A Challenge For Everyone - Please Read & Comment
- Thread starter Ptrope
- Start date
Re: A Challenge For Everyone - Please Read & Comme
The original function of the 'WIP thread' rule was that it meant there was a good chance the piece was being created there and then for the contest, and was not a finished piece from someones back catalogue. It also got people posting and interacting, which is the primary function of a board like this.
I dont mind people coming in to the contest in the last week, I've done it myself, but I like to see their WIP so I know it's not something they've discovered and not made for the contest.
The original function of the 'WIP thread' rule was that it meant there was a good chance the piece was being created there and then for the contest, and was not a finished piece from someones back catalogue. It also got people posting and interacting, which is the primary function of a board like this.
I dont mind people coming in to the contest in the last week, I've done it myself, but I like to see their WIP so I know it's not something they've discovered and not made for the contest.
Re: A Challenge For Everyone - Please Read & Comme
Thats what I'm getting at, the compitions where meant to promote activity in the forums, so by having all the work done off forum, the community is lessened not enhanced.
When someone posts a WIP, other posters add comments and suggestions, and people learn and improve their techniques.
If you just pop in with your finished product your not going to learn anything.
Thats ok if you are already on the top of your game with nothing to learn, but most of us still have stuff to learn.
And WIP threads are the place where we learn them.
Thats what I'm getting at, the compitions where meant to promote activity in the forums, so by having all the work done off forum, the community is lessened not enhanced.
When someone posts a WIP, other posters add comments and suggestions, and people learn and improve their techniques.
If you just pop in with your finished product your not going to learn anything.
Thats ok if you are already on the top of your game with nothing to learn, but most of us still have stuff to learn.
And WIP threads are the place where we learn them.
Re: A Challenge For Everyone - Please Read & Comme
Looks like I've missed the kerfuffle on the forum over the last couple of months but as someone who's enjoyed joining in with the fun on a few occasions in the past here's my two pennyworth (from a quick scan of the thread so far I see some of my points have been made already and I've borrowed others but I'm just laying out some of the ideas I like).
I think something that would cut down on any arguments once a contest being underway is being specific about what should be included in the opening post by the previous month's winner - i.e. formalise the headings to ensure all valid information is available from the start.
So the opening post should specifically state, for example:
Title / Subject e.g. "Down and Dirty" / "Surprise" / "Enterprise - the movie" / etc
Format e.g. landscape / starscape / movie poster / advert / badge / uniform / any (by default)
Medium (which IMO should be suggested rather than proscriptive) e.g. drawing / painting / photoshop / 3D CG modelling / whatever
Image size - e.g. 1024 x 768
Additional info - any other point to clarify the content, or at least what's in the originator's mind when setting up the competition. Also re-iterating ongoing rules such as "no using wholesale existing compositions", and "WIP threads nice but not essential".
Closing Date for discussion of topic - date by which any comments or questions clarifying competition rules should be made
Closing Date for competition itself i.e. midnight on final day of month (GMT?)
Submission of valid entries - e.g. usually by email to current holder (showing email address to be used), though some winners don't seem to mind picking up from existing threads as well (but it needs to be laid out here)
Voting period - e.g. up to fourth day of next month
And there are probably some other key facts which I can't think of which need to be included as well.
I think that by at least laying out all the facts in the opening post in a clear manner and consistent manner, it means that subsequent debate centres around meaningful discussion points rather than "what did he mean by that?". Also, the first headings should make it pretty clear how constraining a competition will be from the get-go, leaving one or two of these criteria blank will open up a competition (though personally just having a title / subject for me is a little too freeform, like others - when I do enter - I like something to focus on to stimulate and challenge a bit more).
If this idea or similar were to work I would suggest that Ptrope advise the new holder of what should be included in the opening post at the close of the previous month's poll and then once the advised time period for discussion has been made, either the thread is closed and a new one opened with revised conditions or Ptrope edits the original post (though this might cause confusion on re-reading the thread). At least then nobody can validly say "But I didn't understand the rules" when their picture is omitted on the final polling thread.
And while I think about it - the rules should be repeated on the poll thread too - at least then people will know what criteria they should be judging it against. (Whether they do or not of course is a completely different matter all together)
Anyway like I said that's just my two pennyworth. Hopefully some of the ideas above might help. Use or ignore as you wish.
While I'm here for the record, my personal views on some of the other points raised.
WIP threads - I like them, and when I did enter some compos way back when (the book cover and the movie poster come to mind) some of the advice given was very useful. But they shouldn't be mandatory either; I've done a couple of fun entries, the humour of which would be completely lost if I had to post in advance.
Competition winners re-entry - I haven't got the skill to win any of these competitions but if I did manage to struggle through one month and persevere to victory I'd be pretty pee'd off if I couldn't enter with an idea I wanted to try. While the contest should be a lot of fun, it would be nice to get some reward out of it too.
That's it for now and hopefully there'll be a contest within the next couple of months which I'll feel inspired enough by and confident enough to enter.
Looks like I've missed the kerfuffle on the forum over the last couple of months but as someone who's enjoyed joining in with the fun on a few occasions in the past here's my two pennyworth (from a quick scan of the thread so far I see some of my points have been made already and I've borrowed others but I'm just laying out some of the ideas I like).
I think something that would cut down on any arguments once a contest being underway is being specific about what should be included in the opening post by the previous month's winner - i.e. formalise the headings to ensure all valid information is available from the start.
So the opening post should specifically state, for example:
Title / Subject e.g. "Down and Dirty" / "Surprise" / "Enterprise - the movie" / etc
Format e.g. landscape / starscape / movie poster / advert / badge / uniform / any (by default)
Medium (which IMO should be suggested rather than proscriptive) e.g. drawing / painting / photoshop / 3D CG modelling / whatever
Image size - e.g. 1024 x 768
Additional info - any other point to clarify the content, or at least what's in the originator's mind when setting up the competition. Also re-iterating ongoing rules such as "no using wholesale existing compositions", and "WIP threads nice but not essential".
Closing Date for discussion of topic - date by which any comments or questions clarifying competition rules should be made
Closing Date for competition itself i.e. midnight on final day of month (GMT?)
Submission of valid entries - e.g. usually by email to current holder (showing email address to be used), though some winners don't seem to mind picking up from existing threads as well (but it needs to be laid out here)
Voting period - e.g. up to fourth day of next month
And there are probably some other key facts which I can't think of which need to be included as well.
I think that by at least laying out all the facts in the opening post in a clear manner and consistent manner, it means that subsequent debate centres around meaningful discussion points rather than "what did he mean by that?". Also, the first headings should make it pretty clear how constraining a competition will be from the get-go, leaving one or two of these criteria blank will open up a competition (though personally just having a title / subject for me is a little too freeform, like others - when I do enter - I like something to focus on to stimulate and challenge a bit more).
If this idea or similar were to work I would suggest that Ptrope advise the new holder of what should be included in the opening post at the close of the previous month's poll and then once the advised time period for discussion has been made, either the thread is closed and a new one opened with revised conditions or Ptrope edits the original post (though this might cause confusion on re-reading the thread). At least then nobody can validly say "But I didn't understand the rules" when their picture is omitted on the final polling thread.
And while I think about it - the rules should be repeated on the poll thread too - at least then people will know what criteria they should be judging it against. (Whether they do or not of course is a completely different matter all together)
Anyway like I said that's just my two pennyworth. Hopefully some of the ideas above might help. Use or ignore as you wish.
While I'm here for the record, my personal views on some of the other points raised.
WIP threads - I like them, and when I did enter some compos way back when (the book cover and the movie poster come to mind) some of the advice given was very useful. But they shouldn't be mandatory either; I've done a couple of fun entries, the humour of which would be completely lost if I had to post in advance.
Competition winners re-entry - I haven't got the skill to win any of these competitions but if I did manage to struggle through one month and persevere to victory I'd be pretty pee'd off if I couldn't enter with an idea I wanted to try. While the contest should be a lot of fun, it would be nice to get some reward out of it too.
That's it for now and hopefully there'll be a contest within the next couple of months which I'll feel inspired enough by and confident enough to enter.
G
Guest
Guest
Re: A Challenge For Everyone - Please Read & Comme
From a rookie that feels like he's been thrown in the crossfire, I think a contest rules sticky is a must. Even if it just gives a brief description of the overall contest philosophy.
I'm in favor of fewer rules instead of more, since too many rules tend to stifle creativity. Keep it simple and have fun with it.
From a rookie that feels like he's been thrown in the crossfire, I think a contest rules sticky is a must. Even if it just gives a brief description of the overall contest philosophy.
I'm in favor of fewer rules instead of more, since too many rules tend to stifle creativity. Keep it simple and have fun with it.
Re: A Challenge For Everyone - Please Read & Comme
Why not a completely moderate solution?
The winning person gets to choose the next month's contest - as usual.
If, and only if, the same person gets the highest number of votes in that contest he still wins and get's just as much recognition for his or her superior work, however, the second highest vote getter wins the priveledge of chosing the next contest.
This will not take away from anyone winning the greatest amount of votes - they will get that recognition AND STILL BE DECLARED THE WINNER.
However, the chance of abuse in the form of the winner being able to continually set up an unbalanced playing field is avoided.
I think the winner SHOULD be allowed to set up an unbalanced playing field the first time they win.
After all, there are tons of things that some people are better at then others.
What is wrong, I ask, with someone wanting to show off at what they are best at???
Are we to expect the winner to only pick subjects and media that they aren't good at???
If they are better then everyone else in that medium, so what?
It's only right that as winner they get a chance to shine at whatever they are best at. Just as long as they aren't allowed to continually pic the subject over and over they should be allowed to pic a subject that they feel they can shine in doing - even if few other members possess that particular skill.
Sounds like sour grapes to me.
[not on your part Klaus, but on the part of others that have suggested that the winner not get to pick the subject/medium]
If the guy won the contest he gets to pick the following month's subject.
You can fix the imagined problem of the person "fixing" the contest to continually pic the subject month after month by not letting anyone pic the next month's subject consecutively.
But what the heck is wrong with the winner picking a subject and medium he think's he is better at then others?
If he can't, what the heck kind of "prize" is the right to pick the subject/medium anyway?
Why not a completely moderate solution?
The winning person gets to choose the next month's contest - as usual.
If, and only if, the same person gets the highest number of votes in that contest he still wins and get's just as much recognition for his or her superior work, however, the second highest vote getter wins the priveledge of chosing the next contest.
This will not take away from anyone winning the greatest amount of votes - they will get that recognition AND STILL BE DECLARED THE WINNER.
However, the chance of abuse in the form of the winner being able to continually set up an unbalanced playing field is avoided.
I think the winner SHOULD be allowed to set up an unbalanced playing field the first time they win.
After all, there are tons of things that some people are better at then others.
What is wrong, I ask, with someone wanting to show off at what they are best at???
Are we to expect the winner to only pick subjects and media that they aren't good at???
If they are better then everyone else in that medium, so what?
It's only right that as winner they get a chance to shine at whatever they are best at. Just as long as they aren't allowed to continually pic the subject over and over they should be allowed to pic a subject that they feel they can shine in doing - even if few other members possess that particular skill.
Sounds like sour grapes to me.
[not on your part Klaus, but on the part of others that have suggested that the winner not get to pick the subject/medium]
If the guy won the contest he gets to pick the following month's subject.
You can fix the imagined problem of the person "fixing" the contest to continually pic the subject month after month by not letting anyone pic the next month's subject consecutively.
But what the heck is wrong with the winner picking a subject and medium he think's he is better at then others?
If he can't, what the heck kind of "prize" is the right to pick the subject/medium anyway?
Re: A Challenge For Everyone - Please Read & Comme
POST EDITED TO REMOVE SPAMMING/TROLLING/FLAMING TIRADE DUPLICATED FROM OVER A DOZEN OTHER POSTS/THREADS
Can you point out to me exactly where Dennis implicated you as the party guilty of cheating? I distinctly remember him stating the fact that he didn't know who it was who cheated or benefited from it.
I think you doth protest too much, Thomas...
[/QUOTE]
POST EDITED TO REMOVE SPAMMING/TROLLING/FLAMING TIRADE DUPLICATED FROM OVER A DOZEN OTHER POSTS/THREADS
Can you point out to me exactly where Dennis implicated you as the party guilty of cheating? I distinctly remember him stating the fact that he didn't know who it was who cheated or benefited from it.
I think you doth protest too much, Thomas...
[/QUOTE]
Re: A Challenge For Everyone - Please Read & Comme
Oh Yeah! Anytime I see Asser do anything, I just creame my jeans! I mean My God, NO ONE and I mean No ONE can do anything on par with Asser!
That's why as soon as he farts, sychophants line up for miles, just to get a smell and tell how beauteuos it is.
Look, here comes Ziz and Griff and Q2uame, and.... Oh my God the hordes!!!!!
Q2UnME said:
After clicking on those three little "gif" links, is anyone else here sporting wood?
OK, Thomas, you can't just de-cloak, drop these little teasers and than cloak without a little more comment.....(OK, yes you can, but inquiring minds want to know..)
Q2UnME
Oh Yeah! Anytime I see Asser do anything, I just creame my jeans! I mean My God, NO ONE and I mean No ONE can do anything on par with Asser!
That's why as soon as he farts, sychophants line up for miles, just to get a smell and tell how beauteuos it is.
Look, here comes Ziz and Griff and Q2uame, and.... Oh my God the hordes!!!!!
