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Collecting => Customs Community and Group Projects => Customs => Celebration IV - Ultimate Group Project => Topic started by: Phrubruh on December 3, 2006, 04:15 PM

Title: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Phrubruh on December 3, 2006, 04:15 PM
Just so you all know, I feel there is a excellent chance of getting the booth space at C4 but I need to know if you all are seriously commented to this project. I really do NOT want to be the only person at this booth with nothing to show. During this next chat, we need to determine if we are really going to do this and who is in and who is out.

In the last couple of weeks I've asked for a number of things to be taken care of. I know its the holiday season but certain assignments have to be completed soon. 

Since I've got the next two weeks off from work, I'm in the middle of putting together the project resume. I need more concept artwork, more stuff put on the web site, more models of buildings and figures, a updated newsletter and a updated list of people who will be working.

To put it bluntly, we need to get off our collective butts and start getting really serious about this.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Daigo-Bah on December 4, 2006, 12:53 AM
Still count me in for several figures (already made about 6) and a few more to come.  I PM'd Ryan that with my new schedule I can't be on the dio team like I thought, but I will try to contribute a small structure anyway.  So, my official contribution:
Daigo-Bah: 10+ figures, 1 small structure, and will not be at the show
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: PenDragon on December 4, 2006, 10:20 AM
I've got my SWAT / privately-funded paramillitary guys on the table - they'd be ready by C4, if'n ya want 'em

PenDragon:  7+ figures, 1 website, webhosting, and will not be at the show, unless someone will give me a place to stay for free...  8)
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Glassman6 on December 4, 2006, 11:17 AM
I'm still in. Let me know specifially what concept art we need and i'll but my team to get it done.
Do i still have a team? 
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Smartypants1635 on December 4, 2006, 06:54 PM
Count me in for 10-15+ figures, and Newsletters ETC, I may be able to attend aswell. It depends if air fair goes down a bit, its like almost 300 for me alone just to get out there, then theres hotel and gah.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Darth_Ennis on December 4, 2006, 09:13 PM
I am serious about it, but with the  lack of participation with the 2 group projects that I tried to start, it appears to me that enthusiasm lately is seroiusly lacking.

I even extended to deadlines, and still participation was just about nil.

We don't have chats anymore. And with the holiday season upon us I can understand that people are busy but damn. A few comments here and there would be nice.

I for one have completely given up on the Customisers challenges on this board, it seemed to be just a waste of my time.

Im still willing to be a part of this because I beleive in it, but if I cant get any participation at all then i will resign my position as project head. The turnout of my last project was almost insulting.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: CloneCommander1 on December 4, 2006, 11:04 PM
Sorry I haven't been around, but school has been killer and I just got my power back after an outage.  But Still count me in for figures, dios, and newsletters.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: BrentS on December 5, 2006, 10:49 AM
I'm still in.  I'm concerned about being able to make the deadlines but I'm in.

I'm still planning on making diorama pieces and can contribute some custom figures too as needed. 

I will be in attendance for Saturday and Sunday of the show.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: patreektherodian on December 6, 2006, 01:30 PM
Did 'nt I start a thread like this a while back?  I also mentioned  this issue in the landscape forum. I can commit to what I said I woud Canion/clifts/mountain pieces but I need measurements and dimentions!!! I stopped commenting because I don't have any assignments to do.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: patreektherodian on December 7, 2006, 05:53 PM
Hello?
.....
.....
...

Exactly.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: CHEWIE on December 9, 2006, 12:32 AM
Well I think that the assigments halted because we've gotten news that the entire space we are going to have is only about 10 feet long.  We had originally planned on much larger than that.

Phruby - I'm going to work as much as I can the next few days to put together a group of the customs I have made for this, what I am going to contribute, etc and post a link at Yakface for people to come to the Yak forums or here for more information.

 ;)
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Phrubruh on December 9, 2006, 02:55 PM
Ok then. Lets get busy on this stuff. Greg needs to draw up a new map that will fit the dimension of the 10x10 booth. We need to grid off the map and decide which buildings each of us will do. I need alot of concept art and work in progress pictures for my writeup so post lots of pictures.

If it is only the ten or so of us that are completely committed to this than so be it. I just don't want to be responsible for a booth with nothing in it come May.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: PenDragon on December 9, 2006, 05:44 PM
Has anyone checked with GTG? A spot on their boards might help drum up some interest...
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Ryan on January 12, 2007, 06:19 AM
I think it's time that this thread gets bumped back up again. I've noticed that interest has started to pick up a bit back here lately, which is good, BUT I think we still have to ask the question as to whether or not this project is really something we are serious about?

I've been kind of quiet back here lately, a lot of that has to do with me working a lot and my best friend came to visit for two weeks, but another big part of it is that I've been trying to collect my thoughts on the project and I've been observing all the posting going on lately. I've missed responding to a few PMs, sorry Justin, because I've been trying to figure out exactly what to say in this post and didn't want to send any mixed signals or anything like that.

I'm not going to try and sugarcoat this at all so I'm just going to get right to the point: This project is not going to happen. It saddens me to say it, because like most everyone else here I want it to happen as much or more than anyone else. But we really need to stop kidding ourselves and look at the facts. This really isn't much more than a pipe dream. We need to stop now before we get really far in over our heads. I really do hate to say this because it has been fun so far, but reality is starting to kick in for me.

Allow me to explain exactly what I've seen that has lead me to this conclusion, I've got a list of a bunch of different things, some large and some small, that caused the downfall of this project:




It feels good to finally get that off my chest and out there. Sorry it didn't come before the info packet was sent off, it was crappy timing in that regard. I really don't want to be the negative guy here but someone had to say it. It would be really embarrassing to have an empty booth come May. I also am somewhat of a perfectionist on these things, so for me equally embarrassing would be a half-assed diorama in a little 10x10 booth with two guys standing around it. We either need to do this right or not do it at all. I'm sick of typing for now so I'm going to end this for now but I do have a few more reasons as well that I can give if anyone wants to hear them. Let me know what you guys think. I think that unless we get a major swelling of support in the next week or two that we need to call it quits.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Phrubruh on January 12, 2007, 10:56 AM
You know Ryan, I've got to agree with you on most every point. Over the last year, we've seen a large decrease in general in the customizing hobby. All of the newbies that paint only clones are gone. The really older talent hasn't been seen in months. Heck, whatever happen to DD and our Purple Pimp Daddy? That was a fun thing that was ashamed to see stopped by someone adding the figure to his permanent collection. If you look at our main customizing section, its pretty dead. I see a similar story over at RS and Yak.

I've got to admit that I've made some mistakes over the last seven months. My leadership style has been to assign something with minimum direction and let the person use their creativity to find a solution. That works great for a software development team but not so good in this setting. I've had no real way of dealing with someone that doesn't meet expectations because we need as many people as possible on the project. But what I didn't realize is that someone that wasn't meeting expectations probably isn't someone that the project needed in the first place. Keeping feelings and friendships from being hurt is a hard thing.

Another mistake I made was splitting the discussion between jd and yak. I did it mainly to keep Chewie involved when certain moderators here at JD pissed him off. However, I found it a really difficult thing when I started to get emails from my leadership saying that they were going to bail because of what happen to Chewie. My solution was to keep it at both places in order to keep the leadership happy. I knew all along that it wasn't necessary to keep it at both boards since the same customizers read both sites. I had hoped that the secretaries would keep us informed on what was happening between them thru their newsletters and act as recruitment drivers. I was wrong.

The chats were a good thing but next to impossible for me to participate. I can't spend hours on a chat line when I've got work to do and kids to deal with. I absolutely hate instant messengers like AIM. When I'm on the computer I don't like little messages popping up from people. It just annoys the crap out of me. I also see it as security risk. That is why I've been totally against communicating via instant message.

As for our secretaries, I would regularly send them information and bother them to send out a newsletter. I've tried to make it perfectly clear to them how important it is to have something sent out every week to keep interest. That pretty much fell on deaf ears.  I mean considering how often I see our secretaries on line, how hard it is to write one simple email in a paragraph in length? I don't buy the school argument. I write on average 20-25 emails a day, work 10-12 hours a day, have a wife and kids and a new baby but I'm still able to send out a mass email once a week. After a while, I just gave up. Maybe it was an age thing but that is why I assigned two people to it.

As for others, I have given out assignments from time to time. Some of them as simple as starting up a new thread. Almost every time it never happens. Sorry guys but without help and at least a effort nothing will get done. I had my reservations about sending out our resume to LFL. That is why I waited until the last minute to mail it off. I wanted to see it if was really possible that we could pull this off. My worry is actually getting the booth space and then sitting there with absolutely nothing to show.

As for transportation, I do have a few friends with trucks that are willing to help me move everything and setup. Heck my truck can easily move a boxed up diorama twice the size of the one we are looking at all by itself. As part of my project resume, I did ask for a booth bigger than 10x10. We'll see what happens. Even if we don't get a booth, I do have connections to were we can get a free building near the convention center for display. We'd have to advertise its location pretty heavily and setup viewing times.

I realize starting up this project last June was a little premature but LFL was supposed to have fan booth details back in late July/ early August. I bugged then and bothered them and always got the run around. I can't help that they finally got their act together by Halloween. Heck we still have to wait until February to see what will happen. This has really bothered me and I'm pretty sure that if I can't get in as a exhibitor for some site, I'm not going at all. (no matter what stupid exclusives are given out)

Now, I've got to admit. The artwork we have generated so far has been incredible. There is a lot of talent still in the customizing hobby (even though our numbers are tiny). But right now, we need to knuckle down, stop debating and actually get work done. I think I need to start playing hardball with everyone here no matter who it is and what feelings get hurt.

If we are actually really serious, then I'm going to take Greg's latest map and split it up myself. I will define what each building is and how big it will be. Then I will assign it to each of you. There will be no crying that this person got a certain building instead of himself. There will be a number of deadlines for work in progress reports. If you do not complete it by a deadline then you are completely out of the project no matter what you have contributed in the past or how far along you are. I do however run the risk of people getting mad for being kicked off the project but the way I see it if you can't meet a deadline than you probably will never contribute anything of substance anyway.

Sorry but I really think this is the only way we can get this completed on time and not have an empty booth come May. Sorry for sounding a little harsh but that is what I'm feeling right now. I can't do this all by myself. I need everyone's help! It's time to wake up and get to work. No more excuses accepted.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: patreektherodian on January 12, 2007, 06:43 PM
I think the above speaks fo itself. Do you think we can come up with even more threads to waste precious time to debate and make 1/2 desisions?  Not only that but we are now delving into making a website about something that does not physically exist yet! How about a Radio show or group uniforms? We need to stop blowing hot air and get off our butts! I've been waiting for instructions since I submited my canyon scene (please see my last post on concept and design thread.) I tried the frapper thing to keep myself buisy but not very many people latched on. So much energy is spent on indecision and questioning I feel like I'm  shopping for maternity clothing with my wife (does this make my butt look big?).

Let's get glue gun burnt and exacto cuts WE GOT A FREAKING DIO TO BUILD!

ps when it's all done , A website would be nice to bask in.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Darth_Ennis on January 12, 2007, 07:18 PM
Well guys, I have to agree with Ryan on damn near every point he brought up. Mostly because I have felt the same way.

Case in point, I had 3 submissions for my last project. Until Fritz came along a couple of weeks ago there were only Chewie and myself. ANd I let the project go on for almost a month and a half longer that usual.

Now granted, there ain't a whole hell of a lot we can do with custom figures if thers no booth or dio, so I've pretty much sat back and watched. Days would go by with little or no activity on the UGP board.

Little or no activity on the customs boards in general. Hell, it's been 3 weeks since I updated my thread with not a single visit at all. Not that that really bothers me but it is at least a little discouraging.

Am I ready to throw in the towel yet HELLS NO.

I don't think that this project is dead yet. And If I'm going down, i'm going down swinging.

BUt again, there is nothing much I can do without participation.

Theres not much that can be done without confirmation of boothspace, and the diorama to go with it.

At this point my hands are tied.

At this point I wont be going to C4, but there is still a chance that I could. But I wont know till the last minute where it won't matter anyway.

The question is how can we get the participation we need to fulfil the goals presented to us?

I want to see this happen.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Daigo-Bah on January 12, 2007, 08:05 PM
I think it's important for what Ryan said to be said.  There is a lot to consider and perhaps not enough people to achieve the original vision.  I see a few options, assuming the booth space is granted to us.  First of all, does this need to be so ambitious that it's all or nothing?  I'm worried that the fun is lost if people are treating it like a submission to ILM.  This is really just a collaboration of customizers.  I'd love to see Glassman's plan made into reality, but it would surely be difficult.  A second option we may want to consider is a display of customs only, as opposed to an environment scene.  Consider this: Niub's is going to be an environment with little to no custom figures.  What if, to be different, we set up display shelving and line up custom figures and vehicles as if they were art pieces?  The shipping, transportation, and booth space would be optimal, and I guarantee you'll get more participation if it's custom figures rather than big landscape pieces and buildings.  Think about it!
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Daigo-Bah on January 12, 2007, 08:13 PM
Another suggestion: perhaps one smaller environment rather than the several areas that are planned now?  What about taking up 6 feet of space instead of 9 or 10, and just packing it full of more customs than what would be spread out over 9-10 feet?  There would be room to sit, move around it, and less chances of bumps to knock things down.  I think a 5-6 foot table of a city block with a rebel/Imperial shootout OR a woodland scene OR a spaceport would be much more feasible!
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Glassman6 on January 13, 2007, 12:18 PM
I was looking at that Outlander club link and the thing that stuck out in my head was it was aproximatly 4' x4'
Thats half our planned space for one club.  While it was oversized, what we have invisioned is much biggeer and needs the room.

I think that reducing the dio even more than it already has been would kill it.

Like i mentioned, booth or no booth we should still do this. Maybe no booth will be a blessing. We will loose alot of constraints that are (imo) ruining the scope of the project. 

Now that, is a dicussion for after februery's booth announcements, but maybe we start thinking about it now and when we find out about the booths we decide if the booth is realistic in terms of our "vision" of the Ultimate Group Project. and not the " That's all we could get to fit on this table Project"

Is ryan correct? yes about 99%.  Can we still do this C4 or not?   I dont know. But we should try.
Can we still complete this project? YES I BELIEVE SO!!
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: BrentS on January 13, 2007, 06:24 PM
I have a hard time disagreeing with just about anything that Ryan said.  However, I also think we can still pull this off.  Most people I know work very well under contrained timelines (aren't we all a bunch of procrastinators anyway?).

My opinion, someone (or a very small group) needs to make the executive decision on what exactly the size, scope, and locale will be to put this together.  We can't rely on group consensus.  Decisions need to be made, assignments need to be give and progress HAS to be made (just like
Phruby said). 

For what its worth, if we don't get the booth, I'm not so much in favor of setting up an alternative viewing site (for the convention).  I just think its hard to ask people who are spending a TON of money to go to C4 as fans to go somewhere else to go look at our little display.  I wouldn't even feel that comfortable asking.  If we don't get the booth of our own, maybe someone who knows Nuib Nuib better could ask if display our dio in his area (like the other dios that were displayed in C3).

I'm still 100% committed to making as many diorama pieces as I can.

Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: BrentS on January 13, 2007, 07:02 PM
I was looking at that Outlander club link and the thing that stuck out in my head was it was aproximatly 4' x4'
Thats half our planned space for one club.  While it was oversized, what we have invisioned is much biggeer and needs the room.


One really nit-picky thing...

4' x 4' = 16 sq ft of diorama

9' x 9 ' = 81 sq ft of diorama

so its really 25% of our total space. 

However, Greg's point really is still accurate, we are going to only have 9' of length or width which is basically half of the length/width of the Outlander dio.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: CommanderKorbra on January 14, 2007, 09:05 AM
I haven't read this whole thread yet, but I have to defend myself in Ryan's post. I didn't specifically drop out of the UGP, I dropped out of customizing completely. An online game became fun to me while customizing seemed to get boring, then came an onslaught of work and suddenly I wasn't a customizer anymore. Now I'm back seeing as the work is less and the online game was shut down.

However, before I left, I was commited to the project. There was just nothing to do. Nobody sent me any assignments or the newletter or anything. You have my name there for bailing out but apparently didn't have my name on any list of people to tell what to do. If you all want my help then you need to send me an assignment or something - a figure to make or whatever.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: BrentS on January 14, 2007, 11:33 AM
CK- try not to take anything Ryan said personally.  I think he was just trying to merely point out that enthusiasm for this project was rampant when first introduced.  However, we had no real way of organizing what the scope would be at that point (without details available from GenCon).  Everyone understands how lives ebb and flow and how interests wan over time.  I don't believe Ryan was intentionally singling out anyone just trying to generalize his point.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: CommanderKorbra on January 14, 2007, 12:37 PM
I understand. I knew he wasn't singling out anyone, I just felt the need to explain myself.

Anyhow, I'll be checking out all the threads in this part of the forum and catching up on everything. Let me know if you need specific things done, including customs.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: patreektherodian on January 14, 2007, 01:46 PM
I like what brent said in that small group to make some key decisionon . Like Anakin said to Padme, maybe we need a dictator.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Jediknight760071 on January 14, 2007, 02:43 PM
...the online game was shut down.

You weren't playing DOD 1.3, were you? CAL shut us down, but TPG picked us up for 6v6 and 3v3 competitive play if you want to check it out.


As for my part in this (and Ryan's post was not offensive at all), I'd also help if given an assignment. I don't know if the newsletter idea was dropped, but frankly, before I stopped receiving them (save for Phruby's Christmas greeting) I was pretty tired of reading them. I attended a few chats about the UGP, but they didn't seem to be very organized at the time. Are those still going on? Eventually, without much to do for the project, I stopped checking this forum as well. Did we vote on a Security force design? Missed that one. I'm still up for transportation if this goes that far, which it quite possibly could, but unless somebody has something in mind for me to do, I'll go back to lurking.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Smartypants1635 on January 15, 2007, 01:02 AM
About the newsletters, Dude seriously even during break I had access to the internet maybe 5 minutes a day, and after this I have school again. (I hate private school) On top of it I cant even get ahold of CC1!!!, Tomorrow I'll definately Have time to get a newsletter out, and with that I'll put a link to this thread because it may hopefully stir up some attention. (If I dont choose someone else, because then you obviously cant trust me)

About attendance, Im going, almost 100% sure of it, But I won't be there to set up. I have about 20 guys, or vehicles in my basement ready to go to CIV that will help fill the dio up.

And On "the Chat" topic, I would set a date and a time and let that run its course for almost a month, noone would show up, So then I'd try and revive it maybe using a different time or day,(or both) No one again showed up, I guess that is my fault as I should have sent reminders. WE HAVE TO DECIDE ON A DAY AND TIME, IF WE CAN'T, Paul Can ultimately decide because he is the leader, and if thats what needs to be done for a chat, then so be it.

So this may seam like a post of excuses, and yeah I guess you could call it that, but I seriously have been swamped. I think this thing could be totally turned around, especially if we can get a hold of some people at GTG.

Hey Paul, Im also gonna revive the galactic hunter and SWAN threads, becuase if I remember right there were some people who were interested that never came around.
Also, we could send a message to Arnie and Marge, and see if we could get a slot on one of the upcoming podcasts. :-\

Adam
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Darth_Anton on January 15, 2007, 11:41 AM
You count me in for donating my Imperial Army and to help set up. I know I won't have time to commit otherwise, but I know I'll be able to set the time aside to be there.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Smartypants1635 on January 15, 2007, 12:43 PM
Wow, dude you have like hundreds of troops!!! there goes the problem of imperials. :P
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Nirvana on January 15, 2007, 03:06 PM
I just want to put it out there that I never fully committed to being in this project. I know my name is on the list of Ryan's, but I just said I might be able to do it, or I think I will.

Now that I'm thinking about this more and more, I regret to say that I won't be able to be a part of this, whether it falls through or not. I will definitely not be able to go to C4 or LA, and I'm pretty sure my parents would be against me shipping figures. After all, I'm only 15.

Sorry guys.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Smartypants1635 on January 15, 2007, 03:27 PM
No problem DN, and I understand. This was hidden from my parents until 2 weeks ago... After My parents found out, I was surprised to find out they were ok with it, and that I would be aloud to go to CIV!! :o
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: jedistyle on January 16, 2007, 10:55 PM
all of that is true and personaly i like phurby's new approach!

i must admit i hadn't been active in this thing for a long while since i was over seas but i have tried to get into it the past couple months, for whatever it's worth...
i did a couple figures and gave the application letter a shot, not much compared to others but i'm willing to contribute some more.

i don't much frequent JD anymorebecause there has been a customizing slump there in general for whatever reason, but i'm sure that some vital info and what not was lost between sites and that is quite a problem.

the chat thing seems like a big problem to, which is why i suggested a chat thread. a drawn out conversation that takes 2 days or so is better than no conversatioon at all!

and i have to say, that if this project is making people feel like this and there is a possibility that people will get thier feelings hurt or create animosity between community members, mabey it is best to let this go. this was supposed to be fun thing for the community right? no somting to make peoples lives harder and create tension. mabey next celebration or the one after that somthing like this could be tried. this is such a great hobby, it should never go the direction it's headed....

i suppose we will just have to wait and see the direction phurby goes and how people respond.....
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: CHEWIE on January 17, 2007, 12:07 AM
Well, I hate to say that a time will come before the project is over that I can't say I can commit to anything.  I'd say late April, I am probably done. It's too close to the due date for my wife.  I'll do my best up to that point but won't commit to any deadlines after that in fear of letting the team down.

 ;)
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: patreektherodian on February 22, 2007, 02:20 PM
Can we delete this thread now that it served it's purpose?
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: Ryan on February 23, 2007, 09:57 PM
We don't delete threads around here. We aren't RS. I will unsticky it though.
Title: Re: Are we serious or not??
Post by: CHEWIE on February 24, 2007, 01:32 AM
Plus it might be a good reminder to keep it... IF we start slacking we can pull out the boom stick with this thread.   ;D

 :P