Pet peeve: Congratulating Finders Instead of Builders

[Lasse D]

Time to went :)

We have some active members (like DLuders) in Eurobricks who find awesome creations not already on EB and post threads with them because the creations are simply too awesome to not get noticed here.

This is all good, and I would love this to continue, and I especially the rare occasions where the creators chime in.

But. When you see such a thread, then please don't answer it as if the finder is the creator.

Stop saying stuff like "Wow. You totally rock, dude!", because then the finder has to say that they didn't build it, even though this information is already apparent in both the title of the thread and often the text in the thread as well!

If the actual creator has answered the thread, then it's fair game.

I'm not going to give examples here. If you are curious, you can PM me.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Lasse D

[Ralph_S]

Time to went :)

We have some active members (like DLuders) in Eurobricks who find awesome creations not already on EB and post threads with them because the creations are simply too awesome to not get noticed here.

This is all good, and I would love this to continue, and I especially the rare occasions where the creators chime in.

But. When you see such a thread, then please don't answer it as if the finder is the creator.

Stop saying stuff like "Wow. You totally rock, dude!", because then the finder has to say that they didn't build it, even though this information is already apparent in both the title of the thread and often the text in the thread as well!

If the actual creator has answered the thread, then it's fair game.

I'm not going to give examples. If you are curious, you should have no trouble finding examples of this by yourself.

I can think of a few.

I've got my own Peeve related to this.

Why is that when I post a MOC here it gets little or no response, while stuff that isn't even built by a member who posts here himself and isn't likely to read the comments does get a lot of comments irrespective of the quality? Lately I've been wondering why I even bother posting MOCs here (myself).

Cheers,

Ralph

[Hinckley]

Time to went :)

...

I'm not going to give examples. If you are curious, you should have no trouble finding examples of this by yourself.

I can think of a few.

...

Cheers,

Ralph

I love both of you.

[badboytje88]

We have some active members (like DLuders) in Eurobricks who find awesome creations not already on EB and post threads with them because the creations are simply too awesome to not get noticed here.

This is all good, and I would love this to continue, and I especially the rare occasions where the creators chime in.

But. When you see such a thread, then please don't answer it as if the finder is the creator.

Stop saying stuff like "Wow. You totally rock, dude!", because then the finder has to say that they didn't build it, even though this information is already apparent in both the title of the thread and often the text in the thread as well!

Isn't the moral of this story that people should thoroughly read the complete post in stead of looking at the pictures and quickly scamming the text? If that is so, good luck! People don't read. Ever!

[MetroiD]

Why is that when I post a MOC here it gets little or no response, while stuff that isn't even built by a member who posts here himself and isn't likely to read the comments does get a lot of comments irrespective of the quality?

It's just the way people tend to react. It's not like anyone is ignoring you, or anyone else, for that matter - on purpose - by the way, I remember Tony Sava talking about just the same thing about a year or two ago. Expert builders build jaw-dropping MOCs, that's a given and it's also common knowledge. What isn't common knowledge is that people tend to get "used" to this thing and just stop responding to MOCs by the same builder at one point - either because they don't feel the need to say "wow that's cool; I love the xxx part, etc." for the umpteenth time, or just because they have nothing to say, really.

As to myself, I very rarely comment on MOCs nowadays, and that's not just because I can't find the time to browse through as much of the forums as I would like to. The main reason for that is that the two themes that top my list - Town and Trains - also happen to be covered by our blog which I'm honoured to be a part of. So instead of commenting in a MOC thread, I blog about the specific creation that has impressed me (although, then again, I feel obliged to notify the person that I've blogged their MOC by actually posting in the thread... ). In short - I prefer to blog rather than comment in threads, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate MOCs that I don't pick for blogging. Of course, blogging standards is a whole other issue which should not be discussed here.

And back to the topic at hand - Lasse, very good point and I agree 100%. Ralph - please please PLEASE do not stop posting your MOCs here... I love you guys both no less than Mark does! (in a very platonic AFOLish way, that is...)

[sok117]

I'm glad that when I do post a MOC, there are always a few people I can count on for a good job and some criticism, I mainly post my mocs for them , they probably know who they are. At the same time, its impossible to force people to read, as it is to make them comment on your MOCs, so you just have to live with it I guess

[Lasse D]

There is a difference between reading everything to not even reading the title! Let's ask for baby steps here.

>Hinckley and others

Take a look at the last 2 pages of topics started by DLuders. If you want links, I can send them by PM.

>Ralph

The low amount of replies sucks when you see 10min. creations go 2 pages in an hour, while you can barely scrape a handful of replies in the thread with the MOC that you have spend the last couple of months on, and an additional day of photographing and photo editing!

I would love to comment more on other peoples MOCs, but simply don't have the time that it requires to write a well thought out replies.

But I have an idea. How about a Model Team blog? I have just started a home page for Model Team:

c-mt.dk

A blog would be a great addition and put focus to all great Model Team creations out there. We can let that be the purpose, just like classic-pirates, space, town and so on, we can have classic Model Team!

[Omicron]

Isn't the moral of this story that people should thoroughly read the complete post in stead of looking at the pictures and quickly scamming the text? If that is so, good luck! People don't read. Ever!

Oh man if only that would ever happen everywhere.

-Omi

[Big Cam]

I love both of you.

Always making the peace.

I agree it's a bit annoying but I agree with badboytje88, the real issue is people don't read posts in full before commenting.

[Skull-Mark_Ladybug]

Not to name names but I do find making a new thread for every nice moc you find to be rather redundant. Especially considering that as Ralph S noted the actual builder of the moc isn't likely to see it. However being that the mocs in question do tend to be amazing, and could be missed by our community otherwise. I think a single dedicated thread for each theme pertaining to the brilliant mocs that are found outside of Eurobricks would be the best. This would also have the benefit of eliminating the comments complementing the finder rather than the builder.

[Hewman]

I can think of a few.

I've got my own Peeve related to this.

Why is that when I post a MOC here it gets little or no response, while stuff that isn't even built by a member who posts here himself and isn't likely to read the comments does get a lot of comments irrespective of the quality? Lately I've been wondering why I even bother posting MOCs here (myself).

Cheers,

Ralph

I'd say not to worry about it, I just looked at your posts, and there are some fantastic MOCs (yet I didn't comment), most have hundreds of views and I think the title you have been bestowed here is better than 100 people saying "wow, cool MOC". Plus you're an officially recognised "MOC expert" here, a title they just don't hand out to anyone.

[iamded]

The low amount of replies sucks when you see 10min. creations go 2 pages in an hour, while you can barely scrape a handful of replies in the thread with the MOC that you have spend the last couple of months on, and an additional day of photographing and photo editing!

In a perfect world, those pages of comments in the 10 minute creation threads would be constructive criticism and motivation for the builder to invest time in more elaborate creations, and then the elaborate creations with time and resources invested in them will have just as many pages of praise (and even more constructive criticism so as to further better oneself as a builder).

[Legoist]

It's just the way people tend to react. It's not like anyone is ignoring you, or anyone else, for that matter - on purpose - by the way, I remember Tony Sava talking about just the same thing about a year or two ago. Expert builders build jaw-dropping MOCs, that's a given and it's also common knowledge. What isn't common knowledge is that people tend to get "used" to this thing and just stop responding to MOCs by the same builder at one point - either because they don't feel the need to say "wow that's cool; I love the xxx part, etc." for the umpteenth time, or just because they have nothing to say, really.

As to myself, I very rarely comment on MOCs nowadays, and that's not just because I can't find the time to browse through as much of the forums as I would like to. The main reason for that is that the two themes that top my list - Town and Trains - also happen to be covered by our blog which I'm honoured to be a part of. So instead of commenting in a MOC thread, I blog about the specific creation that has impressed me (although, then again, I feel obliged to notify the person that I've blogged their MOC by actually posting in the thread... ). In short - I prefer to blog rather than comment in threads, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate MOCs that I don't pick for blogging. Of course, blogging standards is a whole other issue which should not be discussed here.

And back to the topic at hand - Lasse, very good point and I agree 100%. Ralph - please please PLEASE do not stop posting your MOCs here... I love you guys both no less than Mark does! (in a very platonic AFOLish way, that is...)

Well said. If you don't get a lot of comments to your MOC, it doesn't mean people don't appreciate it! It's just that sometimes it gets a bit frustrating to keep writing the same "awesome job!" on hundreds of fantastic MOCs, and to realize that I am not nearly at that level of skills On one hand it feels important to reward good MOCers with a positive comment, even if it's just a "thumb up", but also on the other hand sometimes it feels like just boosting my post count. So most of the times I try to keep in mind that I should post a comment only if I have a specific opinion to share, at least if I notice 1-2 specific features of the MOC which I really like. But other times the MOCs are so great that you just have to WOW! even without saying anything useful...

[Peppermint_M]

Go by views, not by posts. In the end, I post a MOC online to show people, yeah sometimes I ask for some input but most of the time the MOC is done, so I don't need comments I just appreciate people taking the time to look.

I do not comment often because as I mentioned about when I post a MOC, it is done. Also, a MOC I make looks like it does because it is my stylistic choice. If someone has spent months on a MOC and I go in and say "It's good but.." and then list a load of stylistic choices I am not fond of to this so utterly finished MOC, I feel a bit mean, not the least because they spent so long on the build.

A lot of 10 minute MOCs often need work, or the MOCer wants to know what to change so at least a few of the two pages are helpful. Then I don't feel bad to list what I personally think needs improving.

(I would love to take only 10 minutes on a MOC! The last one I did in 10 minutes was an 8x8 vig with one figure and some stacked 1x1 slopes!)

As for the original subject. As badboytj pointed out, most thickards online don't read, they look at the shiny picture and say "Great MOC!" to get one more post on their count. The valuable input comments that a builder would want to see (maybe) rarely get posted.

[Ralph_S]

I will continue to post my MOCs here, because I know there are people who appreciate them even if they don't all leave comments. I don't leave comments on every MOC I see and like myself.

However, I do see a big difference between themes. City MOCs seem to always get comments. However, my Model Team and military MOCs generally get far fewer comments, and I suspect that this also applies to MOCs by other builders in those themes. Technic builders don't know what to make of them and many city builders, who quite possibly would appreciate them, don't see them because they are in the Technic forum. It's the ones that get featured on the front page that get the comments, including comment along the lines of 'I normally don't look at the Technic forums, but I'm glad I did'! Military isn't an actual LEGO theme and gets lumped in with 'other themes' where it's practically invisible. For me personally it's the military models and the model team that require most of the effort.

Perhaps Lasse's idea of a classic model team blog might help, although from my own experience (writing a military blog) I know it's hard to keep writing regularly.

Cheers,

Ralph

[Lasse D]

Are you alone as an author on the military blog? I think the strength of a LEGO blog comes with several contributors, who together, can keep a steady flow of models coming.

But who is still interested in Model Team, that is, roughly scale 1:22 to 1:30?

[Ralph_S]

Are you alone as an author on the military blog? I think the strength of a LEGO blog comes with several contributors, who together, can keep a steady flow of models coming.

But who is still interested in Model Team, that is, roughly scale 1:22 to 1:30?

Three contributors, but all equally busy

I used to write a post per week, but the last post is a few weeks ago. Part of the difficulty is that it is too much of a niche. There are lots of military builders, obviously, but only a relatively small number of people who post stuff that is actually interesting.

Cheers,

Ralph

Edit: I am interested 'Model Team', of course.

Edited May 5, 2011 by Ralph_S