The Great Conjunction (RPG DESIGN CONTEST)

[Wik]

Awesome, thanks. That was pretty much what I was thinking, but I wanted to make it clear before I got off on a false start.

Re: Mutations, I meant mutations in the way of the X-men, not in the way of most post-apoc games. For the record, if I go post-apoc, there will be no mutations. There *may* be randomized psychic powers... if I go that route.

 

[jdrakeh]

Re: Mutations, I meant mutations in the way of the X-men, not in the way of most post-apoc games.

I know, but that's still ostensibly genetic mutation as explained in the Marvel Universe. Granted, it's scientifically implausible in our world, but still defined as genetic mutation (and, thus, science) per Marvel Physics

 

[Andor]

Ahh comic book science. If only the real world worked that way. ;_;

 

[Lord Xtheth]

Topicality. You will be scored on the prominance of The Big Theme in your submission. The inclusion of Other Things to Incorporate can help your Topicality score, as well. More topical means more points, basically.

Now, I'm not the smartest cookie out there, but I have no idea what you mean by topicality. I looked it up in an online dictionary:

top⋅i⋅cal 
–adjective 1.pertaining to or dealing with matters of current or local interest: a topical reference. 2.pertaining to the subject of a discourse, composition, or the like.3.of a place; local.4.Medicine/Medical. of, pertaining to, or applied externally to a particular part of the body; local: a topical anesthetic. –noun 5.Philately. any of a collection of different stamps treating the same subject.

Now, this didn't help me one little bit. I'm thinking you mean point #2 on the meaning of Topical, but could you clarify for me?

 

[Wik]

Basically, he's saying that if your game features magic in the forefront, you're going to get more points than if you were to release a fantasy game with 10 classes, and only one of which could use magic (and your magic rules only took up 3 pages). The more your main themes show in the final product, the higher you score.

 

[jdrakeh]

Basically, he's saying that if your game features magic in the forefront, you're going to get more points than if you were to release a fantasy game with 10 classes, and only one of which could use magic (and your magic rules only took up 3 pages). The more your main themes show in the final product, the higher you score.

That's it exactly Thanks, Wik!

 

[Jack Daniel]

&

(Get it? The Great Conjunction?
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...
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Sorry. I'm a dork and I know it.)

 

[Nikosandros]

Work/Submission Window

You can begin committing things to paper/photons on January 1, 2009. If I get a document with a creation date from 2008, it will be automatically disqualified in order to remain fair to those who choose to put off actually writing their game until the aforementioned start date. I will quit accepting submissions on February 28, 2009.

Wouldn't it better to reveal the theme at the beginning of the submission window? The creation date thing is trivial to circumvent.

 

[Lord Xtheth]

Basically, he's saying that if your game features magic in the forefront, you're going to get more points than if you were to release a fantasy game with 10 classes, and only one of which could use magic (and your magic rules only took up 3 pages). The more your main themes show in the final product, the higher you score.

Oh... Thank you!

*Feels embarrased for not figuring that out on my own*

Truthfully, this is the first time I've ever seen that word used... so it surprised and confused me.

 

[jdrakeh]

Wouldn't it better to reveal the theme at the beginning of the submission window? The creation date thing is trivial to circumvent.

Well, maybe, but the theme has already been revealed. Barring time-travel, that bell can't be un-rung. That said, the rules are more a nod to fairness than some play at a giant, byzantine, labyrinth of law that participants need to navigate in order to enter (or that I need to monitor 24/7). If I get a 200-page entry with full-color artwork on day 12, somebody obviously cheated.