Round 2 of Bloodspring closed at midnight this morning. Considering the deadline, tournout was very good, with only one forfeit. Remember that anything submitted after midnight though won't be counted.

Because of Thanksgiving, judging will probably take through the weekend at least. The intermission round is coming after that.

The Terav region map we've been working on for Gatta has been filled up with information. There's a fair bit there, but we encourage everyone to give it a read through. If you see any errors or contradictions or things you feel need added, just give a shout; it's possible we missed something.



More detailed references of different cities and areas will be posted on the club in the future.

The rules for setting up and conducting brawls have been updated. These rules won't impact currently listed brawls. Several things have been tweaked, and you'd be best off reading the Brawling Instructions and Brawling Rules here again. The main things to note:

- Choosing a medium for the entries before hand is now required. How to do so is specified in the rules.

- Critique must now be requested as a stipulation, and will not be handed out by default.

*Knollilocks is running a new side project for OCBZ. She's putting together an OCBZ calender for 2010, which will be sold as a print. OCBZ artists are welcome to create pieces for it; Knolli will be choosing the 12 best/most fitting to use. Direct all questions her direction.

After quite a few months of saying "we'll do them at some point", we have finally created a system for Teams within OCBZ.

Read about them here: [link]

The updates are nearing their end. We have a fair bit of content under production for Gatta, and a few tweaks to the brawling system, but the club is mostly up to date at this point.

Alright, I know you all have been waiting a while for these. Here they are: [link]

Unfortunately, due to the length of the critiques, they could not be fit in the round deviation. They are listed in the following two journals: [link] [link]

These journals will be demolished for other use within a week or two probably, so if you want your critiques saved, make sure to copy them somewhere.

Round 2 should be ready within 24 hours.

[link]

OCBZ's newest feature, the Library, is now ready for use. More information will likely be added as time goes on, but for now there should be plenty to start exploring.

"The OCBZ Library is a collection of resources specifically selected to help members excel in their battles, and their art in general. Here, you can find tips for brawls and tournaments, tutorials, and more. Intelligent use of the library can save you frustration down the line.

Remember that the library doesn't contain rules, only guidelines. While these guides can be useful, it's up to the artist to make the most of them. Things stated here aren't necessarily absolute."

(Bloodspring judging is currently underway. The roster document has been fixed, so the roster is now up-to-date again. The OCBZ library is still under construction and should be open for use within a couple weeks.)

There's been a fair bit of confusion over our new introductions for registration, which is quite understandable considering that it's one of the more substantial policy updates that the club has done.

To help clarify some things:

- Introductions are required for all new characters during the registration process. Please send in your character and introduction together. For old characters, introductions will be required by the end of Bloodspring.
- The goal of the introduction is to put your character in the context of actual storytelling, which is what our club is all about. Introductions shouldn't just be a list of information. Think about how main characters first appear in things such as novels, comics, movies, etc.
- Most people have been pretty supportive of introductions, but some of you may be wondering what the value of the extra work is. There are numerous advantages, most of which are NOT mentioned in the journals to reduce text overload. If you're unsure, feel free to ask and we'll give you the rundown.

Hopefully, we'll have some strong intros in various mediums to provide as examples in the near future. The first draft of the rule was somewhat misleading because of its wording, and has been updated to read as follows:

STEP THREE: Create a character introduction piece. This can be a comic, literature, animation, or a combination of these three. The purpose of this intro is to show your character in the context of storytelling. It doesn't have to convey all the details about your character; instead, the goal is more to serve as a springboard for future stories. It shouldn't be just a listing of information. There are no specific length requirements, so long as you cover the bases you need to cover.

It is the artist's responsibility to provide clarity for the reader, and your intro piece can be an invaluable aid in this regard. In general, a good rule of thumb is: reference sheets are for the artists, intros are for the audience.

Q: I already introduced my character with an audition for a tournament here or elsewhere. Do I have to do another?
A: You can use introductions or auditions you've already done, so long as they're appropriate.

Q: Can I use the same introduction for more characters?
A: Yes, so long as it's a reasonable introduction for all characters in question.

Q: Can somebody help me or collab with me on my intro?
A: Within reason, yes. You CAN share an intro with another artist if both of your characters are in it, so long as you both contribute. Don't ask someone to draw your intro for you. The rules for intros are more lenient than for battle entries, but as always, use common sense. If in doubt, ask.

Q: Can my introduction be rejected?
A: If you follow the guidelines listed above along with a reasonable dose of common sense, you'll probably be fine. The introductions aren't auditions, and we we're unlikely to reject an entry because of artistic skill level. However, if the introduction is blatantly off-topic (such as having little or nothing to do with your character), if it's unreadable (severely confusing), or if you just do something blatantly stupid (such as killing another artist's character in your introduction), we'll likely ask you to do it again.

]]> =OCBZ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/27946098/ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/27946098/ Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:39:03 PDT

Various

Firstly, round 1 of Bloodspring is almost due. You have about 30 hours left.

Next, as you can see, the updates are underway. Most of the graphical facelift has gone through. To keep track of updates that are coming up, and those that have happened as part of this process, there's a new box on the main page.

An OCBZ "library" is currently in the works. That will be explained when it's more properly developed.

Finally, you may have noticed that standard updates (registrations, replies to comments, brawls, etc) are taking considerably longer than usual to update. This is partly due to the start of the school season, which has severely bogged down some of our staff. Our staff is working in off-and-on bursts during free time, so things will get done, they'll just be sporadic and slower overall. You've all been pretty patient, and it's certainly appreciated.

NAVIGATOR

All characters are copyright their respective creators.
Latest club version: 11/12/08
Read all rules before joining.
Club created by =Greyflame
Managed by =Greyflame, *Khaiya, *Swingerzetta
Judges: =Greyflame, ~balrogon, *Ransak-the-Reject, ~AshleyLange, *Skyserpent, *Deathdog3000, *Knollilocks
CSS Coding by `Elandria
Logo by *g-o
CSS Images by =Greyflame; [link] [link]

So, update season rolls around again! We'll be doing some pretty big updates gradually over the next few months; they should be wrapping up around the end of Bloodspring. Today, the character registration process has been reworked some. The Brawl World has been renamed, we now have a new template, and require character introductions. More can be read below.

Other than the things that we expect to change are still being discussed, and are subject to change. If you feel passionately in favor or opposition to something, feel free to speak out with your thoughts and the reasons behind them.

~~~ Here's what happens today:

Brawl World renamed to "Gatta", by unanimous frustration around calling it "Brawl World"

New Template



The new template is designed to match a visual overhaul the club will be undergoing over the next couple months, as well as be more accessible; you no longer have to have Photoshop or a PSD-capable program to use it, so long as you can us transparencies.

You may use either the new or old profile until the end of the Bloodspring tournament. At the end of Bloodspring, characters on the old template will be removed.

It should take only a few minutes to transfer your character; and if you need help doing so, just ask. Remember that while it may be a small inconvenience to switch over your characters, this process will clear out a lot of old, permanently inactive members, helping to streamline the roster and bring you closer to the high ranks.

Character Introductions

The following section has been added to the joining rules:

" STEP THREE: Create a character introduction piece. This can be a comic, literature, animation, or a combination of these three. There are no specific length requirements, but it should be enough to establish the basics of who your character (of course, don't drag on TOO long). Name, personality, and how the character came to be in Gatta (OCBZ's main setting.)

Judges are not required to read character reference sheets, but they will generally read the introductions. It is the artist's responsibility to provide clarity for the reader, and your intro piece can be an invaluable aid in this regard.

Q: I already introduced my character with an audition for a tournament here or elsewhere. Do I have to do another?
A: You can use introductions or auditions you've already done, so long as they're appropriate.

Q: Can I use the same introduction for more characters?
A: Yes, so long as it's a reasonable introduction for all characters in question."

Character intros are required for all new characters. They will be required for all characters around when Bloodspring ends.

~~~ Here are some things to expect:

New integrated Brawl/Tournament match system

We're not revealing much on this yet, as things are still in the works, and this idea may yet be rescinded.... ]]> =OCBZ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/27720539/ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/27720539/ Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:05:59 PDT

Some of you may have noticed that the club is suddenly a lot slower in responding to most comments and notes. Most of our staff have returned to the jaws of college, so taking care of club business if proving more time consuming.

For those of you who requested audition critiques, or have other comments/concerns/requests/etc pending, know that we'll be handling it, it's just going to take longer than before.

And in case you haven't seen for whatever reason, round 1 matches for Bloodspring were posted several days ago: [link]

NAVIGATOR

All characters are copyright their respective creators.
Latest club version: 11/12/08
Read all rules before joining.
Club created by =Greyflame
Managed by =Greyflame, *Khaiya, *Swingerzetta
Judges: =Greyflame, ~balrogon, *Ransak-the-Reject, ~AshleyLange, *Skyserpent, *Deathdog3000, *Knollilocks
CSS Coding by `Elandria
CSS Images by =Greyflame

After quite some time spent reading, discussing, debating, and then finally selecting the entrants for Bloodspring, the judges have completed the roster. In no significant order, here are your participants for round 1 of the tournament:

http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/27592249/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:15:33 PDT

There's now a little under a day and a half to get your character and audition in for Bloodspring. Remember that they're due at 23:59 PST on October 4th, and no later. You are STRONGLY encouraged to post and send in auditions tonight; in past tournaments we've seen things like people's internet giving out during deadline day, scanner problems, etc - these excuses will not be accepted. It's your responsibility to minimize this risk by getting your material in as early as possible.

As far as the entrance numbers go: Several people have expressed concern over the steep numbers, or the possibility of a 16-man tournament. These numbers will not be dramatically changing, but we recognize that most would prefer a 32-man tournament to 16; so, the border between 32 and 16 may be flexible in favor of 32 entrants, but ONLY IF the judges believe that enough people have put adequate effort into the auditions to warrant a 32-seat entrance. The 32/64 border will NOT be flexible.

If you have any questions feel free to ask, but most of this will be taken care of in administration; the key thing for entrants to worry about is getting their character and audition in time, and making that audition as good as it can be.

Here's what's been decided on for Bloodspring:

If, when auditions close, there are...

...1-47 auditions, the tournament will accept 16 contestants.
...48-95 auditions, the tournament will accept 32 contestants.
... 96 or more auditions, the tournament will accept 64 contestants.

If the tournament is 32 or 16 contestants, one of the rounds will be converted into an intermission. If the tournament is 16, an additional round will be cut. Please be patient if this downsizing creates a bit of a delay as we change course on the upcoming reference pieces. Also, for those wondering why there needs to be more auditions then accepted entrants, just remember that the audition itself is a competitive round, as you'll be challenging the other entrants for a spot in round 1.

So a lot of you have probably seen the recent polls. One inquired about how many of you planned on joining Bloodspring. Unfortunately, this number fell short of 64. Now, for a 64-count tournament to be successful takes about 100 auditions. With anything short of 80 or so we're going to have to cut it down to 32 entrants. Now, we know from the other recent poll that most of you would rather this not happen.

What this means is that if you want Bloospring to remain a 64-count tournament, advertising efforts will have to be significantly increased. The club will do what it can (we're hunting down some affiliates, and will be polishing some things up with new reference art coming in the near future), but ultimately tournaments can only grow significantly through member networking. Get your friends aboard and do it soon. Get those friends to do the same.

If the audition rate doesn't significantly increase in the next couple weeks, the tournament will be cut back to 32, so get a move on.

The votes are in. Here are your winners for The Ship!

In 3rd place,

*Swingerzetta and *Deathdog3000 with


In 2nd place,

~JongBom and *Knollilocks with


~~ And taking 1st place, ~~

=Greyflame and =deadrose4u2000 with


All contestants put forth great work. That concludes Ship, but Bloodspring is just around the corner, so stay tuned! Auditions are starting to roll in. If you haven't yet, get going on yours so you'll have the best shot possible at getting in.

]]> =OCBZ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/26310976/ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/26310976/ Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:08:22 PDT

Bloodspring Auditions OPEN!

Auditions for the Bloodspring tournament have officially opened! They are due on October 4th.

Bloodspring is a cave themed OCBZ tournament. Give it a look (just click the logo)! 64 will be accepted this time, making Bloodspring our biggest tournament yet. There's also some awesome prizes up for the grab.

More references will come for the rounds, but all the ones applicable to the audition phase are now up.

NAVIGATOR

All characters are copyright their respective creators.
Latest club version: 6/17/09
Read all rules before joining.
Club created by =Greyflame
Managed by =Greyflame, *Khaiya, *Swingerzetta
Judges: =Greyflame, ~balrogon, *Ransak-the-Reject, *AshleyLange, *Skyserpent, *Deathdog3000, *Knollilocks
CSS Coding by `Elandria
CSS Images by =Greyflame

OCBZ is holding its first couples contest! Check it out. It will give you something to work on while waiting for Bloodspring to open its doors. [link]

OCBZ's 4th official tournament is on its way. Bloodspring will have elements recognizable to the Indigo Tower contestants, while still being an independent tournament perfect for newcomers. It will also be our largest tournament yet, accepting 64 auditioners.

More information will be released in the near future, stay tuned!

Round 4 of Highway has been decided: [link]

And now, the finals!

Some rules have been updated. First, the assignment of stipulations works a bit different now:

STEP TWO: Once you find someone to brawl, set up the details of the match, such as time frame and any stipulations you want to add. You may add any number of the following stipulations:

Canon --- When a brawl is set as canon, the winning entry becomes a permanent part of both character's stories. Anything that happens to either character or the brawl world "sticks", and may be noted in the brawl world ticker. This stipulation is recommended for those wishing to continue a persistent storyline in the Brawl world. It is not recommended for brawls with "silly" themes or things that take characters out of the setting/out-of-character.

Medium: X (X being Written, Comic, Animation, or Splash Page) --- This restricts both contestants to one medium for entries. This stipulation is recommended.

Page Count: X - Y (X & Y being any number) --- Appropriate for comic brawls. This sets a page minimum or maximum.

Word Count: X - Y (X & Y being any number) --- Appropriate for written brawls. This sets a word count minimum or maximum.

No Killing (Alternatively "No Injuries") --- Recommended for those who don't want their characters permanently injured or killed during the brawl, especially with canon brawls.

Setting: X (X being any setting) --- Restricts the brawl to a specific setting, which may or may not be in the Brawl World.

Standard --- Used when no stipulations are set. May be used with "Canon." Contestants are free to approach the match with any medium, any length of entry, etc.

Theme: X (X may be nearly anything) --- Gives a theme to your brawl, such as "cooking", "race", or "fanservice."

-------

Second, deadline enforcement has been modified. We no longer official recognize brawls counted in hours:

Brawls have a maximum deadline of 6 months, and a minimum deadline of 1 day. Deadlines are always at 23:59 on the day the brawl is due. More specific deadlines (down to the hour) deadlines may be agreed upon by opponents, but deadlines will only be enforced to the day.

--------

Finally, a new feature for the club: The Brawl World News Ticker. This device on our front page will list recent canon updates pertinent to the Brawl and OCBZ characters, such as character deaths, large-scale social events, landscape changes, etc.

]]> =OCBZ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/25528911/ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/25528911/ Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:29:58 PDT

Highway Extension

The Highway semifinals have been extended to July 5th. Use the extra week well.

In other news, brawling has picked up significantly lately. Don't miss out on the fun!

The next OCBZ tournament is also in the works. It will feature parts of the Brawl World, so expect to see development in that area in the near future.

NAVIGATOR

All characters are copyright their respective creators.
Latest club version: 6/17/09
Read all rules before joining.
Club created by =Greyflame; managed by =Greyflame, *Khaiya, ~balrogon, *Ransak-the-Reject, ~AshleyLange, *Skyserpent,

*Deathdog3000
CSS Coding by `Elandria
CSS Images by =Greyflame

We've made some edits to the ranking system based on recent feedback. The system is a little more streamlined now, and ranks 1+ all act the same (no difference for ranks 1-10 like before.)

Alright, for quite some time now I've been talking about pending club updates. Well, most of them are finally here. You're encouraged to re-explore the club a little, but the key updates have been listed below for your convenience. There have been some rules changes that might impact your battles, so make sure to read through.

Now, on the front page, there is a section containing a featured brawl that the staff feels represents skill and effort from both sides. This brawl will be periodically replaced when the staff finds a new gem (do NOT ask for your brawl to be featured.) Featured Brawl doesn't impact club business any, it's mostly just extra encouragement to take your brawling to the next level.

The navigator - as you can probably see - has been rearranged some. "Join" has been split off from the Rules, and FAQ has been added to the rules. Events (Tournaments and Contests) now have their own listing journal. The Brawl World is linked directly through the navigator.

We will no longer accept "Until Finished" as a deadline for brawls. The maximum length for new brawls is 6 months. Brawls already in progress are not affected.

The maximum number of characters has been reduced to 8. People with more than 8 characters already are not effected. Remember that this limit may be waved if you're particularly active.

Late brawls have been a problem recently, and the excuses have been numerous. Keeping up with them has become troublesome. As such, battles no longer have "grace period." Any entry more than a few minutes late will NOT be accepted under ANY circumstance. Make sure to give yourself ample time before the deadline for such things as scanning, and extend early if you think you'll have to.

There has been controversy over an old rule stating that you must show your character "winning." The brawl has been re-written to allow a broader range of brawling options, while still keeping the focus on character interaction and story development:

"Create an entry for the match. It should depict some sort of conflict with your opponent's character within the stipulations, and should have some sort of resolution (splash pages included). If no specific stipulations are set, you are free to interpret that match as desired."

Here's the big one. New ranking system. After our old ranking system didn't pan out, we've been working through ideas for a new one, and finally found one that looks like it will do the trick. You can read all about it at the bottom of the Rules & FAQ.

The starting ranks will be your old placement on the roster, as there's no real way to "backtrack" the rankings properly. As such, the rankings will be a bit distorted for a while, but they should sort themselves out over time.

The roster has been reduced into slices of 25 to make scrolling easier. Your place on the roster has likely shifted due to members removed under the old inactivity policy (which is no longer in effect due to the ranking system).

We will be encouraging use of the Brawl World more actively in the near future. A design team has been put together to develop the Brawl World into something more stable and pertinent to the club. Keep an eye out for more news on this.

... ]]> =OCBZ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/25161830/ http://OCBZ.deviantart.com/journal/25161830/ Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:57:58 PDT

Highway R3 Results & R4 Matches

Round Three Results: [link]
Round Four Matches: [link]

Brawl judging is a little behind and is taking longer to get caught up than expected, but they'll be finished and updated soon.

NAVIGATOR

All characters are copyright their respective creators.
Latest club version: 11/12/08
Read all rules before joining.
Club created by =Greyflame; managed by =Greyflame, *Khaiya, ~balrogon, *Ransak-the-Reject, ~AshleyLange, *Skyserpent,

~Deathdog3000
CSS Coding by `Elandria
CSS Images by =Greyflame

OCBZ's second officially sponsored tournament has opened its doors. Unlike the last, this one is open to all OCBZ members via audition. The Feast Master is a cooking themed tournament, with a simple structure but various flavorful twists ( lolpun >_> ). Auditions are due July 1st. Check out ~Rusty-Knight-X's page for more details.

Also, some various club updates are in the works. Additional Brawl World information, specific setting sheets, a possible new ranking system, minor rule updates, club art, and more are in the works.

Alright peoples, round 2 is now closed. You have a few hours of grace to touch things up as long as you've given me the link to your entry. Judging will start promptly tomorrow morning.

Entries for the round can be found here: [link]

(Sorry I couldn't use Ransak's vs images, I didn't have time to format them this time.)

By overwhelming demand, round 2 of Highway has been EXTENDED to May 2nd, 23:59 PST.

New schedule:

March 2nd - March 22nd: Round 1 (32 - 16)
March 23nd - March 27th: Round 1 Judging
March 28th - April 19th [EXTENDED May 2nd]: Round 2 (16 - 8)
May 3rd - May 8th: Round 2 Judging
May 9th - May 31st: Round 3 (8 - 4)
June 1st - June 5th: Round 3 Judging
June 6th - June 28th: Round 4 (4 - 2)
June 29th - July 3rd: Round 4 Judging
June 4th - August 2nd: Finals
August 7th: Winner Announced

I also apologize for the delay in judging brawls. They will be updated within the next 24 hours or so.

Round 1 of Highway has closed! The entries are linked below (they'll be linked in the round-1 deviation and pending brawls soon), with link buttons created by your judge *Ransak-the-Reject. If you have a few last pages to post or last minute edits, that's fine, but get them in ASAP - the judging will start soon. You can breathe easy now for a couple days. Make sure to check out some of the other entries though! (If anything is out of order or missing, just let me know ASAP).