im not OR member for a long time(since april) but i found out the award when they were awarded(if that makes any sense).
anyway, i didnt know that awards were being held, and i think i want to enter in one(just for fun im not so good in painting and other stuff)

so i think more advertising will help

i think i'll join next time^^

being an ignorant colonist on the wrong side of the planet, I don't really know when Europe, UK and North America have their school summer break (and don't say "summer"). Is it July/August?

Should that be the best time to run the competitions then? Entries accepted during August and voting runs during September - that way people have the summer months to get their entries finished.

This disadvantages us Antipodeans (i.e. Aussies and Kiwis) somewhat, but we're a tough breed and can take it - we'd even tie one of our paintbrushes behind our backs to make it a fair competition for the rest of the world, wouldn't we lads?

Erm, back on topic - should we run it during August for next year's competition then?

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Dagster

Yes, I think that would be better than June. Or like I said, February/March (that way we won't have to wait for so long for the next awards ).

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Ole Blood'n'guts...

I think a lot of people will be out on holidays in that time, with no time to make and/or enter. Perhaps September with voting in October?

Same oppinion here I think that would be the best option fo all

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My WiP thread

www.independent-painters.blogspot.com/

I personally like Olle's idea of February/March time best, though I think the September/October idea is a good one too.

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TO9G - 2010 Isengard

September/October all the way!

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Hmm... what would a chair look like if your knees bent the other way?

february/march sounds good
that way you can get a model as christmas gift, and have enough time to paint it proper, and than upload it
what do you think?

Yes, that's good for members that don't have that much money to buy miniatures for (like me).

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Ole Blood'n'guts...

BaruKhazad wrote:


Hallpers wrote:


I agree with both the above statements. February/March seems best.
And just in time for my birthday.

I'd have to agree....Feb/Mar or Sept/Oct.

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No one feels as helpless as the owner of a sick goldfish.

Hmm, while I am happy to run the competitions in Feb/Mar next year, the prizes for this year have cleaned out our funds.

I was planning on doing another dice offer early next year to raise cash again for the next OR Awards, but it's a bit too soon after the last one to do it before this coming Feb.

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Dagster

1. I thought it was good enough, but now I think we should come up with something... (maybe something like a special "awards" layout which demands lots of programmng once again (heh, sorry to mention this idea Alan), or maybe starting a month (or even more) before the entering-period a weekly pop-up while logging in (however pop-ups might be blocked for some...). e.g. Myself always logs in automatically on the 'posts since last visit' forum-page, makes me blind for the actual 'home-page' and it's advertentions. I overlook all posts though, but I'm sure not everyone has the same method as me...

2. It wasn't hard for me, but then again I'm becoming an old rot here.
As mentioned before, a link next to the "enter"-button to the rules or guidelines might help, aswell as a (annoying) pop-up screen...

3. It was mentioned this time, but maybe people didn't have a clear idea of what was coming... Now after this first time we have something to show next year. what they can expect..

4. Yes, definately. I even think people should not be allowed to post heir award entry in their personal gallery before the voting is over (but then again that makes another extra rule people will easily overlook and lead to cancellations and less entries in the end..

5. NO! As was said before, I aswell would hate to see extraterrestials coming to OR just to steal away the prizes and never turn back. Will also easily attract cheaters I think.

6. Categories are fine, what can we change about it anyway? I love the system we used this time in all aspects.

7.

8. (Mac's question about timing): Since I'm not a schoolboy anymore, I always tend to foget June means examns in Europe (hmm.. on second thoughts... I think I forgot that when I was a schoolboy aswell...).
So I must agree then, sept/october or march/april...
Let's see... Sept/Oct = gold demon month...
March/april = nothing yet... appart from 3-4 months behind X-mas-prezzie-month... might bring us awards in the Easter-period...

Maybe... we could start advertising in September... start entries on the first of March and start voting on the first of April...
Or relating to the history of Middle-Earth...
September: Hobbits set out from Bag End... (= campaign on advertising here, working on your goal)
Half a year later, end of March, destruction of the one ring, final decision after the long road (= throwing your entry into the pit of doom)... After the destruction, sorting out again (= voting)... (also start of the new (fourth) age a few years later...)

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CMON-gallery

Perhaps. I am all too aware of the shield icon and the rapidly approaching awards as time ticks away and I panic about completion! but newer members or those who have not entered before may need it to be clearer.


I have never found it so.


This could be a good motivating force for many. I know that the quality of prizes are fantastic and have got better year on year!


Possibly. I like this idea as it means that everyone's entry has the same amount of perusal time by voters. It could act as a motivator so may be worth a try.


Other sites? What are they?


As mentioned earlier, the sculpting/converting category is a tricky one as I'd personally be more likely to vote for a sculpture than a conversion because it has been made from next to nothing. Having a separate conversion category could get more entries. However, there are so few sculptors going for it that you wonder if it would be worth it. I was wondering if Dave and Bob would be entering this time and I know there are others working at their sculpting skills.

The terrain/diawatsit category is a tricky one too.




If there were no One Ring Awards I would not have sculpted Smaug. Simple as that. For me, the awards act as a massive motivator and kick up the backside to get things done for a set deadline (even if I miss it when a project takes a year longer than expected!). I like a challenge and a bit of competition as it can bring out the best in each competitor - and, although disappointed, I don't care too much if I don't win as I have managed to complete a project of which I feel proud.


I was wondering about gold coins being a possible motivator for entrants. I know that I'm meant to be a grown-up but the idea of getting more gold coins is weirdly motivating! Perhaps each entrant could receive a small number of coins simply as a 'Well done and thanks for the effort'.

Contrary to some views, I will enter a piece even if I know that I will be thrashed - just because I like to join in and be a part of the community. I once entered the painting category without a hope of sniffing a prize and was amazed that someone actually voted for my model (even when I didn't! - I voted for the three I thought best and didn't think that mine was nowhere near!)

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Painting again...

I think that is a good idea, as lots of people (including me ) wants gold coins.

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Ole Blood'n'guts...

You could always just donate some funds to the site. That way, you get Gold Coins AND a lovely little badge that tells everyone what a wonderful person you are.



Don't want to hear any excuses about not having paypal.

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Studio gaarew; Gaming armies, by gamers, for gamers.

If I remember this correctly Hallpers is a very young lad and thus lacking in available funds. Some sort of beginners class competitions with gold coins as prizes might not be amiss.

The competition winners do get gold coins and a nice icon under their avatar.

I haven't distributed them yet because the 'gold-coin-distribute-o-matic' program automatically deletes the images from the OR Awards galleries and I want to retain some of them for a series of web pages I am writing for advertising the competitions.

I'll get there soon, so hang in there lads.

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Dagster

Cool

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Painting again...

Exactly.

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Ole Blood'n'guts...