I think there are some good points in here, but also alot of misconceptions perhaps as well.
I dont think that as a rule, bigger figures get better scores. I havent made an extensive canvasing of all the Inquisitor/Forgeworld etc pieces, but dont recall seeing alot of them in my browsing that arent actually quite well done.
Sure, there is more space to go to town, but the important thing to note, imho, is that people /do/ go to town. And that may be what gets them good scores. I think there is a natural instinct, as one\'s talent progresses, to expand their repetoire. Couple that with the fact that Inquisitor, Forgeworld, & Rackham are all much more newly available than say a 25mm TSR Elf, or 28mm Space Marine; Not to mention the fact that sculpting and production standards have been on a steeply inclined rising curve for the last few years.
If you\'ve been painting for years, which most if not all of the high ranked artists, much less the rest of us, likely have, of course they are going to want to try out some of these new figures! And, since they have all these years of talent, they are going to do it up impressively.
I realize the tendancy to wonder and conjecture about the voting and ranking here, but I think most members can take into account /all/ the factors in judging a model- including scale, when judging quality work. A poorly executed scheme is not going ot benefit from a bigger figure. I dont care how good the sculpt is, skill and talent are evident in the approach, touch, and finish of a piece.
I\'m not trying to be snotty or pick on anyone who feels otherwsie, not in the least. The one reaason I really LOVE CMON, is the fact that it is a calm, fun, friendly environment for people with a shared interest. I think our common love for miniatures and painting far out weighs any concerns about the legitimacy of the votes and ranking. Just take a wander to USENET, or even yahoo groups (which are better than USENET by far, but getting rough too) to see communities that have degenerated into spam, backbiting, flaming and noise.
I didnt mean to soapbox here, and perhaps I have a bit, but I finally let loose with a little of my thoughts i\'ve had on this subject for a long time. I dont think people worrying about voting is bad. The self determination allowed by CMONs format is one of its strengths. . .
On the other hand, I would urge people to consider, that by and large we\'re a pretty well informed group of people, obsessive to some degree or another about our hobby, and that most of us are pretty good judges of our peers. If you\'re worrying alot about your scores (and again, I\'m not picking on anyone individually here) maybe its time to give CMON a break for a few hours, and go play a game, or paint, and remember what got you here in the first place: having fun.
and a brief assesment of the calls for categories: personally I think a scale category for browsing would be neat, but uneccesary for the rankings. Thats just me, see my rationale above, but I think the Top X#\'s are pretty accurate, regardless of scale.
Thanks to everyone who participates in this site for making it what it is- which is something I love.
-blackfly
