Question: What's a 'good' prize?

[Akasha]

Now that, finally, I am getting back on top of everything (here and in RL) after the house move, it's time to start getting back into the monthly guide competitions as well as kick off some other things I've got lined up.

One thing I've noticed with the guide competitions however, is that so far, not that many people have submitted entries. This has led me to ask myself if perhaps I was not offering a worthy enough incentive. Currently I've been making available Jinx T-Shirts or gamecards, but perhaps that's not what people like?

So I'm wanting some feedback please. What do you think are 'good' prizes for a competition? Bear in mind that they can't get too expensive as all prizes come out of very anorexic purse heh.

[Mazmorgul]

TBH, I think Jinx T-Shirts and gamecards are spot on.

[fresnosmokey]

I wonder if the issue isn't the prize(s), but the fact that there are so many good guides already out there.

[mavric240]

Akasha you could be giving away a brand new car of my choosing but that however would not affect my participation in a "writing" contest. I for one am not a writer, I have no passion for writing. But for those that do write but just need a little something to motivate them, maybe the prize should reflect that passion in someway. Maybe offer a "gift certificate" to Amazon Books or Barnes & Noble or Starbucks. I think the very fact that you are even concerned reflects well on you. Anything that you offer (and out of your own pocket non the less), I'm sure will be welcomed by those of the Den and would be just fine.

[badkarma138]

Guides take a long time to write, which a lot of people won't bother with regardless of whats offered. The last guide contest, which boiled down to an entire guide on how to raid as a warlock and had to encompass a lot of information, had 3 entries which I thought was a lot. I don't think there is anything wrong with the prizes offered; I think they are very generous actually.

**edited to add
mavric mentioned non-wow related prizes, which when I think about it makes a lot of sense. I know, speaking for myself, I was not really interested in the prizes but if a $15 or $20 (or whatever the value if what you offer as a prize now) amazon.com cert had been offered I probably would have taken it. I guess offering something like that depends on how you get the prizes that you award (im pretty sure it is an out of pocket expense to you though, not sponsored)

having said that, many folks wrote guides before prizes were awarded, and I am pretty sure even if nothing was offered you would still get some submissions.

[mcgee84]

Originally Posted by fresnosmokey

I wonder if the issue isn't the prize(s), but the fact that there are so many good guides already out there.

Yeah, it's hard to imagine there are a whole lot of topics that haven't already either been covered in great detail, or are so specific and esoteric as to have both a limited audience, and even more limited writers' pool. But maybe that's just my uncaffeinated brain lazing out on me.

[Kroog]

How about an 8 x 10 signed picture of the Den's creator Akasha

I think you should ask some of the past winners to see if they enjoyed their rewards or would they have liked something else?

~ Kroog

[Umbralpuff]

Originally Posted by mcgee84

Yeah, it's hard to imagine there are a whole lot of topics that haven't already either been covered in great detail, or are so specific and esoteric as to have both a limited audience, and even more limited writers' pool. But maybe that's just my uncaffeinated brain lazing out on me.

I can't speak for anyone else, but there's a lot that I'll do for a t-shirt

In regard to there being lots of guides out there.....

It's going to be a long path to my point so bear with me.

I have a 61 UD priest that I started...oh...about 3.5 years go, and I'm kind of, sort of, getting back to him. What I've noticed, however, is that I feel like I've just completely messed up his gear, talent, profession, and reputation progression to the point that I'm wondering if it would just be better to start over. With all the changes the've made to make leveling eaiser it might be better to start from scratch with a very specific plan in mind.

Perhaps one could make such a guide for the returning warlock looking to make a fresh start. I see when I've searched there are talent progression suggestions along with gear progression, but one could tie those into suggested quests and instance quests that provides the best exp and drops, etc. I see there are leveling guides in the Den Listing but they seem a littled dated. Perhaps they could be updated with new content and refocused for the returning player?

[mcgee84]

Originally Posted by Umbralpuff

Perhaps one could make such a guide for the returning warlock looking to make a fresh start. I see when I've searched there are talent progression suggestions along with gear progression, but one could tie those into suggested quests and instance quests that provides the best exp and drops, etc. I see there are leveling guides in the Den Listing but they seem a littled dated. Perhaps they could be updated with new content and refocused for the returning player?

I can't speak for the -returning- lock, but I did recently finishing leveling up my first (lock and char (Am I the only one who -hates- the term 'toon', even if it has a clever origin?)).

[Debuff]

I'm not sure if this is necessarily incentive or not (considering that those who submit probably already have it) but perhaps offer all who submit one that is reasonable enough to be considered will receive 1 month of the Subscriber's benefits here at the Den?