Judging

Judge Team -

Haywire
Host; King Dogboy
he / him - it / its

"I eat, sleep, live, and breathe OCTs and Pokémon, so making Hyperspace was a natural step for me. This is my second time hosting an OCT (Safe by Sunset being the first) and I can't wait to see where it goes! I value strong clarity and grounded character growth complemented by compelling motives."

Mattie
Judge; the Brain Cell
she / her - they / them

"I've been a fan of Pokémon since 1996 and a fan of OCTs since 2013! This is my second time judging and I look forward to seeing great character interactions. I also value creative use of the environment and the settings of the stories."

Fox
Judge; Chaos Incarnate
she / her

"I've been a fan of everything and anything Pokémon since I was a kid, and PMD Rescue Team and Explorers games especially were a big part of my childhood. It's my first time judging, but I'm very excited to see this through to the end, or at least until I find my way out of this circle of salt Haywire trapped me in. I value creative takes on given prompts, clever solutions and characters with interesting personalities and development!"

Rubric -

Each entry will be marked out of a possible 200 points. This consists of primary criteria scored out of 180 (with points awarded by each judge and totalled), and up to 20 extra points (which are awarded by the judges together as a team). Please see our blank Score Card!

Primary Criteria:
Judged by each of us and totalled.

  • Plot /20 (x3, so /60)

  • Clarity /10 (x3, so /30)

  • Characterisation /10 (x3, so /30)

  • Creativity /10 (x3, so /30)

  • Tone /10 (x3, so /30)

Extra Points:
Scores agreed by all three of us.

  • Medium utilisation /5

  • Use of cameos and judge NPCs /5

  • Technicalities /5

  • Rule adherence /5

Criteria Breakdown -

Plot:

Plot encompasses the core elements of a round's story. This is the most important criterion! We will consider:

  • Pacing (whether scenes feel rushed or padded)

  • Tension (whether an entry makes its audience care, mostly through its stakes)

  • Logic (whether an entry makes sense or has plot holes)

  • Arc (whether the entry sets up for / builds on an overall plot)

  • Structure (whether the entry feels complete as a "chapter")

Clarity:

Clarity boils down to whether an entry is easy to understand and enjoy for its merits. Some examples of things which help clarity are:

  • Spelling, punctuation, and grammar (of a basic level)

  • Layout (of any medium including pure literature)

  • Shot composition (how characters and objects are placed in scenes - e.g. consider the 180 rule)

  • Clear audio (not necessarily studio-quality, just good enough to understand)

  • Avoiding unnecessary repetition (repetition is fine when used thoughtfully for emphasis but can otherwise be distracting)

Characterisation:

Characterisation refers to how characters are shown in your work. For example:

  • Character development (whether characters grow in believable, compelling ways - especially your expedition team)

  • Consistency (whether characters act in ways which make sense given who they are, particularly in accordance with their reference sheets)

  • Character usage (whether characters are implemented in a thoughtful manner, forwarding the story in an interesting way - you should prioritise your own competitor characters, followed by your opponent's, followed by judge NPCs and cameos)

Creativity:

Creativity encompasses how you handle prompts and characters in your own way. For example:

  • Clever solutions (showing characters escape sticky situations in interesting ways)

  • Location design (breathing life into the settings of your story)

  • Originality ("originality is dead" and all, but if we see something unique we'll give you more points)

Tone:

Tone refers to the emotions your entry invokes in its readers. For example:

  • Moving themes (themes explored by your story which are relatable or provide insight into experiences your characters are having)

  • Well-executed comedy (which doesn't detract from any serious notes in your entry)

  • Emotional scenes (which feel earned and make an impact, on characters and/or readers)

Extra Points:

A few extra things to keep in mind which only make up a small portion of your overall score (10% between all four).

  • Medium utilisation - whether the entry is made in a form which helps tell the story or holds it back

  • Use of cameos and Judge NPCs - whether characters beside yours and your opponent's are used well or hinder the story

  • Technicalities - technical execution - complex spelling, punctuation, and grammar, basic anatomy in art (to a level which isn't distracting or confusing to look at), tone of speech / reading, etc.

  • Rule adherence - while severe breaches of the rules will unfortunately result in disqualification, points may be docked from this section for entries which push their luck

Results -

Results of any given round will be posted along with the next round's prompt, in the form of a list of remaining competitors. You may also specifically request any of the following information:

  • Your total score /200,

  • Your complete score card with a breakdown of your points by criteria,

  • Your placement among the roster (for auditions and round 1 only).

Depending on roster size, we may also offer brief written critiques for those who would like them!

Our Advice -

Be prepared for the possibility of making it to the final from day one.
You will have an easier time constructing a compelling narrative round-by-round if you have some plans. Keep in mind you can't anticipate the prompts or your opponents - but having a few ideas up your sleeve can help. It's a fine line to walk, but try to tell a story for an OCT, not a story which happens to be in an OCT: be ready to adapt!


Make characters you love.
You're stuck with your expedition team for the whole tournament, so make sure you lock in characters you will continue to enjoy. Consider not just them as individuals, but the dynamic between your expedition team.


Remember that your characters don't exist in a vacuum.
While shoehorning in an abundance of cameos can make an entry feel bloated or unfocused, if a character suits your story thematically, think about how you might want to include them. Long-running cameos can make for more interesting and dynamic stakes as your own characters root for or against them - one-off cameos can be a good way of introducing thoughts and ideas to your characters.


Keep your other commitments in mind.
Be fairly sure you'll have time for Hyperspace before entering - it will last a long time, especially if you make it to the final. When it comes to planning, make sure your entries are manageable to create within the timeframe of each round.


Above all, remember to have fun!
OCTs are a hobby, and they should be fun! Whatever that means for you (so long as it's within our rules), go for it.

Discord Admins -

It's worth noting that, in addition to the three judges, we have two additional moderators for our Discord server (Jacob and KDP)!

Though they have some administrative privileges in the server, this does not extend to the management of the tournament itself. Haywire, Mattie, and Fox are the only people who have access to edit this website, view Hyperspace's emails / Twitter DMs, and post announcements.

Jacob and KDP are kindly helping us to keep the Discord server a safe and happy community and have no insider information regarding the competition itself.