Jan / Feb 2016 Lite Mapping Challenge: Map a Tomb VOTING

[Chick]

Starting about 2 weeks ago, after conversations with three different members here about exactly this problem, I put together my own list of criteria/standards by which I would judge the challenges. It was not my intention to make this public, but since the issue as been brought out into the open, I have decided I will.

This may not be for everyone, but I do think it's a fair and balanced view of how any competition in cartography could be judged.


CHICK'S CRITERIA

Map: The map must be a map, not just a pretty picture. Depending on the challenge basis, the map should have clear indications of location and/or compass directions, identifiers of locations within the map, and depict something that requires navigation through the area by the map user.


Completeness: The map must be complete, finished, and ready to use as a navigational aid. Challenges are timed events and unfinished maps, no matter how attractive, should never qualify for votes.


Theme: The map satisfies the description of the challenge, clearly meeting all the criteria posted as the basis of the challenge.


Artistry: The map must be attractive, easy to read, understandable, with harmonious coloring if colored or well-shaded if greyscale. The elements of the map should fit together well, with matching and appropriate styles and textures.


Layout: The map elements should be laid out neatly in a way that draws the viewer/user's eye to the parts that are most important. Peripheral sections should be connected to their location or purpose in the main part of the map. Neatlines, borders, legends, compasses and other decorative elements should be in places that are useful but don't detract from the main map.


Content: The map should be rich with details, showing not just the main locations, but giving the viewer a sense of being in a real place with lots of variety and depth.


Challenge: The map should be and show advancement of the cartographer's skills. If it is similar to a map that the person has previously done, it was not a challenge.

[ChickPea]

Chick, I used Google Maps to assist me in getting the layout of my paths correct, but I want to be clear that every element (apart from the Scotland map) was created from scratch by me. There was no copy/pasting. I wanted the layout to be reasonably accurate, and Google Maps was a useful reference. I haven't seen that other map you linked to before and my colours are not the same.

With regard to your disappointment over voting patterns, well, you said yourself that there is a total lack of criteria therefore it's understandable that people vote by their own rules, even if their choices feel odd to others. Perhaps the CLs should discuss implementing some guidelines on this subject.

I have not experienced any old boys network. At all.

[Diamond]

Can I just interject here? You are all WAY overthinking this. It is an internet contest without prizes (except for a compass made of pixels, and the rare times when a sponsor offers something). We're not handing out Nobel Prizes here; if there has to be this much angsty angst over an internet challenge then I would say perhaps you (a figurative you, not a specific you!) need to step back and take a breath.

It's really aggravating to me personally that something that has worked so well for so long is now suddenly the object of so much debate and worry.

[ravells]

It used to happen a lot more in the past (not so much now - but I've been away from the Guild for awhile) that people would do mini crits of the maps in the challenge and say why they voted the way they did. A long time ago we (the CLs) talked about voting criteria but it was so amorphous that we felt it best to leave it up to the voters to decide which map they liked best and to use whatever criteria they wanted. I voted for 3. Bogies map (mainly because I loved the colours and the layout), Chickpeas (mostly because it looked so professionally done) and GLS (mostly because it had a vitality that only hand drawn maps can give - and it was in black and white which is always an extra challenge in my book).

GLS has nailed it in post #12 above as to why we have these challenges and his conclusions were exactly the conclusions the CLs came to when the contests were in their infancy.

[Gudern]

Side note: This community thrives on constructive criticism--it's what makes us better. But I have to tell you that I think your criticism is somewhat less than constructive, and teetering on offensive. I realize you say that you meant no offense, but just because you didn't mean to run over the cat doesn't mean it didn't happen.


-IG

I must have violated some unwritten tabou seeing the reactions
I take just this comment which is representative of many posts.
Industrygothica you have certainly not even read what I wrote in my first post and instinctively react on something that you invented and what has no relationship with my issue.
Why do you (and some others) focus on some perceived criticism which would be offensive and just short of having to be forbidden ?

Where did you see ANY criticism in my first post ? Puzzlement ? Yes. Questions ? Yes. Criticism ? Nowhere.
Or is naming non original work by the words "non original" teetering on offensive ? Is naming a copy "a copy" a problem you have ? Well yes, I stand by it - this picture was a copy of existing photographs and maps. So what ?
Almost everybody voted for it so I ask why. So what ?
Even despite the caveat that there was no offense meant, you will soon accuse me of killing baby seals It's your unlucky analogy with killing cats that is really doing more than only "teetering on offensive".

Ok as apparently people prefer that I shut up because there are questions that shouldn't be asked , I'll shut up about this issue of what are the voting criteria of people here.
I have no problem with it - I am just a newbie and if it is a tabou here for whatever reason, I'll respect it.

[J.Edward]

I must have violated some unwritten tabou seeing the reactions
I take just this comment which is representative of many posts.
Industrygothica you have certainly not even read what I wrote in my first post and instinctively react on something that you invented and what has no relationship with my issue.
Why do you (and some others) focus on some perceived criticism which would be offensive and just short of having to be forbidden ?

Where did you see ANY criticism in my first post ? Puzzlement ? Yes. Questions ? Yes. Criticism ? Nowhere.
Or is naming non original work by the words "non original" teetering on offensive ? Is naming a copy "a copy" a problem you have ? Well yes, I stand by it - this picture was a copy of existing photographs and maps. So what ?
Almost everybody voted for it so I ask why. So what ?
Even despite the caveat that there was no offense meant, you will soon accuse me of killing baby seals It's your unlucky analogy with killing cats that is really doing more than only "teetering on offensive".

Ok as apparently people prefer that I shut up because there are questions that shouldn't be asked , I'll shut up about this issue of what are the voting criteria of people here.
I have no problem with it - I am just a newbie and if it is a tabou here for whatever reason, I'll respect it.

Has nothing to do with questions that shouldn't be asked.
Frankly, it's your tone and attitude. They come off like you're a bit rude and presumptuous.
You could easily have phrased your question differently. Less rant-ish and more inquisitive.

Your question sits there with an attitude like you already know why people vote a certain way, and you don't like or agree with it.
People can choose to answer your 'question' if they like, but they owe you nothing.
No one is obligated to answer you.
Don't play coy. You're just being crass intentionally.

[- Max -]

Wait...I just see Carnifex copying the exact shape of a map of Middle Earth in the current regular challenge! Burn him with fire! This won't have my vote! Ah well..it will...nevermind

[industrygothica]

So, to me, what this all boils down to is this:

Congrats, ChickPea, on a well deserved win!

On to the next challenge..


-IG

[Larb]

I don't want to get too in to this but this is basically how I make my voting decisions:

1) No more than three votes. This can be difficult because there will usually be more than three things I really like but I've very rarely broken that rule. And it is also because if I just vote for everything then it feels like I shouldn't have bothered voting at all.
2) Do I really like it? In the past I have voted for some things that, while not as technically superior as other entries, I just thought worked really well overall.
3) Is it finished? I always prefer to give more weight to finished maps. I've seen some amazing unfinished maps but I feel I should vote mainly for the finished ones.

I will sometimes vote for something that is really out there or different even if it didn't work out as well as the creator hoped just because it was a great idea.

I don't play favourites and I don't think most people here do either. And I do agree with the sentiment that they are supposed to be challenges, not full-on competitions.

However if you'd like my paypal account name for votes I am sure we can come to an arrangement... =P

[ravells]

I think this discussion has run its course.