Preferences for GBs

[GTX_Admin]

Folks,

A few have mentioned it already, so I thought I would start a dedicated thread.  What is your preference re GBs? 

• Do you want multiple ongoing at the one time?  If so, how many is the maximum?
• What is your preferred GB length?
• What other aspects would you like to see our GBs include?

Regards,

Greg

[taiidantomcat]

Folks,

A few have mentioned it already, so I thought I would start a dedicated thread.  What is your preference re GBs? 

• Do you want multiple ongoing at the one time?  If so, how many is the maximum?
• What is your preferred GB length?
• What other aspects would you like to see our GBs include?

Regards,

Greg

I think one or two GBs is a good limit until we can increase membership.

length should vary, thats easier said than done but I feel limited themes should be shorter. IE A Spitfire GB shouldn't go longer than a month (with optional extension of course) while a large theme like "Post Vietnam" should be around 2-3 months.

Other aspects? Hmmm qood question. I like the voting, I think its fun. Even with nothing at stake I think the most popular model should be recognized as such. What about a "blown deadline"  or better late than never contest where folks who didn't make the deadline and extension have their own vote too? I fail to finish a lot of GBs and I find the model collects dust for sometime after, maybe I come back a year later and finish it. Anything to eliminate that...  Maybe you have the Vote every four months or so and it can span multiple GBs, so there is still some desire to finish by that deadline even if you missed the contest deadline? Thoughts?

[Brian da Basher]

I really like the idea of having a Blown Deadline GB, maybe once a year? Sounds like it'd be a great Beyond the Sprues tradition!

Voting would seem necessary to give the GBs a reason besides just being a showcase. With the members we have, I think we can manage this in a fun, friendly way.

I think we should be careful not to have more than two GBs going at the same time, that way participants can focus their energies. We should also be careful that no GBs completely overlap (have the same start & end dates) so they get the proper attention.

Brian da Basher

[GTX_Admin]

Maybe this Blown Deadline GB should be run right at the end of the year as a kind of catch-all GB?

Regards,

Greg

[taiidantomcat]

Sounds good! Glad everyone likes the idea

[GTX_Admin]

Re the original questions...

[Doom!]

• Do you want multiple ongoing at the one time?  If so, how many is the maximum?
• What is your preferred GB length?
• What other aspects would you like to see our GBs include?

• I think three group builds at a time is reasonable, still possible for one person to participate in all three while giving options to folks who may not be interested in one or more build.
 • Depends on the type of build, obviously a simple themed build wouldn't require as much time as something more complex. I would think it could vary anywhere from one week to several months.
 
 

[ysi_maniac]

Why not Special Interest Group?
Even if group is made of only one

[ChernayaAkula]

General length: 2-3 months - if you don't finish it in three months, odds are you won't finish it in 6 or more. The GBs on other sites kinda prove this.

I'd say two GBs at the same time. Now: start them on the same date or start the second one half-way through the first one?

[GTX_Admin]

Why not Special Interest Group?
Even if group is made of only one

Not sure what you mean?

[ysi_maniac]

Well IMHO a SIG is just a kind of GB without contest or a GB is a kind of SIG with dates and prices.

I mean, can someone have/administrate a subforum devoted to a particular theme?

Thanks.

[tsrjoe]

two concurrently sounds ok to me, too many might just dilute the effort ? 2-3 months per theme sounds good too, i agree if unfinished in that time it wont be ready in twice that, also means we can have a turnover too say maybe 8 theme builds per year ?

cheers, Joe

[Weaver]

My twopennth':

No more than two running at the same time, with staggered start and end dates.

One month for any GB is probably a bit short, given that work/family/other disruptions can be of the order of weeks. Two months gives you a chance to pull back a " lost week" or two. If the disruption is of the order of months, then it's probably really serious.....

I disagree with the idea that limited scope GBs should be short and wide scope ones long. I think it's okay to vary the length of GBs, but there are more factors at work than just scope. For instance, a broad-based "real hardware in wrong colours GB" will feature many builds that are physically OOB and shouldn't take that long. On the other hand, a limited-scope "Original Sci-fi" GB will almost inevitably involve a lot of kitbashing and scratchbuilding and so will take longer.

[GTX_Admin]

Thanks for the feedback folks - please keep it coming.

[GTX_Admin]

Well IMHO a SIG is just a kind of GB without contest or a GB is a kind of SIG with dates and prices.

I mean, can someone have/administrate a subforum devoted to a particular theme?

Thanks.

What did you have in mind?

[apophenia]

• What other aspects would you like to see our GBs include?

One of the joys of pixel-pushing as opposed to polystyrene, is that profilers can sometimes bodge together something quickly (hack jobs in my case, pre-existing 'blanks' for those we try to emulate).

Is it worth considering staggered start-dates for digital vs plastic? That way, instead of dribbling in over weeks, all submission (regards of type) arrive in an exciting photo finish.

[GTX_Admin]

That's actually quite a good point.  I would be curious to hear what others think.

[aeroplaneDriver]

It's been two months since the last post here, but as a new member I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. 

I'm a 'manic builder'...meaning I'm not one of those folks who ALWAYS has something ongoing.  I will go weeks, months, or (unfortunately) years without building, but then will get the bug and will build furiously for a month and turn out a model a week for a while.  Point being different builders have different styles of building, so I sometimes like the idea of a quick GB with a short deadline.  Sometimes with a GB I will be excited about the theme, but lose a bit of the impetus when the end date is 3 months away.  Anyway, this 'quick build' method is just my own personal way of enjoying the hobby.

I think 2-3 builds at a time is a good pace.  Three more if they are staggered a great deal, or if one is a shorter build. 

I love the idea of a "Missed Deadline GB" for the end of the year so that anyone who begins a GB project at least gets a second chance at having it in a GB, since sometimes things come up beyond our control, and even with 3 months to work at it a deadline may be missed.  Seems a shame to put work in for a GB and not have a chance to enjoy the competition. 

[GTX_Admin]

Great feedback!