WotC Seeking Your Setting Proposals (was "Big Wizard announcement")

[Mistwell]

A quick comparison of odds to cool down this "contest" fevor a bit:

The odds of winning the Trifecta at the Derby horse races (picking 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Place all in one shot) are 1 in 1,321.

This "contest" is 1 in 20,000.

In fact, the odds are so against "winning" that I think they may have just blown some contest laws in a few states (Florida comes to mind). I'm an attorney, and I have a bit of experience in contest laws (though not a lot). I seem to recall that if your odds get into this range, and the "contest" is public (and not just a solicitation sent to individuals that the company has a pre-existing business relationship with), that even if the contest is purported to be based on skill rather than chance, you must register with some State gaming commissions in order for participants to be eligible to "play" in certain states. I wonder if Wizards' corp. counsel has looked into this aspect yet.

 

[River]

A quick comparison of odds to cool down this "contest" fevor a bit:

The odds of winning the Trifecta at the Derby horse races (picking 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Place all in one shot) are 1 in 1,321.

This "contest" is 1 in 20,000.

In fact, the odds are so against "winning" that I think they may have just blown some contest laws in a few states (Florida comes to mind). I'm an attorney, and I have a bit of experience in contest laws (though not a lot).

Given your stated location...

As a fellow member of the California State Bar I herby wash my hands of you! Who in HELL is going to bring suit or prosecute?

Its guys like you who give guys like me a bad name. Actually its the guy who actually files a lawsuit on something like this that gives guys like me a bad name!!!

River

 

[Zappo]

Hey, cool down. He didn't say he was actually going to sue. I don't think he even thought about it.

 

[Kibo]

Re: What are people actually writing?

Did anyone else treat it as a marketable product line proposal first, fantasy world second?

I didn't. I don't find that particularly interesting. I'm not a kook who missed the point, so stick with me. It's all about the story. At least for me. What would be a good story to tell? I had a bunch of ideas, pulled them together and presto, a cool idea of a setting. I had a friend with the same situation. We talked and next thing you know his chocolate is all up in my peanut butter. Two days later, we had a peanut butter cup.

The idea, IMNSHO, is extreamly marketable. It's beautiful, clever, and lends itself to so many things. Still, having sent it off a while ago, I'm giddy. Who knows maybe we win maybe not, but it's an idea worth pursuing even if WoTC doesn't think so.

 

[Altmann]

even if the contest is purported to be based on skill rather than chance, you must register with some State gaming commissions in order for participants to be eligible to "play" in certain states

Actually, I wondered the same. In France, the legislation on money games is very strict - everything must be declared and accepted by a national gaming commission, if I remember well. Even more problematic to me : due to my status as employee of the state, winning money might not be legal for me

Well, knowing I would presumably not win, I didn't pursue this thread. However, I believe that the price of this contest publication, rather than money. Hence, I suppose that it is legal.

Be reading you,
YA

 

[trix]

In fact, the odds are so against "winning" that I think they may have just blown some contest laws in a few states (Florida comes to mind). I'm an attorney, and I have a bit of experience in contest laws (though not a lot). I seem to recall that if your odds get into this range, and the "contest" is public (and not just a solicitation sent to individuals that the company has a pre-existing business relationship with), that even if the contest is purported to be based on skill rather than chance, you must register with some State gaming commissions in order for participants to be eligible to "play" in certain states. I wonder if Wizards' corp. counsel has looked into this aspect yet.

I believe money is not changing hands and ownership of articles is not forfeit until later rounds, where there is going(?) to be less than 100 participants.

Their procedures ensure that skill is the only deciding factor.

Worst possible scenario: they deny entries from those states whose gaming regulations would disallow entries into the contest.

-Tim

 

[seasong]

I believe money is not changing hands and ownership of articles is not forfeit until later rounds, where there is going(?) to be less than 100 participants.

If you win the first round, you don't get anything except a request to write a 10-page expansion, that is, a chance to compete for a contract.

 

[Rasyr]

contest? we don' need no stinkin' contests!

A quick comparison of odds to cool down this "contest" fevor a bit:
<snip>
In fact, the odds are so against "winning" that I think they may have just blown some contest laws in a few states (Florida comes to mind). I'm an attorney, and I have a bit of experience in contest laws (though not a lot). I seem to recall that if your odds get into this range, and the "contest" is public (and not just a solicitation sent to individuals that the company has a pre-existing business relationship with), that even if the contest is purported to be based on skill rather than chance, you must register with some State gaming commissions in order for participants to be eligible to "play" in certain states. I wonder if Wizards' corp. counsel has looked into this aspect yet.

Who knows, but I think the point is mute since they have NEVER called it a contest, not once, nor have any of their representatives. It has always been called the Setting Search

Basically, they put out an open call for submissions, with a few guidelines, that they have stressed would be rigorously enforced (i.ei no more than a single page).

Now, the reality may have the number of submissions far exceeding what they had expected to get, but that does not alter the fact that it is not a contest.

My feeling is that each panel member will go through a number of the submissions, and cancel out they do not like for any reason.

Once this is done, they will then most likely swap out and go through each others selections and weed it down some more. Repeating this process as needed. This ensures that all panelists get to view and have to pass on a submission in order for it to get to final ten or so.

At least this is how I would do it, since it allows for the maximum number of submissions to be covered, and each panelist then goes through what the others keep to reduce those kept by other panelists.

In the end, you wind up with a number of submissions that all panelists agree on...

 

[Tom Cashel]

I'm an attorney, and I have a bit of experience in contest laws (though not a lot). I seem to recall that if your odds get into this range, and the "contest" is public (and not just a solicitation sent to individuals that the company has a pre-existing business relationship with), that even if the contest is purported to be based on skill rather than chance, you must register with some State gaming commissions in order for participants to be eligible to "play" in certain states. I wonder if Wizards' corp. counsel has looked into this aspect yet.

As a fellow member of the California State Bar I herby wash my hands of you! Who in HELL is going to bring suit or prosecute?

Its guys like you who give guys like me a bad name. Actually its the guy who actually files a lawsuit on something like this that gives guys like me a bad name!!!

I'd just like to say that there is nothing funnier than lawyers flaming each other on an RPG message board.

I've worked for an attorney (as a paralegal) and I agree: lawyers are definitely the ones who give lawyers a bad name.

 

[Friadoc]

I'd just like to say that there is nothing funnier than lawyers flaming each other on an RPG message board.

I've worked for an attorney (as a paralegal) and I agree: lawyers are definitely the ones who give lawyers a bad name.

Feh,

...I thought Wizard's was referring to this as a 'Fantasy Setting Search' not ' Fantasy Setting Contest", it may be semantics but it is relivant.

Basically it is an 'Open Writers Call', such as those done by Sword & Sorcery Studios, et al when they are looking for 'fresh' submissions.

Then again, what do I know as I'm not a lawyer - but I was published in Relics & Rituals from one of Sword & Sorcery's open writer calls.

I wonder if experience should default to education.

*shrugs*

Either way I think it's safer to assume that Wizards of the Coast has a clue as to what they are doing, instead of assuming ignorance.

It's a job shot not a contest. If not, I have a whole load of people to sue after they interviewed me and failed to either hire me or given me letters saying why not.