FFXIV Fan Festival 2014 (NA) Art & Costume Contest, Now taking entries!

[Nel_Celestine]

I was also looking for clarification on what was allowed to be entered as far as bought costumes are concerned. Most cosplay contests that I have entered have required at least 60% of the costume be made by the person entering in order to qualify for prizes. Otherwise, you can basically pay to win a contest and negates all the hard work the other contestants have put in.

Personally, I'm kind of against this as I'm sure most of the people going aren't Super Top end cosplayers of the likes of Yaya-Han or VampyBitMe. If they were to put something like this in, they would need to then add another set of rewards for skill level and such. More rewards means each reward would be of less value over all as well. (like, hey look you won a cosplay contest you get a post card!).

[Yurimi]

Personally, I'm kind of against this as I'm sure most of the people going aren't Super Top end cosplayers of the likes of Yaya-Han or VampyBitMe. If they were to put something like this in, they would need to then add another set of rewards for skill level and such. More rewards means each reward would be of less value over all as well. (like, hey look you won a cosplay contest you get a post card!).

I agree with this, while I have no interest in participating in the contest myself, I think that something like this should be done for fun. Regardless of your skill level, age, gender, or anything else we are all going to be dressed up like dorks in costumes. If someone wants to be up on that stage to show off their love for the game I say let them. Thats why we are there and if someone wants to have a super accurate costume bought off someone with a better skill than them or someone turns up in sleepwear to mimic the nightgown everyone should be able to have fun and be able to show their love and passion for the game.

[Ryuko]

I am a little surprised that *only* the 30 finalists will be allowed to walk, but really that's my only gripe with the contest itself. In my opinion, costumes SHOULD be judged on skill level, and prizes rewarded accordingly, because some people spend months making a costume (and years learning how to be 'that good'). I personally consider myself somewhere in the middle of the line when it comes to skill level (aka I doubt I'd win a prize), but I do understand WHY prizes are rewarded the way they are. I do think everyone should be given an opportunity to walk, though. The largest conventions I have been to reward prizes based on skill level (a novice group, journeymen group, etc), but EVERYONE, regardless of skill level, gets to do the walk. The only thing about this 'contest' that is a little unfair to novices is that they have no chance to win anything IF we are judging on skill level because ALL costumes are being judged in the same pool.

Anyway, I'm glad we'll get to see all of these costumes as we are walking around the convention. I never judge someone on their skill level when it comes to admiring a costume. Honestly, what I am most awed by are original/awesome ideas... although of course I'm going to ask the pro cosplayers how they made certain pieces if the functionality of it eludes me. Keep in mind that the prizes MIGHT not be all rewarded based on skill level alone. Of course, most-detailed will probably go to someone with excellent costuming skills, but most original, most entertaining, and the judges picks might go to a novice with awesome ideas and execution.

Anyway, let's not get too hung up on this. My #1 reason for entering the contest is because I have never entered an FF-only costume contest, and also I would like to walk across stage (only entered one cosplay contest ever)... but that's if I'm lucky enough to be in the top 30!

[Yurimi]

I am a little surprised that *only* the 30 finalists will be allowed to walk, but really that's my only gripe with the contest itself. In my opinion, costumes SHOULD be judged on skill level, and prizes rewarded accordingly, because some people spend months making a costume (and years learning how to be 'that good'). I personally consider myself somewhere in the middle of the line when it comes to skill level (aka I doubt I'd win a prize), but I do understand WHY prizes are rewarded the way they are. I do think everyone should be given an opportunity to walk, though. The largest conventions I have been to reward prizes based on skill level (a novice group, journeymen group, etc), but EVERYONE, regardless of skill level, gets to do the walk. The only thing about this 'contest' that is a little unfair to novices is that they have no chance to win anything IF we are judging on skill level because ALL costumes are being judged in the same pool.

Anyway, I'm glad we'll get to see all of these costumes as we are walking around the convention. I never judge someone on their skill level when it comes to admiring a costume. Honestly, what I am most awed by are original/awesome ideas... although of course I'm going to ask the pro cosplayers how they made certain pieces if the functionality of it eludes me. Keep in mind that the prizes MIGHT not be all rewarded based on skill level alone. Of course, most-detailed will probably go to someone with excellent costuming skills, but most original, most entertaining, and the judges picks might go to a novice with awesome ideas and execution.

Anyway, let's not get too hung up on this. My #1 reason for entering the contest is because I have never entered an FF-only costume contest, and also I would like to walk across stage (only entered one cosplay contest ever)... but that's if I'm lucky enough to be in the top 30!

I do agree I wish that everyone would have a chance to get up on stage if they want to.

[mizamikez]

what do you think...
If someone that commission costume win. everyone praise for him/her. no one praise to costume maker.
I'm quite sick of this.

[Yurimi]

what do you think...
If someone that commission costume win. everyone praise for him/her. no one praise to costume maker.
I'm quite sick of this.

I have made my stance on artists receiving credit quite clear in the cosplay thread so I wont rehash it here but I would hope if someone cosplays a commission they would give credit to the artist when asked. I know I am commissioning some stuff and when posting in the cosplay thread myself I was quite clear who deserves credit.

[Nel_Celestine]

what do you think...
If someone that commission costume win. everyone praise for him/her. no one praise to costume maker.
I'm quite sick of this.

Giving credit where credit is due is important. But at the same token, not everyone is an amazing RL craftsman. So long as people give credit to the original creators of what they wear I'm fine with it. Cosplay is only 50% costume and 50% personality. You could look great but if you are a condescending jerkward then no I don't want someone like that to win anything.

[Serileth]

The only thing about this 'contest' that is a little unfair to novices is that they have no chance to win anything IF we are judging on skill level because ALL costumes are being judged in the same pool.

This is a good point. Most contests do have "levels" so to speak, so those that are novices can win prizes too This however does not seem to have that, unfortunately, but I think the "most creative" sections and judges prizes are the way they are working around that. When I entered as a novice at a convention a few years back I still grabbed a judge's prize despite definitely not being one of the top costumes there.

Since they are going for top 30 it is going to most likely be a good mix of what catches the judges eye based on a variety of criteria and what they think will fit the categories.

[Serileth]

As far as this being just for fun, then it would be carried out like a costume hall contest and everyone would win the same thing, regardless of what they are wearing. If you want to only pander to the lowest denominator then you can't call it a contest since there is no competition. There are hundreds of dollars worth of prizes up for grabs, so this isn't just for fun. If you worked your butt off making something amazing and you lost purely because someone entered something they bought from a professional studio you would be very upset. You're basically awarding someone for emptying their pocketbook, not for hard work, love, and skill they have earned through years of practice. No, not everyone is a skilled professional, but neither was Yaya when she first started. She started out as a complete novice just like the rest of us and she earned the right to be on those shows by constantly improving herself and re entering contests over and over and winning awards for her work.

[Serileth]

So long as people give credit to the original creators of what they wear I'm fine with it.

The problem with "giving credit to the creator" in a competition like this is, the creator is not the one receiving the prize or the praise or the recognition like Mizamikes said, and the only people who know you didn't make it are the judges. Sure, you should walk with the top 30 if you rank that high, but you should't be eligible for top prizes because you didn't earn them.

And unfortunately as we have all seen, not everyone is up front about having bought their costumes, and some go out of their way to lie.