"Jim Charter" <jrc### [at] msncom> wrote in message
news:402acfa9$1@news.povray.org...
> St. wrote:

> >     Four comps a year instead of five? More time, better images?
From
> > more people?

   Sorry, I did mean six.

 <Snip>

 > Also, extending the period might lead to a vicious cycle, entries
would
> become even more ambitious so that competitive entries would still
> require a huge time commitment.  However, as you point out, with the
> increased capacity of POV-Ray alone, perhaps greater ambition should
be
> accommodated.  Early release of the topic was experimented with in
the
> "Horror" round.  As I recall the results were mixed, and the
experiment
> was never repeated.  Personally I thought that was a shame.  I
thought
> the idea had potential and didn't really understand why it was so
easily
> dismissed. I think it was because it didn't seem to make much
> difference. It really didn't result in the better images everyone
was
> hoping for. I didn't participate in the debate much I'll admit.  At
that
> time my skill level was so low that the issue was largely irrelevant
to me.

    Ah, I missed that, (got my PC in 2000), but I've just had a look
at the Horror round, and I don't see anything that's majorly different
to any other round, but perhaps in this round, more people actually
*did* submit something rather than not? I guess we'll never know.


>
> But not only has POV-Ray and other tools become more powerful and
offer
> more potential for expression, it is often at the cost of time.
Chris
> Hormann's isosurface landscapes are an example. Sophisticated use of
> media is often laborious in a short entry period.  Mesh modelling is
> also now possible in the freeware space and opens up further
expressive
> possibilities.  It may also be true that some participants have
reached
> a skill level where greater ambition may be required to engage their
> interest.  While time management strategies are a significant aspect
and
> measure of skill level, it is not the only one.

     Agreed.

>
> I started out with the believe that I would conclude against your
idea
> only to find I have talked myself into it!  Or at least some version
of
> it.  Perhaps more experimenting.  Early release of topics, or of
> selected topics during the year, or of topics for additional longer
term
> contests? Perhaps a long/short cycle, three months followed by one
month
> in any given four month period? It may in fact be time to consider
if
> there is a next level we can get to.
>
> Thanks for raising the discussion Steve.

  Well, I think it's a valid option to consider again, for sure. I
love participating in the IRTC, and when I can't submit something, and
then I look at the images that have been submitted, I always say to
myself; "Why didn't I do something like that?", or "Damn, that's what
I should have done, but in a different way". It frustrates me.

  Anyway, hopefully, I'll have something to submit this time.  ;)

   ~Steve~

>
> -Jim

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