23 replies to this topic

[NoeL]

I was thinking, since a lot of people don't seem to be happy with the "pros" winning all the time (pros of course being those that can create attractive custom tiles), why not strip SOTW right back to the bones and make it a screen-design contest rather than an art show?

The week before, underneath the submissions, Hero Link could release a small tile sheet (or two, or three different themes for variety) from which the screenshots have to be composed from. The end result will be three or four shots that all have the same graphics, so you can only judge on shot composition.

There'll be a decline in the variety of shots which could lead to even less interest, but at least everyone will be on a level playing field... for a while.

[Siguy]

No. Then the shots wouldn't be from real games, and would be bland. The point of screenshot of the week is for people to post screenshot and vote which one they think is best. All the elements from the screenshot count, and then there wouldn't be any of those amazing screenshots. There wouldn't be any eye-candy either.

[link3505]

Siguy is right. It's SCREENSHOT of the Week, not Design of the Week. Graphics are as big a part as design

Also, Siguy made the point that the screens would be made only for SotW, not a quest, which is what SotW is supposed to be about

[Sharon Daniel]

Screenshot of the Week is kind of dead right now, so I don't see how this change could hurt it. If this idea doesn't generate interest, then SotW will just stay dead.

[Peteo]

As everyone already said: NO!

[ShadowTiger]

Sounds to me like you want to remain king of the crop, Peteo. Maybe people don't like to lose a game they don't think they can win, eh?

[Comix]

I think we could give it a try. I like nice graphics but usually the screens are just well made graphics. With this idea Relic won't automatically win

Well maybe...

[Revfan9]

...No. Just no. I'm sorry, but this is possibly the worst idea I have ever heard. Eww...

If anything needs to change, it's that we need to get someone without a life to run SotW. Hero Link is married with kids on the way. I'm not saying that makes him a bad person, but not exactly a good canidate to have a commitment with something that would run a very low priority in his life (such as getting online every week to start the new SotW). SotW 147 is nearly a week late now, and Hero Link is nowhere in sight. He hasn't even started a topic complaining yet.

[Radien]

If it aint broke, don't fix it. I am VERY doubtful that SOTW will ever truly die. The level of interest is usually parallel to the level of interest in ZC/ZQuest.

The thing here is that the combination of graphics editing + design is what draws people to SOTW. Notice that Tile of the Week and most other contests have failed at one time or another. This is probably because they attempt to subdivide the criteria into smaller stuff that people don't care as much about.

If such a contest were ever to happen, it would have to be separate from SOTW, and I would recommend limiting people to a single (but popular) tileset. Limiting them anymore than that could give them the feeling of having a chokehold on their creativity, which would cause them to not participate.


P.S. -

By the way, I am also of the opinion that using the abbreviation "_OTW" to describe every single contest that goes on here at PureZC is not only redundant, it gives the impression that it is inferior to SOTW and destined to fall to the wayside after a few weeks. But it seems that's not enough to stop people from trying it, repeatedly...

[Peteo]

Indeed, don't fix it if it ain't broke, and it isn't broke. SOTW is perfect the way it is. It's just too bad that PZC members cannot stand losing and are too afraid to enter. *sigh*
But even bigger problem IMO is that the SOTW is run so poorly. Nothing personal against Hero Link, but he just can't get the job done. Apparently he has family and is busy with his own lifem why not get someone motivated and someone without a life to run SOTW?

Oh well, why this means so much to me? Well I've always loved SOTW and I think it is a perfect and popular place to show your screenshots to the ZC community. All this negativity and inactivity regarding SOTW is just.. well, killing me.

[Freedom]

Seems they did this in the public schools a few years back....
Not everyone could compete so they just lowered the standards for everyone, and we see how that turned out.
Would it then be named PC-SOTW?

Id say if you want to win a sotw, then make a better sotw then the next guy, instead of cutting his hands off to keep his shot out of the competition.

This rates up there with the worst suggestions of all time.

[Revfan9]

Yep. No quest maker left behind... lolz

Elaborating on Freedom's comment, perhaps we can have 2: One for people who can't draw custom graphics and for those who can. That way, people who are in the latter can laugh at the people who can't draw custom graphics and SotW will die.

[Radien]

Freedom:

I see no reason why political opinions need to be expressed in a topic about a video game screenshot contest. Let's keep on topic, please.

[Revfan9]

Not to argue with a mod, but it seems to me like he was comparing it to NoeL's suggestion.

Hero Link is too busy with his Wife and kid that he has coming, and when his kid is born we won't see any of him for months. We need someone without a life to do it.

...I wouldn't dare... <_< >_>

*dares*

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What about meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee??

*Hero Link pops out of nowhere and zaps me to death with the lasers in his eyes*

*diez*

But seriously, we need someone who has nothing better to do than get SotW in on time.

[Radien]

Not to argue with a mod, but it seems to me like he was comparing it to NoeL's suggestion.

Specifically, a comparison was made between NoeL's idea and an opinion about a political topic. I believe the term for this is "opening a whole new can of worms." Since further political retorts would be obviously off-topic, using political opinion as a point of comparison isn't appropriate.