The Tri-Ferret Tournament Options

[Department_of_My...]

Project Ferret’s Tri-Ferret Tournament

It’s Harry Potter’s fourth year at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore has just announced that the fabulous Tri-Wizard Tournament is about to commence!

However, this is the Tri-Wizard Tournament as it was meant to be!

• Bertha Jorkins was never caught and questioned by Voldemort and Peter; Bartemius Crouch, Jr. never rejoined his master.
• The Mad-Eye Moody teaching at Hogwarts is the REAL Mad-Eye Moody.
• Harry’s name had never been put into or chosen by the Goblet.
• Cedric, Fleur and Viktor are the champions; the only champions.
• Harry gets to spend a perfectly normal school year except for watching others battle monsters and solve puzzles to win… or does he?

Even without the threat of Voldemort’s rebirth, chaos and turmoil reign:

• Ludo Bagman is illegally trying to skew the results of the contest to win bets.
• Madam Maxime, Karkaroff and even some of the Hogwarts staff are giving their champions illegal help to ensure their winning.

Are their attempts to skew the results of the contest successful? Do the champions stay on the straight and narrow or do they let the temptation of the prize and the easy access to inside information get the better of them?


Instructions for The First Task:


Choosing your Dragon

There are a dozen different points of view and ideas from this scenario. Each one is hidden behind an icon. These icons are scattered about the board. They look like this:

• Once you find an icon, click on it to receive your mission. Your mission will be unique and will tell you exactly the things your story must be about.
• Each mission can only be chosen by one ferret. If you find an icon after another ferret, you will be informed that it has already been claimed, and sent to search further. (Have no fear, there are plenty of missions to go around!)
• Once you have clicked an icon, its mission is allocated to you and recorded, and you may not choose another. If you try clicking another icon, it will tell you that you’ve already been given your mission.
• Missions are of equal difficulty.
• Depending on your mission, you could be writing from the point of view of one of the champions, a teacher, one of the students, or even Voldemort!
• Even the Champions' first task varies from mission to mission!

Regardless of which mission you find – there are a few requirements for ALL missions:

• Your submissions must be between 1000 and 3000 words.
• They must conform to the scenario above.
• The Project Ferret Rules & Guidelines must be followed at all times. Remember that we are an all-ages site and do no allow content with a Rating higher than K+. (See the Guide at fictionratings.com.)
• You must leave your story open. Do not finish it! The Second Task relies on it.
• Posted at the END of their story, you must include the EXACT, original mission.
• Required Objects MUST be clearly highlighted by use of bolding through the text of the story. For those unfamiliar with BB Code, to bold text, use the following:

CODE

[B]--your text--[/b]

** A note on Required Objects:
Every scavenger mission contains a list of three objects. These need to be incorporated in the story; either mentioned in dialogue or have an important spot in the plot. Believe it or not, people have managed to write serious stories revolving on things as mundane as a tube of toothpaste.
As said above, when these objects are mentioned the first time, they must be in bold text.


About Voting and Rating Submissions

The Project Ferret Voting Booth allows members to read submissions and give them a rating between 1 – 10 Ferret Points. The ratings are given anonymously, and members may only view their average Ferret Point ratings (not the ratings given by each voter). Members may also leave comments for the writer on their submissions. Comments are not anonymous. Remember to be kind and constructive.

When giving ratings, be FAIR. Don’t rate a piece low because you’re afraid to lose, yourself. A good way to keep track of how you’re rating is to use a score card like this:

Score Card

__ Ferret Points for following the common mission (The info given in the TFT Thread’s 1st post)
__ Ferret Points for following the writer’s unique mission (The mission listed at the bottom of the submission)
__ Ferret Points for technical (grammar, spelling, punctuation)
__ Ferret Points for overall creativity
__ Ferret Points for characterization (adherence to character canon)
_________________
Total out of 10 maximum Ferret Points

0 = Poor, 1 = Okay/good, 2 = Great

The submission with the highest average Ferret Point rating wins the Task.

Writers will accumulate the Ferret Points from the entire contest. (Your points from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd tasks will be added together).

You don't need to win the round to earn your points. Even if your submission places lower than others, those points will be added to your total.

At the end of the contest, the Grand Prize will go to the member who earned the most Ferret Points.


The Tri-Ferret Tournament Schedule

Sat. Oct. 29 - The First Task Begins
Wed. Nov. 8 - Thurs. Nov. 9 = Voting Only

Fri. Nov. 11 - The Second Task Begins
Sat. Nov. 19 - Sun. Nov. 20 = Voting Only

Mon. Nov. 21 - The Third Task Begins
Tues. Nov. 29 - Wed. Nov. 30 = Voting Only

At the end of Wed. Nov. 30, the 3rd Task and Grand Prize winners will be announced.

Prizes will all be sent out via muggle post after the contest has ended.

Details coming soon to this topic.

Ask questions about this contest by replying to this topic.

[Department_of_My...]

PRIZES

Everyone who participates in the Tri-Ferret Tournament will receive a memento of our appreciation from the Staff of Project Ferret!


The ferret who earns the highest rating in each of the three tasks will win a prize and at the end, the four ferrets with the highest accumulation of Ferret Points will win the top prizes.


Here's how it breaks down:

The First Task

The submission with the highest average Ferret Point Rating will earn its writer A miniature Tri-Wizard Cup filled with Honeydukes' Finest gourmet chocolate.
(Picture not available, sorry.)

The Second Task

The winner of the second task will receive a magical gift set containing all he/she will need for his/her next visit to the Prefect's Bath. Winner will chose one of the designs pictured.



The Third Task

The Third Task winner will receive the 2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Trivia Board game.



At the end of the Tournament, everyone's Ferret Points from all tasks will be tabulated, and the top four rated writers will receive the following:

To Third Runner Up:

A beautiful bronze toned watch with a brown band which has lighting bolts embossed on it, Harry on the face with a Hogwarts Crest at #6 position, approx 1” across face. (Battery operated) Prize differs slightly from that pictured.



To Second Runner Up:

Galleons! That's right. Cash you'll need to pay your way to see Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire in a theatre near you.



To First Runner Up:

A gorgeous wand from The Noble Collection, particularly exceptional for charms and defensive magic.



To The Grand Prize Winner:

A hand signed cast movie script from the timeless classic Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone. Signatures include Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Tom Felton, Alan Rickman and others. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.






Project Ferret staff are very proud to offer these fabulous prizes to our members old and new. Make us prouder of our community by playing fair and participating in the spirit of collaboration and kindness that makes Project Ferret what it is. Thanks, and we wish you all the best of luck.

[Department_of_My...]

Q&A

Are we allowed to enter more than one submission for our specific mission?
No. Only one submission per task. this time.

When you say we must leave the story open, does this mean that we must give hints as to what future tasks might be, like when in GOF, the egg had to be used for the Second Task?
If your mission tells you to reveal something about the second task, you should, however, you're not required to do so otherwise. Allow the champion to complete the task (succeed or fail) and if you wish/are instructed by your mission, give the judges' scores, but don't kill off the character or make it so that your story cannot be continued in some way.

If say our mission states that e.g. Krum doesn't know he can must collect a liquid, is it still allowed that he earn this knowledge throughout the story before he faces the First Task? Say I don't know, he hears Hagrid speaking about it or something. Would that be allowed?
In the case of your particular mission, Krum has some prior knowledge of his task and would be given the rest of his task by officials right before he was called to perform it. So yes, he must be told about the liquid right before he begins his task. (Just like in GoF - they all knew they'd be facing dragons, but they weren't told until just prior that they'd have to retrieve the golden egg.)

Stories can still be in the third-person am I right?
Yes, they can.

Does your submission need to have a title?
Oops. We forgot to ask for that, but yes. All submissions must have a title to be put into the Voting Booth. *races off to add that to the mission*

No matter what your mission, should you describe the first task, or make sure that the first task has ended by the end of your story?
Yes, please. All of the main characters in these missions will be paying attention to the first task for various reasons, so even if your character is not a champion please give some information about the task and how the champion does with it (judges' scores, if you like).

Sorry... do we need to quote our mission at the beginning say-

MISSION: (etc) TITLE (Story)

or do people just look up what our missions are?

Please paste your mission at the END of your story.
This makes it easier for other Ferrets to judge how well you followed your mission, (I.e. they don't have to click about to find your original mission) without spoiling the story for them, in the case that they hadn't been looking.

Are parodies out of place in this contest?
By no means! Have at it!

[cherabela]

I was wondering if you could answer these questions for me:

Are we allowed to enter more than one submission for our specific mission?
When you say we must leave the story open, does this mean that we must give hints as to what future tasks might be, like when in GOF, the egg had to be used for the Second Task?
If say our mission states that e.g. Krum doesn't know he can must collect a liquid, is it still allowed that he earn this knowledge throughout the story before he faces the First Task? Say I don't know, he hears Hagrid speaking about it or something. Would that be allowed?
And lastly, because all this excitement has gone to my head , stories can still be in the third-person am I right?

Sorry for the rather long list. This tournament is plain awesome. Kudos to all of you!! :flower:

[timeturner]

I'm going to add a couple of questions to the list...

Does your submission need to have a title?

No matter what your mission, should you describe the first task, or make sure that the first task has ended by the end of your story?

Great contest! This will be very fun indeed!

[Department_of_My...]

Thanks for your questions, they've been answered in the third post of this topic.

[Amaranth]

Sorry... do we need to quote our mission at the beginning say-

MISSION: (etc)

TITLE

(Story)

or do people just look up what our missions are?

[Department_of_My...]

Please paste your mission at the END of your story.
This makes it easier for other Ferrets to judge how well you followed your mission, (I.e. they don't have to click about to find your original mission) without spoiling the story for them, in the case that they hadn't been looking.

[ronsmyman]

Are parodies out of place in this contest?

[Department_of_My...]

By no means! This is the first round, and will set the tone for the rest of the contest. In this round, anything goes! (within the bounds of the rules and your mission, of course. ) In subsequent rounds, (depending on the winning First Task) there may, or may not be added restrictions.

Humor is golden and ferrets love it above all else - excepting, perhaps, for Agrippa.

[Department_of_My...]

Important Notice!

Due to someone, undoubtedly influenced by Peeves, having passed out misinformation as to the exact deadline for submissions to be in for Round One of the duel,

*coughcatcough*

Admissions will be accepted until 11:58¾ pm on Tuesday November 8th, 2005.


Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.


If you have any complaints, comments, or suggestions, resulting from this breach of consistancy, please write these out in triplicate, using green ink and a #2 quill, and deposit them on the desk of Percy Weatherby, Esq., third door on the left, Department of International Magical Coorperation.

[ronsmyman]

Is voting going to go on until the 10th then?

[McGonagall's Cat]

Sorry, voting ends at midnight on Wednesday the 9th.

The tenth is a day to catch up on your Quidditch practice and fraternize with the students from Durmstrang and BeauxBatons.


:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[lupinsmyman]

Finally finished but sadly I will have to make a last minute sub because I'm going out to dinner.

Oh, and I like your new avatar MG's cat.

[Department_of_My...]

Congratulations to Our Winners!

FIRST: The Fabulous TimeTurner for her story:
Padfoot Perturbed

SECOND: The Amazing Lissydove for her story:
:hooray: In which Ron receives three offers to bet and learns of some shady dealings. :hooray:


AND THRID: Terrific Ronmyman for her story:
A Tri-Headed Tooth-Ache

[timeturner]

Re: the 2nd Task Submission Deadline...

Post your submissions in this topic by Midnight Central on Friday, November 17th.

Is it:

Friday, November 18th

or

Thursday, November 17th

[Department_of_My...]

Friday, November 18th is the deadline, in this time line.
The use of time turners in this tournament is strictly forbidden.

[Department_of_My...]

The Second Task is now closed. Voting will continue until Sunday night nearing midnight Central. The Third Task will begin Monday Morning.

[Department_of_My...]

Voting is now over for the Second Task!

Here are the results!

Padfoot Undercover 8.17
Return to Hogwarts 7.75
IN TO THE DEPTHS 7.22
Meddling Fools 7.10
Mysteries & Missings 7.10
BAD BREWS MEAN BAD NEWS 6.82
“In which perfidious plots..." 6.40
A Second Chance for the Second Task’s Second Placed 6.09

Congratulations Lissydove! She's won the Second Task with Padfoot Undercover!

Let the 3rd Task begin!

[timeturner]

I have some questions (of course ) re: the third task-

Are there a limited number of icons on the board?

Can two people find the same icon?

Can you redefine the appropriate use of required words?

[Lissydove]

Ok, I've found a boatload of icons... where are they being recorded?

[Department_of_My...]

Are there a limited number of icons on the board?

Yes. There are.

Can two people find the same icon?

Yes. All ferrets can find and use the same icons, this time.

Can you redefine the appropriate use of required words?

Sure. If one of your icons' mission elements is "Hermione finds a key", you must write this into your submission in a way that is plausible and important. For example, don't let her spot something shiny on the floor, pick up some old key, then forget about it. Make it work in your story so that her finding the key has significance to the story. If you found that icon before finding one that says, "Neville has a flying accident", you must also make sure that Hermione finds her key before Neville has his flying accident.

Ok, I've found a boatload of icons... where are they being recorded?

They are being recorded in the Department of Mysteries. The Control Panel we used to give mission elements to the icons has a nifty area where I can see who found what, and in what order.

If you need assistance with remembering the order in which you found your icons, owl me.

Can we use a different Point of View than the submission in the previous installment of the story we're finishing?

You can write from a different character's P.o.V. if the story will support it. If the whole story so far has been from one character's P.o.V., you probably do not want to change that for the last installment.

[agrippa]

Also, if you click on any icon, you'll get a list of what icons you've already found.

[Lissydove]

Yes! I saw that! What I did was save the url to the page of the last icon I found! This way I can go back to the list anytime!

[cherabela]

I have a question. If say we find all of the icons, do we have to use them all or can we for example, start from the first one we found and stop after the 5th?

[Lissydove]

It is my understanding that we don't have to use them all. But I guess we sould find out officially... *hopes I don't have to use them all*

I'll be in for a really wild ride if I had to use all ten of mine... A very strange plot twisting ride...

[Department_of_My...]

If say we find all of the icons, do we have to use them all or can we for example, start from the first one we found and stop after the 5th?

Since it wasn't specified to begin with, let's say that you don't have to include every mission element you find for the 3rd task. You do have to use your choice of them in the order you found them, however.

[timeturner]

Update: I found one! I'm so excited.

Now I have another question...

Can you use the requirement literally too? What I mean is, can you use just the words or do you have to describe the act of it happening?

For example, say you have an icon that says "Neville has a flying accident" Can you say:

"In one of the dreams, Neville has a flying accident," Harry said.

or can you change the tense and say:

"Yesterday, Neville had a flying accident."

or should you:

Write a paragraph or scene in which Neville has a flying accident.

Did I overthink that or what

[Lissydove]

^^ Good question! I was just about to ask something similar. Do we have to describe the event, or can we just mention that it happened?

[Department_of_My...]

Can you use the requirement literally too? What I mean is, can you use just the words or do you have to describe the act of it happening?

The icons don't represent words to be used. They represent events or incidents which must take place in your sub. You should plan and arrange your plot to include them as important key occurrances. Just making mention of them isn't enough, and might cause points to be taken away rather than added.

[Department_of_My...]

Since the third task is a bit harder and longer than the previous ones, the Department has decided to extend the submission period.

The deadline for submissions for The Third Task is now just before midnight on Friday, December 2nd. Voting will carry on until Sunday night.

Don't forget to bold your mission elements and tell us what story (2nd task title) you're concluding.

The voting booth has been temporarily closed. One submission was already entered, but received no ratings yet. The writer of that submission will not be penalized for any editing of that submission before the voting booth opens again. If that writer wishes to avail his/herself of the extension, s/he's welcome to do so.

The voting booth will open again on Monday afternoon, regardless of how many submissions there are before then. Voting will continue from then until the night of Sunday, December 4th. Winners will be announced as soon as all the points are tallied.

[ronsmyman]

Urgent question. I was going to start composing my entry for the third task, but realized that I can't remember all the components that I'm supposed to include. Is there a way I can revisit the information from the icons I've already found?

[timeturner]

Oooh! I can field this one...

Click on an icon that you have already found- any icon, and it will give you the complete list of everything that you have found. If you save the url from the screen that pops up, you can revisit it anytime.

[ronsmyman]

What if we're a bit daft and can't remember where the icons we already found are?

[timeturner]

Then, you're in trouble!

Kidding, kidding...I think the Dept. of Mysteries is keeping track. Maybe they can PM you your list?

[timeturner]

please include the Title of the Second Task you are continuing,
your missions in order, and highlight the places in your entry where you have placed them or tied up a loose end from earlier parts of the story, at the bottom of your entry.

Does this mean we highlight the not only the text within our story that represents the icons, but also the text that represents loose ends that have been tied up?

Also, what is supposed to be placed at the bottom of the entry? Is it just the list of icons that we collected and the title of the story that we are continuing from the second task OR are we supposed to include those two things, plus a list of the loose ends that we tied up? Plus highlighted information from our actual submission?

Sorry for the confusion. :/

[ronsmyman]

Great, I hadn't even thought of those things to be confused about, and now my mind is all in a tangle. thanks.

[nundu]

Ack! Ack! Ack! I'm soooo confused! I'm highlighting my missions, but loose ends too? Ah, well. I haven't found too many of those, thankfully.

[McGonagall's Cat]

The reason the Dept. of Mysteries is asking you to post your mission and so forth at the bottom is because this Tournament was really different than any that have come before. In order for the voters to know which story you were working from and any of the details, it was necessary for them to be stated somewhere.

Since the loose ends could be lengthy, it should be enough to just highlight a few words of the most germain part. If it makes it easier put a double asterisk on each end of the "tying up loose ends part" in the story, then mention a condensed version of what needed tied up at the bottom with all the icon's mission bits and the title of the piece you are working from.

So, if in the first task Ron ran off into the Forbidden Forest, and in the second task a centaur rescued him from a vampire but they are still in the forest, it would be enough to write: yadda, yadda, yadda **Hagrid found Bane and Ron the next morning** yadda, yadda, yadda. Then in the listing in the bottom say: Loose ends ~ Ron in Forrest (First Task), Bane recued him (Second Task).




How can I confuse you more?

[Department_of_My...]

The Thrid Task Submissions are now closed.


Be sure to vote!
Each of these writers has worked very hard and deserves your attention and comments!


Voting closes Sunday at 11:59 Central time.


Winners will be announced Monday as soon as the Magical Tabulation Wizards can tally evrything.


A hearty thanks to all who are helping PF celbrate two great years. Onward to year THREE!!!

[cherabela]

I actually managed to find a question about voting. Will they never end? (guess not).

So, I assume that DOM will be responsible for awarding the element points separately. But, when we come to vote on the subs, should we also take into consideration whether the elements have been constructed correctly into the story?

Thanks, and please excuse the rather lame question. It has been a really great tournament and I'm quite happy to have had the opportunity to write in it. Go go Ferrets!! :cruise:

[McGonagall's Cat]

Yes, you are supposed to take elements into account when voting.

If someone has a super-teriffic story, but didn't use the elements well (for example, just put the words in to have them in. without them having much to do with the actual story), then that story wouldn't be voted as highly as someone's that used the elements as a germain part of their story.

Plus, in this one, the mission elements are supposed to be used in the order in which they were found. While the DoM will look at this aspect most closely, it is good for the voters to keep it in mind, too.


A lot is on the shoulders of the voter !

[Department_of_My...]

Voting for the Third Task has now closed.



Results will be posted Monday, December 5th, 2005, at or before 9:53 pm Central Time Zone of North America.



A hearty round of applause to all who participated in Project Ferret's Second Anniversary Celebrations.

You have created some of the highest quality writing in all of Potter Fan Fiction!

Congratulations!

Thanks for making our Anniversary such a success.

[Department_of_My...]

Here is a re-cap of all the submissions' ratings in this contest:

Can't Fail and Cheat 7.64
In which Ron receives three offers to bet and learns of some 8.15
A Tri-Headed Tooth-Ache 8.15
Padfoot Perturbed 8.33
Verdant Yet Victorious 7.82
Yellow Robes 7.08
Fretting For the Enemy 7.36
Man's Best Friend 8.00
A hard day’s night 6.82
Spoken and Unheard 7.67
Mice Sized Madness 7.50
Triwizard Trials 6.33

Padfoot Undercover 8.17
BAD BREWS MEAN BAD NEWS 6.82
Meddling Fools 7.10
Mysteries & Missings 7.10
A Second Chance for the Second Task’s Second Placed 6.09
IN TO THE DEPTHS 7.22
“In which perfidious plots..." 6.40
Return to Hogwarts 7.75

Where Ends Meet 7.13
For A Good Story 6.63
A New Path 6.38
The Final Task 7.50
Padfoot the Hero 7.00

Please come back this evening to see the additional points awarded and the finalized list of winners!

[Department_of_My...]

*drumroll*


Project Ferret wants to thank each and every Ferret in existence, but especially those who participated in OUR Second Anniversary Tournament!


The POINTS are as follows ~

Key:
purple = 1 point for every round voted in
orange = points as voted for writing in the first two tasks
black = points as voted for writing in the Third Task - plus 1 point for each icon mission element used well in the Third Task and for loose ends tied up
blue = total points earned from all aspects of participation

Agrippa  - 2 = 2

Allucha - 1 = 1

Amaranth - 3  +  14.46  + 7+ 12  =  36.46

Animeeyeshime - 7.82 = 7.82

Chad13 - 3  +  14.46  +  6.63 + 10 = 34.09

Cherabela - 2  +  14.77  + 7.13 +18 = 43.90

entr'acte - 1 =1

evlpez - 2  +  8.00 = 10

hp_loving_husband - 3  +  7.50 = 10.50

LissyDove - 2  +  16.32 = 18.32

Lottie13 - 1 = 1

LupinsMyMan - 2  +  12.36 = 14.36

McGonagall's Cat - 3 = 3

Nundu - 3  +  7.22  + 6.38+17 = 33.60

OtterySt.Catchpole - 3  +  13.22 = 16.22

PhoenixBoy - 1 = 1

PinkPanther - 1 = 1

QuidditchChick - 1 = 1

RonsMyMan - 1  +  8.15 = 9.15

TimeTurner - 3  +  16.08  + 7+25  = 51.08 

Zynurgy - 3  +  7.08 = 10.08

There were also several Ferrets who will receive recognition for special merit. To be announced if and when we can ever chase that aggravating Skeeter woman out of here so we can speak freely.








Thank you and CONGRATULATIONS!!