*** July 09 Challenge - Enchantment***

[Steel General]

I've taken to wearing an asbestos suit...keeps the burn to a minimum, but what a bonus... Cancer!

[Immolate]

Ouch, that's a burn and a half!

GP

When he burns, you're supposed to dodge! (a little Photoshop humor there. Yeah I know. Very little)

But seriously folks... I think we're all going to miss GP's challenge entries now that he's retired so that he doesn't discourage the rest of us. I think there should be a Master's Challenge, where only those who have won a regular challenge before can compete with others of their level of ability, and from where they never feel compelled to retire to make room for the up-and-comers.

Here are my thoughts: a Master's Challenge could be open-ended, or themed. I think we all like a theme, so I lean in that direction, but then again, I'm not a master. It could be at two or three month intervals to allow time for the awesome maps that we've seen so often here, and to save the community leaders from contest fatigue and the rest of us from voting fatigue.

And what do you think of this idea... At the end of the contest time, instead of putting up a poll, have someone go through and count each contestant's reputation, then ask the community to give rep to the contestants that they liked best. They could vote for as many or as few as they'd like, though I suspect there would be only a handful of contestants in any given contest, and whoever got the most rep in the next few days would win the compass. This does give the masters themselves a disproportionate "vote" in deciding who wins, but itmakes sense that those who put the most into the forum and their work get the biggest say. They should know.

That last thought was probably fruit loops, but I'm not a good judge of my own ideas

I'm just thinking that it wouldn't cost anything and could give people like GP something to design for besides the old game group/novel/getting paid motivations. And it could produce some very inspiring pieces.

[ravells]

For me, this is taking the 'contest' a step too far. We're here to help each other, not to have some sort of Karate Kid tournament. The object of all the challenges we run has been to allow people to work to a time limit so that they feel compelled to finish making a map. We don't really care if the map is good, bad or indifferent...the point is that you have produced a map, impelled by a time limit. The voting and the awards are really a bit of a sideshow, the really important bit of the challenges is to take part and work to surprise yourself about what you can do and to raise your own standards a little higher...

hope this makes sense, because this is really the point of the guild. In the end you're really competing against that image in your head you want to reproduce so everyone can see it and enjoy it.

It's not really being 'better' than anyone else.

ravs

[Jykke]

That's a very good answer ravells. Actually so good that I just have to rep you for that.

[Steel General]

Well said Ravs...

[Immolate]

That makes good sense. The contests had been here for a long time when I got here so I see them differently from those who watched them be born and evolve. I respect the perspective of the old timers who want to preserve valuable aspects of the culture here. Any of you who have traveled the internet for a long time know just how rare this kind of community is.

[Gandwarf]

That makes good sense. The contests had been here for a long time when I got here so I see them differently from those who watched them be born and evolve. I respect the perspective of the old timers who want to preserve valuable aspects of the culture here. Any of you who have traveled the internet for a long time know just how rare this kind of community is.

This community is pretty rare, yes. It has been at least 7 years since I was last active on a forum (non-lurking).

[Ascension]

I kind of liked the idea, shrug. I don't agree with the rep voting cuz some of us have bigger sticks than others but you could change that to straight votes. As to the purpose of the challenges, I'm pretty much with what Ravs has said. I look at the challenges as an opportunity to try something new or maybe learn something different...like a real apprenticeship. Which is why I have always thought that there should be more entries.

[Gamerprinter]

My reasons for Challenge retirement are multi-fold:

1. As I already stated, I don't want my creative and mapping expertise to outshine otherwise great entries simply due to my own experience and skill. I have received some friendly complaints in the past by lesser skilled mappers in trying to compete against me in any challenge. Plus I have 4 Challenge awards now, isn't that enough?

2. My workload prevents it - from 3pp map commissions to my own development of Kaidan, when I participate in a challenge, I go full board, which prevents me from the work I should be doing. My workload is getting heavier, not lighter.

3. More and more, when I participate in a Challenge, I love my own ideas so much, that I immediately start thinking of RPG products to produce based on them. I think its unfair to take Guild material and convert to my personal gain, which is another reason for my reluctance in further involvement with challenges.

In the past, I have participated in challenges I didn't plan on entering, but once finding a lack of participants, I entered in order to inspire others to join in as well, seeing what ideas I bring to otherwise difficult to work with themes. My first challenge win was for the November 07 challenge which had an Old West theme, and after the first week there were no entries at all, so I entered so the Monthly Challenge wouldn't get burned from non participation. In the end only RobA too entered near the end of that month.

I still really love participating in Challenges, its an excellent exercise and has lead to many improvements in my skill, style and technique - I make better maps now, because of Challenge participation. Plus, I admit because of my "good ideas", I enjoy showing off!

So a Masters Mapping Challenge, while not a bad idea - competing against new blood isn't the only reason for my retirement. And I think only a handful of mappers here at the Guild qualify for such a Masters Tournament. Many of us are busy with our own lives and projects and I could see a Master's Challenge only having 1 to 3 participants which wouldn't be enough for variety or fun. Once we have an army of Challenge Winners, then this idea might be worth pursuing - just my 2 cents on that.

GP

[Jykke]

the thumbs page looks somewhat outdated.