Disguising the truth about Fort Féline

On a beautifull Friday morning, the first of april, some officers of MAESTRO gathered in the "Intelligence office of Damaborg". They talked about the development of Damaborg so far and the tasks still to do before being fully prepared to start exploring the unknown.

"We need a huge fort to protect Damaborg! If our soldiers are gone exploring, some extra defence is much needed!". Other officers agreed on this. Altough the wooden wall around Damaborg offered an excellent first defence, some sort of fort would be very welcome.

The accountant of MAESTRO, mr. Stingyos, tempered the enthousiasm.
"Altough we still are filthy rich, I fear that we should keep an eye on our expenses. We are the only trade company in Eslandola that pays their own fort upkeep and together with the Eslandolan 1% tax and the upkeep of our troops, we are having a loss month after month. Our fleet, both warships and tradeships, were occupied in troop transport the past year. First sending our army to Terraversa, and then sending that same army to the "Lowers". That meant a huge loss of income"

"aaaawwww". As a bunch of children forbidden to play outside on a sunny day, the officers were grumbling.

Suddenly one of the officers had a brilliant idea.

"What if we make a fort that looks big and frightening, but in fact it is very cheap to build and maintain? If we put some gigantic elements together and we place a wooden palisade in front of it, to disguise the gigantic elements? No one has to know that it isn't an actual big fort?"

"Hoooray!!!"

And so a gigantic fort was built with gigantic colourfull elements. Where those elements came from? No one really knows. Some rumours talk about a baby giant living deep inside "The Lowers" who use those elements as toys. Who knows?

The brave MAESTRO Soldiers started disguising the colourfull bricks with a wooden palisade.

-

Consider this as some kind of April fool

My baby giant (my little daughter) loves to play with those bricks. I build big castles and she destroys them. Hopefully that will change in the future and we can build together haha

Might be licenced as a small/medium fort in Damaborg if the court gives their approval.

Edited April 1, 20222 yr by Maxim I

32 minutes ago, Maxim I said:

Might be licenced as a small/medium fort in Damaborg if the court gives their approval.

Pffft! Good stuff. Impressive minifig collection.

Edited April 1, 20222 yr by Jeff of Clubs

QUATTRO bricks?!? You've 2x-upped me! 

As far as I know, the Military Academy at Fort Stockton in Wullham that is made out of DUPLO wasn't outright rejected when I licensed it... 

Funny story and it's always great to get your kids involved in building. My 5yo daughter has her own Lego, but much prefers to come into my Lego room and demand the animal box, or the flower box etc!

As for licensing, I am torn. Personally I wouldn't license, although I acknowledge the cleverness of the story and approve the sentiment (a mock (no pun intended!) fort is exactly something a new settlement should try!!!)

Evan's Duplo fort was actually debated in court at the time - just not publicly. However, I'll post an explanation here for all the members to see. When a build is questioned on licensing, usually the main things we consider are: level of effort (not just the build, but the presentation and often the story). The other important thing is, is this a pattern of behaviour (ie. are multiple builds being presented for licensing using this technique?) and will allowing it to be licensed have an impact on the EGS.

The court decided that the Military Academy at Fort Stockton in Wullham  easily meet the presentation and quality components. Even though it was made of Duplo, it was felt to be 'MOC' level if that makes sense and it was clear significant thought and effort had gone into the construct. Fort Féline is different in that it doesn't have the same level of background details, although the construction is well thought out and the MAESTRO soldiers parading and the cladding of the front with log bricks do add some level of detail. So on that aspect I'd be tempted to say, as a one-off it could be licensed as a small fort (because even by the story it's not really - just made to look huge - so small I think would be justified). However, I must also consider the potential impact on the EGS: does this set a precedent whereby someone could with minimal effort present something similar creating an unfair advantage during an actual battle or campaign? To which I feel the answer is yes. Therefore, I think it will have to go to the full court for a ruling.

Hopefully the above gives everyone an idea into the processes for this kind of thing. 

Very good and funny story!

Edited April 1, 20222 yr by NOD

2 hours ago, Ayrlego said:

Funny story and it's always great to get your kids involved in building. My 5yo daughter has her own Lego, but much prefers to come into my Lego room and demand the animal box, or the flower box etc!

As for licensing, I am torn. Personally I wouldn't license, although I acknowledge the cleverness of the story and approve the sentiment (a mock (no pun intended!) fort is exactly something a new settlement should try!!!)

Evan's Duplo fort was actually debated in court at the time - just not publicly. However, I'll post an explanation here for all the members to see. When a build is questioned on licensing, usually the main things we consider are: level of effort (not just the build, but the presentation and often the story). The other important thing is, is this a pattern of behaviour (ie. are multiple builds being presented for licensing using this technique?) and will allowing it to be licensed have an impact on the EGS.

The court decided that the Military Academy at Fort Stockton in Wullham  easily meet the presentation and quality components. Even though it was made of Duplo, it was felt to be 'MOC' level if that makes sense and it was clear significant thought and effort had gone into the construct. Fort Féline is different in that it doesn't have the same level of background details, although the construction is well thought out and the MAESTRO soldiers parading and the cladding of the front with log bricks do add some level of detail. So on that aspect I'd be tempted to say, as a one-off it could be licensed as a small fort (because even by the story it's not really - just made to look huge - so small I think would be justified). However, I must also consider the potential impact on the EGS: does this set a precedent whereby someone could with minimal effort present something similar creating an unfair advantage during an actual battle or campaign? To which I feel the answer is yes. Therefore, I think it will have to go to the full court for a ruling.

Hopefully the above gives everyone an idea into the processes for this kind of thing. 

Just a quick reply before going to bed.

First of all, thank you very much for your amazing feedback and insight of the process within the court.

I agree presentation is not what matches my own standard. A couple of reasons for this. I really wanted to do something for april 1 and when building with my daughter this came into mind. I took some pictures with her playing with the fort to accompany and post in this topic. But wasnt sure that a picture of a baby playing with quatro was something that fits Eurobricks and it would also mean that after 15 months, I would publish a picture of her on public social media (Flickr). That held me back in the end. So backgroung and presentation is not ideal, but that was not the original goal.

About effort. Well a small fort is 16x16. I think the amount of effort (including fig posing) does match the effort needed to build a small vignet on a 16x16 plate.

Because honestly, and that’s also the point of the whole joke, right now, we only can afford a small fort in Damaborg if we don’t want our expenses being out of control 😛

I thought that was quite funny! 

And clever!

And I don't remember Duplo bricks being sooooo big. Is that a new sort of Bigger Duplo? 

On 4/1/2022 at 3:39 PM, Jeff of Clubs said:

Pffft! Good stuff. Impressive minifig collection.

Thanks!

Rumours say it is only a small part of the greencoat army I have

On 4/1/2022 at 3:40 PM, evancelt said:

QUATTRO bricks?!? You've 2x-upped me! 

As far as I know, the Military Academy at Fort Stockton in Wullham that is made out of DUPLO wasn't outright rejected when I licensed it... 

Hahaha I was so happy when my baby received those Quattro bricks for christmas from a relative haha

On 4/1/2022 at 11:08 PM, NOD said:

Very good and funny story!

Thanks!

On 4/2/2022 at 9:18 PM, Captain Braunsfeld said:

I thought that was quite funny! 

And clever!

And I don't remember Duplo bricks being sooooo big. Is that a new sort of Bigger Duplo? 

Thanks!

It is QUATTRO in fact. Only had heard rumours of it, but as you can see above, Féline received it as a present

5 hours ago, Maxim I said:

Thanks!

Rumours say it is only a small part of the greencoat army I have

Hahaha I was so happy when my baby received those Quattro bricks for christmas from a relative haha

Thanks!

Thanks!

It is QUATTRO in fact. Only had heard rumours of it, but as you can see above, Féline received it as a present

Ok, Quattro is the new Duplo. Can't wait to see you build your first Quattro-ship!