Your thoughts on Custom Contests

[daremo]

Originally Posted by chief_1

Well, my only experience was a Slaughterhouse contest, which i didn't even come close to winning, but it was a ton of fun.

My only thoughts on what you brought up would be:

-No classes of customizer. Don't seperate by assumed talent level or prior success.

-1 judge, or small pre-selected panel.


The best part of the experience for me was just being a part of all the crazy creativity that happened. I don't expect to win the next one, but i will have as many entries as i can come up with...

Not even close?!?!?! Whack-A-Bill and the Jackson strike Force were great! Instant classics, man.

Seperate, don't seperate, so close...

1 judge works pretty well, and I do like a small group vote.

[starwarsgeek]

Originally Posted by Steelgrave

The prizes usually suck & the one that I think is the best never wins. Usually the guy that uses play-doh wins & the guy with the real talent gets the shaft.

But the one that was the majority best always wins ;)

That's the other big problem with contests of ANY kind - you'll never make everyone happy, someone will always be the loser, and you can't avoid sour grapes.

[Crimson God]

i haven't entered a custom contest yet, and not because i don't have decent ideas and skill, but most of my stuff is just extensions or modernizations of existing units or concepts.
also i noticed that most of the recognition for custom work is given to core characters and i have nothing of the sort to offer.
aside from that guys like tank driver have the market locked down on new concepts and others like TTT have the super skill to do things i can't even begin to imagine is possible from the comfort of my work space ,lol !

i guess when the right one comes up i'll get my act together and sing up for one !

[A.V.A.C.]

the best part about contests is winning a few and everyone hating you for it. ?? nothing but stand up maturity all around. of course, these are toys.

[CdtWeasel]

Originally Posted by chief_1

Well, my only experience was a Slaughterhouse contest, which i didn't even come close to winning, but it was a ton of fun.

My only thoughts on what you brought up would be:

-No classes of customizer. Don't seperate by assumed talent level or prior success.

-1 judge, or small pre-selected panel.


The best part of the experience for me was just being a part of all the crazy creativity that happened. I don't expect to win the next one, but i will have as many entries as i can come up with...

trust me, you were close. I have learned that it aint easy being a judge. Well at least when you get a ton of quality thrown your way.

[rpope]

For me I enter for the challenge and the prizes, and when the prizes are custom related like to any of the great sites for parts, is what gets me to enter. I have only won one of the contests that I have entered, and I can say that any prize that you get for your work is worth it no matter what the prize is. The challenge is also great, because you get to see what others have created for the topic, as well as seeing what I can create out of the parts that I have.
As for separating into groups, I would just prefer to one main group for everyone, again it adds to challenging yourself to create the best custom that you can.
In regards to voting I really don't mind either way. Whether its the whole forum voting or a few selected people, its your contest and prizes you should pick how you want to find the winners and if you want to pick the winners yourself fine, or if you want everyone to decide thats cool too.
My last thoughts are entering the contests are just ways to keep me occupied in some of my free time, with something that I enjoy doing, if I wasn't entering the figures in contests I would still be making something and putting on these boards to share with everyone else anyways, and if someone wants to award me with more figures or gift certificates for more custom fodder then it makes it even more worth while.

[CallMeChuckles]

Originally Posted by i<3COBRALA

voting should be a set group of people No public forum voting

i would like just to see something different then the same 4 ideas over and over. i want to see something that has not been done..but again kinda hard to pick that out

This^^^ Ha! I love only having to type "this"!

[RayH]

I never enter contest usually because they go against what I'm working on. Like say the contest was to make the best snake eyes figure or something, right now my focus is on finishing the characters in MGS3, and i don't really have a need for another snake eyes in my collection. And I don't want to take away my customizing time away from what i'm trying to finish. So It'd have to be something that I'm interested in making.

I'm also really slow, The stuff i work on allot is mostly really sculpture intensive. And it takes a long time to do, and i proabbly wouldn't make the deadline.

and on a side note thats been brought up on this post, thats another thing that bugs me. When people just vote for characters they like, instead of what actually the best made. I remember that being a big problem back when they used to have the custom of the year awards.

[Pyroclasm]

Having run 3 customs contests so far, I agree with what has been said about trying to get participants. One thing that I changed was getting one of my sponsors to offer up prizes to everyone who enters a valid entry who doesn't place. It works right now because we don't have a ton of people entering. it may not work for you because there are so many people who visit Hisstank regularly.
We also do not do forum wide voting. The reasons have mostly been stated throughout this thread already. The forum community at large doesn't really understand the criteria for a good custom. They would often vote for popular character or forum member (or vote against the grain for some reason). We have a small committee that ranks all entered customs and the scores are determined from that.
Regardless of everyone's opinion, I hope you do continue doing your contests. Contests, regardless of the rules, help to give people a creative push. And in the grand scheme, isn't that what we as customizers want?

[arch2b]

Originally Posted by daremo

I'm hoping you do another one in about 2 years. I think my son will be old enough by then. I can't wait to work on projects with the little guy.

Participation is especially hard during the holidays, which I found out. It should have been obvious to me, oh well. It's also hard to find that perfect mix of prizes and theme to attract participants that will follow through with their plans. Life gets in way of my customizing a lot, lol.

i'm sure i will. right now my kids are kinda burnt out on joes and entranced with their xbox360. when the movie line stuff goes on clearance i'll pick up a bunch for prizes again and get another contest rolling. how old is you son? my youngest started at 4 years old.