the_plateau | CONTEST SPECTACULAR!

POKEMON CONTEST SPECTACULAR!

Come one, come all! After the success of the previous Contest Spectaculars, this proud Hoenn tradition has made its return to the Johto-Kanto peninsula!

Enjoyed by breeders and battlers alike, Pokemon Contests are a chance to show off a Pokemon's moves and skills away from the battlefield. So get yourself and your Pokemon all dressed up and start coming up with routines that are sure to be crowd-pleasers!

This time around, in the spirit of the season, the contest authorities that be have decided to introduce a twist… contestants will now have the opportunity to enter two Pokemon performing an act together!

SO HOW'S THIS GOING DOWN?

ICly: On the 11th, an EV news broadcast will announce the upcoming Contest Spectacular in Celadon, where interested trainers can go to either watch the contest or sign up to join. Characters will then have some time to choose which Pokemon they enter with and practice an act or routine to perform, until the 15th when the performances begin!
OOCly: This event is, essentially, a light writing contest! All participants will submit a written description of their contest entry (including both details about their Pokemon's appearance/costume as well as the act itself). On the 17th, submissions will close and players will vote on their favorites!

TIMELINE:

February 11th: The EV News broadcast announcing the event!
February 15th-17th: A log for the Contest will be posted on the 15th, with a pre-posted section for submitting entries. ICly, all participating trainers will have arrived in Celadon, checked in and received their scheduled time and day, and the Contest will begin! Performances will run each of the three days from noon till 7.
February 18th-22nd: ICly, the event will be over and characters may head home or stay in town as they please! OOCly, this will be when everyone casts their votes! The winner(s) will be announced after midnight on the 22nd!

THE DETAILS

WHAT WILL EACH CONTEST ENTRY CONSIST OF?

There will be three required sections:

1. A chosen category (Cute, Cool, Tough, Clever, or Beauty)
2. A description of how the Pokemon and trainer are dressed and groomed-- costumes are HUGE in Pokemon Contests, so don't be afraid to let out your inner fashion designer!
3. A description of the act that they present to the audience and judges onstage. The act should feature or be structured around the use of a specific Pokemon move.

The "Costume" section should be kept between 100-500 words, while the "Act" section can be anywhere between 100-1000 words. No one should feel pressured to meet the maximum wordcount; it's just there to make sure that there's plenty of wiggle-room for creativity!

For anyone who’s stuck, or wasn’t around for previous contests, take a peek at last January and August’s entries for inspiration!

HOW WILL THE ENTRIES BE JUDGED/VOTED FOR?

Last time, the solution to the “cascading ties” issue seemed to work just fine, so we will be using that method again. Rather than just voting for your favorite overall, each voter will rank their top-three choices in each category. Each rank will have a point value, and the entries with the most overall “points” at the end of voting will be declared the winners of their category. Like last time, each "theme" category will have a single winner, and the Grand Prize for best entry overall will have tiers of first, second, and third place.

As this contest will be decided by the players, it ultimately just comes down to voting for whatever you liked the most. However, a couple of things should be taken into account while casting your votes:

How well do the costumes match the act?
How well do the costumes and act combined match the category they picked?

But ultimately, the most important thing of all is whether or not you felt the entry was creative and fun to read!

When all the votes are cast, "Grand Prize" will go to whoever got the most points, second place will go to whoever got the most after them, etc. For the individual categories, the prize will go to whoever received the most points in that category, UNLESS that person qualified for first, second, or third in the Grand Prize category! In the event that someone who won their category also placed for the Grand Prizes, the "Best in Category" title/prize will go to the next person after them.

*IF MY CHARACTER IS A CONTEST PARTICIPANT, CAN THEY STILL VOTE?

Yes, however they may not vote in the category that they themselves participated in. For example, a character who performed in the "Cool" category may place votes in "Cute", "Tough", "Clever", and "Beauty", but not in "Cool". In the poll, there will be a selectable option for “This was my category” for those who need it, to make sure all the numbers add up accurately.

And for the “Best in Show” category, anyone can vote!

IS VOTING IC OR OOC? CAN PEOPLE WHOSE CHARACTERS AREN’T PRESENT AT THE CONTEST STILL VOTE?

Voting is OOC, as ICly, the PC characters are not involved in the judging. So you are absolutely not required to vote for who your character would vote for! Voting is also open to everyone in the game, not just those present at the event.

OKAY, SO THE VOTING IS OOC! BUT WHAT IF A CONTEST ENTRY IS SUPER WELL-WRITTEN AND CREATIVE, BUT WOULD DEFINITELY BE DISQUALIFIED FROM AN IC STANDPOINT?

We love funny, disastrous escapades as much as anybody! However, after a certain somebody cunningly scrabdoodled his way into first-place, the IC judging panel faced some heat from angry Contest fans! As a result, they were forced to make some changes.

Going forward, any entry that ICly involves massive property destruction or deliberate and obvious rule-breaking on the part of the trainer or their Pokemon will be disqualified from placing in the Contest. Even if we can’t read them without cracking up!

By all means, if your character is the type to attempt to cheat the system or accidentally unleash a Rhydon stampede through the audience and you’re in it for the fun and not the prizes, have fun writing it up and share the shenanigans! But the entry will not be eligible for an IC prize (except for perhaps the notoriety that comes with now being known to everybody as the Rhydon Guy).

WHAT IF SOMEONE HAS ALREADY WON PREVIOUS CONTESTS?

While we don’t want to keep anyone from participating, we’ve also decided to implement a “cooldown” policy: anybody who has won a top prize previously will not be eligible to win that same prize for the next contest, although they may absolutely participate and submit an entry for fun! So, for example, if someone won the Cool contest last time, they would not be able to win it again, and if someone won the Grand Prize, they would not be eligible for the overall categories. This cooldown period will last for one contest.

SO WHAT SHOULD AN "ACT" CONSIST OF, AND HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE IT MATCHES A CATEGORY?

The sky really is the limit here-- in the interest of letting everybody stretch their legs creatively, we're not going to be glued to the video game mechanics. So, an act can be almost anything! A barrel-racing Zebstrika is just as valid as a tutu-wearing Clefairy doing ballet.

An act can be a display of skill, a comedy skit, an athletic performance... we want to see it all! However, as stated above, it should 1. match the category picked, and 2. be structured around a Pokemon move.

For example, the barrel-racing Zebstrika may be using Flame Charge for speed and 'wow' effect, and probably fits the "Cool" category. Meanwhile, the Clefairy ballerina could use Moonlight for atmospheric lighting and be a serious contender for the "Beauty" category!

HOW WILL THE TWO POKEMON PER ACT GIMMICK WORK?

First off, the two Pokemon MUST be owned by the same character. We’re sure that there are tons of Pokemon friends and couples owned by two different trainers, but after consideration we decided that involving more than one player per act would probably cause more complications and issues than it was worth. Even though this is technically a Valentine’s gimmick, the two Pokemon do not have to be a romantic couple to participate, nor does their act have to be Valentine’s themed!

It should, however, be a single act where both parties complement each other, rather than just two Pokemon displaying two separate talents. It’s a joint act, not a shortcut for someone to get to enter the contest multiple times! The Pokemon in question should be using two moves, one move per Pokemon, and both should suit, or combine in a way that suits, the category! It is not necessary for the two moves to be a game-canon combo to be considered “complementing”, but looking through those combinations might give you some ideas!

(NOTE: Entering two Pokemon is not REQUIRED for this contest, you can still enter single Pokemon acts as usual.)

SHOULD WE STICK TO THE MOVES' CONTEST-TYPES FROM THE VIDEO GAMES?

Yes and no! For anyone not familiar with the "Contest-type" of Pokemon moves, every single move and its corresponding Contest category are listed here on Bulbapedia! Traditionally, every single move corresponds to one of the five Contest categories, and it's definitely a great foundation for people to work off of while choosing their moves and planning their acts!

HOWEVER, as creativity is what this event is all about, we won't be requiring anyone to stick hard and fast to the move-types so long as the act successfully pulls off its category. For example, Mystical Fire is traditionally a "Beauty" move-- but if someone's precious, fluffy little Braixen in a teeny tiny witch's hat uses it onstage to brew a "magical potion" that turns out to be hot chocolate, excluding it from the "Cute" category would basically be illegal.

Follow your heart and let your imaginations run free!

HOW INVOLVED SHOULD MY CHARACTER BE IN THEIR POKEMON'S ACT?

Obviously, a good Pokemon Contest performance involves impeccable coordination between the trainer and their Pokemon. So it's safe to say that the trainer should be involved to some degree. Whether it's directing the Pokemon, helping with props, or even playing a smaller role in the act, the bond between trainer and Pokemon is what will truly make an act shine! However, the Pokemon itself really should be the star of the show. For example, a magic act where you pull your Buneary out of a hat is more about the trainer, but a magic act where your Buneary pulls you out of a hat is about the Pokemon!

HOW DOES A CHARACTER SIGN UP FOR THE CONTEST?

It's fine to handwave the signing-up process-- ICly, they can either sign up in person at the site of the event if they're close by, or submit a video introducing themselves and their Pokemon ahead of time. Anyone trying to sign up on the spot after the performances have already been started will be turned away, though! This stuff takes a lot of coordination!

OOCly, all you need to do is drop your entries in once the submissions officially open.

WHAT KINDS OF ACCOMMODATIONS CAN A PARTICIPATING CHARACTER EXPECT?

Every trainer participating in the Contest will receive free transportation if they require it (an official Fly Pokemon will pick them up, or if they're in Kanto, they'll receive a free single-use two-way pass for the Magnet Train. They'll also receive guaranteed (and generously discounted) lodgings for the duration of the event when they officially check in and get registered. However, it is ultimately their responsibility to arrive on time-- if they show up late with Sawsbucks and miss their own scheduled performance, that's just not cool! Avoid travel stress, get there early!

WILL OUR CHARACTERS BE THE ONLY PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THIS CONTEST? WHAT ABOUT NPCs?

NPCs and their Pokemon will definitely be participating, and in huge numbers, too! But don't worry; ICly player characters will only be competing against each other, not the NPCs.

There are a number of reasons that the Contest Spectacular was interested in expanding into Johto/Kanto, but a big one was the fact that these are the only regions boasting a population of trainers literally from other worlds! So player characters will be competing in their own special category, which will actually be hyped up pretty heavily by the press. They can expect to draw a huge crowd!

WILL MEGA EVOLUTION INCREASE MY STANDING IN THE CONTEST? WHAT ABOUT ENTERING A SHINY POKEMON?

It depends on how well they're incorporated into the act! Remember, the winners will be chosen by ooc popular vote for their creativity, so the entries really won't be judged based on mechanics or who has the rarest Pokemon. Feel free to assume that shinies or Mega Evolution will get a big response from the audience ICly, though.

WHAT WILL THE PRIZES BE?

A Contest Spectacular calls for spectacular prizes! Eight characters total will qualify for a special prize, while everyone else will receive a small participation prize.

GRAND PRIZE: The three top-placing trainers overall will receive a variation on three things! The first-place winner gets all three! Second place may pick two out of the three. Third place may pick one out of the three. All three places will also receive a very impressive trophy!

A Shiny Pokemon of your choice, donated by an NPC breeder who volunteered to team up with the winning trainer(s) and take on the project of breeding a specific shiny for them.
A re-usable TM of your choice, from any generation.
An Ability-Changing candy.

CATEGORY PRIZES: The top-placing trainer in each single category will receive one of these prizes!

Cute: A Destiny Knot, a Pink Scarf, and a trophy. If a two-Pokemon act wins, there will be an additional prize of Rose Incense.
Cool: An Expert Belt, a Red Scarf, and a trophy. If a two-Pokemon act wins, there will be an additional prize of Luck Incense.
Tough: An Assault Vest, a Yellow Scarf, and a trophy. If a two-Pokemon act wins, there will be an additional prize of Rock Incense.
Clever: A Big Root, a Green Scarf, and a trophy. If a two-Pokemon act wins, there will be an additional prize of Odd Incense.
Beauty: A Bright Powder, a Blue Scarf, and a trophy. If a two-Pokemon act wins, there will be an additional prize of Wave Incense.

PARTICIPATION PRIZES: Everyone who participated but did not place will receive these!

A box of the finest Pokeblocks and Poffins
A fancy ribbon for the participating Pokemon to show off.
If it was a two-Pokemon act, the Pokemon will receive a pair of matching T-shirts (available in various sizes from Caterpie to Rhydon!) with “I’m with ______” and “_______” captions.

WHAT IF MY CHARACTER DOESN'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTEST? WILL THERE STILL BE THINGS TO DO?

Absolutely! You gotta go cheer for your friends onstage, right? While normal attendees will not have their travel costs compensated, it's still a big event that's drawing an audience from all over both regions. In addition to watching the performances themselves, there will also be tons of food carts, merch stalls, games, and even mini professional photo-sets where your Pokemon can dress up in rented contest costumes set up outside the building. Of course, a lot of the merch will feature Hoenn Contest celebrities that nobody has heard of, but still! SWAG! As a matter of fact, excitingly, characters can even find merch of past winners! (And said winners, if they’re still around, can expect to see some cash royalties coming their way from the use of their likeness!)

After the success of the last contests, organizers have also put together something of a Midway where attendees will be able to test themselves and/or their Pokemon in a variety of fun activities and games. If your character doesn’t have exactly the same types of Pokemon featured in these, don’t worry! As long as they have a similar Pokemon, they can send that one in instead (ex: Run Rattata Run can be played just as well by a Zigzagoon or a Patrat!). These games aren’t being judged and prizes can be assumed to be standard cheap fair prizes (or cash, if your character is the type to do some sneaky betting), they’re just more to do and see for folks attending the event.

Being that the event is back in Celadon City, Gym Leader Erika and her entourage are also going to have a greenhouse set up to showcase a wide variety of their renowned plants and flowers, including a number of ornamental houseplants and bonsais for sale! It's a good place to duck inside to escape the February cold, learn a little about botany, and maybe even take home a few (inanimate) friends!

Contest participants are also free to enjoy all the hustle and bustle if they can tear themselves away from practicing their routines long enough!

ANYTHING ELSE?

Ask any questions you have here, or take a look at the previous Contest questions. You can also feel free to plot amongst each other in this post. As an additional note, we want to remind everyone to be mature and respectful to one another, win or lose. We’re all here to have fun!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ask 'em here!

ODD QUESTION

Would Erika still be doing Gym battles? I had the thought Marco might try to challenge her since he's pretty sure he can steamroll her.

But since he wouldn't normally be able to get to Celadon and she's running an event, I wanted to check!

Sorry for the delay here-- but yes, if anyone needed to challenge the Celadon Gym, Erika would still be available!

CONTEST SPECTACULAR!

QUESTIONS

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Re: QUESTIONS