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<blockquote data-quote="Radiating Gnome" data-source="post: 6514397" data-attributes="member: 150"><p><strong>The Queen under the Stars (QUS) vs The Diamond Toad (DT) (Radiating Gnome)</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>The Queen under the Stars (QUS) vs The Diamond Toad (DT)</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p>This was an interesting set of ingredients -- some really challenging ones in there, so we can expect to see two Iron DM semifinalists tested; so lets get the examination started. </p><p></p><p>And lets talk about those ingredients. </p><p></p><p><strong>Infinite Loop.</strong> Ingredients that use terms like "infinite" are always tough because it's easy to settle for using something close to the ingredient -- take for example the race in DT. Here, the race is certainly a loop, but the whole point to it is that it does end -- and only for a few moments during the heist when the flag is hidden does it really feel like it might go on forever -- but those minutes don't make a great stand-in for infinity. And since the short, lame race is also the banal competition, this ingredient is just close, not really on target. At the same time, in QUS, the infinite loop is a ring that allows her to share her immortality. It certainly gets a little closer to infinite (since it grants immortality) -- and since it's tied to a wedding ceremony, the ring part of the ingredient is also fairly significant to the story (and ties itself nicely to the "husband" ingredient later. I'd be happier if immortality were closer to infinity, but still, QUS has a slightly better use of this ingredient than DT. +1 to QUS.</p><p></p><p><strong>Ice Frog </strong>- In DT, the Diamond Frog is just a dingus. It could have just as easily been the maltese falcon or the Emerald Ferret, and it would have been just as significant. In QUS, Fadden has ice frogs that serve him and that the PCs will have to face in battle. That's a bit better than just being the dingus, although it could be argued that the frogs could have been almost any monstrous ally, but again this ingredient is marginally better in QUS. so +1 again. </p><p></p><p><strong>Chapel of Wings</strong> - In QUS, the Chapel of Wings is presented as many things (and we've already talk about how that's often a bad sign in previous judgements). I liked a lot about the massive Owl that carries the chapel and Feleira's observatory on it's back -- I like the way the owl motif is carried through other trappings in the setting, I thought that was a good touch. I think that tends to help save the ingredient a bit. In DT, the Chapel of wings is the hiding place of the flag that signals the end of the race. I had a problem with the idea that the location of the victory flag was a secret -- and yet it's held in a place that seems really obvious for an aerial race. But, maybe that's a quibble. But if the location were not a secret, it would help me like the ingredient better. As it stands, the flag's location could be any suitably high place, and it just happens to be one that fits this ingredient -- but if the location were part of the tradition of the race, that would make it feel more integral to the story. So, call this one a wash. </p><p></p><p><strong>Astronomer's Husband</strong> - In DT, the astronomer's husband is Jonas, the party's client. In QUS, the astronomer's husband is Fadden, the bad guy. Both are totally serviceable, so no advantage there. </p><p></p><p><strong>Athletic Airship</strong> - This one was really tough. I'm not sure how I would have handled it if I were in the contestants shoes. In the case of QUS, this ingredient is also covered by the great owl that flies Feleira and her court around. And while I can accept this as a use of Chapel of Wings, I don't like it for Airship -- airship implies some pretty specific things, and the massive owl doesn't fit very well. Meanwhile, in DT the athletic airship are the actual racing craft for the big race -- totally works. +1 to DT.</p><p></p><p><strong>Banal Competition</strong> - Another really brutal ingredient to try to use. In QUS, it's the contest to count the stars. In DT, it's the race, which has become trivial and lame over the years. I don't see much to recommend one use ahead of the other, so no advantage earned here. </p><p></p><p>So, in the end, I think that QUS has a slight advantage over DT as I look at the ingredients. </p><p></p><p><u><strong>Playability & Creativity</strong></u></p><p></p><p>I really like both of these entries, and could see playing them. I really like the challenges of the double-location heist adventure, and at the same time I really like the details of the fey court -- the owl and frog imagery in the descriptions, and so on. Both are really well done, and playable. </p><p></p><p><u><strong>Casting My Vote</strong></u></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>But, in addition to being a bit ahead in the use of ingredients, I think Queen Under the Stars feels more like a complete whole to me -- a very difficult feat with such a challenging handful of ingredients. The wedding theme tied the ring/loop, the chapel, and the husband together in a really tight, organic way. </p><p></p><p>Diamond Toad works, but feels more cobbled together -- we can see the stitching more, etc. </p><p></p><p>So, that's me, casting my vote for QUS and Mortal Plague -- don't forget that there will be two other judges casting ballots in this round. As you can see, it's no easy decision....</p><p>[/sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Radiating Gnome, post: 6514397, member: 150"] [b]The Queen under the Stars (QUS) vs The Diamond Toad (DT) (Radiating Gnome)[/b] [B]The Queen under the Stars (QUS) vs The Diamond Toad (DT) [/B] This was an interesting set of ingredients -- some really challenging ones in there, so we can expect to see two Iron DM semifinalists tested; so lets get the examination started. And lets talk about those ingredients. [B]Infinite Loop.[/B] Ingredients that use terms like "infinite" are always tough because it's easy to settle for using something close to the ingredient -- take for example the race in DT. Here, the race is certainly a loop, but the whole point to it is that it does end -- and only for a few moments during the heist when the flag is hidden does it really feel like it might go on forever -- but those minutes don't make a great stand-in for infinity. And since the short, lame race is also the banal competition, this ingredient is just close, not really on target. At the same time, in QUS, the infinite loop is a ring that allows her to share her immortality. It certainly gets a little closer to infinite (since it grants immortality) -- and since it's tied to a wedding ceremony, the ring part of the ingredient is also fairly significant to the story (and ties itself nicely to the "husband" ingredient later. I'd be happier if immortality were closer to infinity, but still, QUS has a slightly better use of this ingredient than DT. +1 to QUS. [B]Ice Frog [/B]- In DT, the Diamond Frog is just a dingus. It could have just as easily been the maltese falcon or the Emerald Ferret, and it would have been just as significant. In QUS, Fadden has ice frogs that serve him and that the PCs will have to face in battle. That's a bit better than just being the dingus, although it could be argued that the frogs could have been almost any monstrous ally, but again this ingredient is marginally better in QUS. so +1 again. [B]Chapel of Wings[/B] - In QUS, the Chapel of Wings is presented as many things (and we've already talk about how that's often a bad sign in previous judgements). I liked a lot about the massive Owl that carries the chapel and Feleira's observatory on it's back -- I like the way the owl motif is carried through other trappings in the setting, I thought that was a good touch. I think that tends to help save the ingredient a bit. In DT, the Chapel of wings is the hiding place of the flag that signals the end of the race. I had a problem with the idea that the location of the victory flag was a secret -- and yet it's held in a place that seems really obvious for an aerial race. But, maybe that's a quibble. But if the location were not a secret, it would help me like the ingredient better. As it stands, the flag's location could be any suitably high place, and it just happens to be one that fits this ingredient -- but if the location were part of the tradition of the race, that would make it feel more integral to the story. So, call this one a wash. [B]Astronomer's Husband[/B] - In DT, the astronomer's husband is Jonas, the party's client. In QUS, the astronomer's husband is Fadden, the bad guy. Both are totally serviceable, so no advantage there. [B]Athletic Airship[/B] - This one was really tough. I'm not sure how I would have handled it if I were in the contestants shoes. In the case of QUS, this ingredient is also covered by the great owl that flies Feleira and her court around. And while I can accept this as a use of Chapel of Wings, I don't like it for Airship -- airship implies some pretty specific things, and the massive owl doesn't fit very well. Meanwhile, in DT the athletic airship are the actual racing craft for the big race -- totally works. +1 to DT. [B]Banal Competition[/B] - Another really brutal ingredient to try to use. In QUS, it's the contest to count the stars. In DT, it's the race, which has become trivial and lame over the years. I don't see much to recommend one use ahead of the other, so no advantage earned here. So, in the end, I think that QUS has a slight advantage over DT as I look at the ingredients. [U][B]Playability & Creativity[/B][/U] I really like both of these entries, and could see playing them. I really like the challenges of the double-location heist adventure, and at the same time I really like the details of the fey court -- the owl and frog imagery in the descriptions, and so on. Both are really well done, and playable. [U][B]Casting My Vote[/B][/U] [sblock] But, in addition to being a bit ahead in the use of ingredients, I think Queen Under the Stars feels more like a complete whole to me -- a very difficult feat with such a challenging handful of ingredients. The wedding theme tied the ring/loop, the chapel, and the husband together in a really tight, organic way. Diamond Toad works, but feels more cobbled together -- we can see the stitching more, etc. So, that's me, casting my vote for QUS and Mortal Plague -- don't forget that there will be two other judges casting ballots in this round. As you can see, it's no easy decision.... [/sblock] [/QUOTE]
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