Does anyone else feel that the competitions are too often/rapid? 

I would like to see it cut back to 3 or maybe even only 2 a year. Thoughts?

Tis already at 3...https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjtIsJkyopekdEpUeW84NlRjYzhlQkptNjdTSjFnb3c#gid=0

It does seem a bit fast sometimes.  Hard to come up with an exciting idea, and really test it good, etc. in 4 months (at least for me). 

We did just add on another month for playing time.  Would it be better to leave it at 3 a year, but add on another month for dev time?  That would leave a month of overlap between development cycles, but that would work for me.  The time/work is completely different for me at the beginning vs. end of a development cycle.  Most work is front loaded, coming up with the idea, creating graphics, adding territories, etc.  At the end of the cycle, there is not much work going on.  Mostly play testing and tweaking, which takes a long time, but is not much work, if that makes sense.

Maybe choosing the themes a full cycle ahead might help too.  Use the 1st and 2nd place themes from this cycle's voting to choose the this coming theme, and the theme after that, so that once the map makers are done with their Lego map, they can start thinking about the next one already.

BorisTheFrugal wrote:

Maybe choosing the themes a full cycle ahead might help too.  Use the 1st and 2nd place themes from this cycle's voting to choose the this coming theme, and the theme after that, so that once the map makers are done with their Lego map, they can start thinking about the next one already.

This is a good idea.

I think 2/year would be enough.

BorisTheFrugal wrote:

Maybe choosing the themes a full cycle ahead might help too. 

+1

It takes me a long time to get from concept to review. There's no way it would happen the way the competition currently works.  If I knew now what the theme was going to be for a Jan '13 competition (and assuming that I liked it), there's a good chance that I'd throw my hat in the ring.

M57 wrote:

BorisTheFrugal wrote:

Maybe choosing the themes a full cycle ahead might help too. 

+1

It takes me a long time to get from concept to review. There's no way it would happen the way the competition currently works.  If I knew now what the theme was going to be for a Jan '13 competition (and assuming that I liked it), there's a good chance that I'd throw my hat in the ring.

+1

Same here

Ok, so should we 'skip' a cycle, and have the Lego maps due in December, or do you want to just leave the Lego maps still due in August, but vote for a second theme now that will be due in December?

Vote now for a theme due in December for sure. -Weather or not lego is due then too-

I like the idea of voting on the next 2 or 3 themes at the same time.

Ok, I put together a tentative schedule based upon everyone suggestions.  We eventually get to a 8-month develoment + 4-month playing/voting cycle for an entire year between choosing a theme and declaring a winner.  The next two cycles are compromises to get to that point without a big discontinuity.  Check it out at the schedule link that Yertle gave above, but click on 'sheet 2':

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjtIsJkyopekdEpUeW84NlRjYzhlQkptNjdTSjFnb3c#gid=0

If everyone is ok with this, we can setup a second vote right now and I will copy and paste that schedule into the official 'sheet 1'.

Cool.

I would still space them out a little more. Having 3 competitions going at the same time feels like a lot, even if they're in different phases. Maybe that's just me, but figured i'd throw it out there.

My personal opinion is that 2 per year would be a bit too slow.  I think with 3 a year & especially with the overlap you can sit one out if it is not interesting, and still be working on a different one.  With only 2 a year, if you sit one out because you don't like the theme, it is a long wait until another would come around.

I think 3 at the same time is ok, because as you said they are in different phases.  At any one time there will be one map in voting, one nearing the end of creation (i.e. tweaking & reviews), and one just beginning creation (creating images, coming up with ideas, etc.).

I agree it doesn't seem too much as long as the next 2 or 3 map themes are known.  This would let you focus on the theme you really like if participating in all is too much.

I really like the concept of more shorter terms competions. The worst thing about this site (among very many good things) is that it not very newby proof in terms of competition.

To gain 300+ points for boardrankings you need to play at least 800 games. To gain 3500 points at global rankings most need a tight gameplay selection + 250 games. Gaining a 2500+ tournament ranking takes also over a year minimum and a lot of luck.

These are all long-term competitions, which are in the long-run a good measurement of someone's skills, but it lacks a good motivator for new players.  A short term competition gives new players something to compete in right from the beginning in addition to the long term competions.

I don't know what ideas you guys already came up with. I read the idea of themes, which would be really cool. Althought it looks like a lot of time which might slow down the process of actually getting something going on.

Maybe we can start with a pilot or something in which we choose 5 random boards. Then each player is assigned 10 games per board with 6 players. The player with the best average ranking/globalr ranking/boardranking wins the competition. Estimated duration: 3-4 months, games cannot drag on: for example daily timer, 3 skips possible, 7 vacation days. 

Luieuil wrote:

I really like the concept of more shorter terms competions. The worst thing about this site (among very many good things) is that it not very newby proof in terms of competition.

To gain 300+ points for boardrankings you need to play at least 800 games. To gain 3500 points at global rankings most need a tight gameplay selection + 250 games. Gaining a 2500+ tournament ranking takes also over a year minimum and a lot of luck.

These are all long-term competitions, which are in the long-run a good measurement of someone's skills, but it lacks a good motivator for new players.  A short term competition gives new players something to compete in right from the beginning in addition to the long term competions.

I don't know what ideas you guys already came up with. I read the idea of themes, which would be really cool. Althought it looks like a lot of time which might slow down the process of actually getting something going on.

Maybe we can start with a pilot or something in which we choose 5 random boards. Then each player is assigned 10 games per board with 6 players. The player with the best average ranking/globalr ranking/boardranking wins the competition. Estimated duration: 3-4 months, games cannot drag on: for example daily timer, 3 skips possible, 7 vacation days. 

 

L, this thread is not about map-playing competitions; it is about map-making competitions.  Your idea is a good one and similar ideas have been discussed, you might like to repost it in a new thread.

Ozyman wrote:

My personal opinion is that 2 per year would be a bit too slow.  I think with 3 a year & especially with the overlap you can sit one out if it is not interesting, and still be working on a different one.  With only 2 a year, if you sit one out because you don't like the theme, it is a long wait until another would come around.

I think 3 at the same time is ok, because as you said they are in different phases.  At any one time there will be one map in voting, one nearing the end of creation (i.e. tweaking & reviews), and one just beginning creation (creating images, coming up with ideas, etc.).

 

well said, i can get behind this :)

Ok, I finalized the proposed schedule & will start another thread to get a second theme.

Here is the new thread to vote:

http://www.wargear.net/forum/showthread/2470/Vote_for_next_map_making_theme_here___