New Advanced Editing Challenges (PPChallenge)

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

10/19/2006 11:40:52 AM · #1

Hi all,

I participated in

nshapiro's last Advanced Editing Contest #5, and it was a lot of fun. While contests like this are a lot of fun, they are also a lot of work for the hosts and admins. Additionally, the voting mechanisms just aren't as nice as DPC's, it's not automated, and you have to sign up to another website to participate.

In short, it's not up to what DPC users are accustomed to.

I've worked very hard over the past few days to create a website more like DPC to rectify these exact problems.

The main benefits of this website are:
- automated challenge handelling
--- less work for the admins!
--- automated submission, voting, and tallying
- voting style like DPC's
--- can't see other user's votes and comments until after voting has closed
--- user friendly navigation
- log in with your DPC username and password

Enough with the talk, here are a few screenshots:

This is the home screen, showing recently completed challenges. I've copied over the submissions (and final scores) of AEC#5 as an example:

This is the voting overview screen, which is quite similar to DPC's. I've created a dummy challenge (with entries from AEC#5) for folks to play with the voting system:

One difference from DPC (since this is an editing contest) is that the original is always shown below the entries when voting:

This is the page where you can sign up for the challenges:

Now, the fun part!

I've opened a challenge for you all to compete in! This is sort of a test run of this new system. It's just barely operational at this point - there's lots I'm still working on. And I'd love your suggestions and feedback. Please PM me on the DPC site for now (I'll be setting up a feedback button on the site shortly).

If you'd like to play, go to //www.onetacoshort.com/ppc/, click on the compete button, and login with your DPC credentials*. Or just browse around the site. If the current competition fills up (only 16 spots per competition), I'll create new ones daily.

Also, I've created a specific area for submissions of originals by you, the users! Please submit images which you think would work well in future challenges under the "Contribute" tab.

For the site's future, I'd like to one day see "Technique" articles, themed challenges, maybe forums, etc. But this is all in it's infancy for now.

I hope

langdon and other site admins don't mind me using a similar style for the website and verifying DPC user identity. I see PPC as further value to DPC users, and I hope they see it the same way.

* A note about security: I'm going to bring this up before someone else does: Some folks may be upset that I'm requiring your DPC username and password to log in. I'm doing that as a convenience so you don't have to create a new one for a new site. You should know, being the informed Internet citizen that you are, that random websites asking for your usernames and passwords is dangerous. I'm using this information to verify your DPC identity. If you don't trust me, don't play. If there's demand for it, I'll create a feature to create PPC-specific accounts.

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

10/19/2006 11:45:46 AM · #2

looks nice I will consider joining just cause I need the practice to improve my post processing skills.

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

10/19/2006 11:51:50 AM · #3

It looks very nice! I think there's some problems, however, asking people for their DPC ids. While we implicitly trust you, it's just not a good idea. Why not authenticate in some other way?

Some other suggestions:

1) I don't think scores should be shown during voting. It invites voting manipulation (change votes until you rank top).

2) Pictures need to remain anonymous until the end

Message edited by author 2006-10-19 11:54:40.

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

10/19/2006 11:54:55 AM · #4

why not just ask user to register under the same usename as dpc? Password can be different. You can verify from that. It might also bring in more members to DPC.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/19/2006 11:59:13 AM · #5

Originally posted by nshapiro:

1) I don't think scores should be shown during voting. It invites voting manipulation (change votes until you rank top).
2) Pictures need to remain anonymous until the end

Hi Neil,

Those two things you mentioned are already there. In the site right now there challenge #1 (showing a complete clomne of AEC#5). There's also dummy Challenge #999, also having the AEC#5 entries, but it's in the voting phase. So you can't see the usernames or scores. The order of challenges is also random.

As for the u/p, I'll see what most people prefer. Personally, I'd rather have the same. Since the sites look so similar, it's makes for nice consistency.

-Jeff

Message edited by author 2006-10-19 12:00:01.

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

10/19/2006 12:05:21 PM · #6

A couple of questions:

What are the editing rules? In other words, how much latitude is allowed, can items be cloned in, new backgrounds added etc?

Out of curiosity, how are you checking our DPC usernames and passwords?

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

10/19/2006 12:05:49 PM · #7

Originally posted by rex:

why not just ask user to register under the same usename as dpc? Password can be different.

Agree. Members who reveal their user name and password to you are in breach of the DPC Terms of Service. There's no good reason to require that info.

theSaj

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

10/19/2006 12:21:10 PM · #8

Just a thought...

It's always considerate to pay tribute. I think you should include in your layout the DPChallenge Logo (with permission) and link to DPChallenge as a thank you.

Sharing the wealth is always nice. And since so much influence and inspiration was derived from DPC it would be most considerate.

Who knows, perhaps PPC will grow into a sister site. However, personally, I always preferred Pulse Lasers to PPCs. (Two kudos and five geek points to whoever recognizes where that reference came from!)

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

10/19/2006 12:49:06 PM · #9

Originally posted by AJAger:

In the contest we've been running, the rules are basically the same as DPC advanced editing rules. See the latest advanced editing contest thread for up to date rules on how the contest is run.

The winner of the contest gets to submit the next photo to be edited, and administers the contest.

timfythetoo won AEC5, and now gets to run AEC6. If this new site is ready, then that seems a great place to run it!

10/19/2006 01:06:00 PM · #10

Originally posted by scalvert:

Agree. Members who reveal their user name and password to you are in breach of the DPC Terms of Service. There's no good reason to require that info.

Ah, I didn't realize that. I'll setup an account system tonight. Hopefully I'll be able to "reserve" DPC usernames. Where is that DPC user list again...

I inserted a DPC link in the footer - good suggestion, theSaj.

Another note: my server is in California, so be aware of the midnight deadline difference of 3 hours. Current server time is printed in the footer.

Cheers,
-Jeff

10/19/2006 01:10:37 PM · #11

To answer AJAger's questions (and nshapiro's subsequent comments):

I've added a place for all folks to be able to submit images for editing in place of the "winner of the last submits the next" image. This makes it less of a burden (more automated). I don't want the site to be dependent on any one person's input.

As far as editing rules - there are none yet. I'll probably implement different levels of editing rules to really see different types of artistry.

Thanks for the input, AJAger.

-Jeff

Edit: Oh, I check passwords quite simply by using a bot to log into DPC with the credentials. If the login is successful, you must be who you say you are. =)

Message edited by author 2006-10-19 13:11:42.

Ken

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

10/19/2006 01:13:32 PM · #12

This looks like a good idea, but why require same password? And how does the site know that it's the same? I just tried a different password and it wouldn't let me login. Is it using a cookie stored on my local machine?

Edit: Answered above.

I'd prefer to see different passwords used. I have no reason to distrust here, but I feel uncomfortable having a bot log me into DPC.

Message edited by author 2006-10-19 13:21:01.

lifternessjt

Canon EOS-50D

10/19/2006 02:14:23 PM · #13

I think this is great, and hope you all realize this is a trumendous amount of work. Great job!!!

Is there any way SC can add this to the Community Projects?

DefyTime

Canon EOS-7D

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

10/19/2006 02:16:02 PM · #14

Alright I'm in and just turned in my edit

timfythetoo

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

10/19/2006 02:29:05 PM · #15

Originally posted by nshapiro:

The winner of the contest gets to submit the next photo to be edited, and administers the contest. timfythetoo won AEC5, and now gets to run AEC6. If this new site is ready, then that seems a great place to run it!

A quick glance and the site looks cool. I havent searched it out deep so I couldnt comment on specifics. I have a picture ready to go for #6. If the site is ready to go I can submit it there. Let me know what everyone thinks and what I need to do.

tate

Apple iPhone 14 Pro

10/19/2006 02:36:27 PM · #16

Has anyone else had trouble uploading? ... Maybe it's not Mac-friendly ... it's just sitting here for me- ....PLEASE WAIT ...

tate

Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

10/19/2006 02:38:06 PM · #17

ohhh nooo! ... as luck would have it I just spent .... some serious time ... editing that photo of that kiddo there ... but it won't upload anyway so I just feel so icky all over :[

Originally posted by timfythetoo:

Originally posted by nshapiro:
The winner of the contest gets to submit the next photo to be edited, and administers the contest. timfythetoo won AEC5, and now gets to run AEC6. If this new site is ready, then that seems a great place to run it!

A quick glance and the site looks cool. I havent searched it out deep so I couldnt comment on specifics. I have a picture ready to go for #6. If the site is ready to go I can submit it there. Let me know what everyone thinks and what I need to do.

Message edited by author 2006-10-19 14:42:43.

Tamron AF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical for Nikon

10/19/2006 02:54:44 PM · #18

metatate, email me your photo at jeff dot ward, and the domain is gmail.com. I'll enter it manually. I'd also like to figure out why it failed.

The only time I wasn't able to upload was when I tried to upload a very large image. As entries should be 640 px max, it shouldn't be a problem. I uploaded the full res image (~2.5MB) with no trouble, but my host may be slow at times.

Thank you,

lifternessjt, it was a lot of work!

Edit:

timfythetoo, email or upload your pic (under contributions) and I'll start another challenge when the current one fills up.

Message edited by author 2006-10-19 14:58:29.

Nikonian Ninja

Nikon D50

10/19/2006 02:58:57 PM · #19

hey Jeff, excellent work here and looking forward to participating! Keep it up!

dassilem

Nikon D90

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

10/19/2006 03:23:22 PM · #20

I'm confused...is this a sister site to DPC or a copy-cat? Sorry if I am the one in the dark, and don't mean to step on toes. But it looks to me like a registered user who just joined in Sept 06 has developed a similiar site and everyone is jumping to use it?

what did I miss?

Message edited by author 2006-10-19 15:24:17.

10/19/2006 03:32:58 PM · #21

Originally posted by dassilem:

It is not a sister - just a copy cat.

Nobody's jumping to use it, but those of us who enjoy editing (maybe more than DPC allows, maybe just because it's fun) are excited to have an easier way than "everyone email pics to someone who posts them to a board where the voting isn't as nice as DPC's".

One could argue that I'm being underhanded to copy DPC, then leverage it's userbase. I would say that I'm adding value to DPC and providing a service to it's users.

-Jeff

brownsm

Canon EOS-5D