Screenshot Contest New Rules

Discussion in 'Creators Club' started by TrainSim-Dmitri, Mar 1, 2019.

  1. TrainSim-Dmitri

    TrainSim-Dmitri Well-Known Member

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    Dear players. The screenshot contest has been running for quite some time now, and we are extremely happy with having an opportunity to feature the best of your screenshots on our loading screens in-game. We want to keep this tradition running, and we appreciate the effort of everyone who has at any point decided to share their creations.

    Unfortunately, recently we have been running into some issues with handling this contest, including users creating multiple accounts to bypass the voting rules. This has lead to any screenshot being able to win regardless of the community vote, compliance on the theme and say on quality.

    We are still going to listen to what you say about the submitted screenshots, and take into account your votes, however, as it has always been the case with the terms of this competition, the final decision rests with us.

    From now on, we will not be closing the threads on Wednesday, and are removing the necessity to keep away from voting during the submission period. We will still be opening new threads on Friday, and that is also when we are going to choose the winners (as usual, one per each game).
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2019
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  2. Digital Draftsman

    Digital Draftsman Well-Known Member

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    I'd like apologise on behalf of the community for our screenshots not being 'good enough' to be represented on DTG's loading screens. I'd been entering under the assumption that this was a fun way to tap into the community's creativity rather than being a excercise in serious marketing for DTG.

    It's also pretty rich for DTG to be criticising the community for the poor quality of their screenshots whilst DTG themselves use photoshop in their screenshots all the time, maybe DTG's screenshots are not that good either if photoshop is required!

    Anyway, I shall refrain from entering and voting in future contests owing to my apparent ineptitude at both taking and judging screenshots.

    Congratulations on sucking the fun out of the community DTG.
     
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  3. TrainSim-Martin

    TrainSim-Martin Well-Known Member

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    Hey Digital Draftsman,

    Sorry to hear you feel this way mate. Letting the community decide the winner and then automatically putting that in-game isn't a usual way of running contests like this in my experience - it's more normal for a company to say "you guys submit the shots and we'll decide a winner".

    We've given the community full control and unfortunately we've run into problems including users voting for their own content several times, criticism for the screenshots that are appearing in game and a very small pool of users actually contributing screenshots. We are at the point now where we either shut the contest down or try something different.

    I disagree this is sucking the fun out of it, or turning it into a marketing activity. We're enforcing rules that are similar to contests run by other studios. To be clear, the votes will still inform our choice but the final decision rests with us, as it always has.

    Personally I've really enjoyed your submissions so I'm sorry to hear you're backing out - though I hope this message might change your mind. I do want to apologise for some of the original phrasing in the original post and will be updating it - the issues were what I explained above - it was not a broad criticism of the screenshot entries generally. If we thought you guys didn't provide great shots we wouldn't have been running this competition since last June with every intention of keeping going for a long time yet.

    Best wishes (and I hope you change your mind),
    Martin
     
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  4. raildan

    raildan Well-Known Member

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    That's... that's not what they're saying?

    They're saying that some people are creating multiple accounts to vote (and other ways of cheating) and that obviously messes with the vote. They're not saying everyone's shots are terrible!

    Come on, this is just a ridiculous accusation. It's no secret that DTG has far from perfect business skills, but you're just making up stuff now.
     
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  5. Kojo62

    Kojo62 Active Member

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    I can respect your opinion Digital Draftsman but please don't ever presume to speak for the entire community. Those who share your point of view can make that opinion known on their own. There may always be others, such as myself in this case, who may not.

    I have always been aware that DTG reserved the right to choose which shots to post as they see fit, regardless of the vote. As long as that stipulation is clearly posted in the terms of the contest, I personally have no problem with it. My life goes on regardless of if my shot "wins" or not.
     
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  6. volvolover1972

    volvolover1972 Well-Known Member

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    What does this have to do with people creating multiple accounts to vote for their screenshot?
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2019
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  7. TrainSim-Dmitri

    TrainSim-Dmitri Well-Known Member

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    Apologies if I made it look like the submitted screenshots are the problem.

    I asked for advice on this and was offered to make changes in the original text, so I'm informing you about it right now.
     
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  8. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Yet again, something that should be positive is ruined by morons... Amazing how far people will go just to see something for four weeks in a game they probably don't even fully appreciate
     
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  9. Digital Draftsman

    Digital Draftsman Well-Known Member

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    I appreciate you taking the time to do that. I've not yet seen a screenshot in game which I thought wasn't good enough, so I thought it odd to use that in the wording.

    The original post has been edited, thus my post has lost its context. I was being facetious in my apology.

    For everyone kicking off at me, the original post said that the screenshots were 'not good enough' to be featured in the game. It has since been edited to remove that.
     
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  10. Digital Draftsman

    Digital Draftsman Well-Known Member

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    So there are three aspects to this:

    1. DTG want a screenshot which is suitable for a splash screen.
    2. The community need to have a say in the matter so those who don't take screenshots but like to vote are included.
    3. Reduce the likelihood of users creating multiple accounts to upvote their own content.

    I've had a quick think and would like to suggest the following:

    How about DTG create a shortlist of the top three screenshots based on the opinion of the folks around the office or the marketing team etc, then users can vote in a poll to the give the winner from the three shortlisted screenshots. I'd suggest that most folks who feel the need to create multiple accounts for upvoting probably do so as their screenshot isn't competitive on its own merits, therefore having a vote within DTG to select three top screenshots will yield screenshots which are competitive on their own merits and thus less likely to have been submitted by users intent on abusing the system.

    By doing the above, the community still gets a say in the matter, DTG can insure that they're getting one of the screenshots they think would make a good splash screen and at the same time it's less likely to be abused by a users creating multiple accounts to upvote.

    Let me know what you all think?
     
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  11. Michael Newbury

    Michael Newbury Well-Known Member

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    I actually like your idea of DTG creating a short list of pics to vote on, this way they can weed out those that are multi-acoounts. This would be the best way of keeping the screenshot contest fair to everyone who contributes their shots.
     
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  12. Challenger3985

    Challenger3985 Well-Known Member

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    And I thought this contest was all about screenshots, and not complaining about DTG's actions to the community that most of them screwed it up in the first place. So let's see them pictures eh.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2019
  13. Gascan

    Gascan Active Member

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    I could see judging being done by a panel of "white listed" volunteers who represent the broadest possible cross section of the community who vote in the background. Everyone would still vote openly since it is always rewarding as someone who posts screenshots to see that others like them... but the splash screen rewarded shots could be voted on "silently" by the white list.

    Maybe 10-20 people?

    I don't know- just spitballing here.

    What makes me seethe is this is why we can't have good things- a good natured competition where the only reward is to have a screenshot flash up in low resolution on a game splash screen and people still abuse it.

    I wish the people who were responsible were flagged... I'd be very, very curious to backtrack on their forum contributions since I'd wager they'd be an entertaining read.

    On another note- can I recommend that this thread be re-titled to something a little more relevant to the discussion happening here... should save the actual screenshot thread for screenshots.

    Just sayin.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2019
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  14. TrainSim-Dmitri

    TrainSim-Dmitri Well-Known Member

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    I will re-publish the thread, and this one I will rename and leave for the discussion.
     
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  15. KiwiLE

    KiwiLE Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for trying Dmitri.

    Why are you so full of poison and hate Digital Draftsman? Once again you embarrass yourself by leaping down Dmitri's throat on behalf of the community. Please don't ever think that you speak for a majority on these forums.

    You clearly know about gaming etc but please lose the smug intolerance and readiness to put the boot in on TSW, it has become cringe-worthy.
     
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  16. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    The post was amended AFTER DDs initial comment, and this was stated above, so maybe when he made the comment it was justified
     
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  17. raildan

    raildan Well-Known Member

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    It wasn't really... DTG just barely implied what he was saying.
     
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  18. Piussi

    Piussi Well-Known Member

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    Don't talk in my behalf.. Thanks
    I have a mind of my own, i don't need someone that talks or apologise in my behalf
     
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  19. Digital Draftsman

    Digital Draftsman Well-Known Member

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    They literally said that some of the winning screenshots were not good enough to be featured in the game. That is literally what was said prior to them editing it.

    My apology was a sarcastic one, I wasn't apologising one behalf of myself or anyone else. They said some of the winning screenshots were not good enough to be featured in the game, which I completely disagreed with, hence my facetious apology. The post was then subsequently edited to remove that bit, so now my post is out of context.
     
  20. KiwiLE

    KiwiLE Well-Known Member

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    You have clearly learned nothing from your latest misplaced rant on our behalf.

    Go and play something else.
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2019
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  21. Schnauzahpowahz

    Schnauzahpowahz Well-Known Member

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    Im astounded and slightly intrigued someone would make several accounts or take nefarious actions to win a placing of a photo in game for a month. I mean, yes it would be cool to win, but thats way too much trouble.
     
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