ANNOUNCEMENT: Updates & Questions.

Okay, some things I just want to note:

1. I've taken over as maintainer. Melissa and I found PS 101, but with her busy with RL I've decided to step in. So hi? =D
2. I edited the group info. Does it look okay? Anything you guys think I'm missing? Typos?
3. I've edited the first post in the new monthly contest (excuse me, CNHegan!). It clarifies a few things.


AND NOW, some questions for the members:

1. Should points be a reward for the monthly contest? It would range around 200-500k, I think. Of course, I'll be the one to provide the points. But maybe this is against the rules?

2. Could we get an extra mod? Sometimes I'll need to leave Aarin for an extended amount of time and in those times I'd like to transfer maintainer rights to an available mod who can watch over the group (not that it needs much watching, lol!). Halite75 is our current mod, but I'd like another just in case; she might not always have the time/be available. Besides, two is always better than one. Once I'm able to return, I can resume the position of maintainer.

3. What would you guys think of a monthly tutorial? Each month a selected member could open a thread and make step-by-step tutorial. It'd basically look like "-insert pic- step one, do this -insert pic- step two, this, etc." This is certain to help the beginners learn how to make graphics. Everyone would be allowed to post questions, results, advice, etc. in the thread. Even after the month's end, the thread would be stickied in the group info page.


... Ugh, long post is long. Sorry. orz

For the points...hmmm. You could get pretty run down on funds eventually. There could be a pool that members could contribute towards the contest for the month, instead of putting a strain on you. Can we also have little badges? to make members feel special. I know it would resemble 'official' aarin badges (that Is out at the moment) but it could have their name and a different style (small, that they could wear near their sigs or something.


I 'm voting for #3. I love the idea with the monthly tutorial, making sure that everyone gets a chance to do it. The photoshop thread over in Community cafe has died (or is dying?) even though it has some, it's not enough. Posting results of it would be great too and help with critique!

loveusender: On the matter of points, I really don't mind giving away 200-500k for the monthly contest. I have more than enough and don't really spend points on anything big aside from one or two things. And if I ever do get low on funds, I can just do what I used to: Fill requests and enter contests, lol.

I love the idea of badges! <3 It'd be great if all of us could come up with a nice, small design.

I think it would be great to have a monthly tutorial, too. We'd have to figure out a system for who makes a sig each month, but I think we could manage. This group and graphics threads in general lack tutorials.

Erm... Giving points as rewards might be a good idea. It can attract more people to enter the contest.
But for me, I prefer to have a small badge instead of points ^^

I really love the monthly tutorial idea.
And to decide who will make tutorial each month, maybe it can work like this :
winner of previous monthly signature contest > make tutorial for this month
so
the winner of May sig contest > the one who will make tutorial for June edition
the winner of June sig contest > the one who will make tutorial for July edition
and so on...

I'd rather have a badge/skinny banner to commemorate the win than points and I think we've had quite a few participants even without any kind of incentive, so points aren't really necessary.

Tutorials are good/interesting though I'm too lazy to ever actually follow one. I don't think we should tie them to the monthly contest though. People who might never win could still make good tutorials.

CNHegan: How about a small prize and a badge, then? >D Maybe 50k and a small badge with the month and year they won? I've got some ideas, but they're still a little raw. I'm more than happy to hear some suggestions, guys! <3

The only thing that worries me about contest winners making the tutorial is... would they want to? Writing tutorials can be pretty tiring. I think most monthly contest contestants just do it for fun; they might not like the idea of being obligated to make a tutorial after winning. And if someone wants to make a monthly tutorial they'll never be able to make one if they don't win the contest.

Maybe it could be half-half, and the winners can choose whether to make a tutorial or not? =D

For the random member sig, I can put all the entered sigs (that will have to pass a certain standard) into a hat and pick one at random. As for the contest winners, if they refuse to make a tutorial, we can do the whole pick-randomly-from-a-hat option instead or ask one of the other contestants.

Halite75: Points aren't necessary, but they are nice. ;P

Hahah, you thought of the same point as I did about the tutorials. Also, I want to keep the contest open and encourage as many entries as possible.

I think anyone who has a good idea for a tutorial should just do one, but it would be nice to have at least one guaranteed one done a month.

Halite75: Yeah, that's the problem. D: We have a tutorial thread, but it's kinda... quiet. If we had one definite tutorial a month it might get the ball rolling, you know?

Also, will it just be sig/wallie tutorials? probably some members might want to know how to make buttons or fur(yes you can) or stuff. SO at the end of each month probably a poll of what people want for the next to peak their interest?

loveusender: Good idea! And it's not out of the question to have two tutorials instead of just one sometimes. I definitely want to have at least one sig/wallpaper/banner a month, but an extra tutorial on buttons/pixels/animation/etc would also be great.

So. many. good. ideas! @___@