Monthly Art Challenge - change of hands

kadeschui

Guys n gals ~ I sent a message to @eXecutex with some concept suggestions and received word that he'll be stepping aside as coordinator for our beloved challenges.

I'm happy to carry the torch for the time being but wanted to put this out there should anyone feel strongly compelled to take over for the longterm. 

Depending on suggestions I'll put up a Concept art thread so we can begin the selection process for August and either recommend we do a small scene or prop or kick off a new Challenge in September. 

Thoughts / concerns welcome - thanks @eXecutex for all your hard work setting these things up the past few months; I'm sure I speak for everyone in saying you've fostered an invaluable part of the community here

Nerdicon3000

Thanks for the hard work @eXecutex It has been very much appreciated.

Just a quick suggestion, could we try a bi monthly challenge like the character thread?. Just see if it's a better time frame? I just thought if creating one character takes a month, then maybe creating an entire environment should get a little longer. But this is totally just a suggestion.

Umbrafoxus

Probably worth a shot, if the challenge coordinator is changing hands it might be worth trying something different this month, more time would likely allow folks to better work around their personal lives too  

Noremac7777

I've just got the worst luck on these things lol... I'm not a regular, but a friend advised me to start doing the monthly noob challenge back in March. Literally the exact month that the name changed; I didn't realise, never did find the next one and gave up. I only found out about the name change last week, and I've been refreshing multiple times a day looking for the next one, haha. Looking through the last few challenges, it's been a fantastic effort anyway; kudos to @eXecutex. Eagerly awaiting whatever happens next.

BucketOfNuggets

I'd be keen for a bi monthly thing. And if possible have the thread stuck to the top of page.

eXecutex

Hey guys !!
First of I would like to thank you all for the kind words, it has been an honor hosting the challenges these past few months! I was trying to find time to be part of those but it's hard keeping track on things in life you know...
Anyway, for countless reasons i am resigning from hosting the challenges myself, and am sorry for not telling you sooner. However I guess it's fine that came to this conclusion, you guys, the polycount army can take over and build it forward !

There was a thread few months ago, talking about the challenge, whether it should be bi monthly or not, most of you guys voted it to stick as it was. Now I think it's time to expand it so you guys have more time to work on it.

Thank you all, it's not a goodbye, I am still here, but I appreciate all your thoughts around this and I hope you understand my position in this situation.

Cheers,
eXecutex !

kadeschui

Sounds like it may be time for an overhaul of the Monthly Challenge, then! 

I propose the following:

Since we are already a week into August, let’s pull together some prop concepts and pick one by the end of the weekend (Sunday, 8/7) based on popularity. I’ll make a new thread for August and we can do a prop this month.

Starting in September, we’ll do a bi-monthly challenge like the character thread. We’ll revive the previous selection process whereby everyone submits images and we vote.

How does this sound to everyone? I’m happy to fill in as host for the time being unless someone else is interested in filling eXecutex’s shoes for the long-term.

If everyone's OK with this plan I'll make a thread to collect concepts for the August challenge and we can get the Challenge kicked off Monday.

Shyralon

@eXecutex Thanks for doing the challenge until now, I really enjoyed the few times I participated
Doing just a prop for the rest of this month sounds like a good idea to me, however, I am not sure if bi monthly really is a good idea since
a) it is much harder to find the time to commit to a 2 month project and people who are currently out have to wait 2 full months until a new challenge starts and
b) in my opinion doing several shorter projects provides a better learning experience than doing a longer project since you always learn new things which you could use for better results next time. But maybe that's just me.

But if you guys all want to do bi-monthly I would propose the following:
Keep the prop challenges monthly (especially since 2 months would be quite long for a prop) and only extend the environments to two months, this way everyone who wants to join can do so without having to wait two full months or commit for a longer time to one big project.

kadeschui

Think I'll have to side with @Shyralon on this one. Having to wait two months to catch the next Challenge would be a real bummer.

Perhaps we just make an honest effort to pick scenes that can objectively be completed in 4 weeks. People are always free to spend longer on a scene outside of the "official" timeframe, of course...

Nerdicon3000

I know people can keep on doing the environment outside of the time frame but the whole purpose of this challenge is get feedback on your work and advice on how you could improve. It helped me heaps but if you are finishing after the deadline the feedback dries up.

 Plus picking scenes that can be done in 4 weeks I feel might be discouraging some people from participating because, well there a bit boring. I'm probably wrong but when I first started these challenges I liked the concepts that were a little more complex, I could just never finish them in the month because of work and stuff.  

Nerdicon3000

Plus I'm not saying do it all the time. Just this one time to see if it works out.

kadeschui

I'm going to start a thread for the Prop for August. We can continue the discussion on length of time for Challenges over the next few weeks and come to a consensus. 

Perhaps having a prop challenge designated for each month and an environment for the 2-month period would cover our bases.

Decordova360

I agree to some with Nerdicon3000 . 1) I think we can do the 4wks/1mnth challenge. 2) We can also do the more complex challenges that will require more time and to have some difficulty to improve in skill such as Environment. Environment requires team work and proper planning for it to be completed which makes sense having longer than 1mnth. Having a challenge to go 2mnth or more can be handled while a 4week challenge is active. When the 2mnth challenge is over, roll out another and same for the 4 week challenge. This in result will have more 4week challenges to the 2mnth challenge of the calendar year. 

BucketOfNuggets

I vote for the 1 month prop, 2 month environment. Sounds like a good idea to me and if anyone misses out and enters halfway through the environment challenge they still can do the prop challenge till it clicks over again.

Marshkin

I really like the idea of 1 month prop and 2 month environment.
Maybe separate them into two challenges? I personally find environments hard to complete in a month due to work/life commitments. Two months seems a little more manageable.

Decordova360

I feel we can do and handle both running at the same time. 1mnth and a 2mnth challenge.

kadeschui

All,

The new thread for the August Challenge is now up here: Link