NationStates Flag Bracket II (Congratulations to Albali!)

by **Fennoscandia Union** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:38 pm

I'm voting Six Lunar Duchies, Garden at 6th Mile Road seems too simplistic.

by **Apabeossie** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:29 pm

Ah, so I forgot this existed for a while, seems two of my flags made it to the top 64 and 1 made it to the top 32!
Thanks to everyone who voted, for me or not. ^^

This round: Six Lunar Duchies' crown is overly complicated in color, it would look better if you simplify it a bit.
~~don't tell anyone that I sort of have a bias towards Val Z flags, but this time is *totally objective*.~~

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 7:28 am

Garden at 6th Mile Road (by Valentine Z) defeats Six Lunar Duchies (by Glurponia) 17-11.
Congratulations to Valentine Z! Thanks everyone for casting their votes.

Top 64 Match 25
Norcott - Alternate (by Drongonia) vs Zeptov Province (by Onocarcass)
Vote for your favorite flag and, if you want, explain your preference in the thread!

Time for the top 64! Submissions are now locked in, no substantial changes allowed. Good luck to the remaining competitors.

My opinion: I prefer Norcott's alternate flag in this matchup, as it has some very nice colors and a more straightforward design than Zeptov.

by **Paradeavenlisian States** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:13 am

Which flag, between Norcott's Alternate and Zeptov's Flag, will I vote for?

Simplicity: While both flags are simplistic, I'll have to give this one to Norcott's Alt flag. It consists of a Southern constellation amongst a field and with a triangle shape with an outline at the bottom. The layout is relatively straightforward and should be drawable for a child. Zeptov's flag consists of two thin stripes at the top and bottom with central symbolism. Now, while the layout is simplistic (even more so than Norcott's Alt), I do think the symbol centre would be a bit confusing to draw for a child which is what makes me regard Norcott's Alt flag as more simplistic.

Originality:As for originality, this is a bit of a tough category to decide on but I'll have to go with Zeptov's flag as the more original flag because while its colours and layout isn't that unique when compared to Norcott's Alt flag, they don't really have any aspects that are clearly similar to any real world flag and I find their use of symbolism to be far more unique and distinctive. While Norcott's Alt flag does have far more original colours and layout, it does have the Southern Cross constellation found on several other national flags.

Colour Scheme:For the colour scheme, I'm still going for Zeptov's flag as the one with the superior colour scheme because the colours seem quite grounded in comparison to Norcott's Alt. They also feel more sensible and less off-putting as well. While I do quite like the use of cyan on Norcott's Alt flag and while the black stars do give off the desired dictatorial aesthetic, the use of the black on the stars does feel a bit too off-putting for my liking and I'm not certain if light cyan is really the best colour scheme for a dictatorial nation. Personally, I think the blue should be darkened a bit but not too much.

Design:In terms of the design, this is probably the toughest category to decide on. I do quite like the use of symbolism for Zeptov's flag which seems to give off a more in-depth meaning, especially culturally, more memorable use of symbolism and it does, at least, give off more symmetry. However, I do quite like the creativity of Norcott's Alt design, it's rather intriguing and appealing to my eyes (excluding the colours) and the symbolism is far more recognisable from a distance. Considering this though, I think I'll give a slight edge to Norcott's Alt since I find their design to be more intriguing and appealing, has better composition, a more creative layout and more recognisable symbolism.

Realism:In regards to realism, I'll have to give this one to Zeptov's flag because largely due to their colour scheme being more sensible and far more grounded in reality. Not to mention, its incorporation of symbolism, along with its sheer simplicity, makes it quite plausible for a historical kingdom or even a tribal nation/province. While Norcott's Alt design and symbolism does also feel very plausible (especially for a modern day flag), the one (and only) thing that stops me from giving this to their flag is the colour scheme from its (maybe too) bizarre use of cyan to its off-putting implementation of black stars.

Verdict:Overall, this was a hard one to determine but, winning in 3 out of 5 of the categories above, at least from my point of view, I will vote for Zeptov's flag in this matchup because it feels more original, feels more plausible as a flag, has good use of symmetry, more memorable use of symbolism and more in-depth meaning. While Norcott's Alt flag is more simplistic, distinguishing in regards to its colours, and has better composition as a whole, it just doesn't feel meaningful, plausible or grounded enough to really my vote for this matchup

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:55 am

Zeptov Province (by Onocarcass) defeats Norcott - Alternate (by Drongonia) 13-9.
Congratulations, Onocarcass!

Top 64 Match 26
Apabeossie vs Trymia (by Thakia)
Vote for your favorite flag and, if you want, explain your preference in the thread!

Time for the top 64! Submissions are now locked in, no substantial changes allowed. Good luck to the remaining competitors.

My opinion: Although Trymia's flag is certainly great, Apabeossie's flag gets my vote because it has more pleasing colors and a very clean design. I really like the symbol of the heart inside a star.

by **Paradeavenlisian States** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:57 am

Which flag, between Trymia and Apabeossie, will I vote for?

Simplicity: It is quite obvious that Apabeossie's flag is the more simplistic of the two. It is comprised of a horizontal tricolour design with a heart shape carved out of the centre of the star at the centre of the flag. All of these features are very simplistic and are certainly drawable for a child. For Trymia's flag, it is comprised of a horizontal stripe per top and bottom side separated from the pale by thinner orange stripes. In the centre, there is a rather detailed wreath below an equally detailed eagle (yes, it's an eagle not a phoenix since they, themselves, have said that their national animal is an eagle). Now, while the layout is simplistic, none of the central symbolism is simplistic due to the sheer detail on the leaves on the wreath and the feathers on the eagle.

Originality:As for originality, I'm giving this one to Apabeossie because while the colours and the layout may, arguably, not be as unique, it's clear that the central symbolism is. This is especially such for the heart which is craved out of star with these two features rarely combined together in NS and never have been IRL. While Trymia's flag does have a more distinctive colour scheme and layout, both the eagle and the wreath are both generically featured in many flags. However, even with that said, I do must say that the wreath and the eagle are designed quite uniquely (at least when compared to other adaptations of the two), in an intricate way, especially with the way in which the feathers and the leaves are arranged.

Colour Scheme:For the colour scheme, this is probably the toughest category to decide on. While Apabeossie's colour scheme does have rather poor contrast between the star, heart and middle stripe, the colours are at least appealing, memorable and fitting for the nation at the same time. To reduce the issue of the poor contrast, I'd add an outline around both the star and the heart (maybe black or dark blue?). Trymia's colours, while they aren't quite as appealing, are still decently such, are more firm and grounded in terms of contrast and they seem to have gone for a more thematic approach in regards to the aesthetic of their colour scheme. However, I do have somewhat mixed feelings about the white feathers and leaves. On one hand, the use of white on the feathers and the leaves do seem a bit unnecessary, especially since the majority of the eagle and wreath are orange. On the other hand though, they do add in more detail and could even make them more striking amongst a red field although I'm leaning more towards the latter. Considering this, I will have to give the slightest of edges to Trymia's colour scheme since they feel more thematic but mainly because they feel more firm, consistent and grounded when it comes to contrast.

Design:In terms of the design, this is another hard category to determine. Apabeossie's flag has a good, fitting use of symbolism which is rather minimalist compared to its counterpart in regards to detail and although the tricolour design can be a bit generic, the incorporation of both the heart and the star is distinctively fitting with one another and it does indeed have a very clean and crisp design. Trymia's design does have some very well-designed symbols with some very intricate details in the form of the eagle's feathers and the wreath's leaves. My only issue with the flag is, of course, the comparative lack of antialaising when compared to its counterpart. However, for the sheer level of detail on both the eagle and the wreath, the lack of antialaising is minimal and barely noticeable so it can be easy to ignore as a major issue. And besides, it still feels very memorable, well-designed and has great composition. Considering this, I'll give this to Trymia's flag because, in spite of their design not being as clean or crisp, they still have better composition, detail and it just feels more meaningful to my eyes in spite of the lack of a description for both flags.

Realism:In regards to realism, I'll have to give this one to Trymia's flag because the symbolism just feels far more grounded in reality. Their flag could work quite well for an alternative flag for a US state in the southwest, particularly such for Utah, Nevada or Arizona or perhaps for a flag for an alternate Deseret nation due to its use of symbolism and the desert-esque colour scheme. While the colours and layout of Apabeossie's do seem sensible enough to fit in as a real world flag, the heart is a bit of an unconventional choice of symbolism for any real world flag in general to be honest and would be deemed as a little off-putting when compared to real world flags.

Verdict:Overall, this was an extremely hard category to decide on. The memorability of both flags along with their different approached but equally great use of symbolism makes it harder to narrow down this matchup. In fact, I, myself, have changed my mind 2-3 times. However, winning in 3 out of 5 of the categories above, at least from my point of view, I will narrowly vote for Trymia's flag in this matchup because it feels more plausible as a flag, has great use of intricate detail on well-implemented and designed symbols, feel more meaningful and memorable and just has better composition. While Apabeossie's flag is more simplistic, distinguishing, clean, crisp, and has more striking and appealing colours as a whole, it just doesn't feel meaningful (based on perception purely), plausible or consistently contrasting enough to really my vote for this matchup.

Also, to the OP, I think one of the flags, Kycci Province (Onocarcass), is missing from the OP even though Onocarcass's other submissions are there. I checked your extra filler post and it wasn't there either. I'm guessing it was misplaced or deleted accidentally during editing? By the way, if you are looking for it, then it's in Page 28 (Top 64, Match 9).

Edit:Oh NVM, it's been fixed.

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:10 am

For those who would like to know who they will be matched against in the top 32, here are the updated matchups:

Good luck, everyone!

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:38 am

Paradeavenlisian States wrote:Also, to the OP, I think one of the flags, Kycci Province (Onocarcass), is missing from the OP even though Onocarcass's other submissions are there. I checked your extra filler post and it wasn't there either. I'm guessing it was misplaced or deleted accidentally during editing? By the way, if you are looking for it, then it's in Page 28 (Top 64, Match 9).

Edit:Oh NVM, it's been fixed.

Funny that you would point that out today, I'm pretty sure I accidentally Ctrl+X'd it two or three weeks ago and today is also when I noticed it (while updating matchups for the top 32)

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 7:17 am

Trymia (by Thakia) defeats Apabeossie 13-8.

Top 64 Match 27
Czisra (by Astoria) vs Onocarcass
Vote for your favorite flag and, if you want, explain your preference in the thread!

Time for the top 64! Submissions are now locked in, no substantial changes allowed. Good luck to the remaining competitors.

My opinion: Both of these flags are extremely unique, but on technical merits I prefer Onocarcass' flag. The monument symbol on Czisra's flag is odd and uses too many colors at once.

by **Paradeavenlisian States** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:07 am

Which flag, between Czisra and Onocarcass, will I vote for?

Simplicity: It is quite obvious that Czisra's flag is the most simplistic of the two. Their flag is comprised of white and blue ribbons at the bottom and the Žamij monument symbol comprising of an extremely thinned out isocles triangle, two circles with an outline surrounding both of them and a star at the top. All of these symbols can be drawable for a child with a slight exception being the ribbons although they shouldn't be too difficult in my opinion. Onocarcass' flag is comprised of a dragon dissecting two sections of the flag with its outstretched wings. Now, the edges of the dragon are quite intricately and complicatedly designed when compared to the monument on Cizra's flag even if Ono's flag has far less going for it in terms of the amount of symbolism used.

Originality:As for originality, this is somewhat hard to determine. Czisra's flag does have a few features that have been featured in other flags such as the blue and white ribbon. In addition, the main colours of the flag, blue and white, have been featured quite frequently amongst real world flag. However, the monument is quite a unique features both in terms of its design and its appearance on the flag as it is rarely, if at all, featured in any other flag, especially with this simplicity. For Onocarcass' flag, while it does feature a dragon (which has been featured in many real world flags), the dragon does happen to be designed quite distinctively in many aspects such as the way in which the wings are stretched out and how the details are only concentrated on the outline of the dragon. Not to mention, the way in which the colour scheme has been implemented on the flag is also quite original I must say. Considering this, I'll narrowly have to give this to Onocarcass because their flag just feels more distinguishing as a whole and the colours are more uniquely implemented.

Colour Scheme:For the colour scheme, I'll have to give this to Onocarcass because their colour scheme is implemented far better and (in spite of the lack of a description when compared to its counterpart) just feels more meaningful, balanced, striking, appealing and memorable due to its better overall implementation and execution.For Czisra's colour scheme, I feel like the colours used on the ribbons is pretty much in terms of reflecting the Stečé river. In regards to the monument, the colour scheme and implementation is relatively decent although I'm not a huge fan of the yellow monument with the white background, which is the biggest problem I have with the colour scheme. And speaking of the white background, in reference to the meaning provided, I'm not entirely sure if white is the best colour in terms of portraying the happiness that the people desire unless that's purely due to cultural perception of the people with them viewing white as a symbol of happiness. If that isn't the case, then I feel like yellow or orange would be more fitting purely in regards to the connotation of happiness although that would hide the layout of the monument and even if the monument had an outline, then it would still feel a bit weird amongst a background of orange/yellow. Regardless of that though, the white background does give off a bit of emptiness and, for some reason, it's implementation does feel a bit weird. To fix these problems, I'd say either have the monument be orange instead of yellow, to be less overblending with the white background, or have the background be replaced by green as I feel like that would be the most fitting colour for the background in this case (in regards to conveying the feeling of happiness besides from yellow and orange while still having a decent use of implementation.

Design:In terms of the design, I'm still giving this one to Onocarcass's flag because the design just feels a bit more creative, in a rather clever manner and the dragon is intricately designed. Not to mention, the layout, as a whole, is just far more striking, aesthetically-pleasing and memorable at the same time. However, I do think that there are a few minor issues that could be addressed. For one, the dragon doesn't really feel that crisp or clean, even when compared to its counterpart so I think that the dragon could do with some antialaising. Secondly, I'm not a fan of how the dragon is off-centered as it ruins the balance between the red and black sections that it divides with its wings and tail so it should be reposistioned to the centre. As for Czisra's flag, I do say that the design does certainly have some pretty decent potential while the blue and white ribbons, the monument and the meaning behind these features with the waves and in-depth meaning behind the features being a particular strong point for this flag's design. However, like its counterpart, I do think there are a few flaws with the design, mostly in regards to the monument. Firstly, the general design of the monument itself. Considering the fact that the blue and white ribbons represent the Stečé river, I'm not entirely certain whether Czisra is landlocked or if it does have direct access to the sea. If it is the former though, then, quite frankly, the monument feels more like something that would be out at sea, for some reason, due to its (albeit extremely vague) resemblance to a lighthouse but I feel like it has a stronger resemblance to something else that is out at sea though I can't pinpoint what exactly. Secondly, I feel like the features on the monument just feel a bit... well, small for my liking? This is especially the case for the star at the top and the outline of the two circles. Thirdly, I don't know why but I feel like the monument is a little bit too thin for my liking. And fourthly, the positioning of the monument itself just feels a bit off-putting and, considering the layout of the monument, pretty much ruins and misses out on a perfect opportunity to achieve a sense of symmetry as well as other potential metaphorical elements that could be brought out from the flag. To fix these issues, I would have the monument shifted to the centre of the design to not only give off perfect symmetry but also a sense of character and, depending on the IC history behind the nation/province or whatever it is (I'm assuming that's a province or some other administrative division), it could even really bring out and emphasize some historical and cultural significance that the monument has or symbolises. It would also make the flag more striking, recognisable and memorable. I would also have the star be bigger to bring out some more relevance to the monument and have the outlines of the circles be a little thicker(maybe shorten the height of the monument a little if necessary). It could also have the monument be a little thicker.

Realism:In regards to realism, this, along with the originality category, is probably the hardest category to determine. For Czisra's flag, the way in which the colours are implemented as well as the layout, proportions and positioning of the monument don't really emanate that much realism to be frank. Sure, the blue and white waves are familiar and do help emanate some extent of realism but it really isn't enough to mitigate or fill in the realism hole of the flag provided by the unequal emptiness on the right side of the flag and the rather ironic proportions of the monument's features. In regards to Omocarcass' flag, while the flag is definitely distinctive enough, the lack of antialaising for the dragon may be a little bit off-putting when compared to real world flags. Considering all this, I may have to give this one a tie.

Verdict:Overall, winning in 3 out of 5 of the categories above, at least from my point of view, I will vote for Onocarcass' flag in this matchup because it feels far more appealing, meaningful (in spite of a lack of a description), memorable, striking and balanced in both its design and its colours as well. While Czisra's flag is certainly more simplistic, in regards to its use of symbolism, and exhibits a cleaner, more crisped design, it just feels more off-putting in regards to its symbolism and its not appealing, mememorable, balanced, distinctive or well-implemented enough, comparatively, to really earn my vote in this matchup.

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Sat Aug 01, 2020 7:46 am

Onocarcass defeats Czisra (by Astoria) 19-4.
Congratulations, Onocarcass!

Top 64 Match 28
Duolin - Daylight (by Diarcesia) vs The Cosmic Mainframe
Vote for your favorite flag and, if you want, explain your preference in the thread!

Time for the top 64! Submissions are now locked in, no substantial changes allowed. Good luck to the remaining competitors.

No comments today as my flag is up! (Also, sorry I'm late!)

by **Paradeavenlisian States** » Sat Aug 01, 2020 9:42 am

Which flag, between The Cosmic Mainframe and Duolin's Daylight, will I vote for?

Simplicity:For simplicity, this one is a little hard but I think I'll give this one to TCM's flag. Their flag is comprised of a circuitboard emanating from a reboot symbol all amongst a blue background. All of these features are simplistic enough for a child to draw, even though they might not exactly know what they even are. Duolin's Daylight flag is comprised of a folded wing dissecting the flag into two sections with three 4-pointed stars at the left-hand side of the flag. Now, while all of the symbols are also simplistic, I do feel like it might be a little harder for a child to draw, specifically the wing with its dark gold outline being the shadow casted by the wing.

Originality:As for originality, this is also somewhat hard to determine. Duolin Daylight's flag does go for a rather unique implementation of white, gold and especially dark gold. Not to mention, not only is the layout original is unique but also the positioning and arrangement of the stars which is quite unusual (even unconventional), if I have to say. In addition, this is probably the first time in which I've seen a wing be used as a major component by itself and so is its implementation and incorporation on the yellow half of the flag. For TCM's flag, while their colours might not necessarily be that original, it's design, composition and symbolism undoubtedly is, from the circuitboard to the reboot symbol. And none of those symbols, or even anything resembling them, have been featured on any other flag before as far as I can tell. Considering this, I'll have to give this one to TCM because their flag is even more unconventional and the fact that none of their symbols have even been featured on any flag, unlike DD's flag.

Colour Scheme:For the colour scheme, I'll have to give this to TCM because their colours just feel more balanced in terms of contrast, fitting for their concept and aesthetic and they are simply more grounded. For DD's flag, whilst their colour scheme is definitely more striking and maybe even appealing, this strikeness factor also seems to come at the cost of poor contrast between the gold and the white. In addition, while it does a decent job in executing the daylight aesthetic, I don't think it does so at its highest potential. To improve the implementation of the colours for DD's flag, I would either add a dark gold or a dark blue outline between the gold section and the white or replace the white with light blue to represent the sky.

Design:In terms of the design, I'm still giving this one to TCM's flag because the design just feels a bit more creative, in a rather clever manner and, despite the layout being arguably more unconventional, it simply adds to the memorability whilst feeling a bit more balanced, appealing and less appealing. It also has excellent composition and, perhaps, slightly more character to it with its representation of connectivity, endless technological progress and the sheer importance and relevance of it to the nation as a whole. DD's flag definitely has an intriguing, appealing, creative and memorable design but I don't think the composition is as good in my opinion and, in spite both nations having a description, I just don't think it feels as meaningful as TCM's flag. Not to mention, I think that both the positioning and arrangement of the stars is a bit off-putting to me. Instead, to improve on it, I think that the star constellation should be moved to the top left of the flag and I'd personally prefer it if the stars were positioned in a isoceles triangle-like shape.

Realism:In regards to realism, I think that, this time, DD's flag is the more realistic of the two because, while the positioning of certain features may be more off-putting, it does, at least, bear some features that are somewhat plausible for a real world flag. Despite TCM's more grounded in-reality colour scheme, I do think that the implementation of those colours, along with the composition and layout, make it seem more like a flag for a digital corporation or for the starting screen for a computer than a national flag (even if that's what they were actually going for).

Verdict:Overall, winning in 4 out of 5 of the categories above, at least from my point of view, I will vote for TCM's flag (no, not because he was the maker of this) because its design just feels more balanced, both figuratively and literally, with a good balance of creativity, while having a grounded and sensible design and good implementation of colours which are fitting, memorable and appealing at the same time. While DD's flag is more striking with its colours, more plausible as a real world flag and has great meaning behind it, I just think that the positioning and arrangement of the stars is too off-putting and the design just doesn't feel balanced enough to earn my vote in this matchup

by **-Astoria-** » Sat Aug 01, 2020 9:49 am

The Cosmic Mainframe wrote:Onocarcass defeats Czisra (by Astoria) 19-4.
Congratulations, Onocarcass!

...should I be surprised yet?

2/3 beaten in huge landslides... what kind of matcherator is this?

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Sat Aug 01, 2020 10:17 am

-Astoria- wrote:
The Cosmic Mainframe wrote:Onocarcass defeats Czisra (by Astoria) 19-4.
Congratulations, Onocarcass!
...should I be surprised yet?

2/3 beaten in huge landslides... what kind of matcherator is this?

Maybe a little surprised.

The matchups are random, except that I sometimes switch them around to prevent submitters from being matched against themselves. So it's probably bad luck if anything.

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Sun Aug 02, 2020 8:35 am

I'm very sorry for being this late - especially sorry to today's competitors, Paradeavenlisian States and Dukin Donuts! I had some computer problems this morning and was very tired.
The Cosmic Mainframe defeats Duolin - Daylight (by Diarcesia) 12-11.
Thanks everyone, I was seriously expecting to lose that round!

Top 64 Match 29
Paradisia Heavenlonia Stralisia Union (by Paradeavenlisian States) vs Fifth Imperial Remnant (by Dukin Donuts)
Vote for your favorite flag and, if you want, explain your preference in the thread!

Time for the top 64! Submissions are now locked in, no substantial changes allowed. Good luck to the remaining competitors.

My opinion: PHSU's flag is definitely the cleaner flag between these two, and along with a good color scheme and meaning that earns it my vote.

by **Hakinda Herseyi Duymak istiyorum** » Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:18 am

The Cosmic Mainframe wrote:I'm very sorry for being this late - especially sorry to today's competitors, Paradeavenlisian States and Dukin Donuts! I had some computer problems this morning and was very tired.
The Cosmic Mainframe defeats Duolin - Daylight (by Diarcesia) 12-11.
Thanks everyone, I was seriously expecting to lose that round!

Top 64 Match 29
Paradisia Heavenlonia Stralisia Union (by Paradeavenlisian States) vs Fifth Imperial Remnant (by Dukin Donuts)
Vote for your favorite flag and, if you want, explain your preference in the thread!

Time for the top 64! Submissions are now locked in, no substantial changes allowed. Good luck to the remaining competitors.

(Image)
Paradisia Heavenlonia Stralisia Union
The red star represents Stangelic Energy and unity. It also represents the six main elemental phoenixes that roam the archipelago with the exception of the rainbow phoenix which is represented by the white stripes on the star as the creator of them. The white represents the glaciated topped and symbolic Leecona Mountains. The blue represents the vast oceans that lie beyond the archipelago while the green represents the environment.

(Image)
Fifth Imperial Remnant

My opinion: PHSU's flag is definitely the cleaner flag between these two, and along with a good color scheme and meaning that earns it my vote.

I don't think it's fair even though I gave my vote to you. must go to the top round in both flags
The Cosmic Mainframe Duolin - Daylight (by Diarcesia)

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:23 am

Hakinda Herseyi Duymak istiyorum wrote:I don't think it's fair even though I gave my vote to you. must go to the top round in both flags
The Cosmic Mainframe Duolin - Daylight (by Diarcesia)

Well, the matchups are random, so sometimes two flags that both deserve to get to the top 16 get matched up against each other early on. I have been considering letting people nominate honorable mentions toward the end for that reason.

by **Hakinda Herseyi Duymak istiyorum** » Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:43 am

The Cosmic Mainframe wrote:
Hakinda Herseyi Duymak istiyorum wrote:I don't think it's fair even though I gave my vote to you. must go to the top round in both flags
The Cosmic Mainframe Duolin - Daylight (by Diarcesia)

Well, the matchups are random, so sometimes two flags that both deserve to get to the top 16 get matched up against each other early on. I have been considering letting people nominate honorable mentions toward the end for that reason.

You are late. actually ended in a draw. a solution is required for justice

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:55 am

Hakinda Herseyi Duymak istiyorum wrote:
The Cosmic Mainframe wrote:Well, the matchups are random, so sometimes two flags that both deserve to get to the top 16 get matched up against each other early on. I have been considering letting people nominate honorable mentions toward the end for that reason.
You are late. actually ended in a draw. a solution is required for justice

Oh, that's what you mean.

Match-ups aren't scheduled to end at any specific time - they end when I post the next one, effectively. I realize that can lead to issues, but there's no way for me to automatically check and/or reset the votes at the exact same time every day. If I forced myself to always reset at exactly 8 AM, for example, I think that would lead to more issues.

So I did win, by one vote. Unless I was actually too early in reading the vote total and it was 12-12.

by **Valentine Z** » Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:58 am

The Cosmic Mainframe wrote:Unless I was actually too early in reading the vote total and it was 12-12.

Nah, it was 11-11, then 12-11.

by **Pencil Sharpeners 2** » Sun Aug 02, 2020 11:39 am

Woops, looks like my late vote has confused things

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Mon Aug 03, 2020 6:28 am

Paradisia Heavenlonia Stralisia Union (by Paradeavenlisian States) defeats Fifth Imperial Remnant (by Dukin Donuts) 17-4.
Congratulations again Paradeavenlisian States. Dukin Donuts still has one submission remaining - we'll see how it does soon.

Top 64 Match 30
Greater Cosmicium - Eagle-Star Cross vs Fars - Beneficent Trinity (by Vidinaz)
Vote for your favorite flag and, if you want, explain your preference in the thread!

Time for the top 64! Submissions are now locked in, no substantial changes allowed. Good luck to the remaining competitors.

My opinion: While GC's Eagle-Star Cross is decently designed, it is a mix of elements from two of GC's other flags that I feel do not combine well - particularly the eagle in the middle of the cross. Fars has a very interesting vertical design with appealing colors. The symbolism is great, including the Chinese character inside the star. I'll give my vote to Fars this round.

by **Paradeavenlisian States** » Mon Aug 03, 2020 10:53 am

Which flag, between Greater Cosmicium's Eagle-Star Cross and Fars' Beneficient Trinity, will I vote for?

Simplicity:For simplicity, I think I'll give this one to FBT's flag. Their flag has a vertical design that is comprised of a white stripe with three moon crescents in a row. It also features a 10-pointed star at the centre with a Chinese character at the very centre of the star. The star also happens to dissect the rest of the design into two sections. All of these features are simplistic enough to be considered as drawable for a child. GCE-SC's flag is comprised of a symmetrical cross outlined by two outlines. In the centre of the cross, it contains an emblem with a reichsadler eagle in the centre. The symmetrical cross also divides the flag into four sections, each of which containing a star. Now, while most of the features are simplistic enough, the eagle could be considered as an exception although, considering the fact that the details are restricted to the outline, it is, perhaps, as simplistic as a reichsadler could get. Therefore, while FBT's flag does have more features, GCE-SC's flag does have more detail in its central symbol.

Originality:As for originality, I think I may have to give this to FBT's flag not only because of the unique dovetail shape of the flag but also because of the original-looking vertical design and the way in which the elements are incorporated together, especially the 10-pointed star and Chinese character. In fact, I don't think I've seen a flag quite like it; that's how distinguishing it is. For GCE-SC's flag, while I do think that its colour scheme of yellow, black and white do make for a more unique colour combination than FBT's flag, there aren't really any other features which are that distinguishing, at least to my eyes. For instance, unlike FBT's flag, GCE-SC's flag uses the typical 1:2 rectangular flag shape as used by the vast majority of other flags(not that it's a bad thing as many flag designs do fit best with that shape). Not only that, but the reichsadler is quite familiar to me, likely due to how many times that this adaptation of the reichsadler has been featured on alternative flags. The symmetrical cross is unique in the fact that it has two outlines but nothing too notable and the stars, while they do use a unique implementation of black, are the generic 5-pointed variety found on numerous flags.

Colour Scheme:For the colour scheme, I'll have to give this to FBT's flag because while their colour scheme feels more grounded, meaningful and, while not as striking, I'd still say that it feels a bit more appealing to my eyes. For GCE-SC's flag, as striking and memorable as their colour scheme may be, it just feels a little off-putting if considering the concept of the nation to be quite honest (probably due to the lack of a space aesthetic, even when compared to GC's other flags).

Design:In terms of the design, I'm still giving this one to FBT's flag since it feels more appealing, memorable (due to the sheer unconventionality of a vertical design on a dovetail flag), downright better composition and simply more meaningful. While GCE-SC's design does have more character to it, the meaning as a whole for everything outside its central symbol isn't as in-depth in my opinion. Not to mention, even with its balanced design, I just don't it's that memorable (excluding the colours of course).

Realism:In regards to realism, while this may be a little hard to determine, given the unconventionality of the design for one flag and the unconventionality of the colours for another, I think I'll have to give a slight edge to FBT's flag simply because I feel like its colours and design could easily fit quite well as a traditional Asian flag (perhaps for an alternative for Indus civilization, or another civilization in Mongolia or maybe even a Han Chinese influenced Central Asian, given the meaning of the flag). For me, the layout of GCE-SC's flag seems more fitting for a PMT nation than a FT nation to be quite frank and, therefore, I wouldn't really see it being as realistic for an FT nation as FBT's is for a PT nation.

Verdict:Overall, winning in 5 out of 5 of the categories above, at least from my point of view, I will vote for FBT's flag because its colours feel more appealing and fitting, both for its concept and its design which also does better in executing the concept as well as being more distinguishingly memorable, appealing, exhibiting better composition and being more meaningful generally. While GCE-SC's flag does have a more balanced design, better symmetry coupled with more in-depth character within its symbols and more distinctively memorable colours, I just don't think it's appealing enough nor has enough meaning or memorabilia (design-wise) for me to vote for them in this matchup.

by **The Cosmic Mainframe** » Tue Aug 04, 2020 6:01 am

Fars - Beneficent Trinity (by Vidinaz) defeats Greater Cosmicium - Eagle-Star Cross 14-8.
Congratulations, Vidinaz!

Top 64 Match 31
Drongonia - Alternate vs Two-Oh-Four (by Dukin Donuts)
Vote for your favorite flag and, if you want, explain your preference in the thread!

Time for the top 64! Submissions are now locked in, no substantial changes allowed. Good luck to the remaining competitors.

My opinion: Two-Oh-Four's flag has a unique design, to be sure, but Drongonia's alternate flag is similarly unique, while also feeling more "flag-like" and cleaner. I'll vote for Drongonia's alt.

by **Paradeavenlisian States** » Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:27 am

Which flag, between Drongonia's Alternate and Two-Oh-Four, will I vote for?

Simplicity:For simplicity, this is probably, right off the bat, the hardest category to decide on. However, I think that Drongonia's Alt is somewhat more simplistic in my opinion. It is comprised of a Southern Cross Constellation to the right hand side and a pair of intersecting stripes to the left, all amongst a navy blue field. Not only are all of these features simplistic (although the intersecting stripes may be a little confusing for a child), but they are also relatively bare in numbers. T-O-F's flag is comprised of what seems to be a some sort of sun with three circular rings emanating from it (which most likely represents the nation's native solar system) as well as four chevroned design in the background. Now, while T-O-F's symbolism is quite simplistic as well, its layout clearly has a bit more going for it than Drongonia's Alt flag.

Originality:As for originality, I think that T-O-F's flag is more original due to its rather unconventional use of symbolism which is much more unique than Drongonia Alt's Southern Cross constellation, especially the way in which the star at the centre is designed. Not only that, but while red, blue and yellow may not necessary be the most original of colour schemes, their implementation on the design, along with the shades used for those colours are still noteworthy nevertheless and so is the implementation of the circular rings on the flag which, outside of an outline of an emblem or seal, has never really been featured in any other sort of use or implementation on a flag before. While Drongonia Alt's flag does also have a unique layout as well as an unique implementation of light blue, the field, along with the Southern Cross constellation and its positioning, is very similar to that of Australia's and New Zealand at the same time.

Colour Scheme:For the colour scheme, I'll have to give this to Drongonia Alt's flag because it just feels far more visually appealing to my eyes with its extremely good use of blue and white, more fitting to its concept of an Oceanic nation in the Southern Hemisphere, more striking and, therefore, just feels more memorable to me. For T-O-F's flag, the colours aren't that bad in my opinion and they are relatively decent; they just aren't as eye-catching or appealing to me as their counterpart. Not to mention, something about the way in which the red has been used just feels a bit weird even though its hard to pinpoint precisely what it is. However, my guess would probably have to be the red extending within the two outer circular rings but stop in the inner circular rings. I'm not sure if there is really anything to improve on this specific aspect without making the flag even worse but it just feels a little bit out of place to my very eyes.

Design:In terms of the design, I'm still giving this one to Drongonia Alt's flag because although it does feel a little more empty, it simply just has better composition, is less off-putting, more appealing and more aesthetically-pleasing. T-O-F's design does certainly have some potential, it feels more balanced than its counterpart, and the central symbols, in particular, do well in representing its native solar system. However, the design doesn't feel quite as crisp and feels a bit more off-putting in some areas. For instance, I'm honestly not the biggest fan of the sun but it is probably one of the more suitable interpretations of the sun, considering the possible FT aesthetic that it is going for. Also, I don't like how the rays of the sun jut slightly beyond the first circular ring (planetary orbit), specifically the rays that extend upwards and, to a lesser extent, the ray jutting out leftwards. Unlike the design of the sun, the slightly off rays issue can be easily fixable by cleaning up the inner circular ring.

Realism:In regards to realism, I will have to give this one to Drongonia's Alt flag, yet again, because it feels considerably less off-putting, more grounded and sensible as a whole and it feels clean enough to fit relatively well as an alt flag for Australia or New Zealand (or maybe even for a union between the two). The only potential issue that the flag could face in regards to realism is, maybe, the intersecting stripes as they generally feel a bit airline-esque but they are, at least, balanced enough, in regards to distinction and groundedness, to potentially fit decently in a flag of its kind(if used correctly). For T-O-F's flag, it's not really the lack of "flagness" incorporated into its design that really bothers me in terms of realism (as said above). But instead, its just the weird way in which the red is included and I think the blue could do with some darkening in order to make more realistic. Not to mention, it just doesn't feel as crisp, as a whole, and the star can be a bit off-putting at times in terms of the style of its design especially when compared to sun designs found in real world flags.

Verdict:Overall, winning in 4 out of 5 of the categories above, at least from my point of view, I will vote for Drongonia's Alt flag because its colours feel more appealing and fitting, both for its concept and its design which also does better in executing the concept whilst being more memorable, appealing, exhibiting better composition and just less off-putting as a whole. While T-O-F's flag does have a more balanced design, better symmetry coupled with some good potential (in terms of its conceptual design on paper), it just doesn't feel grounded, plausible or sensible enough (if you know what I mean) as a whole to really earn my vote for this matchup.

NationStates Flag Bracket II (Congratulations to Albali!)

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