The Toilet Clashes with the Drapes

Two in a row. Could it be?

What should have been a rather simple and innocent decoration contest has turned into a new source of player complaints and controversy. One winner is now requesting that the UO developers pick another design instead of his own. I don't see how it can get much worse than that.

The main point of contention that I can see is some of the winning designs go a bit further than adding some new shrubs and window dressings. We haven't seen every winner yet (mainly because for some inexplicable reason the winning designs were not posted with the results) but two include a moongate. The winner who is requesting his design be pulled had the moongate along with a stable, archery range, arcane circle, forge, and tailoring amenities. About the only thing missing was an ankh for tithing chilvary.

This contest was obviously a response to how the community team for Asian shards decorate their banks every so often. I have gone and seen those designs and they were nothing like this. They did not repurpose the bank into a replica of Luna. They added some tables, chairs, flowers and maybe a little dock. If it is Christmas they put up some trees and snow. That sort of thing.

The fault here I would place on the person who designed the contest rules. It should have been more strict as to what you can do. After some time a note was added telling participants that multi-story banks would not be allowed. I would really like to see some of those designs. There was probably one that added at least 2, perhaps even 3 new floors. It would have been taller than Lord British's Castle.

There should have been a bullet point that stated you could only add decorations. No additional functions such as moongates or teleporters or forges. There should have even been one encouraging people to keep it light and not stick an item over every tile of the banking area. Perhaps even be a rule where they had the freedom to make alterations on the submitted design.

We'll have to sit back and see where this goes. I would expect a statement about the entire contest situation no later than Tuesday, otherwise the bickering is only going to get worse as more designs are released by the winners.