I...Won??? I WON!!!!

eviltwintwo

I don't go to costume contests very often, and I don't go to win. I spend very little time creating costumes and have the habit of recycling a lot, though some of my later-made costumes are a little more varied, as I don't want every character to look exactly alike.

I go to costume contests to look at other players' costumes. Some people spend some real time and effort, and it's actually fun to occasionally go to a contest to appreciate their creativity. Well, that and joke around with everyone. I do laugh quite a bit, as people seem to relax and get silly at the contests. Quite fun.

So you can imagine my surprise when the winner of the first category was announced and the name looked like my character's name. I had to look about three times before I realized that it was. I almost fell out of my chair. I guess even I can get lucky once. It was a good feeling, especially since it's likely to never happen again with my character-creation laziness.

themightyzenith

Gratz!

It's not an RNG though, you won because your costume was chosen by judges. You deserved it

eviltwintwo

Thanks, Zenith. To be honest, that char does have one of my better costumes, with a belt and some other accessories I don't normally use. I really just want to play, so it has taken a bit of time for me to create a costume like that one, even though it's still fairly simple. But, simple isn't always bad. After all, it won.

ealford1985

Something to think about is that Contest are ran by regular people. Every person has a different idea of what looks good. Sometimes I make a look and I'll go "yes...this will win some ****" and sometimes I'll make a look and I'll go "ain't no way this will win"

And I've been wrong on both...a lot. I have a look on Ratty that is his first look, it's a shaman...and it's such a great look that if that category is up, I pretty much know I have it...but I've also made costume specifically for that the contest and just BOMB!

So you never really know. What I enjoy is feeding off other players critiques, find out what I could do to make my look better and realize it's not that you have a bad look, it's that the judge had a different opinion. I've won CCs before that I shouldn't have and some that I was clearly the better....but like I said, it's not up to me it's up to one (or a few) persons collected opinion and according to their likes.

I'm rambling.

eviltwintwo

You're right, you never know. I certainly didn't, as I said I don't really 'try to win', I just go to look at others' costumes and joke around.

A lot of my costumes are boring, even mono-colored 'disasters', I guess you could call them. The one I had success with actually has 3 colors and some odds and ends that apparently appealed to the hosts this time around. Never hurts to win, even when you don't expect it.

ealford1985

And even like said "disasters" could win too..a good bet is look at the judges. If the judges have poor taste in their own costume...odds are they'll have same taste in a winner.

But it's all subjective, usually never a wrong answer (except when my Native won for Aztec and the Aztec contestant didn't win anything)

beezeeze

Yeah it really does all come down to the judge's own personal tastes, there could be a thousand reasons one particular combo of costume parts caught that judge's interest on that particular day and made them pick it.

It's like they say art is subjective...well I guess that applies here as well.

(I'm not saying op had a bad costume or didn't deserve to win or anything, in fact congratulations! I'm sure your costume was great!)

eviltwintwo

Don't worry, beezeeze, I didn't take any offense

I'm well aware the judges pick winners by taste/category. Like ealford1985's "native" beating out an "Aztec" in an Aztec category.

The costume I won with was intended for a tech-based character, so I put a little more thought into it, my reason being that a tech character would need a little more odds & ends on a costume (more protection, more space for power cells, etc.). That may have actually been a good thing this time around.

To be honest, I just posted this b/c I thought it would amuse someone that a player so relatively lazy at costume design would actually win a costume contest.

But also honestly, that particular costume, as "lazy" as I perceive it to be, is probably my best one.

guyhumual

I've never won a costume contest. Never even placed.

eviltwintwo

gradii said:

I don't enter costume contests often (Never anymore since I'm just not on much now) but in the past I've won 3 times total, 2 of those times were Best. (out of many entered total) It's always really nice when you win a CC.​​

Congratulations on the wins you did have. And it was nice, a definite change for me.

guyhumual said:

I've never won a costume contest. Never even placed.

That was me before that specific CC. As stated, I don't go to the contests to win, but for fun. Keep trying, you never know.

markhawkman

I've won a few.

This was an event held last July by Paragon Dawn:

Tanya is at the top. IIRC the category was "First day on the job" IE, dress like a person who just became a superhero.

Talk like a pirate day:

I guess that one was the best pirate witch? Hmm, I forget the name of the category I won. IIRC the host said something about how she'd be terrifying to meet on the high seas.

Anyways, the only advice I can give is to make something that looks cool. Also losing doesn't necessarily mean the judges disliked your costume. Maybe yours was a 5.8, and the other guy a 5.9... maybe.

xrazamax

You should post your winning look and the category.

A side note, as a host/judge of a weekly CC I often think many costumes look great and if it didn't feel patronizing I would award almost everyone in the room with a prize. However, many times winning comes down to factors out of your control. Whether someone has a similar look, the judge's personal preference, whether the judges favor more creativity or overall look, whether they have seen many things similar in the past or if this is the first time seeing someone with your look - heck I find myself using my hands to "frame" people when I judge because depending on who you are standing next to someone else might just throw off your costume vibe because you flat colors and they have a ton of auras on.

But in the end, you still have to deliver an impressive costume that stands out enough for someone to want to give you a prize for it. So congrats, because winning is hard and your earned it!

nepht

YAY! finally a subject where I am like The Yoda on. You should never be put off entering Costume Contests as who wins is really down to the judges personal taste (though in category based CCs the judges should really put that aside). There is no wrong or right when it comes to making costumes ( besides clones ) and you will eventually enter a contest where the judges dig your threads. To be honest when I run a CC I try to avoid the term "winners" I like to use the term "faves".

The best mindset you should have when you enter a contest is to not enter to win but enter to see what costumes the other players have made.

gradii said:

I don't enter costume contests often (Never anymore since I'm just not on much now) but in the past I've won 3 times total, 2 of those times were Best. (out of many entered total) It's always really nice when you win a CC.​​

You always make cool looking silver age style heroes you should enter more contests ( when you actually play :P )

catstarsto

nope, im there to see if people like what i came up with and my efforts rewarded for what i created, i dont actually need the prize. I only join to see if my designs earn the gold!



congratz to the OP for your win.

nepht

catstarsto said:

nope, im there to see if people like what i came up with and my efforts rewarded for what i created, i dont actually need the prize. I only join to see if my designs earn the gold!

Thats the wrong reason to join a CC and only leads to rage. I used to think like that but that changed after almost 4 years of helping assorted guilds runs CCs. Its nice to win but it should only be a secondary goal.

catstarsto

nepht said:

catstarsto said:

nope, im there to see if people like what i came up with and my efforts rewarded for what i created, i dont actually need the prize. I only join to see if my designs earn the gold!

Thats the wrong reason to join a CC and only leads to rage. I used to think like that but that changed after almost 4 years of helping assorted guilds runs CCs. Its nice to win but it should only be a secondary goal.

not anger...if they did a better job, i just need to do better next time with what i select to enter or make, sometimes violins when i put a lot of effort into it, wondering if i should of brought another cosplay. But never winning, its kinda hard to tell where one goes wrong with their entry. (shrugs)

Some entrys i look around at i think, what? Why would you enter that...its shabby, then they win. Other times i see something that makes my jaw drop and think, "well, they have this one in the bag, thats an awesome costume!"...and they loose. Judges are chaos unleashed, i have no idea what to cosplay or create. It seems a RNG as someone put above.

nepht

catstarsto said:

not anger...if they did a better job, i just need to do better next time with what i select to enter or make, sometimes violins when i put a lot of effort into it, wondering if i should of brought another cosplay. But never winning, its kinda hard to tell where one goes wrong with their entry. (shrugs)

Some entrys i look around at i think, what? Why would you enter that...its shabby, then they win. Other times i see something that makes my jaw drop and think, "well, they have this one in the bag, thats an awesome costume!"...and they loose. Judges are chaos unleashed, i have no idea what to cosplay or create. It seems a RNG as someone put above.

Thats my point though. To me or you the winner might look awful but to the judges they look awesome. I like to enter CCs with my costume contest alt account even though I reckon I am pretty majestic at making costumes I will still only win 1 in 5 contests entered and the reasons for that are simply down to the personal tastes of the judges not my lack of skill. Thats why you should enter CCs with the main goal of seeing what other costumes people create. Its more fun that way.

sapphiechu

I can attest to Nepht resembling Yoda. She sounds like Yoda too.

On the subject of CCs and winning/not winning, it largely depends on the theme and other competitors for how I feel about my own personal performance. If I've put a lot of effort into the costume, and the winner of the category is obviously just as dedicated to the art of costumes, I'm going to be happy to be part of the event and able to see them rewarded for the effort. If, on the other hand, the winner seems (in my opinion, mind) undeserved, I admit to feeling a little sore. However, in this case, I keep my personal opinion to myself. As said many times already, judges are the final say and if you can't take a loss, you shouldn't enter.

When chiyoko was still around, she and I would sometimes have the non-winners pick the best winner for us. Doesn't always work, but it's nice to change judging methods sometimes.

spinnytop

You costume contest nerds and your costume contests u3u

nepht

spinnytop said:

You costume contest nerds and your costume contests u3u

You helped run just as almost as many as me you nerd.

spinnytop

nepht said:

spinnytop said:

You costume contest nerds and your costume contests u3u

You helped run just as almost as many as me you nerd.

And I was good and drunk when I did that ^_________________^

nepht

spinnytop said:

nepht said:

spinnytop said:

You costume contest nerds and your costume contests u3u

You helped run just as almost as many as me you nerd.

And I was good and drunk when I did that ^_________________^

OI have have the copyright on being drunk and using way too long smiley face I am going to report you to the U.N U_U"

jonsills

I've participated in the contests a few times. Haven't won yet, but at least I have a good time in Local chat during the process.

spinnytop

nepht said:

OI have have the copyright on being drunk and using way too long smiley face I am going to report you to the U.N U_U"

Yes, but were you ever so drunk while hosting a CC that you got kicked out of that CC, all future CCs, and almost the SG? `D`

catstarsto

spinnytop said:

nepht said:

OI have have the copyright on being drunk and using way too long smiley face I am going to report you to the U.N U_U"

Yes, but were you ever so drunk while hosting a CC that you got kicked out of that CC, all future CCs, and almost the SG? `D`

IM afraid to ask....

what ever you did, I have a feeling the people spontaneously catching fire in millennium city is a related issue??

nepht

spinnytop said:

Yes, but were you ever so drunk while hosting a CC that you got kicked out of that CC, all future CCs, and almost the SG? `D`

You actually got kicked but no worries half of that certian SG left not long after.

spinnytop

nepht said:

You actually got kicked but no worries half of that certian SG left not long after.

The time I got kicked actually happened before the thing I'm talking about .-. this incident just involved a big dumb argument with the sg leader where he got so mad that he didn't even know what he wanted out of the argument o3o

but yes when I left the sg some time later apparently it was in the process of bleeding members left and right u3u

eviltwintwo

jonsills said:

I've participated in the contests a few times. Haven't won yet, but at least I have a good time in Local chat during the process.

Always fun. Though sometimes I have to be reminded to switch from zone to local, because, apparently, I'm lazy with that too.

spinnytop said:

nepht said:

You actually got kicked but no worries half of that certian SG left not long after.

The time I got kicked actually happened before the thing I'm talking about .-. this incident just involved a big dumb argument with the sg leader where he got so mad that he didn't even know what he wanted out of the argument o3o

but yes when I left the sg some time later apparently it was in the process of bleeding members left and right u3u

Wow what an interesting conversation!

spinnytop

Glad you enjoyed it.

rtma

Con-Grats? . . .*Leaves*

nepht

rtma said:

Con-Grats? . . .*Leaves*

Least you say Congrats. Those people that leave without saying grats they are all on THE LIST U_U"

avianos

Everytime I see this thread title
https://youtu.be/kahoWJOsjoc

Congratulations for the win
I hope you are having fun with the Costume Contests community

I haven't been in one 4 years now (due to different timezone and farming ingame) but taking part in a CC (even as an part of the audience) was incredibly enjoyable because the CC community is full of creativity and amazing costume combinations ​​

eviltwintwo

rtma said:

Con-Grats? . . .*Leaves*

I think you might be taking this the wrong way. I posted this because I was amused that someone as lazy at costume design as me could actually win a costume contest. If you don't care, that's actually fine; I just thought some others might get a chuckle out of reading about it. I never expected anyone to care too much, people win these things all the time.

eviltwintwo

avianos said:

Everytime I see this thread title





Congratulations for the win

I hope you are having fun with the Costume Contests community



I haven't been in one 4 years now (due to different timezone and farming ingame) but taking part in a CC (even as an part of the audience) was incredibly enjoyable because the CC community is full of creativity and amazing costume combinations ​​

Hahaha! Nice video.