Baron's Gold, by Tragos Games, wins the first CoinSides Adventure Sparks Game Jam. All the entries are excellent in one way or another and deserve the same recognition. It was a very close contest, and choosing a winner was frustrating and difficult, but there is a silver lining to look forward to after some feedback.
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Baron's Gold, by Tragos Games
The quality of the writing, the completeness of the story, and how easily the entry can be implemented, make Baron's Gold the winner. It was the first entry submitted and the first one I read. But I really could not find much to improve. A traveling merchant would be the ideal coin owner, until, at some point, they gave away the coin to buy more silk to trade. Then who will get the coin next? I would love to know the history of the coin as it passes from hand to hand. But that would be a different spark. Tragos Games' entry was very inspirational as it weaves itself into the world, but it also has a dark and sinister origin waiting to emerge. Who does not want a coin that multiplies gold?
Time is Money, by Ghotib
Time travel is never an easy concept to implement, and so I commend this first-time submission for also incorporating a compass in this Spark. These two are fascinating elements that combine well with the Classic CoinSides and offer an original use of the coin. The entry leaves a lot of room for GMs to fill in the blanks and lacks a reason to use the coin. I spent a lot of time working with the writer to bring out the best in this Spark. Time well spent. I've really happy that Ghotib is part of the game jam.
Token Appreciation, by Ian Reichert
Some stories follow a softer, slower, and more melancholic plot line. Token Appreciation is a departure from the typical quest that some players will appreciate. I really like the overall premise of this entry and its originality. The submission is rich in detail and mystery and has just enough tension to bring it to life. The setting I imagine for this would be horror. Love, the central idea, is also a good story element to tackle in a game. And it's done well here by having the players learn about someone else's relationship at a distance... until they get too close.
Make a Wish, by R. Alexander Calahan
Like time travel, wish-granting can be a can of worms. Be careful what you wish for at the wishing well when you toss in a CoinSides. This entry limits the range of the wish geographically, which results in some very unique outcomes. The submission was rather long and verbose for a CoinSides Adventure Spark, but a fascinating idea non the less.
The Treasure Hunter's Compass, by R. Alexander Calahan
This ambitious submission featuring two coins was rather long and verbose for a CoinSides Adventure Spark and would thrive as a fully fleshed-out side quest. I like the use of the CoinSides as a treasure-hunting compass and feel that that is what the Spark should be about.
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I want to thank everyone who participated. I'm delighted to run my first game jam and actually have real people join with real submissions. But even more pleased with the quality and variety of the work. I also want to apologize for the delay in giving feedback and choosing a winner. It really was a tough choice. And this brings us to the second prize...
The award for the second prize goes to Ghotib, Ian Reichert, and R. Alexander Calahan. This means that all the participants will get a CoinSides of their choice. Furthermore, all the winners are invited to be included in the library of CoinSides Adventure Sparks. And I will be reaching out to you individually to ask for your thoughts on this. I would really like to expand the library. I owe it to the participants of this game jam. And I owe it to the backers of our third and very successful crowdfunding campaign. With your combined help (participants and backers) we can enjoy a growing selection of adventures.
Congratulations to everyone and thank you for making this happen!