[TC25] Technic Shrinking Contest - Information Topic

[Jim]

TECHNIC SHRINKING CONTEST - DISCUSSION TOPIC

So you asked for this contest and now it's time to do it. We have tried to keep it as simple as possible. However, there will be jury voting this time.

DESCRIPTION
Shrink a LEGO Technic set into a smaller version. You can choose any Technic set you want (past or present). This needs to be done without using electronics.

VOTING CRITERIA
There will be jury voting and the voting will focus on originality, build quality, staying true to the original and the build being in the spirit of the contest. Shrinking the BWE by 1% and submitting a 99% sized version won't get you many points. 

DEADLINE
Deadline date is August 21nd, 2023. Contest will be closed on Tuesday the 22nd OR LATER. We do have a tight deadline to submit the request for prizes, so there will be NO extension.

Disclaimer: I will close the contest when I see fit and when I have the time to process the results. This can be later than the deadline date. Please don't complain about this not being fair and all.

RULES AND REGULATIONS
The following section describes the contest specific and general rules and regulations. But before that, please take notice of a simple motto regarding the Eurobricks Contests:

CONTESTS ARE FOR FUN!

Of course there's competition, but at the end of the day, LEGO is just a hobby and the main goal for each of us is to have fun!

CONTEST SPECIFIC RULES AND REGULATIONS

• The original model needs to be a Technic set.
• The original model can be any Technic set, studded or studless.
• The entry needs to be studless.
• Some studded System parts are okay, but model team is not permitted.
• Pullback Motor is permitted.
• Pneumatics are permitted.
• Cutting pneumatic hoses is permitted.
• 3rd party strings, hoses and rubber bands are permitted.
• LEDs are not permitted.
• Electronics (PF elements, SBricks and Mindstorms) are not permitted.

GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

• The contest is open to all EB members (also new members).
• Members who joined EB after the start of the contest can be banned from voting (when vote rigging is suspected).
• Voting rules will be explained later in the voting topic.
• One entry per member.
• Entries need to be new (never posted anywhere previously).
• Only physical builds, so no LDD or other virtual entry.
• If you have any doubts about the suitability of your entry contact me.
• All entries are to include only real LEGO. No clone brands, 3rd party parts, or digital entries allowed.
• No cutting, sculpting or modifying parts.
• Entries are to be placed in the entry topic in this forum.
• Entries not in the entry topic are not eligible for voting.
• The entry post may be edited at any time up to the end of the contest, so feel free to make improvements if you wish.
• The contest might be closed later than the deadline. Don't complain about this not being fair.
• You have enough time to build. Don't ask for more time.
• We reserve the right to disqualify any entry that does not follow these rules.
• These rules can be changed whenever we see fit to ensure that people follow the intent of the contest.
• Staff members are not eligible for winning prizes.

WHAT DO I NEED TO ENTER?
All participant need to create a discussion topic and create a post in the entry topic.

DISCUSSION TOPIC

• A discussion topic starting with [TC25].
• A discussion topic needs to show some actual progress (i.e. pictures of the build in progress) and should not be used to "reserve an idea".

ENTRY POST

The entry post in the entry topic should contain:

• Entry name
• Short summary of the functions.
• One or more images (max 4).  You can have combined pictures (4 in 1) as long as the picture isn't bigger than 1024x1024.
• Embedded Youtube video (not mandatory)
• Link to the discussion topic

PRIZES

There will (at least) be a prize for the winner. More on that later.

[kodlovag]

58 minutes ago, Jim said:

TECHNIC SHRINKING POLICE CONTEST - DISCUSSION TOPIC

Police? Copy-paste from TC24? :)

[Jim]

7 minutes ago, kodlovag said:

Police? Copy-paste from TC24? :)

 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Does the shrunk model have to be in the same color scheme as the original model? Some colors only appear in big panels and not small panels.

[Jim]

6 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Does the shrunk model have to be in the same color scheme as the original model? Some colors only appear in big panels and not small panels.

It doesn't need to match 100%, but one of the voting criteria is "staying true to the original". You can replace whatever you want, but it might affect your score.

[howitzer]

Shrinking the BWE by 1% might actually be much harder than shrinking it by something like 25% or 50%  But I get your point: there should be a significant amount of shrinkage, to make it clear that the entry is not about just replicating the functions and looks of the original but also about fitting them into a tighter space while keeping as much as possible of them in the build. I also believe that swapping linear actuators for pneumatics or vice versa would be against the spirit of the contest?

Anyway, I have a couple of ideas, I've got to think which set to choose and if I have enough time to actually build it, considering it's summer and there's a lot of things to do and places to go...

[Jundis]

Oh finally, thanks @Jim ! :-)

This time, I got to make enough free space for participating. So curious about the models we will see soon!

Edited June 25, 2023 by Jundis

[Jim]

6 minutes ago, Jundis said:

Oh finally, thanks @Jim ! :-)

Sorry for the delay. Should have started it earlier. But better late then never.

[msk6003]

Why not allowed electronic?

[Jim]

10 minutes ago, msk6003 said:

Why not allowed electronic?

Because the emphasis needs to be on the build/shrinkage of the model, not the electronics.

[msk6003]

8 minutes ago, Jim said:

Because the emphasis needs to be on the build/shrinkage of the model, not the electronics.

Can you allowed if original set already has electronic? My planned model is impossible without electronic.(Actually mindstorm.) And of course original set has electronic.

Edited June 25, 2023 by msk6003

[Thirdwigg]

Great idea, and sounds like fun.

Will you clarify “existing LEGO Technic set?” Does this mean any Technic set in history, or something more recent?

[Jim]

27 minutes ago, Thirdwigg said:

Great idea, and sounds like fun.

Will you clarify “existing LEGO Technic set?” Does this mean any Technic set in history, or something more recent?

Every Technic set ever created. I will change the sentence.

1 hour ago, msk6003 said:

Can you allowed if original set already has electronic? My planned model is impossible without electronic.(Actually mindstorm.) And of course original set has electronic.

I'm sorry NO electronics.

[Erik Leppen]

I think this will be fun. I guess a good place to start is to scroll through all Technic sets and see what sparks ideas.

BrickLink Reference Catalog - Sets - Category Technic

Curious to see what others will come up with :) (and I hope to join, but I don't have any ideas yet)

Edit: also, I really need to free up bricks. I have too many works in progress and old stuff built up that I should disassemble...

Edited June 25, 2023 by Erik Leppen

[howitzer]

@Jim One question: are B-models and all universal set models allowed?

[2GodBDGlory]

Thanks for organizing this! I've already got a set in mind, so hopefully I can get my Lada's issues sorted out soon and get started on it!

[Jim]

4 hours ago, howitzer said:

@Jim One question: are B-models and all universal set models allowed?

Yeah sure! 

1 hour ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Thanks for organizing this! I've already got a set in mind, so hopefully I can get my Lada's issues sorted out soon and get started on it!

[Saruzeufel]

Three questions:

(1) do smaller builds (= more % shrinkage) yield higher score or is it negligible wether it is 30% or 50% shrunk?

(2) would swapping from pneumatics to mechanical functions for size reasons lower the "staying true to the original" score or be considered neutral for it beeing a necessity to achieve (1)?

(3) does adding a function the original should have had (but was missing in the set) reduce (for beeing less similar to the original) or increase (more functional/ creative) the overall score?

Edited June 26, 2023 by Saruzeufel
fixed typos

[gyenesvi]

Thanks for the new contest @Jim! I was wondering if it's worth thinking in shrinking a motorized set into a manual variant? There are some large motorized sets out there, and getting rid of the electronics often frees up space, so it would make sense on one hand. Many functions could be kept, just manual instead of motorized. Would that loose on the criteria of staying true to the original, or is it the functions that are more important, and not how they are driven?

[Jim]

27 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

There are some large motorized sets out there, and getting rid of the electronics often frees up space, so it would make sense on one hand. Many functions could be kept, just manual instead of motorized. 

This is exactly what I am looking for.

27 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

Would that loose on the criteria of staying true to the original, or is it the functions that are more important, and not how they are driven?

Changing powered functions to manual functions will definitely NOT lose points. It is one of the reasons we don't allow electronics, to be creative in making manual functions.

29 minutes ago, Saruzeufel said:

Three questions:

(1) do smaller builds (= more % shrinkage) yield higher score or is it negligible wether it is 30% or 50% shrunk?

(2) would swapping from pneumatics to mechanical functions for size reasons lower the "staying true to the original" score or be considered neutral for it beeing a necessity to achieve (1)?

(3) does adding a function the original should have had (but was missing in the set) reduce (for beeing less similar to the original) or increase (more functional/ creative) the overall score?

1) We don't have set rules, so I can't answer that question properly.

2) I am defintely fine with swapping pneumatics for manual functions (just like swapping electronics to manual functions). This won't affect your score.

3) I would be careful adding stuff that wasn't on the original. The contest is not about making a better version. The contest is about shrinking the original. I would not add a winch if the original doesn't have a winch (for example). If you have a specific thing in mind and you are still hesitant, let me know.

[howitzer]

@Jim I'm also having thoughts about adding functions or changing aesthetics compared to the original. The rules require construction in studless style, so that in itself imparts a significant change in aesthetics if the entry is based on a 90's or older set. So would "modernizing" an old set (fill gaps with panels, add minor functions like openable doors, etc.) count for or against in scoring?

Personally I don't mind either way (stay as close as possible to the original, including shortcomings, or modernize the set by adding stuff that would be expected if similar set were to be released today) but it would be important to know this before starting to build.

[Jim]

2 minutes ago, howitzer said:

So would "modernizing" an old set (fill gaps with panels, add minor functions like openable doors, etc.) count for or against in scoring?

A bit of modernizing is okay (this makes sense when you turn a studded set into a studless set), but I would be careful with adding panels and turning it into a paneled version when the original didn't have panels. 

6 minutes ago, howitzer said:

Stay as close as possible to the original, including shortcomings

This is what we are looking for. Otherwise it will be a "Make an old studded set better" contest.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

1 hour ago, Jim said:

If you have a specific thing in mind and you are still hesitant, let me know.

I added screen wipers to the shrunk Airbus is that okay

[Jim]

1 hour ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

I added screen wipers to the shrunk Airbus is that okay

Yeah of course. You can add some details here and there, no problem. But like I mentioned, it's not a "make it into a better model contest".

[heyitsdisty]

I'm assuming only sets branded with the Technic line are accepted? We couldn't, for example, do one of the Bionicle vehicles which are primarily made up of Technic parts?