NOTE FOR MODERATORS: DO NOT APPROVE THIS POST FOR PUBLIC VIEWING. I've written it out ahead of time so when its OK to post publicly it can be approved. Until then let it remain invisible.
Dominance War IV
Anticipation for the launch of a yearly event grows as we near the starting
mark for Dominance War IV. Dominance War, on www.dominancewar.com, is
a truly unique game art challenge. It is the only event of its kind to bring
together famous forums to compete for world champion standings in an
Olympic-like setting. In Dominance War, Artists are the athletes and online
forums are their countries. It is a place that fosters the sharing of ideas
and techniques and helps artists acquire new skills and new methods to
achieve spectacular things. Each year, the thoughts of artists across the
globe are depicted with truly imaginative art and starting this February 20th
2009, an unprecedented 12 art forums, 7 languages, and over 50
nationalities will take part in the largest war in the series - Dominance War
IV.
Dominance War IV - Whats coming?
Mystery in the final hour of tension, a twist at the turn of an era,
Dominance War has always been about making an imaginative environment
where artists are free to explore. Yes, there will always be rules in any
given competition, but in this event, it's all about options. In Dominance
War IV, artists are able to choose a character type, what they carry and
the attack methods he or she employs. Because of this, artists are able to
individualize their characters to their own personal tastes and as a result,
each entry is assured to stand out amongst others. What these new
options are and how they can be used to create a fabulous entry... when
the official rules are released, everything will be revealed.
Many grand things are arriving in Dominance War IV. An original story line,
new mini challenges, additional sponsors, world renowned judges, further
teams, extra languages, upgraded entry system, and a lot more. Each year,
with support and suggestions from our community, DW improves for
everyone so artists can always expect great things! Many preparations are
being made. First and foremost, we are looking into partnerships with
schools and their 3d classrooms. We hope to offer students the exposure
they need to get them the jobs they always longed for. Additionally, we are
going to expand the Dominance War movement with an informal gallery
showcase in GDC 2009. We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of
our artists and our great supporting sponsors, so we always look for
additional ways in which we can promote them. It is our hopes that through
various galleries, viewers around the world, in various nationalities, will
become more aware of how truly great it is to be a game artist.
Why enter Dominance War IV?
Aside from +10 000 USD in cash prizes? Another benefit of entering a
competition of this caliber comes with the global recognition attained.
Winners will be interviewed in magazines, featured in live galleries, receive
great prizes, get fantastic resume highlights, and will be regarded as heroes
by their chosen home forums for many years to come. However, lets not
discount what non-champions will get. Dominance War is about giving
everyone a place to learn new and innovative methods, create a fantastic
portfolio piece, make friendships, find motivation, and showcase talents to
the world. Even if an entry is not the best, each and every artist will take
home knowledge that helps future careers. In the end, all the time invested
in Dominance War is invaluable time invested in ones self, ones art and
ones talents. Win or loose, prizes or no prizes, there is a little something to
be had for everyone.
How it works:
As Dominance War IV approaches, two types of events will unfold - Two
quick-paced DW Mini Challenges with the first starting February 20th 2009,
and an Epic Main Challenge that begins March 12th 2009.
Mini Challenges:
Mini Challenges are small single thread based competitions with easy topics
and small polygon budgets. They are very intense as they only last for 9
days. Examples of topics include: creating a cartoon character, a small
object, a weapon etc. To join, you must
Select and represent 1 of 12 forums engaged in Dominance War IV. Once a forum
has been chosen, you cannot change forums until Dominance War V, 2010.
After the rules have been revealed and read, post your "mandatory" work in
progress (w.i.p) shots in a single 3d and 2d thread within your selected forum. All
artists must post their w.i.p art in the same thread on the same forum.
Before the challenge ends, submit your final entry into the DW entry system.
When all entries are in a 4-day public voting process begins.
When voting is over, the best 5 artists from each forum move into the final
professional judging stage and both Epic Main and Mini Challenge World
Champions are announced in June 2009.
Epic Main Challenge:
The main challenge is like previous Dominance Wars. It is a character-based
competition with game-like polygon budgets, texture budgets and a
storyline. When the rules are revealed on March 12th, if artists have not
already chosen a forum to represent, they must do so now. Unlike mini
challenges, artists must create their own personal 3d or 2d work-in-
progress (w.i.p) threads on their selected forums. Everyone has 8 weeks to
post mandatory w.i.p updates and everyone is encouraged to help others
with friendly suggestions and critiques. Before the challenge ends, artists
must submit their final entries into the DW system and when judging is
complete and the war is over, this years World Champions and the winning
forums they represent are revealed in June 2009.
Advice for people entering:
If this is your first time entering Dominance War, I would suggest that extra
care be given to the rules and options of Dominance War IV. If we use last
years rules as an example, if you choose to create a warlord character with
a powerful fire element sword, don't make him blue, dressed in a robe, and
casting spells. Try to make the best entry possible with the options you
choose. Dominance War IV options can easily be incorporated into your
entry and they are an absolute must-see during judging.
Although dominance war is a fairly open competition, an epic series with a
3-year history is always a little daunting to first time participants.
Fortunately, there are plenty of moderators and artists who are always
happy and willing to help fellow artists get started.
Here are a few tips.
Always look carefully at the rules and ask questions if you dont understand
something.
Make sure you love and take pride in the concept/idea you create. The concept
should be something that will captivate you throughout the comp. If you love your
idea, regardless of what happens around you, this will pull you through all difficult
times.
It might be tempting to create an entry that pushes or bends the rules, but if you
look at previous champions, they are all perfect examples of the topics they
represent. In 2006, rawkstars entry, General Crom, was a perfect War General. In
2007, Team Biguns entry was a fantastic Shadow type character perfectly equipped
for mass extermination. In 2008, parkparkins 3d final looked like a perfect War
Lord with a highly magical weapon and JerryJs 2d queen-like creation, flying
impervious to all attacks, was perfect for destroying all opposition.
Pace yourself. Dont leave everything to the last minute. If you can't keep a
schedule then pace yourself according to another artist in the competition. If
he/she finishes a head over the weekend, finish yours!
Leave enough time at the end for a great presentation. A bad presentation can
easily kill 2 months of hard work. Judges dont see the hard work put into progress
threads. They only see final images. If the presentation of the first image, winning
pose, is bad, they will immediately skip to the next finalist.
Dont hide your character under too many effects. Each character should be able to
stand proudly by itself. The winning pose is about showing your character in a
simple natural setting. If your entry is hidden, it looks like your entry has
something to hide and will in turn be skipped.
Final notes:
We will always be here to encourage and help artists in the coming months
ahead. If you are an artists thinking about joining in on the fun, we look
forward to seeing you in Dominance War IV. From the Dominance War team,
we wish everyone good luck and we hope you enjoy this years epic event!
See you on the forums!
NOTE FOR MODERATORS: DO NOT APPROVE THIS POST FOR PUBLIC VIEWING. I've written it out ahead of time so when its OK to post publicly it can be approved. Until then let it remain invisible.
news flash: DomWar theme announced as characters of a clean utopian society. thousands panic as they search for tutorials on how to texture clean materials. :poly124:
Leave enough time at the end for a great presentation. A bad presentation can
easily kill 2 months of hard work. Judges dont see the hard work put into progress
threads. They only see final images. If the presentation of the first image, winning
pose, is bad, they will immediately skip to the next finalist.
I know that one too well now...I'll probably need a MONTH for that
12 forums competing? I thought last DW got too big for comfort and way too difficult to get an overview of.
Well then you better get ready for some serious confusion. It sounds like its going to be way, way bigger this year. Polycount is going to have to really bring the heat in order to perform well against all the other forums that are joining up. It's going to be completely crazy.
Hah! I just realized that I'm scheduled to have a four-day vacation the week after Dominance War IV starts! Kick ass, I will finally have the time to invest in participating.
Replies
I've written it out ahead of time so when its OK to post publicly it can be approved. Until then let it remain invisible.
Dominance War IV
Anticipation for the launch of a yearly event grows as we near the starting
mark for Dominance War IV. Dominance War, on www.dominancewar.com, is
a truly unique game art challenge. It is the only event of its kind to bring
together famous forums to compete for world champion standings in an
Olympic-like setting. In Dominance War, Artists are the athletes and online
forums are their countries. It is a place that fosters the sharing of ideas
and techniques and helps artists acquire new skills and new methods to
achieve spectacular things. Each year, the thoughts of artists across the
globe are depicted with truly imaginative art and starting this February 20th
2009, an unprecedented 12 art forums, 7 languages, and over 50
nationalities will take part in the largest war in the series - Dominance War
IV.
Dominance War IV - Whats coming?
Mystery in the final hour of tension, a twist at the turn of an era,
Dominance War has always been about making an imaginative environment
where artists are free to explore. Yes, there will always be rules in any
given competition, but in this event, it's all about options. In Dominance
War IV, artists are able to choose a character type, what they carry and
the attack methods he or she employs. Because of this, artists are able to
individualize their characters to their own personal tastes and as a result,
each entry is assured to stand out amongst others. What these new
options are and how they can be used to create a fabulous entry... when
the official rules are released, everything will be revealed.
Many grand things are arriving in Dominance War IV. An original story line,
new mini challenges, additional sponsors, world renowned judges, further
teams, extra languages, upgraded entry system, and a lot more. Each year,
with support and suggestions from our community, DW improves for
everyone so artists can always expect great things! Many preparations are
being made. First and foremost, we are looking into partnerships with
schools and their 3d classrooms. We hope to offer students the exposure
they need to get them the jobs they always longed for. Additionally, we are
going to expand the Dominance War movement with an informal gallery
showcase in GDC 2009. We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of
our artists and our great supporting sponsors, so we always look for
additional ways in which we can promote them. It is our hopes that through
various galleries, viewers around the world, in various nationalities, will
become more aware of how truly great it is to be a game artist.
Why enter Dominance War IV?
Aside from +10 000 USD in cash prizes? Another benefit of entering a
competition of this caliber comes with the global recognition attained.
Winners will be interviewed in magazines, featured in live galleries, receive
great prizes, get fantastic resume highlights, and will be regarded as heroes
by their chosen home forums for many years to come. However, lets not
discount what non-champions will get. Dominance War is about giving
everyone a place to learn new and innovative methods, create a fantastic
portfolio piece, make friendships, find motivation, and showcase talents to
the world. Even if an entry is not the best, each and every artist will take
home knowledge that helps future careers. In the end, all the time invested
in Dominance War is invaluable time invested in ones self, ones art and
ones talents. Win or loose, prizes or no prizes, there is a little something to
be had for everyone.
How it works:
As Dominance War IV approaches, two types of events will unfold - Two
quick-paced DW Mini Challenges with the first starting February 20th 2009,
and an Epic Main Challenge that begins March 12th 2009.
Mini Challenges:
Mini Challenges are small single thread based competitions with easy topics
and small polygon budgets. They are very intense as they only last for 9
days. Examples of topics include: creating a cartoon character, a small
object, a weapon etc. To join, you must
has been chosen, you cannot change forums until Dominance War V, 2010.
progress (w.i.p) shots in a single 3d and 2d thread within your selected forum. All
artists must post their w.i.p art in the same thread on the same forum.
professional judging stage and both Epic Main and Mini Challenge World
Champions are announced in June 2009.
Epic Main Challenge:
The main challenge is like previous Dominance Wars. It is a character-based
competition with game-like polygon budgets, texture budgets and a
storyline. When the rules are revealed on March 12th, if artists have not
already chosen a forum to represent, they must do so now. Unlike mini
challenges, artists must create their own personal 3d or 2d work-in-
progress (w.i.p) threads on their selected forums. Everyone has 8 weeks to
post mandatory w.i.p updates and everyone is encouraged to help others
with friendly suggestions and critiques. Before the challenge ends, artists
must submit their final entries into the DW system and when judging is
complete and the war is over, this years World Champions and the winning
forums they represent are revealed in June 2009.
Advice for people entering:
If this is your first time entering Dominance War, I would suggest that extra
care be given to the rules and options of Dominance War IV. If we use last
years rules as an example, if you choose to create a warlord character with
a powerful fire element sword, don't make him blue, dressed in a robe, and
casting spells. Try to make the best entry possible with the options you
choose. Dominance War IV options can easily be incorporated into your
entry and they are an absolute must-see during judging.
Although dominance war is a fairly open competition, an epic series with a
3-year history is always a little daunting to first time participants.
Fortunately, there are plenty of moderators and artists who are always
happy and willing to help fellow artists get started.
Here are a few tips.
something.
should be something that will captivate you throughout the comp. If you love your
idea, regardless of what happens around you, this will pull you through all difficult
times.
look at previous champions, they are all perfect examples of the topics they
represent. In 2006, rawkstars entry, General Crom, was a perfect War General. In
2007, Team Biguns entry was a fantastic Shadow type character perfectly equipped
for mass extermination. In 2008, parkparkins 3d final looked like a perfect War
Lord with a highly magical weapon and JerryJs 2d queen-like creation, flying
impervious to all attacks, was perfect for destroying all opposition.
schedule then pace yourself according to another artist in the competition. If
he/she finishes a head over the weekend, finish yours!
easily kill 2 months of hard work. Judges dont see the hard work put into progress
threads. They only see final images. If the presentation of the first image, winning
pose, is bad, they will immediately skip to the next finalist.
stand proudly by itself. The winning pose is about showing your character in a
simple natural setting. If your entry is hidden, it looks like your entry has
something to hide and will in turn be skipped.
Final notes:
We will always be here to encourage and help artists in the coming months
ahead. If you are an artists thinking about joining in on the fun, we look
forward to seeing you in Dominance War IV. From the Dominance War team,
we wish everyone good luck and we hope you enjoy this years epic event!
See you on the forums!
NOTE FOR MODERATORS: DO NOT APPROVE THIS POST FOR PUBLIC VIEWING.
I've written it out ahead of time so when its OK to post publicly it can be approved. Until then let it remain invisible.
\m/
win!
Well then you better get ready for some serious confusion. It sounds like its going to be way, way bigger this year. Polycount is going to have to really bring the heat in order to perform well against all the other forums that are joining up. It's going to be completely crazy.
edit: nevermind found it w00t
But fo' sho....black and green baby :-)