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Post by Colodie on May 24, 2010 23:26:02 GMT -5
Discuss. Entries, the contest itself, what you liked, didn't like, etc.
I apologize for the delay in getting these up, and I know your used to slightly spiffier presentation, instead of being posted in a thread on the forum.
And Lionel, I split your entry up. Sorry, didn't see the drawing in it when you sent it.
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Post by Chuckles on May 24, 2010 23:34:22 GMT -5
I wish I had gotten my interpretive dance in, lol.
A lot of fun and creative looking entries all around, so this is going to be a tough call.
The Open entries in particular are especially catching. That lioness custom is certainly over-the-top-wicked, but I do love me some arthropods. The tiger is probably the best pleasing to my eyes, and yet I have a soft spot for Metal Seadramon as well . . . decisions decisions.
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Post by Gojulas Omega on May 24, 2010 23:50:05 GMT -5
Is that all the entries??
If that is all the entries....I through Open and Limited Catalog will have more entries....well....that is sad.... I want to join in the Limited Catalog too, but my Open entries take much longer than I through and I don't have any idea for Limited Catalog too....
PS. by the way, my entries has miss one picture and the 3rd picture been repeat, can you change it? Thanks.
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Post by Colodie on May 25, 2010 0:14:38 GMT -5
Sorry about that, should be fixed now.
Yeah, I was kinda disappointing by the lack of entries. Well, I guess Zoids are getting a bit scarcer and the economy isn't great, but...
A bit more surprised there weren't more creative entries.
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Post by Chuckles on May 25, 2010 1:11:16 GMT -5
Reopen it and I'll submit a Creative tomorrow ^_^
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Post by KAndrw on May 25, 2010 3:49:49 GMT -5
I'd like to post a couple of paragraphs about my Diskowulf (raison d'etre, weapons, build notes), and I'd like to see the same from anybody else who enjoys adding that sort of fluff. To me, much of the fun of a custom is in conception and building, and much of the fun of enjoying somebody else's custom is in knowing their thoughts and experiences on those things. It doesn't seem to me that a couple of paragraphs encroaches on 'creative' territory, but I just want to make sure before I post about my entry and encourage others to do the same With the showing we have, we don't want anybody to get disqualified!
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Post by Gojulas Omega on May 25, 2010 7:25:29 GMT -5
Sorry about that, should be fixed now. Yeah, I was kinda disappointing by the lack of entries. Well, I guess Zoids are getting a bit scarcer and the economy isn't great, but... A bit more surprised there weren't more creative entries. Thanks, I will upload some more picture and talk about a bit of it in Customized Zoids later today.
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Post by Maethius on May 25, 2010 9:44:42 GMT -5
Honestly, the lack of turnout has me a little concerned. I felt something was awkward when there was so little response to my roll call post. It's very odd, especially when considering the fantastic prizes being offered (some of the best I've seen in years!) and in light that this was a Grand Prix event. You do realize that 3 out of the 7 submissions move on to the Grand Prix?
Still, I would like to comment on my appreciation for Colodie's work puting this all together, and a big thank you to everyone who took part in the contest. As I've said on prior posts, with major changes taking place to family, household, and work, my participation in contests will likely drop to 1 custom annually. Those who participated here help to ease the ache I feel for basically leaving the community for a while. How long will depend on many things, but newborns, toddlers, new mortgages and second jobs all kinda interfere with Dremmils and Gorilla Glue!
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Post by adamassc on May 25, 2010 11:43:05 GMT -5
I had planned on entering all three categories, but I forgot to write a story for creative, and the weather turned against me. my poor Open entry is half-primed and waiting for me to finish.
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Post by Maethius on May 25, 2010 12:01:37 GMT -5
I'm with you on the weather... I only started on my Limited entry, the parts are all in a large baggie awaiting love. I really wanted to do it justice, too, but my custom for Zoidfans is dominating my workshop. Anyway, here are my reviews for the entries for this contest: Phenotype’s Custom Contest 2010 Open Category Gojulas Omega- I always love the clean finish of GO’s builds, and the well proportioned forms the final products take. The form of this entry looks great; tapered and agile without appearing too sinewy or weak. This beast looks like it could hold its own. It manages to look flexible without looking… how should I put this? … too Bloxy. The final shot is really good, and makes me wonder what kind of firepower and stats it has. Once again, very well done GO! (also, it’s nice to see a non-Gojulas sometimes, even though your collection always inspires!) Juno- To me, this is a very basic, solid custom. It actually defines what “custom” Zoids are about, where my stuff has evolved into kitbashes and scratch builds. The colors are traditional with just enough variation to up the interest… they are applied cleanly, which is a big plus in my book. I love that you based it on the Whitz and themed it like a Great Sabre. The parts chosen are well balanced in size and shape; the angles go perfectly with the original armor. It actually looks like a limited kit out of the box and panel lined. Very nice stuff. Lionel- What can I say, but NICE! I always enjoy seeing your stuff because the base concepts are wholly original and the execution is brilliant. The overall shape is cool; like an aquatic tank. Your use of Aero Saurer parts is clever (I LOVE the arc of the arms!) The paint on this one feels like you are making a change in your faction colors, from the traditional red/silver to the purple. For me it adds a feeling of menace but also of story… knowing that you have a story arc, it really makes me wonder what is happening to bring about this change. Very nicely done in the Lionel, “I wish this were a kit I could buy in the store” tradition. Maethius- My comments on my entry will are more of an explanation than a judgment. I built this custom to honor my wife who loves tigers and who is really my lioness (and the name “Siobhan” is Gaelic for Shevon, meaning “God is Gracious”). I also used a special pilot figure to honor her… it’s a silver plated female pilot in body armor (pried out of an old Gobot Psycho). I wanted to do a lioness, also, because I have never seen one… it’s always a tiger, liger, panther, or lion. This build had four real objectives, and I will let you decide if I met them. 1) fully articulate a Gul Tiger, 2) make good use of metal cables and parts, 3) maintain a realistic military machine look, 4) effectively use custom water slide decals (for the first time). Siobhan’s design incorporates mostly contemporary weaponry (Gatling cannons, canister defense launchers) to show a lower level of tech than the original Gul Tiger; part of the story is that the Gul shell fell into the hands of a smaller tribal nation that reverse engineered the Zoid. In case you are wondering, the big joints I used are Struxx from Mega Bloks, and I highly recommend them for all of your future customs that require larger, more realistic joints. These things can carry a lot of weight, though they are a bit tricky to incorporate. The cockpit inside the Gul’s head is an old Zenebas clamshell, which was also used to adorn the head as a salute to the old line. On a minor note, this is the only custom Zoid feline I have found online that incorporates dew claws; the “thumb” claws on the front paws that give a cat its superior grasping and climbing ability. Limited Category Adamassc- I really like the color theme on this custom; very solid, and very Fuzors. I’ve always liked this design and felt that it wasn’t used enough for customs. Nicely done. KAndrw- First, “A” for originality! I didn’t want the build’s silly nature to distract me from its complexity. Losing the armor on the body really makes it look different than other C-Woof designs, and clearly you’ve jointed the hips, shoulders, and knees. Incorporating an MP3 player? Well, first time I’ve seen that done! I don’t understand the electrical tape on the joints in some of the photos (loose joints?), and the finish isn’t quite as sharp as I would like, but the concept is original and well executed. Chuckles- First, after avoiding them for a while, I really learned to like the Gravity Zoids. I always felt they had potential, and I like what you’ve done with the ‘Saurer. The weapons and armor work well with it, and I like the colors you’ve chosen. I would like to have seen it panel lined, but U fund the additions to be well balanced. Nice work. Creative Category Maethius- I’ve always wanted to write. Please let me know what you think and where I need work. KAndrw- A surprisingly brutal story that ends with a ray of triumph; very well done. I know little of the European Zoids story line, but have always liked the idea that the machines had their own personalities. You did a masterful job drawing us into a world where we can feel equally the struggles in both a young woman and a machine, and how you draw them together. I found myself really hoping for some level of goodness by the end, and you delivered wonderfully. Lionel- A always love seeing your conceptual drawings and how the final models are close to them or have evolved from them. It’s great how you can both stay true to form and yet adapt with what parts are available to you.. Clearly your customs are from a complete world in your head and heart.
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Post by KAndrw on May 25, 2010 12:56:34 GMT -5
I'll do a set of reviews as soon as I can - right now I'm at work and don't have the time to properly express myself. I will say that I am really impressed by the entries in the Open category. What this contest lacks in quantity it more than makes up for in quality! KAndrw- First, “A” for originality! I didn’t want the build’s silly nature to distract me from its complexity. Losing the armor on the body really makes it look different than other C-Woof designs, and clearly you’ve jointed the hips, shoulders, and knees. Incorporating an MP3 player? Well, first time I’ve seen that done! I don’t understand the electrical tape on the joints in some of the photos (loose joints?), and the finish isn’t quite as sharp as I would like, but the concept is original and well executed. That's why I want to post my blurb about the wolf's raison d'etre. It's still silly, but it's a marginally more sensible sort of silly. Fingers crossed... The black bands are actually rubber cuffs, partly to bulk the knees out and partly to cover the fact that I foolishly used brightly coloured bionicle bits instead of black ones, and the movement of the joints was quickly scraping off the black paint. I'm trying to find tighter cuffs (eg the necks of black water balloons), and will hopefully have an updated version sometime. For now, the cuffs will have to remain flared. Flared! Dammit - I could have pretended it was thematic! Painting is really not my strong point, but I'm fairly pleased with how the widening of the wolf body worked out. I also like how the original neck (with a bit of cutting and reshaping) works as enormous lapels Fabulous! My wife read one of the early drafts and didn't realise that the story alternated paragraphs from the two characters lives, and that everything from one paragraph was actually happening to both - just that the other character was experiencing it 'off-camera'. I hoped that the revised version would make that clearer. Thanks for the feedback!
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Post by Lionel on May 25, 2010 15:34:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the comment Maethius. Actually, the colour is another red, but more purpleish, and maybe closer to the real old OER red. It is the same than the OJR Iron Kong red. This is an old drawing, that also came to life. Now, I completed my crab army, Zeherl, Zeherl MK2, and Sea Spider.
Lionel
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Post by KAndrw on May 25, 2010 17:30:05 GMT -5
My thoughts on this year's entries:
OPEN
Gojulas Omega: The third panel in the second picture is what really sells this for me. It looks so sleek, serpentine and hydrodynamic. I would like to hear more about the concept behind this zoid - it feels like some sort of water spirit/dragon, and I suspect there is a mythological component as well. I love the posability and the way is all hangs together so seamlessly. The gold paintjob is truly beautiful, and I can just imagine this zoid sliding silently through a calm ocean on a moonlit night, catching the light and then slipping below the surface...
Juno: It looks compact and menacing, and the paintjob is beautiful. The photography is also fantastic, and it's amazing how much detail is communicated in what really are quite low resolution photos. It looks like it still has the motor in it - please say it does? There is a real sense of 'this zoid is at the very limit of its weapons and armour capacity, and the burden is making it angry. Get in the way and you *will* regret it.'
Lionel: When I first saw this, I thought 'hmm, I've seen that zoid before!' It wasn't until I saw the little picture that I realised this is the final component of the picture you posted with an entry from a couple of years ago (goes away, checks... Langosta!) I think the thing that impresses me most about your customs is the amazing consistency of your vision. You're not making it up as you go - you already know exactly how your Zoid world looks, and the customs you build are just snapshots into that world for the rest of us. This custom is exactly what I've come to expect from you, and it is brilliant - the perfect compromise between scuttling crustation and dangerous robot. Please please please start using your customs to make photocomics, and tell us the stories of the post-comic Zoidstar!
Maethius, Siobhan: This is just sickeningly good. It's flawless. The paintjob is outstanding, the build is inspired, and the detailing shows incredible skill. The nose is so good, I'm a little suspicious that you've taken it off a real cat! The side by side shot next to the donor zoid really puts Tomy to shame. The one on the left is a McDonalds-coloured ride-on toy in a mall's food court. The one on the left is a camouflaged nightmare of mechanical huntress. I can't help but imagine a scene featuring Siobhan dragging a partially dismember zebra-striped Orudious back to a pride of clamouring robot kittens and a fat lazy robot lion. I want to see it in high quality anime!
LIMITED
Adamassc: It looks like you haven't actually done anything here! It's just a stock zoid, albeit one I've not seen before! Wait, no it's not - it's a combination of subtlety and very skillful modification, and it's very impressive. I would have liked to see a greater range of poses from the zoid, since I imagine that with its blox base, it should be quite flexible. As with all of the entries, I'd like to hear more about the concept behind this zoid - the build hints at something, but I'm not quite sure what it is...
KAndrw - Nachtfeber Diskowulf: I have wanted to do an MP3 player zoid ever since seeing the MP3 player Soundwave transformer, and I'm really pleased I finally had the chance. This was my first time jointing a zoid (unless you count the time I drew a picture of a command wolf being rolled up in a spliff), and I learned a lot. I can't wait until next time! By the way, that's a free-standing handstand with two contact points in the third picture. It was a nice surprise!
Chuckles - Gravity Saurer Nemesis: This has everything that makes Biozoids cool, but with the fundamental awesomeness of a proper motorised zoid. It's so spiky and lethal looking, and the static pictures just feel so wrong - it looks like it's designed to be on the move, careening across arid plains and dealing horrific puncture wounds to unsuspecting Leoblazes. Take that you stupid Bloxy cat! You just got nemesised. Gorgeous colour scheme as well!
CREATIVE
Maethius: The style is very similar to one of my absolute favourite writing styles, and it was a real joy to read. I love the way that the pacing smoothly slides from sedate into frenzied, then peaks at the eye of the storm and the cusp of destruction. I also loved that although the style felt familiar, the story took directions that I didn't expect - it was a wonderful combination of the sort of story I like to write with the excitement of a story I've never seen. Actually, I thought it was going to be a 'night-visiting' resolution, that Taimi and her Elephander were going to re-corporate for one final act of love, and save her former husband. Your ending, however, really sets the story up for an even grander finale in the future - a brave soul snuffed out paves the way for an even braver soul to triumph later on. I would really like to read more!
KAndrw - Melanie and the Hellrunner: I'm not going to say anything more about what I was aiming to achieve with this story. I want to see what other people take from it - that's the real test as to whether I achieved my goals!
Lionel: How old were you when you drew this? I can't believe that a creative vision you began two decades ago has remained so fundamentally consistent - even though your execution skills have gone through the roof.
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Post by Lionel on May 26, 2010 13:59:36 GMT -5
Thank you. Actually, I was something around 17-18 when I drew this. The most important thing to know, is that the only Zoids I was knowing at this time were the OER line. I was totally ignorant of the OJR line, and all the Zoids I drew were directly inspired from the OER, for the shape, the colours, and it is because of that I was making so much crustaceans and insects, because I was finding the line was missing those kind of animals.
Lionel
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Post by Maethius on May 26, 2010 23:24:47 GMT -5
KAndrw- thank you very much for your review. Once we are in the clear I will post my link and you can meander through the build page. I always loved that Gul Tiger was so different from other feline Zoids, but thought the build needed... improvement.
On my writing, I really appreciate reading about your thoughts! It's really the first time I've posted my story writing style, so I'm curious what people will think of it.
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