There's a harsh reality for most 3PPs... we don't make very much money. Sometimes we turn a nice profit sometimes we take a loss but we do what we do for the love of the game.
As a result I'm always looking to break new writers. If you want work we'll give it to you it just might not be paid work (blog) right away or your published work might sit for a few months as we have a backlog onthe writing side.
I publish and pay like slow BBQ (low and slow) but if you're a new writer and you're receptive to feedback and want to go thru the design school of hard knocks we do a very decent job of churning out successful freelancers at Flying Pincushion Games. Hit me up after the contest and we'll talk.
We offer decent benefits that include reference letters on request, your own contributor page on our blog you can send publishers to look at as a resume, and free access to our published products.
I'm also into cartographers, artists, editors, and layout folk looking to break in and build resumes.
Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9
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I think the part you missed is that Zippycat's question was in reply to my original post (which I didn't include in my quote), and that's why I answered it.
Zippycat asked me if I named my item "Nickelback, greatest band of all time?"
And I was like, "Dude, no way! I'd be more likely to name it Nickel Creek, greatest band of all time."
However, all that you should read into that is that in head-to-head voting between Nickel-themed bands, that Nickel Creek would get my upvote, not that I would personally put either in my theoretical Round of 32 for Greatest Bands of All Time.
Dedicated Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9
aka Jayson MF Kip
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I think the part you missed is that Zippycat's question was in reply to my original post (which I didn't include in my quote), and that's why I answered it.
Zippycat asked me if I named my item "Nickelback, greatest band of all time?"
And I was like, "Dude, no way! I'd be more likely to name it Nickel Creek, greatest band of all time."
However, all that you should read into that is that in head-to-head voting between Nickel-themed bands, that Nickel Creek would get my upvote, not that I would personally put either in my theoretical Round of 32 for Greatest Bands of All Time.
I'm not sure either would make it into the Round of 32 for "Top Bands of All Time Named After Money."
Perhaps not, but what about "Top 32 Bands of All Time Named After Non-Ferrous Metals?"They might get past the first cull.
I suspect there's still a substantial contingent that would vote for Iron Butterfly and/or Iron Maiden over either of them. Remember that we're dealing with popular votes here.
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Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9
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I suspect there's still a substantial contingent that would vote for Iron Butterfly and/or Iron Maiden over either of them. Remember that we're dealing with popular votes here.Perhaps not, but what about "Top 32 Bands of All Time Named After Non-Ferrous Metals?"They might get past the first cull.
Sure, but then they and Steely Dan would all be DQ'd -- significantly narrowing the field.
I suspect there's still a substantial contingent that would vote for Iron Butterfly and/or Iron Maiden over either of them. Remember that we're dealing with popular votes here.Perhaps not, but what about "Top 32 Bands of All Time Named After Non-Ferrous Metals?"They might get past the first cull.
Oh, oh, count me in on that one! I do love some old school metal and hard rock bands.
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Dedicated Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9
aka Jayson MF Kip
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I suspect there's still a substantial contingent that would vote for Iron Butterfly and/or Iron Maiden over either of them. Remember that we're dealing with popular votes here.Perhaps not, but what about "Top 32 Bands of All Time Named After Non-Ferrous Metals?"They might get past the first cull.
Does Led Zeppelin get downvoted for formatting/typos?
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While I dislike saying it, I too made a minor mistake and got myself DQ'd. I referenced a spell that was in a Chronicle's splat but not the PRD, but I figured, oh its just a simple spell, it must be PRD. But turns out that simple little spell wasn't.
So, it just goes to show, even a tiny oversight can quash dreams. For those who do not know me, I am the other leading half of The Flying Pincushion Games along with GM_solspiral, and I have been competing for a while, so I really have no excuses. I mean hell, we have published 7 books now, and I have worked on all of them, and yet a tiny mistake killed my otherwise very well liked (around the shop anyway) item.
Moral here, be careful, be thorough, and triple check your work, even if you THINK you know where something came from, check it. Even if you darn well KNOW the math on your cost, check it again. Those are marks of a good freelancer, and you can bet your bottom dollar when we are working a book, such things get checked hard, just like with PRGSS.
But for all those who (just like me) did not make it, there is always next year. And take heart, just like every year TFPG will at the end of the contest likely be sending out some invites to talented folk. So, while top 32 is awesome, and those who make it deserve much praise, just getting up the nerve to compete and putting yourself out there can have big payoffs. Don't get discouraged or give up, because that is the one way to ensure you don't break into the industry. Just ask me, or GM_solspiral, or any of our staff, after bout 3 years, our skin is like leather, and yes, it takes a beating still sometimes.
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About two years ago my group started a new campaign, about 3 sessions in someone asked me what race I was and my response was "I FORGOT TO PICK ONE!" and then proceeded to fix that oversight.
My first year participating in this. I made it past the 4th cull, but the 5th one was my downfall. I had a great time with this and intend to participate again next season.
I'll admit that I was beginning to think that I would make the top 32, despite saying to myself from the get-go that I shouldn't get too worked up in that respect.
After casting may votes, I realized that I neglected to put any flavor text into my submission. I think after reading the advice threads that I decided to lean towards the "dry" side.
But, I don't think that is what led to my being culled. I also didn't make my item "come alive". It wasn't a SiaC, at least I don't think it was, but it lacked any creativity other than coming up with a simple description of its appearance and an interesting function.
I guess I'll have to wait until I can submit it to the review thread and find out if that is true.
Moving forward...
Congrats and Good Luck to all those who survived! I'll be back. :)
Marathon Voter Season 9
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My first year participating in this. I made it past the 4th cull, but the 5th one was my downfall. I had a great time with this and intend to participate again next season.I'll admit that I was beginning to think that I would make the top 32, despite saying to myself from the get-go that I shouldn't get too worked up in that respect.
After casting may votes, I realized that I neglected to put any flavor text into my submission. I think after reading the advice threads that I decided to lean towards the "dry" side.
But, I don't think that is what led to my being culled. I also didn't make my item "come alive". It wasn't a SiaC, at least I don't think it was, but it lacked any creativity other than coming up with a simple description of its appearance and an interesting function.
I guess I'll have to wait until I can submit it to the review thread and find out if that is true.
Moving forward...
Congrats and Good Luck to all those who survived! I'll be back. :)
I'm not really sure what the sweet spot for flavor text is. None at all seems a bad idea, as thinking of the item's place in the world gets the reader excited about the concept. A whole paragraph is too much, making the reader think that item is little more than an excuse to talk about your campaign.
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I'm not really sure what the sweet spot for flavor text is. None at all seems a bad idea, as thinking of the item's place in the world gets the reader excited about the concept. A whole paragraph is too much, making the reader think that item is little more than an excuse to talk about your campaign.
Not a sweet spot. A thin line. Though it is tempting to have a lot of fluff because one thinks that Paizo is looking for someone who can craft a good story, avoid much fluff text. One sentence of description. That's it. No backstory. No "favored by." Look at the Core Rules magic items. Many don't even have one sentence of "flavor." Use a good description and the item's name to imply backstory and its connection to the world, but don't tell us what that connection is too strongly. A GM might change it anyway. Of course now that judges are not making the call, that might allow more leeway on this. Us long term entrants will always hold up the lessons we learned in the early seasons of RPGSS and vote accordingly.
Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9
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I'm not really sure what the sweet spot for flavor text is. None at all seems a bad idea, as thinking of the item's place in the world gets the reader excited about the concept. A whole paragraph is too much, making the reader think that item is little more than an excuse to talk about your campaign.Not a sweet spot. A thin line. Though it is tempting to have a lot of fluff because one thinks that Paizo is looking for someone who can craft a good story, avoid much fluff text. One sentence of description. That's it. No backstory. No "favored by." Look at the Core Rules magic items. Many don't even have one sentence of "flavor." Use a good description and the item's name to imply backstory and its connection to the world, but don't tell us what that connection is too strongly. A GM might change it anyway. Of course now that judges are not making the call, that might allow more leeway on this. Us long term entrants will always hold up the lessons we learned in the early seasons of RPGSS and vote accordingly.
I always save all fluff (if any) for the first paragraph, and all of it is spent describing the physical appearance of the item. I only lightly pepper fluff anywhere else only where absolutely necessary, as hard, crunchy rules text is what really powers your item and gives it the appealing punch.
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Marathon Voter Season 9
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I always save all fluff (if any) for the first paragraph, and all of it is spent describing the physical appearance of the item. I only lightly pepper fluff anywhere else only where absolutely necessary, as hard, crunchy rules text is what really powers your item and gives it the appealing punch.I'm not really sure what the sweet spot for flavor text is. None at all seems a bad idea, as thinking of the item's place in the world gets the reader excited about the concept. A whole paragraph is too much, making the reader think that item is little more than an excuse to talk about your campaign.Not a sweet spot. A thin line. Though it is tempting to have a lot of fluff because one thinks that Paizo is looking for someone who can craft a good story, avoid much fluff text. One sentence of description. That's it. No backstory. No "favored by." Look at the Core Rules magic items. Many don't even have one sentence of "flavor." Use a good description and the item's name to imply backstory and its connection to the world, but don't tell us what that connection is too strongly. A GM might change it anyway. Of course now that judges are not making the call, that might allow more leeway on this. Us long term entrants will always hold up the lessons we learned in the early seasons of RPGSS and vote accordingly.
Good, that is how I approach it too.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9
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I always save all fluff (if any) for the first paragraph, and all of it is spent describing the physical appearance of the item.
Ah, so that was your item...
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I'm not really sure what the sweet spot for flavor text is. None at all seems a bad idea, as thinking of the item's place in the world gets the reader excited about the concept. A whole paragraph is too much, making the reader think that item is little more than an excuse to talk about your campaign.
My advice is simple. Show, don't tell. It's a mantra of fiction writing that also applies to item design. Don't tell me that your hammer is favored by undead slaying gravediggers. I should be able come to that conclusion based on the item's name and what it does. Describe the appearance only enough of the item so the reader can visualize it throughout the rules text. You need no more than one sentence. And it should flow smoothly and logically into the rules text.
Following up on Nickolas Floyd's response, it's worth mentioning that whenever an RPG Superstar item gets published, the biggest change between the competition and published version is that the lore and descriptions having nothing to do with the item's function or form is cut or removed.
You don't need a high word count to create awesome flavor. An RPG Superstar can create a vivid item with a short description and solid mechanics to support it. A truly great designer uses the visuals to illustrate how the mechanics work.
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9
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Curious as to which item you're thinking of. PM me?I always save all fluff (if any) for the first paragraph, and all of it is spent describing the physical appearance of the item.Ah, so that was your item...
Wasn't serious...
I always save all fluff (if any) for the first paragraph, and all of it is spent describing the physical appearance of the item.Ah, so that was your item...
Fantastic quip wins thread.
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Wasn't serious...Curious as to which item you're thinking of. PM me?I always save all fluff (if any) for the first paragraph, and all of it is spent describing the physical appearance of the item.Ah, so that was your item...
Plot twist: neither was I!!!
We both win!
*Flies away in rocket ship*
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Wasn't serious...Curious as to which item you're thinking of. PM me?I always save all fluff (if any) for the first paragraph, and all of it is spent describing the physical appearance of the item.Ah, so that was your item...Plot twist: neither was I!!!
We both win!
*Flies away in rocket ship*
Pretty sure Brigg is proof that magic and wonderment still exist after you grow up
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Pretty sure Brigg is proof that magic and wonderment still exist after you grow upWasn't serious...Curious as to which item you're thinking of. PM me?I always save all fluff (if any) for the first paragraph, and all of it is spent describing the physical appearance of the item.Ah, so that was your item...Plot twist: neither was I!!!
We both win!
*Flies away in rocket ship*
If it didn't, it'd be a dull world we live in. Makes me appreciate both my hobby and hearing children firing off their "crazy talk". :)
Well, I did not get culled this season, but I have seen six people's top items list through PM and my item was not on a one of them. That doesn't mean I'm out, but does not increase my confidence.
Well, I did not get culled this season, but I have seen six people's top items list through PM and my item was not on a one of them. That doesn't mean I'm out, but does not increase my confidence.
PM me your item. I couldn't write down many of my favorites - a byproduct of voting primarily over my phone - The name may spark a memory.
Your Phloid Edit of my DQ'd item last year was amazing, and remains one of my favorite items so far. I would be hard pressed to believe you didn't impress a fair number of people with your item this year...
I'd be happy to look as well floyd
I'm available until about 3pm EST :D
Thanks, but I'll just wait until the announcement. And if I don't make it I will post my item to the critique thread. Make it or not, I will not be doing the Edit My Item Thread this season. As fun as it was, it takes too much time. I might do some edits on request though.
I still have to look up the Deceitful feat if I want to reference it, to make sure it's not the Deceptive feat.
In fact, I looked it up JUST now, before posting this.
The moral here folks is that, like any good writer or designer, always double check your work and reference material.
I think I went over mine at least 5 times. And re-read my submission just as many times to ensure the formatting was correct.
A great idea can easily be quashed by the visual and written quality. Don't allow the easiest things to fix to ruin your chances.
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I should just give up on creating items and just work on editing them. 4/6 I worked on made the Top 32, another survived the 5th cull, and the 6th I DQed myself because he never swapped out a non-PRD requirement like I recommended.
Developer
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I should just give up on creating items and just work on editing them. 4/6 I worked on made the Top 32, another survived the 5th cull, and the 6th I DQed myself because he never swapped out a non-PRD requirement like I recommended.
I'll note the being a good RPG editor IS a useful skill!
I should just give up on creating items and just work on editing them. 4/6 I worked on made the Top 32, another survived the 5th cull, and the 6th I DQed myself because he never swapped out a non-PRD requirement like I recommended.
Gonna' recruit you for my pit crew next season if that's okay. I'd like to at least make the Top 100 next time.
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Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9
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I should just give up on creating items and just work on editing them. 4/6 I worked on made the Top 32, another survived the 5th cull, and the 6th I DQed myself because he never swapped out a non-PRD requirement like I recommended.
I know you also sent in a lot of DQ notices -- would be interesting to know how many of those were upheld and might have slipped through without your sharp eyes.
As further bolstering of your prospective-editor credentials, I mean.
This was a hard one to swallow for me... so hard that I started to do some data mining on what made it into the top 32 this year vs previous years.
Doing the data mining was both cathartic and informative. I don't begrudge the people who made it, and I'll keep my findings to myself for the near future so as not to sully their moment in the sun :)
I should just give up on creating items and just work on editing them. 4/6 I worked on made the Top 32, another survived the 5th cull, and the 6th I DQed myself because he never swapped out a non-PRD requirement like I recommended.
Ha. :) Yeah, when I got lost in the cull, I kept seeing folks that I crewed for and decided I should consider going coach instead. :) Last year my mate pointed out that my pit crew (as a collective) has a six year streak. Seven now :)
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I think I'm being a little hard on myself...
...I just wish I knew where I went wrong.
I'd hate to think that simply getting my aura wrong cost me top 32. But I'm sure it will all come out in the CMI thread.
...
I feel better now. Had to get that off my chest.
So where do I go to talk about how terrible my item was?
Hmmm...I don't think we have ever actually had that before...cool idea!
Why not start a "Where I think I went wrong thread"? I would wait until a few days after the "Critique My Item" thread is up and running, so people can have some more feedback to work off.
But I am going to be discussing the design problems—and what I could have done differently—of my "Crystal of the Gathered Mind" in a thread this weekend, so I think we are on the same page here.
Having a thread where we can commiserate over our gaffs is a really good idea and if someone doesn't start one, I know I will! :D
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I should just give up on creating items and just work on editing them. 4/6 I worked on made the Top 32, another survived the 5th cull, and the 6th I DQed myself because he never swapped out a non-PRD requirement like I recommended.
I had similar results. 4/6 made the top 32. That said, I thought everyone I workshopped with had a 32 worthy entry, and they all made it through the culls.