2010 Route Building Competition Under way!

[Johnk]

Route Building Competition for (year) 2010 is Under Way - Register Now!

The 2010 Route Building Competition is alive!
Any version of Trainz may be used to build your route

Register Now!

Registrations are now being accepted from all Trainz Community members except the professional route builders amongst us.

Prizes
The prize pool will hopefully grow. it currently stands at:

First Prize:
$20 Gift Voucher at Jointed Rail
(Donated by the folks at Jointed Rail)
First Class Ticket (1 year*)
(Donated by The Trainz Resources Directory)

Second Prize:
$10 Gift Voucher at Jointed Rail
(Donated by the folks at Jointed Rail)
First Class Ticket (6 months*)
(Donated by The Trainz Resources Directory)

Details

The theme is Port Railroads: Your challenge will be to build a railroad based on a freelance or prototypical port with an operating railway. Your layout needs to be 3-8 Baseboards and must be built from scratch, meaning you may not enter routes built before December 15th 2009. (See web site for full details)

Duration

Starting Date: 15th December, 2009 or earlier (see website for details)
Finishing Date: 2nd April 2010
Prizes Awarded: Approximately 7 days later.

How to Register

• Visit the official website
• Read the Rules and Conditions of Entry
• Register using the form on the Competitors page
• Start building now!**

Persistent wafflers and people who don't like reading much, please read this:

This thread is for Competition use only. You do not register here, so please don't post a "Count Me In" type post or waffle on. Only ask questions here if they haven't been answered on the web site. Try to threat this thread seriously and with respect. Moderators will be asked to deal harshly with Trolls. Points will also be deducted if competitors ask previously answered questions in this thread.

Register Here
​

Read the Rules and Conditions of Entry, then read what is expected of you on the Theme page. This competition is meant to be fun, so get in there and enjoy yourselves. Register Here.

When Can You Start?
​

You can start building now. We have enough competitors to make the competition viable, but we'd still love more people to register. You have until the 15th December to sign up and remember, you can use any version of Trainz!

That's it, please jump in and have some fun. You never know, you may win the thing!

The Official Web Site
​

Click here to go to the official web site and please read it before asking questions.

JohnK

* If you already have a FCT, use the prize next year. If you have a lifetime FCT, you may use the prize value towards any purchase at the Auran Store. Prizes can't be converted to cash.

** As previously mentioned, the competition isn't official until ten (10) competitors have signed up by the 15th December. Start now at your own risk!
​

 

[Johnk]

Let The Games Begin!

Not even 24 hours have passed and we already have sufficient starters for the competition. Many thanks to those who have already signed up. The Committee and I appreciate your support. Despite a few minor setbacks, the competition is really back on the rails.

Thanks also for not posting to this thread. A couple of competitors have contacted me via PM about personal concerns and all is fine. If you need to contact me, a PM is probably the best way to go. If I feel your question should be shared, I'll add it to the web site Q&A.

Here's a list of starters, but you are welcome to jump aboard until the 15th December. Please use the Registration Form on the web site to signup.

Thanks. Johnk

Early Registrations:

skidmark22 (TS 2009) - Active
jadebullet (TR 2009/10) - Active
Mitch456yui (TC3) - Active
Kiwirail (TRS 2006) - Active
Niatcar (2006) - Active
IamKJVonly2 (TBA) - Active

Late Starters:

cvw
marinemania (TC1&2) Joined 5th February 2010

Inactive or Retired

LGBMATT (TBA)NorfolkSouthern9708 (Withdrawn)Rkolk43 (Withdrawn)
mikeman (Withdrawn)
titaniclover (Withdrawn)Conrail6373 (TBA)
TrAiNzFaN_2 (TBA)Tanvaras (TRS 2006) Withdrawn 7/2/10Trainman10 (TBA)
sterrett (TBA)
gericat (TS 2010)Sher481 (TS 2009 (Withdrawn 3/2/10)

 

[Johnk]

Important Update for Competitors

Dear Competitors,

One addition to the rules, one blunder, and four (4) questions.

Addition to the Rules (an oversite): You must be a registered owner of Trainz.

Blunder: I forgot to ask you what version of Trains you will be using. Some people will want to know this.

Questions: Can you please PM me with answers to these questions: Just quick yes/no or (a) (b) answers will do:

1. Are you a registered owner of Trainz? Y/N (This isn't a trick question. You can't enter if you're using a pirated copy of Trainz.
2. What version of Trainz will you be using? (If TC, give version number also ie. TC2) - 2004, 2006, 2009, 2110, TC1, TC2, TC3, UTC or whatever.
   
3. Gallery screenshots need to be 800 x 600, 96 DPI at 80%. For some of you that may be too complex. Would you prefer to (a) email screenshots to me to upload or (b) upload them yourself? - a or b
4. Finally, are you happy with the way things are going so far? (a) happy, (b) persevering, (c) things could be better. a, b or c.

If you have any questions or problems, maybe you could tell me in the PM. I just want to see smiling faces

 

[Johnk]

biligual translator(s) needed

A call for help.

I'd love to see a few of our non-English speaking friends join the Competition. Can one or two Forum members who can write in another language, but also speak English perfectly, please help me to translate an Invitation to Register in another language?

I'll prepare the invitation and a simplified set of rules for you to translate. I'll do all the work, all I need is your translation and your Trainz User Name so that I can give you all the credit.

I'll also add a Translate facility to the official Competition web site, but I'll probably ask you to read it to makes sure it converts okay.

Thanks in advance for your help on this one.

Just PM me if you can help in some way.

John

 

[Johnk]

Thread Open

The Thread is now open for Competitors and would-be competitors to ask questions.

Please don't post unnecessary comments or waffle. This is a serious competition and we owe it to our competitors to show respect.

 

[Johnk]

Screeshot Gallery Now Open

Click the Image to visit the gallery

The 2010 Competition screenshot gallery is now open. One competitor is going on a trip for a couple of weeks so he's posted his first weekly screenshot early. Don't panic folks, your first scheduled screenshot isn't due until the 22nd December. However, if you're also going away or have little time on your hands over the festive season, you may also post your first screenshot early too. Although the rules state they must be posted up to 48 hours before or after the due date, this will be relaxed over the festive season.

Because the gallery is locked for development purposes, please send your screenshots to me and I'll post them for you. PM me for an email address if you don't already have it.

Please remember, the judges will NOT be judging you on your weekly screenshots. In fact you can send a screenshot of a blank baseboard (well almost blank) if you have to. Just make sure you send it within the time-frame, or earlier if you have to leave town in a hurry.

If you haven't read the updated opening post, the folks at Jointed Rail have added to the prize pool. They were with us right from the outset, but due to a communication difficulty I was unable to announce the value of their donation. Many thanks guys, and I certainly hope it attracts a few more competitors and maybe another sponsor or two.

Finally, this thread is now open for questions, comments and criticism if you absolutely must. Please, please, please, do NOT waffle or post "me - too". If you want to register, please go to the web site and do it there.

You're welcome!
​

 

[Johnk]

Possible Extension for Registrations

As you must know by now, the closing date for registrations was meant to be the 15th December. We have 15 starters, but I was hoping for at least 20.

The Competition is supposed to be promoted in Trainz Magazine, but the November issue which I'm lead to believe contains details of the competition still hasn't been published. As such it may be necessary to extend the closing date for registrations until after the Magazine has been circulated for at least a week.

Sorry about this, but many things are still out of my control.

John

 

[gericat]

posting pictures

Just wondering how do I post pictures on the fourm. do I need to send them to someone?

 

[Johnk]

Hi Folks,

Although the competition doesn't officially start for another few hours (it's still the 15th in some places), I'm already being asked where to, or how to post the first sceenshots. As they're not due until the 22nd December, I was hoping to contact you all tomorrow with details.

The Committee is very concerned that some people may try to submit previously built routes, maybe taking a year or more to complete. The idea of weekly screenshots is threefold:

• We need evidence that the route that you're submitting is being built for the competition
• It gives us all an opportunity to see your work in progress and:
• It shows us that you're still keen.

I've said this a thousand times before, but I'll say it once again:

Your weekly screenshot submissions will NOT be judged.

Will you therefore please pay close attention to our requirements for each weekly screenshot. They may be different each week and they may catch you out if you were thinking of using a pre-built route.

The requirements for week one (1) due on the 22nd December are:

• A screenshot taken from Surveyor and only Surveyor.
• Must be taken from a high altitude. The higher the better.
• Must cover one baseboard, but may cover more.
• Must show a part of the route you're currently working on
• It must clearly show that the area is a work in progress.
• It must contain a description of the area (6 word maximum). Example: Dock Area

There is a sample screenshot already on the gallery.

http://digital-junction.com/2010/gallery/

Please Note: Many of you will be tied up with festive season and family activities over the next few weeks and we realise you may not have advanced, or even started for that matter. Just try to put a couple of items on a blank baseboard and send that screenshot with a meaningful description like: On vacation.

Note 2: This is NOT a race. Please don't send screenshots of completed areas, or they will be rejected and you will lose 5 bonus points. We want to see your progress, not your finished model ready for judging.

John

 

[Johnk]

I've sent out emails to all contestants with your user name and password to the Weekly Screenshot Gallery. One nice person wrote back almost immediately and reminded me that I had forgotten to upload a tutorial I'd written explaining how to use the Gallery. That I have now done. If you go to the official web site, you will see that the Gallery link now works. On that page you will find links to the tutorial.

For those of you who don't want to upload your screenshots, please send them to me using the email address supplied in my last email. I'll write to you to confirm the screenshot has been received. It may take 48 hours or more for me to upload it to the Gallery however.

If you do upload to the gallery and go back only to find the screenshot is missing, please look in the weekly postings, because I've probably moved it there.

From my point of view it's lovely to see that things have gone quiet for a while. I hope it means that everyone is busy and all questions have been answered.

John

 

[picture]

I have a question. Do we have to wait to release screenshots of the route? I have screenshots of a completed section and I would like to use them in the USA sceenshot thread.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Johnk]

I've really given this a lot of thought and I've already written and re-written this post three times.

Here's my final decision. It hasn't been confirmed with the Committee, but I suspect that they'll agree with me.

No. As you have no idea as to what screenshots we will ask for in future weeks, you may well breach the rules by submitting screenshots of a previously published route. This is covered in the rules. If any Judges or Committee members have reason to believe that they've seen screenshots of the Competition route displayed elsewhere, it will be considered as a pre-built route and not be judged. The rules don't say that word for word, but that's what they imply.

Sorry.

 

[picture]

OK thank you very much for clearing that up. That makes sense.

Matt

 

[jadebullet]

Okay, so it I technically wasn't allowed to submit a screenshot of my WIP competition route to the screen of the week? Sorry, I am still a bit confused on whether we are allowed to post screens of our route that we are working on for the contest in places other than the route competition section.

(Such as the USA pics thread at Auran, or on USLW's forums and whatever.)

 

[Johnk]

Last day for week 1 photos

This is the last day to submit your photo for week one (1). Because it's the festive season for many, I'll extend the time for 48 hours as promised.

It's an absolute pain going back to the Gallery every few hours to see if anything has been posted, so it would be a lot easier if you emailed the photo to me. Under no circumstances PM it!

Here's what I want: Please read carefully:

• An Ariel screenshot taken in Surveyor. Please take it from a high altitude and try to cover at least one baseboard. (Hey, I've said it all before!)
• It must be a work in progress (Not a pretty postcard screenshot of the finished route. We will want at least ten more work in progress shots over the weeks, so make sure you continue to take screenshots of different areas as you progress.
• Just ONE screenshot please. If you're going on holidays and wish to submit screenshots in bulk for the weeks your are away, please number them week 1, 2 etc and give a 3 to 5 word description.

If you've finished the route already and forgot to take screenshots, just call that route practice, start again and please try to follow the rules and the spirit of the competition. Also, please try to avoid reading between the lines.

So how many people have submitted their screenshots so far? Just 4 out of 18.

In answer to the questions in the two posts above:

This is a competition offering prizes. We expect the route to be built especially for this competition and this competition alone. If you place screenshots anywhere other than in the official gallery during the competition, the judges probably won't vote on the route if they've seen it featured elsewhere.

What you do after the competition is over, is your business.

 

[American_Connections]

Location

Okay, so it I technically wasn't allowed to submit a screenshot of my WIP competition route to the screen of the week? Sorry, I am still a bit confused on whether we are allowed to post screens of our route that we are working on for the contest in places other than the route competition section.

(Such as the USA pics thread at Auran, or on USLW's forums and whatever.)

You really want the judges to have to search around for pictures, and really not know if they are for the right thing! I feel if the picture is not posted in the proper location, it will not be consided in the competition.

 

[Johnk]

You really want the judges to have to search around for pictures, and really not know if they are for the right thing! I feel if the picture is not posted in the proper location, it will not be consided in the competition.

No, and I never said that anywhere. I on many occasions I did say:

If a judge sees screenshots of your (competition) route posted elsewhere, they may deem it to be a pre-built route and not wish to judge it.

Nobody is asking the judges or committee to scour the screenshots forums, even I seldom venture there myself.

However, if a judge says "I've seen this route before!" he or she may consider it a pre-built route and they may not wish to judge it. If that's the case, the committee will investigate and advise the judge accordingly. That's what committee's are for.

I haven't contacted the judges yet because no judging takes place until after the last round of screenshots are submitted on April 2nd. In this year's competition, the judges will be working under a simple set of rules, of which won't be tough on competitors or judges alike. The above italicised comment will be one of those rules.

Please read the important announcement in the post below.

John

 

[Johnk]

I've had three (3) requests from competitors asking if they can post progress screenshots in the Forum Screenshot Thread. My answer was, and still is No! Not all the Committee agrees with the decision, but that's life. The reasons for this decision are varied, but to put it to you bluntly, a special gallery has been created where everyone can see the screenshots in an orderly fashion on a week to week basis, rather than them being mixed up with the normal flotsam and jetsam the Forum Screenshot threads seem to gather. Also our Sponsors will get a little exposure and we the committee, will hopefully retain control of the competition.

To appease all you screenshot junkies, and to attract more interest in the competition, you can now post multiple screenshots in your member's area of the gallery. There will be a few provisos:

1. Keep in mind that the gallery represents works in progress. We are currently dealing with week one (1). That's seven days into the competition and we expect you to submit screenshots showing only your past seven days effort. Do I need to repeat that?

2. Post no more than 5 screenshots for any given week. They can cover every board in the route, but they must only cover progress during the week of lodgement and the weeks prior. (see bold type below). That will be over 50 screenshots in the end, and in my opinion that's too many. But up to 5 a week it can be.

Note: I realise that some of you can work very fast. If you are surging ahead, make sure you're taking plenty of screenshots of your progress, you'll be needing them in the weeks to come. As an example, if you think you can finish in 3 weeks, take a dozen screenshots of your progress during that three weeks and present a different screen shot as your weekly submission over the duration of the competition. Jut make sure you post them in the right order.

3. The screenshots must be no wider than 800 pixels in JPG format. You can still send them to me and I'll post them for you at the first opportunity. Remember, we're dealing with the current week only unless you're planning on going on vacation and won't be around for a couple of weeks.

4. I have made your private galleries open to the public. You can close them if you wish.

5. Please create albums in your Gallery and label them Week 2, Week 3 etc as the competition progresses. I have already created Week 1 for you. Please do not get ahead of yourself, only post the screenshots when they're due. If you can't work out how to create new albums, send the screenshots to me and let me do it for you.

6. IMPORTANT: If you wish to post extra screenshots, it's going to be very confusing for me. Please upload your images and send me one by email to post in the main part of the gallery. This will save me several hours work and avoid a lot of confusion.

7. I have started a thread in the screenshots forum. Each competitor who wishes to, can add a post and include a link to the official competition web page (preferred) or gallery. You can link to one of your pictures like you would do with Flickr if you wish.

8. Do not post a picture in the forum. Posting a link will be the same as posting oversize shots on the forum. People who click your link will be taken to your remote screenshot(s). That's no big deal.

9. Because this is like some kind of drug to a few of you, I'll have nothing to do with the Forum Screenshot thread other than the first promotional post. Just don't post pictures on there, or points will be deducted.

10. Visitors can leve comments on the forum and you can extend the description to about 500 characters.

Have I covered everything? Dotted ever i and crossed every t? Probably not.

John
E & O E (Errors and omissions excluded)

 

[jadebullet]

Is there any chance that I can be grandfathered in a bit point deduction wise, since I posted a screen in screen of the week before it was decided that posting in forum threads was not allowed?

 

[Johnk]

Is it really some kind of drug or something? Don't answer, just enjoy Christmas, or the festive season or whatever.