EDIT: This is the rule set we’re going to move forward with after hearing out discussions and poll results. Thanks, everyone for the input!
All entries must be made during the current month. Assets must be newly made.
Any Tools/Systems/Workflows that pre-existed can be used.
This has come up quite a lot recently, and I wanted to get a pulse check with what the community wants to allow so that we can officially support or deny entries.
Should VFX Sketches allow entries which were made (or started) before the Sketch month?
Yes
No
0voters
As of current, we do not allow entries that were made prior, as that can be seen as deterring other other perhaps less experienced contestants that enter who are focused solely on winning first or second. However, I could see a world where it could act as a large gathering of peoples work and allow open discussion of how things are done, as well as encourage people to try new things like we currently try to do.
Comment below if you have other thoughts. Thanks, everyone!
Disclaimer: the poll is not a deciding factor, but will help inform the final decision.
I like the idea of creating something new on the fly, it feels more fair. What’s to stop me from posting something I have been working on for a month, or even from a prior project and just posting it, when maybe other people will only have a week or two to work on their entry?
I take these as quick sketches, and it kind of defeats the purpose and idea. I don’t mind if the person is using some tech they’ve been noodling with prior to make something, or if you kit bash stuff from previous projects/sketches.
It just keeps the playing field equal if we stick to the current format, in my opinion.
People don’t re-post previous works they’ve done for things like Inktober, or ArtStation challenges.
I agree with @Travis . The point of the sketches is to make something new during the timeframe of the competition, posting stuff that you’ve made previously that happened to match the sketch theme doesn’t seem right. My two cents.
Using stuff from before defeats the purpose of the sketch I think. If that’s allowed, Jonas Andersson could just post all the holograms he did for battlefront 2 and call it a day. Last month would have been won by Ben schrivjers who made the rivers for horizon.
Maybe still have them posted but with an extra tag that it was worked on before? That way they don’t get the 1st or 2nd prize, but they at least show their work and everyone gets to learn something, maybe use them in their sketch. I am pretty sure most do it for the learning and fun, rather than the prizes anyway
I see your point but stuff like that can be posted anywhere else on the forums too, in a personal sketchbook thread, resources thread, it doesn’t have to be part of the sketch. The Monthly sketch should to be kept separate for stuff that is being made specifically for that purpose. Otherwise it defeats the purpose IMO.
Makes no difference really, in the end we are just learning stuff, but then it’s not really a Monthly challenge is it? It becomes more like a monthly theme and people post stuff that they’ve done related to that theme.
They can still do that outside of sketches. Allowing it will pretty much kill the sketches as they are now. How many students will go up against cokey li in a spell competition if he can use any of his old stuff?
What makes the sketches viable is the time constraint. This change would turn it into who has worked on the most popular game with relevant effects. I for one am looking forward to when we do destruction, cinematics or general ambient VFX. I am ready.
Everything I would have said has already been said.
I agree that the spirit of the sketches to try and challenge you to do something within that given time constraint.
That being said, A lot of us started sketchbooks for “out of season” sketches. (There’s a reference for you)
I would suggest that if people have something they worked on for a while before the sketch started, they make one of those sketchbooks, and post it on there.
Lastly, it might not be such a bad idea to have a weekly/monthly/bi-monthly theme highlight. Maybe just a topic on which people can post and discuss work they made within a certain theme. As long as we keep it seperated from the sketches it shouldn’t pose any problems right?
I enjoyed the sketch threads the most, that really take you along the journey. In them you see were problems appeared and how the people solved it or worked around it.
Furthermore I see these sketches as chance to try something new, even for veterans.
I really felt bad last sketch, that I only was able to post the finished project. It has felt that I didn’t really participated, because there was no interaction with the community.
While I think we shouldn’t allow entries of pre-made content, a thread with “I saw the sketch and made something related to it a while back, take a look! maybe it will inspire you!” is always welcome.
The reason this really even came up was that I’d just finished my hologram 2-3 days before the hologram sketch started I guess its just bad timing But I see the point others are making and do agree some what.
If you just coincidentally started something a day or two before, but you don’t have anything concrete, I’d be fine with that. But if it’s a finished or near finished piece, then that should go under Finished Work and Reference
I don’t participate myself, but I like following people’s progress. Personally, I don’t mind, there isn’t anything too concrete to win out of this except for knowledge that gets shared between everyone. In the end, everybody is a winner.
I don’t see any losing entry as a failure. It’s fun and I think it shouldn’t get too competitive within strict rules for the sake of the community. If there are prizes to be won like with the transmutation Popcorn FX contest from last year, then it’s a different story.
Thanks for all the input guys! Looking at the conversations and poll we’ll proceed with something that will be fair and clear (basically what we were doing before just more defined):
All entries must be made during the current month. Assets must be newly made.
Any Tools/Systems/Workflows that pre-existed can be used.
But I see the point others are making and do agree some what.