"Official" DVDTalk Challenges Compendium

[Trevor]

Horror Challenges (October)

2005 discussion thread

2005 lists thread

2005 results thread

2006 discussion thread

2006 lists thread

2006 results thread

2007 planning thread

2007 discussion thread part 1, part 2, part 3

2007 lists thread

2007 results thread

2008 planning thread

2008 discussion thread part 1, part 2

2008 lists thread

2008 results thread

2008 31 Films subset thread

2008 expanded checklist

2009 planning thread

2009 discussion thread part 1,

2009 lists thread

2009 expanded checklist / bingo card

2009 31 films in 31 days subset

[Trevor]

Sci-Fi Challenges (July)

2008 interest check thread

2008 discussion thread

2008 lists thread

2009 discussion thread

2009 lists thread

[Trevor]

Academy Award Challenges

2006 interest check thread

2007 discussion thread

2007 lists thread

2008 discussion thread

2008 lists thread

2009 discussion thread

2009 lists thread

[Trevor]

Holiday Challenges

2005 discussion/lists thread

2005 results thread

2006 discussion thread part 1, part 2

2006 lists thread, partial

2006 results thread

2007 discussion thread

2007 lists thread

2007 results thread

2008 discussion thread

2008 lists thread

2008 results thread

[Trevor]

2009 Criterion challenge

[Trevor]

Thought this might be a good idea, both for ease of finding Challenge information, and for preserving some DVDTalk history.

Thread title change request in process. A post title change accidentally changed the entire thread title.
Edit to add: thanks to the mod/admin that reverted the thread title for me.

[Numes]

[cardsfan111]

Nicely done, Trevor.

I believe it may be the first time the word Compendium has been used in a thread title.

[Trevor]

Thanks! I've always wanted to use that word. Tomorrow, my goal is to use "eccentricity" or "convoluted" in a thread title.

Back to this thread, I think that this might be a good candidate for being stickied or put in the FAQ.

I remembered using this site for information for years, but I didn't really feel like I was part of a community until I started getting involved with the Challenges.

[InnocentBlood]

i really love these challenges and have participated in them as much as i could. i even won something in a challenge once but i forgot all about it and never collected my prize from the kind soul who sponsored it

someone once mentioned doing a foreign movie challenge - that would be fantastic!

[hindolio]

Originally Posted by Trevor

...Tomorrow, my goal is to use "eccentricity" or "convoluted" in a thread title...

tried for you.

Originally Posted by InnocentBlood

...someone once mentioned doing a foreign movie challenge - that would be fantastic!

that piques my interest as well.

[Trevor]

I'm slightly considering starting a Criterion challenge, or at maybe just looking for another volunteer to start it...

Edit to add: Thread is here if anyone is interested in providing input.

[hindolio]

Originally Posted by Trevor

I'm slightly considering starting a Criterion challenge, or at maybe just looking for another volunteer to start it...

excellent timing -lol-

[Trevor]

Four new Challenges tentatively planned.

April - B-movies/Cult/Drive-in
June - Western
August - Animation
September - Criterion

[JerryKILL]

There really needs to be a "Challenge" subforum. For one, you could organize the threads better. I've said this in the past, but with a separate subforum every participant in a challenge could have their own thread. The first post would be their list, all subsequent posts would be discussion and comment on that particular list. I think this would be much better than the current format of a long thread with lists by all participants.

[WallyOPD]

Originally Posted by JerryKILL

There really needs to be a "Challenge" subforum. For one, you could organize the threads better. I've said this in the past, but with a separate subforum every participant in a challenge could have their own thread. The first post would be their list, all subsequent posts would be discussion and comment on that particular list. I think this would be much better than the current format of a long thread with lists by all participants.

That would be a nightmare having to click on 30+ threads just to read everyone's lists and discussions.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by WallyOPD

That would be a nightmare having to click on 30+ threads just to read everyone's lists and discussions.

It's actually not that bad. At the bottom of every thread page is a "next thread" button. or you could just just open the 10-20 lists (that's about all the people that usually actively update) in separate tabs. It really wouldn't add more than a few seconds to your normal reading habits once you got used to it.

But yeah, people here don't like change (not singling you out Wally) and I don't think it would ever fly Jerry. I'm usually super-resistant to change, but I'd go for it, not that it matters.

[JerryKILL]

Originally Posted by WallyOPD

That would be a nightmare having to click on 30+ threads just to read everyone's lists and discussions.

No more of a nightmare than reading through a multi-page thread of lists and discussion. I think you would get a lot more personalized comments and discussions on your particular list with this method. Most lists are "lost in the clutter" in the one-thread-for-all format. I usually just update my list and look at others on my page. I wish I could set up an example forum for this and you'd see how much better it would be.

[WallyOPD]

Originally Posted by JerryKILL

No more of a nightmare than reading through a multi-page thread of lists and discussion. I think you would get a lot more personalized comments and discussions on your particular list with this method. Most lists are "lost in the clutter" in the one-thread-for-all format. I usually just update my list and look at others on my page. I wish I could set up an example forum for this and you'd see how much better it would be.

I think you overestimate how much discussion individual lists would generate, especially when people would have to take the time to click on every list separately. There might be two or three lists that would generate a small amount of chatter but that vast majority would be ignored and the individual discussions would likely mean less activity in the general thread.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by WallyOPD

I think you overestimate how much discussion individual lists would generate, especially when people would have to take the time to click on every list separately. There might be two or three lists that would generate a small amount of chatter but that vast majority would be ignored and the individual discussions would likely mean less activity in the general thread.

You bring up the point of why we should/could change our current system.

Right now, the list threads generate virtually no discussion. Sure, occasionally someone will see something in someone's list and bring a mention of it to the main discussion thread, but very rarely. It takes too much work to take things between multiple threads (not for me, but a general opinion I believe).

So right now, the lists threads are pretty useless actually. Sure, a few of us peruse and enjoy them, but most people just use it for their personal list and never interact with other's lists. So what's the point of even posting a list really? The whole point of DVDTalk is discussion. Jerry's trying to think of a way to encourage discussion, and I think we need to change something in "our system" too. His idea might be too radical for many, but I'm sure there are other options.

Lists mixed in the discussion thread? Not one list per person but weekly? Entire subforum for Challenges?

[Mister Peepers]

I don't usually look at other's lists so if they were put in with the discussion thread, I'd just scroll past them. I imagine many would do the same. The only ones that catch my eye are ones that do a mini-review when they watch something. Other than that, it's boring and I'd rather spend my time watching something.

I also don't like idea of putting it in the discussion thread because those threads are longer and it can become a pain trying to find which page my list is on if I don't remember.

I don't think moving lists somewhere else will end up resulting in more discussion.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by JerryKILL

There really needs to be a "Challenge" subforum. For one, you could organize the threads better. I've said this in the past, but with a separate subforum every participant in a challenge could have their own thread. The first post would be their list, all subsequent posts would be discussion and comment on that particular list. I think this would be much better than the current format of a long thread with lists by all participants.

Started a thread in feedback if you want to give your two cents.

[Mister Peepers]

FYI: I'm moving the animation challenge to August.

I actually wouldn't mind if there was a challenge going on each month. When there's times I don't know what I want to watch, I can just do something from that category.

[Trevor]

Criterion Challenge now official.


I'm thinking that the Make Your Own Challenge should be next. Tentative plan is for anything involving 60 or more hours of viewing will count. So a personal goal could be to watch an entire TV series, every Laural & Hardy film, thirty Harrison Ford films, etc.

My plan is to watch every bit of every LOTR disc. All versions, all 18 or whatever commentary tracks, all featurettes, I'm a crazy fool.

[Dimension X]

Originally Posted by Trevor

I'm thinking that the Make Your Own Challenge should be next. Tentative plan is for anything involving 60 or more hours of viewing will count. So a personal goal could be to watch an entire TV series, every Laural & Hardy film, thirty Harrison Ford films, etc.

"Make Your Own Challenge" I like that idea. Why didn't I think of that?

I think the only overall rules you need are; 1) the start and end dates, 2) don't duplicate an existing challenge, and 3) state what your challenge is (including rules) at the beginning of your list post in the list thread.

Originally Posted by Trevor

My plan is to watch every bit of every LOTR disc. All versions, all 18 or whatever commentary tracks, all featurettes, I'm a crazy fool.

I'm looking for an excuse to knock out 50 or so Hitchcock films (in chronological order) in a month.