So, You Want to be the Sorcerer's Apprentice? Jury Duty! [Voting Concluded!]

[Outbound]

JURY DUTY EDITION

Greetings Armchair Imagineers! At long last we’ve arrived at the grand finale of So, You Want to be the Sorcerer’s Apprentice!

Starting with a cast of thirteen, the players were successively whittled-down to an epic Final Three. This was no simple feat — this season had an especially stacked cast, meaning each of the finalists played fantastic, game-winning seasons in their own right. This competition is geninuely anyone’s to win!
​

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FINALISTS

@Architectural Guinea Pig

@Pi on my Cake

@spacemt354

Some highlights of the game include the season-opener at EPCOT’s World Showcase, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal, that one Rock Wall prompt, Gizmo’s Garage, and the Semifinal, where each of the finalists produced a fantastic individual project! (the Zone, Cabin in the Woods: Dark Rehearsal, Algorithm)

And as of earlier today, all final projects are submitted! AGP brought Dinosuar to Tokyo Disneyland, Pi returned to Stanza XI's FunSpot, this time at Kissimmee, and Space to the SYWTBAI-verse’s own Nara Dreamland!
​

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FINAL PROJECTS

@Architectural Guinea Pig
NEW ADVENTURELAND


@Pi on my Cake
DINO SPOT AMERICA

@spacemt354
MESOLAND

Alongside detailed host reviews releasing tomorrow, it is strongly recommended the Jury review these projects as they make their decision!
​

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JURORS

Now, the power of the game shifts into the hands of the Jury. Seven players across the past thirteen stanzas, they will now have vote to determine the winner of the competition and the titular Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

@Brer Panther
@Captain Orange Cacao Bird
@Disney Dad 3000
@Disney Warrior
@Lizzy May Bee
@Lord Fozzinator
@ThemeParkPriest

Jurors, please use the next 48 hours to pose questions to the final three. You may ask however many questions you wish to deliberate. The Finalists are not required to answer every question, but they are encouraged to do so -- as well as pitch their case -- to best communicate with the Jury on their gameplay and why they deserve to be the Sorcerer's Apprentice.

As the Finalists answer each question, the Jurors may individually cast their votes in their respective Diary Rooms.

Yes, you may alter a vote in the diary room if you happen to change your mind during the deliberations, but any votes after the deadline are considered final.

This deliberation period will conclude in approximately 48 hours at the end of day Thursday, September 3rd. Results and the winner of So, You Want to be the Sorcerer's Apprentice will be revealed the next day on Friday, September 4th!

All rise; Jurors -- you have the floor!​

 

[Outbound]

Let's open the floor with a question for all finalists:
(Jurors, feel free to chime in with more!)

Finalists, why do YOU deserve to be the Sorcerer's Apprentice?​

 

[Lizzy May Bee]

Question from Juror No. Bee:

Finalists, let me in on your creative process, how did you come up with your final idea? Additionally, what were other concepts you considered along the way? (P.S I might be more swayed if you include scrapped materials, if there are any, and if there are, please label them as “Exhibit A”)

 

[Disney Warrior]

First things first: I am not basing my vote on the final project, or what happens here, it’ll be based on the whole game.

1. What is your most game changing contribution to any project (team or individual) throughout the game?
2. What is your most game changing contribution to anything that happened in this game outside of the projects?
Good luck!

 

[Brer Panther]

Here's my question: How many dinosaurs does it take to build a grocery store?

Hey, you didn't say they had to be questions relating to the game.

 

[ThemeParkPriest]

Congratulations to making it to the Finals. My questions are as follows:
1. You have all won at least one competition on the Forum previously. How is your work a step-up from your previous winning(s)?
2. Most of the game involved team play. How were you the best team member possible?

 

[spacemt354]

First off, thank you everyone for the opportunity - I'm sure I will continue to say it below, but everyone in this cast did such a great job and I'm honored to be here with two other incredible players in the finals.

Let's open the floor with a question for all finalists:
(Jurors, feel free to chime in with more!)

Finalists, why do YOU deserve to be the Sorcerer's Apprentice?​

I deserve it because I evolved.

It's been a while since I've been this invested in the gameplay aspect of a competition. This is not from a lack of interest, since 2018 my school work demands have been intensive and while this is a passionate hobby of mine, it can't interfere with my career. So unfortunately, many games have had to end early for me or I had to skip entirely. Hosting games offered an avenue to remain involved without the week to week stressors and I could also craft the schedule around mine.

My true passion has always been being involved as a player more than anything else. As was said on the cast assessment though, prior to the work transition, I could get very invested in projects, taking control which could definitely help when a team is in need, but looking back I could see from an outsider perspective how that could negatively impact people on teams - perhaps feeling isolated or complacent that I'll just take care of things, which goes round and round.

This season - I made it an effort from the beginning to be more 'hands off' and inclusive. Even when I was in the project manager roles, my role was less leader and more a facilitator, wanting to ensure everyone had a say in the project who wanted to. When I was part of teams - I didn't like taking large chunks of the projects. I would prefer to take smaller aspects but do them as good as I could. It was not until the game became a solo venture that I switched hats to leave it all out on the field so to speak.

I haven't won a competition since 2018 (over 8+ years now) so getting this far with so much time in between really means a lot to me.

It was a bit nostalgic and storybook-y to transition from the last competition winning project (Nara Dreamland) - to hopefully this game as well, which saw the evolution of my game into a more wholesome and complete package than ever before.

Question from Juror No. Bee:

Finalists, let me in on your creative process, how did you come up with your final idea? Additionally, what were other concepts you considered along the way? (P.S I might be more swayed if you include scrapped materials, if there are any, and if there are, please label them as “Exhibit A”)

To transition from the answer above -- I landed on this final idea after realizing that both the SAU and the SYWTBAI universe merged for this game. To me, that gave the creative freedom to access former parks and lands that might make a Dinosaur themed project fit.

I don't have scrapped concept art -- but I do have scrapped ideas for how to include Dinosaurs that I will list below

Exhibit A

I was originally thinking a playful Meet the Robinsons expansion of Tomorrowland (at any MK park) - which would include the AA bodies of the dinosaurs, but with a more cheerful skin to them similar to the film above. But ultimately, I ended up scrapping this because it felt forced.

Exhibit B

This was an old concept I had back from 2016 - but not only did I use it before, but I felt that the dinosaurs were not from the right eras and it could get historically messy. And because of that -- it shifted me back to a historical fiction concept -- what if we re-wrote a mysterious part of history to have humans and dinosaurs interact...and what if dinosaurs were not monsters, but a symbiotic part of the earth... viewed more as revered beings than harmful creatures. And the Nara Dreamland park felt like the perfect place for it because of the surrounding lands of historical fiction.

Also PS
The link for the music isn't broken because.... it's not a link lol
You just have to copy/paste the url (the site wasn't allowing me to link it and I should have specified that you have to copy paste)


Thank you both!

 

[spacemt354]

First things first: I am not basing my vote on the final project, or what happens here, it’ll be based on the whole game.

1. What is your most game changing contribution to any project (team or individual) throughout the game?
2. What is your most game changing contribution to anything that happened in this game outside of the projects?
Good luck!

1. In the realm of the butterfly effect - I would say the most game changing contribution on a personal level to any project would be Stanza VII: This Rocks

Our team came in 2nd place - but very close to the deadline the three of us were not able to come up with a decision.

I was just looking back through our PM - I ended up saying that we need to come to a decision on the Haunted Mansion and started throwing out tombstone gags that took off with the team and that ultimately led to a 2nd place finish...but we could have very easily come in last place if not for the last minute push there.

If it wasn't for the contribution, who knows - I could have been eliminated there instead of you and perhaps I would be asking this question to you from the Jury

2. Outside of the projects, the most game changing contribution would again be the evolution of my role. In the past (literally a decade ago) there was a game called The Sole Imagineer - which was heavily focused on strategy and other outside dynamics. Long story short that ended up biting me in the behind and I got eliminated. I vowed after that I wasn't going to get involved in that aspect again. But, that was 10 years ago. People change and circumstances change.

While there was not as heavy a focus on the strategic elements as there was in that game, my philosophy with this game was to 'go with the flow' -- which to me, sometimes means taking a step back.

The mental approach to this game impacted how I went through this game. Projects aside, in competitions past I'd be invested in the first 4 rounds and then get tired and then look at my schedule and deem it's not compatible. I didn't do that this time - I paced myself. Which again - the evolution of me as a 'character' in the game is probably the most impactful thing I had done.

Here's my question: How many dinosaurs does it take to build a grocery store?

Hey, you didn't say they had to be questions relating to the game.

Enough to end world hunger! (Your One Wish Willow is still in effect)

As it turns out they are not extinct after all and their sole purpose on this earth is to ensure enough Publix grocery stores get constructed to end world hunger.

 

[spacemt354]

Congratulations to making it to the Finals. My questions are as follows:
1. You have all won at least one competition on the Forum previously. How is your work a step-up from your previous winning(s)?
2. Most of the game involved team play. How were you the best team member possible?

Thank you!

1. This work is a step up from the past because games that I've had the privilege of winning because of the eclectic surroundings that I needed to balance in order to be here today.

Because you joined in 2020, much of my 'prime?' I guess you could call it - happened years prior from 2015-2018. But availability is a large aspect of what makes someone a 'power player' - if we all had free time I'm sure we'd all be power players.

Balancing that with other obligations while still trying to put out good content I view as a huge evolution for my growth and it shows me that I can still do this...

I love roller coasters and it was heart-warming to hear how well received many of mine were throughout the game. That being said, in many ways - I wanted to push myself to not include a coaster in the final project in order to maximize the diversity and showcase writing abilities in other avenues as well.

Part of this game was to advance my skills while also bringing back some of the 'old school' aspects of my game that really haven't seen the light of day in over half a decade. So with all that said - I felt this was the most balanced game for me... one that I'm very fortunate to share with others and one that makes me excited to know I can still do.

In a game that is a hybrid of two of the most influential competitions in my time here - it's nice to see my own game evolve into a hybrid as well and it would be an honor to complete that metamorphosis here with a win.

2. In line with the above, as a team member I tried my best to be as inclusive as possible, to not be overbearing as the previous cast assessment accurately portrayed my younger years on here. To be someone who would try to wrap things up in case of emergency, can put on the jets if needed, but at the same time, wanted to make sure everyone had a say. There were many times in the Stanzas that internally I wanted to go a different direction, but kept my opinions to myself in order to keep the team dynamics together. If it was not my time to be project manager, then it wasn't my time to be the last word. Still, as project manager, I tried to go with what people were passionate about, and tried to ensure I included everyone in those decisions.

This evolution I truly feel is thanks to my time as a host in Sorcerer's Apprentice 7 and 8 - being on the other side of things, you don't want to see someone dominating the field.

Because what keeps people coming back to your game? It's in part the opportunity to do what you are passionate about in this niche hobby of ours. I would rather have 3 players drawing stick figures about what they are passionate about then have one person paint the Mona Lisa with 3 inactive players. Teamwork involves taking a step back to give others opportunity, but it also means stepping up when in need (without destroying your own health/well being) - I think this game represented the most complete package of that for me and after all this retrospection, I think is in large part to the long hiatus I have had between wins and how much one can change over that time.

 

[Pi on my Cake]

Let's open the floor with a question for all finalists:
(Jurors, feel free to chime in with more!)

Finalists, why do YOU deserve to be the Sorcerer's Apprentice?​

I feel like when I won SA7 a big part that helped was my experimentation and my polish. That was the game where I made working video games for an arcade project, learned basic Bass Guitar for a Scott Pilgrim musical, and tried a new art style or art program nearly every round. Then I capped off the season with a final project that was complete almost a full day early giving me a whole day just to make sure every detail, every audio clue, every tiny touch was perfect.

When I won SYWTBAI 20, I feel like a big part that helped was my outside the box thinking and my personal touch. For lack of a better term, I decided to get weird with it. That was the game with the infamous gaslight project where I took a simple solo prompt for an after hours event and turned it into a darkly comedic satire of how major corporations manipulate public perception. Or made a ride that wasn't actually a ride but rather a series of pre-shows that lead to nothing. That was the game where I used the final project as an excuse to play around with all my personal favorite defunct attractions as well as all the ones that inspired me personally to be interested in imagineering as an art form.

With this game, it feels less like I pushed myself in a new direction and more like I was able to take all the skills and strengths I've had in past games and bring them together. Everything I've learned about imagineering as well as everything I've learned about what makes my work uniquely me has come together here.

Question from Juror No. Bee:

Finalists, let me in on your creative process, how did you come up with your final idea? Additionally, what were other concepts you considered along the way? (P.S I might be more swayed if you include scrapped materials, if there are any, and if there are, please label them as “Exhibit A”)

Honestly I came up with the Fun Spot idea almost the second I read the prompt. It hadn't even been edited to give us the option of doing an America Sings/Splash Mountain style revival yet. I saw bring back Dinosaur and thought "wouldn't it be funny to put it in Fun Spot since they have Primeval Whirl" which I then realized I could connect in lore to our previous Fun Spot project giving it all a reason to happen. The interconnected alternate universe aspect of Sorcerer's Apprentice has always been so fun to me so getting to connect prompts/projects like that was fun.

Beyond that the only real variation with Fun Spot was how big I wanted to make the new version, what beloved tourist traps/local artists I wanted to get involved, and whether the whole project would be a joke making fun of Fun Spot or a showcase of what it could become.

That being said, while the finale was pretty much my first idea and then rolling with it, the penultimate round took me a while to settle on a concept.

I was considering going with a backstory where Six Flags or Fun Spot or somewhere else small just known for coasters realized there was a weird legal loophole where they had the rights to Singing in the Rain or La La Land somehow. Leading to a thrilling rollercoaster that is intentionally designed to feel like a song and dance number from one of those musicals.

I also considered a meta horror comedy ride based on Scream. It would start as a cheesy pretzel style haunted house ride based on the in universe Stab movies before the real Ghostface took over and turned it into real horror.

I also considered the Truman Show even though I felt it didn't lend itself well to a ride. I just love the movie. That got me thinking about how I could potentially build a ride around it. Which lead to the idea of and asymmetric interactive dark ride. Where riders on one side controls what happens to the other.

I was having trouble thinking of interesting things to do with that gimmick though which lead to me combining the horror comedy of the Scream idea with the asymmetric gameplay of the Truman Show idea for another favorite film of mine: Cabin in the Woods.

So, that round had a ton of other idea. The finale was Fun Spot from pretty much minute one.

First things first: I am not basing my vote on the final project, or what happens here, it’ll be based on the whole game.

1. What is your most game changing contribution to any project (team or individual) throughout the game?
2. What is your most game changing contribution to anything that happened in this game outside of the projects?
Good luck!

1. I feel like I gotta go with Jaws. The presentation in particular is something I was proud of. Up until that point I felt like I was hanging back a bit and trying not to be a leader or a frontrunner. That was the round where I intentionally sort of stepped up and went all in. I was passionate about water parks so that seemed like the perfect moment to lock in and take a leadership role.
2. Biggest contribution that happened outside of projects was not using my Diamond PoMVP. I gained one after Stanza IX and could have used that to target other players strategically who I thought might win or to protect people I thought I could beat. But I decided not to since at that late stage in the game, it felt like it would be unfair to send someone home for strategic reasons over gameplay reasons. But If I had used it more aggressively at the right time, there is a non-zero chance that this wouldn't be our final 3.

Here's my question: How many dinosaurs does it take to build a grocery store?

Hey, you didn't say they had to be questions relating to the game.

Like so many dinosaurs. They can't really hold any of the tools so it takes forever

Congratulations to making it to the Finals. My questions are as follows:
1. You have all won at least one competition on the Forum previously. How is your work a step-up from your previous winning(s)?
2. Most of the game involved team play. How were you the best team member possible?

1. Like I said in my answer to an earlier question, I feel like this game was in many ways a culmination of past efforts. The way I improved is not by pushing harder, but by focusing in on what I've learned works for me. I improved by having the confidence to iterate on what I know I love over trying to constantly be building something new. I've always love the quote by Dolly Parton (who has been on my mind recently for obvious reasons) "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." I feel like with past games I was finding out who I was. With this game, I was doing it on purpose.
2. Well there was one time, and this is true, that when me and Captain OB were on a team together that I gave them a ride to a Dentist appointment. I dare you to find anyone else here who did that for a teammate this game.

But in all seriousness I feel like I was always focused on regular communication and always tried to leave a little extra time to help cover for people if they bit off more than they could chew. I always tried to be ready to help or be back up. I focused on what I could do to help other people's work shine. I knew if there was rounds I would be busy with work to take a step back into a supporting role. I knew to always be careful with my time management so that teammates hopefully never had to worry about whether I'd submit on time.

One of my favorite rounds was the Dollywood cinematic universe project where I was able to work with teammates who are less into movies to find directors/actors to round out their projects. Using my skills to supplement my teammates when it was needed so they could focus on what they loved doing and were passionate about.

 

[Architectural Guinea Pig]

Let's open the floor with a question for all finalists:
(Jurors, feel free to chime in with more!)

Finalists, why do YOU deserve to be the Sorcerer's Apprentice?​

Spoiler: Why I Should Win!

For context, I have just begun my junior year of high school - that means high stress, high work, and a ton of homework on my plate. Because of this, my availability to chill in the forums with all of my close players here will eventually be a lot more diminished.

So for the foreseeable future of the rest of high school, this will most likely be the last game I ever participate in to the extent of making it to the finals.

On the topic of high school, the biggest reason I should have YOUR ballot is because of experience. In a span of three years of joining the forums since 2023, I have shown mountains of improvement in my art, writing, and time management skills. All of this has culminated in what I would say is my last stand, a 50-page project created with the heart and style of Architectural Guinea Pig that you have come to known these past few years. Just from reading my final project, you can see my unique out-of-the-box thinking on display, and the level of detail and passion I have placed to make my project the most unique and amazing it could be.

My fellow finalists are clearly players with basically more than a decade of experience on the forums, with years of victories and impressive achievements under their belts. Pi’s amazing work won him both SA and SYWTBAI, and Space has done the same for other games in tandem, literally inventing the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. So it goes to say that they’re clearly going to be a stronger pick because of how incredible they truly are. I’ve also had a few second/third place finishes along the way, but it has all been for smaller competitions - not on the scale or ambition of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice (in which I placed 7th place) or So You Want to Be an Imagineer. My one true win in Citrus Dreamin’ is a result which can actually be attributed to two extremely strong players stepping out of the finals due to availability…

So, I hope to finally establish my place among the greats, where Space, Pi, and even our judges Tiki, PerGron, and Outbound stand, and I’ve put my best foot forward to make it happen! The last step is in your hands.

Question from Juror No. Bee:

Finalists, let me in on your creative process, how did you come up with your final idea? Additionally, what were other concepts you considered along the way? (P.S I might be more swayed if you include scrapped materials, if there are any, and if there are, please label them as “Exhibit A”)

Spoiler: Creative Process

First, I want to preface this by saying that I have never played a single Monster Hunter game - ever.

So HOW the h*ll did I end up with this partially obscure franchise ?

To be completely honest, this prompt threw me off guard. It was so ultra-specific I simply had no initial direction or A-ha! Moment as soon as I saw the prompt. So, the entire few weeks I didn’t really have an idea where I was going to go. My initial plans were to make a giant Dinosaur dinorama for Magic Kingdom’s railroad, then it became a FNAF style Animatronic scare-zone, which both would have have been an awesome project, but not to the extent of ambition a final project should be. Soon, the concepts slowly marinated over time to become Astera…

Exhibit A: Primeval World V3 (there's actually one in Tokyo too!)

Exhibit B: Dinosaur! after Dark

At the start of the process, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to pull off a dino project in a dino prompt because I simply did not have a natural affinity with dinos- even in Dinosaur! I only rode it once when I was 9 and since I covered my eyes and sobbed the entire ride, I didn’t exactly have the fondest of memories for the attraction. This convinced me to go out of the box - is there any franchise that has great beasts akin to dinos - but aren’t actually dinos?

The idea came to me after watching my older sister play Monster Hunter: IceBorne - there were so many beasts - but most importantly, beasts INSPIRED BY dinos! Raptors turned into the Tsitzi Ya-Ku, the Carontaurus into Glavenus! And even more importantly, from what I know the IP has completely gone out of the community’s radar, a community who has spent a bit too much time on Mario and Pokemon to bother going after this third place franchise.

So, to safely transition to a land that could incorporate Monster Hunter while also being “recognizable” to audiences, I plopped the experience down into none other than Tokyo, where Adventureland was already going to be demolished. And so becomes Astera.

I knew the bare minimum with the franchise when beginning. Beforehand, I had plenty of watchtime on Astera, and saw my sister’s drawings of the Meowscular Chef and Poogie the diapered pig. So in the two nights before the deadline, I was hardcore grinding out research and time into matching every single Dinosaur animatronic into its MonsterHunter counterpart. Ultimately becoming a literal 50-page BOOK, you can tell the creative process paid off

First things first: I am not basing my vote on the final project, or what happens here, it’ll be based on the whole game.

1. What is your most game changing contribution to any project (team or individual) throughout the game?
2. What is your most game changing contribution to anything that happened in this game outside of the projects?
Good luck!

Spoiler: Contributions

1. Honestly I think Gizmo's Garage was my biggest contribution to the game! It wasn't a direct "here's my massive piece of writing" contribution - I was instead working on the presentation, which was a huge factor to making the project exciting. This project was where I put my creative brain on full blast, which included creating concept art, a super simple yet effective presentation, and more than 11-12 "comic" slides full of small jokes and Roaring 50's charm.

2. My biggest contribution gameplay wise was specifically granting you immunity from elimination in round one in all seriousness, one of the best contributions I had was opening the Walt's Vault and getting the all-seeing ability for the team where we could read the other team's private messages. This was super helpful in getting us locked in for some of the really cool projects that we had!

Here's my question: How many dinosaurs does it take to build a grocery store?

Hey, you didn't say they had to be questions relating to the game.

Spoiler: Detailed and Extensive Site Plans for the Application of Dinosaurs in Construction of a Grocery Store

• 1 Brachiosaurus because you need a Crane
• 2 Triceratops for bulldozing Pi and Space's supermarkets
• 1 Ankylosaurus to break up the pavement foundations
• 4 Velociraptors interior framing and wiring
• 2 Parasaurolophus to manage the siesta
• 1 Volcano Bat for stocking the shelves

Congratulations to making it to the Finals. My questions are as follows:
1. You have all won at least one competition on the Forum previously. How is your work a step-up from your previous winning(s)?
2. Most of the game involved team play. How were you the best team member possible?

Spoiler: Improvement and Team Support!

1. While my work may not have been a huge step-up from previous games, what I really excelled in and improved on was my work ethic. I have been notorious in previous games, and especially when hosting my own game, to submit super far past the deadline or extremely late. This was also a huge factor in some games that was the deciding factor between winning and losing. In this game, I have consistently submitted my own projects and for the team on time and punctually, a huge improvement from before. Of course, there were some times where I was working close to 12:00 AM PST, which caused the project leader not to be able to submit - but at those times, the work that I put in was dedicated towards refining the presentation to make it even better than before. Major examples include the Lego project, Gizmo’s Garage and the Cruise Ship project, where I was able to polish and clean the presentation to make it look super super good, helping carry the team to raving reviews.

2. In this game, my biggest focus as a team player from the very start was supporting as much of the cast as possible of this competition, specifically players who haven’t ascended to the “power player” status reflected in my awesome fellow finalees Pi and Space. I tried my best to encourage and assist newer players like OB and Half Cartoon/Half Human to step up to the challenge however possible, with OB especially shining with amazing work as the game went on. I also protected players that I believed would have been eliminated early on when I could, for example nominating both OB and Disney Warrior for immunity in the first round as project leader, handing the Walt’s Vault to Brer Panther, and trying my best to prevent my teammates in Stravinsky to get eliminated as long as possible. My focus in this game was to give the spotlight to the newer players in this community, and ensuring that they wouldn’t have been eliminated because of being inactive for one round.