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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wicht" data-source="post: 6913764" data-attributes="member: 221">Firstly, sorry for the delay caused by not being able to get to this yesterday.That being said, we haveIron DM 2016Round 2, Match 2Imhotepthewise vs. RuneIn this match we have two very different entries going up against each other. Imhotep’s offering, Like Clockwork essentially gives us a one-shot type of adventure set in a steampunk mirror universe. Rune gives us not so much an adventure as a campaign backdrop of gothic horror. In the matter of following the rules, both turned in on time and under word count so both adventures get the full 6 out of 6 points from me for that.In the matter of Ingredient use, I think one of the entries was clearly superior. That is often the deciding factor in these things; let’s see if that is the case here.Let’s start off with the ingredients I did not think was well used in either, and that is Horseless Carriage. Both had a horseless carriage, one a steam-vehicle, the other a carriage pulled by zombies. In neither did I feel the ingredient to be essential, so 1 out of 2 for each for using it, but no more.I was not overly impressed with either use of demonic coin, though I think it was used better in Puzzle Box. I’ll give 1.5 out of 2 to Puzzle Box for the use, but the fact that the PCs could find alternate coin to use (such as favors) weakened the implementation. In Like Clockwork, the use is a cheat, in my estimation, not being anything substantive in the adventure, nor anything the PCs will find necessary to know. It’s just a play on words in the background. .5 out of 2 for Like Clockwork. Balancing act was also used better, I think, in Puzzle Box. As a set piece, it does see use in Like Clockwork, but not an essential set piece. It’s brief flavor and then it is gone. This ingredient however, is an essential part of the framework of Puzzle Box, where if the demonic balance is broken, the world will end. 2 points here to Rune, but only 1 to Imhotepthewise. There is a similar sort of mechanic at play with the Blood-red Star in both entries. In Like Clockwork it is a passing sort of color, but in Puzzle Box it is a vibrant part of the campaign that must be dealt with. Again, 1 point to Like Clockwork, but 2 to Puzzle Box.Zombie Merchant sees slightly better use in Like Clockwork, but it is weakened by the advice that the PCs would be wise to avoid the man. Ingredients are meant to be integral to the adventure, not avoided. Cerebrus as a zombie merchant is stronger I think, and so again, 2 points to Rune, 1.5 to Imhotepthewise.In both adventures, I think the Puzzle Box and the Triple Agent were well used, though slightly more flavorably in Rune’s entry. But in both cases, I will give full marks. When it comes to usability, I think that Imhotepthewise’s entry is far better. Rune’s vision was quite broad and colorful, but so broad that as an adventure, it is weakened. It is really a campaign setting, with campaign goals, and a DM would have to craft individual adventures to actually flesh it out. It is also hampered by the presentation of challenges and events – a presentation the mechanics of which are obscure. I think I can puzzle them out, but they are not immediately useable. Contrarily, Imhotep’s narrowness of vision makes his ideal for a one-night sort of story. The main difficulty is that it is possible for the adventure to completely fizzle if the PCs don’t make the right choices early on, and there needs to be a greater amount of contingency for PCs that go off the rails. Still and all, I am going to give Like Clockwork 4 out of 6 for usability, but Puzzle Box only 2 out of 6.When it comes to style, I like both of them. I like the intrigue of Like Clockwork, and the macabre atmosphere of Puzzle Box. In both cases I will give 5 out of 6 for style.In the end, ingredient use becomes the primary factor here in victory. Like Clockwork’s sub-par ingredient use prevented it from being a stronger contender. Rune’s is hampered by the fact that it’s not really an adventure, but a campaign world, but the strong use of ingredients allows it to overcome so that Rune gets my vote to go on to the finals.  Like ClockworkRules 6/6Ingredients 9/14Usability   4/6Style 5/6   Total:  24/32Puzzle BoxRules 6/6Ingredients  12/14Usability 2/6Style  5/6Total: 25/32</blockquote>

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