TT-Forums OTTDP Graphic Artist Awards - Discussion ONLY

[wallyweb]

Submissions begin in the second half of the calender month ... The deadline for submissions is the last day of the calender month.

Voting then begins (immediately after the deadline) and continues for fourteen days until the 14th or 15th day of February.

The winner for January is then announced as soon as the polling ends. They take the accolades and so on. Submissions for February's competition can then be made. The deadline for those submissions would be the end of February. And so on.

The reason I suggested to keep all events for a month within that month was to keep things simple and clear and less susceptible to confusion and misinterpretation.

Fair comment. It's definitely important for that to be sorted.

So entries from the 1st-14th, and voting to continue until the last day of the calender month, yes?

Yes. And the artists could be multitasking by admiring their trophies as they submit their next entries.

I'm also not sure about the method of disregarding entries - that seems unfair.

This would in all probability be rarely required but I thought it prudent to put it in place just in case there is any question.

Again a very fair point - I just wonder if the "publicity" the competition has received will make it more popular - I certainly suggest that if OTTD is to be included entries will shoot up.

Thus perhaps requiring a larger poll. Time to call in the SROTU for a consultation.

[Sleepie]

Dave, as I wrote you via PM you have my vote too to run the contest(s)

About the rules, I seconded wallyweb's proposal.

I think the proposed maximum of eight entries for each month should be sufficient atm. If more is required due to popularity in the future this could be raised up and a solution have to be found how to poll it then.

There should also be a minimum of entries for a valid contest, I think. Imho it doesn't make sense to run a contest only with one or two entries. I'd say at least three entries are required. If there is a month with less entries it would just be skipped.

As robotboy already suggested the may contest should be skipped so we could use the rest of the month to 'design' the new thing

Michael has also made a very valid point about comparing pure pixel art with rendered stuff. Those shouldn't be mixed in one contest, because it would be unfair in some kind. Michael has explained very well imho.

The monthly contests shouldn't have any kind of topic so artists are totally free. Maybe we could run topic-related contest once in a year (in december) with several categories like 'best train set', 'best industry set', ... of the year.

That's all I can think of atm.

Regards
Sleepie

[Dave]

The monthly contests shouldn't have any kind of topic so artists are totally free. Maybe we could run topic-related contest once in a year (in december) with several categories like 'best train set', 'best industry set', ... of the year.

That'll be more graphics awards than graphics competition.

Like I say - no topics for each month as with the photo thread, but perhaps once a year a special Christmas topic in December - its hardly taking away from the graphic artist's freedom.

Alas Christmas is a long way away.

[Sleepie]

That'll be more graphics awards than graphics competition.

Good point, it was just an idea Ok, then only a christmas and/or easter topic

[Dave]

This all depends on WhiteHand's future on the forums. Word in Off-Topic suggests he is back.

[Sleepie]

Even then I think things/ideas discussed here in this topic should be considered Well, let's see what WhiteHand thinks about it.

[michael blunck]

This all depends on WhiteHand's future on the forums. Word in Off-Topic suggests he is back.

Ummh ... <checks OT>

I do not really want to leave this place.

Well, he surely means the hospital he´s in ATM.

Dave, carry on.

regards
Michael

[Dave]

While I would like to choose that statement with which to begin upon, I think orudge would rather me leave it for WhiteHand to decide himself. I shall consult Owen again however.

[michael blunck]

To guarantee a new start free from worries, I´d propose to set up a new thread for the competition in any way.

And this should be "under a new management" as well, regardless how WhiteHand´s decisions will turn out in the end with regards to his forum activities.

Just my opinion.

regards
Michael

[Dave]

I personally agree - these competitions need a lot of time and dedication - WhiteHand can't always get on the forums every day. I had to put aside about a half hour each day with the railway picture competition - while it won't be quite so bad with the graphics comp, we need to ensure that whoever leads the competition has a lot of time - and we all know that I spend a lot of time on the forums

I certainly think a new thread is in order, however. The old one is full of tripe.

[orudge]

I'm happy for Dave, or whoever else may be voted in, to take over the competition with the rules as you're all deciding. If everyone's happy, or the majority at least, then that's good.

UTC is the definite way forward - midnight UTC would be the deadline. I'm ALWAYS up at midnight.

Just a little note to remind you that midnight UTC is 1am BST, so you'd have to be up then over the summer.

[Dave]

Well with that, I think I would like to become the organiser of the competition.

Support has been offered and no one has objected.

[Raichase]

I'd say it's Dave all the way - Feel free to start the new contest when you please Dave, and if you need anything moderated, give me a buzz.

I'm glad we can all work together on this.

[Oz]

You da man, Dave! If all of the agreed upon changes posted here are implemented, you've got my support 100%. It'll be nice to get this mess put behind us, and let the artists do what the artists do best. (I my case it's staring blankly at the computer screen for hours on end thinking, "how in the hell am I going to draw THAT?!" )

Cheers!

[Griff]

Just looked at the new thread in graphics - looks to have been done well, it clearly outlines everything so i dont feel there should be any problems.

[wallyweb]

ALL COMMENTS SHOULD GO TO THE THREAD IN FORUM SUGGESTIONS AND FEEDBACK. THANKS!

This should be a live link to this topic.

Nice job with the rules Davey.

... thinking, "how in the hell am I going to draw THAT?!" )

Wanna borrow my pencil?

[Raichase]

ALL COMMENTS SHOULD GO TO THE THREAD IN FORUM SUGGESTIONS AND FEEDBACK. THANKS!

This should be a live link to this topic.

I agree - especially as this topic is no longer stickied (it was stickied while it was a hot issue, but now that everything is normal again, it will sink away unless you link to it).

[George]

We need to have the mechanism of validating "was the submission accepted for the award?" in the rules, don't we?

[Dave]

See my PM about this issue - I will announce every submission in the thread.

[wallyweb]

I see there are several posts in the contest thread that belong here and I wish to add my own point or two, so please excuse the long list of quotes.

I don't understand exactly what needs to be done. I've read every word of every post, and all I can see is that this is a graphics competition. There are no guide lines to what exactly should be drawn.

Or am I missing something?

You're missing something.

You can draw whatever you like.

As long as you place a short description which includes inspiration, what it is a graphical version of, or whatever, its allowed in the hat.

So it has to be a graphic recreation of something real?

Eg. The Eiffel Tower. etc.

No - it can be anything fictional or non-fictional. But you should outline how anything fictional came about. Please ask these questions in the comment thread (as linked in the first post). I'm asking a mod for these posts to be split into it.

Eg. The Eiffel Tower. etc.

I think the Eiffel tower would be too big when drawn at correct scale. I don't think TTD can handle such large (sprites for) buildings (or industries).

If the artist submits a graphic that is out of scale it will be apparent when Davey releases the images of the submissions at which point the votes and comments will drive home the point. That said, something like the Eifle Tower can be drawn as long as the height does not go beyond the 15th elevation, beyond which there is clipping. Also, the base should be kept within a reasonable 4x4. I recommend 2x2.

Davey, why don't you move that link to this thread to the top of your first post. A lot of people don't take the time to read a full post, especially if it contains rules and other mundane stuff.

Another question for you, Mr.Worley: After you release the submissions for voting, will the thread be open for comments?