Pso2 Pixie Stix - Cross Promotional Fashion contest ! (YouTube/Pso2 team ship 2)

[Anduril]

Here are my outfits and poses from the three theme rounds:

Andrea (Back to School Round): I pretty much decided to go literal with this round.

Spoiler!

Erin (Goth/Punk Round): Went for a Goth artist look. The coffin is her art box.

Spoiler!

Kayla (Violence Round): I derped in terms of ideas, so I went with a RWBY cosplay.

Spoiler!

This was super fun to be a part of. Though, it's a shame there was no swimsuit round.

[Rupikachu]

Rip my internet connection, missed most of it.

[Nyansan]

https://youtu.be/OFJPyGURgU0
The video isn't fuly processed as of this moment, but that's the link.
YouTube should be done with it in like, an hour from now, processing on a 50 minute video is kinda sl;ow ;
Thanks to everyone!!

x-posted mispost

[kuromechan]

The youtube link was taken down due to it being to long. Please wait till it gets editted to smaller parts

[Pso2 Pixie Stix]

Yea, it was too long for youtube, so i'll need to spend more time breaking it down, sorry guys =_=
it'l be up tomroow

[JC200X]

see you at the next event

I was going to keep quiet until you stated that. Now that you intend to hold another event in the future, I would like to share my experience in this contest for people to know about. A bit of a warning: This will be long.

Spoiler!

To note, I've taken screenshots of logs from my own and a spectator's. This person's is three hours ahead of mine. Please keep this in mind.

So, I also took part in this contest. However, I have no idea what good time several have stated, because my experience was the complete opposite; this contest was far from fair. To begin with, this contest took place in the organizer's team room, which had the original PSO lobby theme. We, the participants, were instructed to wait in one area, outside of a teleporter leading into another area, where the judges and spectators were. With this, I noticed I couldn't see whatever chat was going on in the other room and vice-versa.

During the first round, I was notified by one of the spectators on Skype that the model walk LA is now allowed. I thought that was very strange to allow an LA as a contest was going on, but I thought nothing else of it. It wasn't a big deal and I still stuck with what I had planned. After the first round concluded, this spectator and I were chatting until this spectator mentioned the second round's theme was going to be gothic/punk and that the first round's theme was back to school.

At this point, I was stunned. I took a look at the original post, then through the thread, then the entire thread again to be sure I didn't miss anything. As a result, there was no mention of themes at all. However, a couple have claimed it was mentioned in the original post. In the end, the criteria about themes was not mentioned at all in the original post. They were either sorely mistaken or flat out lying. But the organizer could've PMed me of the criteria, right? Yet, he/she did not (Also, the contents of that PM). It would've been easy to do since I entered via PM.

To clear this matter, I asked the organizer about this new criteria. I was given the response that it was an idea of what to do (go figure), some weird logic, and that the best fitting the theme was not required. However, I later learned that this was sketchy, based on how the organizer had told the judges something different.

In conclusion, I decided to quit and withdraw from this contest. While I did have newly found doubts about the contest, they are baseless conjecture and I have no way to prove that. So partake of that of how you will.

That was my experience of this contest. Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read this. OP, if you are reading this, then this event you, the team leader, have created to promote your team has damaged its reputation instead.

tl;dr: If you intend to enter any of the OP's future contests, absolutely make sure you know all of the rules and criteria and that he/she won't change or add anything. Don't have your time wasted like I have had.

I would also like to thank the person who provided me a copy of their log very much. They know who they are.

[landman]

The own organizators recognized so much things went wrong, its the first event they host, and it took looong (3,5 hours), so there's room for improvement. Yes, I recognize information could have been better managed, but the comments about it being rigged are plain false, 2 judges were from their own team (one in Vita) and two others were people who posted here offering themselves to be judges, it would provably been more fair if more judges had joined, after all judging was not the part that took more time, and it's just a matter of votes. The final round, well... it was so late, and they finished it quickly, and openly, I'm sure they checked on all the participants fairly.

The first round went wrong not only to you, but that's only 3 of the 9 finalists, others had their chance at second or third round.

I'll add, some contestants also came late, and others disappeared without saying a thing while the others were waiting.

[Rupikachu]

I was going to keep quiet until you stated that. Now that you intend to hold another event in the future, I would like to share my experience in this contest for people to know about. A bit of a warning: This will be long.

Spoiler!

To note, I've taken screenshots of logs from my own and a spectator's. This person's is three hours ahead of mine. Please keep this in mind.

So, I also took part in this contest. However, I have no idea what good time several have stated, because my experience was the complete opposite; this contest was far from fair. To begin with, this contest took place in the organizer's team room, which had the original PSO lobby theme. We, the participants, were instructed to wait in one area, outside of a teleporter leading into another area, where the judges and spectators were. With this, I noticed I couldn't see whatever chat was going on in the other room and vice-versa.

During the first round, I was notified by one of the spectators on Skype that the model walk LA is now allowed. I thought that was very strange to allow an LA as a contest was going on, but I thought nothing else of it. It wasn't a big deal and I still stuck with what I had planned. After the first round concluded, this spectator and I were chatting until this spectator mentioned the second round's theme was going to be gothic/punk and that the first round's theme was back to school.

At this point, I was stunned. I took a look at the original post, then through the thread, then the entire thread again to be sure I didn't miss anything. As a result, there was no mention of themes at all. However, a couple have claimed it was mentioned in the original post. In the end, the criteria about themes was not mentioned at all in the original post. They were either sorely mistaken or flat out lying. But the organizer could've PMed me of the criteria, right? Yet, he/she did not (Also, the contents of that PM). It would've been easy to do since I entered via PM.

To clear this matter, I asked the organizer about this new criteria. I was given the response that it was an idea of what to do (go figure), some weird logic, and that the best fitting the theme was not required. However, I later learned that this was sketchy, based on how the organizer had told the judges something different.

In conclusion, I decided to quit and withdraw from this contest. While I did have newly found doubts about the contest, they are baseless conjecture and I have no way to prove that. So partake of that of how you will.

That was my experience of this contest. Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read this. OP, if you are reading this, then this event you, the team leader, have created to promote your team has damaged its reputation instead.

tl;dr: If you intend to enter any of the OP's future contests, absolutely make sure you know all of the rules and criteria and that he/she won't change or add anything. Don't have your time wasted like I have had.

I would also like to thank the person who provided me a copy of their log very much. They know who they are.

Well i was as spectator for a short while, and personally i think it was more of a matter of improvisation rather than bias or the contest being rigged. Probably with a test run a few days earlier things would have been smoother, so i guess the next contest should run smoother and things should be more clear.

[Nyansan]

I am in no way affiliated with the organizers outside of being one of the guest judges, but so as to avoid issues of legitimacy (as well as any resulting heated discussions as a result of this) I'll try to tackle each of the things questioned to the best of my knowledge whilst cross referencing chatlogs from that day. (Will be blocking out names for privacy concerns)

First, the teleporter issue.
One of the judges is playing on a Vita; hence the need to send the extra people out so as to allow contestants to load properly as there was a limit on how many models Vita could load before getting gray people.

Spoiler!

2015-09-21T08:34:17	1443	PUBLIC	10345078	<name witheld> May have to increase the character limit
2015-09-21T08:34:21	1444	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	bvita cant
2015-09-21T08:34:24	1445	PUBLIC	10345078	<name witheld> ah
2015-09-21T08:34:25	1446	PUBLIC	11936427	<name witheld>cant do it 
2015-09-21T08:34:26	1447	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	so what we gonn have to do is
2015-09-21T08:34:30	1448	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	have one my team outside
2015-09-21T08:34:33	1449	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	the oprt
2015-09-21T08:34:37	1450	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	have everyoen wait outside
2015-09-21T08:34:42	1451	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	wand call them like that 
2015-09-21T08:34:50	1452	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	since team chat will go beyond
2015-09-21T08:34:51	1453	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	orrr
2015-09-21T08:35:04	1454	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	yea 
2015-09-21T08:35:06	1455	PUBLIC	11936427	<name witheld>	ofc it blocks out the contenders when it matters most
2015-09-21T08:35:11	1456	PUBLIC	11936427	<name witheld>stupid limits

Also, judges deliberations were taking place within the room aswell. I suggested partying up so as to keep deliberations private, but had 5 people as judges (3 guest judges + 2 judges from host team IIRC) so partying up wasn't an option.

Second, the rule regarding /la modelwalk.
Earlier that day, during the designated time for rehearsals (which in turn, was roughly an hour before the contest start) there was a discussion about what LAs were allowed and modelwalk was mentioned as one of them.
Hence some people got the memo and some weren't, since most people came in at around 8:30 EST just as the contest was about to start.

Spoiler!

2015-09-21T07:15:09	391	PUBLIC	12547704	ねこなまえ	only poses are allowed for the display part ~
2015-09-21T07:15:18	392	PUBLIC	12547704	ねこなまえ	you can get them at the fuin shop in shop area, 2k fun each 
2015-09-21T07:15:26	393	PUBLIC	12547704	ねこなまえ	most~ are there. a few older ones arent
2015-09-21T07:15:26	394	PUBLIC	12992378	アシリン　　　/la taiki1
2015-09-21T07:15:37	395	PUBLIC	12547704	ねこなまえ	ill make one excpetrion
2015-09-21T07:15:41	396	PUBLIC	12547704	ねこなまえ	modelwalk
2015-09-21T07:15:44	397	PUBLIC	12547704	ねこなまえ	can be used
2015-09-21T07:15:46	398	PUBLIC	12983358	グラム	oh yeah
2015-09-21T07:15:53	399	PUBLIC	12547704	ねこなまえ	thats literally the only other one ill accept

Third, the theme issue.
To be frank, I was very concerned aswell with the introduction of themes when they said there were themes just before the contest was about to start. The organizer has admitted this to be a last minute addition based on a guildie's suggestion and didn't want them in originally.

Spoiler!

2015-09-21T10:55:29	347	PUBLIC	10345078	<name witheld> Post the themes ahead of time
2015-09-21T10:55:34	348	PUBLIC	12547704	ω　あきちゃん　ω	yea i ned to learn how the forums work 
2015-09-21T10:55:38	349	PUBLIC	12547704	ω　あきちゃん　ω	/la sit3
2015-09-21T10:55:46	350	PUBLIC	12547704	ω　あきちゃん　ω	themes was a last minute idea from mel 
2015-09-21T10:55:50	351	PUBLIC	12547704	ω　あきちゃん　ω	i didnt want them oirigannly
2015-09-21T10:55:52	352	PUBLIC	10345078	<name witheld> Maybe do a rehersal sometime before the actual event and then one same day.
2015-09-21T10:56:01	353	PUBLIC	12547704	ω　あきちゃん　ω	yea
2015-09-21T10:56:09	354	PUBLIC	12547704	ω　あきちゃん　ω	that was the plan but ppl were late, lilte confused, 
2015-09-21T10:56:16	355	PUBLIC	12547704	ω　あきちゃん　ω	tings didnt all work out right!

I was also concerned with the fact that while themes can 'breed creativity', they also 'limit options' so to speak since not that many characters could nail 'back to school' as well as others based on their body built, face etc. as well as not having the budget to dress up their characters as well as others.
However, despite the above, I believe it was added because it makes judging a bit consistent (and easier) across five people, especially since there wasn't a set guideline or rubric for judging entries.

IMO, this whole theme issue could have been avoided if
1. There was a set guideline for scoring points
-or -
2. Themes were announced prior to the start of the contest.

Last, Conflicting judge-contestant adherence to theme Issues
As for the concern that judges were told to judge based on theme, while competitors were told that themes did not matter, I had checked my chat logs on that day for both characters (one outside with the contestants and the other inside the room with the judges) on two computers and can confirm that there wasn't any discrepancy in what the organizer told the judges and what they had told the contestants.

Please do take note of the timestamps on all three events

Character outside:

Spoiler!

2015-09-21T09:28:08	1653	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	so anywya~
2015-09-21T09:28:13	1654	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	theme is just a basic guidline
2015-09-21T09:28:16	1655	PUBLIC	12972294	<name witheld>	/cla ichitaro3
2015-09-21T09:28:16	1656	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	to give you an iudea
2015-09-21T09:28:21	1657	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	if you want to wear, say 
2015-09-21T09:28:29	1658	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	a sanata dress, and say itsschool, thats fine
2015-09-21T09:28:34	1659	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	if they liek hwo it all looks
2015-09-21T09:28:37	1660	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	then you do good~
2015-09-21T09:28:46	1661	PUBLIC	12115968	<name witheld>	kaiser needs to join the line!
2015-09-21T09:28:50	1662	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	im not asking them who fit the theme best, but if they wish to view it that way, its up to them

Character inside:

Spoiler!

2015-09-21T09:05:29	1819	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	so they prepearing
2015-09-21T09:05:32	1820	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	i stopped recording
2015-09-21T09:05:50	1821	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	we can decide who ius top 3 for that round, who was the mnost accurate to theme, best overall lok, c

Later, after there was a competitor (Thalia) who withdrew, organizer told judges this:

Spoiler!

2015-09-21T09:35:45	2087	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	sporry fot eh hold up 
2015-09-21T09:35:51	2088	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	thalis is upset bc we inroduced theme
2015-09-21T09:35:52	2089	PUBLIC	13064059	<name witheld>Its okay
2015-09-21T09:35:57	2091	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	so doesnt wanna join 
2015-09-21T09:36:03	2092	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	i ecplained theme is optional 
2015-09-21T09:36:04	2093	PUBLIC	11936427	<name witheld>	one person 
2015-09-21T09:36:07	2094	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	ists just to give ppl an idea 
2015-09-21T09:36:09	2095	PUBLIC	11936427	<name witheld>	always one
2015-09-21T09:36:13	2096	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	so anyway~
2015-09-21T09:36:17	2097	PUBLIC	12983358	グラム	/ci4 1 ..what yo you mean i'm scary
2015-09-21T09:36:22	2098	PUBLIC	12983358	グラム	alright :3
2015-09-21T09:36:23	2099	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	ill start sendign them in for round 2
2015-09-21T09:36:28	2100	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	jic it wasnt implied
2015-09-21T09:36:33	2101	PUBLIC	13064059	<name witheld>Ok :3
2015-09-21T09:36:38	2102	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	theme is OPTIONAL~ bc theres nothign sayain what is or isnt part of a theme
2015-09-21T09:36:51	2103	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	some ppl might wear ol blinki to school 
2015-09-21T09:36:56	2104	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	some might wear sant drwess
2015-09-21T09:37:01	2105	PUBLIC	11936427	<name witheld>	i know i would :3
2015-09-21T09:37:04	2106	PUBLIC	11936427	<name witheld>	jk
2015-09-21T09:37:04	2107	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	its an anime, anythgin gos rlly.. i sdont see the issue
2015-09-21T09:37:07	2108	PUBLIC	13064059	<name witheld>	XD
2015-09-21T09:37:17	2109	PUBLIC	12547704	バブルガム☆ポップ！☆	so dont count poiints agsint hem if its :not in theme:""

-----


This contest had a lot of improvisations and technical errors along during its run.
The organizers have admitted themselves that there was definitely room for improvement.
But please note that this the first time (and hopefully, not the last) that they had hosted an event as ambitious as this. Even professional tournaments and events have their own kinks and hitches the first time around.

I hope this clears up any air of illegitimacy, since it's a shame for such a fun event to discontinue (and bad blood to arise) just because of a few technical errors, mishaps and hardware limitations on the organizer's part as well as some finger pointing of the whole thing being rigged on account of this.
I can also upload 2 sets of logs for that day, unedited (2 on each character logged in); however this will take time as I will have to ask all people involved in the event for their permission, since there are people who prefer their identities hidden and it is best to respect that privacy (only names I didn't blot out were organizer's and my own character's; player ID left untouched to ensure validity as well as cross reference statements across 4 separate logs since you can't search playerIDs anyway, to the best of my knowledge)

Phew that was long; can't believe that took me 2 hours

[Anduril]

I think the inclusion of themes was a good idea, as I felt it upped the ante and forced us to think outside of the box, but the implementation was a bit flawed; I think a good way to do it is to present the contestants with a pool of possible themes so they can prepare beforehand, and then only pick a certain number from the pool (ex. have 6 possible themes, but only use 3 of theme in the actual competition).
In my thinking, "back-to-school" as a theme actually had some wiggle-room to work with beyond just uniforms: Teachers, coaches, cafeteria workers, track suits, apparel appropriate for a club (swimsuits for the swim club, Oil Brink for shop class, etc), etc. Sure I went with the standard, but had I had more time to prepare, I probably could have come up with something a bit more creative.