Classic Cycle 14 Round 2 – Hot Hot Summer

Welcome back for our second week of the summer Classic Cycle of ENTM! This week is traditionally a “runway style” week focusing on the fashion, and we hearkened back to the original Forum Cycle 1 for inspiration with a swimsuit competition. (I don’t know about you, but someone definitely turned the heat on in the last week where I live.)

Our models were asked to take a vertical shot of their character, but otherwise they were free to choose the location and mood for their scene (and of course strike a pose.)

Each of the images is displayed below. Click on the center of the image to view it in a larger size, then use your browser’s back button to return to this blog post. After viewing each image, please vote in the Google poll below. Community voting will be open until midnight ET on Tuesday, July 4th, 2023.

If you are having trouble voting in the embedded poll, please click on this link to open it in a new tab instead: https://forms.gle/ZmRK3AUwFHPRvVJ57

Classic Cycle 14 Round 1 Winner

Last week I asked our models to go take a scenic photo on an island, any island out there in Eorzea and beyond. Our models gave us some wonderful shots, but both the community and the judges agreed that Val Viscera had the loveliest island vista of them all for this round. Judges praised the choice of glam and pose, as well as the overall composition of this shot. It certainly makes me want to find a nice tropical island in the sun (or at least join Ona for drinks on the beach.)

Congratulations! We have five more weeks of beautiful screenshots to go, though, and it’s still anyone’s game!

A screenshot from FFXIV. It depicts a character stretching in front of a tropical beach.
Val Viscera

Classic Cycle 14 Round 1 – Island Sanctuary

Greetings everyone, and welcome to Classic Cycle 14 of ENTM! We have six weeks of screenshots coming your way, and as always with our Classic Cycle style voting, we need the input from the community to help decide the winners each week!

The theme for round one was Island Sanctuary and this was intended to be a “scenic style” shot displaying the character against a pretty background. The only other rule was that this had to be taken on an island somewhere in the game (not necessarily the island sanctuary itself.) Other than that, our models were free to interpret the theme however they wished.

We had seven models submit their shots this week for your viewing pleasure! To view an image in full size, please click on the center of the image, and then use your browser’s back button to return to this blog post. After looking at each image, vote using the Google poll that is embedded below.

Email addresses are not collected but are required to avoid ballot stuffing. If you are having issues voting in the Google Poll embedded above, you can click here to open the link in another tab instead: https://forms.gle/5T7pjeRnHarchuQ79

CopyCat Cycle – Final Results

Well it’s the last post from your girl Ona.

We have had a wonderful journey thus far. We have had 6 unique rounds to build off for the future. I have learned some great things from this cycle, like how important it is to send reminders to everyone before the deadline and that time zones are a weird thing and your one judge could possibly be in the future…

But we also learned something about our models. Give them some strange concepts, such as the rounds in CopyCat and ask them to recreate them and they will go out and do just that.

While we lost two amazing models along the way, I am calling CopyCat a success!

Another really cool thing about ENTM’s cycles in general, is that they are really unpredictable when it comes to overall winners. You see, if each and every week our winner was the same, then a clear winner would be easily identified.

But that wasn’t the case this cycle.

Each week as I added the round’s numbers to the grand total sheet it would sway one direction or another. But when the final round was tallied and I looked at the point spread, there were only 1.1 points separating the top two models.

1.1 points. And that’s rounded. It was actually 1.08769841.

Regardless, the model who took our first place in this inaugural cycle has shown that they have what it takes to craft screenies with life and vigor and a level of consistency that earned them the edge on the 2nd place model.

So let’s not keep you waiting any longer….

Your winner is:

CHIBI BLU!

Welcome to the S-Rank Club my dear! (even though I still do not have the title myself) A cycle well shot!

Congratulations!!!

Please keep an eye out on the discord and here for our next round! I am not sure what is up next, but I know it will be exciting!

And as always,
Love from here.
– Ona

It’s the final round now

Doo de do do doot doot dee do

Well my models and friends. It’s been a journey. I wanted to try something new and hoped that you would enjoy it too. There are some specific areas I want to improve upon myself before I would run it again, but as a whole I do feel that the cycle went well. I enjoyed watching all the different takes on the themes, and seeing the models be so kind to each other! While I was sad to lose two models midway, we do still love them dearly and send our love and admiration to them!

But it wasn’t just about the models, I also want to thank my judges for being brilliant every week and giving critiques to each model. I’ve been a judge, it was a lot to ask of you all, and yet you still did it.

But without further adieu, our week 6 winner embodied their Zodiac sign with accuracy and poise. I learned this week that Zodiac have flowers and colors assigned to them, so it was an added touch to see it highlighted in many images.

But the winner stole the show with a simple, but elegant double take.

Netizyn!

A beautiful take on Gemini for certain!

The judges called your image thoughtful, beautiful, clean. I think it’s pretty awesome, and wonder why I didn’t get a cool astro sign to create 😂

Come back this afternoon for our Cycle Winner announcement and for the official crowning of our newest s-rank model.

CopyCat Cycle – Round 5 Winner – WAR!

Well hello fans! It was a tough round this week.

I gave the models a theme, they gave me amazing images that fit that theme. I made the judges judge. They picked the photo they loved the most and

THE STARS ALIGNED

into one of the most amazing rounds I ever thought up. I will have to say that I am pleasantly surprised at the work these models did for me this week. They had to find a reference image themselves that is a real life photo and then work within the game parameters and recreate it. I absolutely loved the creative liberties this round, and finding something that was close enough to get the point across.

The judges complained to me about the difficulty they faced with judging this round too, so each and every model should be proud of the images they submitted! But unfortunately, a winner must be crowned, and with that being said, our winner this week is…

DAMIEN!

Damien, your use of the motorcycle to stand in for the truck in your reference photo was a great choice, and waiting for the shadows of the day to elongate under the tires of the bike solidified your win tonight!

Tonight there is supposed to be a Lunar Eclipse, if I can wake myself up at 3am I may watch it. Otherwise, I will see you on Saturday morning with the final, round of the inaugural cycle of CopyCats!

And as always, Love from here
-Ona

WAR!

What is it good for?

Absolutely Nothing.

When I think of iconic images, most of the time my mind is taken to those images that breathe life into a situation that is considered less than savory. A moment in time when there is good, even when it is bad. Though cheesy, I consider the epic stories and movies and remember that though we may bring ourselves mentally to Luke fighting Vader in the lava fields (lol right?)…

Anakin VS Obi Wan Part 2 -- Star Wars Episode III [720p]
make movie GIFs like this at MakeaGif

So now that I have called myself out on my mistake when initially announcing this cycle, I want to call out the the models this week and their images.

I have tasked the models this week with finding an iconic image of “peace” during a time of war. Something that tells the story that unfolded when the raging war was unseen. Instead of titles this week. I am giving you reference images.

Unfortunately this week, Ardyn had IRL concerns that arose, he should return for the final week.
Additionally Elessia needed to step away from the contest due to personal reasons.
We wish her health and happiness.

Chibi

Damien

Malkovich

Netizyn

Yurimi

Results of the Round will be live Tuesday 8am EST!

And as always,
Love from here.
– Ona

Samhain – CopyCat Round 4

We all have our favorite holiday, for me it’s always been Samhain (pronounced Sao-wen).
In Celtic tradition, Samhain begins the evening of October 31 and ends with the end of November 1. In many cultures, children dress up as ghosties and goblins to trick the fae folk into thinking they are not a human child but instead a fae. They then go around to houses and in turn, pretending to be a fae asking for a treat or threatening tricks and mischief on their homes.

Sounding familiar? That’s because Samhain is the old name for…

Halloween

This week I gave the models a list of classic Halloween movies to choose from to create their copy cat image.

The allowable movies included:

Hocus Pocus
Halloweentown
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Friday the 13th
IT
Leprechaun
Child’s Play
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Halloween Nightmare Before Christmas

Here are this week’s photos and poll! Vote your favorite Spooky model!

As always, Voting ends Tuesday at 12am! We will see who knew their lines best, and can walk away with best supporting image!

And as always, Love from here,
Ona.

Round 3 CopyCat Winner!

Well wouldn’t you know it! Another round has completed!

This past week we told Alejandro to not call our names, it was a Bad Romance and we all know it. We wandered through the American Horror woods after finishing the halftime show and taking in all the Applause. It was a busy week being Gaga!

Honestly, I did not know how the judges were going to choose this week! They were all so good! Which is why I leave the judging to them and spend a full day getting ready for my favorite holiday, Samhain.

But we still needed to have a winner this week! Someone to hold the round trophy and call themselves a Gaga Imposter!

Our Winner this week is…

DAMIEN MONTCLAIR!

Damien, the judges thought your shot was Simple yet stark and contrasting and commanding!
It deserved all of the applause!

I think I really wish I would have went to her concert when it was in town…

Come back next week for a new theme, and new photos to vote for!

As always, Love from here. – Ona

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta

Week 3 Voting is live!

This week I asked our models to go out into the world and take on the role of one of the most iconic popstars we have ever known…

LADY GAGA

Our Models took to YouTube to channel their favorite iconic Gaga moment, video, or television experience. Now its your job to vote for which model’s shot hit the high note!

Voting open until 12:01am EST – Tuesday!

And as always, Love from here. – Ona