Idea: Shogun 2 AAR/Story competition

**Maltz** · 05-02-2012, 21:13

This is just an idea in line with "how to increase ORG participation". I think we can be more relaxed about the rules so anybody with some degrees of interest could join, so it is definitely not a "winner takes all" kind of competition, but rather "everybody wins" (as long as the entry is not a shameful display).

ORG's 2012 Shigun 2 AAR/Story competition

(1) Must be about a Shogun 2, ROTS, or FOTS campaign.
(2) The participant has the freedom to decide on the victory conditions of the campaign (short, long, etc.), difficulty, mods, etc.
(3) The participant post the story in the Shogun 2 AAR forum. Once they do, they automatically enter the competition even if they do not want to.

(4) For even the busiest player to finish a domination campaign, the competition can run for about 2 months. The story must end before the deadline. It is OK for the story not to end on a victory screen, but it must provide an obvious closure to the story (like "the end").
(5) Award categories. Depending on the number of participants we can have more or less categories at the judgment of the staff. Open secret: we try to give all story writers something to take home proudly. For example,

- Best Story. How well the story is written.
- Best Strategy: How well the campaign strategies are carried out.
- Best Tactics: How well the battles are fought.
- Best Presentation: How well the screenshots and videos are made.
- Most Creative: How fresh the story is.
- Most Laughs: How funny the story is.
- Best Effort: How heroic the player fought hard to the last moment.

(6) Actual awards. Maybe a little badge thing that hangs below the participants' portrait?

It should not be too much work on the staff (at least not for 2 months) and it should boost readership. Any comments?

**Peasant Phill** · 05-02-2012, 21:57

I say go for it.
If you need any help be it advertisement, judges, that badge, ... just give your friendly neighborhood CM a PM. I'm now officially your support for this project.
just a hint, first check the number of members that are interested in joining.

**Andres** · 05-02-2012, 22:00

I'm all for it. Perhaps we should put the contest in the TW:S2 or Fall of the Samurai forum and move it to the TreasAARy later on.

**Maltz** · 05-02-2012, 22:16

We can comfortably advertise in the .COM forum and perhaps the TWC on an individual basis. For example, if I want to participate in the competition, I can post the same story on the TWC while mentioning that this story and more are also available on the ORG. So it is a win-win for both sites. Once the advertisements are out, we will receive more entries.

I think the biggest obstacle is not really participation once the advertisement is out there (and we make it clear that every finished story will win something in the end), but rather how many of the stories will carry to the end. Finishing a domination campaign is a marathon. Two marathons if we want to make screenshots and write about it. Three marathons if we want to make videos about several battles! It will be sad to see 80% of the stories run out of steam as the writers lost interest in the game. Maybe the staff and moderators need to constantly encourage them. :p

I am just a senior member so I am in no place to annouce the competition. But just an idea. If there are things I can help, I will be glad to. For example, I can help posting the instructions of how to upload pictures and link youtube clips.

**Peasant Phill** · 05-03-2012, 11:14

Originally Posted by Maltz

...I am just a senior member so I am in no place to annouce the competition...

Oh, but that can be helped very quickly

.

You can compile the rules and the announcement. After all this will be YOUR competition, you should get the credit for it.
I can advertise and post on the other forums in your name.

**Maltz** · 05-03-2012, 13:29

I don't think it is a good idea to let me organize make such event, since in order to promote the event I might actually write another story and become a participant. For me to even make up rules would be unfair (that's why I wish such competition to be as non-competitive as possible). But I can help organize other events that I have no interest of joining.

**Maltz** · 05-08-2012, 15:39

Just asking (not urging), what do the staff feel about this?
Personally I have started preparing screenshots for a new story, but I am holding it off so I that I may qualify for the event. If the event is a no go, I will simply start posting. Thanks.