| I think this category is characterised by an interest in "the different" - the "unusual". "Alien" or "off track" as it were. Six races kind of "came to the fore" here. Braphat Frankly? Braphat got off to a good start, and whenever a challenger came close - it sprinted off again! Remarkable. I like the idea of this race. It fills a "simplicity" spot as well as a "character" spot. I'm also biased as I did a few piccies for this race and currently host the race website. All the honour goes to Mark for a fascinating idea and to his "stats assists" - Scytale and Paul. Shadow Pretty much tracked the leader all along - but never really closed up. What an original concept this is! Nils has sparked off an interest in a whole new concept in this game, I think .All credit to both him and Peter. Once again I'm biased as I have done the graphics for this race (so far). I did note a critique of these - and I shall have to redouble my efforts, I guess! 8) Arborian Assembly Challnged for the lead on a couple of occasions! I think this race appeals to the real "number crunchers" out there. I gather from the comments that it might be a bit complicated. It also received a some votes in Cat C - which is interesting? Great graphics (sadly not mine!) - I just wish there were 3D Models so I could montage them more effectively! Congrats to Martin. Excellent! Killocat Empire Looked like it might settle at the bottom of the "top six" - until the Killa-Kit-Kat-Klub suddenly brought in a sort of block vote! 8). Kat lovers everywhere unite, I guess! This race seems to appeal to the "fighter jocks" out there? It also appeared in Cat C which was interesting. Nevertheless Jan has strong support and B.J has produced an intrinsically rounded "look and feel" to this race's graphics. With the "unaccepted" vote this race would have bumped up one place - but I don't really think that's too important. Well done guys. perhaps I can publish that CW page soon? 8) Interstellar Master Traders Never really challenged - but made steady and reliable progress. What can I say? These guys are the people who inflicted me upon the rest of you when they tricked me into doing some graphics! 8) Never look back. Another "character" race - way off the "norm" I guess. Interestingly enough, people seem keen to play this as well as play against this race - perhaps more the latter? Peter and Paul have a victorian monster on their hands! Thrinakian Swarm Started really strongly and looked like a major contender for first place. Then it flattened out - curious! 8) People seem to like "bugs" though! 8) Scytale's creation is another character race that seems to hit "buttons". The graphics certainly hit "my buttons" a while ago. That's my comment for the "top six" - although I'm particularly pleased that they're all members of Crayon-World! Wow! (The Kats are associated members and have been "on hold" for a while now - maybe they'll go public soon?) I'd like to make a rather biased mention for some others though. 8) COTA - Robs creation looks popular to play, but possibly more interesting to play against? Great graphics - and another CW member! Moties - people just seem to like the idea (I know I do!) . This result is a great vindication of the fact that people voted for the "ideas" and "fun to play" aspects rather than just the "balance" and "completeness" aspects. Thank you all. Frankly - the Moties are mostly just an idea - but what a good one!? Got a Cat C vote to though - I guess the challenge is on to make something of this race. Guys? |
| This was slightly surprising -
two main winners extracted themselves from the "pack" fairly early and
scrapped it out for a lead. Interstellar Master Traders (Probably should have bought some shares in this Megacorp! 8) ) It looks like moving planets is something people just "want to see happen" - more than they want to do it themselves, perhaps? Peter and Paul are a devious couple - but I'd have been willing to bet they didn't think they'd top this category! 8) Derelict Project I kind of hoped they would do well here, and I "sort of" expected it too. I think people just want to have scripted elements as an interesting addition to the game. I also think that you should all contribute ideas and graphics for this project! Once again I'm biased - CW is partnered with DP. So get your "thinking caps on"! Greg needs your input! Good work Greg! Children of the Apocalypse As I said before - it seems as interesting to fight against, as fight with? Rob has an excellent combination here. Killocat Empire Got a "surge" out of the "pack" from the Killa-Kit-Kat-Klub here too! It's all valid stuff! Interestingly there has been some confusion about their origins: ostensibly they are based on the Kilrathi (from the Wing Commander game) - not Larry Niven's "Kzinti" - but who can say if the former is not based on the latter? Braphat And here they are again! Lower down in the scale - possibly because it's simplicity to play is not attractive to those "nuimber crunchers" out there? It seems they don't mind having their own planets pummelled my "mom" though! 8) And the Moties appeared again! The Reticuleans too! New races both. Thrinakians and Crusaders are up there with them. Oddly enough I though the Shadow would figure more in this category? It looks like a great NPC race and yet more people seem interested in playing as them than playing against them? Go figure? |
| OK - The "iffy"
category. I did not expect any of this. My apolgies for subjecting you
guys to this and I hope you'll "take on board" the comments and
conclusions presented here in an enlightened manner. This category attracted more of the "balance" issues than the others I think. Most of the commentary was succinct and to the point but did not always add constructively - difficult under the 40 word constraint I applied - I guess. However There was really just one undisputed "winner" here United Scientists Alliance Basically, it seems people think this is too much like the UA and is over powered. I guess the latter is easy to fix but the similarity with UA is more tricky. "Doc Devious" obviously thought hard on this and has a possible solution to make it different. It may need more? On the plus side - they got a 5 point vote in Cat A - so this isn't a lost cause by any means. I hope not too - the graphics are worth working the numbers for. If ISA wants representation on Crayon World - I'd be honoured. I don't know "numbers" but I know good graphics when I see them! A little further down Einheriar A new race and I guess it's early days yet. It picked up 1 point in Cat A so it's not all bad either. A word of caution to the creator and anyone else? Redo the race website in "standard" race format. Unpublished comments in the voting process indicated that the non standard format may have biased them against this (and other races) by making them work harder to analyse the data. People like a standard view if they don;t see it - they may not bother to read it. As I mentioned above - some top scorers in Cat A and B had some votes here too - notably the Arborian Assembly and the Killocats. |
Overall?Race "Character" seemed to dominate - I think - races with different and interesting angles to play seemed to be popular. In a word "Originality". I guess."Balance" tended to bend attitudes negatively - in perceived "overpowered" races - so "ideas" were possibly not voted for in these areas? Category C - needs rethinking in some way if we do anything like this again. It might actually be the most "useful" category in terms of feedback - and it probably "hurts" to hear it, but some things need "airing" in the "light of day". I hope the candidate races voted for here will take a positive posture in addressing these issues. Frankly - there were not really enough voters. I'd have preferred more like 50+ or so - but then again, I don't have an "electoral register" and I don't know how many of you are out there. Scrolling down the various Host "player" lists make it looks like hundreds. As it stands - the survey is a "limited snapshot" of opinions - a narrow "view" I think. I'd like to try it again sometime. As a "pilot" survey - it went OK-ish. I made a load of mistakes - I might be able to do it better next time. Ho hum. During this Survey there have been proposals of "pre-selection". I won't do this. Never. Who knows all? Who judges? Not me. Races change. What came last this time might be first next time. I have always stood by the fact that this was not intended as a "vetting" process. That way lies danger. "Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit" Henry Brooks Adams 1838-1918 |