Topic: Custom Challenge Ideas for our Birthday Challenge?

[Tamer]

This one is gonna run two months and be a little more involved so lets hear your ideas so I can get a poll together and let everyone vote. I have a few ideas of my own, but would like this to be member generated as much as possible as it is you fine folks who will do the building.

[Mandalore25]

A sculpting challenge might be cool, though it may narrow entries... Picking an era like the old republic or legacy era would be cool as well.

[CloneSniper78]

6"!!!! With mini dio!!!!

[Tamer]

Yeah, I will be honest trying to narrow it to sculpting or one time line just isn't gonna work. Lets try to make this broad and something a tad more involved than just one custom figure. I like the 6 inch with dio idea! Or 6" with vehicle custom (either scratch built like Spuda's AT-RT or modified or painted existing one).

We could offer the same thing in the 3 and 3/4 inch line up too. Like I said a bit more involved than just one custom figure, but not so over the top that no one has the time to put it together in 8 weeks.

[Mandalore25]

So bigger, like a team/squadron, or fig with correlating diorama, either might be interesting.

[JTrooper]

Large dio maybe wiil be a good contest. And pick a planet Hoth or Endor will be a cool contest. I see that the forums are going more to figures than the dio's. I like the figures but I like playing with my boys with figures some customs can't play well paint comes off.

[Mr. Black]

My issue with dioramas is the space they take. I have done a few mini dios in the past and still have a few in the pipeline, but larger dioramas like the SWTOR Duel I did in 2010 won't happen anytime soon for me.


Scale should be open, I think. Not everyone is working with the 6" figures. A few ideas:


- Jedi/Sith Duels
- Bounty Hunter Trophy
- Old Marvel Era customs
- Death and Destruction on the Battlefield
- Gungan Piñata Party

[DarthSinister]

I'll put these up here too. Just some ideas. They are figure focused but dioramas could be worked in. I do agree with Remco, I'm set up more for 3-3/4". That's where all my fodder is. I wouldn't do 6", so if we could do any range of sizes from 12" to 4" that would be cool.

Golden Age EU
This would encompass Marvel Comics, The Holiday Special, Ewok Adventures Live Action TV Shows, Droids and Ewok Cartoons, Del Ray Novels from the 70s and 80s, News Paper Comic Strips and anything pryer to the Dark Horse take over.


Star Wars Crossovers From TV and Cinema
How would your favorite characters from TV and Movies translate over to Star Wars? Anything from Barney Fife to BA Baracus, Walker Texas Ranger to the Walking Dead, Jason Borne to Jason Vorhees, The Good The Bad And The Ugly to The Avengers. YOU CHOOSE!


Directors Cut
Who is your favorite Director past or modern? Every Director has a certain visual style and flare. If Ridley Scott were to have created Star Wars it would look a lot different! What would your favorite Star Wars character look like if another Director would have gotten a hold of it? Howard Hawks, John Ford, Ridley Scott, Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick or James Cameron... the list goes on.


I'm with the Band
Who is your all time favorite band? What's your favorite type of music? Create a "Star Wars" style band, chorus, crooner, composer the sky's the limit! KISS as an alien rock band! What would Motart look like if he were Rodian? Put your creative thinking caps on!


Exotic Beasts from around the Galaxy
Create a small furry animal from Hoth. Make a scaly, slithering beast from Mandalore, or maybe a creature from a deep fresh water lake on Yavin 4. Your imagination is your only limitation.


Halloween Extravaganza
Take a favorite character or feel from your favorite horror or thriller and make a Star Wars Villain: Bounty Hunter, Sith Lord, Crime Lord, Mercenary or just plain Scum! Universal's old movies, Freddy Kruger, Hammer Horror, Hannibal Lecter or if nothing else just an excuse to make another Zombie Trooper! I love Halloween!

[Luke Sprywalker]

Love the way you are thinking Darth! I like the 6 inch figure with mini dio, but that forces poeple to put $ into the 6 inch line. Not everyone is willing to spend that much or collect that scale.

My idea is create the ultimate action figure. 3 3/4 inch figures, only to level the playing field. Small mini diorama to go with the figure. This doesn't have to be much more than a small floor piece or you can add a background wall. Not much more than that. The figure can have many accessories, be loaded with articulation, what ever you consider to be the ultimate version of the character you choose. You can also create a deluxe accessory rather than the small diorama. Something like a small vehicle, drone, beast/companion for your figure if it applies to your character or appeals to you. Nothing big that could take away from your figure it should simply highlight the figure.

[Tamer]

Great ideas folks. this will make a heck of a poll. Thats why we do a poll, if you feel a certain way then vote that way and of course feel free to poll for your favorite choice.

I mean none of us are gonna totally agree on any one thing, but at least this will let the majority win and I feel is a bit better than us (ISY Staff) just saying we are gonna do this or that and hope we catch something folks will get into. And I don't want this to be so involved that folks either won't have the fodder or the time to get their entry in either. So, keep it slightly more than just one custom figure.

Now, back to ideas. Does anyone have any desire to do any vehicle customizing? I absolutely loved Devin's (Spudafett) AT-RT Scratchbuild, but am guessing that two months might not be enough time to get that done? And I also appreciate how everyone is appropriately sharing their ideas and opinions and not getting nasty with each other. Lets keep that going!

[Barmic_Rin]

I love Mr.Blacks' "I'm with the band" idea, though what about other entertainers?
 How about we open it to multi figures celebrating? It needn't be era/faction specific, and Mini dio's optional, but the theme of celebrating should be key.
I'm thinking about the sort of pictures Stephen Hayford produces, but on a smaller scale.

[I-am-Boba-Fett]

I always liked the Vintage Star Wars Mini-Rigs as a kid. My vote is for making a custom figure and a Mini Rig style/sized vehicle or accessory. Keep the "Mini" in the Mini-Rigs so nothing can be made bigger than an agreed upon size.

[Mr. Black]

I love Mr.Blacks' "I'm with the band" idea, though what about other entertainers?
...the theme of celebrating should be key.

"I'm with the band" is DarthSinister's idea, but in his absence I gladly accept the credits    I made a Robert Plant/Jimmie Page duo from a Kit Fisto and Agen Kolar a few years ago, though.


Celebration as a (sub)theme is a cool idea as well.


If it's mini-rigs that comes out on top, I agree with IABF: the vehicles really should be mini. Size restrictions is a great idea to make sure every entry confirms to the rules.


Mini-rigs, speeders, etc. should be doable too. Not sure if larger vehicles will work, though.


So, to sum things up, do we have these ideas so far?


Custom figure(s) with Mini-rig
Celebrating custom characters in a (mini)dio
Ultimate custom character (3¾" scale) => Sideshow style?
Pre-90s EU era
Star Wars TV/Cinema crossovers
Director's cut
I'm with the band
Exotic beasts (perhaps with custom made handler/rider?)
Halloween

Jedi/Sith Duels
Bounty Hunter Trophy
Old Marvel Era customs
Death and Destruction on the Battlefield
Gungan Piñata Party
Custom made team/squad (3+ figures)

[Nuthin But Bits!]

so hey guys im kinda new so I don't know to much about the challenges rules, but are the challenges judged or random?

I like the lil vehicle, sidekick, or dio with the figure. but thers gota be some sculpting involved. at least one of the two pieces should be from scratch or some kind of creative modification to the piece. 

yeah im pumped! lets do this!

[Tamer]

so hey guys im kinda new so I don't know to much about the challenges rules, but are the challenges judged or random?

We have done it with judges, but the random drawing has been a big hit so I am inclined to do that. Then, everyone has an equal chance of winning something nice.

So, to sum things up, do we have these ideas so far?

Custom figure(s) with Mini-rig
Celebrating custom characters in a (mini)dio
Ultimate custom character (3¾" scale) => Sideshow style?
Pre-90s EU era
Star Wars TV/Cinema crossovers
Director's cut
I'm with the band
Exotic beasts (perhaps with custom made handler/rider?)
Halloween
Jedi/Sith Duels
Bounty Hunter Trophy
Old Marvel Era customs
Death and Destruction on the Battlefield
Gungan Piñata Party
Custom made team/squad (3+ figures)

Remco, that was pretty fantastic. I was getting ready to do this this morning, but see you have summarized everything nicely. Thank you!

And folks, I will link this thread to the poll when I create it Sunday night so make sure your ideas are clear so if folks have questions they can refer to your idea description.