Discussion: How to improve contests

**pigbait75** · 06-18-2007, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angele803

You can find who the moderators are by looking toward the bottom left of the main forum.
For example, in the design contest section ( http://www.webmaster-talk.com/graphic-design-contests/ )
Scroll down toward the bottom. At the left, you will see there are 3 mods here. It is kind of small, but its there. It should be there for all the forums too.
It would be good if every contest holder paid like they should. Things really have improved here over the past year though, and I expect things to continue to improve.

I really hope so if you can't trust a contest held by the board themselves to payout. what hope do we have of any CH paying. ask republikin he knows what I'm talking about. hopefully I won't get banned from the board for this, but i think if a prize is promised it should be paid. And yea I see the moderator table there now obviously I WASN'T looking hard enough thanks.

**pigbait75** · 06-18-2007, 04:33 PM

also you should make it mandatory for a CH to explain that they have a contest running on more than this forum so we know that their may not be a winner at all on this board.

**dougadam** · 07-05-2007, 01:18 PM

I feel number 3 is very important

3. Enforce watermarking.

**Mizell** · 07-09-2007, 09:45 PM

I really don't see why all you put such importance on watermarking...

Sites like Sitepoint, which is the biggest, don't really care about watermarking.

I'm just saying because if somebody wants to steal the work, a little watermark will not really stop them...

The minimum post thing, I don't really know if it is all that great as then, no random person will post their contest here.

**woosh** · 07-12-2007, 08:39 PM

The minimum post thing was started to stop alot of the bogus contests that were being posted at the time, alot of designers were wasting their time on contests started by "random" people with one or two posts only to find out they were bogus contests, now that it has been instigated it has lessened the problem considerably

**russellbartnick** · 07-13-2007, 04:17 PM

Im a new member on this site and I think the contest holder
should have some sort of reputation here so we know they can be
trusted. I would be pretty up set if I got ripped off. With that being said
I think water marking is important as well.

**bcackerman** · 07-16-2007, 12:42 AM

i think the best thing to do here is just to publisize the site more, so more business comes...seems like there's not that many posts of contests compared to other sites like www.sitepoint.com/contests/

**bcackerman** · 07-19-2007, 06:33 PM

I also think there should be a minimum payment of $50 to the winner. These contests are for $10-$30, that's really nothing comared to the amount of work prople put in.

**Republikin** · 07-20-2007, 10:44 AM

Your very welcome not to participate in those contests.

**vkw91** · 07-24-2007, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcackerman

I also think there should be a minimum payment of $50 to the winner. These contests are for $10-$30, that's really nothing comared to the amount of work prople put in.

I think thats the main reason why i don't really compete here. With the amount of revisions some CH ask for, $10-$30 (£5-£15 in real money

) is not worth it.

**ghiavolu** · 02:08 PM

Hi guys!

What`s goin on? Who became rich until now?
Graphic Design Contests Marketplace - is an evil thing!

Missed ya!

**woosh** · 09-08-2007, 07:12 PM

Heh allo ghiavolu I've been a wee bit absent as well, moved countries and all haha, how is everyone? Off to get my head round this new layout ... three more weeks and my computer arrives yay

**woosh** · 01-26-2008, 12:09 AM

Any update on the changes and what happened to the new system???? We seem to have lost alot of the regular designers

Also maybe a thread sticky regarding copyright rules for the newer designers as far as what is NOT acceptable and unethical in the design comps....???

**angele803** · 01-28-2008, 06:18 PM

The copyright sticky is a great idea woosh. I sent you a PM to ask for your help writing that up.
I am not sure what is going to be happening with the contest forums. I know some changes need to be made, and some things are supposed to change. I'm just not sure when and how. I will try to keep you guys updated!

**phacker** · 01-28-2008, 06:32 PM

I am an ex-sitepoint designer. I think you guys are doing greating developing your contests and regulations. Sitepoint went through all the same complaints in the beginning.

Your template for contest holders is great. Watermarks do nothing. PMming entries should be outlawed during contests.

Deadlines should be stuck to, no matter how much a contest holder loves an early entry...hey, they may love a last minute one better. I tend to hold off to the last moment so my concepts aren't ripped.

Keep up the good work, and remember to listen to both the contest holders and designers.

**woosh** · 01-28-2008, 06:43 PM

Replied to your pm Steph will keep in touch via pm ... great comments phacker! I fully agree with the no pming of entires its totally underhanded and unethical

**angele803** · 01-28-2008, 06:50 PM

I really feel like watermarking is effective. I am working with a designer right now who just got ripped off. His entry was the only one (or one of the few) that was not watermarked, and the ch ran off with his design. We are working on solving this now, but if the designer would have watermarked his image, it probably would not have been stolen.

It is currently a rule that all entries are to be posted within the contest. If you know of someone PMing entries, let me know. It is against the rules.

We have been pretty lenient with the ending dates of contests, but perhaps we should be more strict.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions phacker!

**phacker** · 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angele803

I really feel like watermarking is effective. I am working with a designer right now who just got ripped off. His entry was the only one (or one of the few) that was not watermarked, and the ch ran off with his design. We are working on solving this now, but if the designer would have watermarked his image, it probably would not have been stolen.

It is currently a rule that all entries are to be posted within the contest. If you know of someone PMing entries, let me know. It is against the rules.

We have been pretty lenient with the ending dates of contests, but perhaps we should be more strict.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions phacker!

Watermarking wouldn't have prevented that. Only a real graphic newbie is put off by a watermark. He should follow up with threats of legal action, they usually work if he can document the construction of his design.

What watermarks do in a lot of instances is confuse the one holding the contest in that they can't distinguish the watermark from the actual design and see it as part of the finished product. And end up writing off a winning design as too large or too busy.

**omgage** · 02-29-2008, 02:18 AM

as it is, is payment required before file is sent? or how does it work. I'm new here guys sorry about all the noob questions =x

**Gx3 Grafix** · 02-29-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omgage

as it is, is payment required before file is sent? or how does it work. I'm new here guys sorry about all the noob questions =x

Yes, once the CH has chosen the winner a pm is sent verifying paypal/payment information. Once payment is received we send the files in whatever format is requested to the specified e-mail address. Next post back to the thread letting all the other designers know that the transaction is complete and leave an iTrader rating to help out other designers/CHs in the future. iTrader lets us know who is honest and who we can trust around here and it goes both ways for the designer and the CH.

Good luck! Nice to have you aboard.