Contest Section

I think it would be nice if Mibba had a seperate section for contests that wouldn't be in the forums. It could be its own separate entity.

Anyone could host contests and you could choose to view them based on categories (photo, song, prompt, quote, other, etc.), the date the entries are due, or the newest ones.

Instead of posting on the forum that you would like to enter, you would just hit an 'enter' button and your name would be added to the list of entrants.

Any thoughts?

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Suggestion List

• Point Fee to Start Contest
• Point Loss or Temporary Ban for canceling contest
• Contest Moderators
• Contest Rules
• Limit on the Number of Contests a User Can Host
• Autogenerated participant list to account for username change
• Autogenerated messages about contest deadlines/updates
• Deadline to cancel contest or withdrawal from contest.
• Report Button for Inactive/Abandoned Contests
• Rating Contests/Hosts
• Judging Deadline
• Cannot start new contest until old contest is judged (One contest at a time)
• Contest Completion stats for host/participants
• Require hosts to leave comments
• Reward hosts for completed contests with points
• System to accomodate contest with multiple rounds

I totally like this ^0^

This would be a great idea because it would be so easy to get rid of discontinued and finished contests.

I think if we were going to implement this, a good idea would try to be to establish rules for that section. I think it would be a good idea if people had to 'pay' points to start a contest, which they got back upon the completion of their contest. And maybe entrant would do the same and if they needed to cancel, they have a certain day to do so or else they don't get their points back [with exceptions for emergencies and things, of course].

It would be a good way to ensure contests get finished. And since points are returned upon completion of responsibilities, then no one is really paying anything to enter a contest.

It would also be great if, when you submitted stories, you could submit them to the contest you have it entered in from a dropbox like Collections.

@ dru is the man.
That is absolutely brilliant! I think it would make people more weary of starting things when they don't think they'll be able to finish them. It could also help ensure that the winners actually get their prizes, too!

I love dru's idea. I would actually enter contests again if that (or something of the like) happened.

Very much like this idea. I dunno how complicated it would be to implement but I think it'd be so great. If you had to put points down, who would determine the validity of cancelling a contest for an emergency, though?

Also, I feel like you'd have to be careful with how many features it had to not restrict creative contest formats (like ones with multiple entries per contestant, multiple rounds, whatever).

A section for contests would be great! It'll make it easier to find ones that suit different people's wants.

@ battalions
I would assume a staff member.

@ dru is the man.
I guess "how" would've been a more appropriate word there. I just feel like it's dangerous ground to say "Okay grandma dying is a good enough reason but having more work than you thought you would isn't", so staff'd sort of have to accept all excuses (and obviously there's no way to confirm any of it), so anyone who bothered to send a PM would get their points back.

It might work better if the number of points you put down was low enough that people wouldn't feel completely screwed if they lost them when it wasn't their fault, but high enough that people hopefully would want to follow through if at all possible, and there's no exception for emergencies.

@ battalions
I just think if your mom dies, that's different than having too much work. Maybe contest creators should have a month or so to cancel the contest, but I don't think there's anything wrong with Mibba showing compassion for real emergencies. And if someone cancels too many contests, maybe they should get a temp ban.

Dujo has plans to move the contests off the forums, but I don't know if he has the specifics planned out, so any suggestions you guys have as far as layout, features, organization, etc. would be awesome.

Users will be able to give other users points in the future. (ie, if someone answers your question on the forum and you want to say thanks by giving them five points, or if you find an awesome story, etc.) So the way I see points working is as an entrance "fee" for contests or as a prize for winners.

This is a pretty great idea. :3

It would be nice if the system sent out automatic updates or notifications to everyone 'entered' in a contest from the maintainer(s). It would save time and ensure no one gets forgotten if they change their username.

dru is the man.:

It would be nice if the system sent out automatic updates or notifications to everyone 'entered' in a contest from the maintainer(s). It would save time and ensure no one gets forgotten if they change their username.

That would be cool. Like maybe an automated "You have one week left to enter this contest: contest url" for everyone, and also customised ones the host can send out too?

I think people who cancel to many contests should get a temp ban, but also people who drop out of lots of contests (or maybe lose some points or something...). I don't mean someone's entered in 5 contests and drops them all because their grandmother died, I mean someone who consistently goes around and bites of more than they can chew and just offers bogus reasons to get out of it. I think those people should be encouraged to not take other people's spots and whatnot.

See, here's the problem with all this temp ban and losing points and stuff for those who make contests and cancels them, or drops out of contests or whatever: they could make up a story. If they know there will be punishment for dropping out or stopping a contest, they could easily lie. Now, they aren't obviously going to have like, five dead grandmothers or something, but it's easy to make something up.

I think it's not fair to be punished for stopping a contest or dropping out of one.

We would never ban somebody for dropping out of or canceling a contest. Banning is reserved for severe offenses that usually involve harassing another user or repeated, deliberate rule breaking. Participating and finishing contests is left up to the discretion of the judges and participants, not the site administration.

@ Kurtni
I think it means like, a temp ban from the contest section of the site itself, not from Mibba entirely.

I think a temp ban from the contest section (what I was talking about, dunno about dru though) would be good. I think it would teach people to not abuse it, just like how we have bans for the comment swap feature. If you don't use it properly, then you can't use it at all. That makes it fair on everyone else too.

ladyschrei:

See, here's the problem with all this temp ban and losing points and stuff for those who make contests and cancels them, or drops out of contests or whatever: they could make up a story. If they know there will be punishment for dropping out or stopping a contest, they could easily lie. Now, they aren't obviously going to have like, five dead grandmothers or something, but it's easy to make something up.

I think it's not fair to be punished for stopping a contest or dropping out of one.

Agreed. And I don't think people should be penalized for canceling contests because there's very little/no interest or people dropping out because they just lose their inspiration.

I like the idea of people being able to set up their own entrance fees and prizes, so long as it was done through the contest system so that if the contest was cancelled/abandoned entrants would automatically get their points back.

Maybe there should be a way that each user can only have one or two contests going at a time, and once one is completed they're allowed to put up another one.

@ darkfallenangel
I don't think taking down a contest or pulling out of one is "abusing" it though, no matter how many times it happens :/

battalions:

Agreed. And I don't think people should be penalized for canceling contests because there's very little/no interest or people dropping out because they just lose their inspiration.

I like the idea of people being able to set up their own entrance fees and prizes, so long as it was done through the contest system so that if the contest was cancelled/abandoned entrants would automatically get their points back.

I agree.