I started by going through the maze of links to get to the contest entries. Once there, I started going through them one by one, writing down the numbers I wanted to look at again when I'd make my choice for a vote (not my first time either, I looked at most each day as they came in). About three pages in I the 'Show Voting Results' link and clicked it. As I went scanning through, I noticed that some shall I say mediocre compositions had already made it into the top 25 so far. I was appalled. Do other people out there even look at what other enterants did? Or do they just blindly vote for their friend's fibercarb? Sure there are good entries up in the top and the junk will get won't win the big prizes, but what about the guy who made an awesome entry but didn't make the final top 25 because Mr. Fibercarb's entry is hogging the spot. Oh, and I can see 'cutesy' is taking top billing this year, excuse me while I go puke in a fluffy smiling pumkin.

EEwwwwwwwwww.... finally someone else who thinks there's a lot of 'junk'... sheesh...

Hi there, I did look at each and every entry, I found my choice very difficult as to be honest there is about 10 to 11 entries in this contest that deserve to be among the winners. In the end I voted for the Welsh Witch, it wasn't better per se than the other 10/11 I have just mentioned, it just spoke to me.... And I found myself coming back to look at it while checking new entries :) Unfortunatly with a community vote you can't expect that people will necessarily like what you like, cuteness may be prized above anything else, funniness for other people may be the order of the day. I am going to refrain from pouring scorn on other peoples entries as to my mind if you did your best, regardless of anone elses opinion, YOU yourself will be proud of your work. I disagree with people voting blindly for their friends work, but I did take note of the sign community when I entered this site, and wether we like it or not inter site reltions will be at work in any contest with a community vote. The way I see it, it's a strictly ONE vote contest, or was when I read the rules. So this means regardless of your community standing/circle of friends you have to make that one vote count. This means that hopefully it will all even it's self out, so obviously the people who do have differing opinions like you two can then put YOUR votes to use. Hopefully the people who you think did great entries and put a lot of work in, my top 10/11 say WILL get recognition, but if they don't, they still have the piece of artwork...not a small achievement I imagine, and got the excitement and fun of taking part. They may seem small compenstations, but if you have put that amount of work into a piece you want recognition for your achievement, not your ability to make friends and influence people. After all your hard work that would be kind of a hollow victory I would think :) Ele

I miss the days when a contest such as this was won with talent and a great piece of artwork and not how many friends you can dredge up to vote for you. Oh well, lesson learned, no more contests for me.

Very valid points here and I agree with EmeraldSpider's comment about doing your best and being proud of it. It would be hard for me to believe someone would upload something they felt was mediocre. And of course, you will have your circles of friends here on the site, that is a given. What really ticks me off is people rallying their real life friends and family to start accounts just to vote. I know for a fact this is happening, and it's truly sad. As it stands, it's not about the quality of artwork generally, it's about the quanity of friends and family one has. What does that have to do with judging art exactly?? I guess I better start working on having a huge family to win anything here! LOL! To judge this contest fairly, they should have gotten a professional artist or three outside the site who knows of nobody here and the politics involved. When you involve the community in something like this with huge prizes at stake, of course people will abuse the system, that's a given, too. I'm not complaining about my placement, and I worked three weeks straight full time on two images, and the second one I felt was my best work ever. Over 90 hours of rendering time alone for one image! I feel bad for other artists whom I could swear would be in the top 25 before the contest started, and they aren't doing so well at all. As I see it, this event is more like a random fluke than a valid contest; popularity contest perhaps, but it's got very little to do with spotlighting the best images of the event. I also agree with Ele that your image is yours, and the best place for it is in full size in your gallery. I'm sorry I entered this "contest" and I now realize I should have posted my two Halloween images to my gallery for all to enjoy in the way it was meant to be. Now they are locked in and can't be posted until after the 31st. I certainly hope they won't allow this community vote again, and perhaps learn what a huge mistake that was. Anything here that starts with "Hot" or "Top" is obviously cursed and a sore spot for most. Next time think this out a little bit!

I'm going to agree with all here. LOL I do wish I never entered this contest. I didn't realize it would be so insane and it's actually more disgoraging than anything else. I did other contests where it was judged by judges and I didn't mind losing at all because I knew the contest was fare. But this way it makes you feel sort of disgoraged and bad about things. I wish I could pull my two images out. All this fuss isn't even worth it. I'd rather post them for my own pleasure. I'm lucky though I didn't spend weeks and weeks on my images. I don't even think I desrever to win anything. But there are others that have put a lot of time and it really shows in their images. They play fare and don't ask their friends or family to vote for them. I think they are the ones who are hurt in this community vote. Emerald spider is right though about feeling proud of the image. I think we all should feel proud if we did our best. You can't lose in that respect. It's the popularity contest that really hurts. The image I voted for I honestly thought out before I voted. I had about 20 images that I really loved. I wish I was rich because I'd give them all a prize myself. LOL Well, this is the last time I enter something like this. There's to much fuss and baggage with this sort of contest. That's my two cents and I'm sticking with it. :P Cheer up. At least next time we can avoid a contest like this and sit blissfully happy with our images and viewing our gallerys. Maria LOLOL

Ele hands out massive squishes, squish Remember as my hubby is always fond of saying, it ain't over till the round spherical lady sings :) And I "WILL" certainly check your galleries after the event to praise you all on your fabulous works of art. And think of it like this, if you have to stoop to underhand tactics in order to win a contest, don't you think you'd feel a tiny bit downhearted?, if you can account for every single vote you recieve, wouldn't you be asking yourself.....Hey...is my artwork even very good, didn't it warrant even one vote on it's own merit??? I certainly would, but then again I paint for my won enjoyment....but I still get a kick out of people liking what I do. I'm no great thinker, and my Sis got all the scientific academia and knowledge, my talent if I have any at all has always been artwork. And to be honest if I can't get there by my own merit...then I don't want it. There is a reason my Mum always says cheats never beat, because any accolade won by foul means leaves bitterness and dissatisfaction, and maybe doubt in your own talent. So chin up my lovelies, it's a contest nothing more, and yes the prizes may be big....but are they worth your self respect...I think not :) Ele

"Shenanigans" - South Park :)

I agree, granted my posts aren't as good as most, but I worked hard on them. I'm so disappointed. I had heard people complaining about the "Circle" of friends voting, and silly me, I thought it was just for the Top 20. Now I see that it includes any arena that uses votes. How nieve I was to believe that when huge prizes were at stake, people would vote on merit, and not on friendships. I don't have any advice on how to resolve the problem. Hopefully there is a solution. Otherwise alot of talented artists who should be rewarded will stop posting, and the cliques will once again win.

I have it on good authority that the Holiday contest won't be judged by a commnity vote, so don't be too discouraged. And you never know how the figures are going to Tally when the eligible votes are counted. If my entry isn't good enough to rate a place in the top 25, then all I will do is pick my self off the floor, dust myself off and try again in the holiday contest, all artists who don't make it into the top 25 should too. If at first you don't succeed, then try again....thats all you can do :) I send out lots of good wishes and hugs to everyone who is feeling discouraged and down. Chin up sweethearts, soon be time for the Holiday Contest Ele

Actually, after this contest I don't care. I really haven't been part of this community insofar as offering my opinions or advice for some time now as to me it is so huge that the camaradrie that once existed amongst the members seems to be sadly lacking now. And way too many cliques and groups who will always be here(like politicians of opposing parties:) I wish no ill to any here but lets face it, this is a place to buy stuff and occassionally to download free models provided by some of the more altuistic people who so generously share with those of us who are not as talented (or in my case too lazy:) to make thier own. I wish whoever wins my congratulations and will continue to enter contests other places where the judging is not left to the community but to people who actually do thier judging on the merits of the appeal or artistry of the work. Good luck to all who entered this one:)

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/index.ez?viewStory=12062

Just in case anyone hasn't seen the finalist list, give a glance. We do take your feedback seriously, Lillian

What I want to know, is I had a submission with 2 votes last time I looked, and it didn't make it into the general submission list. Although there are other images with fewer votes. Just curious as to why that is.

Hi magickmedbh, After the inelligible votes were removed, and we tried to determine the top 25, there was no clear cut "top 25". There were many images that received 5 votes and put the list over 25. We allowed all the entries with 5 or more votes. All those entries that received 4 votes or less, went through an independent review process to qualify. This was the most difficult part as there were so many good images, your entry #497 amoung them. These remaining images that otherwise would not have had a chance, were each reviewed one-by-one. In the end we had to narrow the list as we couldn't present 200+ images to the judges for the final round. So, yes, there were some images that received 1 vote that were selected for the semi-finals, while others with 2 or 3 may not have made it. I hope that clarifies the how that happened. Best regards, Lillian

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12372&Form.ShowMessage=2437160

That seems to be changing the rules, such as they were. Even if the result is better (having worthier images offered to the judges), it probably doesn't justify the means (changing rules after the close of the contest). It seems far better to enter challenges where there aren't big prizes to tempt the cheaters, for the experience and feedback and joy of getting something finished, or to enter contests where the judging takes place by professionals who don't have a vested interest in choosing their friend's work. No matter how much I like a theme, it isn't worth the stress of dealing with those who'll flout the rules just to get their egos stroked. We still have a day for the Spooky challenge, for those folks who'd like to do something for the fun of it. :) Carolly

I think in the end, Lillian has done her best to resolve the issues. I will quite my ranting and start my thanking. Hauksdotter, All changes did was open up the field for final judgement, I think it is totally fair (especially if you look at a images with the same vote tally as a tie, it still is a top 25).