Keep in mind that this round was to use the opposite base they normally use (though some people use both regularly so for some it was probably an arbitrary decision), without regard to conveying gender (it could be genderless, crossdressing, whatever), but it should be clear which base they used, although not necessarily obvious at first glance. Basically, they can't just use a male base and throw on a bunch of body mods so that we can't tell it's not a girl.
1) Any eliminations? (or are you keeping your eye on someone?) 2) Any tests? 3) Any suggestions for a future round? (I'm going with no body mods, using basic mouths, and salon hair/eyes only for the next round. I can't think of anything else that's basic enough that it doesn't pertain only to one type of avatar. So any other basic ideas would be great, but just ideas in general is cool, too. I'm kinda wingin' it. I'm thinking of specifying certain mouths, eyes, and hair that they should use, though, so if you have suggestions for that, too, maybe something you think is hard to work with or underused, that'd be cool. Keep the salon suggestions relatively cheap, though.) [Just thought... what about using crazy bases like centaur, etc.? That's not necessarily any particular kind of avatar, right? Not necessarily themed or anything.]
I don't think any of them deserve to be eliminated, I don't think we need tests this round either.
As for future rounds, I think it'd be cool if we had a round based on vehicles... Using scooters, airplanes, or some other sort of mode of transport.
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MabTheQueenMTG · Community Member · Fri Dec 09, 2011 @ 06:39pm
♥♥♥♥
RAWR
I don't like Catination ND's first avatar (the ********), it doesn't really say male base to me. I guess the soldier-y theme is mostly male, but it's so sparkly and busy that it heads back toward gender neutral. The hands tell me it was made on a male base (and I'm assuming that was the opposite gender for Cat, I don't remember well enough), so technically it's not /wrong/, it just seems a little beside the point.
Neither of Iymcool's avatar are that obviously female base to me, I have to really study the hands to get it. The left one uses those wee shoes so aside from the one hand, the base is irrelevant, and the other has big bulked up wrists and modding feet again. There might be some bias because I just don't like either avatar, both are sort of chocolate messes. I would be tempted call him up for a challenge - he's had a few shaky moments in the past, nothing elimination worthy in my book, but these avatars aren't showing much progress to me.
Jamais' first entry made me giggle, I approve.
I found QJ hard to judge for this round because he jumps genders so much. He added the note explaining his choice, and it seems logical enough, I just thought I'd note that he's a tricky case.
I don't have strong opinions about the rest.
EDIT: Wow, my post color is super unreadable on the blue journal background. Edited that out. lol
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Maramas · Community Member · Tue Dec 13, 2011 @ 02:35am
Really not a fan of iymcool's avatars this round. At the very least I think a test is needed. Those avatars are just so... craptastic, ignoring the fact the female base isn't immediately obvious.
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tuni fish · Community Member · Tue Dec 13, 2011 @ 07:14pm
Just to clarify, they weren't told they needed to have a gender in their entries, and they were told as long as it was knowable which base they used (and not necessarily obvious), it would be acceptable. Some of the comments seem to contradict that, and I wouldn't want them to be penalized for something they understood to be okay.
Anyway, I think iymcool has gotten a bit better this round, though still not great, but it makes me wanna give him another chance. I could see maybe making him redo that cluttered one, 'cause it's kind of a mess to me, but that's about it.
Clomp's are okay this round, kinda boring. The red one looked better to me before all the edits, but even then, nothing spectacular. I dunno that I'd bother making him redo it, though.
Nothing to say about anyone else.
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Sher!ock · Community Member · Fri Dec 16, 2011 @ 05:47pm
Really this round wasn't much of a challenge, I think... Because the constraints were SOOOO wide.
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MabTheQueenMTG · Community Member · Fri Dec 23, 2011 @ 02:53pm
I don't think any elims are necessary for this round. I don't mind iym's black entry, but the cluttered one really is bad. I'd be okay with giving him a test. Clomp's are kind of bad, too, but I dunno if it's bad enough for a test.
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Sher!ock · Community Member · Tue Jan 03, 2012 @ 07:42pm
♥♥♥♥
RAWR
I'm on board with testing Iym, but Clomp I'm fairly indifferent to so I wouldn't bother unless everyone else feels strongly about it, which doesn't seem to be the case.
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Maramas · Community Member · Tue Jan 03, 2012 @ 10:32pm
I'm ok with testing iym, but I think he's shown maasive improvement. Everything he'd made so far was really average and boring and I think he's responded well to being told to step it up. I think this round, while the things he made could use a lot of work, they're a definite improvement and they actually make me have an opinion one way or the other, whereas before I was entirely indifferent.
I think Clomp needs to work on facial expressions. I've found, especially in this most recent round, the faces on his/her avatars are more often than not so, so bland and unexpressionate. I'd really like to see him work on that. (I looked at their entries for round 4 and there is some improvement in that area already though).
I don't have much to say about anyone else expect I've noticed that they have trouble executing specific themes in original, creative and cohesive ways. Like, Jam's pirate this round is visually unappealing and the items used and the personality in it are so, so unoriginal. Similarly, Clomp's elegant, high-society entry is executed the same way, and has the exact same personality (if any) as every other elegant, high-society avatar I've ever seen. I really want to see a round where we give each contestant a specific theme and the challenge is to give it a clear original personality and execute it in an original way with unconventional items.
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[Techi] · Community Member · Wed Jan 04, 2012 @ 08:06pm
I agree that iym has improved.
And I also agree that the entries in general have been pretty unoriginal. I'll definitely make a round for that.
Faces were part of the challenge for this round, so if enough people agree, that could be grounds for a test.
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Sher!ock · Community Member · Thu Jan 05, 2012 @ 02:11am
Credit me with some intelligence. If not, just credit me.
I can't really judge iym's, because they don't seem to be there.. or right. There's no default eyes/mouths at all. Just 2 female avatars. Jam's are good (except that the second one freaks me out a little), Cat's are good, Clomp's I quite like, Mar's are good... QJ's are actually my favorite out of the bunch, I think.
This round was difficult to judge critically for me, if I'm honest. I mean, I saw some that were a little awkward, but none that were SO TERRIBLE that they were just unforgivable, you know? I mean, what would have made an avatar so bad that someone would be rejected outright?
I agree that nobody looks like they need to be dropped outright... Although I'm starting to wonder if we're being too lenient. We haven't actually eliminated anyone this entire time. People just drop out. Just something to think about.
I vote iym's out, but that's just because I can't see them. So for my judging now (they WERE there, but not right now), I have to judge them as a no show.
I come in value packs of ten In five varieties.
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iokia · Community Member · Tue Jan 10, 2012 @ 11:46pm
Credit me with some intelligence. If not, just credit me.
Frickin round three. Here's my responses again!
Catanation:
First one is a good avatar, but I'm not sure I'd consider it to be a good use of a male base.. On one hand, you can barely tell it's a male base (which some would consider a good thing.. in a crossdressing avatar), it doesn't really embrace the male base as its own thing. It's a good avatar, though. Just almost feels like cheating to disguise the cankles. xd
Can't see the second one, so I dunno what to do with that. ----------------------------
CLOMP's are good.. a little "meh", but good. ----------------------------
I'm not fond of iym's second entry, just because it's SO top-heavy. Even the background doesn't help balance it. It just looks chunky and awkward. First one's a good use of the base, but that second one takes everything that's awkward about the female base and makes it kind of worse. ----------------------------
Jam's are good. Kind of a little cliche and overdone with the second one, but it's not bad. I like the use of the poster in the first one, but the avatar itself is mediocre. I dunno, I'm a little disappointed, if I'm honest. It's not TERRIBLE, but I just don't feel like there was an incredible amount of effort put into it. ----------------------------
Marwolfer's avatars are my favorite of the bunch. I really like them both. ----------------------------
QJ... I really wish he would have stuck with the first round of avatars. I think the rich sultan was a better use of a male base than the pink swirly thing. Just because it takes all of the elements you have to deal with in a male base (wider stance, ham fists, etc) and uses them, instead of hiding or masking them. I mean, the newer one is a pretty avatar, but it doesn't highlight the male base itself. I dunno if that's the primary concern with this round, but it's what I see. ----------------------------
Overall, a pretty good group. Some were a little lukewarm, just because they didn't bring anything exciting to the table, but none were just TERRIBLE. Well, besides iym's second avatar.
I come in value packs of ten In five varieties.
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iokia · Community Member · Fri Jan 20, 2012 @ 11:28pm