Banner contests and how to improve them

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,208]

The second banner contest has ended. It sure was a close competition, a thrill ride of it knowing what was going to happen and...wait, it wasn't. From day one of the voting the winner became painfully obvious as it got a flood of votes early on. Only on the last day did it kinda seem like that would change.

 

See, when the votes for that entry started flooding in, the main and honestly only reason I seen was 'Trixie'. That's it. I seen other things for other entries saying 'We have had too much mane 6' or 'The theme doesn't fit with the forums', so it kinda felt like entry 10 was the winner from the start as it seems everyone was just wanting a Trixie banner and not much else.

 

This zapped the fun for me, I know the contests are supposed to be fun but seeing as how the rest of the entries almost had no chance, it made it feel like a blowout. Apparently the first contest suffered the same fate. I am probably alone on this though.

 

How can this be fixed? Here is my suggestion:

Pre-contest vote

Before the actual contest is hosted, we ask the community what they want to see, what character they feel deserves the spotlight, was theme do they think would be interesting to see for that character, things like that.

 

How would that help? For starters, character bias could be thrown out the window entirely for the actual contest. Second, it would give everyone a more clear idea on what to make. Now, some have said that this could 'limit creativity' but at least 3 of the entries were about the mane 6 and I distinctly remember others saying 'we have had too much mane 6'. There is no way the ones submitting those could have known that was the opinion of the community. Third reason, we could potentially see characters or themes we have never seen before. In that way it could open up the possibilities.

 

Again, I am not saying anything about any entries here, I just feel like this could be a better way to do the contests. Then at other times we could have random free for alls where the goal is to make whatever. Also, as a side note, I also feel like that the losers of the contests need a little more acknowledgement too but that is just my opinion entirely.

 

So that is my suggestion, not sure if it matters.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,882]

The winning entry had 63 votes.

 

The second place entry had 57.

 

Not really seeing much of a runaway here, to be honest. 

 

In any case, I think this is supposed to be fun for all involved - you can have fun without winning. Express yourself in your banner and make it something you enjoy making - that's what matters most in the end. You can have fun making a banner or you can have fun voting. In any case, winning isn't everything. Just express yourself in the banner and have making it, dude That's what matters most.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,208]

The winning entry had 63 votes.

 

The second place entry had 57.

 

Not really seeing much of a runaway here, to be honest. 

 

In any case, I think this is supposed to be fun for all involved - you can have fun without winning. Express yourself in your banner and make it something you enjoy making - that's what matters most in the end. You can have fun making a banner or you can have fun voting. In any case, winning isn't everything. Just express yourself in the banner and have making it, dude That's what matters most.

The second place did not get that influx of votes until the final day, before that it was 'Entry 10 is going to win'.

 

Winning isn't everything, sure, but I sure don't see the losers getting any acknowledgment now.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,882]

The second place did not get that influx of votes until the final day, before that it was 'Entry 10 is going to win'

Of course, that sharp influx of votes constituted a possible comeback. Entry 9 gained a huge amount of votes in a single day, and Entry #10 barely managed to eep out a win. It was possible, and even still it hardly matters Make it something everyone can enjoy, and you don't have to win or even be acknowledged to enjoy yourself, you know?

 

 

 

Winning isn't everything, sure, but I sure don't see the losers getting any acknowledgment now.

But what does acknowledgement matter? Again, what I'm trying to say is that you can have fun without getting showered in attention. That's why I don't like the ideas listed above - self-expression and freedom makes it less of a contest and more of a lighthearted little poll that everyone can enjoy. 

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,208]

Of course, that sharp influx of votes constituted a possible comeback. Entry 9 gained a huge amount of votes in a single day, and Entry #10 barely managed to eep out a win. It was possible, and even still it hardly matters Make it something everyone can enjoy, and you don't have to win or even be acknowledged to enjoy yourself, you know?

 

 

 

 

But what does acknowledgement matter? Again, what I'm trying to say is that you can have fun without getting showered in attention. That's why I don't like the ideas listed above - self-expression and freedom makes it less of a contest and more of a lighthearted little poll that everyone can enjoy. 

Acknowledgement matters to me. It means people see your work and know the actually tried to do something different, something unique. I had confidence in my banner but it was ignored because it did not have a character everyone wanted. That did not feel too good. At the very least they could have the thing at the top link to all of the entries so even though we lost, everyone knows what we did.

 

Even then, acknowledgement isn't my main point here. I gave other reasons for my suggestions...

[Jeric 46,892]

 

 

The second place did not get that influx of votes until the final day, before that it was 'Entry 10 is going to win'.

 

Right, but I believe that may be what Ghost is talking about, the end result was not a runaway win. Last minute surges and vote changes can effect the outcome. It almost did this time. 

 

 

 

For starters, character bias could be thrown out the window entirely for the actual contest.

 

Eliminate character bias in this fandom would be an exercise in futility. Only if you are going to set the theme as a Mane Six theme (which would be boring all the time) or with someone like Flash Sentry would that work. In the latter example, I doubt you will get many takers, or interested votes. 

 

 

 

 

Before the actual contest is hosted, we ask the community what they want to see, what character they feel deserves the spotlight, was theme do they think would be interesting to see for that character, things like that.

 

 

The first few contests were announced as going to be theme-less and that themes will come later.  

 

 

 

 Third reason, we could potentially see characters or themes we have never seen before

 

Like Trixie!

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,208]

Right, but I believe that may be what Ghost is talking about, the end result was not a runaway win. Last minute surges and vote changes can effect the outcome. It almost did this time. 

 

 

 

Eliminate character bias in this fandom would be an exercise in futility. Only if you are going to set the theme as a Mane Six theme (which would be boring all the time) or with someone like Flash Sentry would that work. In the latter example, I doubt you will get many takers, or interested votes. 

 

 

 

 

The first few contests were announced as going to be theme-less and that themes will come later.  

 

 

 

Like Trixie!

Never mind then, just delete this thread. My words really are worth nothing. Just like everything else I do.

[Jeric 46,892]

No, the themes are a good idea. Perhaps a hidden poll would satisfy the need for additional voting anonymity. 

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,208]

No, the themes are a good idea. Perhaps a hidden poll would satisfy the need for additional voting anonymity.

 

You said themes are happening anyways and everything else I said was stupid apparently so this thread has little purpose now.

ACTUALLY, I want to say one more thing.

 

If the contest is purely for fun or whatever, then doesn't the big ticker thing at the top telling us who won seem entirely unnecessary? The banner is at the top of the page, we know who won.

[mars 4,863]

You said themes are happening anyways and everything else I said was stupid apparently so this thread has little purpose now.

ACTUALLY, I want to say one more thing.

 

If the contest is purely for fun or whatever, then doesn't the big ticker thing at the top telling us who won seem entirely unnecessary? The banner is at the top of the page, we know who won.

What's wrong with a little acknowledgement and a pat on the head for the winner? Did you not say acknowledgement was a good thing? They won a contest, they should get a moment of glory.

[Dattebayo 2,850]

you can have fun without winning.[/color]

 

Winning=fun

Losing=crushing disappointment

 

Everyone who says otherwise is lying or is disgustingly optimistic x)

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,208]

What's wrong with a little acknowledgement and a pat on the head for the winner? Did you not say acknowledgement was a good thing? They won a contest, they should get a moment of glory.

I was told acknowledgement wasn't the point and that it doesn't matter, yet they feel that it is necessary to glorify the winner even though the winner gets glorified anyway. If I recall, their name is right next to the banner. In the past, that was enough for me. People knew who made the banner and that worked fine. Now, we have to have a big sign that says 'THIS PERSON IS WINNER' The moment of glory is having your banner up for an entire month. It wasn't that way before.

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to have a link to a thread that has all of the entries in it? That way everyone knows what we did too. That would be nice for everyone. I would be making this suggestion even if I would have won.

Winning=fun

Losing=crushing disappointment

Everyone who says otherwise is lying or is disgustingly optimistic x)

Losing does not equal crushing disappointment.

 

Losing and then having your work be completely ignored and forgotten does equal that.

[Dattebayo 2,850]

Is there a difference, really?

You lost regardless. Your best attempt at something didn't cut it, and now you het nothing but a pat on the back and a wayward glance for.your hard work.

 

Kind of makes me glad I missed the deadline.

No way I could put up a fight against Trixie AND butt.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Dattebayo

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,208]

Is there a difference, really?

You lost regardless. Your best attempt at something didn't cut it, and now you het nothing but a pat on the back and a wayward glance for.your hard work.

Kind of makes me glad I missed the deadline.

No way I could put up a fight against Trixie AND butt.

Yes, there is a difference. Nobody acknowledges what I did. Nobody acknowledges my banner. The only time they do is when I bring it up. I guarantee it's the same way for the rest of the losers too. If I know people can at least see my work and know what I did, then losing won't really bother me. Instead all that is focused on is the winner and the winner alone for everything. The winner gets their banner up, fine, they get that, they won, but then it's like all other entries are completely forgotten about, as if they don't matter at all now.

[Shift 4,277]

I lost too, mate. (Mine was the Pixel one if you really wanted to know) I'm not crying; sometimes we lose, sometimes we win. The winner gets acknowledged because he or she won and that's the one the forum wants. This isn't about the outcome, this is about HAVING FUN. We already gave you the pat on the back for trying, but you aren't getting any consolation prize. I have submitted banners that haven't made it before the contests and i'm not getting acknowledged for the work I put into them. You aren't going to get a treasure chest saying 'THANKS FOR TRYING'. You aren't going to get that banner on the top of the forum because this was a competition and you lost (But hey, neither am I, and i'm cool with that) . Let it go.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Shift