Are you participating in the Logo Contest?

[kurja]

I find it kind of surprising that the winners get basically nothing, especially when you consider how easy it would be to find something more substantial. There would be gift codes for KSP on Steam, free Kerbalizer, Shapeways figurine, printed coffee mugs...

A small Indie studio I have alpha tested stuff for even had their artists create a special cosmetic item for the winners of a fan-organized tournament. (Not exactly cheap if you have to create 4 versions, several LODs and QA the stuff with every new patch.)

I'm sure that Squad might be able to afford a bit more than somebody spending 3 minutes in a text editor as Thank You for fans who probably spend several hours on creating free content for KSP?

Well, I won't be participating anyway. Just some food for thought.

And there's so, so much worse stuff out there.. look at astronomy photographer of the year competition, entries through flickr and teh rules are:

By authorizing this link, you'll allow Astronomy Photographer of the Year to:

Access your Flickr account (including private content)

Upload, Edit, and Replace photos and videos in your account

Interact with other members' photos and videos (comment, add notes, favorite)

Often these competitions pretty much try to claim all present and future rights to your work and in exchange the artist maybe gets his name mentioned on a website or something. Really need to think twice before agreeing to terms like that...

[allmappedout]

Part of me wanted to join, but I imagine that might've brought around some problems

I'd love to have seen some of your designs Nova!

PS: I'm probably being pretty noobish here - is there any place we can see the design submissions, or are they being privately judged by Squad?

[BagelRabbit]

Here's my pathetic li'l Sean's Cannery logo.

I'll try harder on the next one, I promise.

[fadermax]

I thought about it, even had some ideas... This is part of what I do for a living. I love KSP and it would be awesome to see something I made in-game officially...

But then I remembered one of my rules about never, ever, doing work for contests or working solely for exposure. Especially if IP and reproduction & royalty rights are being fully handed over.

I have a very jaded view about companies running contests for creative items that don't involve a long term job or contract, as in the contest is effectively a job application.

So, absolutely possess the skill set. Would rather spend my free time playing KSP and my work time getting paid.

I totally quote you... KSP is an awesome game, but it's not free and community based... it just has a good fanbase...

since it costs more than 20€ on purchasing by now, i feel any user-created content to be included in the officially sold game should be rewarded in some practical way... maybe not money, but something of interesting (i.e. KSP merchandising...)

[MR4Y]

I'm not interested in the "contest" for a few reasons, one of them being that there's no guarantee that these will be final, as SQUAD's disclaimer is clear that things are about to change and all that. Not even promissed features for future updates are granted to be implemented at all. Also, is there a reason for a marketing company to need people working for them for free? This all seems fishy. You barely have a somewhat functional core game(still in alpha) and it's aleready changing useless assets that are purely asthetic, like logos?

[niel kerstrong]

How do you view the logos others submitted?

[Trann]

...never, ever, doing work for contests or working solely for exposure. Especially if IP and reproduction & royalty rights are being fully handed over.

This is the best rule when design is your business. I'd do the same if mine were, too.

[Suko]

I'd like so much to participate, but at this moment I can't find the time to make something. Had it been in any other moment I would've done a couple of logos.

[FITorion]

I don't have the skills. I can take existing images and do things to them... but I can't create the base image as would be needed for licensing and trademark and all that legal mumbo jumbo for the contest.

[problemecium]

I can draw, but I haven't the motivation to make a logo for any of the listed companies.

[Castille7]

I am not. I have no solid ideas for them. I would need some more info on each of them to flesh out some ideas. Plus I do not really have the time. I did do some icons previously, but I do not think they are of the quality needed either...

Here are some things I have done.

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b514/yes753cac/tech_overview_zpsc2cb3572.png~original

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b514/yes753cac/subsystem_art_by_torham123-d5iko2k_zpsebeb9418.png~original

Edit: Sorry for the poster size pics

very impressive work! thanks for sharing those

[Castille7]

I am working on some, not sure how many yet, C7 Aerospace Division will be one of them

[Rowsdower]

Yes that's a bummer for me as well. I think they have something in mind since they ask for your country

We've actually talked about the potential for a little something extra, but we're going to take a harder look at it once the selections are made.

Based on a lot of the replies, I wonder if people could team up (idea guy with artist gal) to submit an idea? There's nothing on the line but virtual fame anyway...

There's nothing against the rules on that. Go for it.

So, absolutely possess the skill set. Would rather spend my free time playing KSP and my work time getting paid.

If you make a living off this type of work, and don't want to spend your time on an entry when you are typically paid for such a thing, that's more than fine.

I'm not interested in the "contest" for a few reasons, one of them being that there's no guarantee that these will be final, as SQUAD's disclaimer is clear that things are about to change and all that.

Barring final edits that will be made on the winning entries for quality, uniformity and to avoid any particular copyright/licensing issues, the winning logos will be *the* logos that stay in the game.

[The Destroyer]

"You may not vote for this poll." – What ? I participate and created 4 so far. The "price" is kinda low considering you kinda sell your soul to Squad which may discourage some other graphic artists. I plan to get an logo out for every company but the time may not be enough. So far it's fun though

You need at least 5 posts before you can do stuff. Anti-spam measure.

[MR4Y]

Barring final edits that will be made on the winning entries for quality, uniformity and to avoid any particular copyright/licensing issues, the winning logos will be *the* logos that stay in the game.

Exactly. You'll make free assets that will later be edited, or even edited out as SQUAD wishes to fit in the game. I now have even less interest than before.

[Nemrav]

I've found myself a little niche for small pixel art pictures like my avatar, but really at the same time it means im terrible with stuff bigger than the flag used in-game... I made some things, but seeing all the other submissions, I feel like I have no chance at all..... I never ever ever win any contests...

(grade 3 was the last time as I recall)....

oh well, now that ive made one, might as well submit...

[Rowsdower]

Exactly. You'll make free assets that will later be edited, or even edited out as SQUAD wishes to fit in the game. I now have even less interest than before.

How much editing do you think will happen? How would you prefer it?

[StrandedonEarth]

I know I have pretty much zilch in graphic design skills, but that didn't stop me from whipping up a simple logo. Sometimes simple is better.

[Astronaut]

I'm waiting for the next contest. I heard there's gonna be one where the reward will be having one of your craft included in the game as a default craft.

*insert diabolical cackle here of your choice*

I wonder how much the system requirements will go up if you win.

[Merinsan]

I would like to participate in the competition, but I simply suck at it.

[Brotoro]

I submitted five entries. Seems like enough.

[helaeon]

Here's what I'd like to see that would make it worth it, or at least tempting for no direct monetary prize or ongoing gig. And really the monetary prize, even if huge is a problem. Still essentially hiring a pile of designers then paying a couple or one.

1) Special one of a kind KSP tangible item that only the contest winners receive and will never be made again. There is value in things that no one else has or can get. The shapeways figure that was mentioned is a great idea, especially if it's special to that entry and still very KSP (like a Kerbal with a branded spacesuit with your winning logo).

If the next two were on the table I'd probably make an entry up for each company.

2) The ability to use that logo as part of your portfolio when looking for future work, and all other considerations required to make it a legitimate "exposure" deal. If the logo is not selected during the course of the contest, all rights return immediately back to the creator. This is where a lot of companies go wrong. If the exposure cannot be used to solicit other work or as an example of your work, or worse you lose rights to future work, absolutely not (like the astronomy photo example)! Losing rights to work that is not used is also brutal, because now you can't turn that work around and adapt it for a paying client.

3) Of course the winning designers should be listed in the credits for the reasons in #2 (this is about verification for a potential employer or client). Or it can be used by the company running the contest in the future with absolutely no compensation at all and zero recourse on the part of the designer.

4) Something that adds to KSP other than warm fuzzies. Like winners get all future expansions at no cost if they didn't get in before the buy in deadline. People who made part of it and helped add polish shouldn't ever find themselves in the position of whether they want to keep buying in or not. They're in they get absolutely everything the game offers if the day comes there are parts packs, or cosmetic things, or whatever else is the trend in getting a bit more money out of a game. This one alone would probably be worth a couple of entries as well.

These would most especially apply to modders who's awesome work find their way into the stock build.

I don't worry so much about the editing part if the above are in play. It's then the client's logo to do with what they will if it's selected. I'd imagine changes to aspect, color, and format may be needed to fit with the needs of the game while maintaining the spirit of the logo. That's fine that is a day to day thing that happens with logos all the time (within the bounds of style/branding guides). Now that I think about it I wonder if there may also be some font licensing issues that come up.

[ArmchairGravy]

I wonder how much the system requirements will go up if you win.

Exactly my thought. My timer goes yellow at 300 parts. What's that, 1/10th of a Whackjob?