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Offline eastern57

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Possible Contest Ideas
« on: October 29, 2020, 02:16:27 AM »
I've been brain-stewing some potential contest ideas. :lamp:  These kind of play to my strengths, so grain-of-salt and all.

Chime in, pro/con it, like/dislike, add more ideas... :afro:


Definitive saber project - make your idealized lightsaber.  What elements do you think are the MOST lightsabery, the MOST indicative of a lightsaber, or the MOST iconic?  Make something that, when viewed by anyone (star wars fan or not) screams, "I AM A LIGHTSABER!"

 
Design a movie hilt - Make something that fits the aesthetic of the star wars movies.  Prequel, OT, Sequel... or possibly all ranges.  Harder than it seems.


Iron Chef - Everyone has to use a certain part, e.g. an MHS booster section, a graflex clamp, an MHS pommel or blade holder, etc.

 
Anything but the hilt - The only rule is no pre-made hilts, outside of that, anything goes.

 
Themed lightaber - blend your favorite genre, franchise, character, time period, era, steampunk, cyberpunk, atompunk, dieselpunk, any-punk, post-apocalyptic, superhero, video game, music group, tv show, art style, lightsaber maker, sword, gun, axe, hammer, sportsball team, ... literally anything!


One-hand/Shoto/Padawan hilt - fully functioning, but short... e.g. not including shrouds, tip of blade holder to end of pommel no more than 6".

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2020, 05:21:38 AM »
Definitive saber project - make your idealized lightsaber.  What elements do you think are the MOST lightsabery, the MOST indicative of a lightsaber, or the MOST iconic?  Make something that, when viewed by anyone (star wars fan or not) screams, "I AM A LIGHTSABER!"

Interesting idea, but over the years, I've found that for most muggles, the very fact that there's a glowing blade and a hum kinda satisfies all the requirements. the hilt could be shaped like a fake dog turd, and they wouldn't notice :wink:

Quote
Iron Chef - Everyone has to use a certain part, e.g. an MHS booster section, a graflex clamp, an MHS pommel or blade holder, etc.

Good one. the real trick will be to find a part that TCSS won't run out of stock of the moment the challenge is announced :tongue:


Okay, I'll suggest a couple ideas:

The Swap Challenge: a six month long challenge: Contestants get the first three months to design a custom, single hilt lightsaber with a crystal chamber, but without dimensions or hardware specifications. Then they submit their design to an arbitrator. That arbitrator then assigns their design to another contestant at random, who has to make that saber to the best of their ability.

The What Now? Challenge: Every new trilogy has come up with a new take on the lightsaber. PT had saberstaffs, ST had crossguards. Your briefing is to come up with a new Saber Concept, as if you'd just been hired by Lucasfilm and they need something cool to show off in the last few seconds of the trailer for Episode X: Sidious' Other Revenge. One blade, four blades, axe blades, Swiss army blades, anything goes, be as creative as possible.

The Jazz Challenge: Aluminium? Pah! Brass? Phooey, I say! Steel, copper and bronze? Get them out of my sight! Make a saber from non-traditional materials only. For practiality's sake, there would have to be some kind of metal core to hold the saber together, as well as nuts and bolts here and there, but outside that, anything goes as long as it's not Metal. 3D printed parts (within reason), sculpted epoxy putty, woodwork, glass, whatever you can come up with.

The Jedi with the Golden Saber Challenge: Inspired by the Bond film of a similar name, the idea is simple, but the execution difficult: make a working duel-capable saber, that can be broken up into multiple parts and reassembled. Like Kannan Jarrus' but more extreme than a emitter-hilt split.

The Ten Hour Chall... Jedi business, go back to your drinks.  :wink:



« Last Edit: October 29, 2020, 10:46:22 AM by SirRawThunderMan »
Better late than never.

Offline Darkmatter73

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2020, 01:48:45 PM »
I like the ideas of either:
Everyone gets the same parts or
A themed saber

As mentioned above, parts in stock could be a thing, but not if they are pretty common ones. 
But that in itself guarantees creativity, since everyone is in the same boat parts wise. Although customizing them should be allowed of course.

As far as themes go, I’ve always loved those and have made some of my own. I’ve done a couple Viking themed ones, and even a sports team saber for a customer.

I’d probably join in if it were one of those

Offline eastern57

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2020, 02:59:10 PM »
RE: limited parts. I don't see that being a problem, we only had 6 people play, and if the piece was MHS, we might even be able to give TCSS a heads up so they could stock up.  Or, we could keep it even simpler, like: must incorporate any MHS blade holder

RE: Golden Saber Challenge - that's sooo tempting.  I've wanted to make a "field stripable" lightsaber fo-re-ver.  I've tried numerous times, but have only semi-succeeded once.  It's surprisingly difficult when you start considering fitting parts, wire management, contact points, tool-less disassembly... a removeable chassis is downright simple by comparison.

The genesis of the Definitive Lightsaber idea was a project that I did a few years ago at JSSDC. I asked a number of questions like, flanged or angled/s-curve emitter?  Parallel or lateral grips?  Mostly silver, or with dark accents?  Obvious or hidden activation?  The consensus was actually pretty consistent... then I made it, it was cool, but then a month later, Man-At-Arms (AweMe) made the exact same hilt for a sword.  I like the idea of seeing what other people consider lightsabery.... but actually, now that I'm thinking about it, we might just end up seeing the same hilt a bunch of times... so nix that one. :laugh:

We've also done a "swap project" before too, but the result of that was that it was never finished.  It was a little differently formatted, in that, it was a bunch of smiths, but one hilt.  Each smith would add something, e.g. blade holder, body, accent LEDs... but it died before it was completed... don't know where it ended up.

The ideas I'm leaning towards are:

Themed hilts, Duh. (insert "Hey, it's me" meme)
Short hilt, just because I want to do another rapier-style hilt
Iron Chef, a.k.a. same part... it's a tried and true contest format, and
Golden Saber Challenge... I really want to try this again, but it takes a lot of grey matter


Offline Forgetful Jedi Knight

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2020, 03:15:23 PM »
There’s one that you haven’t really mentioned which I has been thinking of sharing here (pending some further discussion with Yoda, K-2SO, etc.). The logistics on that one are a bit trickier though.


May the force be with you all!

Remember... speak softly and carry a well constructed light saber! :)

How "Freedom of Speech" works:  you have the freedom to say whatever you want, BUT you also have the freedom to suffer whatever consequences your actions or words dictate

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2020, 03:30:26 PM »
The ideas I'm leaning towards are:

Themed hilts, Duh. (insert "Hey, it's me" meme)
Short hilt, just because I want to do another rapier-style hilt
Iron Chef, a.k.a. same part... it's a tried and true contest format, and
Golden Saber Challenge... I really want to try this again, but it takes a lot of grey matter

Oh, that's a point, I could get a fencing lightsaber off my to-do list with a short hilt challenge. Hmmmmm...

Well, I for one, am curious to hear what FJK has up his sleeves.  :afro:
Better late than never.

Offline Darth Chasm

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2020, 04:33:20 PM »
Why not all of them? The forum isn’t going anywhere. I see enough for at least a couple of years worth of contests.

Offline eastern57

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2020, 05:27:36 PM »
Why not all of them? The forum isn’t going anywhere. I see enough for at least a couple of years worth of contests.

Good point, no need to rush.  I'm still kind of giddy from this last one. :tongue:

Offline scott

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2020, 06:13:33 PM »
I like the shoto option, and iron chef or theme could be fun...not a fan of the hand of the design option.

Also like East’s original ideal saber suggestion. Also good post by DC to stage them, could be seasons on a schedule where one could sit out a challenge that they aren’t feeling, but be thinking on the next seasons challenge.

Also curious why FJKs idea had to be discussed in the star chamber before spilling!

Offline EXAR KUN

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2020, 08:27:13 PM »
Wow, really great ideas here!

I think some of Eastern's ideas could work for the next contest. I like the Iron Chef option. Maybe the moderator of the contest picks the MHS parts, or someone who won't enter the contest. I would even buy all them at once and in advance so that TCSS won't be 'out' of the part when it's time for the contest. I'll just mail everyone who wants to do the contest the part or parts.

SirRawThunderman has a true winner of an idea with the Golden Jedi idea where you split your saber into like 3 parts or whatever. For hiding on a belt and it won't look like a lightsaber. That sounds cool. Very focused idea.

I have a kind of 'combination idea' between some already-stated ideas and my own:

Purchase and Pass- Is where we each purchase a pre-set number of MHS parts such as 1 Emitter, 1 pommel, extentions or main body parts, up to you. Then those parts get 'passed' to the left (someone will draw a ring with the participants) and you have to build a saber with those parts. We can discuss details like adding shrouds, etc.  The funny thing that could happen is that people might purchase parts they find 'ugly' just to trip up the next person lol. But it's all in good fun.



Offline Jediseth

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2020, 02:48:45 PM »
I like where all these ideas are going!

The flash gun idea  was my favorite. To be honest after I saw Space do such an awesome job with a Graflex it would have been a great idea for everyone to get a Graflex replica and make whatever you can out of it.
 
I do really like the idea of picking two or maybe even three MHS parts like mentioned that have to be incorporated any way you wish in making your own build.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2020, 02:52:18 PM by Jediseth »

Offline COUNT DOOKU

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2020, 05:43:27 PM »
Great ideas for sure. Especially like the themed idea.

I also really like the "Jazz Saber" Idea- meaning no metals allowed to be used. That would be a really unique approach I bet most of us haven't done. Aside from PVC sabers of course. ;)

You could also do a nod to the old school and do a "Hardware Saber", meaning the only hilt parts you could use were those you find in your local hardware store.

Pass on what you have learned. Strength. Mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is. We are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all masters. ~Master Yoda~

Offline scott

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2020, 07:31:24 PM »
I am leaning towards the iron chef/mhs route. I was never a fan of the buy the ingredients and pass them off (secret Santa’s always sucked for me).  I also like the Hw store idea, however some members (like me) don’t have a ton of equipment, so those with more machining access or capability would have a material advantage in terms of boring and threading hilt pieces...I would still find a way to enter since flashgun was so fun, but might suppress entries.


Offline Greenie

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #13 on: October 31, 2020, 04:54:40 AM »
I like the sound of SirRawThunderMan's golden saber idea. Building a saber (and chassis) in multiple pieces that you can assemble and just fire up. I've been vaguely thinking about that concept for a while now. It could be quite a challenge.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Possible Contest Ideas
« Reply #14 on: October 31, 2020, 05:39:10 AM »
how about: The Challenge Challenge: Build a saber. The winner is the saber with the most features from the most suggested challenge ideas the forums can come up with.

...just got to come up with a field strippable, wooden, themed shoto, made from a flashgun and one MHS part. By someone else :tongue:
Better late than never.

 

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