Anyone checking out the bottom of IGN.com's main page lately might have noticed a link going to the borderlands "gunsmith challenge sweepstakes". The link goes to an IGN.com microsite asking sweepstakes participants to "create a gun, win big". Usually, my healthy scepticism of contests in general precludes me from participating in sweepstakes of any kind but I love borderlands so I thought I would give it a go.Why did I not listen to my inner skeptic this time?
First off, the rules where dicey at best. Under the "contest flow" section, in BOLD I might add, the contest "submission period" is outlined:
Contest "Submission Period": The contest Submission Period begins on October 20, 2009 ("Start Date") and ends on November 20, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time ("ET").
But, if you scroll down and read the entire "how to enter section" you will find this interesting discrepancy buried in the paragraph:
Submissions must be received by November 20, 2009 at 11:59 AM PST. Limited to one (1) entry per person for the duration of the Contest Period. Limit one (1) prize per household. Entrants must provide all information requested to be eligible to win.*
*I put the time in bold for emphasis
So, which is it? 11:59 p.m. ET or 11:59 AM PST (Yes, I did notice they used the "standard time" acronym for Pacific time but not for Eastern time... I will ignore this since no one is perfect...not even me) If the PST time is the correct time many people could miss the deadline if they went by the first and arguably more logical end time of 1 minute before midnight? Who ends a contest at noon besides radio stations and car dealerships?
Okay, everyone makes mistakes right? It was probably a bad copy/paste job no big deal. I am sure they will honor submissions sent in by the later time of 11:59 PM ET right? Well, judging from the list of potential winners I am not so sure...
The "finalists"! Considering the total grand prize package was valued at around $3,505.00 which included: an Alienware laptop, a 42 inch plasma TV, a 22' Samsung 3D capable monitor and Nvidia's latest 3D shutter glasses technology; you would think that the finalists would be a group of some of the most talented artists that the net could spew forth! Alas, they must of all been too busy updating their Deviant art pages with hand drawn crayon pictures of salor moon in a compromising position with a tentacle monster or playing FaceBook mini games till everyone on their friends list hides all their updates because they are sick of hearing how many tomatoes they grew in their virtual garden...seriously, no one cares! Anyway, back to the contest.
I will give you a moment to look over our finalists. No, I can wait....please take a look. They worked hard on these entries.
Finished? Excellent!
Well I know you were as impressed as I was. Now, no one is here to berate these budding young artists and job seekers (really one of them used their artwork as a sudo-resume... I am not going to say which one you have to look for yourself) "So, what?" you might be asking yourself. Well, apparently your mind isn't as diseased as mine is. I simply find it hard to believe that out of all the contestants to enter this contest this was these were the most:
1. Original (50%);
2. Creative (30%);
3. Best presented Compositions (20%)*
*Judging percentages based upon figures found in the official "gunsmith challenge sweepstakes" rules
Half of the entries where just drawings of guns! No description about what they do, what types of ammo they use...etc! I know it doesn't say "we need to understand what this gun you are drawing does" but come on people! It should be self explanatory. If we want you to draw a gun it needs to be clear what it does.
Come on IGN! Really? Is this the "best of the best" entries? The cream of the crop? Who was judging this contest my 3rd grade art teacher?
I could go on and on about this but I will just end this rant with the following promise. I will never, ever enter another contest that IGN holds. Ever!
Tune in next week and maybe I will have something else to rant about. Until then, to show I am a good sport and willing to have my own work critqued, by you the reader, please take pleasure in ripping my own entry to this pathetic contest.
-MB
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