New format for card idea competitions

[Scaredgirl]

I've been looking at the card idea competitions and some of the voting has been really weird imo.

I think the problem here is that gamers are visual people. If we look at all the previous card idea competitions, it is clear that card ideas with a cool image will always do much better than ideas with a crappy image. In fact, if your image sucks, your chances of winning are close to zero.

This sucks because the competitions are supposed to be about the idea, not about who found the coolest image using Google.


From now on we will try a new format which goes as follows:

- Everyone will be provided one image (original art that can be used in Elements for free)

- Everyone will make a card using that one image


Advantages of this format are:

1. Nobody will win because they have a cooler image than others. It's only the IDEA that matters, just like it should be.

2. With royalty-free image, Zanz can actually use the card idea if he so chooses.


I would like to remind everyone that winning on this competition doesn't mean that your card will be made a reality. Zanz can make the winning card, 4th place card, last place card, or none of them. It's totally up to him and there are no guarantees.


Discuss.

[Jumbalumba]

That is quite limiting in my opinion because an image can distort and subconsciously limit ideas.

I feel we could (also) have a competition whereby we have no images nor descriptions of images at all and concentrate solely on what the card does.

[kilava]

Another thing that would be a good idea I think is that if you make a new card you should make a comment about its place in the game. If its just a plain creature card you just need to write a sentence, but if it has a deeper game mechanic meaning it should be explained. It would force people to think and reflect some more on how a card affect the bigger picture.

[Scaredgirl]

That is quite limiting in my opinion because an image can distort and subconsciously limit ideas.

I feel we could (also) have a competition whereby we have no images nor descriptions of images at all and concentrate solely on what the card does.

I think having competitions with limitations is much cooler than having:

Generic Design Any Card Competition #1
Generic Design Any Card Competition #2
Generic Design Any Card Competition #3
Generic Design Any Card Competition #4
Generic Design Any Card Competition #5
Generic Design Any Card Competition #6
Generic Design Any Card Competition #7
etc.

The idea is to get images that can be interpret in many ways. I think trying to find a card to match an image is a very cool exercise in creativity. And like I said before, the best part is that there's a bigger chance for the cards to becoming a reality because they all-included package.


That second part you say was my other option but I think it would have been a bit boring.

[Kael Hate]

LOL,

*remembers back to the first card idea comp*

[kilava]

If there are images that can be used right now, can you make a post in the card idea forum with a small selection so people can do some tinkering and see how it goes.

[Scaredgirl]

LOL,

*remembers back to the first card idea comp*

Yes, who could forget the classic epic battle between super awesome "Crusader" by Jason Engle vs. some random images from Google

If there are images that can be used right now, can you make a post in the card idea forum with a small selection so people can do some tinkering and see how it goes.

The images won't be available until the competition starts.

[ajm6]

I love this idea and its one of the reasons I never post card art with my ideas. imo its simple enough to make card images later balancing an idea is  far more important, all that the art does is distract.

[Kamietsu]

Designing a card around a given art for everyone is a good idea, for specific competitions like that. But for general card idea competitions like "Best Weapon/Shield/Spell" types, there should just be a plain generic picture, like maybe just the elements logo, that way people aren't limited to having to design an idea around a certain image, and can still have whatever idea they want, just eliminating art bias from the competition altogether.

[icybraker]

But for general card idea competitions like "Best Weapon/Shield/Spell" types, there should just be a plain generic picture, like maybe just the elements logo,

Nah. If it was a weapon competition, an image of a weapon could be inserted. If it were a Shield, image of a shield. The image should reflect the card type.

I fully support this idea, Scaredgirl.

[Kamietsu]

But for general card idea competitions like "Best Weapon/Shield/Spell" types, there should just be a plain generic picture, like maybe just the elements logo,

Nah. If it was a weapon competition, an image of a weapon could be inserted. If it were a Shield, image of a shield. The image should reflect the card type.

I fully support this idea, Scaredgirl.

Well of course. That makes most sense.

[Bloodshadow]

What is the point of images if we're all only allowed to use one image? Then it's better to simply not put any images, because looking at the same image seventeen times will only annoy me.

This could be an option for a specific type of contest (e.g. Design a Card using This Image), but I disagree that all contests should be like this.