As many of you are no doubt aware, some months ago, Sham of Sham’s Grog n’ Blog unleashed a horrible beauty upon the gaming world: the concept of the One-Page Dungeon. Following closely on the heels of that birth was Chgowiz’s fine template that solidified Sham’s idea into an easy-to-use (and modify) download. Inspired by both the concept and the template, I grabbed the idea and started running. For a time, the One-Page Dungeon dwelled solely in the realm of the Old School Renaissance. Recently though, that One-Page Dungeon was discovered and embraced by Philippe-Antoine – better known as Chatty DM – and the virus has spread across editions. With this cross-infection, now comes yet another permutation of mad genius: The One-Page Dungeon Contest.
Brought to you by a collaboration between Chgowiz and ChattyDM, the contest invites all of you to submit your best single page dungeon to vie for dominance in the field of Dungeon Brevity. Readers are asked to submit a dungeon level using the One-Page Dungeon Template and detailed in an “edition neutral” format (e.g. you can name your monsters but leave out the game stats) which will then be judged in a number of different categories. Think you have the stuff to take the prize for “Most creative use of a trap” or “Funniest dungeon?" Or are you bold enough to try for “Best All Around?” These are just a few of the criteria against which entries will be judged. Those of you lucky and talented enough to claim the top slot for each category will be rewarded beyond the dreams of Croesus! Or at least take home some cool RPG swag. Once we've named winners, we'll be compiling a FREE PDF of the winners/runner-ups and releasing it to the community at large.
The contest begins today, April 14th and runs through at May 14th at midnight EST. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of six judges and prizes will be awarded to the winners of several different categories including:
- Best All Around (Contest Grand Prize)
- Grand Prize Runner-Up: Old School Dungeon Design
- Grand Prize Runner-Up: New Edition Dungeon Design
- Alternative prize categories: Most Creative Trap, Funniest, Most Gonzo, for example. Due to the bevy of prizes available, other categories are bound to be considered.
Consisting of bloggers representing both the Old and the New Schools, the One-Page Dungeon Contest will be judged by an inner cabal consisting of:
- Chgowiz from Old Guy RPG Blog
- ChattyDM from Musings of the Chatty DM
- Sham from Sham's Grog n Blog
- Graham from Critical Ankle Bites
- Dave from Critical-Hits.com
- Yours truly: Amityville Mike from The Society of Torch, Pole and Rope
1. Participants create a one page dungeon using the template found here. For a contest entry example see here. NOTE TO SoTPR READERS: While you’re free to consult my Stonehell levels for inspiration and examples, contest entries must be limited to a single page as per the original One-Page Dungeon Template.
2. The dungeon must have the following features:
- Name of Dungeon
- Map
- Dungeon Key (in an edition-neutral form: Description of monsters, Treasure, Traps, etc... No game stats)
- OPTIONAL (If you can fit them on one page...)
- Wandering Monster or Random Event tables or a list of scripted "events" that can occur over the adventure
- Background
- Additional descriptions that add to the dungeon, such as detailed description of trap or trick or unique feature.
- Wandering Monster or Random Event tables or a list of scripted "events" that can occur over the adventure
4. Participants are allowed to modify the template, provided it remains a one-page entry.
5. Submission must be emailed in PDF, Word or Open Office format at the following address: onepage@chattydm.net
6. Submitting a dungeon to the contest releases it under the Creative Common Share-alike license (US 2008) with credit to the contest participant.
7. Contest closes on May 14th 2009 at Midnight EST.
Now for the good stuff: the Prize Swag Bag! Category winners will have their efforts rewarded with the following goodies:
Grand Prize
Patron membership of Open Design
Quarterly membership of Dungeon a Day
Fantasy Grounds II License
1 year membership to Obsidian Portal
50$ Gift Certificate for PDFs
Grand Prize Runner-Up: Old School Dungeon Design
Bundle of Necromancer games product
Bundle of Brave Halfling Production products
Otherworld Miniatures Demon Idol Miniature
Bundles of Fight On and Knockspell issues
Bits of Darkness Bundle
6 month membership Obsidian Portal
Grand Prize Runner-Up: New Edition Dungeon Design
WotC's Dungeon Delve
Fantasy Grounds II License
Quarterly membership to DungeonADay
6 month membership Obsidian Portal
To divide among other Categories
Kobold's Guide to Game Design
Bundle of Brave Halfling Production products
Bundle of Knockspell and City Encounter PDFs
Bundle of Fight On Magazine (issues 1-4)
Bits of Darkness Bundle
Deck O'Names Set
WotC's Adventures
Otherworld Miniatures - Pig Faced Orcs (Or Box of Minis)
Goodman Games Random Esoteric Creature Generator
Contest prizes have been provided by the following kind sponsors:
Brave Halfing Publishings
Fight On Magazine
Goodman Games
Malhavoc Press
Mythmere Games
Necromancer Games
Obsidian Portal
Open Designs
Otherworld Miniatures
Smiteworks
Tabletop Adventure
If you have any questions about the contest, please feel free to contact either Phil (phil.a.menard@gmail.com) and/or Michael (chgowiz@gmail.com.)
I join my fellow judges in wishing all the contestents “Good Luck!” and I’m eagerly looking forward to see what awaits all of us in the month ahead.
7 comments:
Mike, thanks for the help! Sometimes 3 heads are better than one, no? :)
Agreed. I think we're in for a very interesting time over the coming months ahead. I think we're going to learn a lot in the process as well.
How closely must we cleave to the Format? Just wondering if moving a few things around, maybe changing the size and/or scale of the grid, would be acceptable.
Yes, you may change/modify the template as needed to accomodate your dungeon entry (see Rule #4) as long as your entry remains a single page and includes a name, map, and dungeon key (see Rule #1). Other than that, you have free reign. What you're proposing is fine.
Keen beans, thanks.
Am I the only one who is sad that multiple entries are not allowed?
Am I the only one who is sad that multiple entries are not allowed?There was some debate about this but in the end, for various reasons, the decision was to allow only a single entry. If it helps, each entry will be considered for all of the categories so if your entry doesn't win in one, it may claim victory in another category. Also, you can update/change your entry up until the end of the contest:
As per ChattyDM: You’re allowed one active entry. By this we mean that you may submit more than one entry, but only the last one will be considered for the contest.
Thus, we allow people to fix a ‘oops’ left in the entry or allow someone to come back later when inspiration has struck stronger than the initial entry.
We trust that this allowance won’t be abused.I hope this is some consolation
Yeah, it's a perfectly sensible rule to have.
I'll just save everything up for the sequel contests.
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