Art Awesomeness!

[Celadon's Penultimate]

They've got plenty of use in the English language. How else would speak subtly, and yet provoke earnest introspection?

[Mik_Hael]

And I supposed that your would love if someone responds to that rhetorical question with one questioning your emotion towards a rhetorical response to a rhetorical question?

[Mik_Hael]

Considering they fail to do that I suppose they would bey speaking subtly and provoking earnest introspection.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Mik_Hael wrote

speaking subtly and provoking earnest introspection.

It's one of many perfectly viable ways by which to do so.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

I spy a thoroughly derailed thread.

[WonderDrow]

Let's tread the thread back before there's the threat it gets treated as a treat?

[Celadon's Penultimate]

 Um...something about...art...

Are we back on subject now?

[Marvelous Miscreant]

So, I'm entering an OCT (Original Character Tournament) on Deviant Art. For those of you who don't know what an OCT is, I'll explain.

An OCT is a contest between artists that pits original characters created by the artists against each other in a series of rounds for prizes. In each round the characters are paired up and made to "battle". Battle could means lots of things but usually means a fight. In each round, the artists tell their side of the story in which their character wins the "battle". The judges of the OCT then determine which one was better through a number of criteria and the winning story becomes canon.

Before a character is entered in the tournament however, they must submit an Audition. This is usually the story of how they got to the tournament and becomes canon if they are accepted.

The OCT I'm entering is called Galactic Smackdown.

My character so far has received a lot of praise from interested parties, but my comic skills need work.

[Philote]

I think I saw your audition comic. Your character seems really interesting.

Have the auditions finished? Do you know who all else is in the tournament yet?

Do you get anything if you win?

I've seen one of these OCTs before that was for a digimon tournament, was interesting.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

The auditions are still open until Februrary 14th (Valentines Day). So far, three other people have finished and submitted their auditions besides me, but I've been cruising around the profiles of people who visit the group and there are dozens of others currently working on their auditions that I've seen.

Winners get a multitude of real world prizes, mostly art commissions from the judges and affiliated artists. The winning character gets an in-story prize of Zerlot Promethium, which is supposed to be the source of all life in the universe.

This tournament is the first thing I've been really excited about in a long time.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

I've watched one of these before, with particular interest paid to one of he competitors. A big friendly cloth doll with a ice axe, The Climbed he was called. His artist basically cleaned house until the final round because he animated his fights, quite fluidly, with music and voice acting and everything. Combined with the fact that the character himself was charming as hell I thought he was a shoe in, but this other artist that not only drew well but tended to make really creative fights managed to win in the final round.

What I liked about it was that both characters had opposing narrative arcs. The Climber never managed to find his way out of a a single place, and because he was make of cloth his creator was free to damage him all he wanted. The poor guy got beat to hell, both physically and mentally, and managed to lose every single person that he made contact with so that, asides from his opponents, he basically spent all his time alone.

His opponent, on the other hand, had been all over the island and wound up leading basically a party composed of past opponents. He was not only gaining friends, but it was clear that he was only becoming more proficient in his own powers and gaining confidence. It contrasted really well.

God I was so hype for that fight.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

I remember Climber. Admittedly I didn't follow the OCT at the time but I remember seeing him in several works. He was a really well written character.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Actually, I'm really very nervous about my storytelling skills for this OCT. If anyone has any helpful suggestions for my character's story, please please, please don't hesitate to tell me. I'd really appreciate some fresh perspective and helpful criticism.

[WonderDrow]

I assume you mean the character of your audition page ?

Maybe some questions could lead you to your own story.

Is he a good guy / hero type?  
Or was he some super evil bad boss who was defeated and used for experiments?

What are his motivations, what were his motivations?

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Yeah, Talis is the character I'm using for this OCT.

I've given him a basic background and motivation in the description of his Reference Sheet. But as the tournament progresses, any insights into his narrative arc as it were, would be super helpful.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

I can't give insight on any arc you might want planned, but I do know that were I judging one of these things one of the more important things I'd grade someone on is their portrayal of their opponent. Whether they got them right and had them make a good showing.

[WonderDrow]

The protagonist versus arch-enemy setup?
I personally like stories more that don't use a strict polarization of good versus evil.
Where based on their goals and feelings the characters can be with or against the protagonist(s).
But it can always change due to circumstances.

In the case of Talis he has the selfish goal of obtaining immortality.
Maybe it's not just because he want's to live forever.
Maybe his ultimate goal is something that requires immortality?

[Philote]

@Vault: Do you have a link to those two characters? Or their fight at least? Sounds interesting.

@Marv: I'm subscribed to both you and now the tournament also, so I should be able to keep track of how it goes for you. I hope you do well. I'll give you any interesting thoughts I come up with during the tournament.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

You know, I haven't been to Devientart is years. It's nostalgic.

Climber.

Dood.

[Philote]

That looked pretty good. Who ended up winning between the two?