A few questions about the WotC Campaign Setting Contest

[johnsemlak]

I wasn't paying attention to this WotC campaign setting search/contest, and I have a few questions about it if someone would be good enough to answer.

1. First, can someone confirm the obvious for me that WotC actually plan to publish the winner as an official setting? Is it known what format? Will it be a full blown setting like FR or WoG, with modules, accessories, etc.?

2. How many settings will they finally choose?

3. Can someone summarize the criteria for selection? I assume they weren't looking for another WoG or FR, and such a setting would have failed, even if it was incredibly good.

4. I read that teh people who took part sent in one-page summaries of the idea behind the setting. Did the participants have to present any other materials (i.e. to show that an actual setting has been created and playtested)?

 

[seasong]

1. First, can someone confirm the obvious for me that WotC actually plan to publish the winner as an official setting? Is it known what format? Will it be a full blown setting like FR or WoG, with modules, accessories, etc.?

First, WotC will be accepting a setting bible from the winner, which will not be published. A setting bible is the reference from which all books will be written from. WotC is planning to publish the world.

The winner will have a leg up as an author when WotC is picking people to write the actual published books.

The format will be similar to their previous settings.

It will be a full blown setting, but how much is published for it will depend on how popular it becomes.

2. How many settings will they finally choose?

One setting to rule them all, and in Seattle print and bind them.

Alternately, There can be only one!

3. Can someone summarize the criteria for selection? I assume they weren't looking for another WoG or FR, and such a setting would have failed, even if it was incredibly good.

Criteria: The ten WotC judges liked it better than the other 11,000 entries. From the few samples we got of the Top Eleven that didn't make it to the Top Three (which may not be representative), WoG and FR was exactly what they were looking for.

4. I read that teh people who took part sent in one-page summaries of the idea behind the setting. Did the participants have to present any other materials (i.e. to show that an actual setting has been created and playtested)?

Initial participants only had to submit 1 page. The 11 people that made it to the second round had to submit 10 pages. The three people who made it to the third round (still in process) have to submit a 100-page setting bible, from which one will be selected.

 

[Zappo]

What seasong said. Also, WotC stated explicitly right at the beginning that they were looking for something like GH/FR/DL.

Oh, and they didn't really say that the setting bible would be used for a roleplaying game. Not only. They stated that the setting could be used as a basis for RPGs, novels, wargames, card games, board games, videogames, comics, t-shirts, coffee mugs, mousepads, sweaters, screensavers, multimedia CDs, magazines, movies, TV shows, advertising... ok, from videogames on I was lying, but the rest is an option. I think they might decide to use it for something else if the RPG sells well.

 

[johnsemlak]

What seasong said. Also, WotC stated explicitly right at the beginning that they were looking for something like GH/FR/DL.

Hmmm. That surprises me.

Did thay state any particular criteria?

Thanks for the answers seasong, btw.

 

[seasong]

Specific criteria: Avoid spelling errors. Write gud. Catch the judges' eyes and be better than everyone else.

Oh, and follow the template they provided (the template was still on their site, the last time I checked).

Other than that, no.