Say I ran a track contest....

[jlv]

Are replica's allowed?

Also is DJ and other people allowing there objects to be distributed? Or is that up to the individual person to contact the creator and ask for permission. Is written proof required?

How will the tracks be judged? Similar to what Puremxs is set up?

Will anything be done to reduce bias of voting?

Replicas are fine.

As far a I know there are no objects under the Creative Commons license or in the public domain at this time. It's up to the authors to decide if they want to allow that.

The judging will be done by rating the tracks on a web form and entering the last few digits of your regkey. I'll probably go with a simple 0-10 overall rating. No need to make it more complicated.

Judging is inherently biased.

[yomo]

Ok thanks JLV

as for the voting I think there should be a bit of a guide as to where to mark points.
Or maybe just mention that the following aspects should be considered when voting... (disp map, textures, objects etc..)

Also will you want to know who is entering or just let people send in there tracks by the date.

[jlv]

No pre entry will be required.

[yomo]

I have a few questions about model detail:

1. What does setting the value to 20 actaully do (say down from 100) Does it increase the rate in which the lods take effect?

2. Does the track value include the polys used by the rider and bike etc. I worked out that currently at a value of 20 my CRF250, DDMX V2 rider, V3 helmet and HD wheels are using 16,428 polys?

That means that at broad meadow although the value says 26066 it is actually 9638

IF however it does include the rider and bike do we calculate it with custom models (which are all different values (DJ's YZ is more than the CRF)) or do we use JLV's standard rider and RMZ125 or something?

Thanks

[ddmx]

I feel that tracks should be submitted anonymously. Therefore judging is biased on the account of the creator.

[DJ99X]

Nah, most people could tell whose track is whose, and I'm sure word would spread through msn

[ddmx]

Well, I'm pretty sure I don't have kyler on my msn, and every unbiased vote counts.

[yomo]

I was thinking that obviously these are going to be some of the best tracks created from this community yet (with $250 on the line ) they should be protected from people who don't legally have the full game. That way for people to try them they need the full game.

Maybe just have a page where people need to put in their serial key to initiate the download. Or email everyone a unique link to get the game. Then just make the tracks only work for the serial that it was assigned to...

Im not sure if this would work but maybe release a zzzw.saf with all the tracks included and for the game to access the data with in the zzzw.saf it needs a valid serial to work.

I know it would probably be a fair bit of work and Im not sure it if can be done but even if it makes 5 people buy the game well thats covered the costs of the contest but im sure there are more cheapskates that will be literally forced to buy the game when they see 5 - 10 amazing tracks.


Also nothing on the polys question? because atm it the difference between 55,000 polys or 25,000 which is a pretty big difference

As for the bias of votes i also think that they should be submitted anonymously. Obviously there will be people spreading the word through msn but a lot of people don't use msn so as DDMX said it will still make a difference.

Either that or have a few voting moderators that can at least chase people up and ask them why they voted the extreme way that they did (eg. Ask Mickey why he voted DJ's track 1/10 and DDMX's 10/10 when the average votes for both were within 0.5 or something like that?)

Someone like Messiah (unless he is entering) would IMO do a really good job at this as he knows the difference between a good track and an amazing track. Or JLV could do it if he has the time

[jlv]

I have a few questions about model detail:

1. What does setting the value to 20 actaully do (say down from 100) Does it increase the rate in which the lods take effect?

2. Does the track value include the polys used by the rider and bike etc. I worked out that currently at a value of 20 my CRF250, DDMX V2 rider, V3 helmet and HD wheels are using 16,428 polys?

That means that at broad meadow although the value says 26066 it is actually 9638

IF however it does include the rider and bike do we calculate it with custom models (which are all different values (DJ's YZ is more than the CRF)) or do we use JLV's standard rider and RMZ125 or something?

At 20, the game will scale the object's distance by 4.096 and add 20 to it. So if an object is 5 feet away, the game will pretend it's 40.48 feet away (5*4.096+20).
At 50, the distances are not changed.
At 100, distances are scaled by 0, so you will get the most detailed LOD no matter what.

I'm going to ride the tracks with the stock rm125 and rider. If there are any tracks that are really close I'll subtract the polygons from the bike/rider. I wouldn't recommend cutting it that close though.

I'm open to ideas to reduce bias. I doubt anything will make much difference though.

[Garasaki]

i also think that they should be submitted anonymously.

I say ditto to this for the tracks. Perhaps they are submitted to jlv who puts them up on a webpage for download with no mention of who created what.

It's not as easy as you'd think to tell who made a track when you don't know up front.

[jlv]

Is anyone against keeping the author's identities hidden until the judging is over? I don't care for the idea myself, since the judging period might be the only attention the non winners get.

[Pumaxcs]

It doesn't matter to me, from what I hear my track usually have the same non-pitchy-low-jumps.

[yomo]

Is anyone against keeping the author's identities hidden until the judging is over? I don't care for the idea myself, since the judging period might be the only attention the non winners get.

Actaully that is a really good point...

What if the votes were just moderated? Obviously it wont stop bias but it might help extreme bias which is what will really help/destroy some people.

I mean if someone is voted one track 10/10 and then 4-5/10 for two different tracks that the majority of people are voting to be very very close I think that person should be atleast questioned as to why they voted that way.

If they say stuff like the objects were not as detailed, disp map ..., textures... and gave a really valid list of reasons then yeah leave it but if they just say "i dunno cos it wasn't fun" then I think JLV should reserve the right to disable their votes if he feels they are unfair or unjustified.

Maybe use really good track makers such as DJ (even if he is in the contest) to alteast check up on some of the "weird" voting that might be seen.


I just saw an absolute typical example of completely unfair and more importantly irrational voting:
http://www.puremxs.com/Bikes/BikeViewer.aspx?BikeID=81
This is for the twisted CRF on Puremxs

First vote - 4.8 with the comment "yeah... that is nice piece of art there" and yet voting it within 0.2 of Gala's Pro circuit Kawasaki
Second Vote - 2.0 probably a more justified vote with an explanation
Third vote - 1.0 with 75% of the twenty word comment explaining why the author shouldn't have a "bitch fit for the bad comment"

One one hand we have an almost perfect bike and then others are voting it an absolute disgrace

What do you guys think? but Puremxs has shown us something has to be done!
It would be nice for all the track makers to get some credit for all the work they put in and also be-able to promote there own track leading up to the competition

[Wilson]

What making it so where members with over 75 or so posts can vote. Just so you know that the person is active in the community.

[firthy689]

What making it so where members with over 75 or so posts can vote. Just so you know that the person is active in the community.

I don't agree with this

I hardly ever post on this forum but I am a frequent visitor but I don't feel the need to post that often and I'm sure there are other members who are in the same situation

Maybe have it so that they have to have been a member of the forum for a certain period of time perhaps?