Can anyone explain to me how and why this contest has had so many entries and votes in only a couple hours?
I know advantage members can enter a month early, but it seems an unusual number of people attacked this specific contest.

At the moment I'm writing this message, it already has 27 entries 192 votes.
That's uncanny considering the last two contests COMBINED only have 20 entries for 126 votes.
This isn't even a prize contest, either, so there doesn't seem to be a particular reason to swarm it.

With two full days left, it feels like the contest is already over and it would be pointless to enter.

I don't get it, why does this contest already have such insane attendance?
I've only been here for about a week now, but this is the first I've seen to remotely get those numbers.

Look at the forum post directly below yours on the front page....

So basically I have no chance to enter and compete based upon the fact that everyone already did this one?
This kind of stuff is extremely discouraging to anyone new like me.
What chance have I got when people already have winning images with winning numbers of votes and I only just downloaded the image before I made this thread?

That's one thing I see wrong with the voting system here in my short time.
You have all these votes in and counted before the entry period is already over.
Anyone who didn't enter in the first 3 hours (or a month early) has almost no shot.
People have already voted and moved on and won't look at that contest again.
If your image end up on page 2 of the contest, forget it.

That's why on every other contest on the planet doesn't vote or judge until AFTER all entries are in.
It gives everyone a fair shot.

I've read through this forum a bit and have seen the complaints about the dwindling numbers and not attracting new users.
From a newbie point of view, I can tell you why.
The system seems built around punishing people for being new.

Regarding images posted before the contest had opened: these members pay a 'membership fee' to have a head start. Look at the not-so-secret feature on this website, called "Advantage" - see the link on the top-right corner for more information.

Regarding the large number of posts for this particular contest - it happens to be one of the PSC special events that happen once a year or so.

Regarding the PSC way of arranging contests, votes, etc - the issues that you are raising have been debated for a long time.

Decide ahead of time, why you're entering. If you're in for a win, then entering late will make it more difficult but not impossible. Alot of members will go through a contest again after a day of being open to check for late entries. I think these days most members don't go through all of their votes anyway. If your image is "up to the win" then people will notice (well....not all of the time, but...). I've seen entries win from starting way in the back of the line, and a day late ,so....keep your head up.

*!*

You have to work hard here to win contests. When you think you have worked hard, work even harder.
It takes time to learn the policy in here. I have had the same thoughts as you before. Look at what people are doing in here. How they chop. Ask people in here to get better at chopping. Take a look at the best choppers images in here. See and learn. See and learn. If you got any questions ask people. Just get as much info you can get.

This topic you have started here is a way of learning. I can "see" that you want to understand and learn this site when you start this topic.
Good luck in the future and just keep on. One day you will get that great feeling: YEAH! I won a contest!! ....one day.

ShootHerman

First of all, you come off as patronizing in that post.
It's rude, don't do it.
You read my post, you you know I already know about the advantage membership.
If you didn't pick that up from my post, then you have no place to be patronizing.

Secondly, not everyone can afford an advantage membership.
Sorry, I don't have the disposable income to throw away on a random small website that, at best, will maybe some day pay me $50, and from what I can tell by older forum replies, only if the management of the site actually gets around to it and doesn't forget about you.
Who wants to pay for a site where, according to veteran member posts, the management doesn't seem to care about the site?

Thirdly, if there has been so much debate for a long time, why is nothing done?
I don't mind losing contests if I at least had my fair shot.
I can accept advantage members getting to post entries a month early and at larger sizes, what's unacceptable is losing just because I didn't have my entry in within 3 hours of a 3 day entry period.

I understand the frustration, but this site has evolved into this format over many years. Just because you dont have advantage doesnt mean you cant win. Before I won my advantage I had quite a few wins while not paying. If you look at this contest below, and sort by default, you'll see that my entry was near the bottom of the third page, but still won.

http://photoshopcontest.com/photoshop-contest/1630/realtek-chipset.html?l=all&o=votes

Being on the first page does have an advantage, but good ideas go alot further.

I never use all my votes, and if I did, I definitely wouldnt do so on the first day, and normally go back several times throughout that contest timeframe and vote. Also, whenever I vote, I always sort the entries by the most recent so that I dont miss anything, and dont let existing vote totals or leaders influence whether something gets my vote.

I see what you're trying to say, but what you're saying and what I actually see out in the actual contests isn't happening.
I won't say everything that wins doesn't deserve to win, in fact there's some very good stuff that wins.

However, I've seen some real junk get mid-high votes already, and it's discouraging to place even lower than stuff you know didn't have any decent work done to it.
The stuff that looks like stickers were put on a background, and they still get good amounts of votes.

The best thing to "learn" here seems to be that you have to pay to have a shot.
If that's the only lesson I'm going to learn, I'll find somewhere else to play.
Especially if they know how to run a contest.

Prior to advantage being created, everyone downloaded the image at the same time and chopped as fast as possible to try to get an advantage, but with the worldwide array of members here, the contest opening times made it difficult for many.

I understand your thoughts on having all entries in before voting starts, and don't necessarilly disagree with that method, but I doubt it will ever happen here. Then we can easily swerve back into the debate of anonymous or non-anonymous contests. I think many are happy with the site as it currenlt is, and the site actually offeres those anonymous and also the old-skool speed chop contests for those that enjoy that way as well.

As volkswes pointed out - winning from a Non-Advantage position is quite possible and it feels quite good, actually.

For a more fair contest, try Speed Chop days when nobody sees the source image until the contest opens.

Excuse me MysticJhn but all what i see is ....
Bla Bla Bla
its not about the advantage dude ... so shortly if you want to enter Bird of paradise it's still open and if you don't want to . the site still have many contests .


And my first win was speed chop contest so the site is fair i guess . and i wasn't advantage member .

Starting fight with Vokaris . i don't advice you to do that .

This is always gonna happen, as everyone is at extremely different skill levels, and what may look awesome to one person may look like a pitiful excuse for a cut and paste job to another. Some don't recognize work involved or notice details as easily as others.

I know it is discouraging to see high votes on crap, but many times, if there is a better post, the placements end up working their way out before the contest voting ends.

Excuse me?
I didn't start a fight with anyone.
It's called conversation with back and forth ideas.

To think that you decide that new users are somehow beneath others so much to the point that they shouldn't disagree with a concept is disgusting.
Good work on making people feel welcome and valued as a new member.

This contest (Bird of Paradise) has so many entries because it was deemed a 'team chop' day. We've been doing this for the past 4 weeks now.

It's not a swarm.

http://photoshopcontest.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=19271


Thats why there are more than the normal 4 or 5 entires posted early.
Quite frankly, its refreshing to see competition. It should make you try harder, not make you wan't to quit.

You should have seen it in 2006. There were way more entries than this.
Sometimes you'd be lucky to start on page 3. Sometimes there were 70+ entries in the contests by the end.

Unfortunately this site doesn't have the membership it once had... that is why we're doing these contests...
For us old timers who still want to chop, but may not have time to do every single contest like we once did.
It keeps us interested.

BTW I also won my first few as a non-advantage member. It has, and can be done. You just need a good idea thats well executed. It doesn't really matter when you post. (as long as it's the first day) I always save 15-20 of my votes for day 3 of contests just for people such as yourself who don't have advantage. I also don't have funds to just spend on a website. But I've won a few of the $50 contests, and I use that money to fund my advantage.

Anyway, short story long....
I hope that clears things up for you. Just keep on chopping and...

STFUAC