### february 2016 challenge voting ###

[ravells]

Time we got the show on the road. I haven't done this for a while so I'll probably screw something up!

An inspired subject for this month's challenge was to draw a locale from a map in a novel. The styles of map which the challenge produced were incredibly diverse. A beautifully hand-drawn scene of Durin's Lake, a crisp rendering of Hogwarts with little easter eggs, Middle Earth marvellously portrayed, a 3d dungeon of terrible horrors to name but four. But don't just take my word for it........check out the thumbnails!

THE THUMBNAIL LINK IS HERE

I would just like to nip something in the bud before it grows into a problem (again). Many of you will know that the last challenge had questions thrown about how the voting was conducted and that the voting system we employ is biased in some way. Here is how the voting system works:

Anyone who is a member of the CG can vote for as many maps as they wish. And that's pretty much it.

We leave it up to your judgement because we are not going to gainsay your common-sense. There are rules but if you read them they are pretty sensible. We very rarely have to invoke them. If you think a map doesn't satisfy your idea of what the challenge was about then, don't vote for it. It's as simple as that.

People work very hard (me included in this challenge) to get their maps in, on time, to the best of their ability with all their other r/l constraints - it's not easy. When everyone has voted and the results have come in and your map doesn't win, or the map that you liked doesn't win...be gracious and congratulate the winner.

We are here to help each other get better at mapping. That is what this guild is all about. Just look at how most of the contestants in this competition have been helping each other. *THAT* is what we are trying to promote here.

So - with that little rant out of the way to the votes:

[Greg]

Some really great maps here as you'd expect. Thanks for making the voting just that little bit harder!

Also, xpian and Larb such a shame that you couldn't finish your maps in time, but am pleased you're both going to continue with them as they are both shaping up really nicely!

[Barek333]

The maps are amazing, I wanted to participate so much but didnt have any time this month. Will probably still make a map inspired by the challenge topic. Anyway I always vote for max three maps and so I will do this time as well but I just wanted to say that the level and amount of quality in this challenge is among the best I've seen.

PS. xpian I really hope you finish your map, those are some of the best if not the best mountains I have seen!

[snodsy]

Wow, these are some fantastic maps, congrats to all, this is a hard one to vote for, so I voted for three this time.

[Warlin]

Hard to make a decision for this challenge. Three votes for me as well. Really good maps and some reps coming soon .

[ChickPea]

I wanted to vote for about six or seven but I got down to four, though it was hard. And I've repped too many people already today apparently, so I'll get back to that tomorrow.

Good luck in the voting, everyone. It's a nail-biter!

[Larb]

Picking just three was once again difficult. Great work again by everyone. I wish I could have finished mine but a busy month!

[Gudern]

I would just like to nip something in the bud before it grows into a problem (again). Many of you will know that the last challenge had questions thrown about how the voting was conducted and that the voting system we employ is biased in some way.

As this refers to my earlier post, I would like to set it straight.
There is no "problem" and there is nothing to be "nipped in the bud" . There are just questions.
If there are subjects that are not allowed to be discussed, then say clearly so . I have checked the forum rules and found nothing that forbids posting about originality or the contrary thereof like f.ex copying photographs.

What I wondered and still wonder is what are the criteria used for the vote because originality and creativity clearly isn't it.
Judging from the PMs I got, I am not alone wondering about it - especially in the context of a contest where probably every participant would like to know by what criteria he will be judged in order to avoid doing work that will be unanimously and predictably hated by the voters because the style doesn't fit with the their criteria.

I spend some time on other artistic sites and as I am relatively new here, new eyes probably see things that old eyes don't see anymore.
In any case I think that there would certainly be added value if the regular voters (the results of a contest are decided by approximately the same group of regular voters) published what are their criteria for voting because they obviously exist and are very focused.
Or it can stay as is .
In either case there is no problem with anybody, me included, who would point out that Map X is an original and creative concept that has no or little equivalent here or on the web while Map Y is a variation or a copy of something that exists in hundreds of exemplars on the web. Whether it's true or false can be easily checked by anybody who wishes to do so and it is true in this particular case.

Of course all that doesn't stand in contradiction with people helping each other out - even if in some cases the help could be "If you hope for votes then stop this style because nobody, me included, will vote for your map.".
I am all for promoting mutual help but what is missing is an explanation of what has been so hopelessly bungled in the maps who got only a couple of votes despite all the help .
For instance in this challenge I absolutely don't see what is wrong with some maps getting almost no votes compared to some other maps that are almost unanimously voted for.

[- Max -]

Here is how the voting system works:

Anyone who is a member of the CG can vote for as many maps as they wish. And that's pretty much it.

We leave it up to your judgement because we are not going to gainsay your common-sense. There are rules but if you read them they are pretty sensible. We very rarely have to invoke them. If you think a map doesn't satisfy your idea of what the challenge was about then, don't vote for it. It's as simple as that.

I think this should answer your questions about criterias.

[Tonnichiwa]

I look at it this way. There are professional artists on here, and there are amateur artists on here. Maybe some of the pro's have a criteria they use when voting, maybe they don't. Same goes for the amateur artists.The only criteria for voting that I have seen is this... vote for what you like. It doesn't get any more complicated than that. Some people may have certain criteria for voting that they use every time they vote but that criteria is only their choice and does not apply universally across the board. People vote the way they want simply because they feel good about the way a map was presented. Not everyone is going to agree with that choice so not everyone is going to use that same criteria when voting. Basically it boils down to this...vote for what you like.