Planned approach to future group builds?

Those are some pretty good ones, that you listed. Nice to see at least one of all us forum goers is thinking! Sorry, but the newest does fit with the "Hey, lets all" catagorey-the small AFV build........anyways, I posted times-anywhere between April 1st-to the 5th for starters-those who have gotten kits at that point, and you just have to say that you want in before May 20th(I think that's what I said in the thread), and you are good to go. There is no difinete ending-except for when everyone has finished.

Those Ideas are great if one starts I'll get in on it,
you could also include a AA build (just for those flyboys)

Well im game sounds cool to me.

Peter, your on the right track. There's so many builds going on, I don't know if I'll be able to keep up. I like the motivator aspect. You touched on some good ideas. In no particular order I have a few ideas:
1. Russian armor build
2. Halftrack build
3. Pacific theatre build
4. SPG build
There are so many and I'm open to any ideas, but it would be kind of nice if maybe we could plan ahead a bit. I like the Desert theme and Italian Campaign.

I think you have an excellent idea Peter, let the powers that be make it so.
John

Kind of touched on bits and pieces of this topic in a recent post. But it seemed to die on the vine. The one thing that seemed to be the most important feature was that there be a definite time that the thread would remain a sticky post. After the completion period of the build, then a grace period of say 2 weeks and then it is released to live or die by the members posting to it.
Let's look at the existing threads.
Not picking on it, but the 1/35 Tiger build has only had a handful of posts in the last month.
Of the original 4 members in the 1/16 Tiger build, there is only one left, should it remian sticky forever ????
The Panther build had a completion date of what ....... January.
And the Sherman Build, it's date of completion was the 15th. Now using the grace period of 2 weeks, I will request that admin release it from sticky status at months end.
The Towed Gun Build and Abrams Build are both new so I won't even mention them.

We really need to clear some of the deadwood here before the entire 1st page is filled with stickies of group builds.

More good noodlework!(can you tell I'm close to rank change)
John

Well thought out guys.
I really like some of the categories you have come up with.

Matt

Shermanfreak, you have hit the match with the axe and now both halves are on fire-just a small adage i just made up but, I wholeheartedly agree with you. and at the least Tiger I should be packing her bags and going to non-sticky status, only to be retained by a few with a bookmark on the post so that people can call it back up incase they want info. Gotta make some room for the newbie builds!

Personally, I kind of like the thought of last minute ideas for group builds. The reasoning goes something like this: If I plan on building a model, I would like to see if anyone else out there would like to join me. Group builds are good way to get ideas and compare thoughts. However, I never think two months ahead when it concerns the kits I will build. And usually, when I do plan two months ahead and the date rolls around to start, I have found something more interesting, or just gotten board with the topic. I finish a kit and then decide on whatever seems interesting at the time.

I was in the 1/35th Tiger build and it was the best group build that I have been involved with. Unfortunately I don’t see much of what I liked about the Tiger build being repeated. I really liked that there were not many of us. I didn’t have to read through 10 pages if I was away from the PC for a couple of days and it was a great way to get to know a few of the people on the forum really well. There was also the fact that the 1/35th Tiger build was limited to a specific kit! This meant that we all ran into the same problems that we could discuss. One of the best parts of that build was to see how different people completed the same kit. Oh yah, I also felt that I HAD to work on my tiger because everyone else was counting on me to get my kit done. With the big crowds we have in our groups now, I find it very easy to “hide”.

Ideally, I would like to see a forum where we can be comfortable building in groups of 3 or more. I don’t discourage big groups; I just don’t think that we have to have every group be planned 3 months ahead with 15 or more people involved.

One last thing… I think we either need to get rid of the sticky group builds all together and let the active posts stay at the top, or get some sort of group build forum, whether it be for all the group builds, or individual topics (AC, Armor, Figure, Sci Fi, ect…).

Yah, I know, I have been thinking too much again, but there is my $0.02

This topic has been covered before, as Sherm has mentioned, and I think it may be time for the admin to address it seriously.

shermanfreak, beav, I agree 100% and I will suport any effort along these lines.

Brian.

edog, you have some serious points there, and I think that my next build I want to participate in should be a particular kit. But there is a good thing for these larger general ones, the kits that people might have, but not build because of their relatively un-glamorous description can be displayed in them. We should get one of the editors to have a request forum or something like that, that is regularly monitored(is there one?)
But both types of groupbuilds should have a place in forums-specific, and generalized

whoops, forgot something, a group build forum would be awesome!

I just asked David, if he can remove some of the old sticky posts. Also, since I may have gotten some names wrong, I asked him to post on this forum, to ask which should be removed.

I understand where you are going with this, and it sounds reasonable, but how about the FSM boys keep a Group Build Schedule. They can pick a new build/genre every 3 months, and have an extremely large group of modelers modeling a lot of different genres that perhaps many wouldn't otherwise do. Heck, maybe they can put the results in the mag...there are endless possabilities!!! I would totally be game for something like that!!!

I was thinking that before anymore group builds start, the rest or a portion of them should finish first. There are so many going on, if someone does come up with an idea for a group build most people are already involved in a number of projects, and thus not many people will want to add more to the "to do list". Just my two cents that dont mean much since im a beginner and havent participated in any broup builds.

I can see the point of planning out the builds ahead of time. It's not always possible for me to get out the hills right away to find a particular kit and accesories. I enjoyed the Panther build and learned alot of new stuff from it and would kie to participate in another but I usually buy my kits in bunches when they are on sale and such so a heads up in advance would get me looking for a particular kit. A seperate forum for the builds would be nice to, keep them all together and in the future would be easy for someone to find if they were going to be building a similar subject. Ok, I think I have spent my 2 cents worth.

I'm not too keen on having such a schedule, imposed or not by FSM. I think a bit of 'spontaneity' is good for the Forum and it also allows for newer member to make a proposal that will be as valued as one from an old dog like me. I'm definitely going along with Robert in the fact that some GB should be de-stickied (like the one in the ship forum, which has been dead for ages).

I'd like to see GB in other 'categories' too (in effect the Natural metal' one could/should be in the techniques forum): dioramas, dealing with a particular aspect or techniques applied to dioramas (water, mud, ruins, blown-up, action,..)... to painting (alclad, SNJ, inks, oils,..).

Another thing that would interest me a lot would be a GB on a very particular subject that several members would tackle and see 'come together' during the BIG MEET (if it ever happens!) - things like a 1/72 8th Air Force, 1/32 MiG story, 1/35 Anzio landing, 1/72 Barbarossa, 1/48 Century series, 1/700 Kriegsmarine,...

I am yet to actually participate in a group build, but have put myself down for three, and am really looking forward to it. Because of this, I am not really sure how they work or what is best, so I won't put my two cents in, but the points you have all raised are very interesting, and I hope a more workable and user friendly (builder friendly?) solution comes out of it.

Matt

QUOTE: Originally posted by shermanfreak [Of the original 4 members in the 1/16 Tiger build, there is only one left, should it remian sticky forever ????

By all means, don't keep it a sticky on my account! Who knows when I'll ever get to work on that big kitty...
Wait a second, there are TWO of us left in the Tiger I group build! Erush is still busy folding (magnificently, I might add) the crazy-go-nuts Aber PE parts.

...or perhaps you were thinking about Erush and forgot about li'l ol' J-Hulk?

Anyway, a lot of good points being put forth here.

QUOTE: Originally posted by caseyn5 Just my two cents that dont mean much since im a beginner and havent participated in any broup builds.

Your opinion counts, you are a member just like me.

A couple thoughts:
1. Sticky status: I like Robert's idea of unstickying two weeks after the set completion date.
2. Subjects/complexity: Most of the recent builds have for a general type or family (the Panther build included ALL variants of the Panther chassis), We should do some that are kit specific with nothing more that whats in the box. I believe this would be a huge benefit to those new to the hobby or that want to try out new techniques.
3. Spontanious/planned: Planned builds are great because it gives opportunity to get kits, supplies and AM parts for the build.Spontanious builds are nice because we can finally build that kit that has been on the shelf for 6 months (or years) and we can revisit some basic skills.

I, also, would like to see a GB forum. If we do (for instance) a Pacific theater build why limit it to armor? There were wingy thingys and floaty thingys there too! I f the GBs were in one forum the whole community would see, and be able to join, the next build. This would be an awsome opportunity to get recruits for the dark side!

hi guys
here's my ...
regarding "dead" builds like the tiger 1/35, they just clutter the armour page and basically look bad...
if we were to have a group build forum itself, then fine....
i also believe that once a group build reaches a certain critical mass, it doesn't need sticky status anyway...
finally regarding spontaneity of subject, personally i'd like a bit of notice. i don't have physical access to giant hobby shops like most of you guys in the US do, so things have to come from on-line ordering, and thus require a little more time and planning. in addition, personally when i do GB i try to make it "extra good" and thus will be more likely to order aftermarket items etc etc, so again a little bit more time is needed.
finally, and this obviously reflects my nationality and location, but as regards future GB subjects i'd like stuff like WWII desert themed builds, just so i can build something british!!!
regards,
nick

i am kind of the same boat as nmayhew in that i have to order parts over the internet to build the subjects i mainly want to build (being australian stuff ) I like to plan models, but also like to make "on the spot descions" (can't spell) perhaps a mix would be good ...

... as far as subjects for the next group build, i'd be keen to build a light armoured vehicle, like the LAV, M113, or armoured car, but i have to agree that the next group build should be put off until most of the ones running now are over

I think that the Small AFV build, should be the last of the era, as times are changing(how political this is!) anyways, I would like to do a kit specific one, as I to, don't have a liscence, and I live in the middle of nowhere. anyways...lets get David to clean out the old, and in with a new forum!

All these (Group build) ideas sound great.

I do agree we need some "Spring Cleaning" in the Armor forum, as far as the stickies go!

Alot of good ideas presented here. Unfortunately, we seem to go through the motions every so often with a new posting and good ideas, but the end result is that the Group Builds aren't changed. Didn't Robert try changing things and contact the management only to be told that things would stay as they are, or get rid of them altogether? I do agree with Robert that there should be a time limit on the start and end of a build. And having a two week grace period after the end date sounds good too. But those are ideas that all of us would have to abide by....is it possible?

We are now a forum of over 30,000 members and I am sure there will be posts and builds on here that some or most of us aren't interested in, at one time or another. But for those two, or twenty....etc, that are in that build, it is worthwhile. But if we could set time limits on all builds maybe then we could keep our forums tidy.

Regards, Dan

wait, hey, can't the creator of the thread delete the thread, even if it is sticky? just a thought-since you can do it with non-stickys

I think all sticky group builds should end one month after the so-called completion date.

Beav - I don't think deleting any thread is beneficial, they should just be cut loose to become part of the archives.

Dan - what I inquired about was getting a sub directory placed inside the armour forum for group builds. That would take a major overhaul of the site so things have to remain the same in that respect.

The consensus seems to be that they are a good thing ... some like the spontaneous nature and other like the planeed in advance version. But the biggest bone of conntention is that they are lingering on in the forums. We should have reasonable finish dates on ALL group builds and then cut them loose after that date with a small grace period. After that, if they are still active they'll float on their own.

Now that can be arranged quite easily with the moderators ...... simple and yet should be effective.

If the majority agrees, I'll contact them on Monday and get some stickies removed.