Are the contests rated fairly?

by Unknown

Back to The Polling Place.

Unknown2006-09-11 01:02:30
I'm going to vote The system needs improvement. Because I think it does! I just looked over the new bardic entries and imho the most creative and beautiful piece of work only got 1 star, while anything with over 500 words gets 3 stars (just look at the history of the awards). Why is that? Just because something is long doesn't mean it's the best. No offense to anyone - I don't have the patience to sit down and read a novella and I'm sure most of it is good, but the sentence before this one is just what I feel deep inside.

I can't help but wonder if the admins who review the bardic entries, and bless them - I'm not trying to put them down, automatically give 3 stars to anything that's "enormous" ?

Or is it just that in their opinion, everything else gets compared to novella-type of work, which, in their judgment, is the best type of bardic entry? wacko.gif
Unknown2006-09-11 01:27:43
Any competition of this sort is bound to be unfair - there's not much that can be done about it.

As for giving anything 'enormous' three stars, no. I've submitted massive things and gotten nothing, and seen plenty of little things win. That has little or no bearing on how well you'll place.

Everiine2006-09-11 01:33:58
QUOTE(Temporary_Guido @ Sep 10 2006, 09:27 PM) 329953

Any competition of this sort is bound to be unfair - there's not much that can be done about it.


I wouldn't say unfair, but definitely subjective. What we see as a great work may not look so great in their eyes, and they may see greatness in something we don't like at all.
Gwylifar2006-09-11 01:34:25
Hmm, well, my bardics all got scored inversely to their length; the shortest one did best, the longest one worst. (Not counting the one that didn't even get considered, of course.) I think there's a "sweet spot" and too long is as bad as too short.
Daganev2006-09-11 01:45:10
QUOTE

RULES
-----
Written Contest entries must
1 - be original works (literature, history, poetry, or philosophy.
2 - be distinctly Lusternian*, within the proper mythology, culture and
worldview.

Artistic/Artisanal entries must
1 - be completely original artistic works, done by you only.
2 - be distinctly Lusternian.*
3 - not be collages.
4 - cover any subject within that framework (history, portrait, map, etc)

We look for excellence, in writing or artistry.

*NOTE: You may submit one entry each in both the artisanal and bardic
categories in any given month. However, if you do submit in both
categories, you will only be eligible for one award for that month. Both
entries will be judged but if you qualify for awards in both categories,
you will only be given one award (the highest award of the two or one
chosen at the discretion of the judges in the case of a tie).

DISTINCTLY LUSTERNIAN
---------------------
- naming a city or guild does not make a work distinctly Lusternian.
- using the name of an Lusternian race is not enough either.

We ask - "Could this entry be anywhere else?" If the answer is yes, then
it's not distinctly Lusternian. This is _very_ important.

Just any old warrior will probably not make it. Just adding the name of a
city or guild doesn't make it uniquely Lusternian. Bewinged Viscanti with
runes on their armour and weapons opening a portal to another plane, or
acting out any Lusternian abilities - this is more likely to be convincing.




Those are the stated rules.

Things that appear to be more about lusternia will score better than shakespeare, even if its the writing style of (an author you don't like)

For the artistic works, I know that a colour work will beat a b/w work of same quality, but a B/w work with superb contrast and detail will beat a colored photoshoped work.

This is what I have noticed is the ranking system for Artisinal works(assuming quality of work is equal and both are equally "lusternian")

black and white pencil
colored pencil(drawing done at school)
BW computer drawing
Colored computer drawing
Photoshop drawing
Computer art that looks like hand painting.
Oil painting/something you can't do while your teacher is talking.
Vix2006-09-11 02:01:52
That beautiful piece might not be nearly as "Lusternian" as the long one. I think one of the only reasons my entry was chosen last month was because I slipped in so many Lusternian references. unsure.gif
Xenthos2006-09-11 02:03:19
I think my piece won because it was *entirely* Lusternian, and my second one probably only got merit because it referenced a few Lusternian things and was themed in a tenuous Lusternian environment (though obviously it was a made up IC tale, by its name). If it hadn't had that Lusternian connection, it wouldn't have placed at all.
Unknown2006-09-11 02:11:40
QUOTE(Gwylifar @ Sep 10 2006, 09:34 PM) 329962

Hmm, well, my bardics all got scored inversely to their length; the shortest one did best, the longest one worst. (Not counting the one that didn't even get considered, of course.) I think there's a "sweet spot" and too long is as bad as too short.


Then how do you explain every piece that's won a three-stars being one of those long types?

Since when has poetry lost its value? pullhair.gif
Diamondais2006-09-11 02:13:25
Poems did win though..One was really really long though Ill agree.
Unknown2006-09-11 02:13:56
QUOTE(Peony @ Sep 10 2006, 07:11 PM) 329993

Then how do you explain every piece that's won a three-stars being one of those long types?

Since when has poetry lost its value? pullhair.gif


I've seen poetry win. Short poetry, as a matter of fact.
Daganev2006-09-11 02:14:15
good poetry is going to win 1,000 credits.. can't complain there.
Unknown2006-09-11 03:16:23
Daganev has it right. The 'distinctly Lusternian' category is easily the most important one - especially stories that delve into recent events and newly uncovered history seem to do well.
Unknown2006-09-11 07:23:53
Erm, Peony, what if the "enourmous" ones were, in the judges eyes, better peices? dunno.gif The fact that they are all ling might be a coincidence. Thing is, with a long peice you have more options on how to convince the judge you're great, but you also have more options to convince them you're rubbish, so it might actually be harder in some cases to get a long peice to win if you weren't a great writer.
Unknown2006-09-11 09:12:59
It changes, sometimes I really agree with the artistic/bardic winners, sometimes I don't.

But I'm not the one rating them, so that's a given.

Creativeness of the piece, and it's link to what is happening in Lusternia seems to be a top factor though. Look at the artistic winner, Feyrll, the topic of that was just brilliant! now.. I really don't like that style myself, I'm more partial to some of the water colors submitted, but I have to admit the subject was what obviously made it top the rankings. The shadows were an wonderful touch.
Exarius2006-09-11 15:21:06
Ever watch the Academy Awards?

Ever get through the entire night without thinking some nominee got robbed, or that someone even got so slighted that they never even got nominated despite the fact they were "better" than the actual winner?

Fact is, all artistic contests from the most amateur to the top of the profession are inherently subjective. They're always going to include biases, always going to contain judgements that strike some as outrageously stupid. NO ruling the judges make will satisfy everyone.

We can agree, we can disagree, but if it was possible to be actually right or wrong about it, it wouldn't be art. So I suggest if you really, truly believe you see a bias, it would be more rewarding if you tried to exploit it rather than complaining about it.
Unknown2006-09-11 16:59:52
QUOTE(Exarius @ Sep 11 2006, 11:21 AM) 330159

So I suggest if you really, truly believe you see a bias, it would be more rewarding if you tried to exploit it rather than complaining about it.


Well thanks Exarius. I'm sure I'll eventually "exploit it" but I wanted to share what I felt first - is there something wrong with that? It's like you're saying I shouldn't have made this post in the first place. The first step starts with sharing, doesn't it?
Unknown2006-09-11 17:45:40
QUOTE(Peony @ Sep 11 2006, 09:59 AM) 330205

Well thanks Exarius. I'm sure I'll eventually "exploit it" but I wanted to share what I felt first - is there something wrong with that? It's like you're saying I shouldn't have made this post in the first place. The first step starts with sharing, doesn't it?


You really shouldn't have made this poll in the first place, as its really quite rude and insulting. That's ignoring the fact that you're also wrong, and that poems have won in the past.

Every situation that involves subjective judgement is never going to satisfy everyone. But guess what, just because a contest leans towards a certain thing does not mean that it is unfair, it simply means that the contest leans towards that direction. There's nothing wrong with a contest looking for a particular kind of material over others, but hell, at least they recognize the sort you think they don't like.

Just because your poems haven't been picked does not mean that the competition is unfair.. it simply means that maybe they weren't any good.

Now, I know, the thought of this is a travesty... but the fact is, most people who think they can write really can't. And most people have bad taste and/or don't want to hurt people's feelings when they tell them something is good. Sure, to them it might be good, but you have to look at your audience.

In this contest's case, you have a lot of well-read people making the decisions. If a group of highschcools kids told you your peom was fantastic.. take it with a grain of salt.. because chances are, they're wrong. That's a harsh truth that you need to learn.
Noola2006-09-11 17:50:44
I've looked through all the artisanals and some of the bardics and mostly agreed with the judgements, sometimes I don't.

But art is entirely subjective. Except for a very few clear-cut issues as far as technique go, judging art is solely based on the judge's opinion. And you know what they say about opinions! wink.gif

Unknown2006-09-11 18:58:05
Didn't Ialie's "Changeling" poem win three stars?
Richter2006-09-11 19:06:51
QUOTE(Exarius @ Sep 11 2006, 08:21 AM) 330159

Ever watch the Academy Awards?

Ever get through the entire night without thinking some nominee got robbed, or that someone even got so slighted that they never even got nominated despite the fact they were "better" than the actual winner?

Fact is, all artistic contests from the most amateur to the top of the profession are inherently subjective. They're always going to include biases, always going to contain judgements that strike some as outrageously stupid. NO ruling the judges make will satisfy everyone.

We can agree, we can disagree, but if it was possible to be actually right or wrong about it, it wouldn't be art. So I suggest if you really, truly believe you see a bias, it would be more rewarding if you tried to exploit it rather than complaining about it.


Quoted for truth!

And if I were a Lusternian admin that rated these, and I saw a thread about if I was rating them fairly or not, I'd be a bit put out.