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Definitions and AdviceFAQ||The Shortlist||The Wanted Ads||Latest Additions||Latest Updates||Upcoming OCTs:(A-M) (N-Z)||OC Leagues||OCTs in Progress:(A-M) (N-Z)||Completed OCTs:(#-H) (I-Q)Definitions and Advice4 years ago in Personal More Like This
Some Thoughts.Tournament ObservationsSome Thoughts.4 years ago in Personal More Like This
I’ve been in art tournaments of the DeviantART sort for a while, observing, competing and administrating ever since July ’07. Doesn’t sound like much, but I am assured by my friends that this makes me at the very least a Veteran in the Tournament scene. So! With that in mind, I’d like to take this opportunity to bitch and whine about problems with tournaments I’ve seen, and to praise to the high heavens innovation and whatnot in the various tournies that pop up from time to time. This is mainly to do with Tournament establishment and administration; have a gander if you like.
This was streamlined from *Deathdog3000’s list. Credit to her! And to my plethora of helpers at RoninRubbish and PCBCChat. Contribute and comment, please!
Overriding Concepts:
Be as Fair as Possible.
This should be self-evident. Obviously, your judges in particular should be totally free from bias, and preferably people ‘known’ in the tournament s
OCT Guide: Hosts, Judges, and CompetitorsContents:OCT Guide: Hosts, Judges, and Competitors8 months ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
-Introduction
-Qualities for a Good Host
-Qualities for a Good Judge
-Qualities for a Good Competitor
-General Tips for Running an OCT
-General Tips for Competing in an OCT
Introduction
Believe it or not, being a host isn't as great as you might think. Being a judge is no better. Often times people create an OCT without putting forethought into what they're committing to, which is why so many OCTs usually end up abandoned or never getting off the ground.
Qualities for a Good Host
+While anyone can make a group and start up an OCT, here are a number of things you should consider before doing so.
-Time: Being a host req
OCT Host AdviceHey amigos! Have you ever wondered what kind of outlook that you, as a host, should have when dealing with your contestants in OCTs? I'm here to give you some tips and advice if you want to make an OCT that will be a dream to host!OCT Host Advice3 years ago in Personal More Like This
1. It's All About The Contestants:
Contrary to popular belief, an OCT actually isn't about the people creating it. Sure, the host and judges help run the contest, build its backstory, and act as a gateway for the an epic tale to be told, but the contestants are what OCTs are all about. As demonstrated in Escape From Nevara, it doesn't matter if the judges or host are replaced, but once you start losing contestants, the contest sinks. Sure, contestants drop out because they have higher priorities in real life, but people may also drop out from loss of interest or anger if things go badly. As Kilojara said in her OCT guide:
"If you are seeking a position of power over others, you are in the wrong place. Tournaments are about the community of artists it
Okay, OCT crowd. Huddle up.Folks. Folks. Come on now. You are killing me. Do you want to kill me? Is that it? Have I done something to wrong you? I survived evilcolonitis for this?Okay, OCT crowd. Huddle up.4 years ago in Personal More Like This
End, you old nut, what in blazes are you going on about? Off your medication again? Nah, I'm talking about the majority of Original Character Tournaments (OCT) here on DA. The fact that there is a glut of such things isn't what's bothering me either.
It's what some people are choosing to do with these tournaments that is just driving an icepick into my eye.
Here, let me impart this to you. Come closer. Do you want to know the secret to making an awesome artistic tournament? Okay.
SIMPLICITY. OH MY GOD. SAY IT WITH ME. SIMPLICITY SIMPLICITY SIMPLICITY.
This is what makes an OCT run smoothly. Simplicity. It is all you need to complement an interesting premise that makes people actively want to participate with their characters. You do NOT need a shit ton of gimmicks to make your contest mor
OCT Advice from the PMOCT HostOCT Advice from the PMOCT Host3 years ago in Articles & Interviews More Like This
OCT Advice, according to the PMOCT Host
I've been asked to provide some thoughts on how to create and manage an OCT. And, as with everything I do, I was unable to keep it simple. So, here are my (incredibly verbose) thoughts on the subject. Some of this summarizes things that I did that worked well for me. Others come from mistakes and lessons learned. Take this with a grain of salt! I am a highly structured and organized person. I write EVERYTHING down, breath spreadsheets and to-do lists, and keep about three or four calendars. What works for me may not work for you! Hopefully these thoughts will give you something to think about,
How to OCT2 years ago in Misc
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JudgingI have seen PLENTY of people running around bitching about judging in tournaments.Judging4 years ago in Personal More Like This
And me, being a pompous jackass, (and because I'm an actualy judge for Ebon Spire and Rydin and Rise), I think I'll bestow upon you, the salivating masses, how I judge entries for tournaments.
Plot:
This is the big one. The money maker. Obviously in a tournament, you want to show your character beating your opponent, but just having a fight scene is normally not enough, I don't care HOW good your art is. If you have an engaging story that not only pulls us in but makes us want more, then you've done a good job. Keep us on the edge of our seats! Story is what wins a tournament, not art.
Characterization:
Being sporting is always a plus, and I've seen (firsthand) entries where the person BARELY shows their opponent, and focuses entirely on their own character. Not only that, but they would get their opponent's character's personality completely wrong, as if they didn't care.
This is a
For EfN Contestants: The Judging Process:iconEscapefromNevara:For EfN Contestants: The Judging Process4 years ago in Personal More Like This
Because inquiring minds (read: contestants) might be interested, I thought I'd offer everyone a glimpse of how I'm going about judging the entries for ~EscapeFromNevara. Because I'm a shameless geek, I decided to explain it in terms of a nifty little acronym that doubles as a sickeningly bad pun. In short, if you're a contestant, I'm looking for what your entry “HAS.” Wtf is that?
1. Heart
2. Art
3. Story
Each of these can be broken down into component parts--lots of them. Probably too many to list, so the explanation below will by no means be exhaustive. Still, I think it is pretty thorough, so to clarify each of these...backwards...
Story
The story section, for me, includes arc (including plot points), use/incorporation of the setting as a whole, and characterization.Arc: A List of Important Questions
What is the story--what is included? Is it comp
Judges CriteriaReference Sheets.Judges Criteria3 years ago in Personal More Like This
The reference sheet must include the following:
- A color key for your character. Even if your submissions will be black and white.
- Explanation of the character's skills and abilities, detailed enough to provide a framework. Operating outside of your reference can be considered 'ret-con' or purposefully operating outside your own parameters.
- Enough information on the character's personality that they can be reproduced.
- Your soul coin. Yes, soul coins do have to be recognizable as 'money' or 'currency'; this means that coins, paper money, credit cards, and gems are appropriate but a forklift or tire iron is not. The soul coins are intended to have a strong level of consistency to them, which is why physical properties for them are listed in the Overview and Auditions section.
Audition.
Your audition should provide enough information for readers to get a general idea of the character's motivations (or what they SAY is their motivation), an
HOW TO MAKE A TOURNAMENT OC4 years ago in Devious Fun
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What Makes a Good AuditionThis is a guide to writing for OCTs. Every medium and genre of writing is unique and should be approached in a different way, but if you keep the following things in mind when you write for OCTs your audition and character will come across much stronger and be more likely considered for a roster position.What Makes a Good Audition4 years ago in Writing More Like This
Judges and your general audience alike are typically looking for three major factors when they read your audition: Interesting Characters, A Unique Plot, and Clarity of Storytelling. If your audition does not excel in at least one of these areas you will almost certainly be looked over when it comes time for judging no matter how slick an
The 180 Degree Rule Tutorial3 years ago in Other
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Latest AdditionsFAQ||The Shortlist||The Wanted Ads||Latest Additions||Latest Updates||Upcoming OCTs:(A-M) (N-Z)||OC Leagues||OCTs in Progress:(A-M) (N-Z)||Completed OCTs:(#-H) (I-Q)Latest Additions2 years ago in Personal More Like This
Story Writing for BEGINNERSStory Writing for BEGINNERS3 years ago in Writing More Like This
Story Writing for BEGINNERS
-----Original Message-----
I want to write a story. I have a couple of ideas, but no idea what to do with them, or even how to begin! Help?!
-- Newbie Writer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So when you wanna write a story, where do you begin? With your PASSION!
Write what you KNOW & LOVE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What do you KNOW, really? What do you love to Do, to Study, to Think About, to Talk About...? Whether it's cave-diving, model trains, skate-boarding, sewing, horses, mythology, ghost legends, or particle physics your passion is where you will find your most unique and powerful work.
Make a list of all the things you
Knock Yourself OutKnock Yourself Out2 years ago in Writing More Like This
How to Write a [Near]-Fainting Experience
Brought to you by Super Editor
You've probably all read books or seen movies in which a character passes out. The heroine might swoon gracefully and collapse onto the floor or into the hero's arms. People rush to bring water, a doctor, or something to revive her. She then wakes up, rosy-cheeked and a bit distressed, and she fans herself for a while while insisting that she is fine.
Fainting in real life is not nearly so beautiful. Authors, especially ones with no experience, can sometimes fall for such idealized descriptions. I am (un)fortunate enough to have experience in this area, so I will shar
Writer Notes - Characters3 years ago in Writing
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Guide to Role PlayGuide to Role PlayGuide to Role Play2 years ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
Before we leap into the types of role play and the rules lets discuss what role play (RP) is exactly.
Role play: To play a role. To personify oneself as a separate entity. In short, collaborative story writing.
Role play is often more than just acting as someone else. It can be used as a stress reliever, to help develop original characters: possibilities with collaborative story writing are endless. However, like all games, rules come with them.
We are all Human
Lets face it, while most of us wish to be super man and godly in strength, we are not. This applies to your characters as well. Its no fun to role play with
The BASICS : Using References2 years ago in Other
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Writing 301: Formatting3 years ago in Writing
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Redline Week - Day 32 years ago in Other
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History of April Fool's dAy!This article is written for the #projecteducate's Community Week as well as #ArtHistoryProject's dA Related month.History of April Fool's dAy!2 months ago in Community Relations More Like This
Here is a brief history of April Fool's pranks deviantART has played on it's members. Please note that information is still missing (mostly older years) - this is because some April Fool's pranks were never recorded or are lost in the millions of journals on the site.
2001 - "°jark is Arrested"
°jark is arrested in Disneyland for cutting in line and refusing to move to the back.
[original article]
2004 - "British Takeover"
April Fool's Day 2004 marked the day the British took over deviantART. New rules were enforced on that day, including spelling "color", "colour" and saying "Cheers guv'nor" instead of "Thank You".
"Please note that any American who uses the term "socce
Writing Tutorial2 years ago in deviantART Tutorials
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Character design: ClothingWhen creating an OC the personality and backstory are the most important aspects. But how will s/he be recognized if her/his hair, face and whole body looks just like an other one's OC?Character design: Clothing2 years ago in Writing More Like This
The answer is simply: her/his clothing! Most people choose their clothing on their own. And not everybody buys the same shirt or shoes.
The choice of clothing is the best way to get recognized because a lot of matters are insolved when you choose your new shirt. You consider age, attitude, gender, environment, hobbies, personality and profession (even when you're unemployed).
But let me show you step by step:
Age
This aspect is quite simple:
A baby or toddl
Sta.sh
