Actually, from the very start of this skinning business in AH, HTC did announce to everyone that when a same scheme of a same bird has been submitted they will use the one they think looks better. And in the case of skins already submitted and in use, if another skin of the same scheme has been submitted which they think looks better, then they will remove the old one in exchange for the new, and they do not notify everyone of the changes. This has been made clear.
In most cases, skinners consciously try to disclose information on what they are working on (that's why they announce their skins on this BBS in the first place), so they can all try and avoid the 'competitiveness' of their work. But in some cases, some people feel that a particular scheme they are also fond of, might be misrepresented or too poor in quality, and are often compelled to create a new one for HTC to the better of all AH players.
Especially after the community has grown much larger in size, there are skinners practically everywhere who submit their works. As a matter of fact most skinners who aren't from the West, or use English as their natural language, or do not use the forums much, act independantly in skinning game objects and they don't really try to steer clear of what has been already skinned.
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So while it is a rare thing to happen Larrie, it is not an unexpected thing to happen. HTC will use whatever is better. As having skinned quite many planes in the roster myself I fully sympathize how you feel, but while everyone does try hard, still the end result is someone may be better, and someone may be poorer. HTC has chosen quality as their criteria, and as long as it being so all we can do is accept the fact that someone has done a better job, and they rightfully deserve a place in the skin choices rather than myself.
I'd feel a bit sour if any of my Ki84s or 190s or whatnot, has been replaced by another skin, but still, if it is indeed better than mine, one can only humbly abdicate their position. It's not a matter of who does it first, but a matter of who can do it better. If someone's up to the challenge, and thinks they can do a better job on something I've already done, then a better quality skin is for the good of every HTC gamer - they deserve a shot.
There may be always someone better than you, who can do a better work. Or even, some other circumstances might come where your own work may be discareded for various reasons. Roughly about half of my works in the game have been discarded after the remodelling of the planes. In one case I've submitted a certain 190 scheme at nearly the same time as another skinner. In my own point of view, mine looks a lot better than his, but HTC chose the work of that guy, and not mine. These things happen, and while it is bitter to feel that you've lost the competition, it is something you live with, not complain about.
I guess, Larrie, its just one of those things what our dads might say to us;
"Take it like a man, and try do a better job next time."
