around 2,300 words at the moment. Though there's still a lot of "notes to self" and other types of content that will have to go. Still a lot of work left to do...

Hop to it, then. It would be nice to have the title return to Europe.

Congrats, all four of you.

[Andrew Marlowe]

Christopher Wasko wrote:

As for me, time to go back to the drawing board with everything I've learned this year so I can come back swinging in 2015! Looking forward to seeing you all again then!

Come out swinging sooner...Don't wait for 2015. Hit Wayfinder send out pitches as was mentioned elsewhere watch the other publishers section of the boards here. Making it to the Top 32 and the Top 16 can help open doors so seize the opportunities as you find them.

[Andrew Marlowe]

To you guys in the Top 4: Seriously huge congratulations this was a big hurdle!

[Christopher Wasko]

Andrew Marlowe wrote:

Come out swinging sooner...Don't wait for 2015. Hit Wayfinder send out pitches as was mentioned elsewhere watch the other publishers section of the boards here. Making it to the Top 32 and the Top 16 can help open doors so seize the opportunities as you find them.

Sage advice, Andrew! I'm afraid I don't know much about sending out pitches though. Are there particular people or publishers to whom I should send materials? Where is the other publishers section of the board? How do I get involved with Wayfinder?

[Mikael Sebag]

Andrew Marlowe wrote:

Christopher Wasko wrote:

As for me, time to go back to the drawing board with everything I've learned this year so I can come back swinging in 2015! Looking forward to seeing you all again then!

Come out swinging sooner...Don't wait for 2015. Hit Wayfinder send out pitches as was mentioned elsewhere watch the other publishers section of the boards here. Making it to the Top 32 and the Top 16 can help open doors so seize the opportunities as you find them.

Oh, I've already started working on my submission for Wayfinder #11. I hope the rest of us are doing the same!

Also, Christopher, Click Here for Wayfinder Submission Info. :)

[Christopher Wasko]

Mikael Sebag wrote:

Also, Christopher, Click Here for Wayfinder Submission Info. :)

Cool, thanks a million! Where would I send pitches?

[Andrew Marlowe]

Christopher Wasko wrote:

Mikael Sebag wrote:

Also, Christopher, Click Here for Wayfinder Submission Info. :)

Cool, thanks a million! Where would I send pitches?

This thread is full of terrific advice.

And if you want to pitch to 3pps visit their websites see what they have to offer and get a feel for what they might be looking for. Some sites have submission guidelines posted. Good luck!

[Adam Daigle]

Andrew is totally right. There are plenty of opportunities out there for folks that want to freelance, and they won't necessarily just come to you. You gotta get out there and grab them. Turn your experience here into a springboard!

[Christopher Wasko]

Adam Daigle wrote:

Andrew is totally right. There are plenty of opportunities out there for folks that want to freelance, and they won't necessarily just come to you. You gotta get out there and grab them. Turn your experience here into a springboard!

Awesome! I'll definitely get working on this. Any other related advice, Adam, being a pro?

[Adam Daigle]

Christopher Wasko wrote:

Adam Daigle wrote:

Andrew is totally right. There are plenty of opportunities out there for folks that want to freelance, and they won't necessarily just come to you. You gotta get out there and grab them. Turn your experience here into a springboard!

Awesome! I'll definitely get working on this. Any other related advice, Adam, being a pro?

Other folks have covered some of the points, so the biggest advice I can give (in a concise nature so I don't derail this thread) is to find out who is accepting pitches or looking for freelancers. Once you locate a company you want to write for, look at their catalog and get familiar with the styles they use and things they've already published (that way you don't look like a fool pitching something they already published).

Another thing that can be super helpful is becoming friends with other freelancers. When I first started freelancing I was lucky enough to have a few friends that were already doing it, and then I got invited into a freelancers guild called the WereCabbages. Having a group of people to review work, act as fresh eyes, be sanity-checkers, and just the pool of experience was absolutely one of the most helpful things I could have ever had. A lot of our freelancers are friendly with one another and bounce things off each other pretty often. I always encourage that kind of shared learning.

[Victoria Jaczko]

Mikko, Mike, I swore I'd eat my shoes if you two didn't make Top 4. I am so glad that will not be necessary. :)

Robert, I cheered when I saw the spirit window pop up on the Top 32. That thing loved my voting screen and I upvoted that sucker I don't know how many times. Now look atcha, all Top 4 and stuff.

This is all unexpected for me. I keep checking the list to make sure I didn't get confused or something, but pretty hard to get me mixed up with anyone else, so... I'm here!

To the other Top 16: I can't even imagine how close the rest of the rankings went. This was an impressive crop and the 75% cut was a bloodbath that I frankly thought I'd be included in. Thanks to the interviews, bios, and reading the hell out of ya'll's entries, I feel like you guys are another of my gaming groups and I do hope that PbP idea gets off the ground. I hope you guys nail some freelance work, do the Blazing 9 stuff, and come back next year. You're gonna have a cheering section. :)

You're all invited to friend me on Facebook, G+ or wherever, those of you who haven't already. I'd buy you all virtual beers.

[Jesse Southwick]

Congrats to the top 4. Keep pushing!

[Mike Kimmel]

Victoria, I had a feeling you'd be in the Top 4 as well!

Victoria Jaczko wrote:

I do hope that PbP idea gets off the ground.

I'll run one as soon as the contest is over. Sometime before then I'll start a thread so we can begin brainstorming. From the looks of things there's a lot of interest, though I didn't count players or anything. We might want to split into multiple groups.

Victoria Jaczko wrote:

You're all invited to friend me on Facebook, G+ or wherever, those of you who haven't already. I'd buy you all virtual beers.

I hope some of you will come to PaizoCon and join me for non-virtual drinks!

[Mark Nordheim]

I'm just stopping by to give my own congratulations to the top 4. I thought I had a chance to make it, but all of those who did make it were very worthy. I was impressed, once again, with the quality of the entries this round. Cutting from 16 to 4 made for a tough round, and those who made it through should be very proud.

I'm looking forward to reading the module pitches. Congrats!

[Brian J. Fruzen]

The Four have been chosen. Well done everyone, and congratulations!

[cartmanbeck]

I think I've chosen my character build for our PbP (if it happens): Tengu (Swordmaster/Scout) Rogue / Fighter. :-D

[Mike Kimmel]

Drat, and here I was thinking I'd run a tengu-hunting game.

[Tripp Elliott]

Mike Kimmel wrote:

Drat, and here I was thinking I'd run a tengu-hunting game.

Shouldn't you be writing a module proposal? Won't you be busy writing a module if you win (or a PFS scenario if you're a runner up?)

[Robert Brookes]

Mike and I are machines fueled by Pathfinder. Busy, for us, is relative.

[James Casey]

I was planning on running a Dwarven Alchemist.

[James Casey]

I think next year there should be a round where the top four have to pick two ppl from a previous round to assist them in their module pitch. One person to help with item or monster design, maybe assist with the mechanics flesh out encounters, etc. That might be a lot of fun!

[Jacob W. Michaels]

I think that'd kind of defeat the purpose of winnowing down in the contest, James. :)

No character yet for a PBP, though I'd love to participate. Waiting to see level and general tone before I come up with something.

[James Casey]

I dont know that I agree Jacob. Part of being a designer is taking criticism and adjusting. Although it would require a lt of text and induce copius amounts of voter fatigue, I think it would be valuable if the contest provided either of the following: designer notes on certain entries, in particular encounter and pitch; or designer/team feedback from your chosen two people and how that criticism impacted the overall design, if at. Either of these options lets voters know what is going on in the designers thought process. It also allows judges to better understand the thought processes of the designers and possibly correct for the future. Voters and judges alike are then able to comment and assist on the entry but also the thought behind the entry.

Of course, I could be way off base and few if any voters would want to sit through that... Of course if a designer got to pick two voters to assist, that opens up a whole new possibility and also assists in bolstering voter participation.

[Tripp Elliott]

James Casey wrote:

I was planning on running a Dwarven Alchemist.

My plan was a Minotaur gunslinger!

[Mike Kimmel]

Jacob W. Michaels wrote:

Waiting to see level and general tone before I come up with something.

I was thinking maybe level.... 3?..... in... ummm... a city? Yeah. 3rd level urban game. Or maybe.... lemme think real hard..... maybe level 3 urban???

Why are all of my ideas about 3rd-level urban games?????

I must be going mad.

[Tripp Elliott]

Robert Brookes wrote:

Mike and I are machines fueled by Pathfinder. Busy, for us, is relative.

I'm not sure that Mikko and Viktoria are any different, so expect them to bring the thunder! Or at least 3 levels of it.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Mike Kimmel wrote:

I was thinking maybe level.... 3?..... in... ummm... a city? Yeah. 3rd level urban game. Or maybe.... lemme think real hard..... maybe level 3 urban???

Why are all of my ideas about 3rd-level urban games?????

I must be going mad.

Strange. I was thinking something extraplanar (or perhaps Distant Worlds), 15th level, maybe some mythic... :)

[Victoria Jaczko]

3rd level urban is going to make it tricky to play my illithid antipaladin.

So is IP infringement, but that's beside the point.

Tripp Elliott wrote:

I'm not sure that Mikko and Viktoria are any different, so expect them to bring the thunder! Or at least 3 levels of it.

In addition to this, I motion that Robert rename himself "Rokbert" immediately because we need some more Ks in here.

[Tripp Elliott]

Victoria Jaczko wrote:

3rd level urban is going to make it tricky to play my illithid anti paladin.

On a beholder mount?

[Victoria Jaczko]

Tripp Elliott wrote:

Victoria Jaczko wrote:

3rd level urban is going to make it tricky to play my illithid anti paladin.

On a beholder mount?

Yes. And the Hand of Vecna!

[Mikko Kallio]

Tripp Elliott wrote:

Robert Brookes wrote:

Mike and I are machines fueled by Pathfinder. Busy, for us, is relative.

I'm not sure that Mikko and Viktoria are any different, so expect them to bring the thunder! Or at least 3 levels of it.

On a scale of 0 to 10:

Mikko the Machine wrote:

"This one goes to eleven."

I'm at 2988 words, ladies and gentlemen, but I do think I may have to chop off 1000 words, then add 1000, then remove 500, add 400, shave off 300... and so on. ;-)

It's like making a katana, I suppose? Layers, layers, layers, folding, folding, folding. And then wrap it up in a nice but practical koshirae.

[Adam Daigle]

Mikko Kallio wrote:

I'm at 2988 words, ladies and gentlemen, but I do think I may have to chop off 1000 words, then add 1000, then remove 500, add 400, shave off 300... and so on. ;-)

This process sounds familiar. :)

[Mikko Kallio]

An aside, I'm really glad we had a chance to check our proposals with JJ this year. I just remembered what happened to Tom Phillips two years ago...

An aside to an aside, I'm really glad everyone has refrained from posting about their "would have beens" for round 4. It would be unfortunate if someone had had a similar idea. There are only a few places to choose from (and some of them arguably better than others), so the chance of parallel development is there.

That said, I'm very much looking forward to seeing what locations the other 3 have chosen!

[Anthony Adam]

Mikko Kallio wrote:

... I'm really glad everyone has refrained from posting about their "would have beens" for round 4...

You tend to get sharing for round 2 because everyone starts their round 2 in the hope they qualify for round 1 :D - but for later rounds, you may find it's more "we hadn't got that far" than "refrained", coupled with no easy way to embed maps, etc in a thread in normal forum posting ;)

I did have an idea for a module pitch, but didn't get to writing down more than the one line kernel of the idea. After the winner is chosen, I might share it, then again, I might keep it to work on and once I have something worthwhile to send as a sample and proposal, make my approaches then.

[Joseph Kellogg]

Yeah, I considered posting what I had for my module pitch (which wasn't much, because I saw the handwriting on the wall), but I would wait until Round 4 is over. Of course, then the contest is done and not many people would be watching anyway. I guess anyone who's THAT curious could PM me about it.

[Mikko Kallio]

Anthony, yep you're right about embedding, but links would work just fine if someone wanted to post their R3 "would have been". :) And well, truth be told, the "everyone" referred more to the top 16 than the general voting public.

Anyway, Anthony, I really enjoyed your R2-related game, and I appreciate it that you have made the RPG Superstar messageboard a much more entertaining and educational place over the years. Is there any chance you could invent a game for the voters about rounds 1-3? (Probably better not touch R4-related things yet.) The deadline for our R4 entries is the 28th and I fear it'll be awfully quiet here before the reveal...

Edit: One possible idea would be a "spot the literary references/influences" game in R1-R3 entries. (Whether intentional or accidental references.)

Joseph, I'm curious by nature, and I'll pm you after the 28th (if I still remember to do so!) when it can no longer subconsciously affect my entry. :P

[Anthony Adam]

Thanks Mikko, I will have a think.

At the moment, I am trying to catch up on my in depth item reviews - the current real life work has been impeding my progress.

That said, Gossiper's Gourd has just been posted and has some unusual considerations on naming some of you may find interesting to mull over.

Quicksilver Gloves - you are next :D

[Jesse Southwick]

Woot! Been patiently waiting for more feedback. :)

[Robert Brookes]

Victoria Jaczko wrote:

In addition to this, I motion that Robert rename himself "Rokbert" immediately because we need some more Ks in here.

I will respond to Rockbert at Paizocon, as that is a pretty metal sounding name.

[Anthony Adam]

Just in case you missed it - Kobold are holding a fantasy fiction contest set in their Midgard setting - if fantasy fiction writing is also your thing you might want to take a look and have a go.

Midgard is a wonderful setting and Pathfinder compatible loveliness too! It ranges from norse mythology to the legend of the monkey king in scope so should provide some vast diversity for inspiration if you take a shot.

At least one of our Superstar winners and finalists has written for this setting, so you would be in good company!

[Tripp Elliott]

Mikko Kallio wrote:

An aside to an aside, I'm really glad everyone has refrained from posting about their "would have beens" for round 4. It would be unfortunate if someone had had a similar idea. There are only a few places to choose from (and some of them arguably better than others), so the chance of parallel development is there.

Just like every other round, people are pretty respectful about posting their "would have beens" until after the actual competitors get theirs in.

I'm sure someone will start a thread, but not until AFTER you guys get your time in the sun.

[Mikael Sebag]

Tripp Elliott wrote:

Just like every other round, people are pretty respectful about posting their "would have beens" until after the actual competitors get theirs in.

I'm sure someone will start a thread, but not until AFTER you guys get your time in the sun.

I definitely look forward to seeing/contributing to this thread, but, yes, not until AFTER the Top 4 have had their due. :)

Hmm, that "due" sounded far more sinister than intended, even with the smiley. In fact, the smiley might even be making it worse.

[Garrett Guillotte]

Anthony Adam wrote:

Just in case you missed it - Kobold are holding a fantasy fiction contest set in their Midgard setting - if fantasy fiction writing is also your thing you might want to take a look and have a go.

Also, there's the annual One Page Dungeon contest (April 30 deadline, typically lots of prizes, system neutral), Adventure-A-Week's Mapmaster contest (Feb. 25 deadline, work + products as prizes), and Dyson Logos' Dungeon of Lost Coppers map contest (Feb. 23 deadline, random winner + other prizes).

[Mikko Kallio]

Tripp Elliott wrote:

Just like every other round, people are pretty respectful about posting their "would have beens" until after the actual competitors get theirs in.

I'm sure someone will start a thread, but not until AFTER you guys get your time in the sun.

I know, I know, I'm just slightly nervous and paranoid because I'm pouring such a major amount of my time and energy into this. Forgive me. :)

Anyway, back at ~2,700 words. :)

[Anthony Adam]

No need to be paranoid, you just have to win my vote, that's all there is to it :P

[Anthony Adam]

Hi all, Im going quiet and forum free for a few days. Please bear with me as I will be back to finish the reviews in a few days. My wonderful, gentle loving Teddy has passed at 16.

I remember the day he joined our family, wandering his new garden, yet never straying far from my feet. This amazing border collie poodle cross breed remained there for these last 16 years, my constant companion.

I am devastated right now, so just need a few days. If you PM me or email on my review circle, you won't get an immediate reply, i'm not ignoring you, i just need some time is all.

[Mikael Sebag]

Anthony Adam wrote:

I am devastated right now, so just need a few days. If you PM me or email on my review circle, you won't get an immediate reply, i'm not ignoring you, i just need some time is all.

Such horrible news. You'll be in our thoughts. :(

[Garrett Guillotte]

Anthony Adam wrote:

I am devastated right now, so just need a few days. If you PM me or email on my review circle, you won't get an immediate reply, i'm not ignoring you, i just need some time is all.

I couldn't imagine my home without our three critters, and I know how hard it is to lose one. You have my condolences, and if you need anything please PM me.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

My condolences, Anthony. My dog's only 5 and I already dread that day. :(