How do you feel about the Model Of The Month Feature?

Let us know what your thoughts are on keeping the Model of The Month. Yea, Nay, Yes, No. We would like to hear what you have to say about it. Entries seem to be less and less each month and we can't figure it out. Please voice your opinion here.

at the minute my output is so slow im lucky to get something finished every month! lol

sometimes i think about posting something but what i have isnt up to the standard of others work so i dont bother......i know it all about joining in and all that but if i dont at least have a chance of winning then i dont see the point.............i also find it kind of personally depressing when i post something that i think is really good and it gets totally ignored, but thats my problem, no one elses, but it does make me think twice about posting something next time

Thank you. At least we are getting honest feedback.

Beowulf expressed my thoughts exactly.

Maybe just a gallery of what was finished that month.

Can be different causes for slackening of entries. I think sometimes a highly detailed, modified or scratch built model intimidates the "box stock" or quick build modeler and they may feel intimidated and never bother trying to enter.
I've seen whole forums die for lack of interest, the CUSTOM KARZ site will close by Feb. so there maybe fewer builders or they migrate to busier sites. These group builds centered around a single topic also draw interest and time from M.O.M. builders and "would-be builders." Part of keeping a site active is to bring in new members, and it's been slow. It would be nice to have more younger builders, but maybe that's a long shot. Just my view.

I am a big fan of the MoM. However, i just don't have the output of finished models to participate as much. Perhaps there can be an adjustment made to due it quarterly or every four months. I am a big fan of people's builds being featured (perhaps a long with a small story about the builder, as seen in Scale Auto Mag).

Perhaps the admins could get together every few months and decide on a model/builder they would like to feature. That way its less of a contest and more of a reward. It also spreads the focus around to all members, regardless of their output.

Well for me I've just been real slack resizing images of builds I've posted to fit the changed size guide lines. Done now, so should participate more often.

I have started entering lately after feeling a bit guilty for past non participation. I try to make my crap interesting, but I know my quality never gets to showcase standards. I'll keep with it . I have a good back log of stuff I've built here.

I like the idea, I entered a few that I felt worthy last year.

I'll be honest sometimes I look at what's there and think I have little to match the standard, hence a few months I missed.

Playing devils advocate for a moment......

The whole thing is a bit of fun, but in reality it's like a friendly game of sport, ie if it's just for fun then why keep score, in this respect posting a model only has one objective... That being to win if possible.

An example I can immediately think of is if Pete enters his pike peak truck next month. I can't think of anything I've done, or much on this forum that could compete with it, so what do I do? Do I pop a good model up with no chance of winning or pop an average model up and save the good model for another month?
Competitiveness sort of takes over the fun aspect.

I like the mom, I like to see what people consider their "triumphs" or "best work", it's been better since we could just pop a finished model up with no build thread (although I haven't yet... But will be doing)

Just a basic outline of my 2p worth if it helps any.

All good points. I've enjoyed some of my better work in the group builds where my goal is finishing in a given time period. With the group builds, you don't have a unique personal thread to post as the WIP or NMA.

OK. I have an idea to bounce off you guys.

What if we (the staff) were to enter all completed builds at the end of each month?

The only difficulty I see with this, is knowing which builds have been completed in each month. If we can solve that, I think it could be a goer!!

Any ideas as to how we track each months builds woull be appreciated.

Look in the Staff Room for my thoughts.

You posted in the staffroom when I was posting here Buck. LOL

WE are dancing around each other.

If there's someone who finished a model that never enters mom, then "all" builds would include them by default, thus not having the choice to enter they have now.

The way around this would be having an "opt out" facility, but that would need setting up too.

All these extra options needed will start it to get complicated, as it is there's months where only a few enter and others where there's a few more, so it's running ok (if a little sparse I admit).

How about this.......
Maybe an incentive at the end of the year might encourage entries.

People enter the mom as per usual, the winner at the end of the month pays £2 (or equivilent) to Al.
At the end of the year there's £24 up for grabs, the vote goes ahead as usual and the best model takes it either as a model kit from Al if in the UK, or transfer the money if overseas to put towards a kit of the winners choice.

It can't be seen as a lottery or gambling as the person has paid "after" winning and not paying with a chance of winning.
The money at the end of the year is a straight forward prize from a collection of donations so that's safe too.

Again I'm just playing devils advocate....

Thanks for your input Colin. This is just what we are looking for.

VirusX wrote:I am a big fan of the MoM. However, i just don't have the output of finished models to participate as much. Perhaps there can be an adjustment made to due it quarterly or every four months. I am a big fan of people's builds being featured (perhaps a long with a small story about the builder, as seen in Scale Auto Mag).

Perhaps the admins could get together every few months and decide on a model/builder they would like to feature. That way its less of a contest and more of a reward. It also spreads the focus around to all members, regardless of their output.

I kind of go along with Dan here.  I would be in favor of setting up MOM as "Model of the Quarter".  I also like the idea of doing a short biography of the builder along with photos of his other builds.  

Another thing that I like just this morning is what Al brought up.  The staff can select the model and builder to be highlighted.  

Prior to coming to this forum I belonged to another where to be considered for MOM your model had to be nominated by someone else and then voted on by the membership.  It seems to me that being selected in that manner gives more meaning to the award.  

It's natural in a relatively small forum such as this one certain modelers will rise to the top.  It happens because those people either have more talent or more experience than the rest of us.  If you are worried about one or two people winning repeatedly then limit the number of times a year one can win.  That will spread the wealth.

My opinions only, for what they are worth.

Keep the input flowing. We want to hear more from more of you.

I love looking at the MOM's as well as watching all the models come together, my model output is next to non existent so it really isn't worth me posting anything up...

Andy...

VirusX wrote:I am a big fan of the MoM. However, i just don't have the output of finished models to participate as much. Perhaps there can be an adjustment made to due it quarterly or every four months. I am a big fan of people's builds being featured (perhaps a long with a small story about the builder, as seen in Scale Auto Mag).

Perhaps the admins could get together every few months and decide on a model/builder they would like to feature. That way its less of a contest and more of a reward. It also spreads the focus around to all members, regardless of their output.

Seconded by me. I haven't entered much of late since I mostly build cars as they were when they left the factory. And, frankly, most of my stuff
isn't MOM material.

I still like the MOM idea, be it monthly or quarterly.

Haven't even started a WIP here let alone finished something so you should consider my opinion lightly. If the entries in the MOM continue to lessen, perhaps Staff could pick a model that someone completed that month as the "Showcase MOM". My interest is in cars so I generally don't look in the other build categories, but I love to look at well done models regardless of the subject matter. It would also provide visibility for people who don't ordinarily enter in the MOM contest.

The "Showcase MoM" seems like a good idea. That way, models of the different types, vehicle, military, ships, etc and ones using different skills, "box stock, modified, imaginative" each has fair consideration. The idea expands possibilities of building and takes the car vs. ship, or UFO vs. cartoon vehicle type comparisons we have to vote on occasionally. Showcase is smart, IMO.

Dave from Pleasanton wrote:Haven't even started a WIP here let alone finished something so you should consider my opinion lightly.  If the entries in the MOM continue to lessen, perhaps Staff could pick a model that someone completed that month as the "Showcase MOM".  My interest is in cars so I generally don't look in the other build categories, but I love to look at well done models regardless of the subject matter.  It would also provide visibility for people who don't ordinarily enter in the MOM contest.

Dave and I are in the same Boat... errr....Car, as it were.

There's a lot of interesting views and ideas on the subject and all very valid.

The lack of participation on my part is all across the board and when it comes to MoM my output is a major factor like many others. MoM is a contest and I enjoy participating,voting and watching things unfold. It could be kept as is it now and hopefully interest is revived from this discussion. I always encourage builders to enter contests because sometimes we can criticize our own work and get hung up on tiny mistakes while other will see the brighter and better aspects of the model.
I like the ideas mentioned so I'm open to whichever way things go.

I am totally new here so should not really comment only to say I am on revell ations and they must have what you are talking about as my warspite dio just got model of the month, and I didnt enter it so it must have been the staff. I have to say I was completely gobsmaked and dumbfounded as I didnt think it was that good and if there had been an opt in I would not have entered it, I have to say I am as proud as punch and love the fact that I got it so Im a big fan of all get entered, as, as I said I would never have entered it, I think maybe thats why a lot of people dont enter as they think same as me there stuff dont stand a chance against other peoples .
anyway Ive said my bit, please feel free to ignore it.