2010-12-27 -Tree Decorating Event

[order_of_chaos]

Saw the angel blowing bubbles with the horn, and the one with the little tree made of lights with a pinecone trunk! (Unless there's more than one, in which case I saw one of each, of course.)

 

Saw another well-made ornament-dragon! Saw one with a rectangular border made of popcorn and lights!

 

Saw truly beautiful variations of all the more frequently appearing designs - DC trees done well, with more than just the letters, creative and recognisable picture trees, lovely silvers and golds, katamari trees that manage to look magnificent rather than Christmas-vomit... the list goes on!

[LuckyFreckle]

I think you guys are forgetting that judging is based on personal opinion and no matter what, your votes will be "biased" in some way. I could also say to not vote if you're in a good mood, because your votes will likely be higher then usual and won't match up with the rest of the scores you're giving. Or not to vote when you're rushed, because you won't spend an ample amount of time looking at each tree to judge it. Or not to vote when you're too relaxed, because you'll spend too much time on it and over think and second guess your decisions. Or etc. And everyone is voting on different criteria and likes. Bias is going to happen. ;3

Not forgetting that at all, and I understand that, but at the same time, I think I'm okay in asking someone to please not do that. Regardless of my mood, I give trees very fair votes, I don't up the score for good mood or lower for bad mood, and I don't expect every single person to do the same, but I will express some disappointment if my tree gets voted worst merely because the person was in a bad mood.

[Jet Raptor]

I lol'd at "Christmas vomit"

 

I've seen too many of those over-crowded trees...they're starting to make my eyes hurt :/

On the other hand, there ARE some that do actually look kinda good, as stated by order_of_chaos.

Edited January 11, 2011 by Ali'i Makani Pahili

[Obscure_Trash]

Not forgetting that at all, and I understand that, but at the same time, I think I'm okay in asking someone to please not do that. Regardless of my mood, I give trees very fair votes, I don't up the score for good mood or lower for bad mood, and I don't expect every single person to do the same, but I will express some disappointment if my tree gets voted worst merely because the person was in a bad mood.

Are you sure?

 

I've voted on trees for a good half an hour before I realize that my voting system has gone out of whack because of whatever mood I'm in and I'm either giving lower or higher scores depending on it. It's just human nature to follow your mood, and no matter how neutral or fair you try to be or think you're being, I be there's at least one tree you've judged out of whack to how you would in a different mood. ;3

[RheaZen]

I'm so picky.

 

1. I want a bloody tree. Yes, the smilies and <3 DC and dragons are neat, but... they aren't trees.

 

2. Christmas vomit-trees. 'nuff said.

 

3. Empty trees? Really? Really?

[Jet Raptor]

just saw a tree that looked like it said "I <3 capi"

....capi? ._.

[LuckyFreckle]

Are you sure?

 

I've voted on trees for a good half an hour before I realize that my voting system has gone out of whack because of whatever mood I'm in and I'm either giving lower or higher scores depending on it. It's just human nature to follow your mood, and no matter how neutral or fair you try to be or think you're being, I be there's at least one tree you've judged out of whack to how you would in a different mood. ;3

Nope, I certainly don't think so. I strictly follow a system when I'm voting and I focus on the aspects of the tree instead of my mood. For example, I don't give any tree except blanks a one. I'm sorry if someone's tree is glitched, and there's unfortunately no way for me to tell. I know that some have been rating them 10s, so there's definitely going to be some interesting averages.

 

Trees that are absolutely covered with no order, no theme, no color scheme usually get twos, because I'd rather see a tree with something on it than a tree with nothing.

 

As the messiness and lack of schemes or themes decreases, I up the score by a point or two. Average trees, trees that are traditionally done, depending on how they look get around a 5 or 6. This is not good or bad mood, this is how I have been voting since I started. As I start to see more creativity, more color schemes more themes centering around Christmas or DC, I start rating higher. I have yet to give out a 10, because I have yet to see anything that has absolutely blown my mind, and at the same time, I have yet to vote for longer than an hour, because I simply can't sit here and do that for so longer before getting a headache from the screen.

 

I have been working creatively with different things for nearly a decade. I've learned how to separate emotion from judging like this, because I've had to do it before. It's usually not hard to follow either. Pick a system and stick with it. If your mood will affect it, don't do it.

 

As I said before, sure the scores are part of it, but so is the fact that I spent time making something unique, and I don't think they'd appreciate it if I took my bad mood out on their tree. That's how simple my thought is on the matter. Do unto others. Or....at the very least, don't post in public what you're doing. If you want to vote while in a bad mood, then that's your decision, but don't post and insult trees publicly where someone with that kind of tree could see it and be hurt, or angry about it.

Edited January 11, 2011 by xXAngelicEvilXx

[mudclaw]

I think you guys are forgetting that judging is based on personal opinion and no matter what, your votes will be "biased" in some way. I could also say to not vote if you're in a good mood, because your votes will likely be higher then usual and won't match up with the rest of the scores you're giving. Or not to vote when you're rushed, because you won't spend an ample amount of time looking at each tree to judge it. Or not to vote when you're too relaxed, because you'll spend too much time on it and over think and second guess your decisions. Or etc. And everyone is voting on different criteria and likes. Bias is going to happen. ;3

 

 

 

Some people's trees glitched and gave them empty or overstuffed trees with nothing centered, so that's probably what, unfortunately, happened to yours.

 

Are you going to http://dragcave.net/treevote to vote on trees? What are you seeing? All blank trees? Nothing? Not even the voting thing?

 

Do you have images and javascript turned on?

 

 

 

My report cards have always given me A, B, C, D, or F, so I dun know what number system you're talking about on report cards. x3

I'm the opposite. I wouldn't have enough range with just 1-5. :3

ohh thats how you vote on trees is there any way to fix my tree?

oh and my images and javascript is on.

thanks so much for the help

[Ninetails]

 

1. I want a bloody tree. Yes, the smilies and <3 DC and dragons are neat, but... they aren't trees.

 

2. Christmas vomit-trees. 'nuff said.

 

3. Empty trees? Really? Really?

So true.. DX

Edited January 11, 2011 by Ninetails

[RheaZen]

So true.. DX

Indeed.

 

My voting has been getting a little... has been fluctuating a little, as I try to adjust my voting. I've not voted above an 8, and my average is around 3...

 

I vote down for drifted ornaments (sorry, but I don't want to see one as a winner), lack of schemes (otherwise it's just... bland, boring. Needs something to make it stand out a little more), and an excessive amount of floating stuff.

[order_of_chaos]

Second horn as bubble-blower I've seen: Gold eastern dragon topper blowing bubbles with it from halfway up the tree.

[Obscure_Trash]

ohh thats how you vote on trees is there any way to fix my tree?

oh and my images and javascript is on.

thanks so much for the help

That link can also be found among the links at the top of your account page.

And no, sorry, your image is stuck like that for the contest. 3:

[HeatherMarie]

Tree-voting is going to be biased no matter how you look at it. Some people may vote lower for crowded trees, some people may vote higher for crowded trees. Some people may really like simplistic trees, some people may prefer creative trees. Asking someone not to vote biased is like asking someone not to have preferences at all. It just won't happen.

 

I'm trying to be "fair", not voting low because of knee-jerk reactions like "too crowded!", really looking at it closely before voting, etc, but I would never say that my voting is unbiased because I know better.

[majors]

ok just posting my thoughts here... I have voted on well over 500 trees so far and have come across atleast 200-300 blank ones I mean come on people did they not even try to do anything with them, because even a glitch can't take away all your items.. just looking at the pattern im getting and its: busy, blank, over-busy, blank... my eyes are starting to hurt from it. Its like people were in eachothers heads going (how about we all put that dragon on top or those same pots in the same place with the same color ribbon over it... still there are some awesome trees out there found my perfect 10 I mean this one really got my eye it went boring.. blank.. Wow!! So Great job everyone! I love this contest and good luck to all!!

P.S I was not trying to offend anyone just thinking out loud.

[LuckyFreckle]

Tree-voting is going to be biased no matter how you look at it. Some people may vote lower for crowded trees, some people may vote higher for crowded trees. Some people may really like simplistic trees, some people may prefer creative trees. Asking someone not to vote biased is like asking someone not to have preferences at all. It just won't happen.

 

I'm trying to be "fair", not voting low because of knee-jerk reactions like "too crowded!", really looking at it closely before voting, etc, but I would never say that my voting is unbiased because I know better.

Well see that's the thing, I never said it wouldn't be biased. I'm talking about someone publicly stating that they were rating ones based partially on being in a bad mood.

 

If someone doesn't like my color choice? Fine. They don't like my theme? Right on. They don't like it because they're angry with an aspect of their life, or they're having a bad day, and they rate it a one for the heck of it? Then yes, I take offense at it.

 

That doesn't make me right, and it doesn't make me wrong. Those are my feelings and my opinions on the matter. I don't expect any kind of perfection in the voting, I don't expect perfection in any aspect. I don't expect my tree to get a 10, or a 9, or an 8....maybe not even a 7. But I do expect to become frustrated if someone takes their anger out on it.

 

I have seen plenty of people say "I hate gold so I'm voting low on it", and you know...that's their taste and their preference, but voting low on something because you're in a bad mood isn't bias, it's just taking your anger out on something and someone that doesn't deserve it.

 

But I'm done commenting on it, because I'm starting to feel that people are believing that I feel that the judging will have no bias and that it will be perfect. Something I in fact did not state. My problem was with something else completely.

 

And yes, I'm comfortable admitting that I vote fairly and without bias. I don't vote low because I don't like a certain color. Yes, I don't. I've had to put my feelings and tastes aside and vote purely on "how much thought and time did they put in", "how does it look overall, regardless of my personal tastes?". I've had experience doing it, so yes, I can comfortably say that I don't vote with bias. I can say that I can because I know myself, and I know my moods. I know better about myself than anyone else, so yes, I can say that comfortably.

 

So, off to vote for trees I go.

Edited January 11, 2011 by xXAngelicEvilXx

[Drakrono]

In general do you guys think you're voting higher or lower after seeing more trees? Do you have a better feel for what average is and thus are giving more higher votes or have scores gone down?

[Qualeo]

The way I vote it simple. Trees that catch my attention and are not average, but very creative, usually earn high votes from me. I give average trees a rating between 5-6, a 7 if I like it a lot. Blank trees earn a one from me, since there really isn't anything to vote on.

 

 

Personally, I have yet to see a tree that has managed to work nicely with the garlands. However, I do vote between a 6 and 7 with those trees. My favorite trees are actually the crowded ones, the ones that look like they were crowded on purpose.

[tjekan]

Not forgetting that at all, and I understand that, but at the same time, I think I'm okay in asking someone to please not do that. Regardless of my mood, I give trees very fair votes, I don't up the score for good mood or lower for bad mood, and I don't expect every single person to do the same, but I will express some disappointment if my tree gets voted worst merely because the person was in a bad mood.

If they were JUST in a bad mood and giving EVERYTHING a 1, then yeah, I might agree with you. But the person you were responding to really did have artistic reasons for what they did, and even listed them. They might well have given my tree a 1 (since I used both gold and silver on it), and I might not agree with their judgment, but if they're doing that to every tree with gold and silver, it's really a pretty legitimate opinion on their part. I've been giving 3's to everything I find over-crowded. People just have different tastes. With so many different people voting on each tree, I think the different tastes of different voters probably will even out very well in the end.

[Kari Mustang]

I was in a bit of a bad mood yesterday and I closed my browser to prevent my mood from influencing my voting. I agree with AE your mood doesn't make your voting biased it makes it personal in a way. As in 'I am POed so all of you have to suffer'

 

Im trying to keep my votes based on the efforts of the decorator and not my prefrences. Like I hate the colors pink and purple, but that doesnt mean that tree with get a 1 from me

 

 

[order_of_chaos]

Bonus points for the ones that, if they have the topper on the top of the tree, place it correctly.

 

Demerit points for overlapping the toppers so you can just see the edge of one colour behind the other - in theory I like the idea, but in practice it makes me feel like I need glasses.

 

Bonus points for the angel infront of the silver star. That just looks beautiful, and not so common as to be boring.

 

Demerit points for drab and/or uninteresting. (Decidedly does not include all the traditionals or even all the silvers, though they are more in danger of it.)

 

Demerit points for meaningless clutter and anything that frays the edges of my sanity.

 

Bonus points for interesting/beautiful ornament-combinations, especially on top of the tree.

 

Bonus points for making me smile.

 

Bonus points for originality.

 

Bonus points for doing something really, really well, even if it's been done many times before.

[tjekan]

Demerit points for overlapping the toppers so you can just see the edge of one colour behind the other - in theory I like the idea, but in practice it makes me feel like I need glasses.

Oh yes, THIS. Any tree that makes me feel dizzy or nauseous gets a 1, even though in some twisted way I admire the talent it took to make something out of pixels that can make another person feel physical discomfort. :-D

[razi]

In general do you guys think you're voting higher or lower after seeing more trees? Do you have a better feel for what average is and thus are giving more higher votes or have scores gone down?

My votes are all over the place. If I don't like it, it gets a 1-3 depending on the degree of dislike. If I like it, it gets a 4-7 depending on my degree of like. But even that's not set in stone for me.

 

Sometimes I rate trees higher that I really don't personally like, but those particular trees show that the creator had put a lot of time and effort into being creative with the tools they were given.

 

For example, picture trees don't excite me, but if it's put together well, I'll rate it higher. Ornaments floating out in space don't excite me either, but if there's a reason for them being there (carried/ dropped by a dragon/bird), I'll rate it higher.

 

I think I rated one 8 because it was a tree that just came together nicely. All the ornaments were in the "right" places. It was just a plain old traditional that was on the line between too much and too little.

 

I have noticed my ratings for overloaded/blank trees has been dropping. I try not to rate them as a 1 because of the glitch, but I can only really vote on what I see and not on what I think the artist intended.

[Drakrono]

Oh yes, THIS. Any tree that makes me feel dizzy or nauseous gets a 1, even though in some twisted way I admire the talent it took to make something out of pixels that can make another person feel physical discomfort. :-D

 

This is priceless.

[Kari Mustang]

Bonus points for the ones that, if they have the topper on the top of the tree, place it correctly.

 

Demerit points for overlapping the toppers so you can just see the edge of one colour behind the other - in theory I like the idea, but in practice it makes me feel like I need glasses.

*sweatdrop*

 

well there is a bonus and demerit for me. I placed my topper just right but layered him to make his mane look gold TwT;

Edited January 11, 2011 by Kari Mustang

[key-the-kitty]

My tree looks sooo simple compared to some of the others. D: