Welcome to Gaia! ::

I hope you all had a lovely December, we're back. heart

This is an avatar contest using avatar simulators such as the GAvSim (Gaia Avatar Simulator) and Tektek to create an avatar that meets specific requirements. Each contestant will enter a GAvSim created avatar each 5 day period.

Speaking in metaphors, the "marathon" is split up into 5 legs, each leg spanning 5 days. During each leg, there will be a challenge that each "runner" must make an avatar to complete the leg.

Since it's easier to deal in points than units of time, you will recieve points for each avatar you enter. Whoever ends the marathon with the most points went the fastest, and therefore wins! xd

5 days per challenge x 5 challenges = 25 day marathon!

For examples of challenges you might recieve, look in our first thread:

http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10020494&

If you join, you will be sent a pm near the start of the competition when all spots are filled. You will also recieve a pm at the end of each round detailing the score you recieved, the theme for the next avi challenge, and the date that that challenge ends.

SCORING:

There are six judges for this marathon (for those returning, they are the same six). The vast majority of them wish to remain anonymous to avoid cheating and abuse of the marathon. Judges are not eligable to run, and are impartial.

The two non anonymous judges that you may contact if you need are red_slade and myself.

We come to a consensus on each score.

You will be scored out of a possible 30 points per round.

10 points for how well you completed the challenge
10 points for originality
5 points for balance
5 points for overall feel

HOW TO ENTER:

Send a trade with the 1024g to Ombreuse (my mule account) with the title "marathon". If you do not have the 1024g yet and the contest is not near starting, just send a pm to get on the list and pay before the start. You will be sent a warning when the deadline to pay comes up. You may pay in small chunks if you so wish.

Why 1024g and not 1025g? Because I'm a huge dork and it's the number of MB of RAM on my dream computer. redface

The extra 24g rise from last contest's fee goes to the new secret prize, be sure to read the conditions for earning it.

You will recieve a pm when your name has been added to the list. Do not panic if this does not happen right away.

You will only recieve a pm from Ombreuse, red_slade or me (Nuire). NO OTHER JUDGES WILL CONTACT YOU. If someone else sends you a pm claiming to be connected to this contest, please report it to me.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR CONTEST AVATAR:

You may submit your entry in one of two ways:

- A pm to Nuire (Me)
- Posting it in the forum.

Any avatars sent to me through pm will be hidden as a default. If you would NOT like your entry hidden, either specify so or simply post it in the forum.

You must host the avatar image yourself. If you do not know how to do that, here's how:

After finishing your GAvSim avatar, save the image on your computer.

You can use ImageShack or another image hosting site to host your image. You don't have to sign up for anything or download anything, and they're free.

THIS STRETCH'S CHALLENGE:

The fifth (and final) challenge!

"Second time is the charm!" You must choose one and ONLY one of the following items, according to gender, and build an avatar around that item. The item must be visible on the avatar.

The items are:

Males --

KoNfuZeD SHiRT
Whatever yellotech sneakers
Sunset R0x0rBilly Hat
Beige Carpenters Pants

Females --

KoNfUzEd DiRtAy ToE SoX
Castaway Stone Shorts
Enforced Tundra Pants
Tire on my Head

All avatars MUST be possible through the Gaia avatar system. If you have any questions just ask in the thread if things layer.

Send the avatar to Nuire through pm if you want it hidden, post it in the forum if you want it public. You may change your mind at any time.

Good luck!

THE SCHEDULE:



The fifth leg will start Friday the 3rd, but I'll accept entries for the fourth leg until Saturday the 4th at 2:00. The fifth and final leg ends Wednesday the 8th!

SCOREBOARD:

Top Contestants:

1. Otter 'eleanor
2. [Ch!ps]
3. Nayela Changer
4. .Some.Other.Mercy.
5. Muscari
6. [F!sh]
7. Ilusen
8. The Masta Writa
9. witcheemon
10. Madame du Chocolat
11. Acoe and Tchii-chan
13. Takari Forever
14. xKlownPiXiex and Terra Omalley
16. Zipchan
17. Sophrania
18. Sky206298
19. [.Kiynama.]
20. LadyArsenic
21. -removed-
22. imfreezingandhungry
23. Liselle_Noel
24. Vanilla Gorilla
25. Archykins
26. Plinkoid
27. .[t].[a].[r]
28. Rionarch and The_Pink_Furby and Trench Foot

Top Bumpers:

The Masta Writa
Acoe
Zipchan

FAQ:

Q: How do I enter?

A: Please see the details in the first post.

Q: What if you don't get enough entries? Will my gold be refunded?

A: Of course. I do not want to steal from you, I want us all to have fun.

Q: What if I decide to withdraw?

A: If you withdraw before I announce the date of the start of the race, your gold will be returned, no questions asked. If you withdraw once the race has started, I cannot refund your entry fee, because it is the prize pool now.

Q: What if there's a tie for a prize?

A: We go into "sudden avatar death", all tied contestants will be given a final mini challenge that will last three days or until all avatars are in.

Q: Why so many contestants?

A: A marathon has a lot of runners, I thought it would be good to go with the theme . Also, more people participating means more fun avatars to look at, and a higher prize with lower fees. wink

Q: May I submit an avatar that isn't my gender?

A: You may submit any gender avatar that you think works best for each challenge.

Q: May I enter both the avatar and the bumping contests?

A: You may. Good luck to you!

Q: May I enter the bumping contests if I'm NOT in the avatar contest?

A: You may, please be sure to read the big red bumping rule!

Q: May I enter more than one avatar per challenge?

A: No, that wouldn't be fair. One avatar per contestant per challenge.

Q: What if I forget to enter my avatar on time?

A: You have a five day stretch to create and submit your avatar. If you do not get it in by the specified time, you get no points for that leg of the race.

Q: What if I didn't get a pm reminding me of the theme and the start of the new leg?

A: Although I will be sure to get a pm out to you, the pm is just a nice reminder for you. It is still your responsability to remember that you are entered in this contest. All of the information that I send you in the pm you can find in this thread, so be sure to come back and check the thread. I can't be responsible for computer troubles.

Q: What if If I'm not going to be available for a leg?

A: If you know in advance that you are going to be gone, talk to me and we can set up an early or late entry for you. I must be notified ahead of time.

Q: Why not do voting by poll?

A: For one, there are too many entries for a poll to handle, and for another polls aren't all that reliable. I can't guarantee that all of the people voted objectively and not for gold/their friends/themselves. Then there's the fact that the voting system is more complex than I can allow a poll to be.

Q: Where can I find the first contest?

A: I put a link in the first post, go check it out if you're curious!

2nd LEG AVATARS:

"Two's a Party, Three's a crowd!" You are to create a pair of avatars that coordinate. One must be male and one must be female.

For example, here are a rainbow pair inspired by l+_+l and The Bunny



The two avatars MUST look like they fit together. They do not have to match color, they may match theme (like doctor and nurse). You will be graded for both avatars in the regular fashion and an extra 10 points for how well they go together, for a total of 40 points this round.

The two avatars may NOT wear the same item, for example they both can't wear a pimpin' hat of the same color (different colors are fine). Not even different positions of items that can be used more than one way, like the lunar cowl.

As always, matching on each avatar is important.

You have more than 5 days to do this one, so don't worry.


1. Acoe

2. xKlownPiXiex

3. Vanilla Gorilla

4. Muscari

5. Ilusen

6. Plinkoid

7. Tchii-chan

8. Zipchan

9. 0tter `eleanor

10. Madame du Chocolat

11. The Masta Writa

12. witcheemon

13. Sophrania

14. && Archykins

15. LadyArsenic

16. .Some.Other.Mercy.

17. imfreezingandhungry

18. Takari Forever

19. [F!sh]

20. [Ch!ps]

21. Terra Omalley

22. Nayela Changer

23. Liselle_Noel

4th LEG AVATARS:


The fourth challenge!

"I see London, I see France...!" You must make an avatar that has a visable piece of an undergarment.

For females, this means bras, panties, manties, the bustier and camisol, and suits.

For males, this means boxers or manties or the thong.

The Spirited Boxers DO NOT COUNT for this challenge because of the way they layer.

You will be primarily scored, aside from matching as always, on how creatively you flash your unmentionables.

1. Sky206298

2. Sophrania

3. witcheemon

4. xKlownPiXiex

5. Ilusen

6. The Masta Writa

7. Acoe

8. Takari Forever

9. LadyArsenic

10. Muscari

11. Madame du Chocolat

12. [.Kiynama.]

13. [Ch!ps]

14. DustyDoll

15. Nayela Changer

16. Otter 'eleanor

17. [F!sh]

18. .Some.Other.Mercy.

19. Tchii-chan

20. Terra Omalley

You're bored you say? Well, I have something for you to do!

My mule, Ombreuse needs a MUCH better outfit than what she has on her now. I got sick of seeing her in a bra so I bought something temporary but it's just not good enough, in my opinion.

This is Ombreuse now:



I would like her hair to be kept in a default style and an unnatural color (except for green). You may change her skin and eyes at your leisure.

I like jackets over dresses and skirts over pants. Since she's a mule, I don't want to spend much on her, so please NO donation items and no event items save for Christmas and Halloween 2k5. 20k is breaking the bank, so please stay under that.

You don't need to follow these rules since this is just for fun, but I thought they might be a nice guideline.

I'd love love love to see what you all come up with. When you post, please specify that you are dressing Ombreuse so that I don't think it's an entry.

Please note that this is not for the Secret Prize, it's just for fun. 3nodding