FAQ
claims | challenges | posting | voting
SIGN-UPS AND CLAIMS
.01. How do I sign up?
First, join the community. Then comment on the sign-up post for the round with your claim.
.02. What can I claim?
a) a character -- Squall from FFVIII
b) a pairing -- Squall and Rinoa from FFVIII
c) a creature -- Shiva from all games
d) a gender - females from FFVIII
e) a general game -- FFVIII
For a character or creature, that character or creature must be in all icons. Other characters may appear in your icons, but your subject must be the focus.
For a pairing, both characters must appear in all icons.
For a general game, the icons must have diverse subjects. Any one character cannot be the focus of more than three icons in a general pairing.
.03. What about characters who appear in multiple games?
These can count as separate claims. Aeris from FFVII can be different from Aeris from KH.
.04. Kingdom Hearts characters are ok?
Only the non-Disney characters are allowed to be the subject of a claim, but Disney characters can also appear in icons. Just follow the rules above regarding icon focus.
.05. Can claims be shared or can I have multiple claims?
No, one claim per participant. If someone has taken the subject you want most, try to work around it given the wiggle room with general subjects and multiple game characters.
.06. Can I have a standing claim for a particular subject each round?
No, you must choose a different subject in consecutive rounds. But you can go back to your favorite character or game in the following round, assuming someone hasn't already claimed it.
CHALLENGES
.01. What's the schedule?
Challenges Posted: 1st of the month, as early as possible
Challenges End: 20th of the month, 9pm EST
Post Icons to Community: ongoing
Voting Posted: 21st of the month, as soon as can be managed
Voting Ends: 27th of the month
Sign-ups for Next Round Posted: 25th of the month
.02. What are the challenges?
Each round consists of 3 types of sets:
1. 10 default themes, which change every round.
(These themes can be technical or symbolic, like Monochrome or Smile)
2. 5 icon set in a single category changed every round.
(These themes can also be technical or symbolic, but the one theme must be reflected in all 5 icons of this set)
3. 5 icon set of Artist's Choice, which is whatever your heart desires.
(Totally up to the individual)
The 10 themes and 5-icon-set theme will be the same for all participants.
.03. How alike should the icons in a set be?
While the 5-icon set should be linked thematically, each icon should be distinct. No carbon copying is allowed.
.04. Can I use fanart/tutorials/.PSDs?
Fanart is allowed presuming the creator is ok with it. Please credit fanart when you post your icons, if only so other people can enjoy it.
Tutorials and .PSDs are fine, but be creative with them. Make your icons your own. Like any icon contest, cheating is unacceptable behavior. Given that the mod is busy, gunshou will rely on the good faith of her participants to be honest and fair.
.05. Anything else?
Standard rules: icons made for the challenge must be new and made by the participant. No recycling of older icons unless that's a challenge requirement. Icons must be LJ compatible: 100x100 px or smaller, >40K, and .gif, .png, or .jpg.
POSTING
.01. How and when can I post icons?
As soon as you're ready, comment here for posting access. Only members of the community may post, and I'll wipe the access each round to keep things clear, so each round you have to recomment to post. Sorry, but that's the only way I'm going to prevent spam and keep the list of participants straight in each round.
.02. Can I post as I go or does it need to be a complete set?
You can only post when you've completed all 20 icons. No incomplete batches, please.
.03. Do I have to post in the community or can I fake-cut to my journal?
You can do either, but your icons MUST BE PUBLIC FOREVER. None of this password-protected stuff. If you think that will be a future problem, it would be better to post the icons to the community.
A fake-cut is coded like so:
( cut text here )
.04. How do I tag?
When you comment to get posting access, you'll be given a set of tags. Please use them as they are presented when you make your post to the community. How you tag the actual post in your journal (if you do it that way) is up to you. Just be careful of your tags when cross-posting.
.05. Is there a format for posting?
Post three teaser icons (in tables or loose is up to you). Table codes will be provided in the requesting access post, if you want to use them. Please post only the teasers, not a posting banner. I'd like to keep the community relatively easy to navigate.
.06. Can I post before the voting goes up?
You have to, or gunshou won't have your icons to put in the voting polls. You must post within 20 days of the round's start.
VOTING
.01. How is the voting arranged and how should I vote?
Voting will be grouped by category. For the thematic 10 icons, all icons of a particular theme will be grouped together for voting. So all Monochrome, all Smile, etc. For these, you'll vote by poll for your favorite icons. Four participants = 1 placement; five to nine participants = 2 placements; ten or more participants = 3 placements.
For the thematic set of 5 icons, the icons will stay as a set. Vote for your favorite set, as above.
The 5 Artist's Choice icons will be jumbled together in a large poll. Voting for your favorite icon is the same as above: four participants = 1 placement; five to nine participants = 2 placements; ten or more participants = 3 placements.
Additionally, you'll vote for the following categories in Artist's Choice icons. These category placements may not be repeat votes.
Best Composition is the icon in which all of the elements come together in the most striking or well-done manner.
Best Color is the icon in which colors or greyscale are used most effectively to produce a visual treat.
Best Use of Resources is the icon in which gradients, textures, brushes, and/or text are used in the most creative and eye-pleasing way.
.02. Can I vote for myself?
No, but all participants must vote to be able to participate in future rounds.
.03. Anything else?
Vote fairly, even though the icons are not submitted anonymously. Strategic voting (voting for icons of lesser quality to bump down the competition) is obnoxious and will result in banning. Promote the voting posts as much as you want, but please do not ask people to vote specifically for your icons.
.04. Do I have to be a member to vote?
No, voting is open to anyone.
If you have a question not covered here, please feel free to ask!