MRTvision Screenshot Contest

For the most recent contest, see MRTvision Screenshot Contest 5.

MRTvision Screenshot Contest
Creator	MinecraftYoshi26
Original run	June 16, 2018 -
Based on	Eurovision Song Contest MRT Screenshot Contest
Producer	MinecraftYoshi26
No. of contests	5

The MRTvision Screenshot Contest is an server-wide screenshot competition held among the cities of the MRT server. Each participating city submits an original screenshot to be shared publicly, then all participants and the public casts votes for the other cities' screenshots to determine the winner. All ranked cities are currently eligible to compete as long as they meet the requirements.

Origins

In 2015, the first MRTvision contest was held, where the competition mirrored that of the Eurovision Song Contest with members singing. In 2018, MinecraftYoshi26 became more interested in the Eurovision Song Contest wanted to create a contest that brought the Eurovision Song Contest to the server where everyone could partake, regardless of singing abilities. He ultimately came up with the idea of mixing the Eurovision Song Contest's style of voting and other aspects with the MRT Screenshot Contest. The concept was finalized at the General Staff Meeting on June 16, 2018.

Format

Participant cities submit original screenshots, all to be shown to the public. Renders are accepted. A "city" as a participant is represented by one member: typically and preferred, but not always, that city's mayor. City-states may participate to embody many cities; however, any cities in that city-state may not partake. A player may only represent one city and have one final screenshot.

During a specified period, the cities' participants then proceed to cast votes for the other cities' screenshots: participants are not allowed to vote for their own screenshot. At the end of the designated voting period, the screenshot with the most points is declared as the winner. The winner receives the prestige of having won, hosting or choosing the next competition's venue for the ceremony, influencing the slogan, and between $3,000 and $5,000. Second place receives $2,000 (formerly $3,000 for the first contest) and third place receives $1,000. For the first two contests, top 12 are featured on the website. From the third contest on, the top 10 were featured on the website.

A qualification round, known as the semi-final, was introduced for the third contest. The highest-placed screenshots from the semi-final qualified for the grand final, while the lower-placed screenshots were eliminated.

In each of the semi-finals the voting is conducted among those countries which participate in that semi-final. With regard to the automatic grand final qualifier, the prior winner, votes in both semi-finals. The public may not vote in the semi-finals, as that is closed to participants only.

The top 10 cities which receive the most votes in each semi-final qualify for the grand final. The qualifiers are announced by the presenter in a random order. Full voting results are withheld until after the final.

The contest is held approximately every three to six months.

Participation

Cities may choose to join by confirming their participation to the producer(s) during the indicated time period with the producer(s). The city must be on the New World and have a flag. Members who opt to run under a city-state must have at least one of the city-state's constituent cities must be on the New World. The city also must be ranked; however, there is some flexibility. For members who own a town that is unranked and have no other ranked towns, they may enter their town as long as they fit the other requirements. If a member does not have any towns, then they may represent someone else's town. For example, _Kastle owns Covina and Whitechapel, but could only represent one and have SilverWolv, who does not own a town on the server, represent another. Such is allowed specifically as an option only for members who do not own towns. In certain circumstances, the mayor of a town can elect their deputy mayor to represent their city.

All entrants receive between $10 to $20 for full participation by voting, regardless of placement.

As of the fifth contest, 67 cities with 63 members have participated at least once. The cities are listed here alongside the contest in which they made their debut:

Contest	City making its debut entry
1	Aprix, City-State of Kitania, Covina, Coruscant, Deadbush, Eagleshore, Eden, Elecna Bay, Espil, Hanamura, Kessler, Lacledic Republic, Marblegate, Murrville, New Bakersville City, New Woodbury, Nymphalia, Oasis Sands, Peripotamia, Quiris, Radiance Square, Rank Resort, Richville, Segville, Seoland, Silver Mountain, Utopia, Waverly, Wazamawazi, West Calbar, Whiteley, Woodsdale
2	Bawktown, Birchwood, Cactus River, Carnoustie, Fort Yaxier, Kevtropolis, Kyoto, Pixl, Secunda, Sunshine Coast
3	Arcadia, Christi, Euphorial, Lakestead, Larkspur, New Amsterdam, Onemalu, PMW City, Venceslo, Verdantium, Victoria
4	Achowalogen Takachsin, Fernar City, Hamblin, Moramoa, Nymphic Union, Spruce Valley, Storalia, Tokyo
5	Bahia, Boston, Courtbush, New Genisys, Redwood, Republic of Formosa, Sylvania, Titsensaki, Waterville

a. ^ Before Aprix was renamed in 2019, it was presented as Sulfureal Lakes.

b. ^ Before the creation of the Nymphic Union in 2019, Nymphalia ran as a city. SoaPuffball, the mayor of Nymphalia, opted to run as the state, which included Nymphalia, rather than the singluar town.

c. ^ Before the creation of Bahia in 2019, Sunshine Coast ran as a city. Echohue, the mayor of Sunshine Coast, opted to run as the state, which included Sunshine Coast, rather than the singluar town.

d. ^ Before the fifth contest, Fort Yaxier ran as a city. camelfantasy, the mayor of Fort Yaxier, opted to run as the republic, which included Fort Yaxier, rather than the singluar town.

Rules

Screenshots

The screenshots can be of anywhere on the MRT server, not just the town that a participant represents. Editing photos, such as photoshopping, is not allowed; however, using texture packs that do not majorly alter the photo's contents and shaders are allowed. The screenshot may contain any subjects (including structures, towns, cities, landscapes, players, mobs, etc.), as long as it is within server rules. The Heads-Up Display (HUD) must be hidden in submissions. Screenshots are allowed to be rejected on any grounds by the producers.

Renders are acceptable and are the only types of screenshots that are allowed to be taken off server on copy of the MRT world, but can still be taken on the server as well. Screenshots on the beta server are allowed, but the locations must not drastically different than its counterpart on the main server unless explicitly exempted by the host.

Each city is allowed to re-submit their entry up to two times after their initial submission during the submission period. Cities would be given approximately two to three weeks of finding a screenshot and submitting it.

Old screenshots are allowed to be submitted as long as they have not been released publicly before. The city's designated photographer can only submit a screenshot taken by them.

Voting

Each participant is required to award a set of 12, 10, 8-1 points to their 10 top screenshots. The public may also vote by filling out the voting form. Public voters must be at least of the member rank. Entrants may not vote for themselves. Players having someone else represent their city may not vote for their own city, but can vote for others as a public voter. The public may not vote in the semi-finals, as that is closed to participants only. Non-qualifiers were required to vote in the final as a participant for the third to fourth contest; however, this changed in the fifth contest with non-qualifiers no longer being required to vote in the final. If a non-qualifier wants to vote in the final, they are allowed to as a member of the public.

Voting based off of photographer solely is implicitly not allowed. Participants may not be penalized by doing so. Plotting with a group or in large scale to sway the votes is not allowed. Bribing for votes is also prohibited. Participants may not purposefully vote for what they deem as the 'worst' screenshots to get ahead.

Each city receives a draw number to which is used on the voting form.

In ties for any placement, the submission that received more 12 points gets the higher placement. If there is a tie in that, then it goes to the higher 10 points, all the way down to 1 point. If the cities have the same point breakdown, the later in the draw order is given the higher placement.

Contests

No.	Slogan	Host city	Winner	Photographer	Screenshot	Location	Points	Margin	Runner-up	Third place
1	Celebrating Six Years	Central City	Murrville	Cortesi	"After the Party"	Daneburg	280	40	Kessler	Covina
2	Show Us What You've Got	Murrville	Wazamawazi	autobus22	"Golf at the Savannah Oasis"	Bexley	365	15	Secunda	Covina
3	One Of A Kind	Wazamawazi	Fort Yaxier	camelfantasy	"One Summer's Day"	Aeolia	404	27	Victoria	Elecna Bay
4	A Visual Symphony	Fort Yaxier	Arcadia	lil_shadow59	"Parks and Recreation"	Arcadia	423	4	Moramoa	Murrville
5	Worth A Thousand Words	Arcadia	Arcadia	lil_shadow59	"15 Million Tons of Economic Power"	Arcadia	294	103	Spruce Valley	Lacledic Republic