BACK IRTC

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Entering

2. Downloading and Viewing

3. Voting

4. Comments

5. Aftermath--Winning and Otherwise

6. Miscellany

1. Entering

1.1. Images

[1.1.1] Can I use other people's models in my scene?
Yes, you can. In past rounds, however, the judges have tended to mark an image down for over-use of pre-built models. In any case, be sure to give credit to the creator of the models.
[1.1.2] Can I use a photo or image I didn't make myself, as a background or image map? Can I post-process such an image before using it?
Yes, you can. As with models, however, the judges tend to frown on the heavy use of image maps, usually when they dominate the scene. Anything goes with such images--you can render an image, massage it all you want, then use it as an image map. If that comprises the bulk of your image, however, the judges will almost surely slay you. As always, if the image was created by someone else, be sure to note its origin in your text.
[1.1.3] I have a great image that I made last week / month / year / lifetime that fits perfectly with the current topic--can I enter it?
No. Images must be original, created specifically for the round in which they are entered. You can, however, use objects, textures, and other elements from past scenes.
[1.1.4] How about models or textures I created prior to the opening of the round--can I use those in my scene?
Yes, that is okay. While we prefer that the entire scene be original, we understand that you will often want to use good ideas from the past.
[1.1.5] Can I enter an image with any size ratio?
Yes, you can. The only limit now is the file size, which must be smaller than 250kb. Anyhow, we recommend to use "reasonable" ratios (and surely the judges too).
[1.1.6] Is there a minimum size (in bytes or pixels) for an entry?
No. However, smaller images tend to compare poorly with other, larger entries.
[1.1.7] Can I use a renderer besides POV-Ray? Isn't this a POV-Ray competition?
You can use any computer rendering program. The competition is hosted by POV-Ray, but they do not make any demands on us or the participants.
[1.1.8] Can I use a commercial renderer instead of a free or share-ware one?
Yes. In past rounds, however, entries which were built and rendered with costly high-end packages have been held to very high standards. (That is, the judges often crap on them.)
[1.1.9] Can I use a scan-line renderer instead of a ray tracer? How about one that uses some other rendering technique?
Yes, all algorithms are welcome. The quality should be equivalent to modern ray tracers, though, or your image will compare badly with the other entries. Note--we do not consider photocopying or paint programs to be "renderers". The image should be generated by a computer, algorithmically.
[1.1.10] My renderer can do lens flare, motion blur, etc.--is that legal?
Yes, generally. If it is something that the renderer does as part of producing the image, and not something you run against the image file as a separate process, then it is legal. The judges look very closely at such effects, however, so use them with caution.
[1.1.11] Exactly what do you mean by "post-processing"?
That means running any image-manipulation program on the image after it is rendered. Paint programs, photo manipulation programs, and the like are generally not allowed, except for a few explicit exceptions. We want the image to be the output of a renderer, not a human or special-effects program. One guideline that has been mentioned is that any process which affects every pixel in the image is usually okay, but that's not a hard and fast rule--it's just used to encompass gamma correction, resizing, conversion to JPEG format, and so forth, all of which are legal. Another guideline is, don't do anything to the image that you wouldn't be prepared to do for every frame of a 30-minute animation.
[1.1.12] Can I add my signature / URL / life story to the image after it is rendered?
Yes, this is the one notable exception to the "all-pixels" rule used to characterize post-processing. However, be careful--if your signature is too prominent or otherwise distracting, the judges will hurt you. On the other hand, the judges have tended to reward artists who work their signature into their image in a clever, original way.
[1.1.13] What is wrong with lens flare or motion blur?
Nothing. They are not illegal at all. Using a post-processing technique (such as using PhotoShop) to add them, or other special effects, is illegal. The rules simply use lens flare and motion blur as examples of two effects commonly added using post-processing.
[1.1.14] Is it legal to resize my image after it is rendered?
Yes, it is. Be careful doing it, though--unless done correctly, resizing can often add unwanted visual artifacts to an image.
[1.1.15] How about rendering my image in two / three / twenty-six parts and then combining them? Is that post-processing?
It is post-processing, but it doesn't affect the actual pixels of the images, so it is perfectly legal.
[1.1.16] I can't make my image small enough for the 250kb limit--what should I do?
First, check the options for the program you use to create your JPEG image. Most programs have some setting such as Quality or Compression; adjusting these settings will normally affect the size of the resulting image. There are a number of good free programs which will permit these adjustments, if yours does not. Here are some pages with assorted useful utilities: A rendered 800x600 JPEG will usually look fine even as small as 80kb; some images, however, still show visual artifacts even at 250kb. For those, you might wish to consider rearranging the scene.
[1.1.17] Do larger image files give you an advantage?
In no past round has either the largest or the smallest (measured in bytes) image taken first place. The concept and visual appeal of an image make far more difference than its conversion parameters.
[1.1.18] What about filenames starting with lower (alphabetical) characters?
There has been some talk about statistics showing that images which show up earlier in alphabetic lists have an advantage. We believe these "studies" indicate nothing--even the person who compiled the values admitted that his results were not statistically significant. Once more rounds have passed and more data is gathered, we believe that any such perceived effects will disappear.
[1.1.19] I want to submit a PNG, TIFF, Targa, or other lossless version of my image.
Well, you can't. We currently accept only JPEG. If you feel very strongly about the issue, you can include a lossless version (we recommend PNG) of your image in your zipfile. However, the chances of anyone actually looking at it (at least, as part of the judging or commentary processes) is slight. To move us away from JPEG, please lobby the vendors of your web browser, renderer, and other display programs to support the Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format. Once Netscape supports PNG, we'll start to think about using it instead of JPEG.
[1.1.20] Can I enter an image that is a composite of two or more views of the same scene, perhaps from different angles? That is, can I submit the larger image, with a "detail" panel in it?
Yes. Although this is, strictly speaking, post-processing, it does not affect the actual pixels of the image. Just make sure that it's obvious what you did and why, and perhaps note in your text what is going on.

1.2. Submitting

[1.2.1] How soon after submissions open can I submit an image?
In theory, immediately. However, given the requirement for creating original images for entry in the competition, we are very suspicious of images which come in within the first few days.
[1.2.2] How many images can I enter?
You can enter as many images as you can legally create within the submission period. Entrants who submit two or three different images are usually fine. However, entrants who submit multiple views of the same scene, or several very similar scenes, or a "large" number of scenes, will incur the wrath of the judges; usually all their images will get marked down because of it. We recommend spending more time on fewer images--quality seems to find more favor than quantity.
[1.2.3] Can two / three / thirty-nine of us collaborate on / submit a single entry?
Yes, that's fine. If your image wins, and if we have prizes to distribute, you'll only get the normal prize, and will have to decide how to share it amongst yourselves.
[1.2.4] Can I submit an a entry for a friend who doesn't have net access / is an idiot / is a hippopotamus?
Yes, although as far as we are concerned, it is your image. You will need to work out any details with the actual artist off-line.
[1.2.5] I had errors sending my entry--what should I do?
If you get an email response from the submission analyzer robot, do what it tells you to do. Usually, if the entry was rejected, you can just re-submit it. If you don't get any email at all, you should write to the the IRTC admins and ask what happened to your entry.
[1.2.6] How do submissions get processed?
We run a script periodically on the povray.org machine. It waits until an entry is at least an hour old before processing it, to allow all parts of the entry to arrive. A similar process is used to import email entries. Synchronization between the two processes can lead to a delay between receipt and acceptance of an entry from four to six hours. Couple that with email delays, and we recommend waiting at least a half a day before becoming concerned about your entry. Also, this means you shouldn't wait until the very last minute to submit your entry.
[1.2.7] If I don't get a confirmation email back within one day after I submit, should I worry?
You should be concerned, and you should send email to the IRTC admins and ask about your entry. But don't worry--you'll get ulcers.
[1.2.8] Why can't I upload my images via ftp?
This problem has been fixed, and our address changed; you can now upload your images to ftp.irtc.org:/pub/incoming. Please see the rules for more details on submission.
[1.2.9] Where do I mail my entries?
The email submission address is "irtc-submit-stills@irtc.org".
[1.2.10] What formats can my email entries use? Can I use MIME attachments?
Yes. Your entry (your .txt, .jpg, and optional .zip files) can all be attached to the same message, or attached to separate messages sent consecutively. You may also uuencode the files, one per message, and send them that way.
[1.2.11] Here's my image--please submit it for me.
No, sorry, we don't work that way. Do not send your entry to the admins--we will not submit it for you. You must submit your entry yourself via the normal channels, using ftp, web, or email. Please read the complete rules before you enter.
[1.2.12] If multiple images are okay, why did I get this nasty-gram when I sent my second / third / twelfth entry?
It is only a warning. We are attempting to inform you that we have seen one or more other entries from you in this round, and that doing so is not without its risks. See the question "How many images can I enter?" for more details.
[1.2.13] What's the precise end of the submission period?
Unless otherwise noted, the submission period continues through the last day of the round, which is normally the last day of the second month of the round. The official precise end of the submission period is 11:59:59 PM US Pacific Time on that day.
[1.2.14] My rendering won't be finished until 2am the day after submission is closed--what can I do?
The actual drop-dead moment is the instant that we generate the voting forms based on the images we have at that point. While we sometimes accept late entries, we never guarantee any extensions. Please always try to get your entry submitted well before the deadline.
[1.2.15] Even though the submission period is over, can I submit an image?
Yes, although it will not be considered by the judges, and will not be eligible for a prize. It will be available for viewing and comments after the voting period, and if an IRTC CD-ROM is produced, late entries will likely be included on it.
[1.2.16] My image / textfile / zipfile wasn't quite the way I wanted, but I submitted it anyway. Now I've re-done it--can I update my entry?
If you make the fix before the end of the submission period, just write to the IRTC admins and tell them what you want to do. Do not mail your entry, or any updated part of it, to the admins--resubmit your corrected entry, and then mail us and tell us which one to use. We discourage such manual intervention, but can make exceptions. If you fix your entry during the voting period, we will normally hold your changes until after voting is finished. If your fix comes after voting is over, we'll put it up for the viewers and (possible) future IRTC CD-ROM.
[1.2.17] I just want to post my images for people to see.
Then find a gallery. The IRTC is not a general way to get your image posted on the net. If you want to follow the rules for an entry, we will be happy to include your image in our competition, but we're not here purely as a showcase.
[1.2.18] I missed the IRTC--is there going to be another one?
The IRTC runs continuously. As soon as one round ends, a new round begins. So if you just missed the last round, you're right on time for the new round. Our bi-monthly rounds currently end in February, April, June, August, October, and December.

1.3. Other

[1.3.1] Can judges enter? Can entrants be judges?
Yes to both.
[1.3.2] I won in the past--can I enter again?
Sure. We have had several repeat winners.
[1.3.3] I am a professional--can I enter?
You sure can. We welcome all ages, all genders, all skill levels.
[1.3.4] I am a beginner--can I enter? Do I stand a chance of winning?
Yes, beginners are welcome. Many of our winners are not professionals, and often not even long-time users of their systems. We believe that anyone can win, and experience is showing that this is true.
[1.3.5] What can / should I put in my zip file?
Basically, anything that you feel explains or supplements your image, or anything related to your entry that you want to share with the judges or your fellow entrants. The original intent was for you to include your scene's source files, but the whole zip file is optional and its contents are flexible.
[1.3.6] I don't want to give out the source for my images.
That's okay--you don't have to. If there gets to be a serious question whether you actually created your image the way you said you did, the admins may require a copy of your source for verification purposes only. But your secrets are safe--you need not divulge your source, techniques, or technologies just to enter. But if you don't, that makes you a Bad Person. <grin> Seriously, the competition is about sharing and growth, so we encourage you to share as much as you can.
[1.3.7] My image maps / bump maps / source files / models are too big (or too sensitive) to include with my entry.
That's okay. Include as much of your source as you can. Many people omit their map images from their entry, and that's okay--the interesting bit is the renderer source in most cases, anyway. If you want and have the capability, you can post the images, sources, or whatever on a web or ftp site, or you can offer to mail them to interested parties.
[1.3.8] I want to submit an animation.
You are in luck. We now run an animation competition in parallel with the stills competition. See our front page for links to pages with details about entering your animation.
[1.3.9] I object to giving the COUNTRY information in the text file.
Then omit it. It is optional. Our intent in requesting it was to permit people to get a better feel for the truly international flavor of the competition, not to promote prejudice or nationalism. If it makes you uncomfortable, by all means skip it. People will infer your country of origin from your (mandatory) email address in any case, correctly or incorrectly.

2. Downloading and Viewing

[2.1] I don't mind downloading all the images, but downloading them each individually is a real pain.
We bundle the image files and the text files into a few large zip files for just such a purpose. In recent rounds, such bundles are found in each round's ftp directory, in a subdirectory called "zipped-up". In earlier rounds, they were in the same directory as the rest of the files. The image bundles are called "image-#.zip", where "#" is a decimal sequence number starting at "1". The text files are in a bundle called "all-text.zip". After the voting period is over, the comments are bundled in the same directory.
[2.2] Are there other ways to access these bundles?
Yes--use one of the many POV-Ray mirror sites.
[2.3] How do I find prior rounds?
Go to the viewing page. There you will find links to all prior rounds of the IRTC. We also have a link to Matt Kruse's original 1995 competition.
[2.4] Why are all the images so dark / light / banded / grainy?
While we cannot diagnose all viewing problems, some common ones are: The simple solution to aliasing effects such as banding or graininess is to upgrade to a TrueColor display. The solution to incorrect image brightness is to make adjustments on your end. And there's another reason to favor the PNG graphics format--PNG files can specify their own gamma, allowing your display software to display them correctly automatically.

3. Voting

[3.1] How do I vote?
First you must be a judge. Then, you must register to vote. There are two methods for generating and then submitting your vote:
Via the web.
The web voting form will be linked from the viewing page and from the IRTC front page. It allows you to stroll through the images sequentially, like a slide show, or access them at random, from an overview page. View the images, read the text, check out the source if you want, develop an opinion on each image, and then rate it. You can go back and adjust your vote as you wish; once you are finished, you are presented with a list of your votes sorted by overall rating. Most of our voters use the web, but some people find it cumbersome.
Via ftp and email.
Download the images and the text files (and optionally the zip files), view the images, read the text, check out the source if you want, then develop an opinion on each image. Download the text-based voting form, add your ratings and comments as per the instructions in the form, and mail the form to the voting robot. The text voting form will be in our ftp area, in a subdirectory called "vote", and also linked via the viewing page. We also intend to set up an email auto-responder which will mail the form to you. Email voting gives you the most flexibility, but is more work than web voting.
[3.2] I can't find the images to vote on.
Usually, this is because the voting period hasn't started yet. Voting doesn't begin until after the submission period ends, usually after the last day of every second month. So, entries submitted for the May-June round, for example, would typically not become available until the first days of July. If voting is open, the images will be linked from the viewing page and from the IRTC front page. They will also be in the ftp area, typically in the path
ftp://ftp.irtc.org/pub/competition-Mmm-Nnn-YY
where Mmm-Nnn-YY is determined by the date of the round.
[3.3] How long is the voting period?
That depends on how many images we receive. Divide the number of images submitted by ten and round the result up. That's the length of the voting period in days. Also, it is never shorter than two weeks (fourteen days). The exact start and end dates of the voting period are always announced at its beginning.
[3.4] What's the precise end of the voting period?
The end date is always announced in advance. The end time is similar to the end of the submission period--11:59:59 PM US Pacific Time.
[3.5] My vote won't be finished until 2am the day after voting is closed--what can I do?
The actual drop-dead moment is the instant that we generate the vote tallies based on the votes we have at that point. While we sometimes accept late votes, we never guarantee any extensions. Please always try to get your vote finished well before the deadline.
[3.6] Can I vote based on the thumbnails?
Don't you dare. If you can't or won't download all the full-sized images and view them as part of evaluating them, then please don't vote. We already have enough dedicated judges--we don't need casual passers-by polluting the process. You are, however, invited to comment on the images even if you can't view them all. Even then, be sure you view the full-size image; you are likely to look like a fool if you comment based on the tiny thumbnail image, since everyone else will see the details you missed.
[3.7] Can I submit a partial vote?
Sorry, no. You must evaluate and vote on all the images entered in a given round for your vote to count. The exception is your own image(s) if you are also an entrant--you need not vote on those. If you cannot shoulder this burden, you are still invited to view as many images you can and submit comments on them. Your comments will be accepted and published along with everyone else's.
[3.8] I can't vote for my own image!
That's correct. Please read the voting rules for this and other details.
[3.9] What score do I give my own image(s)?
In the email voting form, it doesn't matter what you put for your own images; those ratings are ignored. On the web voting forms, you should never have a chance to see your own image on a voting form. If you do, please let us know.
[3.10] What do the categories mean?
Hard question. They mean whatever you want them to mean, in general. However, our intent was to separate the purely artistic and purely technical aspects of these unique images so they can be rated on their separate merits. The third category, concept/theme, is in some ways a contradiction--the more creative artists get, the less some judges think they are adhering to the theme. The original name for the category was "creative interpretation of theme". How you interpret this category--as reward for creativity or punishment for failing to stick to the topic--is up to you.
[3.11] What do the ratings mean?
They are an absolute scale of merit, with 1 being the lowest, poorest rating, 10 or 11 being average, and 20 being the highest, best rating an image can receive. Each judge must decide how to award merit, but experience has shown that sticking close to average for most images gives you more room to reward those "Wow!" images, and to educate those morons who just don't get it.
[3.12] Why 1..20 and not 1..3, 1..5, 1..10, or 1..100?
Familiarity. Many school systems use a 1 .. 100 rating scale for academic grades, and many popular rating systems use 1 .. 10. The problem is, different schools assign different meanings to various grade levels. And if you don't score a 9.9 in gymnastics, you're pretty much out of the game. So we chose an arbitrary scale to try to persuade people to think twice about the rating scale, and not just slap an 95 or a 9.9 on every image they like. As for 1 .. 3 or 1 .. 5, those ranges were discussed, but many people felt that they didn't have enough leeway in those smaller ranges to fully express the delicate nuances of their critical expertise. Whatever.
[3.13] How do I judge the images?
That is entirely up to you. Our only request in this area is that you be fair and consistent.
[3.14] Where do I mail my vote?
The email voting address is "irtc-vote@irtc.org". Be aware that you can go to the web voting pages after you submit your vote by email, and review and adjust your ratings and comments if you wish, until the close of the voting period.
[3.15] What format can my email vote use? MIME attachment, uuencode, etc?
Right now, our vote robot only accepts voting forms as plain text in the body of the message. We are in the process of upgrading it so it will accept MIME attachments and uuencoded insertions. We will send out an announcement once the upgrade is active.
[3.16] I got a server error when trying to vote via the web.
Use your browser's "go back" function and try the same action again. We hope to reduce or eliminate such errors in the near future.
[3.17] I forgot my password, or for some other reason the system isn't recognizing my login.
Right now, you can just re-register to reset your password to a known value. Soon we hope to have a full "account" maintenance system available, much easier to use and more obvious than the current system.
[3.18] I am changing, or have already changed, my email address. How do I change my registration?
Right now, you can just register your new address. Soon we hope to have a full "account" maintenance system available, much easier to use and more obvious than the current system. Until then, please send email to the IRTC admins and let us know to delete your old address.
[3.19] I registered to vote, but I got rejected anyway.
If your rejection message said something about you not being active, then read the message again--you can only vote if you are an Entrant Judge or a Panel Judge. Otherwise, even if you are registered, you cannot vote. Check the voting rules for details. If your rejection said something else, write to the IRTC admins and let us know what the error message said.
[3.20] How do I become a Panel Judge?
You submit a Panel Judge Petition Form and whine and plead for all you're worth. <grin> Seriously, we are currently not in desperate need of new panel judges, but if you are interested in becoming a Panel Judge, submit a petition anyway. We keep them on file for future needs. See the voting rules for all the details.
[3.21] Where is the Panel Judge Petition Form?
It is in the IRTC ftp area, and also here on the web.

4. Comments

[4.1] When are comments accepted?
We accept comments any time, on any available image.
[4.2] Can I still comment on images if I can't vote?
Yes, we invite everyone to view and comment on the images.
[4.3] Do I have to comment on every image?
No. You must give a rating for each image in order for your vote to be complete, but comments are optional. The artists receive benefit from comments, however, so we encourage everyone to provide constructive comments on as many images as possible.
[4.4] I can't find the comments.
If you look during the voting period, you won't find them. The comments are not published until after the votes are tallied. After the voting period is over, the comments are available in the ftp area, in a subdirectory called "comments" off each round's main ftp directory. They are also on the web, linked to each image from the Comments page. Starting on the viewing page you can work your way down to the comments page for each round.
[4.5] Can I get email letting me know about new comments left after the voting period is over?
We would like to implement that feature, but haven't yet. We will send out an announcement once we do. Until then, check the related comments pages for updates, which will be added at the end of each comment file.
[4.6] Are the comments available bundled in one big file?
The comments from the voting round are available in each round's ftp area, subdirectory "zipped-up", the same place the image and text bundles are located. The file name is "all-comments.zip".

5. Aftermath--Winning and Otherwise

[5.1] How are the winners selected?
By a vote among the other entrants and IRTC Panel Judges. Once the ratings are in for all the images, each image has an "overall" rating calculated, as the mean of its artistic, technical, and concept ratings. The three images with the highest overall ratings are selected as the first, second, and third place winners.
[5.2] What is Honorable Mention?
Sometimes one or more images have higher ratings in one or two categories than some or all of the winners. To honor such images, we developed the "Honorable Mention" designation. We select the three images which had the highest rating in a single category, exclusive of winners and other Honorably Mentioned images. An image designated for Honorable Mention may or may not receive a prize, depending on availability and the discretion of the IRTC admins.
[5.3] I didn't win--what should I do?
Try again next round. Study the comments you received and try to find out what you could do better. Ask the judges, most of whom are subscribed to the IRTC-L mailing list, what you could have done differently. And by all means understand that this is not the end of the world, or your career, and is in no way indicative of your artistic sensibilities. Many serious, famous artists were unrecognized in their time. And public opinion can be swayed by the oddest things. We believe that winning indicates talent, but failing to win does not necessarily indicate a lack of talent.
[5.4] My favorite image(s) didn't win or otherwise get recognized--this is an outrage! Who do I sue?
Not us--we're penniless. We do not control the judges. We merely do our best to prevent outright fraud; beyond that, the results are out of our hands. We have received comments from people saying that they thought the wrong images won in the previous round, or lots of previous rounds. To them, we can only say, sorry, that's life. We think the wrong television shows get canceled, too. At least the right images get created and exhibited to the public. We consider participating and sharing more important than winning, anyway.
[5.5] Nobody commented on my image, or at least no good comments.
We hate when this happens. We do everything we can to encourage people to leave constructive comments, but we can't force people to do so. However, participation is an interactive process; in past rounds, entries with more informative text usually garner more pertinent commentary.
[5.6] I didn't like the comments on my image / Billy's image / all of the images.
As we've said elsewhere, we do not control the judges, nor the general public who leaves the comments. If you feel you have been slandered, you can pursue legal recourse against the commentator, but we would prefer to keep the whole thing positive and friendly. Leave useful comments, and expect useful comments in return. We ask everyone to follow this guideline: If you cannot say something that is likely to be useful to the artist, it is probably better to say nothing at all. Saying "Great image" is somewhat useful (at the very least, in the self-esteem department) but "Great lighting, love the way you used the corn in there for texture" is even better. Likewise, "It bit" helps nobody (except to help people understand the commentator's own limits), but "I thought the columns looked like toothpicks--too thin" tells the artist what one person didn't like, and may help them do better next time.
[5.7] I think Johnny cheated--what should I do?
First, be careful with such accusations. They are dangerous and powerful things, and almost no good can come from them. If you are very confident that you've noticed someone breaking the rules, or if you have direct knowledge of such events, or if you've cheated personally, write privately to the IRTC admins and tell us what you know, or think you know. Do not post such comments publicly, either on a mailing list or a newsgroup. Also, be aware that we do not consider inadvertent rules violations to be "cheating". If you or someone else broke the rules, then found out later that there even was such a rule, we'll take that into account. This is a friendly and fairly informal competition, we are not the Pixel Police, and we do not like picking nits. Gross cheating for the purpose of taking one of our measly prizes, however, will bring out our killer instinct.
[5.8] I tried to re-render an entry from its source, but couldn't. Did the artist cheat?
Likely not. Competition scenes are often complex and innovative, and usually tax the resources of the hardware, software, and artist to the limit. Be sure you know what you're talking about before you raise any alarms. Writing directly to the entrant is usually appropriate; if you do not wish to do that, write privately to the IRTC admins and tell us what you know, or think you know. Do not post such comments publicly, either on a mailing list or a newsgroup.

6. Miscellany

[6.1] I found a bug in / have an enhancement for / really like POV-Ray.
That's very interesting, but you should take your concerns and praise to the POV-Ray team, not to us. As a start try the POV-Ray team's "Coordinator's Corner" web page, or write to the coordinator, Chris Young, at his Compuserve address.
[6.2] I can't download / upload / find something on / off the POV-Ray ftp / web site.
The IRTC now has its own ftp site, and it should be working normally. Other problems with the POV-Ray ftp or web site outside the IRTC areas should be directed to the POV-Ray team.
[6.3] Why can't I ftp to ftp.povray.org?
Two parts to this answer. First, the ftp-server problem on ftp.povray.org has been resolved, so ftp should be working now. Second, the IRTC has moved its ftp access to its own area. Please use ftp.irtc.org:/pub to access the IRTC ftp files.
[6.4] I have a great topic idea!
We periodically solicit topic ideas through announcements on our mailing lists and on the newsgroups. If you get a great topic idea between these calls, mail it along to us and we'll add it to the list of candidates.
[6.5] I don't like the topic, or I have a great idea for an image but it doesn't fit the topic.
The current structure of the competition requires you to stick to the current topic. There's nothing to prevent you from making any image you want, and labeling it with the current topic. We have a few of those every round--people love rendering fantasy and science fiction images, then trying to make a connection between their image and the current topic through fancy footwork in their text. The judges normally find such entries highly amusing, but do not normally rate them very highly. Find a gallery, or put your images on your own web site. Send topical images to the IRTC.
[6.6] When can I find out the topic for the next round?
As soon as the submission period for the current round is over. We announce the topic at the same time we announce the start of voting. We don't let the topic out early.
[6.7] I want to use one or more of the images to advertise Diet Coke, MS Office, and my web site. I want to use one or more of them as wallpaper, as the cover for my group's new album, and to line my bird cage.
The IRTC does not own the images--they are the property of their creators. You are free to ask the artist whatever you'd like. Be aware, however, that the IRTC has been granted the right to publish the images on an IRTC CD-ROM, and to print or otherwise reproduce the images for purposes of promoting the competition, so you won't be getting exclusive use of competition images. See the IRTC copyright agreement for details. That doesn't prevent you from asking the artist for other images if you like their work. We'd like nothing better than to see our entrants get work through their competition exposure; if that happens, drop us a line and let us know so we can congratulate you! We have recently created a separate page giving more details about this question.
[6.8] I have a question about ... where do I send it?
... the competition (how it's run, how I interact with it, etc.)
Specifics about the running of the competition should probably go directly to the IRTC admins.
... the competition (generic, what people think about it)
General public questions about the competition usually find a sympathetic audience on the comp.graphics.rendering.raytracing newsgroup, and the IRTC-L mailing list.
... POV-Ray
Either the comp.graphics.rendering.raytracing newsgroup or the POV-Ray team can answer specific questions about POV-Ray. The IRTC-L mailing list often has POV-specific discussions, but we prefer to keep the chat there as competition-related as possible. There is also a POV-Ray FAQ, and of course the POV-Ray web site.
... ray tracing, radiosity, or other rendering techniques
The newsgroups, like comp.graphics.rendering.raytracing, comp.graphics.rendering.renderman, or comp.graphics.rendering.misc are excellent resources for information about these techniques.
... graphics
There's a whole comp.graphics.* newsgroup hierarchy discussing the subject. Also, a good bookstore or public library is likely to have data about graphics.
... life
Seek enlightenment here or here.
[6.9] We want you to link to our Way Kewl web site.
Sorry, no. We appreciate links and references to our site from other places, but we cannot reciprocate except for our sponsors. If you'd like to become a sponsor, please drop us a line and show us what you have to offer.
[6.10] What is the competition all about?
Our intent is to promote excellence in the art and practice of synthetic image generation through the use of stored-program digital computers. We want to provide a place for rendering artists to gather and strut their stuff, share their techniques, and learn about themselves and their art.
[6.11] Why do you guys do this?
We're all computer graphics junkies and this is a good way for us to get our fix. Plus, we thrive on abuse and have far too much free time on our hands. (For the humor-impaired, that last part was a joke. We hate stupid questions and whining, and have way too many projects going simultaneously. But we try to maintain our sarcastic sense of humor.) So far, the competition is a lot of work, but enjoyable and fulfilling.
[6.12] How do I become an IRTC admin?
Sending large amounts of cash, winning the Nobel prize, and blood sacrifice are all good starts. Actually, if you are in danger of becoming an IRTC admin, you'll know it. Hanging around us and sucking up is a good way to waste a lot of your time and ours, but can't hurt.
[6.13] Should I subscribe to IRTC-ANNOUNCE? How about IRTC-L?
If you are interested in the competition, and especially if you wish to enter or become a judge, you should definitely subscribe to IRTC-ANNOUNCE. It is a very low-volume list, containing only official announcements from the IRTC admins. If you wish to discuss the competition with a group of like-minded folks, IRTC-L is a good place to be. See our mailing list page for details about subscribing.

The IRTC Team
Last modified: Tue Jun 7 09:29:38 MST 2005