I was a big fan of Pooka's blight dart. It looked like a lot of fun.
I got excited in an evil way every time Mind Tap showed up for a vote. It was delicious.
I think the covenskein net was my personal favorite, creepy and cool.
Agreed, it was one of the best. I know somebody who'll be happy to see your comment, too!
Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9
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I felt like the Covenskin Net and the Net of Dimensional Ensnarement were going to give my net a run for its money.
I'm kind of surprised that 6 nets entered and 5 made it past the cull. All of the other nets this year were great! I say other because I'm not out to toot my own horn with this post. <.<
What kills me is that none of my top 5 made top 32. I had several of my top 32 make it- Pyroclastic Spike, Rod of Exorcism, Psychopomp's Crosier, Earthcracker, Spectre's Blight and Fraud's Rod.... but not my top 5. Hell not even my top 8!
Do you mean the Fool's Scepter? Because my Fraud's Rod definitely didn't make it.
A LOT of love for the Springheart!!!
It's a shame it didn't top 32. ;______;
Definitely one of my favorites too, very flavorful.
I didn't have a single favorite, but there's one item that hasn't gotten any mention yet but surely deserves it. The Collapsible Coined Carapace was excellent for introducing your flavor, rather than forcing its own on your game. I forgave it the forced alliteration.
Oh, forgot Arbalest of the Aurochs, that someone else mentioned.
Hard to say.
Favorite weapon was the Hoard Hunter (cutlass) probably.
For a defensive item...Call me weird, but I really liked the simplicity of the Clockwork Exoskeleton.
I didn't have a single favorite, but there's one item that hasn't gotten any mention yet but surely deserves it. The Collapsible Coined Carapace was excellent for introducing your flavor, rather than forcing its own on your game. I forgave it the forced alliteration.
It probably took a lot of voting ding-age for the alliteration in the name - quite a few people hate that.
I made that same mistake in an item name around 4 years ago :)
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Just wanted to respond to GM_Solspiral's comments here:
Widow's Web by a wide margin was my favorite over my own item and even over the fine work of my pit crew which also included some amazing work.
I liked that item more than anything in the top 32 (no offense.) It is this year's Amber Robes in that I feel it was so good that I'd be afraid to try and hire them for fear my rates would insult them.
I'm outright baffled by it's exclusion to a degree that has me considering not participating as a contestant next year.
I'm starting to think that my gaming ascetics have diverged to a degree that is incompatible with the current regime at Paizo. Mythic Rules was a big misstep for me and I'm on the fence about the hybrid classes. Pathfinder Unchained is either going to right the ship or tow the Fonzi to that shark ramp he has set up…
[Emphasis mine]
I feel you Frank, but remember, it was people like us that voted for the items pre-cull that meant plenty of great items were never contenders for Top 32.
* Your gaming ascetics are not so far fetched, nor are Paizo's. They just don't always align. This doesn't indicate a divergence. Paizo will always deliver products that either grate or gel with sections of the customer base, and that is different with each product and each customer each time.
* I'm not sure "regime" isn't a little harsh - and I don't think the design staff or creative directors are themselves unified. Which in itself is both problematic for continuity and quality control, and a strength - diversity and variability.
* I've said it before and I'll say it again - Round 1 is a crapshoot. And even moreso this year with different types of items vying against one another and a really heavy and late cull.
* For myself I'm quite disappointed by the lack of imagination rewarded in the Top 32, but maybe the judges had nothing/little to choose from? Lots of great items got culled.
* I see Mark Seifter is doing a mammoth job providing critique in the CMI thread, but almost no opinion of creativity or whether he likes any flavor/creativity.
* You do a power of good with your G,BaU reviews - don't let this years events sour you from entering again next year. Remember the Round 1 rules might be different, and hopefully Paizo have noted the currents mentioned in the threads here and will respond in a way that pleases you.
Widow's Web was easily the best item in this year's contest, despite having some flaws. It was the one item I was sure I would have upvoted over my own.
I hope the designer comes forward in the critique-my-item-thread.
I don't think I ever saw this Widow's Web. :( That is making me sad, since apparently it was b$~#&in'!
Just wanted to respond to GM_Solspiral's comments here:
Widow's Web by a wide margin was my favorite over my own item and even over the fine work of my pit crew which also included some amazing work.
I liked that item more than anything in the top 32 (no offense.) It is this year's Amber Robes in that I feel it was so good that I'd be afraid to try and hire them for fear my rates would insult them.
I'm outright baffled by it's exclusion to a degree that has me considering not participating as a contestant next year.
I'm starting to think that my gaming ascetics have diverged to a degree that is incompatible with the current regime at Paizo. Mythic Rules was a big misstep for me and I'm on the fence about the hybrid classes. Pathfinder Unchained is either going to right the ship or tow the Fonzi to that shark ramp he has set up…
[Emphasis mine]
I feel you Frank, but remember, it was people like us that voted for the items pre-cull that meant plenty of great items were never contenders for Top 32.
* Your gaming ascetics are not so far fetched, nor are Paizo's. They just don't always align. This doesn't indicate a divergence. Paizo will always deliver products that either grate or gel with sections of the customer base, and that is different with each product and each customer each time.
* I'm not sure "regime" isn't a little harsh - and I don't think the design staff or creative directors are themselves unified. Which in itself is both problematic for continuity and quality control, and a strength - diversity and variability.
* I've said it before and I'll say it again - Round 1 is a crapshoot. And even moreso this year with different types of items vying against one another and a really heavy and late cull.
* For myself I'm quite disappointed by the lack of imagination rewarded in the Top 32, but maybe the judges had nothing/little to choose from? Lots of great items got culled.
* I see Mark Seifter is doing a mammoth job providing...
Re: Widows Web/Amber Robes creator... I'll give him work and feel like a thief for paying him the rates I can afford. In the world of 3PP freelance you're not getting paid very much unless someone runs a successful kickstarter.
Re: Participating next year- thing is I have freelance work and I put production on pause to do things like vote for a month, review everything, hype up my favorites in the latter round, and recruit newbie freelancers.
I have a stable to work with already and while fresh blood injections are helpful as I tend to lose writers to RL all the time... I guess I'm starting to look at the opportunity costs of this and it amounts to I could have released 2 books and 2 micro products in the time I'm spending here. Being a good citizen is one thing but the returns on the time sacrificed are starting to diminish.
Re: Mark gains a ton of respect for doing what he is doing right now with feedback.
Re: Regime might have been an emotional word choice. It is one thing to miss the top 32 myself, it is another to find out that my favorite items 2 years running were the same designer fell short. Reality is subjective and I've pretty sure if those items weren't no brainers for the judges the past couple years then my stars are never going to align.
While I like elements of Goleran, I am not fond of how cut and paste it feels. I'm not into Mythic or Hybrid rules and I'm very concerned that the ship is off course when it comes to sandboxes I want to play in. The APs are good but they throw too many softball encounters for my players without me having to run heavy alterations...
It comes down to this the prize is becoming more about money and raising my profile as a designer rather than a desire to work for Paizo. At then end of the day I'm not sure I'm a true believer in the product line anymore, which leads me to a conclusion that I should probably bow out of competing.
Widow's Web was easily the best item in this year's contest, despite having some flaws. It was the one item I was sure I would have upvoted over my own.
I hope the designer comes forward in the critique-my-item-thread.
The widows web designer already came forward. His name is Stephen but he is better know as Pestilence of the Four Horseman design team. He's an incredible designer and you should totally go take a look at some of the Four Horseman design projects.
** spoiler omitted **...
I gotta say, you make some good points. I look at the top 32 and feel like there's a strange thing happening.
Before the competition, we were told creativity and concept were king, that anyone could be taught the more fine mechanics and that pricing wasn't a make or break because the formulas were guidelines.
Then afterwards it seems the main criticism is precision in pricing.
That Springheart didn't make it when it's really a disposable item that has it's main effect take place after death (so who knows what the discount % is for that?) because it was 750gp too cheap is a departure from everything we were told in the beginning and overlooking a good designer.
Or an earthbreaker that breaks the ground, made the top 32.
Or a sledgehammer that hits walls, made the top 32.
Or a staff that's basically Pain from Naruto, made the top 32.
** spoiler omitted **...
Hi Frank,
Regarding your rant, some thoughts:
1) You are performing a valuable service, which helps the general public and I suspect it helps you as well in a professional capacity.
2) The PR you are getting is priceless, but it needs a little more focus. I would recommend asking for a little tag idenitfying you as a publisher.
3) Your rant identifies you as a publisher, which is not the same as a writer. Maybe you have outgrown the competition, but competing might still offer some benefits?
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Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9
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Editing my post to add happy vibes!!
(>^o^)>~~~~Happy vibes~~~~~
*Everyone is now happy!*
\(^o^)/ \(^o^)/ \(^o^)/ \(^o^)/ \(^o^)/
Now shake your booties!!!
*Shake**Shake**Shake**Shake**Shake**Shake**Shake**Shake**Shake*
(_|_) (_(_) (_|_) (_)_) (_|_) (_(_) (_|_) (_)_) (_|_) (_(_) (_|_)
Fun fun fun!!! Posting favorite items here!!
I gotta say, you make some good points. I look at the top 32 and feel like there's a strange thing happening.
Before the competition, we were told creativity and concept were king, that anyone could be taught the more fine mechanics and that pricing wasn't a make or break because the formulas were guidelines.
Then afterwards it seems the main criticism is precision in pricing.
Don't take me wrong, I'm not trying to lead a revolt here. Rise of the Runelords and Kingmaker alone would make Paizo one of my favorite gaming companies. I love the Witch, the Summoner, and the Magus as classes and some of the Hybrids are actually pretty good (Swashbuckler and Hunter being my favs.)
I'm just getting a vibe that things are changing in a direction I wouldn't be excited to be a part of... The 4th wall is getting broken too much for my tastes in Goleran and the rules supplements are getting messy.
I loved 3.5 but it started to age poorly... I'm hoping that the ship gets righted with Paizo's next rules supplement but it could in my opinion result in people migrating to 5th ed.
That said ultimately if I don't compete next year it will be because I don't want the prize for the right reasons right now. A lot can change in a year but if I made it in the competition I'd be competing to raise my profile as a game designer and it's be about getting larger returns on my freelance work, not because I'd be super psyched to work for Paizo... If you find yourself there it might be time to walk away.
I'm happy to continue this conversation in another forum or in PMs but I'm starting to worry this will dwell in negative territory that doesn't belong here. There are entries in the top 32 that I didn't review well but I'm not going to hold that against them in later rounds and they represent all of us aspirants. It is better for the community to show them support. Besides that it's like hitting someone that can't hit back as responding to a negative comment is a no-win for the designer.
I just want to jump in and say in some ways I get where you're coming from.
Every year we've voted, I've seen the top 32 and wondered if my tastes aligned with either the voters or the judges.
But it's a feeling that passes, at least for me. I think it's mostly a result of having seen nearly all the items and having become attached to them over weeks of voting. I develop a bias about them.
After a bit, though, I can go back and see what the judges were reacting to. It just takes some time to break out of my bias as a voter.
2) The PR you are getting is priceless, but it needs a little more focus. I would recommend asking for a little tag identifying you as a publisher.
I believe in honest brutality in critiquing which is why my reviews sometimes read snarky. I try not to look at names and ignore if I like the forum poster because I know exactly what it is like to have your idea baby smashed in public... It's a gut punch. I wonder if I'm making enemies with my critiques and if bringing my brand to the forum tag does Flying Pincushion Games any favors.
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Hey, if it makes you feel better, I don't like the top 32 much either, nor do I like Widow's Web (sorry!), so, your taste is not the most divergent ;)
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Hey, if it makes you feel better, I don't like the top 32 much either, nor do I like Widow's Web (sorry!), so, your taste is not the most divergent ;)
No apologies necessary! At least if that was directed at me. It had some flaws that I considered too late: thrown weapon with wounding, a swarm item was a gamble against saturation, it could be seen as a monster in a can, and so on. Nothing is going to be everyone's cup of tea. I am glad some people liked it, and I respect the final decision of the judges.
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Before the competition, we were told creativity and concept were king, that anyone could be taught the more fine mechanics and that pricing wasn't a make or break because the formulas were guidelines. ... Then afterwards it seems the main criticism is precision in pricing.... That Springheart didn't make it when it's really a disposable item that has it's main effect take place after death (so who knows what the discount % is for that?) because it was 750gp too cheap is a departure from everything we were told in the beginning and overlooking a good designer.
*I like the inspiration behind this item and the attempt to go for the low-cost item
*There are formatting issues, and a one-shot SiaC like this doesn't fit for a ring (additionally, it's underpriced for a one-use SiaC sending without even taking into account the faster casting time (or the virtue)).
*Good mojo, but not on the execution. I'd like to see what you come up with next year. Reject.
Thunderfrog, the judges chose quite a few of the top items for their awesome mojo, so it makes sense that what's leftover to criticize would be technical aspects like pricing. Also, with hundreds of items to consider, it's easier to make quick copy/pastable tags like "price/cost off" than detailed, individual, subjective mojo critiques. The judges probably let the item name conjure the mojo for them in their heads as they reconsidered and compared items, with the written comments just extra aids to recall some details they didn't want to have to check/calculate every time they reconsidered the item. Mark is just being gracious in letting us see these behind-the-scenes comments ... but we should remember that they are indeed shorthand, behind-the-scenes judge comments, not full-fledged, individual good/bad/ugly critiques.
As for Springheart, I, too, love the imagery. However, the sending does not require death to activate, so it's definitely way underpriced. And, more importantly, if you look at the judge comments, the pricing issue was just an additional issue brought up in parenthesis. The main reasons the judges passed it over in favor of other items seem to be execution, SiaC, and misuse of item type design space.
As an English teacher who has to grade hundreds of essays and sometimes defend my critiques/ratings to upset students or parents, I sympathize with the judges. Pleasing everyone is an impossible task.
Back on the topic of items we liked:
I believe it was the Hungering Rod? The one that was a bunch of irregular bronze or brass cubes welded together. The imagery really struck with me, and I thought that what it did was cool.
Back on the topic of items we liked:
I believe it was the Hungering Rod? The one that was a bunch of irregular bronze or brass cubes welded together. The imagery really struck with me, and I thought that what it did was cool.
my inner middle schooler had trouble not snickering at the name
my inner middle schooler had trouble not snickering at the nameBack on the topic of items we liked:
I believe it was the Hungering Rod? The one that was a bunch of irregular bronze or brass cubes welded together. The imagery really struck with me, and I thought that what it did was cool.
I am not sympathetic to this.
Signed, person named "Rod".
I believe in honest brutality in critiquing which is why my reviews sometimes read snarky. I try not to look at names and ignore if I like the forum poster because I know exactly what it is like to have your idea baby smashed in public... It's a gut punch. I wonder if I'm making enemies with my critiques and if bringing my brand to the forum tag does Flying Pincushion Games any favors.2) The PR you are getting is priceless, but it needs a little more focus. I would recommend asking for a little tag identifying you as a publisher.
True, thank you for confirming my 3rd point :>
Nexian Spellguard Armor was one of my favorites during the voting.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka mamaursula
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my inner middle schooler had trouble not snickering at the nameBack on the topic of items we liked:
I believe it was the Hungering Rod? The one that was a bunch of irregular bronze or brass cubes welded together. The imagery really struck with me, and I thought that what it did was cool.
I dunno, there was another rod that didn't make it through the cull that had me in tears laughing the first time I saw it because my mind lives in the gutter. Of course, it may have been the lack of sleep and hours of voting that tipped the balance to hilarity.
The staff of the imperials was perhaps my favorite overall, though there were many strong contenders this year. To me, that staff was one of those rare moments where a four-elements theme was not only executed well, but also done in a way that kept me from rolling my eyes. The imagery of the item was quite beautiful as well. Even if the designer chooses not come forward, to you I say, "Well done, well done."
That was my item. I appreciate the support and kind words.
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Thunderfrog, the judges chose quite a few of the top items for their awesome mojo, so it makes sense that what's leftover to criticize would be technical aspects like pricing. Also, with hundreds of items to consider, it's easier to make quick copy/pastable tags like "price/cost off" than detailed, individual, subjective mojo critiques. The judges probably let the item name conjure the mojo for them in their heads as they reconsidered and compared items, with the written comments just extra aids to recall some details they didn't want to have to check/calculate every time they reconsidered the item. Mark is just being gracious in letting us see these behind-the-scenes comments ... but we should remember that they are indeed shorthand, behind-the-scenes judge comments, not full-fledged, individual good/bad/ugly critiques.
As for Springheart, I, too, love the imagery. However, the sending does not require death to activate, so it's definitely way underpriced. And, more importantly, if you look at the judge comments, the pricing issue was just an additional issue brought up in parenthesis. The main reasons the judges passed it over in favor of other items seem to be execution, SiaC, and misuse of item type design space.
As an English teacher who has to grade hundreds of essays and sometimes defend my critiques/ratings to upset students or parents, I sympathize with the judges. Pleasing everyone is an impossible task.
This is spot on. You have demonstrated the kind of near-perfect insight into the process that only a fellow grader of hundreds of assignments would have!
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Frankly I thought there were a lot of really good items this year. Here is my list of favorites (not including my Bonewarp Chain, as requested), in the order I saw them...
Widow’s Web – 157 Words, Net (Near perfect, wish I had written it.) 10/10
Shield of Embers – 228 Words, Shield (Could use one more pass, great visuals.) 8/10
Pyroclastic Spike – 278 Words, Rod (Fun destruction, if a little one dimensional.) 8/10
Molten Mail – 232 Words, Chainmail (Not terribly original, but well executed.) 6.5/10
Chrysalis Carapace – 225 Words, Full Plate (Weird, but in a good way.) 7/10
Steel Mistral – 205 Words, Greatsword (Not overly special, but tight writing.) 7/10
Aesculapian Rod – 165 Words, Rod (Should have been a staff, excellent name.) 8/10
Windstrider Mail – 248 Words, Chain Shirt (Probably not Superstar, but I like it.) 7/10
Arrow of the Deep Wood – 211 Words, Arrow (Too much backstory, surprise abilities.) 6/10
Shillelagh of Legions – 294 Words, Staff (Too powerful? Nicely written.) 7.5/10
Nesting Needle – 234 Words, Rapier (Evocative writing, gruesomely good.) 7.5/10
Mail of Ash Woven Ramparts – 249 Words (Mechanics need slight tweaks.) 8/10
Jailbird's Sweetheart – 184 Words, Dagger (Like the writing more than the item.) 6.5/10
Rod of Gravity – 287 Words, Rod (Lots of out-of-the-box possibilities.) 8/10
Eremite Rod – 226 Words (Nice combo of writing and mechanics.) 7.5/10
Psychopomp's Crosier – 222 Words, Staff (Impressive name, quality item.) 9/10
Corpse Thicket Javelin – 187 Words (Should've been a pilum, neat idea.) 8/10
Rod of Eldritch Horror – 295 Words (Goes just a bit too far; drop last paragraph.) 8/10
If any of the designers of the above items would like me to elaborate, just send me a message with your item and I'll try to recall my original thoughts.
Kudos to all!
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32
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Star Voter Season 9
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Frankly I thought there were a lot of really good items this year. Here is my list of favorites (not including my Bonewarp Chain, as requested), in the order I saw them...
Arrow of the Deep Wood – 211 Words, Arrow (Too much backstory, surprise abilities.) 6/10
Thank you for liking my item "Arrow of the Deep Wood". :^ )