[POLL] Which Prizes Do You Find Most Enticing?

[Mister Phes]

Now that the First to 25 Challenges have wrapped up we'll probably be announcing more Prizes in the near future!

But first we'd like to gain a general consensus on how these Prizes should be allocated:

• Prizes of greater Value OR more opportunities to WIN?
• Through Voting for winners at the end of the Contest?  Or opportunities to WIN throughout the Contest?
• Which initiatives motivate you to Participate the most?

[Horation]

I feel like the best way to do it is a couple of big prizes spread out over the contest's duration rather than a melange of prize types which'll confuse newcomers

[thewatchman]

I think smaller prizes to garner more entries. That said prizes arnt the attraction, it’s the challenge and the fun of seeing everyone’s fantastic creativity and designs.  
 No complaints as it has been though, all competitions have been well run so far that iv seen!

[Horation]

  On 7/12/2024 at 4:54 PM, thewatchman said:

I think smaller prizes to garner more entries. 

Expand  

I fail to see how smaller prizes would get more entries, the time and effort needed to make an entry is such that if the prizes are reduced in size, it will discourage more entries, since people will win less stuff for the same effort.

[Captain Pirate Man]

I suppose it depends on what the purpose of the contest is. If it is to get more traffic to the site, and more posts, engagement, etc... Then I would say a mix of smaller challenges (to encourage more posting), with nice grand prizes at the end of the contest. If driving traffic isn't really the main goal, then helping define what the goal is can go along way to help determine the best methods. 

[Horation]

  On 7/12/2024 at 9:33 PM, Captain Pirate Man said:

 I would say a mix of smaller challenges (to encourage more posting), with nice grand prizes at the end of the contest. 

Expand  

I think a couple of medium size prizes would do a lot more to drive traffic than a bunch of small ones, since they would leave a bigger bang (ex : by the fifth time you hear about a 25 euro prize, you won't care much, but hearing of a rarer 100 euro prize might get your attention more easily). Or, we could, just like was suggested earlier in another thread, do a tier system, say 100 euros for first to 50, 50 for first to 35, etc...

Edited July 13, 2024 by Horation
Ellipsis

[Mister Phes]

  On 7/12/2024 at 9:33 PM, Captain Pirate Man said:

Then I would say a mix of smaller challenges (to encourage more posting), with nice grand prizes at the end of the contest.

Expand  

Aye, that's what we've aiming for...

But what kind of prize would it make it worth your time to set aside some space in your display to build a Small entry for the contest?

 

  On 7/12/2024 at 4:54 PM, thewatchman said:

I think smaller prizes to garner more entries. That said prizes arnt the attraction, it’s the challenge and the fun of seeing everyone’s fantastic creativity and designs.  

Expand  

If prizes aren't the attraction would the contest receive as many entries?

And is what why you've only submitted one entry? 

Because you could also enter the Small Building category with a quicker build, this giving you another chance to win a prize, albeit smaller LEGO set.

 

  On 7/12/2024 at 10:54 PM, Horation said:

By the fifth time you hear about a 25 euro prize, you won't care much, but hearing of a rarer 100 euro prize might get your attention more easily.  Or, we could, just like was suggested earlier in another thread, do a tier system, say 100 euros

Expand  

I agree, more valuable prizes tend to garner more attention due to the "wow factor"... but the value must be proportional to the effort required by participants to win them.

While at the same time, acknowledging everyone is at different levels;  I.e. what one person considers easy, another may consider immensely challenging.

And we want the contest to be accessible to the widest possible audience; hence a tier system to allow participants to select their own difficulty level.

[Captain Pirate Man]

  On 7/13/2024 at 6:50 AM, Mister Phes said:

Aye, that's what we've aiming for...

But what kind of prize would it make it worth your time to set aside some space in your display to build a Small entry for the contest?

Expand  

It's because it's summer time here, and as such I do a lot of traveling. So when I am home, I record a bunch of footage, and will release those videos periodically over the next few weeks. If the contest were going on in the fall or winter... That would be a different story. 

Trust me, I REALLY thought about it, lol. I have some ship hulls, and I thought about trying to put together something with those. How long is the contest open until? I might be able to do something if I can fit it into my schedule.   

[Mister Phes]

  On 7/13/2024 at 7:11 AM, Captain Pirate Man said:

How long is the contest open until? I might be able to do something if I can fit it into my schedule.   

Expand  

23:59 on 17 August, 2024 so you've got almost 4 and a half weeks.

Here is a static screenshot of the timer I just setup on Classic-Pirates.com.

 

  On 7/13/2024 at 7:11 AM, Captain Pirate Man said:

I might be able to do something if I can fit it into my schedule.    

Expand  

For the Small Building Category your entry does not to be big or complex.

A crafty sailor such as yourself, could probably put together something decent in around 15 minutes...  if you can squeeze that much into your busy schedule.

[Horation]

  On 7/13/2024 at 6:50 AM, Mister Phes said:

If prizes aren't the attraction would the contest receive as many entries?

And we want the contest to be accessible to the widest possible audience; hence a tier system to allow participants to select their own difficulty level.

Expand  

Another advantage is that it avoids sweeps (ex:1 person wins every 1st to 25 prize because they have more free time than others to write or reply to comments).

[Mister Phes]

  On 7/13/2024 at 11:25 AM, Horation said:

Another advantage is that it avoids sweeps (ex:1 person wins every 1st to 25 prize because they have more free time than others to write or reply to comments).

Expand  

Yes, there would be three different winners instead of just one.

However, before we can have another Critic Challenge, we'll need another wave of Building Entries for Critics to Reply to.  So I best get working on a strategy for that...

[Horation]

  On 7/13/2024 at 1:11 PM, Mister Phes said:

Yes, there would be three different winners instead of just one.

However, before we can have another Critic Challenge, we'll need another wave of Building Entries for Critics to Reply to.  So I best get working on a strategy for that...

Expand  

Some builders are incredibly prolific (looking at you, @MyFirstMOC-Hun), maybe allowing for those folks to submit more entries, but with them then getting to choose the ones they'll submit for voting on the basis of community feedback, would increase the number of entries.

[Yperio_Bricks]

Wasn't the number of available prizes fixed by Lego? Is it now possible to get more but cheaper prizes? Or more prizes in general?

[Mister Phes]

  On 7/13/2024 at 1:25 PM, Horation said:

maybe allowing for those folks to submit more entries

Expand  

Entrants may already submit up to 3 Entries in each Building Category for a maximum of 6 Entries. 

So that allowance has already been granted from the beginning. 

Therefore the current Entrants are either unaware, or not interested in submitting further Entries.

 

  On 7/13/2024 at 1:26 PM, Yperio_Bricks said:

Wasn't the number of available prizes fixed by Lego?

Expand  

The LEGO Group provides us 5 Prizes distributed over a maximum budget of 570€.

 

  On 7/13/2024 at 1:26 PM, Yperio_Bricks said:

Is it now possible to get more but cheaper prizes? Or more prizes in general? 

Expand  

The additional Prizes are funded by the LEGO.com ads on Classic-Pirates.com.

There was a quite profitable period during Ominous Isle's Crowd Funding phase and the budget for Prizes increased unexpectedly!

 

[Horation]

  On 7/13/2024 at 1:41 PM, Mister Phes said:

Entrants may already submit up to 3 Entries in each Building Category for a maximum of 6 Entries. 

So that allowance has already been granted from the beginning. 

Therefore the current Entrants are either unaware, or not interested in submitting further Entries.

Expand  

Well I was thinking to allow them to go over 3 but then have to choose 3 for selection, but yeah you are correct, there aren't a lot of entries, then again maybe we just need to give it some more time...

[Yperio_Bricks]

  On 7/13/2024 at 1:41 PM, Mister Phes said:

The additional Prizes are funded by the LEGO.com ads on Classic-Pirates.com.

There was a quite profitable period during Ominous Isle's Crowd Funding phase and the budget for Prizes increased unexpectedly!

Expand  

Wow, that's nice!

[Mister Phes]

  On 7/13/2024 at 2:10 PM, Horation said:

Well I was thinking to allow them to go over 3 but then have to choose 3 for selection, but yeah you are correct, there aren't a lot of entries, then again maybe we just need to give it some more time...

Expand  

Indeed, we aren't even at the halfway mark yet.  Last year's contest had a comparable number of entries at the midpoint.

It wasn't until the final 3 weeks that the entries came flooding in, after I started advertising the deadline with a countdown timer.

 

  On 7/13/2024 at 2:27 PM, Yperio_Bricks said:

Wow, that's nice! 

Expand  

It was certainly helpful!  And I think the Small Building Category could benefit from a larger First Place Prize.

It's just too bad it's not like that all the time.  We probably won't have similar revenue until the Endurance ship is released.

[Horation]

  On 7/13/2024 at 2:38 PM, Mister Phes said:

Indeed, we aren't even at the halfway mark yet.  Last year's contest had a comparable number of entries at the midpoint.

Expand  

I'd also add that people are waiting for further prizes to be announced (ex: I'll publish my entries when the next challenge starts, since that will improve my odds of reaching 25 first, otherwise I'd get a bunch of replies before the cutoff date).

[Horation]

  On 7/13/2024 at 1:41 PM, Mister Phes said:

The LEGO Group provides us 5 Prizes distributed over a maximum budget of 570€.

The additional Prizes are funded by the LEGO.com ads on Classic-Pirates.com.

There was a quite profitable period during Ominous Isle's Crowd Funding phase and the budget for Prizes increased unexpectedly!

Expand  

Out of curiosity, what's the total budget? I see 690€ on this topic :

 

Also, when is the next challenge happening? I know you said something around the 17th, but it'd be nice to have a number to mark on the calendar.

As for the prizes, I think it is quite clear what people prefer (smaller prizes, spread out), except if the classic pirates poll outputs a different result...

 

[Mister Phes]

  On 7/16/2024 at 1:03 AM, Horation said:

Also, when is the next challenge happening? I know you said something around the 17th, but it'd be nice to have a number to mark on the calendar.

Expand  

Your enthusiasm is admirable!

I said the 17th to assure @Math Wizard we wouldn't commence another round of Challenges without him.

 

  On 7/13/2024 at 3:27 PM, Horation said:

I'd also add that people are waiting for further prizes to be announced (ex: I'll publish my entries when the next challenge starts, since that will improve my odds of reaching 25 first, otherwise I'd get a bunch of replies before the cutoff date). 

Expand  

That's sound logic.. but also catch 22.

We can't launch more Challenges until there are more Building Entry Topics.

And, the budget won't stretch far enough to cover tiers for both Critics and Building Entrants.

So currently, we need to be taking initiatives to encourage people to create the Entries in the first place, rather than encourage them to Reply to their Entry Topics.

 

[Horation]

  On 7/16/2024 at 5:38 AM, Mister Phes said:

We can't launch more Challenges until there are more Building Entry Topics.

And, the budget won't stretch far enough to cover tiers for both Critics and Building Entrants.

So currently, we need to be taking initiatives to encourage people to create the Entries in the first place, rather than encourage them to Reply to their Entry Topics.

Expand  

What I'd do is focus on a tier challenge for building entrants (so as to encourage them to post and reply to their topics, keeping engagement high during the contest), and a smaller single prize for critics (who are likely to reply, regardless of the presence or absence of a prize for simply doing so). Also, maybe a raffle among entrants (say, 25 euros given to one building entry at random, each entry you make gives you an extra "ticket" so those who make more entries get more chances) would work to improve participation?

And I would the challenges have a slightly larger threshold (ex : first to 30), that way people come back and keep on posting at least a little longer.

Anyhoo, I'm working on 4 additional builds for the contest...

[Mister Phes]

  On 7/16/2024 at 2:41 PM, Horation said:

Anyhoo, I'm working on 4 additional builds for the contest...

Expand  

Exciting!  Thank you for your suggestions!

I've also got various initiatives I'd like to try... but what limits me most is the amount of time I have to action them.

  On 7/16/2024 at 2:41 PM, Horation said:

Also, maybe a raffle among entrants [...]  and I would the challenges have a slightly larger threshold (ex : first to 30)

Expand  

The problem with challenges and draws is AFOLs aren't familiar with how these work in conjunction with a building contest, so there's a struggle to communicate the requirements without bogging them down with rules and procedures.

Whereas, they're very familiar with building a MOC and submitting it as an entry.

 

  On 7/16/2024 at 1:03 AM, Horation said:

As for the prizes, I think it is quite clear what people prefer (smaller prizes, spread out), except if the classic pirates poll outputs a different result...

Expand  

The Classic-Pirates.com polls indicates participants would more valuable prizes

 

And while the sample size is too small, thus far; unanimously it's more challenges throughout the contest.

 

I was also aiming to setup polls for the Facebook Group last weekend but ran out time.

[Horation]

  On 7/17/2024 at 6:57 AM, Mister Phes said:

Exciting!  Thank you for your suggestions!

I've also got various initiatives I'd like to try... but what limits me most is the amount of time I have to action them.

Expand  

Well time is the one thing I've got a lot of, so if there's anything I can do...

[Mister Phes]

  On 7/17/2024 at 2:11 PM, Horation said:

Well time is the one thing I've got a lot of, so if there's anything I can do...

Expand  

Well, that's mighty kind of ye to offer!

However, it's mainly producing promotional content (which requires professional graphic design and authoring skills) and then publishing it on various platforms (which requires administrator access). So it's is not something I can outsource without the appropriate onboarding.

However, in terms of general operations, there is a lot you can do.

[Horation]

For those who are curious, here's an update on the challenges after one full day and a half (my estimates at least, time 0911 EST, August 4th)

@Math Wizard                     26 replies    34.2% of critic replies

Me                                        30                39.5%

@Mazin                                0                 

@Garmadon                         0                   

@Captain Pirate Man            0                   

@SevenDeadlyStreamers     1                    1.3%

@Autumn                             2                   2.6%

@YellowFrog                       17                 22.4%

Currently, a two way race, but things could change...

Edited August 4, 2024 by Horation
Update