SO if I were a pivot animator, how would I compete
Your choice of software doesn't really matter as long as you can meet the requirements in the main post. If you're using Pivot you could import it into Flash to do sound effects and music, or you could use video editing software to get that done. As long as you're not submitting some strange file format that we can't open, it should be fine. Video or SWF is preferred.
This does raise a question, though. What if somebody too good does join in, and they make an entry, and it's not accepted due to it being too good? Is there still a possibility to it being sponsored anyway as an individual animation if it's good enough?
Nyneicon quoted my response to this, so I'm not going to do it again but does apply.
Also, jeff, quick question. I noticed how the weapon design will be part of the grading in this competition. Does this imply that we have to draw all the weapons ourselves? Or can we use someone else's weapons (ex. Sgtpiggy) as long as we give credit and ask permission?
You shouldn't use someone else's work for this competition. You CAN, but the point of the grading comes from your own work so you would immediately get 0 in that section. You could use someone else's design as your opponent's if you want, but you should be coming up with your own design. Also yes, please if you are using someone else's work in your animation give them credit.
Are we allowed to use multiple types of each weapon in the fight? Like for example, the gun guy could have a pistol then switch to a rifle, etc.
You can use as many as you'd like, as long as you have at least one melee and one gun.
WIP thread for this too? I thought this was just gonna be like some 10 second animation thing.
Yes, make sure you read the entire thread as all this information is up there.
will the judging criteria be less strict because we're beginers?
Yes, the rules and criteria in this competition are much more relaxed.
Does this mean you can't join both?
You can join both if you want, the point of that line is to establish that we don't have any sort of strict guidelines as to what constitutes a beginner, but obviously if you think you could win the main competition then it's likely you're confident enough in your skill that a beginners competition may be too easy for you.
Also the aspect ratio thing isn't here. What's up with that?
The aspect ratio restriction is really just to introduce the concept to established animators who otherwise don't consider it, since it's something that every serious animator will have to learn eventually. Even if everyone already knows what aspect ratio is, it's a good exercise in working under the kind of conditions you'd have working as an animator. For the beginners I don't think that is quite necessary at this point, because they're at a different stage and should be focusing more on animation and art.
