TL;DR
- Contest now includes weapon designs alongside costumes with separate submission requirements
- Costume designs must feature front/back views on Jin characters before race adaptation
- Weapon submissions require all seven weapon types with optional hand/arm displays
- Both digital and traditional artwork accepted with emphasis on originality over technical skill
- Grand prize winners receive in-game implementation, Hongmoon Coins, and exclusive cosmetics
The annual Costume Design Contest has officially evolved into the Cosmetic Design Contest, marking a significant expansion that now incorporates weapon illusion submissions alongside traditional outfit creations. This strategic enhancement by the Blade and Soul development team provides artists with expanded creative opportunities to influence the game’s visual landscape. The inclusion of weapon designs represents a direct response to community feedback requesting more diverse customization options.
Blade and Soul’s creative team eagerly anticipates discovering the innovative concepts players will conceive for this year’s competition. They emphasize that the contest serves as a vital pipeline for community-driven content that enriches the gaming experience for all players.
Participants should examine previous winning entries from 2015 through 2017 to understand the quality standards and creative diversity that typically garners recognition. Additionally, thorough review of the complete contest terms and conditions is essential to avoid disqualification based on technical oversights.
2015 Winners | 2016 Winners | 2017 Winners
Your costume design submission demands meticulous attention to presentation standards, requiring comprehensive front and rear perspectives displayed on gender-specific Jin models. These foundational designs undergo systematic adaptation to accommodate all playable races while preserving the core aesthetic vision. The development team employs sophisticated scaling and proportion adjustments to ensure visual consistency across diverse character models.
Artists may optionally incorporate designs for Summoner Familiars or facial accessories to complement their costume concepts, though these supplementary elements face potential exclusion during final implementation phases. Strategic consideration should focus on creating standalone costume designs that maintain visual impact without dependency on additional components.
Weapon Illusion Design
Weapon illusion submissions necessitate comprehensive coverage of all seven weapon categories: Sword/Lynblade, Gauntlets/Bracer, Bangle, Axe, Dagger/Razor, Staff, and Pistols. This category specifically emphasizes weapon aesthetics, prohibiting character inclusion within submission imagery to maintain focus on the armaments themselves. However, strategic incorporation of hands or arms remains permissible when these elements substantially enhance design clarity, particularly for equipment like gauntlets that integrate with limb positioning.
Participants may submit both costume and weapon designs as separate contest entries, though these must constitute distinct image files adhering to the respective category guidelines. Combined submissions featuring both costume and weapon elements within a single image will require immediate resubmission to qualify for judging consideration.
Contest entries accommodate both digital creations and traditional hand-drawn artwork, providing flexibility for artists with varying technical resources. The optional design template serves as a helpful structural aid during costume conception, though its utilization bears no impact on judging outcomes since selection prioritizes conceptual innovation over artistic technical proficiency. However, all submissions must demonstrate complete originality; designs infringing upon existing copyrights or intellectual property will face immediate disqualification without appeal.
Inclusion of design notes and inspiration sources remains optional but strongly encouraged, as judges value understanding the creative rationale and conceptual foundation underlying each submission. This contextual information often proves decisive during final selection phases when comparing conceptually similar entries.
| 1 Costume Grand Prize Winner | 1 Weapon Illusion Grand Prize Winner |
|---|---|
| Their design made into an in-game costume with a personalized tooltip and signature. | Their design made into an in-game weapon illusion with a personalized tooltip and signature. |
| Their costume once development is completed. | Their weapon illusion once development is completed. |
| $150 USD worth of Hongmoon Coin (12,000 Hongmoon Coin) | $150 USD worth of Hongmoon Coin (12,000 Hongmoon Coin) |
| Exclusive Community Events Costume: Kindred Soul | Exclusive Community Events Costume: Kindred Soul |
Action Checklist
- Review previous winning entries from 2015-2017 to understand judging preferences
- Create costume designs with front/back views on male and female Jin models
- Design weapon illusions covering all seven weapon types with optional hand displays
- Prepare separate image files for costume and weapon submissions
- Include design notes explaining creative inspiration and conceptual foundation
No reproduction without permission：GameCDjnh » Blade and Soul News: 2018 Cosmetic Design Contest Complete guide to Blade and Soul's Cosmetic Design Contest with weapon submission strategies and winning tips