Expand the Winter Village Contest IV

[Pandora]

It's that time of year again! The Holiday Season is fast approaching and we're already excited about the latest additions to the Winter Village from TLG: The Winter Village Cottage and the Winter Village Market. It's now becoming a tradition here in Town that we love to see people's own creations to add to the Winter Village, and this year is no different.

Things have changed slightly, but the core of the contest is here - we'd love YOU to build us a 16x16 vignette or set to expand upon the theme of the Winter Village Market. We'd love to see stalls and activities and lots of people having wintery fun, and we'd also love this to be either Town themed or Friends themed. Minidolls in entries are most welcome!

So come on Eurobricks, what are you waiting for? Let's have some wintery fun, and show us what your Winter Village inspired creation is!

The Rules

• Entries must be posted by midnight UTC, December 31st, 2013.
  
• One entry per member.
  
• Entries must be 16x16 in size, however overhang of one stud is permissible. The 16x16 space may be divided up into multiples of 8x8 modules (i.e., one 16x16 module, two 8x16 modules, one 8x16 and two 8x8 modules, or four 8x8 modules).
  
• Entries should be either Town themed or Friends themed and may include either (or both) Minifigs and Minidolls
  
• Entries should be new (never posted anywhere previously) and be similar in style to the previous official TLG releases.
  
• All entries are to include only real LEGO. No clone brands, 3rd party parts, or digital entries allowed.
  
• Decals will be allowed if you've made them yourself, but no cutting, sculpting or modifying parts.
  
• Entries are to be placed in their own entry topic in the Town forum. The title of the topic should begin with "Winter Village: " and then give the name of the entry.
  
• The entry post (first post in your entry topic) may be edited at any time up to the end of the contest, so feel free to make improvements if you wish.
  
• Entries are to consist of no more than 5 posted pictures of 1024x768 pixels or smaller resolution but may also include a link to a folder of additional images of any size.
  
• We reserve the right to disqualify any entry that does not follow these rules.
  

The Prizes

First Prize:

EITHER

10235 Winter Village Market

OR

10229 Winter Village Cottage

Second Prize: whichever set is not chosen for First Prize, of the two sets above.

Third Prize:

41016 Friends Advent Calendar

AND

60024 City Advent Calendar

For Inspiration and Reference

Expand the Winter Village Contest III: Winners | Entries and Voting | Rules and Discussion

Expand the Winter Village Contest II: Winners | Entries and Voting | Rules and Discussion

Expand the Winter Village Contest: Winners | Entries and Voting | Rules and Discussion

Best of luck everyone, we're looking forward to seeing your entries!

[LegoPanda]

i wich i had the time to enter, but i am busy with a lot now

[CM4Sci]

Already?! I'm still working on my LDD version!

-Sci

[lightningtiger]

This might be the year the tiger actually enters....hmm, ideas are popping into my head already !

I like 16x16 builds.....good luck to all entering.

[Mr Breden]

Sounds interesting, and I love the prices. I will try to enter for sure, got an idea already

[kbcakir]

Are cars or small stalls as extra permitted?

[Cara]

Edit, just realized it 16x16 not 32x32, that is tiny!!!

So no extra people or anything outside of the 16x16 except the one stud overhang? So this is a fixed base affair rather than a cluster of vehicles/people/small building as per other winter village sets. Or are we allowed to do two small stalls and people standing between them so long as all the pieces that we have fit within a 16x16 base when pushed together (yet we can photograph them spread out a bit as per winter village set displays)?

Edited November 12, 2013 by Cara

[Mrcool1804]

I have a feeling this is not going to be very popular. I know I personally have been working on a new Winter Village building that will now go to waste. It stinks we will not see buildings again as it was always incredible what people came up with. IMO this should be a small side bar contest to the annual Winter Village contest. Maybe give away the Special Edition sets or something for this little contest and save the $100 sets for the really buildings to be included in the winter village not a stall/ride to be included in the Winter Village Market

[antp]

I know I personally have been working on a new Winter Village building that will now go to waste.

Maybe they change the rule/subject to avoid that exactly: entries made in advance, expecting a contest :D

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

I have a feeling this is not going to be very popular. I know I personally have been working on a new Winter Village building that will now go to waste. It stinks we will not see buildings again as it was always incredible what people came up with. IMO this should be a small side bar contest to the annual Winter Village contest. Maybe give away the Special Edition sets or something for this little contest and save the $100 sets for the really buildings to be included in the winter village not a stall/ride to be included in the Winter Village Market

Crud, I agree. I've been working on a model for the last year that's in the 32 x 32 range on anticipation that this year's contest would be the same as others. I currently lack the time, creativity, and most of all, the pieces to make something for this year's contest. Now I need to decide whether I want to finish my Winter Village MOC and just go ahead and post it, or else keep saving it for another year in the hopes that next year EB will go back to the usual contest.

Maybe if enough EBers raise their voices, they'll modify the rules?

[Chocolatecake]

wwhy don't you show what you have worked on? Competition or not.

[Jim]

I'm very tempted to join this competition.

This year I will buy my first (and maybe second) Winter Village set.

I think the 16x16 Winter Market theme is great!

[Jim]

Town themed or Friends themed means NO Technic pieces at all? Or can we use some Technic pieces, like in the Merry-go-round? With the overall look remaining Town themed.

[ShaydDeGrai]

I think I'll pass this year. As a general rule of thumb, I don't build solely for competition, but will enter a contest that s asking for something I might have built anyway.

I love the annual tradition of setting up and expanding my winter village each year, but expanding the "market" holds no value to me. Even in the official set, I would have been happier if they'd slashed the price and sold it simply as "Winter Village Carousel" - I didn't even bother building the little stands (clutter builds) it came with, why would I want to add to it? I'd much rather focus on a building of reasonable scale that my cats aren't going to use a hock puck under the tree.

Anyway, good luck to all who chose to enter this year and happy holidays.

[Emma]

Lol - I too had a lovely idea for this contest all planed out in my head and had done some preliminary test builds... however, I think it's a great idea to change things up a bit. Hopefully (despite the bit of 'bah-humbugging' ) with the 16x16 restriction, more people will be able to join in = more snowy wintery village goodness. Time to get out the Christmas music ♫ and start planning.

[naf]

I don't mind this little curveball. It would be boring to have the exact same contest every year. And it feels a bit like cheating to start building something a year in advance hoping for a contest to come along. I think the smaller scale will be interesting, it takes a certain amount of creativity and unique part use to maximize the space.

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

wwhy don't you show what you have worked on? Competition or not.

Well, I could, but then I'll kick myself if the contest is back next year and they don't have a size limit. I like MOCing, but I don't have either the time or the number of bricks (yes, I know there's always Bricklink) needed to plan out and develop an award-winning entry here.

Of course, I fully acknolwdge that these are EB's rules and they're giving away prizes out of the goodness of their hearts. No objections there--I wish the entrants the best. And maybe I'll go ahead and put my piece up even if it renders it ineligible for next year. Maybe. I'm still missing a few small parts, plus the stickers that I need to print. It's about 99% finished, but is still lacking a few elusive 1 x 6 plates that I'll probably have to Bricklink.

I don't think it's cheating to work on something in advance, though--unless EB makes an "on your honor" rule that you can't start building before the contest opens. (No idea how they'd enforce that.)

Edited November 12, 2013 by ResIpsaLoquitur

[genecyst]

you should finish your moc, publish it and, thanks to the small scale of the new contest, build another one in less time with the same bricks... :D

[Rick]

Are cars or small stalls as extra permitted?

So no extra people or anything outside of the 16x16 except the one stud overhang? So this is a fixed base affair rather than a cluster of vehicles/people/small building as per other winter village sets. Or are we allowed to do two small stalls and people standing between them so long as all the pieces that we have fit within a 16x16 base when pushed together (yet we can photograph them spread out a bit as per winter village set displays)?

Your entry should fit on a 16x16 (base)plate. Alternatively, you could use two 8x16 plates. Let's say you can divide the 16x16 space up to a maximum of four 8x8 modules. Everything should fit on the plates, but for presentation you can photograph minifigures or minidolls next to the plates. Additional structural elements like trees, cars, tables, etc. should not fall outside the space you have available though.

Town themed or Friends themed means NO Technic pieces at all? Or can we use some Technic pieces, like in the Merry-go-round? With the overall look remaining Town themed.

Of course you can use Technic pieces, but your entry should fit in with the Winter Village theme.

I don't mind this little curveball. It would be boring to have the exact same contest every year. And it feels a bit like cheating to start building something a year in advance hoping for a contest to come along. I think the smaller scale will be interesting, it takes a certain amount of creativity and unique part use to maximize the space.

This is exactly what we're aiming for! Just take a look at all the creative entries in the Pimp My Camper competition.

[JaseTJ]

I'm all for the 16x16 limit. I don't have the time with college, let alone the pieces or budget for pieces to build a decent 32x32 entry. Plus it takes away any advantage of those that did plan ahead- not that I have a problem with any of you having done so.

That said, I do plan to enter. I've got an idea or two, but we'll see what I aim for.

[Dazmundo]

Thia has got my interest. I always love looking at the entries in the WV contest each year but I don't have the skills or bricks to build something on that scale, where as this contest I am thinking I might be able to have a go at :)

D

[SandMirror38]

Am I aloud to do a hobbit themed winter village??

[Rick]

Am I aloud to do a hobbit themed winter village??

The theme of the contest is expanding the Winter Village Market set, so you have to stick to the Winter Village theme. You may be able to find a way to give it a Hobbit flavour though.

[stebai]

Have read a few complaints about the new rules and even though i fall into the camp of people who have already worked towards a full building entry this year, I certainly don't think it's fair to complain. The competition is not about the prizes for me, I just enjoying building & designing lego WV. I will do so regardless of the ability to enter a competition with my creation.I hope everyone else who has pre built an entry that cannot now be used can share this sentiment. I might even still have time to knock out an entry (though my spare time is in short supply at this time of year.) Anyway just wanted to say thanks to the mods for keeping this comp running and I look forward to seeing some great entries.

[SandMirror38]

Would a seller of toy swords be aloud?

I just had a awesome idea