>>if MTMG wants to shoulder the burden for this
Not a question of want. This hasn't been going anywhere. I think it's a good idea and don't want to see it lost in waffling and vacillating.
>> it seemed unfair to 'them' what with the regular contest scheduled
Nothing scheduled. And certainly nothing regular. Two does not tradition make. Ideas that weren't even talked about yet. Agreed, this is a bit earlier than I planned. I think I was aiming for july and I had wanted to announce it last month, but the incentives for a mega deal are just not there. This here is appealing in it's "straight forward" approach.
>>we've also just lost at least three interested 'makers' to judge-ship.
actually, it's only one, and psyco was still only a maybe who might make one anyway without winning in mind. If Mal sticks to screen shots, then he's open for a track. SJ wouldn't have, he's just now finishing up another track and wouldn't have been doing it. Myself? who knows. But somebody has to step forward and oversee this thing, if it's ever going to solidify. I leave MC's choice to join judging with him. If there's no track from him at this point in time, I see no reason to exclude him on principle. I haven't added your name because I wasn't sure which way you were leaning...since the idea was yours to begin with. Like MC, it can go either way.
>>as for terain width: 10 seems way too much to me, 8 would seem acceptable,
>>but six still seems best to my way of thinking -- walk the tightrope baby ;-)
Yep, agreed, I just want to provide some latitude. Don't forget, this is a straight-a-way challenge. The crown will go to the best "straight", no?
>>> Participating needn't be saddled with the burden of planning. ...True enough, for own motives... I was trying to make this as open and educational as possible for all, seeking input from all. hence I expose my own rambling thoughts for all to see
Understood. and you wont hear me complaining. and I haven't shunned the message board myself. But you're a planner and a thinker and a conceiver of ideas. I suspect you wouldn't likely experience this as a burden anyway. Others just want to play the game. Again, it comes down to the premise of the exercise. For my part, I try to strike a balance between what can be gained from it and the enjoyment that can be gotten out of it, on the one hand, and recognizing the limit of the benefits with a smaller turn out and the possibility of confounding and diminishing the outcome by losing the playbook, on the other. If I may be permitted an analogy, a football game is won or lost through a series of processes and not through an open book (which you don't want the opponents to get their hands on, btw) that begins with the ideas from the coordinators, passed to the players by the coaches in the locker rooms, and finally executed with deft reflex on the playing field. Such is the ideal, anyway. A history and evolution of ideas is good, and I encourage it's understanding all the time, goodness knows we can't learn without them; my only point is that there must be a stage at which it comes off the drawing board and into some form of solid action.
Edit: nope, that's not what I meant at all. I think I tried to say that the entrants play the role of fan, the organizers are the players on the team. Attendance is very different in each case. Most fans don't stufy [would you believe "study"?] the play book.
But, that's only my rambling thoughts I welcome more imput. Also, I did not mean to usurp this from anyone. Html may come and it may go, no skin off my nose. If I've over-stepped myself, I'll back off gracefully, you can be sure.
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- Phineus
[This message has been edited by Phineus (edited 22-03-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Phineus (edited 22-03-2000).]