SILVER COAST:
Avatar/ Original Character Design Contest

Silver Coast
“Welcome prospect magus and wizards, to the prestigious Silver Coast Academy. Here you shall be honed into the adepts you were destined to be. Come now everyone, let your journey begin…”

Greetings:
I am Ross William Orille, Conceptual Artist and 3d Gameart Character Modeller. I have an online portfolio here [link] I am looking to expand my 3d character portfolio and I am looking for creativity here in gaia. In this light, I am opening this Avatar/Original Character design contest.

As the title implies, this contest is creating you own character for the Silver Coast using your gaia avatar. I figured gaia has a wide array of possibilities when it comes to customizing avatar characters. So go wild be creative. Just make sure you follow the rules I’ll be outlining.

I. RULES AND GUIDELINES

A. Participants:
Any member of gaia could join. This is open to all members regardless of how many years you have been on Gaia. So long as you have a working avatar, you are a suitable participant.

B. Items:
Any equipment items in Gaia could be used. I suggest however that entire equipment sets be minimized. These sets have already conceptually been premade and using these things just impede on your creative. Two forms of say, mythril armor could be combined with other items, but don’t use the whole set.

Also, I understand that there may be willing participants who desire a certain avatar design but lack the items for them. I encourage sharing by the more experienced playing for the contest.

I have decided to allow the use of tektek.org for this one. So go wild icon_biggrin.gif.

C. The Characters:
Silver Coast is a prestige academy of wizardry and military arts. Choose which field to take and flourish in. Note that it is possible to take up to two fields for your character, say a Paladin-Elementalist. Think as well of a back story for the character. Be creative. That’s the key. But please, for crying out loud no cosplaying. Cosplays would automatically be disqualified.

These are the colleges and classes from which you could choose to build your character. Read the short description for some insight on the classes.

i. College: Seminary and Convent of White Magic
This college produces the best magic healers and white spellcasters. Gifted with infinite benevolence and selflessness, Priests and Priestesses have the closest connections with the Creator, and they are empowered by both faith and prayer.
Classes: Priest, Priestess

ii. College: Temple of Spectrum Elemental Magic
The elementalists are adept users of the four natural elements, earth, fire, wind and water. Recently however, a new mystical element has been discovered, ether.
Class: Earth Elementalist, Fire Elementalist, Wind Elementalist, Water Elementalist, Ether Elementalist

iii. College: Temple of the Mystical Magic
Mystics, or illusionists as some would call them, possess abilities to alter perception and reality. Rumors float around that they can even alter the fabric of time itself. As they always cover themselves with cloaks and masks, they alienate even those who are close to them.
Class: Mystic

iv. College: Temple of Conjuration Magic
Conjurers are those gifted with the ability to communicate with spirits and other creatures of magic known as espers. They are a mysterious bunch, second only to the Mystics. Unlike the necromancers however, conjurers keep their sanity intact, as the spirits they summon are noble and willing.
Class: Spirit Summoner, Esper Summoner

v. College: Tribal Council of the Shaman
Shaman magic is slightly similar to that of the Conjurer. They do however focus on spirits of beasts. Shamans are often seen with one or two beasts. The beast and the shaman share a mutual respect with each other. There two classes of Shaman. First is the Animist, in which the shaman uses the beast’s strength infused with his/her own. Werewolves are a perfect example of this. The second is the Beastmaster, a shaman who fights alongside his/her beast.
Class: Animist, Beastmaster

vi. College: School of the Ancients
Scholars are well known for their studies of ancient technologies and magic. This is one of two colleges in which a background in magic is not required, the other being the Silver Sword Corps. They are more inclined towards experimentation and research. The best known class of scholars are the Alchemists, who have the ability to alter and enchant materials to the atomic level.
Class: Alchemist, Gadgeteer, Archeologist, Bard

vii. College: Silver Sword Corps of Cadets
“The Sword Corps” is the military branch of the academy. It has the responsibility of producing the best soldiers who are willing to protect and serve. This is one of two colleges that do not require innate magic.
Class; Swordmaster Infantry, Swordmaster Cavalry, Spearmaster Infantry, Spearmaster Cavalry, Bowmaster, Crossbowmaster, Riflemaster, Pistolmaster, Weaponmaster Infantry, Weaponmaster Cavalry, Martial Arts Master

viii. College: Silver Dagger Corps of Cadets
“The Dagger Corps” is a top secret branch of the military. Unlike the Sword Corps, Dagger requires a bit of innate mystic magic ability, as it produces the best assassins and scouts.
Class: Assassin, Ninja, Marksman, Thief, Scout

D. Submissions
Your entries have to pm’d to me in gaia, AFP 001 Gundam Magdalo with this title format: Silver Coast Contest: (name of your character). It should be the name of your character and not your gaia username.

The content of the entry should be in this format:

{pictures of the avatar both back and front view}

Name: [of the character]
Age: [of the character ]
College: [note: you can provide two here]
Class: [note: you can provide up to four here]
Description: [a short description of at least 3 sentences should suffice]

E. The Prize
Ah so here’s the biggest deal eh? The prize. Well I’ll get to the point. The one I dub the winner will receive this package.

1. 20,000 gaia gold (this is just a bonus actually eheh)
2. A gameart 3d conceptual art set for their avatar, a package worth more than 10 million gaia gold.
a. Conceptual Sketch - A sketch drawing I’d use for basis for modelling the avatar in 3d
b. 3d Presentation Shot – Full 3d renders of both back and front view of the character
c. 3d Posed Shot – A posed render of the character in action
d. 3d Detail Shot – Blow up renders of details
e. 3d Construction Shot – A supplement render of how I did the model
3. Some Bragging Rights… ehehehe

F. Deadline for Submission
The deadline for submitting avatar designs would be the end of the month, November 30, 2009. The winner would be announced and awarded two weeks after that.

Hope to see your entries over and out.