Design-A-Weapon Contest: Ask your questions here

Gaile:You may have seen the news: ArenaNet has announced our third Design-a-Weapon contest! Read about it here. There are details about art submissions, rules, prizes, and eligibility.If you have questions, please post them in this thread and we’ll get you the information you seek.

Best of luck to all who participate!

Jack Redline.5379:Should i take a template for example of staff and lets say cut it out from it and use it in my program to make picture inside of template ? i could also use some meassurements like it is nice of you to give us the edge columns but i cant imagine how big should the columns be.I mean if i would take that template and and drew by it the columns might not corespond with the correct size. it is supposed to be on A4 at least so pls if you could specify the meassures i am working on dagger right now so that would be appreciated the most.

Template wise, you should use it in the background of your weapon (toying with transparency of layers for instance) to make sure that the proportions of your weapon design respect the proportions given by the template, especially for the handles of said weapons.

The size of the template will most likely be smaller than the end result of your design, but when brought back to the same scale, proportions should be respected.

As you may have noticed in the “examples” folder, in the .Zip we gave, our artists took a few liberties with the blue outlines of the template. You can do so too. Yellow/green/red lines of the handles need to be observed.

Jack Redline.5379:also i want to ask if the A4 jpg. should contain only “2D” view of a weapon as is in templates or should it also contain view from above and side?

Unless there is a special element of your weapon design that is totally different from one side to the other (for instance, if one side was fire themed, and the other water themed), one angle/side is fine.

Exio.4938:Hello, I too want to know if I am supposed to cut the weapon example template and draw inside it or if it is enough to make a weapon with realistic proportions (like the handle be realistically fit for the player’s hands and such). Hope someone can enlighten me on this

The end result you’re submitting as entry doesn’t have to display the template. It is here to help you proportions wise.

NefyFeiri.6328:I’ve so been waiting for this!! I’ve just got few questions, when it says to state the country, i’m assuming it means country where you live in instead of country you were born in? Also if i’d like to submit just one design, do i need to use the provided sheet or can i make it on a separate sheet, just as long as i follow the guide lines?

It’s the country you are living in.

You don’t need to save your design in the same photoshop file we used. You can make your own.

Adhesive Gamin.2854:Should we write the type of weapon on the design image anywhere? I could imagine some ambiguity there and didn’t see in the rules or submission form anywhere to describe what you’ve made.

As long as the weapon type name is far enough from the weapon itself so that we can remove it if necessary, you can write it somewhere around the personnal information details you have to add in one of the corners of the picture.

MidnightX.6294:am i allowed to put up a weapon-title or weapon-info for effects to the corner of my name/ country/ ingamename/ etc… ?edit: can we have a hairstyle-contest next? we need better hair more than weapon

Title and name wise: Please don’t. These will not impact selection and will be removed anyway for the voting step if your design is among the finalists. If you win, we will ask you anyway for more details about your design.

Next contest: Anything is possible but I would like to keep this thread focused on the current contest.

hugo.4705:-Should we make a full set of Weapons (x3) or only One? (x3)-Can we add somewhere a description for the effects: “floating cube, sparks?”

Each entry = 1 weapon.A weapon set would go way beyond the 3 entries allowed. Also, if you happen to submit 3 entries, they don’t have to belong to a same set. You can vary the style as much as you like.

Special effects description wise: Yes you can, but please only do so if absolutely necessary and you have no other option design wise. Ideally, the design should be self explanatory without needing subtitles.

eduardo.1436:The news says that the community can also vote for their favorite, is there going to be a site where we can view and vote?Edit: I’m actually a bit worried, I submitted my entry but I put a name on it, is that legal or am I disqualified?

We will give you a link when the time comes to vote. Regarding your entry, if you happened to give a name to your weapon, it will just be ignored: You won’t get disqualified because of it.

leviathan.2148:Could you explain this rule?Designs may not contain, as determined by the Sponsors, in their sole discretion, any content that promotes firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing); promotes any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous.So I can’t design a weapon that looks dangerous or as a weapon?

This line refers to real life weapons promotion and the promotion of any activity appearing unsafe or dangerous. You designing GW2 themed and styled riffles or pistols (or any GW2 supported weapon) is okay.

Smash chu.1625:If you on accident submit a file but it wasn’t the right one, or just in general mess up your submission, will it be disqualified or count towards the 3 designs you can submit? Is there something i could do to right the wrong submission? Since i have the proper file, but picked the wrong one on accident and can’t change it now.

Re-upload the entry, adding “erratum” at the end of the file name. The previous entry will be discarded.

Deus Fatorum.2473:Can we design our own footfalls to match the weapon?

No, that would make it a legendary weapon.

AegisRunestone.8672:Okay, so my base weapon is at 200 dpi, but Photoshop makes A4 at 300 dpi. My weapon is far too large for the template at 300 dpi. How do I get an A4 size sheet in which my weapon won’t look tiny?

The template is only here to help you conceive the design. It doesn’t have to appear on the entry you submit.

Iridium.6385:

• Is it allowed to post an uploaded weapon concept to other places, for example this forum or reddit, while potential winners are being selected (before the community gets to vote) as well as while the community is voting? I assumed that since you are planning to erase any additional information (weapon name, explanations, etc) from the concept, you want the people to vote on the design only. But advertising a concept on the forums would ruin that. After seeing some people posting their concepts I almost did it myself but decided to ask to be sure.

Posting a concept submitted for the contest publicly (anywhere) before the finalists are announced is not allowed by the rules. Once we announce the finalists, artists whose entries were not selected can share theirs. Finalists would have to wait for votes to end.

Iridium.6385:

• The rules say that the background must be either black, white or transparent. If my concept looks similar to the Flameseeker Prophecies example (showing the same weapon without effects on the left and with effects on the right), would it be allowed to color the left half of background white, and the right half black? This was how I have it currently to help me with drawing contrasts and I’d like to know if it has to be changed.

One color of background only per entry.

Elve.1278:About the part where it says no effects equivalent to legendary weapons, I assume this means footfalls and arm glows? I concepted a longbow that involves the grip of the bow being by itself, but when drawn light particles finish the whole bow, I was wondering if that was too much because its mostly particle effects. (EDIT: Thinking along the lines of storm bow)How would we indicate dangling bits as well?Also is the entry allowed to show stowed>equipped + a back view? Or is that also too much?

No footfalls and arm glows as only legendary weapons have this level of effects. Particules effects on the weapon itself, of the level one would except of a BLTC weapon for instance, is okay.

No need for a stowed or equipped design: Only the weapon should appear on the design. If the weapon has an on/off aspect such as the shield we have as an example, you can show its on/off states.

WinterSolstice.7829:Also for weapons with unique front details less visible from the side, should a perspective be icluded on the side of the same picture?

Pick the side that displays the most important part of your design. Generally, it should be the one displayed in the template example.

Emy Seth.7230:And once again: only those who’re living in countries from the list in the rules are allowed participation in contest?Yes, this is the list of eligible countries.

AegisRunestone.8672:At 72 dpi, what could be considered “printable” dimensions HxW in pixels?

The picture needs to be 300dpi minimum: “Image format must be of A4 size minimum, its resolution be sufficient for print (no less than 300dpi)”

Taobella.6597:question if we already own the wings in prize can we get a different one?

No, but you would be able to give us another account name to gift it to a friend.

Anna Leese.6031:if we submit more than one entry, are we allowed to make them all of the same theme as if they belonged in a set together?

Sure! Whether you make them belong to a potential same set or make them totally different is up to you.

Lanhelin.3480:What exactly does this sentence refer to?: No automated entry devices and/or programs are permitted; all such entries will be void.

The short answer would be : “no cheating”. These rules are general legal wording meant to cover many types of contests. I imagine the line you quoted would rather apply to a context such as having a music creation contest and a contestant trying to generate samples through an algorithm etc.

VonAdela.8624:I’m 3D-artis and I want create 3D concept of weapon in Blender, then render image to 2D, and use a PS to match a render picture to template sheet. Is this correct or maybe is too realistic? At last finall result is still a 2D.

No problem with that as long as you submit a digital 2D image in the end. The technique you use to render that is up to you.

Lanhelin.3480:I read a few other rule sets of contests from other companies where this sentence appears and it always refers to registration processes for sweepstakes and things like that, to void entries by bots.

That too ;).

Iridium.6385:That’s strange. The rules seem to state that the weapons should be completely different. "Any entry submitted by a Contestant must be substantially different (as determined by Sponsors) than any other entry submitted by same Contestant. " Did I misunderstand the quote?

Weapons using a same theme are still different weapons. This line just means that you can’t submit several times the same entry and expect it to be treated as individual entries. In any case, belonging to the sponsors’ team, I can say that weapons belonging to a same theme are okay for us.

Iridium.6385:I am now also interested in what happens if a person submits 3 entries and becomes a finalist. Does only one entry get chosen for the finals or all 3?

We don’t pick 20 finalists, as in entities. We pick 20 finalists, as in 20 entries.

aandiarie.7195::( I have a weapon I want to submit, but my zip program doesn’t work. Can I have someone submit it for me?

You should not submit a zip. Zips are considered void by default. Your file should be .JPG or .PNG or .PSD and be light enough to fit the requirements.

hugo.4705:I drew by myself weapons in 2D

Then it’s okay. You’re not using a bot or a script to cheat.

Thelia.6540:So my question is, can I cancel out the newer entry, by adding another “erratum” to the end of the newest (third) file name, essentially making it ‘…erratumerratum’, or should I just give up already? xD

Just write “erratum2”

Elve.1278:Still unsure about the limits to particle effects. My design has an on-off aspect, where it is a Bow handle, but when equipped particles fan out to complete the design. Is that considered legendary status particles? I’m worried my submission will be disqualified.

That seems ok, particules wise.

Akira.6072:If you download the zip, there is a template with the dwayna weapon concepts and the blue lines are pretty general.

Again, blue lines are a guideline you can take some liberties with.

Hi guys,

After looking at the current submissions, a few reminders:

• Don't forget the line of information you're supposed to add in a corner of the picture (Name.1234, e-mail, country). We will hide them for the poll when voting for the finalists, but this line is still very important.
• No entry should be submitted as a set. Each weapon design must be uploaded separatly as a single weapon.
• PDF is not a format accepted for this contest.

If you happen to have made one of the mistakes above, please feel free to re-upload your entry once fixed, and add "erratum" at the end of the name of the file.

Do you think that is for or against the rules to, after submiting the designs, share them on social media/reddit/facebook etc before the winner is announced?Do you think that is for or against the rules that, if you submit the design in .PSD format, that the file includes extra disabled layers with process images (from initial concept to final design) or weapon effects? Can disabled layers disqualify you from the contest?

As stated in the rules, the designs should not be posted publicly until the deadline: "may not have been previously published". I have nothing against multiple layers. But the easier you make it, the better.

I created a weapon concept and posted it on forums due to being out of country... However, I didn’t think of it but somebody thought that they could have possibly acted as a proxy and entered for me. Is that possible? Or is it too late that I've submitted it here?

You shouldn't have posted it publicly if you meant to enter it as entry.