Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone!
So, the first round of GW's new Everchosen painting competition has happened and I think it's fair to say it's been a success... but not an unqualified success. It seems there have been some teething troubles but, before we get to that, I'd like to offer my hearty and unqualified congratulations to everybody who got through the first round and will go on to represent their store in the next stage. I remember very well what an utter thrill it was to get through the local stages, back when Golden Demon had such a thing, and I'm sure all those winners will be feeling really proud right now.
But what about those teething troubles?
Well, after the first round of the competition was over, I started seeing a number of posts complaining bitterly about certain aspects of the competition. At first I put these down to standard internet whining or sore losery* but, it seems, at least some of the complaints have merit. I put out a request for opinions from those who had taken part and I got a really good response from Alex Murray, who was eminently qualified to comment, as he was one of the regional winners. His comments supported a lot of the complaints I'd seen online. While he was very positive about the fact that this was a global event, and therefore much more accessible for those who are unable to make the journey to Coventry (hell, I have trouble with that, and it's only five hours away for me...) he had some things to say about other aspects of the competition. I'll let him speak for himself:
Good things:
• An actual painting competition bigger than just a local store.
Great to see that this was made an event! I’d love to see the return of Golden Demon to not just the northern hemisphere, but if that’s not gonna happen, would love to see Everchosen expanded and made into even more of an event.
• Accessibility. I think a lot of people really gave it a good go, so the access to a worldwide painting comp for lots of people was good. Hopefully it inspired more people to improve their painting or paint not just for armies too.
Could be improved:
• Public voting ensures that it’s not always the best painted that goes through to the next round. There’s at least one store where an amazing entry that, in my opinion, would certainly be a contender for the overall sword missed out just because of where they entered and a good, but not quite as good entry won because of the votes.
This method isn’t necessarily going to give the best painted entry the prize, which as a painting competition, it should. I reckon it should be closed-judged in the first round, then public voted for the second round. This has all sorts of logistical challenges with having enough qualified & impartial judges available in each area though.
• Consistency. Rules for the Everchosen category need to be clearer. Things that would have been disqualified because of base sizes and interpretations of the rules in one store, appear to have been fine in another store.
If there’s a limit on base sizes, but display plinths are fine, make the distinction clearer and be more specific.
• Display of miniatures. Having the entries in a prominent, well lit position at eye level would have been much nicer.
As it was, in my local, they were on the bottom two shelves of a display cabinet which made it seem like an afterthought and not an event. Makes it hard for everyone to see all of the details too (eg- if the backs will never be seen, why bother painting them?) Another challenge, as you don’t want the public picking up the minis in case of accidental damage or theft, etc but you do want the mini as a whole to be judged.
These are all valid points and, the first and last ones at least, are going to be a real challenge for GW to fix. It doesn't matter how many edicts they lay down about how the entries are to be displayed, not all stores (some indie stores were also hosting the event) have the sort of space available to display large numbers of miniatures properly. Similarly, the public voting thing is a difficult one to solve without coming up with an entirely different method of judging the first round. When there's a public vote, there is always going to be a risk of it turning into a popularity contest. If Johnny brings along all his friends and family to vote for him...It's a complicated issue. Even the idea of having someone like the shop manager as an impartial judge is not infallible solution. It's something that GW need to think long and hard about for next time, and it will be very interesting to see how the next round of (online) public voting goes.
The consistency issue is something that GW can solve very easily though. The rules need to be much more hard and fast and all ambiguity needs to be removed. When you are dealing with dozens of individual stores and their staff, any opportunity for mis-interpreting the rules causes huge problems. If the rule says "no larger than 60mm base" and some shops stick to it, but others "allow a little leeway" then it makes the rule meaningless. GW need to make sure a rule like that is properly enforced. But they also need to look to themselves for a little housekeeping, too. Saying entries to the Everchosen category need to "be only Citadel Miniatures that are currently available on the Games Workshop.com website" sounds pretty unambiguous but it's still open to confusion. If they're not going to allow Forge World models, for instance (which that rule suggests) then they need to categorically say "no Forge World miniatures will be accepted" otherwise you're going to have situations where some shops will allow them and some won't. Hardly a level playing field.
These ambiguities could cause problems down the line, too. What if little Johnny's** Forge World Blood Bowl Minotaur got through the regionals, only to be disqualified at the next stage, when the bods at head office get to see the entries online? Does that mean whomever was in second place in the regional should get his place?
These issues need to be looked at because, modern internetting*** being the way it is, any perceived inconsistencies or injustices will be jumped upon from a great height.
And I really do hope they can sort these issues out, and they are just teething troubles, because Everschosen is a really great idea and I'd love to see it continue.****
One more thing. Graham Shirlie, of Painted By G, pointed out that, due to the fact that the information is in the sealed winners' envelopes, some winners might not be aware that they only have one week to post a photograph of their entry to the Everchosen global competition. He has kindly allowed me to post his photo of his golden ticket, in the hope that it might help some unfortunate avoid missing their chance. So, if you're reading this and you haven't retrieved your entry and winner's envelope from your local store yet, DO IT NOW!
*it's a perfectly cromulent word.
*yeah, him again. Maybe he entered in two different stores...
***again, utterly cromulent.
****(Partly because I'm hoping that, next time, The Real World won't drop such a heavy load on me just at the time when I should be working on my entry and I can get to have a go...)
So, the first round of GW's new Everchosen painting competition has happened and I think it's fair to say it's been a success... but not an unqualified success. It seems there have been some teething troubles but, before we get to that, I'd like to offer my hearty and unqualified congratulations to everybody who got through the first round and will go on to represent their store in the next stage. I remember very well what an utter thrill it was to get through the local stages, back when Golden Demon had such a thing, and I'm sure all those winners will be feeling really proud right now.
But what about those teething troubles?
Well, after the first round of the competition was over, I started seeing a number of posts complaining bitterly about certain aspects of the competition. At first I put these down to standard internet whining or sore losery* but, it seems, at least some of the complaints have merit. I put out a request for opinions from those who had taken part and I got a really good response from Alex Murray, who was eminently qualified to comment, as he was one of the regional winners. His comments supported a lot of the complaints I'd seen online. While he was very positive about the fact that this was a global event, and therefore much more accessible for those who are unable to make the journey to Coventry (hell, I have trouble with that, and it's only five hours away for me...) he had some things to say about other aspects of the competition. I'll let him speak for himself:
Good things:
• An actual painting competition bigger than just a local store.
Great to see that this was made an event! I’d love to see the return of Golden Demon to not just the northern hemisphere, but if that’s not gonna happen, would love to see Everchosen expanded and made into even more of an event.
• Accessibility. I think a lot of people really gave it a good go, so the access to a worldwide painting comp for lots of people was good. Hopefully it inspired more people to improve their painting or paint not just for armies too.
Could be improved:
• Public voting ensures that it’s not always the best painted that goes through to the next round. There’s at least one store where an amazing entry that, in my opinion, would certainly be a contender for the overall sword missed out just because of where they entered and a good, but not quite as good entry won because of the votes.
This method isn’t necessarily going to give the best painted entry the prize, which as a painting competition, it should. I reckon it should be closed-judged in the first round, then public voted for the second round. This has all sorts of logistical challenges with having enough qualified & impartial judges available in each area though.
• Consistency. Rules for the Everchosen category need to be clearer. Things that would have been disqualified because of base sizes and interpretations of the rules in one store, appear to have been fine in another store.
If there’s a limit on base sizes, but display plinths are fine, make the distinction clearer and be more specific.
• Display of miniatures. Having the entries in a prominent, well lit position at eye level would have been much nicer.
As it was, in my local, they were on the bottom two shelves of a display cabinet which made it seem like an afterthought and not an event. Makes it hard for everyone to see all of the details too (eg- if the backs will never be seen, why bother painting them?) Another challenge, as you don’t want the public picking up the minis in case of accidental damage or theft, etc but you do want the mini as a whole to be judged.
These are all valid points and, the first and last ones at least, are going to be a real challenge for GW to fix. It doesn't matter how many edicts they lay down about how the entries are to be displayed, not all stores (some indie stores were also hosting the event) have the sort of space available to display large numbers of miniatures properly. Similarly, the public voting thing is a difficult one to solve without coming up with an entirely different method of judging the first round. When there's a public vote, there is always going to be a risk of it turning into a popularity contest. If Johnny brings along all his friends and family to vote for him...It's a complicated issue. Even the idea of having someone like the shop manager as an impartial judge is not infallible solution. It's something that GW need to think long and hard about for next time, and it will be very interesting to see how the next round of (online) public voting goes.
The consistency issue is something that GW can solve very easily though. The rules need to be much more hard and fast and all ambiguity needs to be removed. When you are dealing with dozens of individual stores and their staff, any opportunity for mis-interpreting the rules causes huge problems. If the rule says "no larger than 60mm base" and some shops stick to it, but others "allow a little leeway" then it makes the rule meaningless. GW need to make sure a rule like that is properly enforced. But they also need to look to themselves for a little housekeeping, too. Saying entries to the Everchosen category need to "be only Citadel Miniatures that are currently available on the Games Workshop.com website" sounds pretty unambiguous but it's still open to confusion. If they're not going to allow Forge World models, for instance (which that rule suggests) then they need to categorically say "no Forge World miniatures will be accepted" otherwise you're going to have situations where some shops will allow them and some won't. Hardly a level playing field.
These ambiguities could cause problems down the line, too. What if little Johnny's** Forge World Blood Bowl Minotaur got through the regionals, only to be disqualified at the next stage, when the bods at head office get to see the entries online? Does that mean whomever was in second place in the regional should get his place?
These issues need to be looked at because, modern internetting*** being the way it is, any perceived inconsistencies or injustices will be jumped upon from a great height.
And I really do hope they can sort these issues out, and they are just teething troubles, because Everschosen is a really great idea and I'd love to see it continue.****
One more thing. Graham Shirlie, of Painted By G, pointed out that, due to the fact that the information is in the sealed winners' envelopes, some winners might not be aware that they only have one week to post a photograph of their entry to the Everchosen global competition. He has kindly allowed me to post his photo of his golden ticket, in the hope that it might help some unfortunate avoid missing their chance. So, if you're reading this and you haven't retrieved your entry and winner's envelope from your local store yet, DO IT NOW!
So, it just remains for me to wish the very best of luck to all the regional winners in the next round, and I very much look forward to seeing all the entries come voting time.
Thanks for reading!
-Stu
*it's a perfectly cromulent word.
*yeah, him again. Maybe he entered in two different stores...
***again, utterly cromulent.
****(Partly because I'm hoping that, next time, The Real World won't drop such a heavy load on me just at the time when I should be working on my entry and I can get to have a go...)
Going for the top 3 might help avoid the stacked vote, assuming that each member of the public gets one vote.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that might be one way around it. It'll be interesting to see what they do for the online vote.
ReplyDelete