66 replies to this topic

[Igor Kozyrev]

Great news!
I have a question — is it english only contest or guides/tutorials on other languages can participate too?

[Elizander]

jeirhart, on 26 March 2015 - 07:51 PM, said:

This event interested me until I saw the offered prize of 1,500 MC (≈$8) or consolation prize of 3 days of premium time (≈$2.50). For me personally, any work I turn in that I would deem 'acceptable' would require more than an hour of work. Being 'paid' less than minimum wage for a project that PGI would actually use for the promotion of MW:O sounds more like volunteer work than a contest.

Now I understand being limited in time and resources and reaching out to your community for support/assistance and framing it as an event. I have done that myself in the past for various games I have worked on for occasional assistance in bug hunting, guide writing, etc. That is perfectly fine. If I am wrong in the assumption PGI would actually use these entries, please feel free to correct me.

But if you want quality work, give a reward worthy of the work you want to see.

It is a good start for now and I am sure they will use the feedback here to improve future iterations of this event. I understand the time and effort that goes into making a video from recording, editing and effects but for now it is nice enough to have the efforts of those who contribute be recognized. What I would recommend is to send your feedback in more detail to the community manager.

I have also done similar events like this in the past with a high participation rate for a game that was much smaller than MWO and more local so I'll mail the cm my feedback and suggestions as well.

I'm looking forward to the other entries. For those who aren't submitting, you can still help out by viewing the video entries and leaving a like and a comment on their youtube videos and sharing the ones you like with your friends.

Edited by Elizander, 27 March 2015 - 12:24 AM.

[Horace83]

On one hand it is nice to include the community and reckon the guys which are doing great work with existing tutorials but on the other hand a tutorial vid for CW is something that i expected PGI to release themselves (new player experience anyone?). I know, this is just some "nagnagnag" but anyhow....

To be a little more constructive: Any further info concerning the content? CW includes many single topics: Choosing Factions, getting organized in a Unit (or not), Attack/Seize fire time windows, Planetary Map, Game Modes.....

Should this all be in one Video or could we split it up like: Player A makes a vid about the Map and CW in general, Player B explains the Game Modes and so on?

[Elizander]

Horace83, on 27 March 2015 - 01:42 AM, said:

Should this all be in one Video or could we split it up like: Player A makes a vid about the Map and CW in general, Player B explains the Game Modes and so on?

One video can at best be a general overview/intro guide to CW and each feature/map/tactic is probably best having its own video. General rule of tutorials is to not overwhelm your viewer/reader with too much information or most of it will just go over their head.

[Modo44]

Hey, Tina, you may want to post at r/mwo in addition to r/outreachhpg. The original MWO reddit has been behaving recently.

[Raflik]

So,
You telling us that formula of CW doesn't change for long time, since community need to prepare tutorial based on "beta" stage we have now, and i assume the formula of CW can't change drasticly, otherwise all made tutorials go waste.

So still mixed Pug and group queue
So still only 2 game modes - Invasion and Counteratack
So still maps where best tactic is to spawncamp (Sulfurous rift for example).

I know the tutorials should be made on basic things (selecting fraction, what's that all number near planet, what the meaning of those blue/red fifteen squares around planet etc.), but sicne You didn't precise in your post on what to focus, Tuts can be about "best dropdeck" and "best tactic", which could, and shall change after "beta" stage of CW.


Oh, and bump a question. English Tutorial only, or can be in any other?

[DivineEvil]

I wish I had the proper equipment to make one. My mic definitely is nowhere near the quality required for the job. I can still try if the russian-language version of the tutorial is in any demand.

Otherwise, I'll see what other authors are up to and vote for the best.

[SnagaDance]

Fans have always been willing to create helpful products in order to support/develop a game they like. Any reward for doing so is just a mark of recognition, as it can never compete with an hourly wage for just about any job (which could make the worker affor a computer). It's a labour of love.

I approve of this initiative and when the results are positive I hope PGI will fund the development of a whole lot of more guides (for minimal investment really). The documentation, guides and New Player Experience have been (rightfully) derided for their almost non-existance. If this is something that could help with that I'm all for it. I'd rather see something like this than have PGI take time/money from far more important developments within the game itself.

Sadly I won't be competing. My computer can hardly handle CW without screen stutter as it is, trying to record my play would make your uncle Bob's summer vacation slide show look like a rollercoaster ride in comparison.

[DivineEvil]

Quote

Sadly I won't be competing. My computer can hardly handle CW without screen stutter as it is, trying to record my play would make your uncle Bob's summer vacation slide show look like a rollercoaster ride in comparison.

Recording live play in CW is not necessary. Static images with informal marks and pointers will easily do the trick. Do not let it stop you if that's the only obstacle you have.

[Elizander]

SnagaDance, on 27 March 2015 - 03:51 AM, said:

Fans have always been willing to create helpful products in order to support/develop a game they like. Any reward for doing so is just a mark of recognition, as it can never compete with an hourly wage for just about any job (which could make the worker affor a computer). It's a labour of love.

I approve of this initiative and when the results are positive I hope PGI will fund the development of a whole lot of more guides (for minimal investment really). The documentation, guides and New Player Experience have been (rightfully) derided for their almost non-existance. If this is something that could help with that I'm all for it. I'd rather see something like this than have PGI take time/money from far more important developments within the game itself.

Sadly I won't be competing. My computer can hardly handle CW without screen stutter as it is, trying to record my play would make your uncle Bob's summer vacation slide show look like a rollercoaster ride in comparison.

You can collaborate with someone else who can record footage you can edit I guess, but they did not specify yet if prizes can be shared or given to more than one person.

Edited by Elizander, 27 March 2015 - 06:43 AM.

[Tina Benoit]

I will answer your questions in a bit!

I'm posting right now to let everyone know we changed the top 3 winner prizes from 1,500 MC to 3,000 MC.

[Heffay]

That sig is pretty sweet! But.. the bee should be a mech. And instead of landing on the flower it should shoot it with PPCs. And instead of a flower it should be a burning skull!

[Elizander]

Heffay, on 27 March 2015 - 11:33 AM, said:

That sig is pretty sweet! But.. the bee should be a mech. And instead of landing on the flower it should shoot it with PPCs. And instead of a flower it should be a burning skull!

I just opened her signature gif and it has 461 frames. No way I'm editing that to add your skulls and mechs.

Edited by Elizander, 27 March 2015 - 11:39 AM.

[Tina Benoit]

Hahaha thanks! MoonUnitBeta made it!

[fisher]

jeirhart, on 26 March 2015 - 07:51 PM, said:

This event interested me until I saw the offered prize of 1,500 MC (≈$8) or consolation prize of 3 days of premium time (≈$2.50). For me personally, any work I turn in that I would deem 'acceptable' would require more than an hour of work. Being 'paid' less than minimum wage for a project that PGI would actually use for the promotion of MW:O sounds more like volunteer work than a contest.

Now I understand being limited in time and resources and reaching out to your community for support/assistance and framing it as an event. I have done that myself in the past for various games I have worked on for occasional assistance in bug hunting, guide writing, etc. That is perfectly fine. If I am wrong in the assumption PGI would actually use these entries, please feel free to correct me.

But if you want quality work, give a reward worthy of the work you want to see.

Yeah, this is kinda [disappointing] tbh. Saw a good site about this linked elsewhere:

http://www.nospec.com/about

Edited by Marvyn Dodgers, 27 March 2015 - 03:05 PM.

[Elizander]

fisher, on 27 March 2015 - 12:32 PM, said:

Yeah, this is kinda [disappointing] tbh. Saw a good site about this linked elsewhere:

http://www.nospec.com/about

"Moreover, designers must often sign a contract unwittingly waiving their valuable creative rights and ownership of their work to the ones promoting this system."

I do think that's a bit to the extreme since the material being used is already licensed by PGI (the game itself) and PGI is probably not out to prevent monetization of videos Youtube for those who make the guides so that they can put their own ads on them.

Of course the final decision for participation always rests upon the individual in question as it goes with any contest. People will join for fun just because they like it and others will only look at the prize and decide if it is worth their time or not. Of course not having contests and things like this only favors established professionals since at the end of the FAQ it is stated:

"This is why it pays to use a professional designer. Professional designers are just that — professionals, experts in their craft. It’s their job to do good work."

Which leaves out hobbyists and amateurs and those still starting out. Even if it's just to give a goal for someone learning to accomplish or complete something for submission in order to improve their skills it already benefits the participant in some way. Given there are probably unscrupulous contests out there to get 'free labor' but the compensation for participation is already clearly listed even if they are not picked as a winner. Some people will be happy enough to get a few extra views/subs and likes on their Youtube channels. People have to start somewhere and every bit helps.

I have joined contests in the past and the end result of my efforts and the experience I gained in making it is often more than rewarding enough in itself.

Edited by Marvyn Dodgers, 27 March 2015 - 03:06 PM.

[Marvyn Dodgers]

Please get back to keeping it constructive folks

[Spike Brave]

Saw some posts about how the rewards are not enough. I make my video tutorials for the community. I've been a fan of BattleTech for 25 years and enjoy the game. I make these because other players ask. In fact, the stuff I posted here is a video I made about a month ago because someone posted in the new player help for them. I do them for free because I like to share the hobby I enjoy.

[Mega Man Kerensky]

Spike Brave, on 27 March 2015 - 03:17 PM, said:

Saw some posts about how the rewards are not enough. I make my video tutorials for the community. I've been a fan of BattleTech for 25 years and enjoy the game. I make these because other players ask. In fact, the stuff I posted here is a video I made about a month ago because someone posted in the new player help for them. I do them for free because I like to share the hobby I enjoy.

There are no rewards for this.

If you're creating your content for yourself or because players ask that's one thing, but this is a company that benefits monetarily from your hard work and they are requesting that you do something for free. If PGI wants tutorials done for them they should be scoping out members in the community that create videos and then offer them a contract and pay them accordingly, not try to sucker goodwill out of the creative members that love the franchise.

Edited by Mega Man Kerensky, 27 March 2015 - 03:41 PM.

[Tina Benoit]

Just so everyone knows and this doesn't go off topic any further, this little event was created only to re-enforce the players who make amazing fan-creations. We only put a theme and simple rules down to make it an event and give a little reward at the end for your effort. (Plus it matches with the current event doesn't it?)

You're not forced to create anything, and I'm sure some of these videos were already created before this event existed. So this kind of event is more of a thank you and please take your talent and past contributions to your advantage to receive a little reward from us.
If you have other ideas on how we can show our appreciation to your fan creation efforts, please let me know, I'd be happy to hear.

If the forum community does not like these kinds of forum events, then that's fine, we can refrain from having them in the future, however I believe some players here do understand that we are trying to appreciate their work and would to help you spread your talent and contributions to your community.