MstrOfPppts

@Horation: No it wouldn't prove that your entry wasn't the best, it would only prove that you did not put enough effort into propaganda. If voters voted tactically and that was the desired system, that is. Anyway using elections here is not the best comparison for I'd rather not write my opinion about the candidates "quality" in general, which as said is not something we should aim for regarding the entries! Some countries are a bit more lucky than others but, ... let's just leave it here. And the sad truth is that a lot of people vote against a candidate since there is no one they would really like to pick. Anyway tactical voting in elections is understandable and I agree that a lot of people do it since they benefit from it. Or at least that is what they think. Here I see no benefit for you to improve someone's chances other than feeling good for voting for the potential winner? I don't know, I just don't understand it. And besides aren't the votes in question from the other thread and the main cause of this discussion also just tactical votes? And I guess you think they are alright too? Well guess why everyone is making such a fuss about it, because they think it is not alright! Apologies for my statement of growing up. I see you are alright for not biting it and making a fuss about it. You do have some points, I just don't think they apply here in a strange plastic hobby community. Or I'm just too much of an idealist and besides I'm not saying only I'm in the right. I have no intention to argue, just expressing my opinion. And I'm alright with agreeing that our opinions just differ ...

Well I think that the contest run here is primarily meant to spark some activity from old members to move their lazy asses a bit and do something. It is a bit utopical to think that there are people who so "desperately want" to vote that they will make an account and even more so, become active users after that. If they had any intentions to comment or otherwise engage in our community they already would. So I think that the before contest starts sign up should be mandatory for voting! Also 10 posts is a bare minimum and it's very simple to achieve by commenting on a few out of hundreds entries to at least show some interest in the contest. I don't see how one would be so eager to vote and not do a single comment other than being persuaded by someone to vote for him, which we do not want! Yes he will vote for others too, but will he vote for the actualy good entries or for the ones with the least chances to make better chances for a friend?! And you're proud of it? I think that the point of voting is to express your honest opinion on which entries you like most and not trying to enforce one of the entries you voted for to become the winner. The only fair point of a public vote is to determine which entry in average suits the most eyes and thus becomes a winner. Anything else is fraudulent! All I can say is grow up man and think about it, or at least refrain from making such comments publicly. Yes your vote is legal and all, but is it legitimate? I bet you wouldn't be happy actually building the greatest MOC for a competition and missing the prize because of such behavior? Anyway at most we can expect from a contest is to gain a new user signing up to participate in the contest. That I have no problem with, yet they still would not be allowed to vote. Just a precaution from new members making crappy entries just to gain the right to vote. And I am certainly against the somewhere mentioned facebook voting or at least hope that it will not have a huge impact on the end results. I have no idea how facebook works or the groups, but I imagine there is even less control on who stands behind the votes and favorizes people with more advertising or bigger friends and relatives circles. As I've said before, I don't think that we want a <insert your country here>'s got talent voting system. It's supposed to be from members to members and people who vote for competition entries should at least know what and why they voted for an entry - build quality and general appeal wise and not for a friend or relative nor against someone you don't like. At least this is how I see things being the most fair. And as long as the system is fair and the good entries will be winning, we are sure that in future competitions more good builders will stay and more will try harder and we will get even better quality creations. I think that this scenario is far better than seeing a decline of participants who are great builders for the system is making little sense. There might still be a ton of mediocre entries and then let the biggest influencer win. Is that what we're aiming for? Just for the sake of the numbers of entries / votes / apparent activity?! I hope not! Just sharing my point of view on the voting topic, will write some more about the contest in general in the other topic ...

That's what I've pointed out before the voting started and it's a common rule if not even in the general guidelines of eurobricks contests rules. Seems though that the Pirates subforum was always an exception with the voting for yourself and what not ... anyway, I agree if the entry in question does not get the prize I guess no action is needed. Still it'd be nice to get some explanation from any of the accounts in question for any further competitions around here!

You welcome! Maybe skip a detail or two to make it more passable / available / cheaper. Also it might be a challenge for the BL program since as far as I'm aware you have to work with a predefined palete of parts where I doubt the mask piece is included? Maybe some more adjustments will be needed. Anyway, good luck with it, I really hope you succeed!

Main category: 6260/6257 Pirates - Shipwreck Island/ Castaway's Raft Remake by _R_R_ 6267 Lagoon Lock-Up/Soldiers’ Tavern Remake by Aanchir 6271 Imperial Flagship Redux by Elephant Knight 6278/6292 Enchanted Island Remake by Danny_Boy4 The Lost Lagoon by The Brick Stop Mini category: 1464 Pirate Lookout Reborn by Elephant Knight 1872 Imperial Guard Camp Remake by thewatchman 6232 Skeleton Crew Remake by Jack Sassy Fortune Idol by Oky King Kahuka's Outrigger Boat by kritch My comments:

A nice ship, I like the size and proportions of this build. Nice use of the older smaller and bigger ladder pieces. I particularly like how the short one is fixed at the bottom. Is it just the shading of the images or is this really not the ordinary blue color. It looks lighter? I used to tile or SNOT most of my builds but lately I decided that studs have some charm. Especially for a real set a full tiled floors are a bit too much on the MOC side. Although the color scheme is nice, I'm not too fond of the thick black line between the hull and the deck. Also the 45 degree wedge lines are too edgy, I prefer the style from the good old Imperial flagship with the snotted curves at the front.

An interesting concept yet it looks a bit unfinished. I like the idea of having the same doors, for LEGO usually also optimizes the sets so that same pieces are used multiple times. Besides it is clear that one is a prison and the other a storage for cannon balls. Why use a fancy wooden door here when it can easily be broken in. The idea of having a boat fit under the build is also nice. But as said it lacks some details here and there especially at the shore and. I like the inclusion of MDF masonry bricks they have a nice different touch from the usual dark red and are quite fitting. Also I think that there's a bit too much gray around the tunnel - maybe just the rocky parts should be gray and when the wall starts it should switch to white. The columns of the tower look a bit funny when 2 are build sideway. The brown tile to finish the roof works nicely. I think that the flag poles are far too short being positioned on the ground of the roof since you decided to build no fence. Also a set of this size I think would include the bigger flag piece.

Wow, what a cute little boat! Must get my hands on that sail(s) (: I think that the lantern stand could be more elegant with this piece, a jumper and a plate with clip. The technic part is too thick for my liking. Also the front mast could use two 4L or 6L bars instead of the knights pole with the weird looking handle.

Well I must admit that at the flood of all the entries some details must have slipped from my head. I didn't remember all the conversation from the other entry you offered the idea for the rudder. As a registered critic I had a look at all the entries as real competitors and expressed my opinion as such. Now looking at it, I must say I think your nephew might have some problems - unless he's extraordinarily skilled with the small pieces. I think that LEGO has it figured out and that those numbers on sets are there with a reason. A 1x2 tile is as little as it gets in the 4+ line and there's no 1x1 plates especially not the round ones. A kid who turned five was still struggling a bit with the sideways lights on city cars (6+ sets) but he's more of an occasional builder. All the technic stuff might be a bit problematic too. Anyway I imagine your nephew will like the set and hopefully you didn't take my previous comment too harsh.

I used some black magic and found out that these entries are still missing from the lineup in the voting thread (I did not check the index, just the thumbnails in the VOTING thread!): @Mister Phes

Quite a funky design. The roofed (more like a cabin) boat approach is interesting but far from what one would expect to meet in the age of sail. The idea to use the cannon base for the clips is also a nice touch although the piece takes a lot of space and is sticking out a bit. The whole boat gives me a unsafe instability for it's height and I guess id would be quickly turn over by the waves.

An interesting approach in a completely classic style with some great details. I like the hidden stash in the middle of the water! Though the cover part is a bit too new for the style. Also I think that the yellow spikes on top of fence should be white, can't remember such a design in the old sets. The yellow sand also doesn't mix too well the the yellow buildings that's probably why the imperial builds were either on a gray or green baseplate or the complete build was on a black pier. I do like the raft design with the log bricks. Works pretty well, but for a real LEGO set misses some studs connections.

@Mister Phes I guess that this entry should be in the mini category, not the main one ...

Not even two brown ones? Would work out even better (:

I must admit I prefer your mini build. This one is not bad, the recreation of the play feature is cool yet the island sand looks a bit rushed. Too vertical in places and some grey rocks just thrown in there not being connecting to anything. The brick built sail does not do justice to the otherwise nicely designed raft!

Well I'll do it! I don't know as from all my previous comments everyone might notice that I'm all in for swapping any blacks representing wood for the brown. In this case, there's already a lot of black around and the brown just somehow doesn't work for me. Would like to see it with black masts and also swapping the ladders for dark tan. Else it's a really nice design and aesthetically fits the Barracuda remake. It's just a bit short as is the original and thus the cabin looks too tall and the intruded staircase or the bulky entrance don't really look that well.

Wow, love the brick built final version! And the custom sails turned out great! Still missing the green flags for the cannon covers but it's a personal aesthetics matter. Very well done!

What an awesome looking ship! A bit short and tall for my taste, but the color combination and the details are really awesome. Maybe just a bit too much black around the side windows. I really love the cannon post / bed / hidden compartment combination. I feel those sailor living in a small apartment with family and all the LEGO bricks! Many such solutions would come in handy. (:

I understand your point for the heads, but you have to take in consideration that it's an official set you're trying to create and as such all the pieces would be used in other creations by kids, where the heads would not necessarily be so hidden. As for the mustache guy it's even more irrelevant if you used any other head just to include the newer style pupils. And in the end besides the Lego Movie sets, which was a kind of a parody of themselves, LEGO never mixes the different eyes styles, skin tones with yellows and minidolls with minifigs ...

That is one big menacing ship! I like the color scheme feels a lot like the Queen Anne's Revenge. Also like the custom sails and the roping looks nice though I have no idea how accurate it is. I'm a bit bothered by the colorful floorings of the cabin parts - they look like a commercial for LEGO Dots. Also I'd skip half of the same looking pirates and the minifigure lineup although constructed well, needs a facelift and consistency in the age of the head / torso usage.

Yeah I see the similarity for the crane, though SW gets away easily with the mechanics and hydraulics being built into the liftarms yet it's still a bit of a funky design. But it is much harder to make such an excuse in the era of pirates. As for the render, I have no idea how to do that, nor how it was done. Though what you're saying with the hanging out parts makes sense. Never worked with studio. Did a gif from LDD once but it was not rendered and manually positioned and turned for a specific angle. I just pointed out the aesthetic flaw. I signed up as a critic at this contest not a studio specialist! ;)

Great remake! I really love the smart idea of how to connect it to the Eldorado, although I must admit that on it's own the arch going nowhere looks a bit out of place. Also with that arch the small balcony underneath makes little to no sense neither does have a goo access point. Maybe that could be handled differently - like a roof or something. And also the square fence would maybe look a bit better. The small rounded bricks don't combine well with the tiles and square tops and the big rounded bricks don't integrate well into the roof with the flat corners sticking out. Other than that a really solid build!

As mentioned before, not a ship expert here. But I do love the color scheme and the overall looks of this build! The dark blue works really nice with white and going for the blues made the transfer of the molded blue part look smoother. Even if it's a bluecoats ship, the dark red sails work rather well. My only visual complaint would be the inconsistency in the flags. It would be nice if in the back and the top flags matched each other!

A really great canon design. Would make a very cool display set for any pirates fans. But for making it look more like an official set, you could easily skip two figures.

Well there is enough of the build to pass as an entry. The cannon has a great custom wagon attached and the flag pole is a really nice idea. Especially if you want to throw in a few more minifigures. It feels more like the 501st SW battle pack around the 30 price point instead of the ones around the 15 (now 20). Anyway, I guess what was really discouraged for this contest is the recreation of sets like 6251 or 6252 or creating a similar one with minifigs only ... Anyway the minifigure selection is nice, though the white and black boots legs would improve the minifigures a bit. I'm also not too fond of the use of the older torso, which looks outdated and not consistent - white torso with red print instead of having prints on the red torso ...