Ladies, Gentlemen and all my nonbinary friends, here we go again!

After my very first graphic war "Fantasy Island" back in 2022/2023, I knew I'd want to host another competition like that. But earlier this year, as I was figuring out what main project to launch for 2024, it didn't quite feel like the right time or opportunity for another graphic war just yet.

Tho, during recent discussions about some tweaks for my awards "The Graphys" with the staff and participants, the idea of mini contests came up. And that's when a lightbulb moment hit me — leading to a few all-nighters that resulted in a full-on storyline and concept for a new competition. So what else can I do but act on it?

This has been the most fun I've had preparing a project in a long time and I'm super stoked to introduce it to you! So in this chapter, we'll talk about the following:

First and foremost, let's take a quick peek at what awaits us in this competition: we want to solve a murder mystery... or not... that actually depends on the narrative you choose.

## THE SCHEDULE
This competition is a long-term event, set to run for approximately 6 months. I know, it might sound like a marathon — but trust me, I've mapped out a schedule that keeps things moving without dragging on. With so many design events overlapping, I've made sure there's enough time to tackle all potential tasks at hand.

For all the nitty-gritty details, check out the schedule overview further down this chapter and stay in the loop with any updates shared in the next chapter.

## THE TASKS
Let's talk about what exactly you're signing up for. Throughout this project, you can expect design tasks to take the center stage, with occasional writing bits thrown into the mix (for one round at least) to keep things interesting. Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to birth literary masterpieces. You won't need to write novels — just a few blurbs and reports should do the trick, unless you're up for more, of course. Because, let's be real, staring at blank canvases on repeat can only take you so far without a breather or a change of pace or going insane.

When it comes to design tasks, photo manipulation and vectors/illustrations may be the go-to tools for most, but you can also explore blends and collages if you'd like to do so. These tasks are open to creators of all levels, from beginners to seasoned pros. Your imagination is the only limit.

## STORY & BUTTERFLY EFFECTS
Let's spice things up with some interactive elements. While I may introduce a certain framework for the story, you'll have the chance to personalize your journey, as your choices will be the driving force behind the mystery's outcome. You'll have the opportunity to choose from different narratives, with each one influencing the tasks you receive, tailored to specific narrative details.

## SCORES & ELIMINATIONS
With so much freedom for interpretation tied to various narratives and outcomes of the story, there are bound to be both perks and drawbacks. For this competition, the scoring system and judging criteria will be rather laid-back, keeping things relaxed. There won't be any eliminations throughout the process, except possibly at the start to balance the number of participants. Rest assured, I'll still give you proper feedback to acknowledge your hard work and creative efforts.

## PARTICIPANTS & WINNERS
I'll introduce two base narratives (with up to three sub-narratives each later on) and aim to have an equal number of participants for each narrative to form teams. Don't worry, it doesn't mean you'll always need to create collaborative material. There's only one round that requires you to directly work with each other, but how you organize and approach it within your team is entirely up to you. It's a delicate balance of working together and yet against each other.

In the end, we'll have four categories of winners: the best team score, the best overall individual score and the best individual scores for participants aligned with narrative "A" and narrative "B."

## REWARDS
When it comes to rewarding the winners, I prefer to keep things open-ended. Every participant who wishes to receive one will be offered a respective sticker and the winners will receive public promotions. However, I'd like to work closely with the winners to customize the rewards based on their interests and preferences.

## COMMUNICATION
It's not required, but having Discord for communication would make things a lot easier, since Wattpad ditched DMs. No worries tho, if Discord isn't your thing, we can also work with Google Forms, use Instagram or stick to Wattpad's comment sections and message boards to stay in touch.

## DISCORD, PINTEREST & SPOTIFY
Hop on over to my Discord server, "The Egg Farm," where we've got a special forum just for this event. It's a casual space for participants and spectators to mingle and chat. Additionally, I've curated a Pinterest board and a somewhat chaotic playlist on Spotify to help set the mood, ignite inspiration and provide a glimpse into the creative process behind this event.

It's important to note that none of them are mandatory and engaging with these platforms doesn't provide any perks or disadvantages — it's simply a way to enhance your experience. You can find them below and linked in the comments.

Discord ➜ https://discord.gg/au3kGhbBdH
Pinterest ➜ https://pin.it/Ch2XTpahZ
Spotify ➜ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6WnRiIx2mYAVNnBB317ZaN?si=3Z7o3Iv1SwSKrS82EXgdjA

## EXTRAS ON THE SIDELINES
If you couldn't jump into the main event or discover this long after it ended, don't you worry — you can still join in on the fun! Feel free to create something inspired by any of the prompts and share your works with me by tagging or directly reaching out. I shall try and work out a special little showcase for "the sidelines" so to say, to feature creations made outside the official competition.

Well, that's about all I can spill without giving away the whole shebang. So, I guess all that's left is for me to ask you to trust me on this. Pretty please!

Now, let's shift gears to cover some basic rules and disclaimers that you've probably heard me mention a dozen times before.

*If the rules are a bit tricky to decipher on the image, you can find them in good old text form as an in-line comment here.

## FICTIONAL NATURE
Just a heads-up, while this murder mystery game delves into themes of violence and crime, it's crucial to handle any discussions and content with the needed care, steering clear of glorifying or romanticizing these elements. Keep in mind that all aspects of this project are entirely fictional.

## USE OF WORKS/CONTENT
You are strictly prohibited from using, saving, copying, recreating, reposting, redistributing, printing, selling, or claiming as your own any content (text & images) within this project, from me or the participants. If you wish to use our works, be sure to get permission from me or the respective creators. Violation of these rules will be seen as a breach of our copyrights and will be handled legally.

## TAKING INSPIRATION
If you find inspiration in any of the project's material (text & images) and wish to create something based on it, kindly contact me and/or the respective participant. Any violation of this may be seen as a breach of copyrights by me or the respective creator and may be (legally) addressed accordingly.

Speaking of inspiration: I'd love to highlight some incredible creators and projects, that helped fueling my brainstorming for all this. It's kind of the bare minimum, and yet, it seems some folks just keep missing that mark.

First things first, big thanks to my beloved Kato ( @plutointhestars ) for tossing out the idea of mini contests to go along with my awards. If it weren't for that nudge, I might've never started thinking about prompts and all this would've probably slipped through the grasp of my two very much struggling brain cells.

Next in line in would be my own previous graphic war „Fantasy Island", which laid the foundation for shaping the overall structure of this project — from the schedule to storytelling and character creation. So, don't be surprised if you spot a few (lot) similarities here and there.

The idea, to weave some writing into the tasks of this competition, was inspired by @GraphicSilly 's „Wraphic 2021". It's such an interesting concept and I hope we may see them come back for another round at some point in the future!

Now, I can't say for certain if Andy ( @Mr_Tara_Nath ) was the first to delve into this territory, but it was his past portfolio, "Mingshi", that introduced me to combining rhymes and puzzles with design and storytelling. Following suit, @Xerophthalmia later incorporated a similar approach into her graphic war "Neverland", adding these elements into side quests and extra scores. That marks the last time I recall puzzles and riddles being actively featured in design related projects actually.

Moreover, a nod to @AngeBlancRose for her side event in the project "Ensnare", which sparked the idea of inviting bystanders to create inspired works based on the murder mystery, even outside the official schedule and competition. Welcoming contributions with the chance to be showcased alongside the main event.

As always, a special shoutout to my dear friend Vani ( @VANiVOO ) for her works "Food Fight" and "Guess What?", which served as inspiration for some of the visuals and formatting in this project.

Any additional resemblances between this project and others are purely coincidental. However, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me at any time!

Before I drop the application form in your hands, let's have a more detailed look at the schedule of this competition:

The training round, as well as all "regular" rounds, will allow you three weeks to work on and submit your entries. Following the submission period, I will have two weeks dedicated to judging and reviewing all entries.

For the finale, there will be an extended period of three weeks of judging, reviewing and prepping all necessities for the winner announcements.

July 14th up to August 11th, promotions take place and applications open up for you to join „a murder of crows".

August 12th up to August 31st, the training round takes place and accepts your entry submissions. Everyone who signed up prior to this can participate.

September 2nd up to September 15th, will be reserved for judging entries and providing minor deadline extensions.

* technically judging starts on September 1st, but it was difficult to properly edit/depict it on the calendar

On September 16th, the first „actual" round gets introduced and will start accepting your entry submissions.

Up to October 12th, you can submit your entries for round one.

October 14th up to October 25th, will be reserved for judging entries and providing minor deadline extensions.

On October 28th, the second round will be launched and starts accepting your entry submissions.

Up until November 17th, you'll be able to submit your entries for round two.

November 18th up to November 24th, will be reserved for judging entries and providing minor deadline extensions.

On November 25th, the third round will be posted and starts accepting your entry submissions.

Up to December 15th, you can hand in your entries for the third round.

December 16th up to December 29th, will be reserved for judging entries and providing minor deadline extensions.

On December 30th, the grande finale will get introduced to you and starts accepting your entry submissions.

Up until January 19th, you'll be able to hand in your entries for the final round.

Starting on January 20th, judging of your entries will start and provide room for minor deadline extensions.

On February 9th, judging and prepping for winner announcements will end.

February 10th up to February 12th, winners will be announced through respective batches (team scores, individual scores and respective narrative scores).

Last but not least, let me introduce you to the application form:

Please drop your Social Media handles (@) for platforms like Wattpad, Discord, Instagram, Pinterest, DeviantArt or any others you use, along with a nickname you prefer to go by.

Additionally, please let me know if you'd prefer to embark on the detective's journey or step into the suspect's shoes. While I can't reveal too many spoilers at this stage, your narrative choice will influence the tasks and outcomes within the storyline.

*Please do share a brief overview of the experiences you've gained so far, mainly for designing (& also writing if possible). Remember, this competition is open to all, regardless of your skill level. I'm genuinely just curious about what you've dabbled in or would like to explore.

**I'd love to hear about your workspace setup. What devices, software or programs do you work with? Remember, your tools won't affect your performance in the competition, but sharing this information helps me tailor the tasks to suit everyone's working environment.

Lastly, please tag at least 3 fellow creators who might be intrigued to join us on this murder mystery. Let's keep the tags useful tho and avoid spam-tagging random Wattpad users. Thank you!

!! DISCLAIMER: as previously mentioned, we need an even number of participants for both narratives. The final limit is now set at 22 overall applicants. Below, you'll find an overview of the number of applications received for each narrative so far. This serves as a rough reference but should not restrict your decision-making!

Please drop down all your application details in one neat comment right here.

And if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me directly.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
© eggyeuls, 2024