CotI Design Contest?

[Malenfant]

I find it a bit odd that the JTAS design contest is raised here (and taken part in on the GURPS Traveller board), when we have our own ship-building board right here on CotI.

So why don't we start a CotI Ship Design Contest to be held on this board, along the same lines as the JTAS one? AFAIK there are more people here to take part in it, plus we can use any of the Traveller design systems for the job.

Anyone?

 

[mike wightman]

I've never entered the JTAS contest because I can not find my way around their forums.

I'd be interested in a CotI based contest.

 

[savage]

I for one have mentioned it because JTAS is multi- system although many GTers use it.

I've mentioned it here because I'm submitting T20
designs...

Whatever is done too many contests result in minimal input to all of them.


Regards,
Savage

 

[Malenfant]

I think it's down to the population of the boards really. IIRC the JTAS contest doesn't get that many contributors - I've seen posts from people begging for more votes because they've got a tie for a winner... at three or four votes . Hell, the total number of votes cast in contest 25 was 6, and only one out of the five ships got more than one vote!

I just don't see the point of porting over a contest started on a board that most people here can't access. We've got over 5000 people here, after all (I think that's much more than JTAS), and we're open to everyone. There also seems to be more discussion here, which makes it more likely that more designs can be submitted and talked about.

As for "too many contests result in minimal input to all of them" - if a JTAS and a CotI contest are both running here, perhaps that might happen. But if we run only CotI contests, everyone's attention will be focussed on just that.

 

[far-trader]

I'm with Savage here, more contests does not seem to equal more participants. Over the last few years there have been a number of (primarily) Traveller ship design contests and they all seem to suffer the same slow loss of interest before they die and spawn a new one somewhere else populated by the same diehard gearheads.

I sense the same mortality creeping into the JTAS contest and applauded the posting of notices here to help widen the audience and perhaps attact new interest. Yes you have to subscibe to JTAS to enter but it does have more to offer than just that and the boards.

As for creating a CotI version I've pondered it for a while and even thought of just posting a parallel side contest of the JTAS. But given the overwhelming interest, well why bother.

No offense to those who are interested but I've not seen much evidence of it. A little but not much. Next to no feedback outside of the designers for most of the designs posted here, or on JTAS for that matter, or in general any contest anywhere.

And even with the 5,000 plus possible souls asked to look at the entries here and vote on their favorite we had a paltry 6 votes and 1 abstentia (myself, I presume) for 7 participants. Coincidence that the numbers are equal?

As a participant in many of these over the years the most important part for me is feedback to fine-tune the design, and the process. It also helps generate new ideas.

That's why one aspect of the JTAS contes bugs me, the anonymity. The designer can't reply to questions or fix errors without an intermediary (a thankless task for which I owe Savage much thanks). My own interest often wans before the voting is tallyed and my questions for the other designers are forgotten by then. It would be better if it were more open but I seem in the minority (or silent majority) in this on JTAS.

So, a CotI Contest? Nice idea that seems bound to fall flat given the actual responses. Will I be there? Probably, though I'm getting a little burned out design wise. I've posted a few designs here, others have posted more, and the feedback seems limited, again usually to the same few, or maybe its just my perspective. Its a pity too given that this forum is so well suited to running a contest of this type.

If I'm wrong (here's hoping) and a CotI contest is desired I've a couple ideas to help set it up. Maybe step one should be a poll to gauge interest? Shall I go ahead and do that? Questions off the top of my head would be:

How many would submit designs?

How many would use the designs?

How many would participate by posting feedback for the designers?

How many would participate by voting for their favorite?

I like short polls myself and that should cover the basics. Any other critical questions?

 

[trader jim]

So..Where are the DECK PLANS???
(ones that we all can print and use???)

 

[Badbru]

Since I've been a member here I only recall seeing two contests. The latest for the Nobles Liners and the one before that for the Barekdoldin conversion.
Well, I'm a TNE Ref and player so a Nobles liner only has interest to me if I can convert it to a Troop carrier

and since, again, I'm a TNE Ref and player I wasn't much interested to see how a TNE ship looked in "other" systems. (The Barekdoldin) Thus neither have had much appeal to me so far. Other peoples designs in the same system I use are of some value to me, but honestly, how often would the contest center on Fire Fusion & Steel designed ships? And for that matter I can just go to the Bard site at Downport for massive numbers of ships.
So, that's my excuse for a lack of "displayed" interest so far

That, and I'm not a JTAS member.

 

[Malenfant]

For starters, the JTAS contest is announced on the GURPS Traveller board - and let's face it, most people on CotI are not interested in GURPS Traveller. It probably slips under most peoples' radar there.

I'm not even particularly sure why it has to be a contest with any kind of timelimit. Just say "OK, here's what we want designs for" and let people design them. Presumably most people who design ships do it for fun anyway. There's no need to vote for it really.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by trader jim:
So..Where are the DECK PLANS???
(ones that we all can print and use???)

Hey TJ, good day to you too

There is, er was, a Deckplan Design Contest. It's on hiatus at the moment, but the organizer is getting reorganized to bring it back. The site is here:

http://spacecraft.sfrpg.net/

It has some nice designs from the first three contests.

And of course, if accessing a Yahoo group isn't an impediment there's:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/deckplans/

I have a couple early drafts for a Type S and Type J and my take on one of the Baron's designs in my Journeyman Design Bureau folder there in the files section. The original and others (and more great stuff) can be found here:

http://groups.msn.com/SidurHaskiDesignConsortium

Also on the Yahoo group there is the folder for the JTAS Contest Designs folder wherein you'll find a rough draft of the external dorsal view of my entry for contest 25. Plans are in the works but it's a 10,000 ton design so it may take a little while

(even though some of it is repetive due to the modular nature).

That list should keep you busy for a couple hours, maybe Once you're done that there is the Deckplans Webring for you to patrol here:

http://x.webring.com/hub?ring=deckring

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Malenfant:
For starters, the JTAS contest is announced on the GURPS Traveller board - and let's face it, most people on CotI are not interested in GURPS Traveller. It probably slips under most peoples' radar there.

Well when it was first being announced here it was posted to The Fleet and clearly labled (iirc) as being open to all Traveller design systems.

I'm not even particularly sure why it has to be a contest with any kind of timelimit. Just say "OK, here's what we want designs for" and let people design them. Presumably most people who design ships do it for fun anyway. There's no need to vote for it really.

Sure, but without a time limit some of us might not finish it (or rather, be statisfied enough with it to call it finished enough for posting). I actually had as much fun with Jame's little call for a ship as I did with the contest. Fun is my main motivation, and part of that fun is getting some feedback about what works or doesn't, questions about why or what if, and even the odd "wow, I like it" is nice.

The votes (for the JTAS contest anyway) are a function of driving the contest forward. The winner gets a little holiday from designing (if they want) and the reward of challenging the other designers to create something they'd like (but in ways they wouldn't). Without this system the "work" falls on (usually) the same single soul who has no time for their own designing fun. I think it's a good system, as evidenced by running as long as it has with a small group of designers.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Badbru:
Since I've been a member here I only recall seeing two contests. The latest for the Nobles Liners and the one before that for the Barekdoldin conversion.

Gee, I thought you'd been around here longer than that

<looks at Citizen Badbru's file> Hmm, yep guess that's about right.

Well, I'm a TNE Ref and player so a Nobles liner only has interest to me if I can convert it to a Troop carrier

I actually had that in mind as a possible use for my design

but as you say...

...and since, again, I'm a TNE Ref and player I wasn't much interested to see how a TNE ship looked in "other" systems. (The Barekdoldin) Thus neither have had much appeal to me so far. Other peoples designs in the same system I use are of some value to me, but honestly, how often would the contest center on Fire Fusion & Steel designed ships?

It will never be centered on any one system (except that being on a largely GT board it tends to draw more of that crowd) and a FF&S design will happen as often as "someone" with the interest and desire to share posts one

And for that matter I can just go to the Bard site at Downport for massive numbers of ships.
So, that's my excuse for a lack of "displayed" interest so far

That, and I'm not a JTAS member.

Both very valid reasons. But then you can say the same for any of the design systems. They all have more than enough ships for most games already published so there's no reason to make more...

Except that the ones available don't always address a particular design need. And gearheads are always tinkering. The contest is a good way to satisfy the needs of the first when they supply the input and the second when they are inspired by a set of requirements.

 

[savage]

I see a good reason for 1 Traveller contest for
designs and 1 for deckplans...no more. They just
won't get participation...trust me I advertisedon
yahoo, coti and gurps for jtas design contest 25.

Funny part the people on coti and jtas that complained aren't even participating...

So whatever. Be forewarned.

 

[Malenfant]

Thing is, the current JTAS design contest is based in a much smaller and more restricted community than this one. Perhaps people here think there's no point in designing something for a contest based on a community that they're not part of and probably can't even access? Hence why I suggested that we start our own one, the results of which can be stored here on this board.