
Curaigh |

Good luck everyone, I am looking forward to this almost as much as Superstar! Monsters are not my strong suite (I barely have enough of a chance to use the large number already available), but it is fun.
If this becomes an annual thing, the timing is just about right to whet the appetite and carry us to the opening of RPGSS!
Thanks for creating this Mikko, Mike & Jacob :)

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However, I don't have any kind of expectation of winning, let alone making the Top 5. I imagine we'll see a lot of creative monsters in this contest.
I have none either, and also believe that there'll be some interesting monsters.
This is literally my first ever attempt at doing something like this. I never do anything even remotely like this kind of thing. Leave that to the professionals. I blame Sean. He knows why too. :P

The Evil Queen |
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I can say, without giving much away at all, that I entered a monster that The Evil Queen proposed.
However, I don't have any kind of expectation of winning, let alone making the Top 5. I imagine we'll see a lot of creative monsters in this contest.
If you are lucky they all entered Vermin, Cookie Golems and Kaiju ;-)
Then your entry will at least catch the eye lol. (J/K)I hope you post the result after the competition, but of course you make the top 5.

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If you are lucky they all entered Vermin, Cookie Golems and Kaiju ;-)
I don't see why kaiju or different kinds of vermin wouldn't be able to make the top 5. One of my judging criteria is "would Paizo publish this monster?"--the monsters were picked from the Bestiary wish list, after all. Bestiary 4 had agyra, I don't see why they wouldn't want to publish more if people love them. Vermin are always a good choice, you just have to make sure they're different enough from what Paizo has published before.
Cookie golems are probably less likely as it's pretty hard not to cross into the joke monster territory with something like that.
But not impossible. Creativity and mojo sometimes trump other considerations.
Anyway, everyone who submitted a monster, thank you! We received nearly 40 entries, which means we have a lot of good monsters to choose from!

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Mike Welham wrote:However, I don't have any kind of expectation of winning, let alone making the Top 5. I imagine we'll see a lot of creative monsters in this contest.I have none either, and also believe that there'll be some interesting monsters.
This is literally my first ever attempt at doing something like this. I never do anything even remotely like this kind of thing. Leave that to the professionals. I blame Sean. He knows why too. :P
Cool! I'm glad you tried it out, and I hope it was and will be a good experience for you.

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Mike Welham wrote:I can say, without giving much away at all, that I entered a monster that The Evil Queen proposed.
However, I don't have any kind of expectation of winning, let alone making the Top 5. I imagine we'll see a lot of creative monsters in this contest.
If you are lucky they all entered Vermin, Cookie Golems and Kaiju ;-)
Then your entry will at least catch the eye lol. (J/K)I hope you post the result after the competition, but of course you make the top 5.
I will definitely post my monster after the competition, either here or on my friend's blog where I put up a monster (mostly) every Friday.

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The Evil Queen wrote:If you are lucky they all entered Vermin, Cookie Golems and Kaiju ;-)I don't see why kaiju or different kinds of vermin wouldn't be able to make the top 5. One of my judging criteria is "would Paizo publish this monster?"--the monsters were picked from the Bestiary wish list, after all. Bestiary 4 had agyra, I don't see why they wouldn't want to publish more if people love them. Vermin are always a good choice, you just have to make sure they're different enough from what Paizo has published before.
Cookie golems are probably less likely as it's pretty hard not to cross into the joke monster territory with something like that.
But not impossible. Creativity and mojo sometimes trump other considerations.
Anyway, everyone who submitted a monster, thank you! We received nearly 40 entries, which means we have a lot of good monsters to choose from!
That's a great turn out for the contest.
I know I can't resist a monster-design contest. :)

motteditor RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
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That's a great turn out for the contest.
Yeah, I was really pleased that we got dozens of submissions.
We had a little mini contest between Mikko, Mike and I about how many entries we'd get and I had the smallest guess. Happily, you all exceeded my expectations.
I think Mikko and/or I will post some stats about what we've gotten when we get a chance, but there are a lot still to go through. I was right on top of everything until the final 48-hour rush, but I've got a lot to critique still.
That said, I'm happy to say I've already got five solid keeps at this point plus a handful of weak keeps, so I'm expecting to have to make some hard choices by the time this is all said and done (I think I've still got more than a dozen to read). At least one of the my keeps is by a familiar name from Superstar, but there are also names I don't recognize as well.

Ignotus Advenium |

crit confirmed wrote:Maybe we should take a poll to find out how many first-timers submitted for the contest. Count me as one.I am also a first timer.
I think I'd qualify as a noob, but not a first timer. This is my 5th attempt at formally-statted and written designs.
My 1st was an item for round 1 of RPGSS 2014. I didn't advance and my item had a few issues, but I learned a lot, had fun, and got hooked on design & writing.
My 2nd was a monster I submitted for Wayfinder 11. I was thrilled and a little surprised that it was accepted.
My 3rd was an article with multiple items submitted for Wayfinder 12—results tbd. I planned and worked hard on this one, had time to polish it, and submitted it with time to spare. That's a better approach than:
#4, a monster submitted for Wayfinder 12—results tbd. I had an evening free right before the deadline and tried to whip something up. I'm less hopeful about that one. Rushing it meant I made a minor stat error, and may have missed the deadline by seconds. It was great practice though, to see what I could do in a few hours.
My 5th - this contest...results tbd

The Evil Queen |

The Evil Queen wrote:If you are lucky they all entered Vermin, Cookie Golems and Kaiju ;-)I don't see why kaiju or different kinds of vermin wouldn't be able to make the top 5. One of my judging criteria is "would Paizo publish this monster?"--the monsters were picked from the Bestiary wish list, after all. Bestiary 4 had agyra, I don't see why they wouldn't want to publish more if people love them. Vermin are always a good choice, you just have to make sure they're different enough from what Paizo has published before.
Cookie golems are probably less likely as it's pretty hard not to cross into the joke monster territory with something like that.
But not impossible. Creativity and mojo sometimes trump other considerations.
Anyway, everyone who submitted a monster, thank you! We received nearly 40 entries, which means we have a lot of good monsters to choose from!
It was more of a joke, as I've seen people talk about butterflies, cookie golems and kaiju are the most overused and wanted creatures there are.
So if all people sent in kaiju, then an mythology monster would catch the eye in the giant-terror wishes :-p

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Whether I win or lose, my main concern, and I told this to Sean, was that we all get constructive criticism on our entries, regardless of how good or bad they are. Never having done this with you guys before I don't know how you usually do it, but I've sent other kind of entries in before and had them mercilessly torn asunder. It makes you hesitant of entering other contests with other people.

Anthony Adam |
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Hmmm, I discovered something today.
Having been on Sean's marvelous games design course (which includes monster design), I seem to be having all those feelings I had when I first entered Superstar 7 years ago
Confidence - SHOT
Pressure - MAYBE
Reading threads for clues - DEFINITELY
Pressure - OK, YEAH, SOME
Second Guessing - YOU BETCHA'
Pressure - OK, OK, WORSE THAN BEFORE
Template Fu feedback practicing - MMMM, POINTS I SMELL
Pressure - SHE'S GOING TO BLOW!
:P
Come on pressure relief.... think.... think.... think...
Ah-ha! 40 entries, 5 places, that's one in 8 AND I have a fair chance - 80% ;) -of making Top 32!
Get in!

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Whether I win or lose, my main concern, and I told this to Sean, was that we all get constructive criticism on our entries, regardless of how good or bad they are. Never having done this with you guys before I don't know how you usually do it, but I've sent other kind of entries in before and had them mercilessly torn asunder. It makes you hesitant of entering other contests with other people.
Since I've been on the receiving end of many kinds of feedback, I totally understand your concerns.
If you make the top 5, your entry is probably up to the standards expected of freelancers or at least very near it. There may still be some scathing comments, but try not to let any such comments bring you down. It's good to remember that your entry beat many, many other entries.
If you don't make the top 5, no-one will even know what you submitted (unless you post it here for feedback from other contestants). Jacob said he'll send his comments to anyone who wants, and I can assure you his commenting is very professional both in tone and quality. If time allows, I'll gladly send mine too, and I'll certainly make sure any comments I send to the authors are constructive.

Anthony Adam |

And if you post them publicly for feedback, you will find those of us taking the time to provide that feedback do so not only to help you learn and grow but also to do the same for ourselves.
This means that although we may say things we didn't like or disagree with decisions you made on your design, it doesn't make anything you have done wrong, it's just different to what we would have done. We provide the feedback so that you can think about the differences next time you do a design.
I also find anyone taking the time to give good feedback usually also refers to what they like and agree with, sometimes even saying "I wish I had thought of that!".
I know that I try to. Finding the excellent in a design is equally, if not more, important than recognizing miss-steps.

Shadowborn |

And if you post them publicly for feedback, you will find those of us taking the time to provide that feedback do so not only to help you learn and grow but also to do the same for ourselves.
This means that although we may say things we didn't like or disagree with decisions you made on your design, it doesn't make anything you have done wrong, it's just different to what we would have done. We provide the feedback so that you can think about the differences next time you do a design.
I also find anyone taking the time to give good feedback usually also refers to what they like and agree with, sometimes even saying "I wish I had thought of that!".
I know that I try to. Finding the excellent in a design is equally, if not more, important than recognizing miss-steps.
Anthony's got the right of this. As a writer one needs to practice a sense of detachment (thick skin is usually the way this is termed). You're not your writing. Any good writer always puts a piece of themselves into the writing, but it's no longer attached, so to speak. So long as a person is critiquing your work in a constructive manner (not just telling you what's wrong, but why it's wrong and how to correct/improve it; not just saying they don't like it but expressing why it doesn't wow them so you at least can tell if it's something to be concerned about or just a personal opinion being expressed, etc.) you should accept it graciously.
And remember, a lot of criticism doesn't mean it's not good. If it truly weren't worth improving, most people wouldn't bother to take the time.

Warhawk7 |

Well, as we anxiously wait for the results, I think I shall try working on some of the other ideas I had before settling on what I submitted.
As for constructive criticism, in my line of work we have to turn in performance reports of our subordinates. We have a term for this constructive criticism, and that is to 'make it bleed,' as in all the red ink on it. Essentially the same concept here, without the red ink of course.

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Anthony's got the right of this. As a writer one needs to practice a sense of detachment (thick skin is usually the way this is termed). You're not your writing. Any good writer always puts a piece of themselves into the writing, but it's no longer attached, so to speak. So long as a person is critiquing your work in a constructive manner (not just telling you what's wrong, but why it's wrong and how to correct/improve it; not just saying they don't like it but expressing why it doesn't wow them so you at least can tell if it's something to be concerned about or just a personal opinion being expressed, etc.) you should accept it graciously.
And I can accept that without issue. It's the stuff in brackets that make me wince.

wraithstrike |
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Whether I win or lose, my main concern, and I told this to Sean, was that we all get constructive criticism on our entries, regardless of how good or bad they are. Never having done this with you guys before I don't know how you usually do it, but I've sent other kind of entries in before and had them mercilessly torn asunder. It makes you hesitant of entering other contests with other people.
SKR has destroyed my submissions in RPG superstar. The key is to take it as advice and not a personal attack. All he was doing was telling me what I did was wrong and anytime you present something to be written you should be prepared for the feedback even if your name is well known.

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I know Mikko's also planning some teasers, but I was curious and decided to do a little math of my own. The results?
The average CR for the monsters we received was 7.475. They ranged from a low CR of 2 to a high of 18.
That's right! I'm planning all kinds of graphs, tables and lists with statistics about the entries. I'll just have to finish reading the entries first! I just finished (about two hours ago) an important freelancing assignment and now there's absolutely nothing holding me back. So, I'll start reviewing the remaining monsters right after work today. And once I've cast my votes, I'll make graphs and stuff.
Meanwhile, Jacob, feel free to post any spoilers if you have the time. A breakdown of monster types (and subtypes, such as SWARMS) and a percentage of mythological vs other monsters (or breakdown of Japanese vs African vs Polynesian vs Slavic vs ...) would be very interesting for the contestants to see, I'm sure. :)

Shadowborn |

Shadowborn wrote:Anthony's got the right of this. As a writer one needs to practice a sense of detachment (thick skin is usually the way this is termed). You're not your writing. Any good writer always puts a piece of themselves into the writing, but it's no longer attached, so to speak. So long as a person is critiquing your work in a constructive manner (not just telling you what's wrong, but why it's wrong and how to correct/improve it; not just saying they don't like it but expressing why it doesn't wow them so you at least can tell if it's something to be concerned about or just a personal opinion being expressed, etc.) you should accept it graciously.And I can accept that without issue. It's the stuff in brackets that make me wince.
That's where you just have to teach yourself to not take it personally. It's like dealing with the Internet. A lot of people are jerks. Eventually, you just learn to ignore them and move on, or the 'net becomes a place of eternal pain and suffering.
If I get criticism from someone that isn't worth the read, I usually just thank them for their input and move on to the stuff that I can use to improve my writing.

Don Hastily |

Meanwhile, Jacob, feel free to post any spoilers if you have the time. A breakdown of monster types (and subtypes, such as SWARMS) and a percentage of mythological vs other monsters (or breakdown of Japanese vs African vs Polynesian vs Slavic vs ...) would be very interesting for the contestants to see, I'm sure. :)
A number for each type and subtype would be fun.

motteditor RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
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Some more teasers? OK...
Looking at just the creatures based on real-world myths:
* Japanese creatures lead the way, with 5. They were particularly popular early on, most of them coming in in the first third of submissions. Yokai make up a lot of these.
* Then we have 4 beasts each from the Middle East and United Kingdom.
* Two monsters were based on African myths.
* And one monster was based on Polynesian, Slavic, Australian, Native American, European and American legends.
We got two versions of one monster, which originated in the Middle East.
To give you some idea of the quality of monsters, I ended up with 10 keeps in my initial run-through of the monsters (plus a number of weak keeps too).
--
As far as feedback, especially from the judges, remember our comments are serving a double purpose. Primarily, I'm taking notes for *myself* so I can decide whether a creature's good enough to contend for the Top 5. I definitely use some shorthand because honestly going through dozens of monsters takes time -- I have a new-found respect for the Superstar judges who had 36 monsters (including the alternates) to go through in the course of one weekend. We've gotten a window the last couple years into the wondrous items round and this taught me a lot about the next round too.
That said, I was pretty sure I was going to offer to send out my feedback to the authors if they wanted (and, yes, I'll confirm now that I will make that offer once the Top 5 have gotten their moment in the sun -- or shade, for those monsters that are light sensitive), so I did want to at least have it be useful. But something I might couch slightly different if I were just emailing you directly might feel a little brusque here (i.e. "I think your first description line could use a little work; maybe break it up into a couple sentences?" in my notes will just read "description is really run-on").
As others have noted, you need a thick skin in this business. Mikko, Mike and I have all had Superstar entries ripped apart by judges. It's not fun. Two-plus years later, I STILL don't like to go back and read the comments on my sidhe noble (the first monster I ever made), but I do every once in a while, because they contained a lot of good lessons. We know you're all putting your heart and soul in these monsters and we're not here to crush your dreams. We're here because we love gaming too and want to encourage it.