As the voting starts for another YoVille design contests, another drama unfolds.
Well, the contest has closed, the top designs have been picked, and we are all given the opportunity to vote for our favourites. Many of us have posted on the official thread, congratulating the finalists, but already the drama has started, and I for one am rather weary of it!
I cannot remember a contest where something has not been wrong, or where YoVillians have not started scrapping in the forums. Accusations and insults are thrown, names are called. People scream that this person should not be in the top 10, or that person should have been in it. Individual designers are singled out as being ‘the best’ or ‘rubbish’. If anyone thinks otherwise, they are insulted – and instead of walking away, they insult back. It goes on and on. At first the ninjas post gentle reminders that YoVillians all need to be respectful to each other. Then they start editing/removing posts as it gets more unpleasant. Finally, they have to close the thread before total anarchy breaks out!
Why? It’s only a game! Yes, I can understand the fun of entering contests, and the hard work involved. I especially applaud the YoVillians who draw by hand with a pad rather than use a design program. But there is no need for all the fall-out afterwards. I entered a contest on a Facebook page, and was excited to learn that I had won third place, with a hair as my prize. But had I not won it, would not have been the end of the world. It was a bit of fun.
But when it comes to YoVille design contests, YoVillians take things far more seriously. We are only at the voting stage, but already YoVillians are voicing their discontent. The current bone of contention is a non-standard avatar used by one of the entries. In a previous contest, a design was disqualified for using this particular avatar, yet this time the design has been allowed. If the rules state that this particular avatar is not allowed, then the people who chose the finalists are to blame for not adhering to the rules. The question is – how clear are the rules in the first place? I think the responsibility for this mess lies at the feet of Zynga, but whoever wins or does not win, I dread to read what could be posted once the winners are announced!
So, ladies and gentlemen, the gloves are off, all sportspersonship (no sexism here) has gone by the wayside, and next thing we’ll be hearing of is YoVille ‘assassins’ offering to bump off the winners for a Duty Belt – or just maim them for 100 YoCash!
The million dollar question of course, is – what is the answer? Should Zynga stop hosting these contests? Should they post, each contest, an official avatar which contestants can download to work on? More importantly – should they give their staff a pep-talk on what is or is not allowed?
It’s not just in the contest thread that the drama takes place, though. As the day progresses, it starts spilling over into other discussion forum threads. Accusations are made, damning ‘evidence’ is posted, abuse starts getting thrown in several directions, and all it does is fuel the flames of existing resentment. I understand that, as human beings, sometimes our emotions get the better of us – but are the forums really the right place to air dirty washing? In many instances, YoVillians end up looking as bad, if not worse, than the people they are naming and shaming. 
Now, after witnessing months and months of contest war, this constant upset is starting to put me off even looking at the designs, never mind voting on them. I have just about had enough of it all.
Alby x
Do you agree with anything that Agent Alby has posted? Do you think that the rules should be tightened up, or do you think that YoVillians take these contests far too seriously? Have you had a design disqualified for breaking a rule, only to see another design allowed, even though it broke the same rule? Please leave your feedback in the comment box below. we love to read your thoughts. Please also share this article, and thank-you for reading it.
