I feel like Eurobricks is something of an old boys club

[ProvenceTristram]

This is likely to generate enormous flak, as people rarely enjoy being called out. However, I am past the point of caring.

Simply put: after several years on Eurobricks, I've come to the conclusion that this is an elitist, rich man's venue in which the people who can lay out the big dough to buy Lego in high quantities are showered with adulation, and those who cannot are met with a loose assortment of scowls, quiet chuckles, and pitied glances.

Let me ask you something: do you think the challenge in Lego lies in the design (IE, the stage where you conceptualize and create), or in the assembly?

For my part, I know that pretty much anyone can take two bricks and snap them together - it is the beauty of Lego that, like drawing, or writing, almost anybody can place brush to canvas perform the motions. But the void between a Vincent van Gogh slicing off his ear in the agonies of creation, and Jim Carrey rage-painting his political bent is a vast one, and mere means and mechanical ability should never be construed with talent or artistry. Just because a person is in possession of opposable thumbs doesn't make them a genius.

When I am messing with Lego, I create 1-2 large models (5-6k pieces) a week. I have to be in something of a "zone" to do that (and, for all I know, I may suffer from some mild form of manic depression), but when I am on, I am on. I do pretty solid work - my models almost always incorporate multiple play features (interiors, moving parts with Technic guts, etc.), are built to be swooshable, and are crafted in an effort to push the envelope of design (at least a little).

After completing my build, I render each creation multiple times, then upload the photos and post them here. I rarely receive more than one or two comments in my threads. Sometimes I receive none.

And why is this?

Because they're digital models. And apparently that makes all the difference.

I am poor. I'm an author in real life, and while I wait to get books published, I live by penning freelance history articles. This is not a high-paying field, but it's ultimately worth it to me not to be crippled by the anxieties of a day job. I'm not Ernest Hemmingway, and I cannot write while massively depressed - some people are just wired differently from others. Lego is extremely expensive, considering that it is just a fairly high-end polymer. It isn't in the budget, and it probably won't be for a long time.

Those are my circumstances. I am sure other people have their own varied reasons as to why they cannot actually build their models, and only see them exist in a digital setting. But the universal truth that those of us who labor in the dirt mines of LDD live under is that, unless we somehow muster up the means to physically assemble the model, all our efforts mean squat to vast majority of the people on this website. Because an inanimate object is of greater importance to most of you than the thought behind it.

And that's why this place is such a highbrow, unwelcoming, snobbish joint (I mean, good Christ - I receive more comments posting my models on the miscellaneous board of World of Warships). Because the bucks matter more to you than the brains. It's not exclusive to the rank and file, either - the moderators never showcase digital work; they couldn't care less unless it's built and shelf-ready. It's a cultural infection that runs the gamut of this place, from top to bottom. And, frankly, I'm done with it. 

Edited April 25, 2019 by ProvenceTristram

[Mylenium]

15 minutes ago, ProvenceTristram said:

Simply put: after several years on Eurobricks, I've come to the conclusion that this is an elitist, rich man's venue in which the people who can lay out the big dough to buy Lego in high quantities are showered with adulation, and those who cannot are met with a loose assortment of scowls, quiet chuckles, and pitied glances.

Suffice it to say that this is not specific to this forum. I'm constantly wondering about these things when people buy 200 or 300 Euro sets as if it were nothing, while I struggle to even buy 20 Euro Friends sets and keep up with every new release cycle. The rest is open to interpretation. We all have to find ways to make this expensive hobby work for us. Ironically I chose it to get away from all that digital nonsense I do as a 3D animator/ graphics artist and prefer the physicality of using genuine bricks, so as per your example I'd probably still try to buy those 5000 bricks off Bricklink over time or by cannibalizing sets. Agree, though, that it's tough.

Mylenium

[TeriXeri]

I do notice the trend of huge sets on IDEAS or MOCS tend to be popular on community forums and web pages, and small tiny things outside of actual sets get less attention. 

It's like people constantly having critic on Creator 3-in-1 being too simple, when they compare it to their 2500+ part Creator Expert Modulars.

Personally I get my joy out of creating Digital content for a certain game franchise (Trials) and LEGO is my physical outlet.

Edited April 25, 2019 by TeriXeri

[Aanchir]

In general, I agree that it's unfortunate that digital models don't tend to get as much attention as physical MOCs. I have other friends who specialize in digital creations like @The Mugbearer who have experienced similar difficulty getting recognition for their creations. Glancing at some of your topics, you have some fantastic builds, and the fact that I haven't noticed them before has less to do with them being digital than them not being in the subforums I tend to frequent most often or the themes I have the greatest passion for.

That said, while I agree a lot of the more active segments of the LEGO hobby tend to skew towards wealthy or privileged demographics due to the high costs traditionally associated with the hobby (as well as wealthier people often having more leisure time to spend on hobbies in the first place), I don't know that the lack of attention your MOCs have gotten is a matter of digital models being perceived as "low-class". It takes more than realistic rendering to really perfect a digital MOC image — after all, even a photo of a physical MOC can fail to show it at its best if the lighting is less than ideal! And with stuff like transparent pieces or interior spaces, light placement is something you might want to start exploring more in your renders.

Sometimes whether working with photos OR renders, really capturing all the detail can require multi-capture photography — this means taking multiple photos or renders from exactly the same angle but with different lighting placement, and then digitally editing the clearest parts of each image together so that there's a strong contrast between light and shadow on every side of the subject. This was a skill I didn't learn until I worked as a photo studio intern at Hasbro a few summers ago, and it effectively simulates an extremely elaborate lighting setup without the complicating factor of having a bunch of different light sources in an individual shot. Your Indiana Harbor Belt and NZR train MOCs are some that I think might benefit from experimenting with this type of technique, since in some of the renders like this one the excellent lighting on the side of the train is undermined by the front of the train being flooded in shadow.

And also remember that sometimes, realism is overrated — LDD screenshots like those you used in some of your topics, in which the shading of parts only varies depending on their angle relative to the light source, generally don't have as much issue with details being completely obscured as more realistic renders where parts closer to the light source can cast deep shadows on those further away . The screenshots in this topic do an amazing job communicating all the clever details and building techniques you used, regardless of their lack of realism.

Anyway I don't mean to sound preachy, because I sometimes have difficulty even completing physical MOCs, let alone getting them any meaningful amount of attention after the fact. And I'm a complete amateur when it comes to digital rendering. But I think you're really great at what you do and should think about expanding your skills even further. I can't promise it will result in better feedback here on Eurobricks, but it's still stuff worth considering!

[ProvenceTristram]

Well, this is a more tolerant response than I was expecting. You've sapped me of all my anger, and now all I am left with is soggy cereal. :(

Sorry for offending anyone.

Edited April 25, 2019 by ProvenceTristram

[Peppermint_M]

I don't know about "old boys club" but, yes, Eurobricks was established to share the love of LEGO at a time when it was only the physical brick available and a pervading nostalgia for a childhood toy. A Toy in a childhood without computers for the most part. 

LDD was launched and we made room for it here, welcomed it even with a specific section and a real working relationship with the TLG LDD Team.

I can point out a few threads of rendered MOCs from software that have been frontpaged, that have been commented on and have been viewed to a high number. What I think you have missed/may not have noticed is the fact that very rarely does anyone post comments on  MOCs any more. Everyone wants to rant about what sets/colours/characters they dislike and argue about leaks.

A few super huge builds, creations by "famous" and popular builders and those who are in the right AFOL networks get noticed. The rest of us simply build because we love to and share simply because we're an online AFOL.

Personally, I find it more rewarding to speak with kids at the comic con I display at annually and share the pictures with friends/family than have crowds "likes".

 

[ShaydDeGrai]

1 hour ago, Mylenium said:

(snip) We all have to find ways to make this expensive hobby work for us. Ironically I chose it to get away from all that digital nonsense I do as a 3D animator/ graphics artist and prefer the physicality of using genuine bricks...

First, let me confess that I am an old white guy who, spouse's permission not-withstanding, can afford to buy whatever Lego I like.  This wasn't always the case.  I grew up Lego-poor, always wondering why my friends' parents bought them far more Lego than my parents ever bought me. ( In later years, I realized it was because you can't eat Lego and the family budget really was _that_ tight - but enough about me and how I had to walk to school barefoot in the snow, up hill, both ways...)  Suffice it to say that I understand and can still relate to the anguish of wanting to do more with Lego and simply not having the resources to realize that vision in physical bricks.

Let me also confess that I never work on digital models.  I've played with the tools from time to time, but there is no joy in that for me.  I work with computers all the time and have been doing so since the days when people got excited about breaking the "Buck-a-Bit" boundary (that pivotal moment when chip manufacturers could finally produce one bit of memory (flip-flop) for less than a dollar - take that you terabyte thumb drive!) so, like Mylenium, I tend to shun the digital world in my off hours because tinkering with physical brick is my way to _get away_ from computers.  The last thing I want to do is contaminate my hobby with artifacts of my professional life.  When I build a kit, I want a physical instruction book.  When I MOC, I want to surround myself with parts and tinker.

But that's _MY_ hobby, that's where _I_ find joy in Lego;  that doesn't make it better or more valid than how others enjoy the hobby.  Some people obsess over customizing mini-figures and barely build at all.  Others collect kits but never MOC.  Just like digital design, these are all perfectly valid ways of embracing Lego and letting our creative juices flow.  Not everyone is going to be into every aspect of the hobby (either by choice or due to external constraints) and that's fine; one person's passion for creating animations should in no way diminish another one's love for creating scale replicas of historic steam engines.

Throughout it all, I think quality and creativity speaks for itself.  I don't need to be a great painter, to appreciate a great painting.  In fact, I think sometimes realizing that I'm not particularly well versed at a given thing makes me appreciate it even more when someone shows me something that is beyond anything I've ever personally tried to produce. 

Is there a bias against digital models here? I really don't know, I've certainly noticed biases over the years regarding featured builders and the types of MOCs that "make the cut" to be front page news, but I've never been close enough to the issue to really note if digital models have been singled out.  I've certainly noted it on other sites with respect to contest rules, "likes," trolling comments and such.  If someone with more intimate knowledge claims it happens here, I'm willing to believe the OP and hope that I wasn't contributing to it subconsciously.

The lack of positive feedback on a MOC posting though, I can speak to, even if only to say that one shouldn't read that much into it.  I've posed MOCs here; physical builds with tens of thousands of pieces; models that have won awards at large shows with outstanding competition; models that were featured on other sites like Rebrick, MOCPages, Gizmodo and BrickNerd; but most importantly models that I just wanted to share on-line with my fellow builders (and aspiring builders).  Often I'd get a handful of responses in the first day or so, then nothing.  Of the responses I did get, it was usually safe to expect at least one or two replies criticizing my photography skills while saying nothing about the MOC itself.  It was also a foregone conclusion that several people would be asking for instructions and a parts list, again without so much as a "nice job" or "thanks for sharing" first.  On one occasion in particular, I posted a MOC here and a week later saw my photographs show up on someone else's Cuusoo proposal, but here, the thread was largely otherwise ignored - one would think that if you're going to steal someone else's work, the least you can do is post something nice about it first.  In the end, all this just encouraged me to stop posting MOCs here.  So, if the OP is  frustrated about the reception he's gotten, it might not be about digital vs physical designs, it may just be reflection of the audience that stumbled upon them. 

This is not to say that EB isn't something of an old boys club on occasion, just not necessarily a "bricks-only" old boys club.   People will ignore (and occasionally troll) just about anything for any reason.  Perhaps the best we can hope to do is to not personally be part of the problem.

@ProvenceTristram Never let anyone else tell you how to have fun, your hobby is your own and if others can't appreciate it, it's their loss, not yours.

 

Edited April 25, 2019 by ShaydDeGrai

[Slegengr]

@ProvenceTristram

Though I think some of your sentiment is mostly correct, I feel compelled to chime in with my view.

It would seem that these days, there is very little MOC activity on EuroBricks as a whole.  Some people continue to build, but few comment.  The most activity seems to be garnered within specific communities, such as the Guilds of Historica (in which I was once active), where builders begin to recognize one another.

On that note, though I rarely log into EuroBricks and comment anymore, your name is definitely one I recognize for an LDD builder that makes models I quite enjoy.

I do enjoy LDD MOCs and also make my own, but they are a different consideration in my mind than physical MOCs due to a number of differences.  Renders are getting pretty realistic which helps a lot, but digital MOCs will always be missing some of the elements of a physical MOC.  I personally build in LDD as a map of parts required for physical MOCs, but this is still limiting at times, since I prefer to just build with actual bricks.  The digital MOCs will never have the accomplishment of the investment in acquiring parts, and I find this to be an interesting aspect of building.  Considering the use of parts I have rather than always buying all parts adds a nice limitation to design that spurs creativity.  This is one aspect that I do not like with LDD: unlimited parts with unlimited colors does not drive my creativity like actual limitations do.  Because of this, and since I use LDD as a map for physical MOCs, I am usually pretty careful in LDD to only use parts that actually exist, especially if I already have them.

One thing I think about when considering digital MOCs is that the design is only one element of a physical build.  LDD only incorporates design, while physical builds incorporate the time to build, investment in parts, and playability/viewability/tangibility in addition to the design.  These are valued by those who have fought with these aspects and are more likely to be appreciated when seen in the MOCs of others.  There will also always be an element of added perceived value when builders use rare parts or mass quantities of parts, thus demonstrating the difficulty of completing the actual build.  This is probably due to synthesized value from supply and demand, but I doubt people are apt to change their minds about the applied extrinsic value (I think my thought here runs along the comparison to why people value gold even though most people are not using it directly but rather are just enjoying the beauty and the value in having something someone else wants).  This element of added value will always be missed with LDD and may instead be replaced with the opposite effect since it seems a bit like a cheat of this system since there is unlimited supply.

Of course, real limitations apply to physical MOCs that do not apply in LDD, such as gravity effects.  Stability is not an issue in LDD like it is in reality.  Because of this, I think more value is placed on the physical build, since the photograph is evidence enough that it is physically possible (also why I do not really like MOC photos that are photoshopped for reasons other than view quality).  In order to garner this same value with LDD, one must find a way to prove stability, such as building elements in reality to test concepts.  Otherwise, it is unproven, which is not to say that the LDD MOC is not stable but just uproven.

For me personally, I value the process of building, the touch of the bricks, the sound of rustling through bins, etc. more than just the design, so I prefer physical builds over digital builds.  Because of this I will also naturally place more value on the physical builds of others over digital builds.  I still really like some digital builds that show obvious time investment into building and rendering unique pieces, but I would prefer to see them in real bricks.  If you do not have physical bricks and enjoy digital building, keep doing it regardless of what others think.

In the end, I have learned that it is best to do what I enjoy regardless of what anyone else thinks since reliance on others to guide or determine what I like always results in disappointment at some point with someone.  I doubt you will ever see me commenting to convince someone not to continue making LDD builds.

...and I did fail to mention that part of what shapes my view is that I am a working engineer with a decent salary who has made a significant investment into physical LEGO pieces.  I just try to make good investments into nostalgic sets that may gain value and into MOC pieces that have more than one use for many types of MOCs.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Slegengr

[Retro]

Good post. Sorry about your struggles!

I would be interested to read opinions of why so few comments are posted in general. Is it considered passé now? Was posting comments on MOCs a very 2009 thing? A Premier League match report in the Guardian can get 1000s of comments despite it basically being the same topic over and over again... I think Eurobricks should put up a banner headline encouraging people to post (friendly) comments! 

I personally have zero interest in digital Lego designs, sorry. For me it is strictly a tinkering-with real bricks exercise. I don't like any hobby that involves using a computer. It's too much like my job. (I'm doing this on a smart phone!). I would rather see a quirky build using 20 real bricks and a minifigure than see an LDD. But don't let that stop you enjoying your branch of the Lego world. 

 

[Vindicare]

Well, I’m going to be blunt. Good, be done with here. Frankly, your attitude & hurt feelings won’t be missed. Not getting the acknowledgment YOU feel is deserved isn’t the fault of money, or a lackthereof, or some “club.” It just happens. I’ve seen more than a handful of builds that have zero to few comments, but plenty of views. And those are even physical builds. So no, it’s not LDD. Because we also have plenty of digital creations that get plenty of comments. 

As for the complaint, I do feel bad for people who posted their works with views but in comments. I try to give them something, but it doesn’t always happen. 

[ProvenceTristram]

50 minutes ago, Vindicare said:

Frankly, your attitude & hurt feelings won’t be missed.

Not everyone can be positive all the time. Lego may be a fantasy, but that doesn't mean I'm living in one.

[Vindicare]

Just now, ProvenceTristram said:

Not everyone can be positive all the time. Lego may be a fantasy, but that doesn't mean I'm living in one.

Definitely. But don’t take your frustration out in the community as a whole & act like it’s some stuck up society when that isn’t the case. Again, I’ve seen plenty of MOCs, big & small, both in digital & physical brick that don’t get a lot of comments. It seems to me it doesn’t have anything to do with your MOC’s not actually being built. It’s just the way it is around here. 

[deraven]

I can certainly understand your frustration, and it's not an unreasonably reaction.  I do agree with others, though, that there's simply a lot less community discussion on "average" builds in general than there used to be in the past and especially for builders just starting out, and I think the macro effect of that is less commentary even for great builds that don't quite make it to the level of front page feature or general virality.  There was another long thread that touched on this (I think it was about board activity in general) that I'm not finding at the moment, but my point there was that while there are still a lot of well-meaning folks here, it almost feels like we've got amazing-MOC fatigue or something so when something is presented that is very basic or someone's first attempt, etc., they don't get beat up for it not being amazing, but they also don't get the simple polite and encouraging responses that used to be more prevalent so we end up with a bunch of empty threads.  And posts with nice builds like yours end up with just a few comments when they might have had 20 before, even if 10 of them would have just been "Cool! Thanks for sharing." type comments.

To Aanchir's point, beyond the lack of activity in general on more basic builds, I've absolutely noticed that regardless of physical build vs digital, overall build quality, scale of the MOC, etc., it is very clear that posts with good photography get far more interaction.  You've created some great stuff, and I do wonder if your response rate would shoot way up if you put some time into having a couple of outstanding images of the MOC to start off the thread and then supplemental images that were more basic renders, LDD screenshots, etc..  Now, is that fair when, as you noted, the artistry and skill that went into the design is the same either way?  No.  But is that reality in what catches folks eyes around here these days?  I think it's a big part, yes.  

[grum64]

I don’t care about your views on virtual builds because one thing more than anything else has got me well and truly steamed.

You say that Eurobricks is a highbrow, unwelcoming and snobbish joint. I’m sorry but you Sir, are talking complete & utter garbage. Actually bugger it, I’m not sorry.

Eurobricks is far and away the most welcoming, kindest, friendly and unpretentious place on the web. Just because you don’t get as many comments as you seem to think you deserve you’re throwing a hissy fit and casting aspersions on a great bunch of people.

Many very talented designer/builders post amazing builds, large, small on these pages and often they don’t get many comments. Do they moan? Do they throw their toys out of the pram and leave? No they don’t and that’s because a) They don’t post their work simply to have people tell them how good they are or get their ego massaged b) They see that people are viewing their work and in many cases gaining inspiration from it c) They’re adults.

Edited April 25, 2019 by grum64

[koalayummies]

2 hours ago, ShaydDeGrai said:

 It was also a foregone conclusion that several people would be asking for instructions and a parts list, again without so much as a "nice job" or "thanks for sharing" first.

Yeah might be better off getting no comments at all as opposed to those types. They're often necrobumpers too.

"Hey this thread is older than I am but can you give me free instructions and maybe send me all the parts and also do my laundry while I post your build to youtube generating adsense money for myself and taking all the credit, let me know, I don't say thanks either, k bye! :obscene gesture: :smiley face:!!!1"

[Peppermint_M]

Okay chaps, I know emotions run high, but can we try keeping things a little more civil? 

Cheers.

[ProvenceTristram]

1 hour ago, grum64 said:

c) They’re adults.

Heh. I don't hide what I'm feeling - either on here, or in real life. It doesn't make me any less of an adult - it just means I'm indifferent to the expectations of others.

Edited April 25, 2019 by ProvenceTristram

[Hinckley]

I've noticed the aversion to acceptance of digital models as a viable medium for expressing LEGO creativity. Is Eurobricks less welcoming to digital models than other communities? How many discussion forum communities are still out there?

[Johnny1360]

I guess I am somewhat of a throwback, I have no use for any digital designs, I am very much enjoying the physical aspect of building with bricks to me that is what it is all about. However if others enjoy digital building, good for them, I am glad they found something they like, no reason to insult me though. Enjoy. 

[Fuppylodders]

I disagree with your view on euro bricks, but agree with your view that it is tougher for recognition on digital builds. However, it isn't restricted to just digital builds either. 

 

The problem is, you're now doing digital builds for the wrong reasons. You're doing it hoping to get recognition others get, perhaps for even lesser real builds. Human nature is fickle, it always will be. 

I've seen it too. But seriously, do you really want 2+ pages of the same comments as I see happen so very often which is why I personally don't bother much adding my own in, as its mostly all been said before. If I see something unique that really hits me, I'll comment. Otherwise, I enjoy viewing it and will move on. 

 

One particular set of small builds was the fairground food stands in the shape of a drink container, fries box and a burger. Carried out to perfection. Yet I'll ignore larger more impressive builds. Why? I don't know. Its just the way I am. I've practically never ventured into the LDD area to be honest, but I may well do now, as I expect there's a lot there I've missed out on. Will I post lots of 'good build buddy!' posts? Nah, I will quietly appreciate them unless something greatly jumps out at me. 

 

I think part of the issue also, is nowadays, there are soooo many great builds out there, that a great build is now seen as the standard average, essentially the bar has been raised that something has to be spectacular for it to be seen as above average, and digital builds opens the doors for this even more so. Think of it as inflation 

You need to start designing builds for your own happiness, and allow it to stop at that, not caring about what happens next. Want to post it anyway? Sure, but post it with no expectations other than allowing others to view what you built. 

I dislike this 'like' culture, as it is pretty fake. 

But if you want recognition for your builds, join lego Facebook groups. 

If you're struggling to make ends meet, are you selling your ldd files of creations you've made? That would end up being thanks enough. Lots of people don't have the ability to design their own sets or see something they really like, but will happily fork out for instructions or ldd file. There would be your true thanks. 

I've designed a Haunted house based on two 10228s together. It's not amazing, but I think it's OK. I did it on LDD, and it's been finished for a few months now. Will I post it here? Not as LDD, as I'm already aware people prefer real builds. Do I care for that? Nah. I'll post it here once it's physically built. But I know there are people that appreciate it regardless of real or not. Do I still care what they think of the real build? Will I be hoping for people to comment on it? Nah. But if someone out there likes it enough to want to build it, I'll quietly be happy I've done something that brought a little joy into someone else's life. 

I care what I think of it. I'm happy with it and that's all that matters. This world has fast become superficial, and if you chase for recognition of others, it'll wear you down. 

Stop caring what others think of your builds, start caring about your own happiness. 

I'm pretty certain this thread was made in a final cherry on the cake moment of anger/frustration brought on initially by current real life circumstances hence the almost 180 and apology of potential offence caused. I do exactly the same, and have had my fair share of time in the 'time out' area because of it  

Take a breather and a step back. Do things that make *you* happy and stop right after. 

[Vindicare]

12 hours ago, ProvenceTristram said:

Not everyone can be positive all the time. Lego may be a fantasy, but that doesn't mean I'm living in one.

I’m going to amend my original statement slightly. You shouldn’t be done with this place, because it really is a great site. Just tone it down on the general community bashing. 

To echo what was said above, post things because you like it, not because you’re hopng others will. It’s great to get recognition & appreciation for something you did, of course...but don’t let that drive you. 

[Aethersprite]

36 minutes ago, Vindicare said:

To echo what was said above, post things because you like it, not because you’re hopng others will. It’s great to get recognition & appreciation for something you did, of course...but don’t let that drive you. 

This.

If you do want more comments and criticism (and recognition...) for your work, you can try posting them to the Lego subreddit on Reddit. I've seen many LDD posts get lots of comments and upvotes there.

[grum64]

I too would like to amend my comment though not for what I said because I stand by that but how I said it. I was annoyed at what I saw as an attack on the very good people of Eurobricks and replied in anger. I shouldn't have done that, it was childish and I apologise.

I do agree with what Vindicare says especially when he says don't leave as Eurobricks really is a great place with really great people. Keep posting your work and maybe just lighten up about the comment count.

[Tariq j]

21 minutes ago, Vindicare said:

To echo what was said above, post things because you like it, not because you’re hopng others will. It’s great to get recognition & appreciation for something you did, of course...but don’t let that drive you. 

Exactly. When you’re building an MOC (be it with real bricks or in LDD) you’re not building it for me or for members X and Y. You’re building it because that’s what you enjoy doing. And that’s true to any hobby. 

Plus there’s a whole host of reasons why someone may choose not to comment on an MOC. It’s possibe lots of people don’t have time to write something substantial other than just “great MOC!”. Or they may not be able to think of anything too say other than that. It’s also worth noting someone not not commenting on a build doesn’t mean the don’t appreciate it or like it. 

 

[astral brick]

17 hours ago, ProvenceTristram said:

[...] After completing my build, I render each creation multiple times, then upload the photos and post them here. I rarely receive more than one or two comments in my threads. Sometimes I receive none.

[...] (I mean, good Christ - I receive more comments posting my models on the miscellaneous board of World of Warships)

Given that I am not sure if it is a good idea to reply to this thread, why do you need to receive comments in order to feel appreciated? This is a narcissistic childish behaviour. You are the first judge of your work and, sharing it or not, you should be happy doing what you like, and that should be enough, regardless of the amount of feedback. This kind of attitude based on the number of "likes" or "views" or "followers" is dumbing down the internet. I cannot believe what I am about to say but sometimes I miss Usenet.