ST Challenges "Season 3" - Feedback and Suggestions

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

Hey everyone,

With the conclusion of the NAM Showcase, it saw the end of the second ST Challenges season. Now on a break, we’d like to welcome your suggestions and ideas. How can they be improved for the next season? What went well, and what would make the events even more fun and engaging?

We’ve got a few ideas of our own, but specifically we’d like hear your thoughts on:
 

• The Challenges
  - New theme ideas: Please post in the "Ideas Bank" topic, where ideas can be collected.
  - More challenge types -- E.g. Gameplay tasks, such as population or using / creating certain plugins.
  - User-hosted events: Should these be brought back in some form?
   
• Submissions
  - Would it help to raise the image size limit (e.g. to 3 MB per image)?
  - Always allow more than one image? Like the NAM Showcase allowing 3 per author.
  - Length of the submission / voting periods for the challenge types.
   
• Voting
  - Thoughts on the current method of voting.
  - Should authors be made anonymous until after voting? They could be changed to a "placeholder" account before being revealed.
   
• Ranking System
  - Has it worked well so far?
  - Any small tweaks?
   
• Rep Prizes
  - Change amounts awarded?
  - Expand the places which gain rep (e.g. top 5 or 10)?
  - Also for the Best Picture Comp -- Rep for round wins + entering the Hall of Fame?
   
• Scheduling
  - How frequently should they run: Is the balance right?
  - Run more simultaneous challenges?
  - Use the calendar to plan the events a few weeks in advance? Would this make it easier to prepare for entries?

 

Please also let us know any other suggestions you have.
These events aren’t possible without your participation, so we’d like to give you chance to shape their next direction.

Thanks!

~The Challenges Team

[philforhockey51 4,211]

Some of my opinions

I believe with the reworking of the voting for both challenge types at the end of last year has worked well and should continue for this year. Unless there are obvious signs of people voting for people instead of pictures, I like seeing the comments and the likes for my challenge pictures so no need for anonymous.

I wouldn't mind seeing three sets of Challenges. The first type being a broad themed 'monthly challenge' with multiple entries (like the NAM one), with a larger reward pool and more winners (top 5 when a minimum of 15 different authors entered). A second type being a builder category, a Lotting contest, plugins etc., with a high rep reward. The third would be the more specific theme and challenges the theme bank comes up with, these could be held in varied lengths 2 weeks or three like the 'weekly challenges ' have run, these could include gameplay tasks challenges.  

 

[gviper 922]

Personally, I'd like to see the rewards remain for the top 3 placements. Yeah. I dig the monthly or whatever time-framed competition that is a general category and a themed...Course the way it ran last time was pretty cool too. Oh, not so sure about allowing multiple pics by the same authors for EVERY challenge...kinda on the fence 'bout that one.

[rivit 3,391]

For me the challenge style of one pic one competitor is best - I think the voting scheme worked out well given the huge test last challenge.

brainstorming some challenges - general principles: something everyone can try and encourages exploration of the game.

1. one that focuses on use of one out of the usual transport type only . e.g. Bus or Ferry or GLR

2. a challenge that asks to stack as many networks types as possible in one picture of a fixed size - from subway to L3 RHW perhaps.

3. a challenge to build a park - any sort - amusement, sports, recreation etc.

4. A challenge that must be played in vanilla SC4 - with submission of original SC4 image next to the same image in your custom setup. (i.e. so the buildings don't change)

5. A challenge above elevation 500m - so as to trigger different terrain look and feel 

6. A challenge for a particular civic precinct - eg. a University, a large Hospital complex, prison complex, school complex

7. A challenge that captures the essence of the games animations - sims/effects in some amusing way.

8. the best road accident, fire, disaster?

9  feature of a given season eg. autumn/fall

etc.  

[MushyMushy 3,617]

I liked the way the challenges were done in "season 2". I think the voting/scoring system works great and should stay the same (the spreadsheet thing is interesting to look at).

Some thoughts:

• For big monthly events (like the NAM challenge) that get lots of competitors, I think the rep pool should be increased to accommodate 5 winners. I think the rough amounts of rep the top 3 got in the NAM challenge were good, but I think there should be a 4th and 5th place (with less rep, of course) since there are so many entries. I guess it's kind of like having honorable mentions?
• Perhaps a simultaneous long-term challenge? Like one that runs for several months. This could allow for the challenge to be something really big. In this case I would definitely say that the rep amount added per entrant should be greater, and (provided that there are enough entrants) the top 5 would get prizes. I came up with this idea with something like developing a larger space (like a city tile, maybe more) in mind. Entries for something like this would probably need to include more images to really showcase the work.
• I think that some sort of challenge that caters towards custom content creators would be neat. Obviously this would need to be an additional challenge as there are fewer people making custom content than there are playing the game. It could be a lot or BAT contest. Lot contests could probably be a week-long challenge, but BAT ones would probably need to be a month-long one. These would be going on at the same time as the in-game challenges.
• I'd say that as far as the number of pictures per entrant, people ought to be able to enter 3 in monthly challenges and 1 for weekly challenges.

[SimCoug 5,972]

I agree that a content creator challenge would be neat, for both lotters/BATers.  It would need to be longer time frame, and I think every entrant should get rep points to encourage participation (and the community would benefit as well, with more goodies to play with)

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

Thanks everyone for the excellent suggestions so far.

I've now opened a separate "Ideas Bank" where you can share ideas for upcoming challenges:

The intention is to keep this running, even once the challenges restart. So don't worry, there's plenty of time to get your ideas in.

Also this feedback topic will remain open for the duration of Season 3.

[philforhockey51 4,211]

Will the Challenges start in April?

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

On 22/03/2016 at 4:28 AM, philforhockey51 said:

Will the Challenges start in April?

There's still a bit of organising to do, but hopefully.

[philforhockey51 4,211]

@Cyclone Boom  It is time, let the games begin

[Hamish 1,369]

We are making plans for season 3, should be a week or two away. An official announcement will come soon    

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

Sorry for the delay everyone, it has been a while.

Yes, we'll have some big news on the new season very shortly!