Pokémon Snap Contest

The Pokémon Snap Contest is a fairly simple type of contest inspired in the Pokémon Snap franchise in which anyone can participate.

Simply upload **up to 2** screenshots in the #pokemon-snap-contest discord channel. The screenshots must, of course, be taken in the Obscuros server and include a Pokémon in it. It must also meet a few other requirements listed below.

## Rewards

● 🥇**1st Place:**

• Relic Gold (Worth $150,000)

• Legendary PokéFlute (Summon a Legend into your party)

• Mystery Gift

• 500 Battle Pass XP

• Photographer Discord role

• Assortment of thematic items

● 🥈**2nd Place:**

• Relic Silver (Worth $100,000)

• Mystery Gift

• 400 Battle Pass XP

• Photographer Discord role

• Assortment of thematic items

● 🥉**3rd Place:**

• Relic Copper (Worth $50,000)

• Mystery Gift

• 300 Battle Pass XP

• Assortment of thematic items

● 🎖️**4th-5th Place:** *(There may be 6th, 7th, 8th places depending on amount of entries)*

• Modification Key

• 200 Battle Pass XP

• Master Ball

• Assortment of thematic items

🍎*Rewards inspired by items from the Pokémon Snap video games*

## Requirements

Submissions that don't follow these requirements won't be taken into consideration:

1) Have your **in-game name** in your nickname, you can put it in [brackets] alongside your normal discord name.

2) **Have a Pokémon in it**, statues/plushies/hats and barely visible background Pokémon do not count.

3) Snap must be taken **in the Obscuros server**.

4) **Do not crop** screenshots to a weird ratio (they need to fit the discord banner format). If your monitor is an unusual size, you can minimize the window and resize it before taking your shot.

5) **Do not show GUI**, do not show any menus (use **F1**)

6) **Use the screenshot button** (**F2**) or print screen for submissions.

7) **No weird filters**, just natural or shaders.

❗ In the end it's a **subjective** decision based on the judges' gut reaction to the photos, and also taking into account the tips below. There should be no hard feelings when the results are posted, this is just supposed to be a fun event.

## Tips

Be sure to press F1 to get rid of the GUI before taking the picture.

● **Originality:** Try to come up with your own ideas and not just copy others' entries. Additionally, certain types of shots are "obvious" and have been submitted by many different participants over the years. Try to come up with something new.

● **Poses:** Some Pokémon have special animations or poses, sometimes they can add something special to the snap. Also keep in mind the direction the Pokémon is facing.

● **Realism:** Pokémon should look natural and not glitchy. They should not be clipping into blocks or other entities, and should not be floating off the edge of a block.

● **Composition:** Composition in photography refers to the position of elements inside the frame and how they interact with each other. Ultimately, composition is about the visual structure of your image.

● **Framing:** Framing in photography refers to the technique of drawing focus to the subject in the photo. Keep in mind centering, symmetry, and the rule of thirds.

● **Angles:** Photos taken at odd angles can sometimes have more flair than head-on shots (but head-on can work better for certain photos).

● **Lighting:** Photos should not be too dark (it can be dark, but we should not have to squint to see the Pokémon). This is a common issue.

● **Size:** Just like in the Pokémon Snap games, the Pokémon should take a fair percentage of the shot, they should not be a tiny part of the picture.

● **Backgrounds:** Have backgrounds that go with the theme or just plain & nice backgrounds.

● **Story:** Photos that tell a story with their composition are often more interesting

● **Shaders:** The photo should not be dependent on shaders (and you will not get bonus points for using them), but you are still welcome to use them for the photo.

● **Better Third Person Mod:** 360 camera using F5. Adds independent rotation of the camera in a third person view. Completely client-side.

## FAQ

**Do shaders have an advantage?**

No, you can actually see that most of the past winners didn't even use shaders. You can search "1st Place:"/"2nd Place:"/"3rd Place:" in the #pokemon-snap-contest discord channel's message history to check out past winners. Sometimes multiple winners' snaps will use shaders, but when that happens it's a coincidence, or simply the fact that the player wanted to put the extra effort in because they put a lot of care into their submission.

**How many snaps can I submit?**

Each player can submit 2 snaps per monthly contest. The better of the 2 snaps will be considered.

**Can I delete my previous snap to replace it with a better one?**

Yes, at any point before the contest ends you are free to delete previous posts to replace them with new ones. Submissions are judged all at once, just before ending the contest.

**When does the contest end?**

Usually around the end of each month, sometimes a bit earlier or a bit later, depends on how busy we are with other projects. Sometimes we extend the contest due to not getting enough snap entries.