Virtual Bonsai Contest

TreeBay

Are you ready for a challenge? I found some wonderful software that will let you grow and develop a virtual bonsai plant. The freeware runs on Windows machines and is available for download at

http://www.jfp.co.jp/acg_eng/index_e.html

Documentation is lacking, but we can get around that!

I've attached below a tree that was created in just a few minutes with the program. You can plant pine, cherry or maple seeds. You can even trim and wire your plant to restyle it as it develops.

Read the next message for information about the Virtual Challenge! A contest with prizes for the best tree!

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Advertisement

TreeBay

The purpose of the Virtual Bonsai contest is to advance the art of bonsai through education. Using the computer as a growing bench, anyone can create a virtual bonsai!

PRIZES

• First prize is a $100 gift certificate from our sponsor, TreeBay bonsai tools & supplies.
• We anticipate having some consolation prizes also.

[ELIGIBILITY

• The Virtual Bonsai Contest is open to all interested parties in any country where it is legal to participate.
• Employees of TreeBay.com, bonsaiTALK, and developers of Virtual Bonsai software will not be eligible to enter. We still get a vote tho!

ENTRY PERIOD

• The contest will begin immediately and will entries will be accepted through Dec 31, 2001.
• Virtual trees will be posted to the TreeBay Gallery where they may be viewed as they are entered.

ENTRY DETAILS

• Participants will grow and develop a tree in their computer using the VirtualBONSAI software. Only tools available in the program may be used.
• Entrants should store at least 5 interim snapshots to demonstrate the evolution of the tree. These will be required only if the tree wins, but it could be useful for educational purposes.
• Graphic touch-up using photoshop type programs is not permitted, with the exception of brightness/contrast adjustment, resizing and compressing the final image in JPEG format for display. Only the pots available within the program may be used.

HOW TO ENTER

• Send your final tree to virtualbonsai@bonsaiTALK.com.
• Please convert the image it to a JPG before sending. If you don't know how to do that, just ask.
• Enter as often as you wish.
• Please include your name, address and email with each entry

JUDGING

• All entries will be in display in the TreeBay on-line gallery for a period of two weeks before judging closes.
• Voting will be done by email to virtualbonsai@bonsaiTALK.com. One email address, one vote.
• Entries will be NUMBERED for reference. Virtual artist's names will not be displayed until after the judging is completed.
• Judging will close January 15, 2002, whereupon the contest will be closed and the votes tallied. The winner will be announced here on bonsaiTALK.
• Trees may be styled in any of the classic bonsai styles or freestyle. Judges will be directed to give equal consideration to the originality of each design, realism and artistic merit.

FINE PRINT

• Entries will become the property of TreeBay.com, meaning they may be displayed, printed or used in advertising and T-shirts or whatever.
• In the event of a tie, the prize will be divided.
• Decisions of the judges will be final.
• If the winner is located outside the U.S., we may need to make an allowance for shipping and customs. Let's worry about that when it happens.
• Contest void where prohibited by law.

SOFTWARE NOTE:

• We have tested the VirtualBONSAI program to the best of our ability, but cannot be responsible for any problems or loss of data you may experience as a result of its use. Always be careful when you download materials from the web and keep anti-virus software running.

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Walter_Pall

Matt,

this contest is a good idea.

I have encounterd serius problems though:
After downloading the software it turned out not to have included the whole help function. It says: help function in another language than system. This simply menas that my system speaks German and it refuses to load the description.

I tried to grow a bonsai with the software several times. This is not intuitive software. One absolutely has to read some sort of descriprion. I just could not get the thing growing at all. I am sorry to tell you that I have given up, it is not fun anymore. Too bad, I have posted this competiton on the German forum where about a dozen people do good virtuals. I am afraid that none of them will participate.

SorryWalter

__________________
best regards
Walter Pall

CD now available online
http://walter-pall.de/cdavailable2.jpg.dir/index.html
http://walter-pall.de
http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com/

TreeBay

Hi Walter,

I was able to pull up the HELP file, convert it to text and strip out the command codes and garbage. I think this will be very helpful. I wonder if we will be able to work around the program limitations and create some bonsai!

Click on instructions.txt above.

P.S. I have found that right clicking UNCLIPS a branch, so if you make a mistake and cut too much, you can go back and correct it.

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

TreeBay

Just a reminder that only 24 hours remain to get your virtual bonsai entries submitted for the first (annual?) Virtual bonsai contest.

Contest details can be found here. The grand prize is a $100 gift certificate from our sponsor www.treebay.com, and there have been just a handful of entries so far, so this could be anyone's game. Let's make those judges work for it!

Good luck,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Bonsainut

Darn, I picked up the Jan 15th date and thought that was the cutoff!!! Brain Cells decreasing...
I hope a bunch of entries came in at the end!

__________________
Keep growing,---'Nut



Lethal Use of Farce

TreeBay

Put on your judging hat, grab your pruners, and visit the
TreeBay_Gallery to cast your votes on the first (annual?) Virtual Bonsai Contest. You can click on a virtual bonsai to see a detail view, then return to the thumbnail view to cast your vote by clicking on Rating. 1-10, 10 is best, 1 is worst. You may vote once on each tree by giving it a rating. (Suggestion - to give your individual voting the most weight possible Give your favorite tree a 10 and your least favorite tree a 1 and rate the others accordingly.)

We'll be compiling the results in a couple of weeks and award the $100 Treebay.com gift certificate to the lucky winner.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Bonsainut

Was there a winner?? Did I miss it?

__________________
Keep growing,---'Nut



Lethal Use of Farce

TreeBay

You didn't miss it. The winner is (drumroll please)

Mr Tony Tripp, whose Virtual Maple walks away ( )with first prize, a $100 TreeBay Bonsai Tools & Supplies
Gift Certificate. The Maple scored a solid 9.67 out of a possible 10, tarnished only by a a "6" from the Russian judge... Sorry a little Cold War Olympics Humor there.



In second place was the virtual pine, with a score of 6.00/10


Congratulations to the winners and thank you to the participants!! Anyone who'd like is welcome to take these trees to the next level with some PhotoShop / PaintShop modifications.

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!