Any thoughts, suggestions for improvements, et al?


Too many, too fast.. might mean ... longer time frames.

Selection of topics.. suggestion ... randomize the options in their order of listing, so that the 'first' is not literally the first, and perhaps, more will peruse and give all some due consideration.

Topic suggestions .. suggestion ... all who put up an option include a one or two line accompanying description, so that the participating members and those voting ... have an idea of the criteria and a basis for creativity and judging. If not.. option is not made available/posted.

I think they are too frequent... sometimes I think about entering one but then go... meh, I'll just wait for the next one :-)

Have to agree that contests are a little too frequent. If you're putting in a 3D piece, computers can take a very long time rendering... two or three days if you're unlucky, or if you're a bit of an enthusiastic rookie (like me) who hasn't yet twigged to all the best ways of keeping an image quick and simple. You don't just do the one final render; there are all the test renders along the way (even when you use the default option and just render little bits of it). And that's after all the planning and layout, and creating the various structures and objects, and then there's the post-processing when all the renders are done...

I'm relieved when I'm not very interested in a topic, because then I get a rest from the computers. :-)

Just 13 days since the last one ended until the current one is due may be a little short - but perhaps a fast turnover gets people thinking and working?

One each month ?

No reason why two could not run consecutively - it is not compulsory to enter and a choice of two could be advantageous. Members not interested in one may be attracted to the other.

Regarding topic suggesters giving a short description - most definitely yes - and could be followed up by THIS suggestion.
Maybe there could also be a 'Mods Highly commended' or something similar, accompanied by their reasons - could be a learning aid.

An alternative to topic suggestions to be voted on could be the winner of the previous contest choses the subject for the next. With 2 contests running one could be done each way.

I would like to suggest that competitions run for longer, but are started at the same interval. This would mean more than one running at the same time, so we get a lot of variety and time to enter them. It is not always easy to come up with a CGI, or even an appropriate photograph in the timescale given.

I would like to suggest a possibly better way to organize Contest Topic Polls:

A)~ Do not open voting on topics until 10 topics have been posted for suggestion~
This will allow all topics to be known to all and discussed before any votes are made. Hopefully this would help create a more friendly environment for discussion and be more fair for the end results.

B) ~State the rules for topic nominations and guidelines for discussion at the top of the page~
Do this in order to create known and obvious limitations of content to be discussed which should help maintain order in the discussion thread.

C)~ Close the comments/discussion while voting is in process~
Again, to avoid conflict. Discussion can be reopened after voting for the set amount of time is finished.

Eh, I appreciate the thought behind this, but I don't think we need to be so formal. I think the dissension going on in discussions right now has more to do with certain tempers and temperaments running fairly heatedly, and that we all need to take a step back and remember that we can say things without being personal, or read things without taking them personally.

If we do our best to write as if the other person is a human who is not trying to piss us off, and simply someone we disagree with, we'll probably get a lot further than tweaking the structure of the site to attempt to prevent arguments.

I mean, I can have an argument with you right now over your mermaid avatar there you you thief you! Don't you know all mermaid avatars belong to ME? I demand you remove it immediately!

lol! MY AVATAR! ;) Yeah. I get that about not being so formal. Maybe just A)~? I still think it would be better to not vote on topics until all of the options are posted. I mean it's kind of like voting on contest images before they are all posted. Granted, not as important as image voting but it still doesn't make the most sense to me.

I don't know, maybe A) and B). I think that many could use the guidelines. They wouldn't likely be followed precisely but people tend to respond much more when it's right there in front of them. It could be stated in a friendly enough manner so as not to be cold and formal. In my opinion it's just a way of providing a little leadership that might be conducive to a productive thread.

It's a lovely thought to expect that of everyone. But I haven't seen much reason to have faith that that will happen and everyone will suddenly behave and be pleasant to each other. It's just a suggestion that I hoped might solve a few issues. I just wanted to participate in a decent discussion (like this one is) but it proved to be improbable, despite my efforts, to try to get others to be nice to each other. Hard not to get feathers ruffled when you feel attacked for making a suggestion that you were asked to make to begin with. That seems to be the reoccurring scenario. I felt that it would be better if there was some kind of leadership.

I suppose closing the discussion while the voting is in process IS a bit much. But none-the-less I would really like to see some kind of helpful change in that area whether it's this idea or another. Being a part of all that took all the fun out of being here for me. I don't want to feel like I have to defend myself or others from personal attacks while I'm here. I just want to participate and have fun doing it. So maybe there is a better way to accomplish that.

Tell you what - if you see a discussion going down the tubes, send me a pm and I'll come in and see what I can do about smoothing the ruffled feathers. Will that help for you?

Oh, after you get rid of MY avatar of course, WENCH. 8•P

THAT AVATAR IS MINE! :F (those are fangs) ;) After seeing what is currently going on at the last poll I feel that would be extremely helpful :))) Thank-you!

Maybe contests could stay as they are but we could add "Challenges", with topics that require more thought and effort. I don't know who put forward "Visualize the Sense of Hearing", but that would certainly challenge more people (especially if ear shots were excluded). Maybe the topic could be put forward by the winner of the last challenge rather than voting.

I think maybe we need to organize some bigger contests too, the way that we used to, where a mod would suggest one, and it would have a longer time frame and a lot more detail about what "qualified". Maybe a "Challenge" would be that in essence. After the holidays (I'm going to be very chock full between then), I'll see about organizing one.

In the meantime, anybody is also free to organize their own, post it in the member-initiated projects, and submit a notice to the front page as "news". I have a small thing I'm thinking of along those lines, I think I'll go ahead and do that now. 8•)

I have thought before of suggesting an unofficial one like that, but never got beyond thinking of ideas ...

I couldn't think of any other place to drop this in but since the thread's about contests...

I'm the one who suggested the "What is it?" theme for the current contest and my wife made a good suggestion to me, in that after the contest is over, particularly with manipulated photos, the artist then submit the original photo so we can see the before and after. It might even serve as a tiny (and short) tutorial, by example rather than step by step instructions (unless the artist wanted to include that information in the post). The same holds for a macro... submitting a wider view so we can see what the macro is a part of. Isn't the sharing of technique a part of the reason we're here?

-Nik

I think that is an excellent idea Nik

The net is becomin a smaller place day "BUY" day I suggest anyone that wants info to hang out on the site more and BS with the members that are on line.You want to know how to do something....hang out and BS.Talk to people if you dont understand what they said ask.For years ive sat here waiting and nothin.Just a bunch of people strokin each others egos.
The waters have become stagnant,I say lets make some artistic waves and reinvigorate the place.Im game how about you?

If you've been waiting for years, why did you just become a member on 1/26/12? What do you suggest to invigorate? If you are game, what is the 'game plan'?

With 18 hours to go we have 30 entries in the "What is it?" contest. That's pretty good, 7 more than the last one.

-Nik

...and we finished with 33 submissions, all very good entries. I guessed some but others are complete stumpers, and I'm looking forward to seeing the reveals.

-Nik

How do you enter a contest on the site? I want to enter the time contest, but I can't figure it out. I know it's probably right in front of me...

"I know it's probably right in front of me..."

Indeed it is, Caiden.

No worries, though.


Go to the Caedes Contests page.

Once there, and after the image you are considering entering has been **approved ... choose/select that image from the drop down menu that is there.

Click on "Enter the contest" button to the right of the drop down menu ... and done.


(**This part/step is key ... if your image has not yet been approved, it won't appear as a selection possibility for you.)

RE: the current contest theme voting (5.05.12)

"Industrial" is a theme that the fractalists could easily apply their work to, whereas "People" is mainly photographic. I'm not a fractalist at all but it might be a good thing to get these nice folks involved in more contests. Just a thought.

-Nik

For that matter, we just had a "People" contest last fall. But nobody pays attention to that any more than to including non-photographers.

Nobody? What am I, chopped silver nitrate? Oh, poo! :D

-Nik

I think Industrial is all inclusive whereas People is less so.
There have been a small number of subject that are less abstract/fractal friendly but on the whole looking at this list there seem to have been subjects that are open to any interpretation.
http://www.caedes.net/Zephir.cgi?lib=Caedes::Contest

Perhaps it is time to reconsider separate contests.
Or keep to one contest with voting divided between phtographic and 'other'

I would have though Depth of Field would have been easily adapted for non photograpic work but there were a very small number of entries from non photographers in that contest. Those that did submit proved that it was very possible, with good entries.
Compare with the previous "Abstract" contest where photographers managed to submit plenty.

"What am I, chopped silver nitrate?"

Lol.

Actually I thought you were "iron, nickel and rock (silicon and oxygen compounds), surrounded by a deep layer of metallic hydrogen, an intermediate layer of liquid hydrogen and liquid helium and an outer gaseous layer", i.e. Saturn. But I guess you would still be a celestial "body" ...

Alright, the last puzzle piece fell into place. Was watching.

It would appear that the starting date for contests is tied to the start of the voting period for suggestions and topics.

And as a result, instead of 14 days ... the contests end up being 12 days in length.


Waaaaayyyyy.. too short.

Entries to.. have been diminishing. And, I believe, due to the shortness of the time frames.


Extend the length of contests, simply put and at the bare minimum.. to that of a 'true' 14 day time frame.

sounds like an admin issue so my advice is look over past posts and figure it out for on your own.

The "What is it?" contest:
Start date: Sun Jan 22
Ended: 8/02/12 21:15

Total length, in terms of days: 17


The "Windows" contest:
Start date: Wed Feb 8
Ended: Ended 25/02/12 21:15

Total length, in terms of days: 17


The "Time" contest:
Start date: Sat Feb 25
Ended: 13/03/12 23:15

Total length, in terms of days: 17


The "Simplicity" contest:
Start date: Tue Mar 13
Ended: 31/03/12 0:15

Total length, in terms of days: 18


The "Repetition" contest:
Start date: Sat Mar 31
Ended: Ended 17/04/12 1:15

Total length, in terms of days: 17


The "Fluid" contest:
Start date: Tue Apr 17
Ended: 4/05/12 2:15

Total length, in terms of days: 17


The "Calming" contest:
Start date: Fri May 4
Ended: 21/05/12 3:15

Total length, in terms of days: 17


The "D.O.F." contest:
Start date: Mon May 21
Ended: 7/06/12 4:15

Total length, in terms of days: 17


The "Industrial" contest:
Start date: Thu Jun 7
Ended: 24/06/12 5:15

Total length, in terms of days: 17
__________________________________________________________


The current contest running, "The picture tells the story":

Start date: Sun Jun 24
Ended: 7/07/12 6:15

Total length, in terms of days: 13

__________________________________________________________

I could have sworn that upon conclusion of the voting for topics/suggestions ... when the contests started and entries were being accepted, and as indicated in the upper left-hand and under "Contest Topic Poll"..

"Accepting entries until 7/07/12 6:15 ( 10 days )" (<-- remaining days)

... for some of the recent past contests, and as noted in my above post ... it was ( 12 days ) start to finish. And once again, just after the voting had been concluded.

Despite what the previous contests cited above reflect.. in terms of total lengths/days.


But..

A change has indeed occurred with this last contest on the note of the length/time frame of the contest.

For the better? Or, worse?

I.e. more/less participation, more/less entries.

Guess we will find out as we monitor things.


This might sound too.. something, however, my thinking is that with the awarding of Cadre memberships as prizes ... too many, too frequent contests ... will cut into potential donations.


The flip-side?

One more thing to be thankful for.. a giving webmaster.

Who.. unlike me, is not that much of a bean counter.

And who might have already taken all of the stuff above into account. Meaning, more Cadre members should equate to more posts/uploads.

And that is.. after all, and more or less ... what drives this site.

... ...

... ...

Seriously need to cut back on the caffeine and gaming.

:oP

maybe its a countdown get out the tinfoil hats and prepare for the end.

.By the way you photo buffs have run the CGI guys off.flowers,bugs,birds,bulidings reality in general is cool,but people like to scope out crazy squiggley zigzaggy uppy and downy sidewazy stuff just as much as a bridge so the next time you cross one remember there are two sides.

Unfortunately one of the people who does really amazing "crazy squiggley zigzaggy uppy and downy sideway stuff" keeps deleting the pieces they upload. Kills the reference point among other things.

How about a contest named "Black on Black" ...you figure the theme out! :P

~ le bump ~

Consider this bump a continuation (hopefully) of a recent discussion that was initiated and got sidetracked.

First and foremost in my mind.. and echoing a post already posted above.. need to increase the time frame.

Once voting is done on the Contest topic.. twelve (12) days is a little too short in my opinion. Would like to see it extended to at least three (3) weeks.

And as mentioned above, once again.. and particularly for our CGI artists the time frame might be too short for conception of an idea and it's execution (rendering time, et al).

OK... I'm easy. ;-)

Actually, I agree because my feeling is that promoting CGI artistry is important, because a) diversity is not just positive but important for a healthy art community, and b) personally I want to see more computer art because I love it. Also canvas/paint art. And while I'm on the subject, how about crochet art and needle point and finger paint... kidding... just kidding.

You know.. I am not sure if I am just dumb, or simply.. stubborn (could be a bit of both?).

'Cause..

Had a think on Nik's (Nikoneer) one example he had provided with respect to shaking things up on the Contest front (on another discussion thread).

In essence, his suggestion was to reincarnate/re-introduce a contest theme that has been done a couple of times on-site here.. that theme being.. take a photo (or, two.. three..) and create something new. Either through post processing/editing alone.. or .. that of a photo-manipulation.


Why this would be a great contest (and why I would like to see it possibly instituted yearly as a site-run contest):

1) Introduce, or further.. the community's collective and individual knowledge base of image editing and post processing.

2) If, for example.. and aside from providing some base images for members to work with.. allow them to use one (or more) of their own images .. or .. some royalty free stock images. And in turn, on the latter note ... educate our (newer) members about copyright restrictions and The Caedes.net Code of Conduct.

3) Something new for some members to try their creative hand at.. expand their own creative horizons. This alone.. makes for a great contest in my opinion.

Here is a link to the galleries of just one of these kinds of contests:

Fantasy Landscapes


Note the varied mediums, genres of art represented.. as well as.. post processing/editing alone versus photo manipulations.

Just a bit of a nudge.... The current contest, Motion, was the favorite by a large margin. But there's only 8 entries. Any more images on their way?

Entries and submissions usually find their way into the contest galleries a lil' later into the contest's timeframe.

With.. somewhat.. of a flurry of posting/uploading activity in the last few days or so.

Ask and ye shalt receive..

"Contest Updates"

"I've extended the content topic voting from four to six days and the content acceptance period from 15 to 20 days. That is all."

(Front page announcement, in case anyone was unaware or hadn't checked.)

And the CGI artists rejoiced!

... ...

Just wanted to bump this one back to the top, in case anyone misses or missed the front page announcement; "Contest Updates".

The current "Breaking the Rules" contest is a sure sign of the decline in member participation... eight entries total... eight. Ov vey!

-Nik

Eight is low but it was a difficult subject. I found it difficult to produce an image that breaks the rules BUt at the same time makes a pleasing picture. Breaking the rules is the easy bit, having something worth viewing is a matter of luck or skill.
It is interesting that there were mainly photos entered.. where are the cgi artists hiding ??

So I agree the low participation is indicative of a decline in participation but I think that is just part of the reason.