The CHALLENGE continues!

[Lady Serpentine]

Why not? For consistency's sake then, if someone were studying fine arts/animation/etc (or works in those fields), would their drawings/paintings/etchings/etc for school/work not be eligible either?

This is a point. Much of the poems and such I do could easily get counted as being for school if I wanted them to be; does that mean that they're ineligible too?.

[MeanMrsMustard]

Fluff for a homebrew I'm working on. 1804 words.

Spoiler

Show

Overview of Nënt’le
In the Great Western Sea, there lie several islands known collectively as Nënt’le. The area consists of three parts: Greater Nënt’le, Lesser Nënt’le, and the Nyekundu Fjords. Nënt’le is renowned for being a land of mystery, diversity, and prosperity. It is said that the eastern forests of Greater Nënt’le are magical, and the wood elves who live there would heartily agree with that sentiment. On the northwest edge of Greater Nënt’le sits a vast mountain range, home to dwarves and ground elves. Just north of the Southern Delta of the Nehyr River lies Bıv, the shining capital of Nënt’le. One may wonder where the halfling merchants in Bıv come from. They and their underwater neighbors, the water elves, mostly live in the Nyekundu Fjords: halflings on the ground, water elves in the seas. Most of the humans in the area live in Bıv or along the banks of the Nehyr.
Before the settlement of Lesser Nënt’le, the six races kept to themselves, but discovery of resources by the humans drew ground elves, dwarves, halflings, and some more adventurous wood elves to the smaller island, and soon the water elves heard news of a great cultural mesh and decided to join the party. Many tourists come to Nënt’le, attracted by the great natural beauty of the eastern forests and northwest mountains, but most of the locals agree: it’s a better idea to start out on Lesser Nënt’le and get used to area-specific customs and quirks before visiting Greater Nënt’le or the Nyekundu Fjords.

Guide to Nënt’lean Races
Wood Elves:
The Træboere, known in Common Nënt’lean as Wood Elves, are the most populous race in the area, though one who never visited the eastern forests would never guess that. A large portion of the wood elf population stays in the eastern forests, with only a small segment of adolescents and young adults venturing to the metropolitan areas of Nënt’le. The Træboere who remain in the forest believe that their magic is tied to not only nature, but the specific land on which they live. They fear that their power will diminish should they leave, but most of the adventurous migrants are just as successful out of the forests as they are within them.
Like all elves, Træboere have pointed ears, inborn magical powers, and a sigil on their foreheads. Because of their magic, their technologies are limited, and most devices more complicated than a winepress or other manually-powered tools tend to malfunction when used by elves.
Træboere are the tallest of the elves. Their complexions range from the color of wet sand to the color of coffee, though petite Træboere with lighter hair and skin aren’t unheard of. Most wood elves have thick hair on the dark brown to red spectrum and green, brown, or hazel eyes.
Træboere culture values patience and dignity, and most Træboere are respectful and obey orders.
Mechanics:
Mean height: 185 cm (73”)
Mean weight: 75 kg (165 lb)
Tradeoff: +WIS, -INT
Sigil: +3 to checks related to sigil, -3 to checks opposed to sigil
Techbane: see description under Elves (General)
Humans:
There are almost as many humans in Nënt’le as wood elves, and they thrive in the many cities along the banks of the Nehyr. The most famous of the human settlements is Bıv, the capital of Nënt’le. Humans tend to favor technology over magic, but those who seek out the path of the magical arts tend to have elven blood or rely on rituals.
Humans resemble wood elves, though they’re shorter and somewhat more heavyset and have a wider range of coloration. Their skin ranges from pale peach to dark chocolate, and their hair can be anything from blonde to brown to black. Humans tend to have brown eyes, though hazel, blue, gray, and sometimes even green can occur.
Human culture values creativity and leadership, and most humans are individualists. A large number of Nënt’lean artists are humans.
Mechanics:
Mean height: 168 cm (66”)
Mean weight: 70 kg (154 lb)
Tradeoff: +DEX, -STR
Dwarves:
The Durkadurkastan Mountains along the northwest coast of Greater Nënt'le are home to the Daðtalún, a race of dwarves. Daðtalún are best known for their mastery of technology and the other mechanical arts. As a people, they have made devices complex enough to seem to hold magic of their own. The population of dwarves in Nënt'le is approximately evenly split between traditionalists in the mountains and mechanists in large cities, especially Bıv. Rare is the Daðtalún who pursues the path of the mage, and they tend to be distrustful of elves because of the elves' inborn magical abilities. Many Daðtalún keep some sort of mechanical aid on them at all times, frequently robotic prosthetics.
Daðtalún are short and tough fellows who generally have olive skin and brown or darker hair. Gray and light green are the most common eye colors among dwarves, with brown eyes being present in about 20% of the population.
Daðtalún culture values courage and integrity, and most dwarves are more clever than they appear at first.
Mechanics:
Mean height: 140 cm (55")
Mean weight: 63 kg (139 lb)
Tradeoff: +CON, -CHA
Mechanical Master: +3 to checks involving machines
Ground Elves:
Drewnônen, or ground elves, live under the earth's surface. They favor the rocky, sturdier land of the Durkadurkastan Mountains to the loose, fertile soil preferred by nearly everyone else, for they construct ther tunnel dwellings underground. Despite their close proximity to the Daðtalún and innate magical ability, the Drewnônen get along well with their upper neighbors and handle most trading with them. In the past, the Drewnônen diet consisted mainly of fungi and the surprisingly diverse creatures indigenous to the subterranean caves of the Durkadurkastan, but recently have been importing other foods from the various areas of Nënt'le.
Like all elves, Drewnônen have pointed ears, inborn magical powers, and a sigil on their foreheads. Because of their magic, their technologies are limited, and most devices more complicated than a winepress or other manually-powered tools tend to malfunction when used by elves. Ground elves are similar to dwarves in build, being slightly taller and slimmer, but still easily the shortest and stockiest of the elves.
Because they rarely get sun exposure until adulthood, ground elves have pale skin. Their hair is almost always pastel, with darker, more vibrant hair only appearing in those of mixed ancestry. Their eyes always contain some red, transversing the spectrum from orange to violet.
Drewnônen culture values humility and diligence, and most ground elves are reserved and determined.
Mechanics:
Mean height: 142 cm (56")
Mean weight: 59 kg (130 lb)
Tradeoff: +STR, -DEX
Sigil: +3 to checks related to sigil, -3 on checks opposed to sigil
Techbane: see description under Elves (General)
Water Elves:
The Nyekundu Fjords are more than they first appear, for a race called the Wodåe dwells in structures elaborately carved into the undersea sides of the steep, rocky islands. Wodåe, because of their ability to breathe water, mostly keep to themselves, though many a water elf enjoys a venture to the surface to sell his or her goods to a member of another race. Though the Wodåe enjoy the company of other races, they look down upon others as less intelligent.
Like all elves, Wodåe have pointed ears, inborn magical powers, and a sigil on their foreheads. Because of their magic, their technologies are limited, and most devices more complicated than a winepress or other manually-powered tools tend to malfunction when used by elves. Most water elves are in the height range of humans, and their thin build makes them look exceedingly fragile, though they're no tougher nor flimsier than the other races. Water elves have webbed fingers and toes and are the most colorful of all the races: their hair, eyes, and skin can be virtually any color, though hair and eyes tend to be similar.
Water elves who wish to remain above the surface for more than a day need to remember to cast an air-breathing spell on themselves once every 24 hours. All Wodåe can cast this spell, but if they forget they go through half a day of dehydration before dying of suffocation.
Wodåe culture values spontaneity and wit, and most water elves are smart alecks.
Mechanics:
Mean height: 164 cm (65")
Mean weight: 55 kg (121 lb)
Tradeoff: +INT, -WIS
Sigil: +3 to checks related to sigil, -3 on checks opposed to sigil
Techbane: see description under Elves (General)
Halflings:
Also known as halflings, Núspain live on the Nyekundu Fjords. They get along just as well with the nearby Wodåe as they do with every other race, and most people can't help but think of them as charming. However, if one is not wary of the halfling with whom he or she trades, he or she will very soon learn the sad lesson of how quickly a fool is parted from his or her money. Halflings tend to be ruthless and cunning traders who get remarkably rich remarkably quickly.
Núspain usually have coppery skin and dark to auburn hair. Blue and hazel are the most common eye colors among the halfling population.
Núspain culture values cunning and playfulness, and most halflings are smarmy.
Mechanics:
Mean height: 112 cm (44")
Mean weight: 45 kg (99 lbs)
Tradeoff: +CHA, -CON
Elves (General):
A little more than one-half of the Nënt'lean population are elves. The three types of elves are very different and have only a few things in common: pointed ears, inborn magical powers, and a sigil on their foreheads. Because of their magic, their technologies are limited, and most devices more complicated than a winepress or other manually-powered tools tend to malfunction when used by elves.
Elves are born with sigils on their foreheads. These symbols are stylized, and some groups of elves form clans based on their sigils, which are not unique to each elf. To cover one's forehead in elven society is a taboo of the highest degree.
Elves cannot operate complex machinery without their magic interfering and suffer a -3 penalty on checks related to machines. This is called Techbane.
Elves do not truly sleep, but they spend as much time as the other races in a meditative state to rest.

Mechanics
Height and Weight:
Each race has a mean height and weight. Roll 3d6 to determine character's height and weight modifiers seperately. Modifiers given in centimeters and kilograms.
1: -8
2: -7
3: -6
4: -5
5: -4
6: -3
7: -2
8: -1
9: +0
10: +1
11: +2
12: +3
13: +4
14: +5
15: +6
16: +7
17: +8
18: +9
Tradeoff:
Each race has an ability score tradeoff. After rolling 3d6 to determine ability scores, players add between 1 and 4 points to their races' favored scores, while subtracting the same number of points from their races' weaker scores.

[Glass Mouse]

Glass Mouse, what would this count for, given our earlier discussion about poetry?

Spoiler

Show

The night arises, cold and still;
Brings clinging mist to make you blind;
Come down underneath the hill,
That we can cut the shackles from your mind.
Though knowledge makes a bitter pill,
Is freedom not a better choice?
To choose if and why you kiss or kill?
Gain a say with your own voice?
Then come down with us beneath the hill...

I'd say one poem. Do you disagree?

Why not? For consistency's sake then, if someone were studying fine arts/animation/etc (or works in those fields), would their drawings/paintings/etchings/etc for school/work not be eligible either?

I stand corrected. You're right, creatives done for school should count. I just want to avoid heavily academic analyses and the like. But let's just let common sense rule here

[Glass Mouse]

Status!


Glass Mouse passes with ~1800 words of flashback sci-fi scene.

Lycunadari passes with two sky and four flower photos.

TheWombatOfDoom didn't upload/send me anything.
Still in?

C'nor uploaded 576 words of tunnel cleaning and one three-pieces-worth poem.

Viera Champion is on hold until June.

MeanMrsMustard passes with 1.804 words of RPG homebrew fluff.


Thus, TheWombatOfDoom and C'nor FAIL this round!

Glass Mouse, Lycundari and MeanMrsMustard PASS this round!


Current standing:

Spoiler

Show

Glass Mouse
Current run: 134 weeks
Longest run: -
Themes: 1 week

Lycunadari
Current run: 20 weeks
Longest run: -
Themes: -

TheWombatOfDoom
Current run: -
Longest run: 3 weeks
Themes: -

C'nor
Current run: -
Longest run: 11 weeks
Themes: 1 week

Viera Champion
Current run: -
Longest run: 2 weeks
Themes: -

MeanMrsMustard
Current run: 5 weeks
Longest run: -
Themes: -

The theme, chosen by Lycunadari is Rain and Sun

Next week's theme is chosen by TheWombatOfDoom - let me know in PM or this thread, and I'll include it in the next status.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Next Week's Theme! Round. That's right. Anything circular in nature, whether it be a lyrical round, and story that is cyclical in nature, drawings and photos of round things, so on and so forth.

[Lady Serpentine]

I'd say one poem. Do you disagree?

Possibly. You had previously mentioned that in theory, the bits I was doing in that thing I sent you privately could count as multiple pieces; this is a more complex form, but does the same sort of thing, so based on that, it would make sense that it would as well.

[Glass Mouse]

Possibly. You had previously mentioned that in theory, the bits I was doing in that thing I sent you privately could count as multiple pieces; this is a more complex form, but does the same sort of thing, so based on that, it would make sense that it would as well.

I'm about to completely fall apart from stress, so I can't make a sound judgment call right now. If I said something previously, and you feel it applies now, count it like that

[Lady Serpentine]

I'm about to completely fall apart from stress, so I can't make a sound judgment call right now. If I said something previously, and you feel it applies now, count it like that

*tracks down something cuddly to hug the Mouse*

That would make it 3 pieces, unless I'm wrong about what you said.

[Glass Mouse]

*tracks down something cuddly to hug the Mouse*

That would make it 3 pieces, unless I'm wrong about what you said.

Thanks. It's nothing serious, just project month (one every semester, this is just the worst yet). But there's only nine days left until JUNE and FREEDOM!

And alright. It's still not enough to pass, unfortunately, but I changed the status to accomodate

[Cuthalion]

I was encouraged to join, I assumed there's space, and so I have arrived for the sole purpose of motivation me to actually do more. Wouldn't be a surprise if I miss some weeks.

May I join for the next week?
EDIT:Here are my deviations. Do they necessarily have to be made the week of, or can one upload art made in the past?

[TheWombatOfDoom]

I was encouraged to join, I assumed there's space, and so I have arrived for the sole purpose of motivation me to actually do more. Wouldn't be a surprise if I miss some weeks.

May I join for the next week?

Welcome Cuthalion!

I've been missing for the past while, and have been meaning to get back into it. Things just got real busy and haven't slowed down. I literally haven't gotten to do more than edit (which I'm guessing doesn't count for creative purposes).

In other words, it's okay to miss, as long as this still keeps you motivated without the goal of prizes from players! Me, I have the motivation! Just not the time.

Also, Glass_Mouse - does write ups on possible system options for a elemental system I'm writing?

[Glass Mouse]

I was encouraged to join, I assumed there's space, and so I have arrived for the sole purpose of motivation me to actually do more. Wouldn't be a surprise if I miss some weeks.

May I join for the next week?
EDIT:Here are my deviations. Do they necessarily have to be made the week of, or can one upload art made in the past?

Yes, welcome! Getting motivation to create, and then creating more, is what we're here for

You can join for this week or the next (or the next after that or...) as you please, you just can't enter for past weeks.
Your submissions have to be made in the week for which they count. After all, the aim of the challenge is to create, not to go treasure hunting in nostalgia (also, I can't see a link - might be there's a problem there)

Also, Glass_Mouse - does write ups on possible system options for a elemental system I'm writing?

If essays about pipe cleaning count, then that definitely does too

Also yeah, we haven't found ways to count editing reliably, so no luck there. But I feel your pain. Editing weeks always require a lot of "light" submissions like photos or poems for me.

[IncoherentEssay]

How about "has to be finished on the week it counts for" ? That way larger and more ambitious works are not excluded.
It would also allow participants to ease a future week with a bit of prepwork. Currently Challenge streaks tend to end when academic chrunchtimes hit and it's a bit of a pity that something entirely predictable has such a devastating effect. Another option would be the combining of weeks (same total of works at the end of the combined time period), there's precedent for it and academic obligations are certainly a good enough reason imo .

... essays about pipe cleaning count...

...wait, what . Worldbuilding for some sort of Super Mario thing?

[TheWombatOfDoom]

If essays about pipe cleaning count, then that definitely does too

Also yeah, we haven't found ways to count editing reliably, so no luck there. But I feel your pain. Editing weeks always require a lot of "light" submissions like photos or poems for me.

In that case:

---

3

1. Rules


*All elemental powers should in the end all be balanced with each other.

*Elemental power is progressivly affected as they age.

*Intent of action is a main factor in effecting an element. How it relates to the other factors and what those other factors are are currently undetermined.

*Fire = Plasma and Heat, Earth = Solid and Still, Water = Liquid and Cool, and Wind = Gas and Motion.

When applying Coolness to something, it causes it to become more Still.
When applying Warmth to something, it causes it to have more Motion.
When applying Stillness to something, it becomes Cooler.
When applying Motion to something, it becomes Warmer.

*Elves are granted their elemental abilities by the elements themselves, and so can lose their power if the element so chooses.


*Elves cannot create the elements, only manipulate them. However, elements can be drawn to an elf, which might appear similiar to creation.

*Elves can choose which element they attune to, however there is generally a certain herditary tendancy.

*Making an element behave in a way it does not usually behave is applying negative fate to it.

---

3

Options up for Debate:

1. Elemental Attunement
Option A: An elf can only attune to one element. To manipulate something with more than one element involved, one would have to work together with an elf of a different attunement.

Option B: An elf can choose to only attune to one element (like Option A), but also has the option to attune to another as well, but no more than two. An elf in this option could choose to have a balance between the two elements, or have one a stronger and more dominant element. The first element chosen is then the stonger of the two. Things to consider in this option is that some elements might not be able to be mutually attuned. Opposite elements, for instance, would not be possible.

Option C: Both! But with a twist! This would fluctuate based on when Fate was the force in power. When Fate is in power - Option B, when not, Option A.

2. Sensing an Element
Option A: An elf has a hieghted awareness to their attuned element based on the 5 senses. This would limit your abilities to what you can directly sense. This circumstance might explain why elves might have better hearing, sight, so on. In sight, a Wind attuned might actually be able to SEE air, unlike other beings, or perhaps Thermal Vision for the Fire attuned. The finite details can be discussed, but this gives a general idea.

Option B: Elves have a 6th sense where they know intutively where their attuned element is in location to themselves. This sensation would be granted upon attunement, and then refined over time.

Option C: Both! How? You tell me!

Option D: A recently attuned elf can only sense the presence of their element when in contact with something (which, considering how pervasive the elements are, they'd all be detecting something all the time) and they could easily detect any manipulation being done by another elementalist. However, they wouldn't understand how its being manipulated, and so wouldn't know what the hell is happening (wind elf wouldn't be able to tell the difference between someone creating a light breeze by setting some air in motion versus creating a localized vaccuum by moving a vast amount of air away quickly). However, as they gain more knowledge and become more powerful, they could see the influence of their element everywhere within the sphere of influence and could detect when someone is manipulating it within that same sphere. Additionally, so long as they had an understanding of how such a thing is possible, they'd know what the manipulation is.


3. Interaction with an Element
Option A: Elves must physically touch the element they wish to manipulate. Over time they can affect larger things, or more areas of an element, so long as they are uninterupted. This would be the "Trace-a-Path" option DracoDei has been mentioning, or as I've called it "Connection" based. Energy used in this case would go out through the part of the body connected to the element.

Option B: Elves can manipulate the elements without contact so long as they can sense it. Over time, they can effect things at farther and farther distances, or to put it another way, by "Area of Effect". This is the "Telepathic" option SamBurke has mentioned. Energy used in this case would be expended by the action, but would not need a direct link to the result as with Option B. Projectiles that go outside an elf's area of effect can no longer be manipulated by the elf, similar to an arrow being shot from a bow.

Option C: Both! When elves are recently attuned, they only can interact with the element physically, and rely on connection to the area they are affecting through the element. Over time, as they become better attuned, they no longer need the physical connection, and are able to manipulate the element within a certain area. Even after the powers get to this point, an elf can still manipulate the object through physical touch.

4. Elemental Power Progression
Option A: As the elves get older, more knowledged and have more experience with the element they've attuned to, they gain more power over the element. This would occur in larger areas of effect, and in hieghtened capacity, and in the ability to create more complex manipulations.

Option B: Each element has a variant in how they progress: Power over Water is progressively gained as an elf ages, whereas power over Fire progressively lost, like a fire that burns out. Wind and Earth...I'm not certain.

Option C: Some other way I haven't considered...

---

3

That should bring me up to half for the week.

The best part is, this system has to do with light, rain, and heat, in the form of fire and water elements. Yey theme!

---

3

Write up on my world and my current goals:

For over half my life (13+ years), I have been working on this setting in some way shape or form. It all started as an idea for a novel (which has evolved into a series), and after a year or so of writing and constant writers blocks, I realized my biggest issue I didn't know my world enough, and so was having a hard time talking about it. So, I decided I'd take a year off from writing plot to actively develop my world.

So I did that...and the more I developed the more I needed to develop, until one year became...well, I'm still working on my world. The difference now is I'm kind of writing both now. In that time I went through high school and college, and used most of what I learned in my studies to assist me in writing this setting. In fact, pretty much anytime I learn something new, my first thought is: How can I fit this into my world? Basically, this world is a very theraputic way for me to retain information, as well as translate things into my own way of thinking, and then put that information into my own project to make it richer. To say that I'm dedicated to this project would be an understatement. I've used this world for D & D, short stories, my novel, and writing poetry.

After having written centuries of history, languages, star charts, geographic patterns and maps, evolutional patterns, cultural intracasies, racial features, and various other portions of the world - I found these forums. And I saw the opportunity to find like minded creative types that might be able to help me in figuring out some of the larger details of the setting that I was missing. Most importantly, Magic. I had my ideas for what I wanted, but I wanted to set it up into a system that made sense, and fit well. And so I joined the forums, and with the help of a few people, I not only "finished" my magic system, but also came to the realization of two other systems that would be attached to to it - Fate and Luck.

And like other portions of world development, when I fully realize one of these aspects, they are large enough that they ripple back in small and large ways into my world development. Magic I'd pretty much thought the most about when developing the setting, so it didn't have as big of a ripple, but Fate has taken a much larger effect. Mostly because instead of just an elemental system, its also identifying things in the scientific realm (which in my schooling I'd not learned as much about, having mostly studied astronomy and geology).

My goal at the moment: To finish the three forces that make up the world - Fate, Luck, and Magic. These three things affect everything in such a way that if I know them and how they work, I will be in essence, done the largest portion of work that needed to be completed. With Fate that means figuring out Physical Science into my setting, and with Luck it will be based on Biology and Evolution - living things. Once these are finished, I can begin writing. Especially since these forces are effecting plot, and some of my developed information. My secondary goal once finished is to begin making these three systems into a D20 system, but I want the concept to be done before I conclude that.

[Glass Mouse]

How about "has to be finished on the week it counts for" ? That way larger and more ambitious works are not excluded.
It would also allow participants to ease a future week with a bit of prepwork. Currently Challenge streaks tend to end when academic chrunchtimes hit and it's a bit of a pity that something entirely predictable has such a devastating effect. Another option would be the combining of weeks (same total of works at the end of the combined time period), there's precedent for it and academic obligations are certainly a good enough reason imo .

This sounds like a really good idea. "Finished" is easier to work with.

How about a three-week limit on combined weeks? They can't go on forever, obviously, but three weeks should be enough to work around most exams. Just ask for a combination, and it will happen

...wait, what . Worldbuilding for some sort of Super Mario thing?

Haha, well, ventilation shafts are a kimd of pipes.

The best part is, this system has to do with light, rain, and heat, in the form of fire and water elements. Yey theme!

Oh right, theme! I need to squeeze that in!

I'm actually well ahead of my writing quota. I have a lot of too-tired-to-work commute time, which is perfect for writing. Yay!

[D.KnightSpider]

I've been watching this for a while and figured that it's time to stop watching and start participating. So if it's not too late, I'd like to try and squeak in under the wire for this coming week.

I don't have a lot of art ability, but I like to write-- I just have a lot of problem actually getting anything original down on paper. This seems like a good way to overcome that hurdle.

[MeanMrsMustard]

Tumblr post with my CHALLENGE pieces. A bit unconventional, but it involved less loading than puush.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

My original post for this week is now updated to include a full submission for the week. Has an explaination of my goals and a write up on the elements.

[Lady Serpentine]

Spoiler

Show

You say that life is just too hard,
And I can't disagree.
Your mind and body both are scarred,
You never have been free.

So happy birthday mortal girl;
Take my hand, it's time to dance,
Will we give death a whirl,
Or life a second chance?

Per our discussion on poetry, a case could theoretically be made for more, but I think that that reasonably counts as two...

Spoiler

Show

You say you love, but you're not real;
You're just a doll to steal a place,
How can you dare to claim you feel,
Behind another's face?

Wooden hands and onyx eyes,
In your chest a stolen heart,
A tongue of copper telling lies,
Are you pleased to play your part?

How long will you play this game,
Pretend to mourn a sister never yours?
The time's come to renounce the claim,
Before I even up the scores!

All you care about's your master's joy,
Stop feeding lies to me!
Your "daughter"'s just another toy,
If you truly cared you'd set her free.

So let her go or I'll take her,
The choice is up to you.
Oh, wouldn't that be quite a stir -
So now what will you do?

And this one, I believe, is five.

[Glass Mouse]

I've been watching this for a while and figured that it's time to stop watching and start participating. So if it's not too late, I'd like to try and squeak in under the wire for this coming week.

I don't have a lot of art ability, but I like to write-- I just have a lot of problem actually getting anything original down on paper. This seems like a good way to overcome that hurdle.

Awesome, welcome to the Challenge! Sounds like you get the spirit of the thing too, so feel free to start from next week

Tumblr post with my CHALLENGE pieces. A bit unconventional, but it involved less loading than puush.

I'm having a bit of trouble counting, but I assume that's six different bowls?

My original post for this week is now updated to include a full submission for the week. Has an explaination of my goals and a write up on the elements.

Great! In the future, though, can I ask you to spoiler your writings when they're that long? They take up a lot of space like that which may make scrolling inconvenient.

[Glass Mouse]

Status, with so many passes! Awesome!


Glass Mouse passes with 1.721 words of sci-fi story.

Lycunadari passes with six spring photos.

TheWombatOfDoom passes with 1.553 words of elementals, including fire and water.

C'nor passes with seven pieces worth of poems.

Viera Champion is on hold until June.

MeanMrsMustard passes with, I believe, six ceramic bowls.


Thus, no one FAIL this round!

Glass Mouse, Lycundari, TheWombatOfDoom, C'nor and MeanMrsMustard PASS this round!


Current standing:

Spoiler

Show

Glass Mouse
Current run: 135 weeks
Longest run: -
Themes: -

Lycunadari
Current run: 21 weeks
Longest run: -
Themes: -

TheWombatOfDoom
Current run: 1 week
Longest run: 3 weeks
Themes: 1 week

C'nor
Current run: 1 week
Longest run: 11 weeks
Themes: -

Viera Champion
Current run: -
Longest run: 2 weeks
Themes: -

MeanMrsMustard
Current run: 6 weeks
Longest run: -
Themes: -

The theme, chosen by TheWombatOfDoom is Round

Next week's theme is chosen by C'nor - let me know in PM or this thread, and I'll include it in the next status.



My project countdown is at four days! Then one day of partying, and then... FREEDOM! I'm gonna read/draw/whatever so much this weekend

[Viera Champion]

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You say that life is just too hard,
And I can't disagree.
Your mind and body both are scarred,
You never have been free.

So happy birthday mortal girl;
Take my hand, it's time to dance,
Will we give death a whirl,
Or life a second chance?

Per our discussion on poetry, a case could theoretically be made for more, but I think that that reasonably counts as two...

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You say you love, but you're not real;
You're just a doll to steal a place,
How can you dare to claim you feel,
Behind another's face?

Wooden hands and onyx eyes,
In your chest a stolen heart,
A tongue of copper telling lies,
Are you pleased to play your part?

How long will you play this game,
Pretend to mourn a sister never yours?
The time's come to renounce the claim,
Before I even up the scores!

All you care about's your master's joy,
Stop feeding lies to me!
Your "daughter"'s just another toy,
If you truly cared you'd set her free.

So let her go or I'll take her,
The choice is up to you.
Oh, wouldn't that be quite a stir -
So now what will you do?

And this one, I believe, is five.

Wait are we going by stanzas for poetry? That hardly seems right...

[Glass Mouse]

Wait are we going by stanzas for poetry? That hardly seems right...

Gotta admit, I agree. But I've said so in a previous PM conversation (I don't remember any details, so I'm taking C'nor's word, which I trust), and I'm too strung out on school to research and make a solid re-decision. So for this update at least, it counts.

First, uninformed thought: I think a case could be made for stanzas following a clear rhyme and structure (classical poems if you will) counting as a piece each, but I'm very tempted to go back to one poem = one piece no matter the type, to simplify things. But it's quite far outside my creative comfort zone, and I could use more poem writers' input, so I'm glad you're speaking up

[Lady Serpentine]

I believe the gist of what you said was that, under the 'one poem = one piece' rule, if any of the stanzas was posted as an individual piece, it would count as one, and thus to not take that into account incentivized writing a myriad of shorter pieces over fewer longer ones, or 'cheating' by splitting it into multiple segments and making them a series of chained poems that went together, and failed to take into account the fact that to do the latter might be just as much, if not more, work.

[Viera Champion]

I mean we do this off the honor system, so if anyone does break their poems into smaller pieces for more points or whatnot, they're really only detracting from their own experience. Personally, I think a stanza/poem would have to be pretty big to count as more than one work over all. I have done some difficult forms (people make up the craziest stuff, but it's really quite interesting to try custom forms), but I would never count a four line stanza as one piece. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm being tough, and I'm totally fine with you passing this week, but this is just my opinion for future weeks.

[Lady Serpentine]

I'm fine with that... If we also make it so that shorter poems count for less than a full piece after a certain point. I just feel that the one poem = one piece rule isn't fair either.

[Viera Champion]

I'm fine with that... If we also make it so that shorter poems count for less than a full piece after a certain point. I just feel that the one poem = one piece rule isn't fair either.

I disagree. A haiku is in and of itself a work of art, and are a lot harder to do well then they are given credit. It's only 17 syllables and 3 lines total, but I think it should totally count as one piece.

I wrote a two line poem once, but there was so much meaning behind it.

I think it should definitely be one poem = one piece. If someone throws in a very short poem, why not? I think one poem = one piece is the proper limit, and as I said, if someone is going to take advantage of that, they are hurting their own experience.

One poem = one piece is simple, and more or less fair. It's when you start breaking poems down to multiple pieces or parts of a piece, that things get complicated and debatable.

[Lady Serpentine]

I disagree. A haiku is in and of itself a work of art, and are a lot harder to do well then they are given credit. It's only 17 syllables and 3 lines total, but I think it should totally count as one piece.

I wrote a two line poem once, but there was so much meaning behind it.

I think it should definitely be one poem = one piece. If someone throws in a very short poem, why not? I think one poem = one piece is the proper limit, and as I said, if someone is going to take advantage of that, they are hurting their own experience.

One poem = one piece is simple, and more or less fair. It's when you start breaking poems down to multiple pieces or parts of a piece, that things get complicated and debatable.

Haiku can be difficult, yes, and ought to count as a piece. On the other hand, I've written plenty of haiku that were much easier than any of the individual stanzas I've written in poetic pieces made in longer forms.

Also, it's not fair. It's weighted towards shorter works, because regardless of how meaningful it may or may not be (and I don't like the implication that if you want to base it off that somehow, a two-line poem can be meaningful enough to count but a stanza in something else can't), the longer one will, in almost every case, require more technical drudgework in the form of keeping meter consistent, finding rhymes, etc.

[flyingchicken]

my original TORRENT OF WORDS

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My thoughts:

I like to think time put into something should matter, idk, but it's pretty variable; a well thought-out haiku is more than just 17 syllables and 3 lines (or should I say, less than 17 syllables and 3 lines: Why "No 5-75"?); in my experience, writing a complete haiku could take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on how lucky you were with your initial thoughts (and even then, half a day later you realize something's wrong, or something could be improved), with all the checking and double checking with the rules; for the same number of words in a different kind of poem, I find myself taking up the same amount of time. With drawings and such, a single figure could take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours, and sometimes the result of those several hours feel... underwhelming (one time I spent 3 hours straight rendering trying to make a cloak look the way I wanted it to; 3 hours, just for that!).

Having said that, "the rules are simple" and just say that you just have to make 6 creative works, with no regard to how much time and effort you put into them.

Simple, but then there's the Guidelines, which make exceptions here and there, and sometimes they make no sense--at least, don't seem at all fair. While poems vs anything might seem "obvious" (I don't believe that just because they're short, they should count for less, at least not necessarily, since work was still put into them, though the amount varies as I've said), there's the 30-second film one. To anyone who's ever tried to animate, you know that a "finished" 30 second short film would be at least 720 finished frames, that would by right, posted individually, count for at least 1,440 or more works (assuming figure + background), making you good for basically several years of the CHALLENGE, and that's not counting editing work, writing, etc (stuff that goes into something non-animated as well)

This amazing student film, which no doubt took months and several hands (see credits) to complete, would only count for 3 (?!) creative works. (yes yes, not every frame was made from scratch but come on)

It's not fair. That might change, but it plainly isn't (Life isn't fair either).

I think in the end, like with a lot of things, you only get as much as you put in; if you want to write 6 sets of 17 syllables that took you a minimum of forethought, thought, and reconsideration that took 10 minutes to finish all in all, then you didn't really abide by the spirit of making yourself more productive; if you spend five hours painting something that'll only count for one thing, and make six of those, well, more power to you!

It's just a little fun forum thing, which I am not part of (at least, not anymore) but follow and give input to for some reason (I'm stup-id).

---

When you look at a bunch of artists for some time, you get to the realization that not only are they proficient, but they put a lot of work into their works; trying to "finish" things at a higher standard means putting in a lot more time and effort into making something. They hold themselves to a high standard, and their skill helps them achieve that. It might not seem fair if someone else is holding themselves to a lower standard, or that they're not skilled enough to achieve some standard given the same amount of time, but isn't the point of this a self-driving thing with a bit of peer pressure? Then again, it's a bit demoralizing if you feel like you're doing more work than others are (even if it just seems that way).

[TheWombatOfDoom]

What if it's an especially long poem? I wrote a HUGE poem once that I don't mind sharing, just for sake of argument? Thoughts?