And here it is....the WotC contest Delay.

[Storm Raven]

The thing that suprised me about WotC's announcement was the number of submissions they recieved. I thought they'd get well over 10,000, closer to 100,000. For the amount of money they're offering you would think that everyone with a homebrew campaign world would have sent in a submission, most of them several submissions. I guess there are just fewer active DMs than I thought...

(1) Not everyone has access to the internet.

(2) Not everyone who has access to the internet follows the websites where this announcement was disseminated.

(3) Not everyone who has access to the internet saw the announcement because they didn't look at the web during that couple of weeks.

(4) Not everyone who saw the announcement has, or can come up with, a homebrew setting to submit.

(5) Some people who wanted to submit probably couldn't get the act together enough to send something in.

(6) Some people didn't want to send something in, for any number of reasons (some good reasons, some lame).

 

[Ashtal]

I think the point of the fast turn around and the Internet release may have been an attempt to keep the number of entries down but they didn't anticipate it spreading like the wildfire it did.

Besides keeping entries down, I really don't understand why they wouldn't have created the timelines large enough to include a notice in Dragon and Dungeon. It cuts out a lot of potential entrants based only on whether they are online and managed to catch the news.

 

[drothgery]

The thing that suprised me about WotC's announcement was the number of submissions they recieved. I thought they'd get well over 10,000, closer to 100,000. For the amount of money they're offering you would think that everyone with a homebrew campaign world would have sent in a submission, most of them several submissions. I guess there are just fewer active DMs than I thought...

Well, figure that some percentage of the DM population are single guys with relatively high-paying jobs (hence the money is not a huge motivation).

And while most of those who submitted either really think they can write something better than Monte Cook, SKR, and the other top-notch pros can, or have a 'what the heck' attitude about the deal, I'd figure that a large portion of those who didn't were a bit intimidated by the notion of going up against dozens of established pros and thousands of random other people.

Besides, a lot of DMs don't do much setting building on the world level; they play in established settings (with major or minor tweaks).

All three of these apply to me to some degree; I didn't enter.

 

[Scribe Ineti]

My momentary rush of disappointment was tempered by the simple fact that things happen in the publishing world veeeery slowly. This is no different.

Those of you who entered, relax; have a beverage of your choice, and work on other things. We have a month.

(On a side note, I hope the longer delay doesn't affect the "blindness" of the test. I hope they continue to judge the submissions without knowing who wrote what.)

 

[reddist]

Setting announcements and GenCon

Somebody a while back mentioned WotC might have some news about those moving to the second round at GenCon.

Duh!

WotC had originally scheduled to announce the Big Three right before GenCon. It would make great news and good PR for them at the convention.

Since the deadline to announce the Top Ten needed to be pushed back, how do you think they decided on when to make that announcement?

GenCon!

Same date, different announcement (sort of), but for exactly the same reason. Its good PR. They'll have sorted out the ones they want for 10-pagers well before August, but they'll sit on it so they'll have something big to say at the convention. They might not make a huge public thing about specific names, as to keep a lid on the anonymity of the entrants, but I bet WotC will have SOMETHING to announce.

Anyway, thoughts.

-Reddist

 

[Randolpho]

Since the deadline to announce the Top Ten needed to be pushed back, how do you think they decided on when to make that announcement?

GenCon!

So does this mean that I need to go to GenCon to find out if I won????!?!?!?

Damn, maybe I can use this to my advantage.

"Honeeeey.... I have to go to GenCon this year -- it's the only way I'll find out if I won the campaign contest! It's only a few hundred bucks for a chance at 100k! Isn't that worth it? Ppppllleeeasse?"

 

[fett527]

Re: More than 10?

I'm surprised no one has entertained the idea yet that there could be more than 10 going into the next round. The submission agreement stated " approximately ten (10) settings Wizards would like to see developed" will be selected. Obviously they got more submissions than they originally thought they would get, don't you think it makes sense that they may take their loophole and ask for more than just 10 10 page treatments? With the word approximately thrown in it is open to interpretation.

Did no one have an opinion on this? I'm curious as to what anyone else thinks. Anyone?

 

[trix]

Betting. . .

So, who's willing to bet that they're in the final 10 ?

-Tim

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Re: Re: More than 10?

Did no one have an opinion on this? I'm curious as to what anyone else thinks. Anyone?

I'm hoping that they consider more ten-pagers. Not just because it increases my odds, but because there's a lot of people who may be able to write one page, but not ten.

That being said, I think they'll stick to the original number. They're professionals and I think they are more than capeable of seperating the wheat from the chaff. However, WotC has surprised me and exceeded my expectations every step of the way of this venture from its conception on out. So I have a history of being dead wrong.

Note: in no way does any of the above counterdict my heartfelt belief that my proposal will be read at 2am right after the judge has had a fight with his girlfriend and the dog has widdled on the carpet.

 

[Fast Learner]

Re: Re: More than 10?

Did no one have an opinion on this? I'm curious as to what anyone else thinks. Anyone?

This was brought up many times in the original thread. Yeah, it's quite possible.