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Miniatures Adventure => Call of Cthulhu => Strange Aeons => Topic started by: Uncle Mike on 03 January 2011, 05:34:28 PM

Title: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 03 January 2011, 05:34:28 PM
Just thought I should give a heads up about an upcoming contest we will be holding to start off this new year. 'Official' Announcement in the next few days. So, basically the contest will be a 'Design A Quest Scenario' thing. Build a Quest Scenario for Strange Aeons and you could win stuff...like I say, more details in the 'Official' statement... ???...soonish...
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Anatoli on 03 January 2011, 09:48:43 PM
Cool with a competition about something else than painting  :)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: LidlessEye on 07 January 2011, 04:50:42 PM
And the details!

Your challenge: design a Quest Scenario!  Using the scenarios provided in the Strange Aeons rulebook as a guideline, devise a challenge for Threshold to undertake against the nefarious forces of the Lurkers.  Your scenario should include details for:


You may create new tables, Lurker profiles or equipment required specifically for use in your scenario if necessary.  We'll determine the number of Map Pieces required through playtesting, but feel free to make a recommendation with your submission based on your own playtesting experience.

Submissions must be received my midnight MST on February 28, 2011.  Please provide your scenario in an editable format (Word, text or rich text - no PDF please) to contests@strangeaeons.ca (or send by PM to myself or Uncle Mike - please don't post your scenarios here though!).  On March 1, we'll gather the entries and start playtesting!  Winners will be announced by April 15, 2011.

The top three entries will receive a copy of Shocking Tales of Madness & Mayhem, Issue No. 2, scheduled for publication in Q2 2011.  Additionally, they will have their scenario published with a writing credit in our forthcoming scenario compilation, Morbid Adventures, which we aim to release in Q4 2011, and will also receive a copy of this book.  We may elect to publish "runner-up" scenarios in this compilation as well - authors of these scenarios will also be credited as writers.

Obligatory legal disclaimer: please note that we reserve the right to modify submitted scenarios for purpose of game balance prior to publication.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 09 January 2011, 03:31:10 PM
Hope to see some good ideas from you guys on this one.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Malebolgia on 11 January 2011, 01:58:38 PM
Just finished writing mine! Will check it again at home and redo it in the book's format and then send it :)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 11 January 2011, 05:24:13 PM
Great stuff Mal! Can't wait to play it!
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: einarolafson on 14 January 2011, 05:28:29 PM
It sounds interesting...!!
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Commander Vyper on 14 January 2011, 07:15:14 PM
Well I've read your book, know all your tricks, so I'll see what I can come up with.

;)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 14 January 2011, 10:20:28 PM
 :P
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 18 January 2011, 03:48:16 PM
I will be sweetening the deal with an additional (limited, Canadian convention only) item for the winner...pictures of said item will soon follow... ???
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Malebolgia on 19 January 2011, 01:08:23 PM
Are we allowed to do more than one scenario? There's always stuff going on in my head...better to let it out while it's hot :P
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 19 January 2011, 01:57:25 PM
Yes Sir, you can write as many as you like!

I've got three on the go atm.  :P
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Anatoli on 19 January 2011, 09:03:04 PM
I have an idea for a vampire scenario, will try to jot down the outline for it down this week  :)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: LidlessEye on 21 January 2011, 06:53:20 PM
And here's Mike modelling the limited-edition bonus prize!  I'll let him speak as to the details and dark origins of this most unspeakable headgear.

(http://www.strange-aeons.ca/img/contest/mikethulu.jpg)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 21 January 2011, 08:45:37 PM
The 1st place winner in our little contest will also get one of these fantastic hats. Made for us by our good friends at Paper Street Cosplay Co. they are very limited...this batch is 12 total. Usually only available when you catch us at shows across Canada...think of the fame you may garner from your evil toque. You still have time to knock off that scenario... :)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: D@rth J@ymZ on 21 January 2011, 09:46:18 PM
Where does the face end and the tentacles begin?!  ;D ;)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Anatoli on 21 January 2011, 11:55:47 PM
LOL imagine driving a car with that  lol
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: zobo1942 on 23 January 2011, 02:16:08 AM
I have a few questions:

I recently got my rulebook (awesome!!), saw the contest, and have a few questions about scenario creation.

1) The 'Quest' scenarios have 'Map Piece' requirements. I've looked through the book, and I know that you can find map pieces in the Treasure Hunting phase. I know that map pieces can be used to 'hire' specialists for use in games, but... and please bear in mind this may be a stupid question... I have no idea what they are, other than being treated like a type of currency. It seems like the more 'Map Pieces' needed to play a scenario, the larger the potential 'payoff'. Is that kind of the way it works?

2) If one is designing a scenario to be played, is there a defined number of 'Build Points' which you share with the players prior to starting the game... kind of like 'points' for armies, etc. in Warhammer (sorry for the comparison!) For example, if the scenario is quite complicated and requires a lot of personnel to complete, can you start a game with, say, 40BP? For example, both players can add additional personnel to a maximum force size of 40BP, or something similar?

3) Is it allowable/recommended to provide a map of the terrain/board set up, or would the instructions just define them as (for example, 'x' number of hills, 'x' number of trees, a water feature moving across the board from opposite sides, etc...?

4) Leaving the table: What if the playing area is surrounded by impassable terrain like chasms, fire, water, etc... what would you do?

Thanks for any information you can share!
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 25 January 2011, 08:17:14 PM
Hey Zobo1942,

Sorry about the late reply...but here goes...

1) You are correct, they are a kind of currency. And also correct in assuming the more Map Pieces a Quest scenario (or Special Agent) is the tougher/higher the payout.

2) No. The way the game works the Threshold player will be spending the required Map Pieces to play a Quest Scenario of his choice...whenever and at whatever Total BP he happens to be at the time. That said, you are inventing the scenario...anything goes... :)

3) Sure. Again, as you like... :)

4) Not sure...really should be hashed out between players depending on the scenery/board they are playing on...

Hope that helps...
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: zobo1942 on 26 January 2011, 08:11:13 AM
Thanks for the reply - that clears a few things up quite a bit. And, I have a pretty neat idea for a scenario, so I'll be sure to email it in when it's ready.

The rulebook is a fun read! Also - is there a FAQ pdf somewhere?

Thanks again!
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: LidlessEye on 26 January 2011, 04:57:29 PM
We'll be compiling a FAQ and errata for release in Shocking Tales #2, provided there's room for it.  It will also be available as a free download from our website.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: LidlessEye on 16 February 2011, 07:47:58 PM
Less than two weeks remaining to get those scenarios in!  Apologies to anyone that tried to submit and had their mail bounce back.  I made an error in the initial entry address, but it works fine now.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Malebolgia on 17 February 2011, 08:25:08 AM
Damn, must still finish mine in the right format and send it!
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: LidlessEye on 28 February 2011, 08:36:04 PM
Don't worry too much about that formatting Mal - as long as all the content is there, we can decipher it.  Same goes for anyone else out there sitting on a page of ideas.  Send em' in!
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Malebolgia on 28 February 2011, 08:38:53 PM
Just sent mine in :)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: zobo1942 on 10 March 2011, 03:50:24 PM
How many submissions were made in total?
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Anatoli on 14 March 2011, 08:33:22 PM
I was completely overwhelmed with school work and other stuff never getting the chance to properly test my ideas so I never participated. But I look forward to the book nonetheless.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: LidlessEye on 15 March 2011, 06:30:40 AM
Sorry, kind of left this hanging.  Overall, we received fewer submissions than we'd have liked, but what we did get was quite inventive.  We're pretty swamped working on Shocking Tales #2 at the moment (and madly painting LPL entries!), but will start formally playtesting shortly.  Some of the scenarios are quite complex, so it's entirely possible we may end up introducing some of the concepts as new game mechanics (eg. hidden deployment, reinforcements, etc) rather than scenario-specific rules.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Malebolgia on 16 March 2011, 01:13:27 PM
Hidden deployment...sounds familiar :D
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: zobo1942 on 17 March 2011, 12:26:37 AM
Indeed, it does...
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: zobo1942 on 15 April 2011, 09:25:05 PM
Any word on the winners yet?
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: LidlessEye on 16 April 2011, 07:14:11 AM
Indeed there is.  Our winner is Rudi Nielsen, for his scenario entitled "The Hermit".  We received a number of other entries that we quite liked: some may appear as scenarios, but I expect we're more likely to pull some of the rules from them to use as new game mechanics.  Either way, a number of other entrants will end up getting a writing credit, and we'll contact them individually after Shocking Tales #2 is done and we get a chance to sit down and start work on the scenario book.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: zobo1942 on 16 April 2011, 04:53:27 PM
Congrats to Rudi - I'm looking forward to reading his entry!
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Meizter on 16 April 2011, 04:56:19 PM
Thank you very much. I sincerely hope everyone will enjoy the scenario once it's published :)
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Malebolgia on 17 April 2011, 11:59:57 AM
Congrats Rudi! Looking forwards to seeing your scenario in the new book. Also looking forwards to seeing what UWM uses from other people's scenarios.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: Uncle Mike on 17 April 2011, 03:22:20 PM
Thanx for all the entries guys. Each had elements that were cool...but Rudi managed to make a stand alone scenario that was fast to play and fun and felt very 'Strange Aeons'. As already stated: most of the remaining entries had plenty of great ideas but will be re-formatted before seeing inclusion in the Scenario Book. We will cut them up and re-assemble them into the perfect scenario! What could possibli go wrong?...

Also, Mal, look forward to your first writing credit (with us anyway...) in the upcoming Shocking Tales #2.
Title: Re: New Year...New Contest...
Post by: einarolafson on 18 April 2011, 02:51:57 PM
congratulations!!