Generic Contest Discussion

[Jim]

Just now, Marxpek said:

I have a contest theme suggestion: animals! 

I guess that would be outside of most of the builders their comfort zone. And we get to see something else for once!  (no vehicles at least)

Another idea i had was a kinetic art contest.

I would love to see a contest that steers away from any kind of vehicle, because 95% of all MOCs are vehicles already.

Actually, you are pretty close to what I have in mind 

[Thirdwigg]

@Saberwing40k thanks for the shout out. I would love a contest to recreate another non-Technic LEGO set. How fun would it be to see a Technic rendition of 6923, 6898, 6335, or even 6059. Sign me up.

[Milan]

15 minutes ago, Marxpek said:

I have a contest theme suggestion: animals! 

I guess that would be outside of most of the builders their comfort zone. And we get to see something else for once!  (no vehicles at least)

Compromise:

[Marxpek]

29 minutes ago, Jim said:

Actually, you are pretty close to what I have in mind 

@Milan that thing is out of my comfort zone for sure!

[Jim]

[Aventador2004]

"Got a bad feeling about this..."

[Milan]

At least it is not a trap.

Okay guys, if you could choose, what would you like to build for this contest:

1. Make a device useful to the household...dust collector/sweeper, door/window opener, shoes arranger, beerbringer etc.
2. Make a Technic motorized animal, must be recognizable, must be able to mimic walking, crawling, swimming etc
3. Make something non-vehicle...you choose, go nuts!

[technic_addict]

I won't be building but it would be interesting to see #2.

[Jim]

16 minutes ago, Milan said:

3. Make something non-vehicle...you choose, go nuts!

Maybe an addition....

3. Make something MOTORIZED non-vehicle...you choose, go nuts!

[letsbuild]

I'd pick 1 or 3.

[Erik Leppen]

1 hour ago, Milan said:

At least it is not a trap.

Okay guys, if you could choose, what would you like to build for this contest:

1. Make a device useful to the household...dust collector/sweeper, door/window opener, shoes arranger, beerbringer etc.
2. Make a Technic motorized animal, must be recognizable, must be able to mimic walking, crawling, swimming etc
3. Make something (motorized) non-vehicle...you choose, go nuts!

 

• Personally I'd find 1. quite boring. Household devices are usually not "cool", and I'm afraid if you try to make them cool, you get pretty childish results, like a vacuum cleaner with rotating eyes. Also, I'd rather build something cool than something useful.
• Which brings me to 2., which would definitely be cool. It will be difficult and certainly out of many comfort zones, but I think this will be very interesting and educational experience for many builders.
• 3. is also interesting, but I think too broad. It has the major disadvantage that people can just pick what they're good at (GBC modules, for example), the advantage is that whatever the results are, you're bound to get inspiration for future contests. However, comparing the entries will be very hard.

I would pick 2. It's focused, so that you can compare the entries, yet still gives plenty of options. Also, it's cool :P

You'll have to think about non-Technic part usage though. I know that if I'd want to build, say, a tiger, I'd be tempted to use system bricks for shaping.

[aminnich]

Here is my input on the choices, take it as a grain of salt

1)  Lots of options here, I feel you guys are going to get a lot of "Is this ok?" "Can I do this?", which is not uncommon from any other contest, you guys know that already :) But, I feel like this would be a contest of function over form.  Tell me what you think of that. 

2) Cool, but not my cup of tea

3) This is dangerous, tons of options, voting will be extremely difficult having such a variety of things to vote for.  The entries could be from a kitchen mixing machine to a pencil sharper to a hamster wheel.  

[Bublehead]

@Jim, @Milan,   I like #3 motorized but then it begs the second question, purist or heretic? (TLG PF only, or 3rd party electronics allowed)

[deehtha]

I like #2. #3 is too broad, maybe if it was restricted to size or part count. Or not allowed to use certain parts (no friction pins would certainly be interesting)

[Thirdwigg]

I'm with @Erik Leppen on this. #2 is focused enough to give some direction and constraints, and #1 is not very interesting to me.

[TechnicRCRacer]

I personally would like a car-related competition. I guess it doesn't matter.

[Aventador2004]

Id go with #2 if pullbacks were allowed.

[aminnich]

4 minutes ago, Aventador2004 said:

pullbacks were allowed.

I understand why some parts arent allowed for some contests, but I would not see why pullbacks would not be allowed for that kind of contest.  

 

[Saberwing40k]

5 hours ago, Milan said:

At least it is not a trap.

Okay guys, if you could choose, what would you like to build for this contest:

1. Make a device useful to the household...dust collector/sweeper, door/window opener, shoes arranger, beerbringer etc.
2. Make a Technic motorized animal, must be recognizable, must be able to mimic walking, crawling, swimming etc
3. Make something non-vehicle...you choose, go nuts!

I'm going to go into agent provocateur mode and say I don't really like any of these. The second one in particular. Also, for #3, how do you define non vehicle? Do tower cranes count? What about a rail mounted harbor crane? For this contest I'd say #3 is the least bad, but as others have said, it's almost a little too broad.

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

6 hours ago, Milan said:

3. Make something non-vehicle...you choose, go nuts!

Yes please!

[Lucullus]

Regarding #2, would the requirement "motorized" include a pneumatic animal with external motorized pump, or does it have to be directly motorized?

[mocbuild101]

I'd say #2, it's something completely different, and it's also nice strong theme, as apposed to #1 which could include anything from a electric toothbrush to a lawn mower...

[Jim]

Status update: not sure we will do either one of these. We'll come back to you shortly.

[Aventador2004]

38 minutes ago, Jim said:

Status update: not sure we will do either one of these. We'll come back to you shortly.

Ok, sounds better. 

[Marxpek]

Please.. no vehicles this time! I will join anyway but id like to see something else for once!