[CONTEST] Eurobricks Alt-Build Contest 2025

[Clone OPatra]

Eurobricks' Alt-Build Contest
Entries close January 27 2025

 

Make like it's 1999, and design an alt-build for the back of the hypothetical box! This is a contest for you to flex your creativity with a finite selection of parts.

 

Contest Categories & Parameters

To even the playing field a bit, we'll have three categories split simply by the original USD RRP of the set(s) you choose to alt-build (check Brickset for RRPs if you're unsure):

Small category: Make an alternative build for a set with an RRP up to $30 USD

Medium category: Make an alternative build for a set with an RRP from $31 to $80 USD

Large category: Make an alternative build for a set with an RRP from $81 to $150 USD

Your alternative build must only use parts from one copy of one set. However, you don't have to use all the parts from the set. Sets from any theme of any era are allowed (if you want to alt-build Znap or Galidor, go for it).

Digital builds are allowed, with the same parameters. Check the Bricklink inventory for your set to ensure you're only using parts from the set if building digitally.

 

How to Enter

To enter, post a new topic in the section of Eurobricks where discussion of your set's theme would be found - i.e. if it's a Star Wars set, post it in the LEGO Star Wars section; if it's an Adventurers set, post it in LEGO Action and Adventure Themes, etc. (ask here if you're unsure). 

Title your topic [Alt-Build Contest] ________ (number and name of the set).

Leave a link to your topic in the Contest Entry Thread in Special Themes.

 

Rules

Entries close on Monday January 27th 2025. As long as it's still Monday January 27th 2025 somewhere in the world, you can post or update your entry.

You can join Eurobricks any time to post an entry.

You can enter as many categories as you like, as many times as you like. However, to spread the prize love around, each Eurobricks member will only win once.

All creations must be new for this contest and never before posted anywhere online.

Your creation must follow the guidelines set out in "Contest Categories" about the original RRP of the set and not using parts from any other set.

All work must be your own - plagiarizing MOCs will result in immediate disqualification.

 

Prizes

Winners of each category will get to pick prize pools from LEGO: Large category valued at 180€, medium category at 150€, and small category at 110€.

Runners up to be announced!

 

Choosing the Winners

A panel of judges will rate the entries on the following criteria:

• Aesthetics - How pleasing and well-rounded is your model
• Creativity - Have you used the parts in creative and unexpected ways
• Originality - How different is your alt-build from the set it's made out of

 

Fine Print

• By entering, you consent to Eurobricks reposting your entry on Eurobricks' social media channels, crediting you.
• Prize values are determined in accordance with German Shop at Home and prizes are subject to availability on the Shop at Home in the winners' local countries. Some back and forth with Eurobricks staff might be required to select an available prize.
• Prizes could take 8-10 weeks to arrive but we will keep you updated as much as we are able.

 

Comment in this topic with any questions!

[Lemerbrix]

Question, does the alt build have to be the same license as the original? Like could I build something Minecraft out of a marvel set?

[Max_Lego]

Silly question: is it allowed for the alt build to be very similar in concept with the original, yet totally different in construction?

[Clone OPatra]

3 hours ago, Lemerbrix said:

Question, does the alt build have to be the same license as the original? Like could I build something Minecraft out of a marvel set?

Yep it can be entirely different. In fact it's encouraged!

5 minutes ago, Max_Lego said:

Silly question: is it allowed for the alt build to be very similar in concept with the original, yet totally different in construction?

It's allowed, but one of the judging criteria in the Choosing the Winners section is originality, so you might lose points in that category.

[Agent Kallus]

I'll definitely try my hand at this!

[ILoveSeatron]

What if the set I want to make an alt of is worth around $700-$1,000? Would that still count as a large set?

Edit. Never mind, even though it is worth around $700-$1,000 brickset.com says the RRP is $155.

Dose anyone know what RRP  means?

Edited December 2, 2024 by ILoveSeatron

[Yoggington]

2 hours ago, ILoveSeatron said:

Dose anyone know what RRP  means?

Recommended Retail Price

i.e. the pricepoint that Lego advises toy stores to sell a particular set at. Stores can choose to do that or not, depending on what profit margin they expect to gain. I assume this is an older set, and the 700-1000 valuation is the current value?

[ILoveSeatron]

1 hour ago, Yoggington said:

Recommended Retail Price

i.e. the pricepoint that Lego advises toy stores to sell a particular set at. Stores can choose to do that or not, depending on what profit margin they expect to gain. I assume this is an older set, and the 700-1000 valuation is the current value?

I am most likely going to do an alt of Lego 6990, and from what I have seen it usually is in the $700-$1,000 range when for sale.

Edited December 2, 2024 by ILoveSeatron

[Yoggington]

2 hours ago, ILoveSeatron said:

I am most likely going to do an alt of Lego 6990, and from what I have seen it usually is in the $700-$1,000 range when for sale.

Ah yes, it's now an old set, and difficult to get a hold of a copy. Therefore, that price is what second-hand sellers are asking. RRP back when it was new in stores (in 1987)  would have been $155 according to Brickset.

I am not a judge or an admin here, but unfortunately, (to me) that seems to be more expensive than is allowed, even in the large category due to the $150 limit.

[ILoveSeatron]

47 minutes ago, Yoggington said:

Ah yes, it's now an old set, and difficult to get a hold of a copy. Therefore, that price is what second-hand sellers are asking. RRP back when it was new in stores (in 1987)  would have been $155 according to Brickset.

I am not a judge or an admin here, but unfortunately, (to me) that seems to be more expensive than is allowed, even in the large category due to the $150 limit.

If it is rejected because of being $5 over I will make an alt of another old space set that I have that is $150 or less.

[Clone OPatra]

4 hours ago, ILoveSeatron said:

If it is rejected because of being $5 over I will make an alt of another old space set that I have that is $150 or less.

You're fine. Go ahead and do 6990 of you'd like. Brick Economy says it was $130 USD and $155 strikes me as one of those catalogue prices that includes the shipping, since they used to not do shipping separately.

[ILoveSeatron]

11 hours ago, Clone OPatra said:

You're fine. Go ahead and do 6990 of you'd like. Brick Economy says it was $130 USD and $155 strikes me as one of those catalogue prices that includes the shipping, since they used to not do shipping separately.

Thanks. 

[Oky]

Oh man, it’s been a while since we’ve had an alt-build contest, let alone one encompassing all themes!  This will be fun. 

One question: can we use the spare parts from the set in our build?

[Clone OPatra]

2 hours ago, Oky said:

One question: can we use the spare parts from the set in our build?

Sure  I guess in a small set that could make the difference.

[The_Star_Wars_Shop]

On 11/30/2024 at 4:35 AM, Clone OPatra said:

Contest Categories & Parameters

To even the playing field a bit, we'll have three categories split simply by the original USD RRP of the set(s) you choose to alt-build (check Brickset for RRPs if you're unsure):

Small category: Make an alternative build for a set with an RRP up to $30 USD

Medium category: Make an alternative build for a set with an RRP from $31 to $80 USD

Large category: Make an alternative build for a set with an RRP from $81 to $150 USD

 

Would it be possible for the price bracket of the large category to be extended? It seems like I and some other users want to make alternate builds of slightly larger sets. Personally, the new UCS TIE Interceptor is the only build I have on hand currently, but the RRP is $240, so I won't be able to participate if the price bracket stays as it is currently. Thanks so much for your consideration and putting on this amazing challenge!

[Clone OPatra]

6 hours ago, The_Star_Wars_Shop said:

Would it be possible for the price bracket of the large category to be extended?

Nope, sorry. It may seem arbitrary but I had to cut it off somewhere. We may run another one in the future where alt-builds of larger sets are allowed.

[The_Star_Wars_Shop]

1 hour ago, Clone OPatra said:

Nope, sorry. It may seem arbitrary but I had to cut it off somewhere. We may run another one in the future where alt-builds of larger sets are allowed.

Dang, that sucks to hear, but I understand why it is that way. Thanks for responding and clarifying!

[YellowFrog]

I've started a few builds, but wanted to clarify a point on judging:

On 11/30/2024 at 8:35 PM, Clone OPatra said:

Originality - How different is your alt-build from the set it's made out of

If a build takes elements of a model and presents them in a new way (I'm changing an architecture set into a mortal-engines-style vehicle), then will it be marked more highly, for having symbolic connections to the original; or lower, for taking inspiration from elements of the original build?

[Clone OPatra]

38 minutes ago, YellowFrog said:

If a build takes elements of a model and presents them in a new way (I'm changing an architecture set into a mortal-engines-style vehicle), then will it be marked more highly, for having symbolic connections to the original; or lower, for taking inspiration from elements of the original build?

We're just going for that the alt-build is a significantly different thing, so to make an architecture set into a vehicle, you'll have that covered.

If you took a police station set and made it into just a different police station, that'd get lower marks in the originality category, but if it was a police spaceship, that's different.

Especially in the smallest category, but really in all of them, there is almost inevitably going to be something tying the alt-build back to the original set. That's just the nature of alt-builds. The judges will score originality within reason.

[YellowFrog]

14 hours ago, Clone OPatra said:

Especially in the smallest category, but really in all of them, there is almost inevitably going to be something tying the alt-build back to the original set. That's just the nature of alt-builds. The judges will score originality within reason.

Thanks for clarifying. I look forward to seeing people's entries.

[Mandalorianknight]

Whoah, I almost missed this until I saw someone post in the licensed themes thread.

Just for clarification, if I was, say, going to do a Star Wars alt build, and it was still something that looked like it belonged in Star Wars, would that score low in originality even if it was a completely different type of thing (say I turned a starfighter into a tank or building)? Are we encouraged to make it look like it's from a different theme?

Also, and this is a total hail mary but I figured I'd just ask since I had an idea, are we able to combine multiple sets if we count the price of each individual set? I think it could lead to some cool cross-theme stuff with the minfigures especially.

[Clone OPatra]

40 minutes ago, Mandalorianknight said:

Are we encouraged to make it look like it's from a different theme?

Also, and this is a total hail mary but I figured I'd just ask since I had an idea, are we able to combine multiple sets if we count the price of each individual set? I think it could lead to some cool cross-theme stuff with the minfigures especially.

I'd say it's lightly encouraged to make something as different as possible, but overall aesthetics and good usage of parts are just as important, so you don't need to focus on originality for originality's sake. Which is to say, if you think you can best make a starship into a Star Wars building rather than something not Star Wars, you could still have a good shot.

For this particular contest every entry can only be built from one set, sorry!

[bruh]

Ok, I’m excited! I might build something Technic, or possibly something out of a speed champions set.

[Thebrickfig]

Hey are there any limits on GWPs? How would I categorize them when it comes to RRP?

[Clone OPatra]

3 hours ago, Thebrickfig said:

Hey are there any limits on GWPs? How would I categorize them when it comes to RRP?

Hadn't thought about GWPs. While they're live they often have an RRP ascribed on LEGO.com, but I don't know if anyone records that information since they're never actually sold.

Which GWP were you thinking?