The Unofficial Top 32 Guildhall and Armory

[Monica Marlowe]

Jensen Toperzer wrote:

If I get my submission done before 5 (eek) and if someone else isn't done yet, I hereby offer my Photoshop services to make sure your images are correct.

Once I'm done, I will be at MAGFest. If anyone else is there, please feel free to buy me food (I'm trying to quit drinking so no booze, please). I'll be dressed as Tuxedo Mask tonight, Razputin Aquato tomorrow, and (a very small, feminine, and not at all Jack Black like) Eddie Riggs on Sunday.

I'm going to require photographic proof that you are this awesome :-)

[benjamin wilkins]

Inching ever closer to completion. So many rough drafts discarded. So many ideas thrown out. So much time wasted worshiping at a porcelain altar. This was not a good time for food poisoning. Must... not... waste... opportunity!

[Tripp Elliott]

Monica Marlowe wrote:

I'll be dressed as Tuxedo Mask tonight, Razputin Aquato tomorrow, and (a very small, feminine, and not at all Jack Black like) Eddie Riggs on Sunday.

I would be more impressed with a feminine Bobby Riggs, as the irony suits my particular sense of humor.

[Jensen Toperzer]

Matt Roth wrote:

Is MAGFest worth it? I have nothing to do this weekend and it's only a few hours down the road...

I dunno, do you like tabletop games, classic arcade games, videogames, music, impromptu dance parties, weird video game themed bands, and large crowds of people? Then yes.

If not, then no.

[Patrick Kilcullen]

Ben Parkin wrote:

Scott LaBarge wrote:

I love how many educators we have in the top 32. Teachers rule!

Where my IT professionals at?! :(

Yo! Well, maybe not the definition of 'professional'. Experienced, I guess? I sit in front of a screen all day trying to fix stuff, let's just say that counts.

Also, because this is where we're doing that kind of thing: hi everyone! Glad to make it to the top 32 with all you excellent designers. First time entering a contest like this, surprised I made it this far. Really hoping to make it to round 3 because I LOOOOOVE monster designing. Even downloaded several programs people have released over the years to expedite the process for making them. Will definitely watch round 3's results with interest, regardless of if I'm in it.

Speaking of software, boy do I ever need to learn to use GIMP. Three days to try and pick up the intricacies of that tool is nowhere near enough. Thank Cayden for the 'no artistic merit' required clause this year. So close to completing the map, though, almost there...

Well, anyways, there's all that. Anyone save me some of that sweet, celebratory top 32 cake?

[Jacob Kellogg]

I keep looking at people talking about stacks and stacks of discarded ideas and failed drafts, and then I think back to my (now submitted) map, of which I made one quick sketch on a stickynote, then one pencil draft, then produced the final version, all in a single evening. I try to tell myself I pounced on a wave of pure inspiration, but keep worrying that instead I just have no idea what I'm doing. And since I haven't really done a challenge like this before, I can't even tell the difference. :/

[Allana Sliwinski]

Oh what I would give for a weekend in which to do this >.<

[Jeff Hazuka]

Finising feels pretty damn good, for as hellish as trying to get there was.

Now, I wait...

...this isn't getting any easier, either.

Serious question: For those that got confirmation emails, how long did you need to wait?

[Wren Brown]

Jacob Kellogg wrote:

I keep looking at people talking about stacks and stacks of discarded ideas and failed drafts, and then I think back to my (now submitted) map, of which I made one quick sketch on a stickynote, then one pencil draft, then produced the final version, all in a single evening. I try to tell myself I pounced on a wave of pure inspiration, but keep worrying that instead I just have no idea what I'm doing. And since I haven't really done a challenge like this before, I can't even tell the difference. :/

I am pretty much in the same boat. Only one idea made it onto paper for me. I thought of a few things, but once I found an idea I liked, I just kept working with it until I was happy with the result.

[Mark Hart]

Jeff Hazuka wrote:

Finising feels pretty damn good, for as hellish as trying to get there was.

Now, I wait...

...this isn't getting any easier, either.

Serious question: For those that got confirmation emails, how long did you need to wait?

Got mine about 5 minutes ago. I submitted last night about 9:30 PM (CST).

It comes from a Real Person, rather than an automated system (Chris Lambertz).

[Wren Brown]

Jeff Hazuka wrote:

Serious question: For those that got confirmation emails, how long did you need to wait?

I had to wait about 12 hours. I think Chris just manually sent emails to everyone who submitted yesterday at the end of business yesterday.

edit:ninja'd

[Scott LaBarge]

Jeff Hazuka wrote:

Serious question: For those that got confirmation emails, how long did you need to wait?

It was a few hours for me. But I think Russ is right: I think Chris is sending out acknowledgement emails in batches when there's time. Also, I think they post something on the Superstar front page acknowledging the submission, just like in Round 1. I think that showed up sooner than the email, for me anyway.

[Kalervo Oikarinen]

I got my confirmation email as well. \o/

[Monica Marlowe]

benjamin wilkins wrote:

Inching ever closer to completion. So many rough drafts discarded. So many ideas thrown out. So much time wasted worshiping at a porcelain altar. This was not a good time for food poisoning. Must... not... waste... opportunity!

Hm...will we be seeing porcelain altars in Benjamin's entry? Could be?

Feel better man!

[Monica Marlowe]

Russ Brown wrote:

Jeff Hazuka wrote:

Serious question: For those that got confirmation emails, how long did you need to wait?

I had to wait about 12 hours. I think Chris just manually sent emails to everyone who submitted yesterday at the end of business yesterday.

edit:ninja'd

I have confirmation that she does send these manually when she gets a chance :-)

[Mikko Kallio]

Can't wait to see your maps... soon, very soon. ;-)

Maps are great in that it doesn't take a lot of time to decide whether you like or don't like a map.

Good luck!

See you in round 3!

[Kalervo Oikarinen]

I suppose I should make my annual introduction post. :p

I'm 30 years old and live in Helsinki, Finland. I used to live in Lapland but moved here about 10 years ago to study computer science the university. I have a BA and should probably do something about advancing my MA studies but instead I work as a software developer and do other more fun stuff.

I played RPGs for a couple of decades. I started with Cyberpunk 2020 and RuneQuest (a weird Finnish language edition that was a mutation of different actual editions). My profile has some other games and things I enjoy.

This is my third year entering RPGSS and I have played Pathfinder since about 2012, starting with Kingmaker. I hadn't played games of the D&D "family" too often before that.

Regardless of what happens in this year's RPGSS, I'm planning to find some freelancing opportunities and see how it goes.

Oh, and I'm going to fly to Seattle this year to attend Paizocon among other things.

[R D Ramsey]

Whew! Made it in under the deadline.

I need to make a lot more maps, I think.

[Jensen Toperzer]

Okay. I have something I can submit as the final. I REALLY want to color this, but we'll see... I have an hour and a half more x_X

[frank gori]

Hey guys, I know I don't belong at the cool kids table so I'll be shuffling off after a moment. I just wanted to drop in and say good luck to everyone for round 2!

I reviewed everyone in my thread in case you missed it. If I beat you up over there take heart as I'll vote and throw support based on your work in round 2... I don't really look at body of work as a tie breaker until round 4 or so.

[Jensen Toperzer]

GAH.

It's 4:00 PM. I ran out of time to do color. HOWEVER... I think my map works well enough without color, I was very careful to make something that didn't NEED color to function.

I think color would have made it look nicer, and there's like... four small things I think would be slightly clearer if I'd had time. But I had to get that sucker in.

Now I just try not to freak out as I wait for the confirmation email :\

[Patrick Kilcullen]

Aaaaannd done! Thank Cayden, now I can breath easy again over the weekend. Looking forward to seeing everyone's work soon.

[Jeff Hazuka]

Man, it's going to be nice tonight to sit down, play PFS, and appreciate someone else's mapmaking expertise.

Best of luck to everyone!

#KidsTable #Top36 #TaterTots

[R D Ramsey]

I'm definitely going to be looking at maps with a new respect. And all the 2nd round entries too!

[benjamin wilkins]

Submitted, despite illness and time. I'm much happier with the final result than I expected to be, as well. I thought I was going to be a dead certain loss at this round, but I feel much more confident about this idea than most of the others. Only time will tell if that is a fools confidence, but regardless I am looking at maps in a new light.

[benjamin wilkins]

Monica Marlowe wrote:

benjamin wilkins wrote:

Inching ever closer to completion. So many rough drafts discarded. So many ideas thrown out. So much time wasted worshiping at a porcelain altar. This was not a good time for food poisoning. Must... not... waste... opportunity!

Hm...will we be seeing porcelain altars in Benjamin's entry? Could be?

Feel better man!

I'll be fine. This is just my stomach reminding me that eating fast food instead of cooking dinner will cost me time, not save it. No shortcuts for me next round!

[Tripp Elliott]

Great job guys! Looking forward to seeing those maps next week.

Now you can start thinking about monsters!

[Taylor Hubler]

I want to say how much I appreciate the sportsmanship and comradery shown here. Good luck to everyone. I hope to see many great and imaginative maps, and if you don't make it to the next round I hope you still caught the attention of publishers willing to give you a chance. I don't see any losers here, just awesome people with a love for the game.

[Monica Marlowe]

I just woke up from a nap (which is okay because I submitted yesterday,) and I dreamt of my monster. Come on Round 3, this is going to be epic.

[Scott LaBarge]

I've been enjoying the generally high level of positivity too. Go us! May we all collectively win the classiness race regardless of who moves forward round to round.

Also, however well my map does or doesn't do, can I just say how exciting it is for me to have Rob Lazzaretti be a judge for my map? I've loved his stuff since the Planescape days; those were some amazing visuals he gave us for some of my favorite fantasy places. Props to Liz, too; I don't know your work as well, but what I've seen is really beautiful! Win or lose, it's just a thrill to have the attention of these people, however briefly.

[benjamin wilkins]

benjamin wilkins wrote:

Monica Marlowe wrote:

benjamin wilkins wrote:

Inching ever closer to completion. So many rough drafts discarded. So many ideas thrown out. So much time wasted worshiping at a porcelain altar. This was not a good time for food poisoning. Must... not... waste... opportunity!

Hm...will we be seeing porcelain altars in Benjamin's entry? Could be?

Feel better man!

I'll be fine. This is just my stomach reminding me that eating fast food instead of cooking dinner will cost me time, not save it. No shortcuts for me next round!

Scarcely an hour after I had submitted, our entire neighborhood lost power. Thank goodness submission time had already closed! I felt the need to post this with my phone before conserving power, because the calamities this year have been amusing so far. Whoever mentioned the pugwampi earlier, could you kindly call them off? I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank'ye kindly.

Time to design monsters by candlelight and hurricane lamp!

**EDIT** Not time for designs in the dark! Power came back less than ten minutes after I finished posting this. This is starting to get a little surreal.

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

Neil Spicer wrote:

Speaking from the experience of having provided several, initial, map turnovers for Paizo products, the landscape versus portrait analysis usually runs along these lines for me...

Also, if you are a Superstar contestant, always listen to Neil. Neil is wise.

[Jensen Toperzer]

If I even make it to round 3, monsters will be hard. 99% of what I've done in the past is from mythology, and 99% has been done.

[Mikko Kallio]

Hmm. Interesting map designs. Veeeery interesting.

[Jacob Kellogg]

*sweats*

[Ben Parkin]

Jacob Kellogg wrote:

*sweats*

*hands Jacob a towel* I've got more in the wash, don't worry.

[Monica Marlowe]

Mikko Kallio wrote:

Hmm. Interesting map designs. Veeeery interesting.

I didn't realize this was "The Unofficial Top 32 Guildhall, Armory and Torture Chamber," did we rename it while I was out drawing a map? OMG, when did they install the rack and iron maidens? I liked it so much better when they added the filigree, can we go back to that desktop?

[Andrew Marlowe]

Sadly dear it's always been this way...That's why there is traditionally a bar, blankets and hot cocoa.

[Monica Marlowe]

Andrew Marlowe wrote:

Sadly dear it's always been this way...That's why there is traditionally a bar, blankets and hot cocoa.

Oh, right. I'm going to go build a pillow fort and drink heavily laced hot cocoa.

[R D Ramsey]

Still enjoying the comfy chairs in the Alternate Courtyard.

Wait, did you say cocoa?

[Taylor Hubler]

Oh! Pillow fort! I'll bring the nerf guns and build my own.

[Thomas LeBlanc]

Good thing I didn't make it to the map round. I seriously was going to write filigree repeatedly in cursive around the outside edge of the map using a gold sparkle marker. Can't wait to see what the maps!

[Taylor Hubler]

Thomas LeBlanc wrote:

Good thing I didn't make it to the map round. I seriously was going to write filigree repeatedly in cursive around the outside edge of the map using a gold sparkle marker. Can't wait to see what the maps!

You should totally do that anyway. Start a "If I submitted a map" thread and have it be the first post.

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

Monica Marlowe wrote:

Mikko Kallio wrote:

Hmm. Interesting map designs. Veeeery interesting.

I didn't realize this was "The Unofficial Top 32 Guildhall, Armory and Torture Chamber," did we rename it while I was out drawing a map? OMG, when did they install the rack and iron maidens? I liked it so much better when they added the filigree, can we go back to that desktop?

We'll compromise. We'll put filigree on the iron maidens.

[Wren Brown]

Mikko Kallio wrote:

Hmm. Interesting map designs. Veeeery interesting.

Tease!

[Chris Shaeffer]

Ugh. Now I'm super worried.

Just know Nikko that, someday, I will find you.

[Scott LaBarge]

Chris Shaeffer wrote:

Just know Nikko that, someday, I will find you.

Depends on the map you use, no?

[Mikko Kallio]

No reason to sweat, I'm not even judging this round.

Next round, though.. ;-)

Oh and you'll find me at PaizoCon in May, see you there! (But keep your ninjas on a leash regardless of the amount of torture you have to endure during RPGSS. :D )

[Scott LaBarge]

So is it Tuesday yet? Got to see these interesting maps....

[Chris Shaeffer]

I was repeatedly woken up last night by dreams about the map reveal and finding that I had come up way short of expectations. :/