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Author Topic: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll  (Read 2913 times)

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Offline jbkuma

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #15 on: January 10, 2021, 09:03:22 AM »
I think it's nice to have some different challenges for a change.  These things tend to be so stogy and purist.  Building something outside of your comfort zone might give you new insights and perspectives.

Building sabers with random parts, does clever things most sabers don't, uses unconventional materials, and on themes outside of star was is basically what I do.  I think it's great to have something that isn't "build yet another in canon hilt"

Other concepts I'd like to see are things like "only found parts and plumbing parts" or "all electronics from scratch"

Offline Guylo Ren

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #16 on: January 10, 2021, 01:57:24 PM »
I would indeed second Scott's idea,a specific System themed hilt is a fine idea!We've all seen variations over the years,be nice to have some fresh takes now that even more fresh locations have shown up across all media.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #17 on: January 11, 2021, 03:24:58 AM »
I would indeed second Scott's idea,a specific System themed hilt is a fine idea!We've all seen variations over the years,be nice to have some fresh takes now that even more fresh locations have shown up across all media.

Yessir! I'll go amend the poll.
Better late than never.

Offline Guylo Ren

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #18 on: January 11, 2021, 12:13:31 PM »
Not to throw too many spanners in these works but a theme I've always wanted to see everybody combine on is,Sabers From Concept Art.
A few of these have been runs etc,but a lot tend to be one-offs made by the maker for themselves,& I reckon that could almost be a competition in its own right as there's so much design material out there.


NB: This has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that my only long-ongoing project is such a design.No,nothing at all. :angel:
« Last Edit: January 11, 2021, 12:15:51 PM by Guylo Ren »

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2021, 03:51:30 AM »
One last week to vote if you haven't already!
Better late than never.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #20 on: January 29, 2021, 05:18:53 AM »
Final voting day! We have a clear front runner, but that could all change.
Better late than never.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #21 on: January 30, 2021, 09:35:36 AM »
And so we have it. with ten votes cast out of a possible 34, the Golden Saber Challenge is the winner of this entirely unofficial contest poll. Not going to lie, I kinda had my hopes up for the Jazz Challenge, but eh, maybe 2022  :wink:

Right then, if we're all fine with going ahead, I guess we'd better come up with some guidelines. How's this sound (he says, copying e57's formula from last time)

The Golden Saber Challenge:


Requirements:

-To construct, by the contest deadline, a working, duel-capable* saber, with or without sound
-This saber must be capable of being stripped down into as many constituent parts as the builder wishes, and reassembled, without using external tools.
-This can be a custom design, or a conversion of an existing saber, replica kit

*Duel-Capable meaning that the completed saber, in its assembled form, should be sturdy enough for "light" duelling. ie, not a shelf queen.

End produt should:
-Light up
-be capable of being broken down and reassembled without tools, unless those tools are inbuilt, and light up afterwards
-something else?

I dunno, I've run dry. Anyone else got any suggestions?

Better late than never.

Offline jbkuma

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #22 on: January 30, 2021, 12:02:34 PM »
I think we need to dutch the duel capable rule. That will be really limiting and steer designs toward common solutions.  Do we really want a saber that is mostly just screwing a could pieces together with some clip on greeblies?  Unlike the golden gun or a "real" saber, our little gadgets under go pretty considerable torque.

Ditching this rule allows more money and complex designs.

The hilt should be able to be hold itself together and swing around without a blade. If it can withstand the torque and impact of dueling, let the voters decide if that contributes to their vote.

Offline eastern57

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #23 on: January 31, 2021, 02:56:47 AM »
I agree.  A swing around is sufficient, but dueling might be a stretch.  Especially with no tools, it might not be practical with just MHS/MHS-style threaded parts and thumbscrews.

However, adding one tool may help.  If parts can be bolstered by screws or mechanically tightened, that will help duel-ability.

Having made a few "take-apart" hilts previously, I can say this is a difficult challenge.  Without some solid ingenuity, it will be difficult to expand on "shell over core" or "hilt with some parts removable". 

I think there should be some guidance that addresses the "spirit" of the contest (i.e. objective statement).  What's our definitive example?  The concept of the "golden gun" is much different than a "disguised hilt" like Kanan's hilt.  Simply taking apart a lightsaber hilt is fine, but without specifying what the challenge should follow, you're left with "MHS + MWS, *bam* there's an entry." 

Here are some examples of what I mean:

An Eligible Hilt Must:
 - Utilize a variety of elements or components, disguised as non-lightsaber devices (e.g. droid caller, comlink, remote detonating device, tricorder, scanning device, etc.), that when combined together, utilizing maximum one tool, results in a functioning lightsaber hilt, with or without sound. *a la Golden Gun

or

 - Separate into elements or components, reasonably un-recognizable as lightsaber parts, that when combined together, utilizing maximum one tool, results in a functioning lightsaber hilt, with or without sound. *a la Kanan

or

 - Have the ability to be "field-stripped" into separate components and reassembled into a functioning lightsaber hilt, with or without sound, using only "assist" tools (e.g. to punch, torque, brace, etc.); no drivers, wrenches, pliers, etc.

An objective statement would be one of those (not all of them).


Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #24 on: January 31, 2021, 04:21:57 AM »
Yeah, that's fair. Nix the duelling. That's kinda my hangup, I'm not a massive fan of shelf queens. I just feel a saber should be capable of doing something more than sit on a shelf (even if that is all it ends up doing.)

Okay, when I thought up the challenge, I was thinking a mix of options one and two, really. A disguised saber, for someone like an infiltrator or an assassin, or a post order 66 Jedi. something where the everyday greeblies that everyone carries on them the Star Wars Universe can be assembled to form something greater than the sum of their parts.

I definitely thing that a minimum of tools required to assemble should be a part of it. I'd also be partial to that tool being an integral part of the saber: for instance, I think it was one of jbkuma's sabers that had a thumbscrew where the bottom threads of the screw had been filed into a hex head for unscrewing the hex bolts on the saber. Something like that could be neat.
Better late than never.

Offline Greenie

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #25 on: January 31, 2021, 04:53:24 AM »
This could be quite a challenge in itself. To create multiple parts that twist, plug, snap and screw together is gonna require some ingenuity and tenacity. For those parts to then be disguised as 'other things' could introduce a frustrating level of complexity to the task. I'm not suggesting simplicity but this is for fun, right? If I were to jump in on this one, I would support Eastern's 'Field Stripped' suggestion. However, I do think that you should be able to at least insert a blade for igniting the saber.


Greenie.

Offline scott

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #26 on: January 31, 2021, 08:57:20 AM »
Are we going to have any constraints or requirements on parts?  Given the no tools, seems that those of us without access to machining tools will be forced to rely on mhs, or plumbing supplies I guess.

Offline Kolgrima

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #27 on: January 31, 2021, 12:24:48 PM »
I would say that this theme may be more troublesome than a lot of folks first thought, my self included! but it's not written in stone, there is always the option to fall back to the runner up theme if we feel that would be more fun.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #28 on: January 31, 2021, 01:41:40 PM »
I would say that this theme may be more troublesome than a lot of folks first thought, my self included! but it's not written in stone, there is always the option to fall back to the runner up theme if we feel that would be more fun.

Yeah, I'm definitely starting to think that, too  :undecided: It's certainly an option if we can't figure something out, but hopefully, we can bash something out of the Golden Saber first, though.

Okay, I've been thinking about this all day, and the only real idea I can come up with is this:

The goal would be to make a saber, either custom or a replica, with or without sound, that can be field stripped (disassembled and reassembled) with a minimum of tools.

The field stripped elements should have no obvious "Earthly" origin. By this, I mean that when you take the 18650 out of your saber, it should look like a "Diatium Power Cell," not an 18650. No field stripped part of it should look like a part made on Earth.

How does that sound?

Better late than never.

Offline scott

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Re: Unofficial 2021 challenge poll
« Reply #29 on: January 31, 2021, 06:28:23 PM »
Thunder...I think you are making this more complex with each post!  Should we scratch off the switchcraft logo on the RCP and replace it with Auerbesh?

I totally want in on a build challenge since the last one was such a blast, but unsure on this. Maybe I will get inspired.

 

retrousse