Keep 'Em Coming!

[Steven Helt]

If you're ears are burning, you might be a Superstar contestant. Judges are reading your items and getting excited for the contest!

If your ears aren't burning, why haven't you entered? I've seen some cool items so far, but in my opinion the field is wide open. Get motivated! Have confidence! Get your entry in before the deadline and show Paizo and their fans what you've got!

[Doc_Outlands]

My head is hurting. My eyes are burning. I'm pulling out clumps of hair. I'm discovering nuances about magic item *PRICING* I never knew existed. For the measly price of 1% of the base magic item I'm working on, I can add the ability to ruin an enemy encampment's day THREE TIMES?

[Anthony Adam]

I'd love to keep em coming Steven, BUT, I'm limited to one entry only per year :P

[Kiraya TiDrekan]

Item has been submitted. Now I has the nerves until the 18th...then has more nerves.

[Jacob Kellogg]

Well, I've got an entry written up and templated, and probably won't come up with anything else within the next couple of days, so I guess that's that. Probably won't submit until I've slept on it anyway, though.

[Joey Haeck]

I just made a discovery that may have saved my entry. I'm glad I've taken by time with this guy.

[frank gori]

Narrowed down to 2 versions of the same item.

[Curaigh]

GM_Solspiral wrote:

Narrowed down to 2 versions of the same item.

Two versions of two items... but I have a clear favorite :)

[R D Ramsey]

Haven't decided. Three concepts I like enough to spend time tomorrow fleshing them out. Another I like a lot but have no idea how to make it work.

[Visceri22]

I've had my item finished and formatted just sitting there. I'm too nervous that I've forgotten something or will want to change something to press Submit. @_@

[Covent]

Visceri22 wrote:

I've had my item finished and formatted just sitting there. I'm too nervous that I've forgotten something or will want to change something to press Submit. @_@

Anthony Adam has a very nice offer up to check template use here.

DO NOT POST YOUR ITEM PUBLICLY! ONLY USE THE PM FUNCTION.

He helped me feel better about my details. If you want I would be willing to do something similar for you, however I believe Anthony would most likely be better.

Sorry for the shouting just would hate to see anyone DQ themselves. Hope this helps.

[Visceri22]

It's not so much the formatting itself that I'm worried about, but I will certainly take him up on that offer just to be safe! Thanks!

[JJ Jordan]

Interesting. I wasn't aware that the judges could read the items as they come in. I wonder, does that give earlier entries an advantage or a disadvantage?

[Clay Clouser]

I'm doing one last round of edits then I will be entered.

[Sean McGowan]

JJ Jordan wrote:

Interesting. I wasn't aware that the judges could read the items as they come in. I wonder, does that give earlier entries an advantage or a disadvantage?

It's pretty much essential for the judges to be able to give the incoming items an at least cursory check; that's how rule-violating items get weeded out beforehand. (At least the ones that can't be auto-detected by computer; I imagine items whose crime is being over word count get snagged by programming, never to be seen by mortal eye again...)

When you submit really shouldn't affect your chances at all. Given that most of the quality sorting is done by hundreds of voters voting thousands of times, the judges role is mostly just picking out the real gems from the top 100 or so. How early an item was submitted wouldn't have any influence over that process at all.

[Mikko Kallio]

Sean's right, when you submit doesn't affect your chances at all.

Though of course, if you submitted very early, it's more likely you didn't have time to polish your entry and weed out any problems the entry might have. So, I'd say people who take the time to think about their design choices and have their pit crew spot any problems will do better in the contest, on average.

By the way, please avoid mentioning when you submitted your item, or any information that could break anonymity.

[michael patrick]

I have my item and I feel pretty good about it except I am rethinking the name.

[Anthony Adam]

Ah - Naming! My nemesis - how I loathe thee....

[Steven Helt]

It doesn't really matter if Mikko and I get a head start reading items, because we don't choose the top 32. That will be done by voting, then by Own, Liz and Mark.

However, as judges we get to look behind the curtain while we wait our turn. I can tell you that a tight entry could be submitted early or late without fear of losing some kind of disadvantage.

There are contest submitters who feel great about their entry, but submitted it without reading the instructions. As a result, there's one particularly cool wondrous item I feel really bad for.

So read, format, follow directions, and polish. And above all, bring mojo! But don't fret about entering early or late or about what gives you an advantage in the judges' eyes. There is voting and a lot of work to do by the judges before we learn anything else. Just know that whenever you enter, great mojo and good presentation are the best tools you have, and they will serve you well.

[quibblemuch]

Anthony Adam wrote:

Ah - Naming! My nemesis - how I loathe thee....

Sounds like you need the metaring of awesome nomenclature! Convert your boring equipment into epically cool sounding gear.

+1 longsword? With the metaring of awesome nomenclature that becomes the razorblade of slightly superior to normal blood-spilling capability!

Tired of carrying around that bag of holding? Simply give the command word, and you're sporting a fashionable voluminous arm-wielded accessory of Michael Kors!

And so forth...

(Patent pending)

[Brother Fen]

Got my submission sent off for my first year! Excited to be a part of it.

[Oakbreaker]

my first submission ever

[Woran]

I keep keep fretting I havent calculated the price right...

[Murray K Dahm]

Steven wrote:

There are contest submitters who feel great about their entry, but submitted it without reading the instructions. As a result, there's one particularly cool wondrous item I feel really bad for.

And now I just feel that that is me ...

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

JJ Jordan wrote:

Interesting. I wasn't aware that the judges could read the items as they come in. I wonder, does that give earlier entries an advantage or a disadvantage?

It does neither.

[Tripp Elliott]

Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:

JJ Jordan wrote:

Interesting. I wasn't aware that the judges could read the items as they come in. I wonder, does that give earlier entries an advantage or a disadvantage?

It does neither.

I concur. The big initial voting that sorts the entries is done by we the people, and we have no clue what hat order submissions arrived.

Only once the sorting happens will the judges sort through them in earnest starting at the top.

At least that's my understanding.

[He'sDeadJim]

Woran wrote:

I keep keep fretting I havent calculated the price right...

Join the club.

=(

My design is good, I read all the info about the contest, and I may have even managed a good format job. The price...seems right. I guess we will see.

[Steven Helt]

Murray: did you submit a wondrous item instead of a weapon, armor, ring, rod, or staff? What I'm saying is that the only advantage/disadvantage to entering early or late is giving yourself enough time to follow the directions and polish your submission. Folk who entered a wondrous item crafted back in July robbed themselves of the chance to follow the forum a couple of days and notice things were diffeent this year.

[Murray K Dahm]

No, just paranoia and the mind-set that any negative criticism must be directed at my item - same happened last year. Ah the joys ...

[Jeffrey Swank]

This is my first year entering RGPSS... (how many times can I recheck a person recheck there item?)

[Andrew Marlowe]

Jeffrey Swank wrote:

About to send in my first entry ever to RGPSS... (how many times can I recheck this thing?)

Not enough and too much. Frightening but you can do both simultaneously.

Welcome aboard and good luck.

[Clay Clouser]

Try not to say when you've submitted your item as it can break the anonymity rule.

[Donald Robinson]

To the first-time submitters, Congratulations on submitting an item! Last year was my first time. It was both great and nerve-wreaking at the same time. I want to see at least a few first-time submissions make it to the top 100 (and even better if they get top 32).

And good luck to everyone else as well!

[Thomas LeBlanc]

I can't wait to see how many people try to break the 300 word limit by being creative with their spacing or omission of required template items. Last years count was only 17. I found one that listed as 288, but due to spacing and missing price/cost, ended up clocking in at 301.

For me, I only calculate the price when the pair presented are both nifty and have followed the template. But there is the occasional one that is obviously mispriced.

[Michael O. Holland]

I was going to submit but then I realized my author credit at AAW DQs me. No worries! I look forward to seeing all the great stuff everyone has created for us and voting for the awesome ones. :)

[David S. McCrae]

I do plan on submitting my item some time today or tomorrow now that all of my final questions have been answered. I'm not going to wait until the last minute, though.

I'm trying really hard not to over-re-think my item. It's really hard because I'm nervous, because first year entering. Also peers. >.<!

[Anthony Adam]

In order to maintain my Marathon voter status to 3 years in a row, I won't be checking prices unless they look or feel really, really wrong.

[Steven Helt]

Michael: is that a front cover hardback credit? If Mike Myler qualifies, a lot of AAW designers will.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Anthony Adam wrote:

I won't be checking prices unless they look or feel really, really wrong.

I agree. That said, with weapons and armor/shields, we know the basic calculation formula. I'm sure I'll go over that quickly in my head to make sure a +2 bane weapon doesn't cost less than 18,000 gp, for example. Even with staves, if something feels wrong, I might crunch some numbers quickly.

[Andrew Marlowe]

Steven Helt wrote:

Michael: is that a front cover hardback credit? If Mike Myler qualifies, a lot of AAW designers will.

Hardcover not hard copy. Just because it's published doesn't mean you are out. Additionally if you are published in a hardcover but your name isn't on the front cover you're still good too.

[Michael O. Holland]

Oh! I completely misunderstood that. No, it is not a hardcover.

[Jacob Trier]

Well, mine's been sitting in the submissions folder for a bit now. Enjoy.

[Joel Flank]

The shorter time for the open call round was very tough for me, but once my out of town company was gone, I was able to get mine submitted. Glad to have found some time to fit it in. Can't wait to see what entries the new item types bring.

[Doc_Outlands]

I have allowed a significant amount of time to pass before announcing - I have submitted my item. I refuse to fret, worry, stress, second-guess ... largely because, well, I have a day-job that eats 14+ hrs of my day and needs my attention. BUT! My item has in fact spawned a plethora of thematically-linked items in my mind that I may have to pursue professionally! So that means it is already a good item.

I do blame Owen for dragging me into this. Had he not gleefully announced the 11th-hour twist of item-types, I would have stayed away. But no - with the shift from Wondrous Items to "anything but a Wondrous Item" (not really, I know, but close enough), he convinced me that I was now on equal footing with people who had spent the year prepping a plethora of Wondrous Items to select from for this competition ... we would ALL be scrambling at the last second!

So ... I'm here and it is all Owen's fault. And my wife's, who has told me for years I should try. And my players, who have told me for years how awesome I make their game-sessions. And a pair of awesome gamers who acted as my pit-crew to help me refine and polish. And YOU! Random Pathfinder gamers who are going to eventually give me feedback on my item and help me get better!

This is all y'all's fault ... let the games commence!

[David H]

Submitted and worried as heck now! Like your child go to school for the first time...

[Anthony Adam]

I ended up checking over 100 entries this year, so I stand a good chance at seeing more than one of those make Top 32 this year. Last year was a record for me, 3 items I reviewed made Top 32!

[cwslyclgh]

got this years rejection in.

[Moik]

How does one do voting?

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

We'll cover voting sometime after the submission period ends (which is tomorrow, at 2pm). There's no voting open just yet.

[Azouth]

Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:

We'll cover voting sometime after the submission period ends (which is tomorrow, at 2pm). There's no voting open just yet.

Is it going to be different this year?