CALLING ALL ARTISTS
ELECTRONIC GAMES AUSTRALIA
TRADEMARK LOGO CONTEST
Mission Statement
To build wealth and value in Australia?s independent game developers, broaden their international branding power, protect their intellectual property, and encourage collaboration among developers that leads to larger and more ambitious projects.
Deadline for submissions - 17th of March 2006
AWARD $500.00
Winner is announced 31st of March 2006
Open to the public. Register and review rules online at:
what is the actual logo for ?
I registered and the rules include that if you enter the comp, they own your submission. Methinks the logo is actually for their company as their website has no visual design at all...
I think $500 is rather cheap for making something that they want to be a trademark (if you don't think so I suggest read up on trademarks- you should anyway if planning on entering this comp), and while they have a dot org domain (supposed to mean non-profit) google returns nothing about "Electronic Games Australia".
Assuming post 2 is accurate it would be nice to know who it is that is trying to own IP they aren't paying for (sounds familiar somehow)- seems to me like owning the winning design they pay $500 for is far more reasonable than owning everything entered.
They even have in their mission statement "protect their intellectual property" (of indie game developers). Perhaps you people could start with this comp?
Without more details I'd avoid this comp if I was an artist.
Oops, the above post is me.
Turns out this is Electronic Games Queensland who have changed their name.
Hey, Nike paid a graphic designer just $70 for that well known swoosh trademark ;)
And yeh, I'm certain the logo is for their company. Protecting IP is fine, but we're talking about a logo here. There's no reason a designer would want to retain IP of a business logo which they were contracted, paid, or reimbursed for. It makes no sense for the business, so it's unheard of.
I know sometimes you should be wary of graphic design competitions, some organisations use it as a way to get a lot of free content (an example from a while ago was a firm that had a web design template competition, however they took all the submissions and sold them as design packages), but this is just a logo contest. I doubt that Electronic Games Australia would be able to do anything else with all the other logos submitted. If they did, the flack they'd get back in return from the design community, the industry, and everyone else would be quite considerable.
Nike have also been involved with sweatshops... :)
Site registration details point from:
ega dot org dot au to registrant "david grant" (david at egq dot com dot au)
egq dot com dot au is "electronic games queensland", now redirecting to ega, and it's registered to david grant (david at doienstudios dot com)
this constant metamorphosis does not bode that well - and the fact that you have to register just to read the guidelines sucks.
looks like a ripoff idea of manifesto games (google it, I gan't add links) which actually has a bit of momentum
yeah im a little weary.
1) The vision statement is almost 100(percent) irrelevant.
and 2) The mission statement is strange because it doesnt mention anything to do with the competition at all.
3) Now that i look at it, it seems this is a business mission and vision statement which means aside from the submission rules there is NOTHING giving us guidlines, topics or themes or any suggestion on how the pieces with be judged.
4) I dont like putting in my name and address to recieve this document.
Hrm. I think ill sit this one out.
I added their mission rant to the Wiki under "ElectronicGamesAustralia"
And it looks like the winner gets a $500 check. Not a $500 Cheque
And not to forget what if some one is to make up this logo and does not have the right to use the full copy of photoshop or what ever it is they may use. Its not like there going to doing it with pen and paper. That's im sorry to say is making $. well thats if there going to be useing it for there logo. But you would have to be mad not to see that. I have no dout i could make something up that would work for what is needed. but it would cost them a bit more then $500.
But nice try.
Are you guy's nuts? It's a logo competition with money. Get to work and see what you can put together. If you win you get $500 dollars plus they use your logo. What are you waiting for a red f#$cking carpet? That's quite a lot of dope money for you sharp as a whistle types!
Its not like you're curing cancer for f*&ck sake, your just pushing some pixels around on a screen and most of the work will be crap and useless anyway (e.g. worthless junk). It's a learning experience. What's with all this high-and-mighty bullshit?
These guys put themselves out there and this is the rubbish they get in return from the Australian community. Shameful.
It doesn't take much education to do this work, just a little bit of talent. It's not like you have to go to uni for 5 years and get an engineering degree or a Law degree or a Medical degree. Its f&^king artwork. You could teach a drug f*&cked monkey to create the sort of stuff you see coming out of some of Australia's art schools.
It's not like you have to pick up body bits at 4am in the morning after a major traffic accident getting paid minimum wage. It's not as if you have to change bedpans in a retirement village then get your breasts fondled by the CEO after 12 hours on your feet.
If it's good they will use it and you get paid. What's with all this precious behaviour these days? Everyone's a super star all of a sudden when they haven't even learnt to tie their shoelaces yet let alone go to the potty by themselves. Short black anyone ?
Is the graphics industry going soft in this country or something? How the hell are we going to compete with the rest of the world with this I'm too precious need another Cappuccino attitude.
You can blame the education system for that. If you can't make it in the commercial art world, guess where you end up.
On the dole? Working in hospitality?
In the education system teaching other people how to be commercial artists. How ironic is that.
LOL... No idea about the competency of art teachers, never studied it. Nice to see you've got the guts to let everyone know who you are though AC.
Part of the job of the education sector is to show people what to watch out for. In this case it seems like EGA want to get far more than what they are paying for.
Like what ?
Like ownership of all entries. Maybe they could pay *one* "drug f*&cked monkey" to do it.
Oh yeah, the great EGA logo scam of 2006! Pure genius! We would all be lost without your wise words Lorien.
Not nearly as lost as we'd be without yours and AC's obviously.
Until a whole lot more info is provided as far as I'm concerened this IS a scam. Sorry.
Gee, now there couldn't be any scams in the Aus games industry now could there?
Yes obviously a scam, that's the conclusion any normal person would reach. It's a pity theyr'e all EGA logos though.
Better yet, why not use the FOX News approach "some people say" the EGA logo competition is nothing more than a scam, what do you think ?
Maybe there's a new business model here:
Need an art asset? Need lots of different versions so you can pick the best and only have pay for that version? Want to keep the option of using all the different versions you haven't paid for while making sure you won't ever have to pay for them if you use them? Or perhaps you would just like to collect a whole load of names, phone numbers, email addresses and postal addresses from a particular demographic?
Start a competition, require all the personal details before telling anyone anything useful about it, and claim ownership of everything entered.
It being a trademark makes it worse rather than better imho.
You're just making up scenarios out of thin air in order to make a case. You don't actually know for a fact they are gathering personal details for some evil scam. Isn't that just fear mongering. Of course you could paint it as "looking out for the little guy" but the truth is you don't have the facts so you're really just speculating. Almost all competitions I've ever been a part of get the participants details. Its handy if you need to tell them if they've won.
This doesn't paint you the best light Lorien.
I didn't say that's what it is, I said that as far as I'm concerned it is a scam until more info is provided. Post 24 explains why.
Competitions normally have all the rules, terms and conditions publicly visible before a potential entrant has to hand over their details too.
Well OK then, I guess that's a slightly better stance. You're entitled to your point of view of course and it sounds like they could do a better job providing information. Lets just not jump to conclusions. Facts are always a good starting point.
No conclusions have been jumped to on my part. Facts are a good starting point, and what was/is needed here is facts from EGA.
If they haven't included exactly WHERE to send these entries, they wouldn't get any logos anyway...
#32 Who woulda thought... take a art competition thread to something about Aus industry booming. HAHAHAHAH.. that was hugely funny...
The relevant website in this case seems to be the Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation (just google them- sumea won't even let me write the URL with "dot")
This is likely to be a strange mutation of a Category 4 competition- a promotional game, and to me it seems to be fairly contrary to the intent of the guidelines.
Any comments?
Great, doienstudios (Hi Dave!) re-directs to "Infinity Digital- your one-stop shop for doing business on the net".
One of the services they provide is (from the FAQ)
"Question:
What is Email Hosting?
Answer:
Email Hosting allows you to get your own personalized email address using your own domain name. You do not need to host a website to use email hosting. "
Classy operation you run Dave :)
I think the QOGR are getting a phone call tomorrow I'm afraid.
As mcdrewski pointed out earlier in point 8:
Site registration details point from:
ega dot org dot au to registrant "david grant" (david at egq dot com dot au) who do "Quality Service Web Hosting & Website Design! Enquire Today"
egq dot com dot au is "electronic games queensland", now redirecting to ega, and it's registered to david grant (david at doienstudios dot com)
this constant metamorphosis does not bode that well - and the fact that you have to register just to read the guidelines sucks.
Sorry, mcdreski's post was garbled with some another quote from Infinity Digital's site. The quote is 'who do "Quality Service Web Hosting & Website Design! Enquire Today"'
As I said, great... Who is David Grant?
Could someone please tell me the address or email address where entries were supposed to be sent?
Thanks for cleaning out the garbage here Souri :)
Some info sumea might well be interested in: the whois for doienstudios dot com
Registrant:
David Grant
3 Kennion Street
Mitchelton, QLD 4053
AU
Domain name: DOIENSTUDIOS DOT COM
Administrative Contact:
Grant, David david at doienstudios dot com
3 Kennion Street
Mitchelton, QLD 4053
AU
07-3355-4697
Technical Contact:
Grant, David david at doienstudios dot com
3 Kennion Street
Mitchelton, QLD 4053
AU
07-3355-4697
Maybe it should go on sumea maps.
Just kidding of course :)
either suss or amateur . .
Got an email after registering...if anyone is still interested you send your entries to
Trademark Contest c/o
Electronic Games Australia
PO Box 2398
Keperra QLD
4054
Just a messenger - not encouraging or discouraging to enter.
Got an email back from the principal investigator at the QOGR today. Apparently this is under the jurisdiction of the QLD dept of Fair Trading and he suggested I take it up there. Doesn't seem like much point given the comp is over. If anyone would like to the QOGR gave me the email address of the exact guy to speak with there.
Oops, the winner hasn't been announced yet so there is a point.
So what's the deal? Who won this? It's April 2 and no winner yet announced...
Im thinking its a scam now... No question about it...
I sent a submission
My wife just phoned to say I had received a cheque ... whilst not the winner my submission was "worth an honourable mention"
so to all you doubters ...
So you didnt win but got a cheque? Once the site is updated then well all find out for sure, still sounds like a scam as theres no real way to tell.
You seem to have missed what I (at least) was arguing about completely... Here it is again.
****
Maybe there's a new business model here:
Need an art asset? Need lots of different versions so you can pick the best and only have pay for that version? Want to keep the option of using all the different versions you haven't paid for while making sure you won't ever have to pay for them if you use them? Or perhaps you would just like to collect a whole load of names, phone numbers, email addresses and postal addresses from a particular demographic?
Start a competition, require all the personal details before telling anyone anything useful about it, and claim ownership of everything entered.
It being a trademark makes it worse rather than better imho.
***
And an anonymous post proves nothing.
Indeed!!
Thanks AC. Up to your tricks again I see. That one is simply not on (even if it's just to make a point).
>> Jimi
that's right. I didn't win but still received a cheque (for an "honourable mention") .. I'm looking at it right now.
It may not be the $500 the winner got but it'll go into the 'games fund' .... H0MM5 is out soon and my son and I have been waiting for that little monkey for a while now.
- weThree
But who won then? Im starting to believe what Lorien said about gettting names and numbers... cos conenctions in the gaming community is pretty valuble ;O until I see a post on their site/use of their chosen logo, only then will I be satisfied my details/entry werent part of a scam.
I see EGA have decided to change their name back to Electronic Games Queensland with yet another URL- now they have qldgamedev DOT com , egq DOT com DOT au and ega DOT org DOT au
Dave is still there I see- though apparently he's thought a bit about the address used for domain name registrations now. Found out a bit about doien studios too:
DOIEN Studios is an independent games development company established in late 2003 in Brisbane, Queensland. The DOIEN team has years of experience producing and hosting secure online business applications. Now they focus their expertise on the video game industry.
Our sole focus is the creation of Massive Multiplayer Online Games that take full advantage of the new cell processor technology, blade server flexibility, and vast audience on the Internet.
There's even a website up now- front page asks for all the usual personal details (although this time saying they aren't going to hand them to third parties). Still seems highly dodgy. doienstudios DOT com
I brought this up because someone from EGQ is talking at QANTM on the 18th
Here's a little more: Dave is/was the Chief Tech Officer for "Infinity Digital- your one-stop shop for doing business on the net" , a domain which coincidentally happens to be registered to one Emma Grant. He's president of EGQ or whatever they want to call themselves next.
After reading the egq site I have one question: when are they starting their own conference? They could call it the "Conference of Australian Game Developers" or something ;D