No Dinosaur Diorama Contest in 2017

[DinoToyForum]

The main organisational aspects of the contest include...

• Writing and posting instructions on the forum and blog.
  Responding to enquiries and concerns.
  Receiving and collating the entries and personal information.
  Confirming entrants are forum members (when in doubt).
  Sending confirmation/thank you emails.
  Rejecting entries that do not fulfil specified criteria and explaining why (plus inviting resubmissions).
  Renaming files (so they are anonymous [numbers]).
  Resizing files (not everyone remembers to do this; or is unable to).
  Converting files to a consistent file type/format (there are several valid jpg JPG JPEG types and we receive other file types too).
  Uploading the images to the dinotoyblog server.
  Creating the poll with correct settings.
  Taking action against cheating - e.g sending warnings, potentially disqualification.
  Posting the results.
  Contacting the winners.
  
  If there's a sponsor then there's negotiation and organisation to do there, both with the sponsors and the winners, plus shipping of the prizes. If there are no prizes then this isn't a problem. It also means there are fewer entries, and less chance of foul play.
  
  One year we had a team of judges, but that was a one off.

Not all of these aspects are completely necessary, but I don't like to do things by halves!

Under normal circumstances it is manageable and fun to organise, but this year I'm overloaded with work and life responsibilities. If I could completely delegate it I would (and thanks for the offers!), but the contest inevitably requires support from me. Plus, since the contest has the Dinosaur Toy Forum name attached to it, I'm ultimately the one responsible if anything goes wrong, so I can't turn a blind eye to it. So, I'm afraid the contest is off the cards this year.

Hey, even the World Cup is only every four years.

[DinoLord]

Wow, goes to show how much goes into the contest! Perhaps members could hold an informal contest amongst themselves, but certainly nothing with the Dinosaur Toy Forum name attached to it. I'm sure the formal contest will come back in the future bigger and better than ever!

[Neosodon]

Well on the bright side I don't have to wait to order the 2017 models. Usually I will wait for the contest to finish before I order new releases so I don't have to worry about winning dinosaurs I already own.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

I'm grateful we had one last year; two years in a row would have been a bit of a disappointment. The diorama I had in mind for this year is pretty elaborate anyway, this will allow for some more time to complete it.

[Kayakasaurus]

Protocasts would like to sponsor and organize the "2017 Unofficial Dinosaur Diorama contest" as a place holder for a great event. There will be a 1st place prize, and maybe something for 2nd & 3rd place. I know the people (person) at Protocasts very well LOL.

Ok so my only question to DinoToyForum is if I can use the forums polls, or should I find another website. I'll look into using Facebook or other social media sites to see what might work best. I don't think It will be members only, since I may not be able to verify with confidence, and I'd like to promote this contest.

When I gather a set of rules and a setting I'll make a thread! Suggestions and ideas are welcome, there's room for experimenting!

[DinoToyForum]

Protocasts would like to sponsor and organize the "2017 Unofficial Dinosaur Diorama contest" as a place holder for a great event. There will be a 1st place prize, and maybe something for 2nd & 3rd place. I know the people (person) at Protocasts very well LOL.

Ok so my only question to DinoToyForum is if I can use the forums polls, or should I find another website. I'll look into using Facebook or other social media sites to see what might work best. I don't think It will be members only, since I may not be able to verify with confidence, and I'd like to promote this contest.

When I gather a set of rules and a setting I'll make a thread! Suggestions and ideas are welcome, there's room for experimenting!

An unofficial contest would have my blessing! I'd leave it up to you decide where to post the poll. There is a risk of multiple voting (sometimes to avoid detection, under different emails, ips, names) in any online poll. Having a 'members only' poll was one way of avoiding that sort of thing. Probably, you'll be more confident using a dedicated poll service.

[Kayakasaurus]

Protocasts would like to sponsor and organize the "2017 Unofficial Dinosaur Diorama contest" as a place holder for a great event. There will be a 1st place prize, and maybe something for 2nd & 3rd place. I know the people (person) at Protocasts very well LOL.

Ok so my only question to DinoToyForum is if I can use the forums polls, or should I find another website. I'll look into using Facebook or other social media sites to see what might work best. I don't think It will be members only, since I may not be able to verify with confidence, and I'd like to promote this contest.

When I gather a set of rules and a setting I'll make a thread! Suggestions and ideas are welcome, there's room for experimenting!

An unofficial contest would have my blessing! I'd leave it up to you decide where to post the poll. There is a risk of multiple voting (sometimes to avoid detection, under different emails, ips, names) in any online poll. Having a 'members only' poll was one way of avoiding that sort of thing. Probably, you'll be more confident using a dedicated poll service.

Great! Well after hearing that I think it should stay on this forum and be for the members only. I'll make a thread announcing the date and rules. I'm thinking at least a few months to give people time to make their entry.

[DinoToyForum]

Protocasts would like to sponsor and organize the "2017 Unofficial Dinosaur Diorama contest" as a place holder for a great event. There will be a 1st place prize, and maybe something for 2nd & 3rd place. I know the people (person) at Protocasts very well LOL.

Ok so my only question to DinoToyForum is if I can use the forums polls, or should I find another website. I'll look into using Facebook or other social media sites to see what might work best. I don't think It will be members only, since I may not be able to verify with confidence, and I'd like to promote this contest.

When I gather a set of rules and a setting I'll make a thread! Suggestions and ideas are welcome, there's room for experimenting!

An unofficial contest would have my blessing! I'd leave it up to you decide where to post the poll. There is a risk of multiple voting (sometimes to avoid detection, under different emails, ips, names) in any online poll. Having a 'members only' poll was one way of avoiding that sort of thing. Probably, you'll be more confident using a dedicated poll service.

Great! Well after hearing that I think it should stay on this forum and be for the members only. I'll make a thread announcing the date and rules. I'm thinking at least a few months to give people time to make their entry.

I recommend you don't use a forum poll because you won't have complete control over it, and I won't be around if something goes awry or if suspicions are raised. Forum polls do not restrict votes by IP or email, so this has to be invigilated manually be the only one who has access to that information - the admin. There is a forum rule to restrict one account per person, but that rule is sometimes broken, and required admin action. During contests there are usually influxes of new 'members', who vote and leave. In the past, such members have shared ip addresses and voted for the same single entry. Whether these are the same person, or family members/friends using a single computer, is irrelevant - such incidents require investigation. Past experience suggests that some sort of suspicious voting will take place, especially if prizes are at stake. So, I suggest you use a dedicated poll service for which you have complete control, and for which the DTF bears no responsibility!

[Kayakasaurus]

Ok I'll do some research and find a dedicated polling place. I'll also make it clear that I'll be the one to contact for anything related to the contest.

[Kayakasaurus]

I was just thinking, if the prize is too small, less people will enter, if the prize is too big, more people will cheat. Maybe there is a perfect medium sized prize lol

[DinoToyForum]

I was just thinking, if the prize is too small, less people will enter, if the prize is too big, more people will cheat. Maybe there is a perfect medium sized prize lol

It is a dilemma I've experienced! The bigger the prize, the bigger the contest, the more work there is to do, the more pressure there is not to mess up!

[Hynerpeton]

8f no offers to run the contest i could. Would need some help though.