Events

Curtains Close at the Custom Magic Pageant

Written by Tracker007

The confetti has settled, the applauses have finished, and the crown has ultimately been awarded. Yes, readers, the first official Custom Magic Project Channel Pageant has come to a close, and our winners have officially been announced. Which one was it? Hang onto your butts and drumroll please...

A Better Yesterday and Valdrasil: Voyage to Infinity are officially tied as the winners of the pageant!

So! Let's get into the deep play-by-play of what went down, and also celebrate our runners-up afterwards.

Week 3

Our penultimate challenge kicked off with Universes Within: a challenge that asked project owners to create a story self-contained within one pack. They could tell a linear or non-linear story in any which way they wished, and boy did some creative packs get made! Our top six of this week ended up being the following:

First place went to Valdrasil: Voyage to Infinity, a grand space opera set that debuted to the pageant in week 2, and this week chose to tell the story of one of its major characters: Captain Elai. Elai was pulled out of his own timeline in a conflict three thousand years in the future, and this pack beautifully told that story.

Second went to Valir: The Banished Isle. Valir chose to introduce Juni (another major character) first, then elaborated on her story throughout the pack, depicting the growth and tutorage she received before she was ultimately challenged with a conflict. Juni's story clearly captured the minds of the public, and it's clear to see why.

Third was awarded to the forerunner of the challenge, A Better Yesterday. This pack decided to tell a story through emotion and aesthetic rather than a chronological series of events, which is somewhat fitting given the ever-present theme of nonlinear time in the set. A Better Yesterday told the story of the Eldworld, the metaphoric gate to the past that was uncovered by the research faction on the plane. Very cool to see a story told as more of a tone poem instead of a book.

After these results, the leaderboard appears to take more shape. A Better Yesterday still remains on top, but Valdrasil: Voyage to Infinity quickly rocketed to second place with this week's impressive finish, well within range of a first-place win in favorable conditions. Churches of Vaurfell and Elegies of Vaquer held on to solid spots, not likely to win but still within easy podium range. Still many possibilities open at the end of this week, so let's march on to our fourth and final challenge!

Week 4

Our final challenge was a doozy, Wasting Away asked project owners to highlight their absolute best colorless designs, whether through sheer number or by providing a cool context for them to shine. Possibly the most difficult challenge, so how did the projects do? Our results are thus:

First place, riding high from the last challenge, Valdrasil: Voyage to Infinity clinches the win for this week too! People responded extremely well to how Valdrasil expanded the current canon of spacecraft in a creative and exciting way, and it's clear to see why. Combining it with artifact creature synergy is an inspired idea, and deserves to be here in the top spot.

Second place is a set that's been diligently trying to find its spot in the top 6 and struck gold this time, Waking of Orlige. The engineer mechanic native to Orlige works wondefully to highlight creative artifact design, letting ordinary (or less ordinary!) artifacts turn into real threats over time. People loved to see Orlige spread its wings, and it feels right at home in the top tier of this challenge.

Last, but definitely not least, Avallus: Rediscovery shores up to third place! Avallus chose to put a twist on vehicles in its set, and used this pack to let it shine. The simple option to pay extra to turn your vehicles into an immediate threat adds so much complexity to games, and the vehicle-centric context in the pack helped a lot in the cool department too.

The Verdict

After the dust settled, what did our podium look like? Check it out!

A Better Yesterday held on just barely to the top spot, tying exactly for the top spot with the underdog Valdrasil: Voyage to Infinity. A spectacular finish by both of them, and a testament to how well-loved their sets are by the community. Churches of Vaurfell and Waking of Orlige ended up in another tie for second, with the former enjoying solid top-six placement and getting this place through consistent and well-executed participation, while the latter rocketed up through their handful of hits: both of them well-deserving of this win. And finally, Avallus: Rediscovery won the bronze through an arc of overall well-designed packs.

The Final Words

To all of the project channel participants of this event, I want to say just how impressed by all of the submissions. There are only three places on the podium, but truly all of the submissions I received were so thoughtful and well-done that they deserved some recognition. On a personal note, I'd like to thank every single person who participated in this event. It was a real swing for the fences, and it truly wouldn't have been a success without the participation by everyone. Whether you were a project owner, a voting participant, or simply a bystander: thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope to bring this back some day in some form, and hope that you'd be as excited for that as I am.

Moxtober Coverage

Written by Crushcastles23

As October comes and goes, so does Moxtober. Thanks to Beacon of Creation for the original concept, thanks to Cajun for the Lackeybot tools to do this, and thanks to everyone who submitted cards for Moxtober. You can click the day link to go to the full Lackeybot archive for each day!