Colossal Castle Contest: 11

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Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by architect »

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The CC Team is proud to announce our eleventh annual building contest: The Colossal Castle Contest XI. It will begin on November 1st and end on December 31st, 2013.

This contest is a bit different than other contests. We have a variety of categories each with one prize for the winner. Some categories require small creations and others need larger ones. Everyone, even with a limited supply of bricks, should be able to enter several categories. We are looking for creativity, not who has the most LEGO.

Check out the prizes. Eight Castle sets from factions including Lion Knights/Crusaders, Dragon Masters, Royal Knights, Fright Knights, Fantasy Era Trolls, and Crown Knights are prizes. There are are also new books written by AFOLs, custom medieval weapons, custom accessories, custom stickers, and custom light up torches. It truly is colossal!

Thank you to Ádám Monostori "Rifiröfi", Rich Stehnach "Blackrock", BrickArms, BrickWarriors, BrickStix, LifeLites, No Starch Press, anonymous donors, and the LEGO Group for donating prizes for this contest. The rules can be found here Enjoy!

General Contest Notes:

Please feel free to ask contest questions in this thread. It may take several days for an admin to answer your specific contest questions. It is important to know that the admins have real lives and it may take over a week for your entry to be approved.


The submit an entry and view entries pages are now active.
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by mpoh98 »

Woohoo! Let the games begin! :D
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by Lil_Curt »

An let the building commence!
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by Bluesecrets »

Can we please keep the comments to questions? Be excited, that's great. But this is the question thread and we don't want to miss a question because it is embedded int a bunch of "SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!" comments. Thank you.
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by josdu »

I built a castle that is in ruins and I like to enter it since I haven't published it, should I enter it in Misc. or Castle? The build also has a statue which might seem like more the focus. I'd like to put it in Misc. ideally.
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by soccerkid6 »

I have a couple questions:
First, for the Secret Hideout category, do we have to use official Castle factions for the outlaws in the hideout? Or can we create our own outlaw faction (using all official LEGO parts of course)?
Second, and this applies to all the categories except Miscellaneous and Castle, if we wanted to build a border around our build should that be within the 64x32/48x48 size limit? Or is it considered a reasonable overhang?
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by royalbrickcustoms »

If anyone would like me to make them some custom banners and capes for the "Custom Faction" Category just PM me. :)
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by Bruce N H »

Hey all,

As questions arise in this thread, we will answer them, and number the answers (to make it easier to refer back to questions that have already been answered.
josdu wrote:I built a castle that is in ruins and I like to enter it since I haven't published it, should I enter it in Misc. or Castle? The build also has a statue which might seem like more the focus. I'd like to put it in Misc. ideally.
I'm going to address this as two questions, even though the first wasn't really asked as a question.

1 - As long as something has not been posted online or displayed in public at an AFOL event before today, you are free to enter it. Please note, this rule also covers things that have been posted online as WIPs. You are allowed to re-use some technique you've used in a previously posted MOC, but you shouldn't be re-using MOCs.

2 - We're not going to do a lot of directing of where you should put your entries, but if something doesn't fit the spirit of a category, it won't score very well in the judging. IMO the spirit of the castle category is more about complete castles, so I think you're right to put a ruin into the misc. category.

Okay, let me ask and answer some questions myself that I'm pretty sure will come up.
How do I enter? I don't see any place to do this
3 - Our contest entry page is not yet posted. When it is done being coded, we will post an announcement here.
(This question will only apply once that contest entry page is up.) Okay, I've entered my MOC, but I don't see in on the 'view entries' page. Where is it?
4 - Have patience. The admins have to check the MOC to see if it complies with the rules, and we have lives. It might take a day or two before we get to it. Also, be sure to check the Naughty List thread. If something doesn't comply with the rules, we'll post that there.
I've fixed my entry that was on the Naughty List. Now what?
5 - Please put a post in the Naughty List thread saying you've fixed it.
What sorts of things can I make for the Arthurian Scene category?
6 - Anything from any version of the story of Arthur, from the 6th century poet Aneirin, to the more standard version by Malory, to modern rewritings like the Once and Future King, the Mists of Avalon, or the Fall of Arthur. This also includes movie versions, including Monty Python and Disney versions.
What sort of artificial lighting do I use for the Dark Age Illumination category?
7 - LEGO has a number of official elements that light up, like the light brick and the fiber optic lights. You may also use lights by third party dealers such as LifeLites or others. (-edit- Or from other toy products, see question 17 below). You can also string your own wires and lights through your MOC. Just a word of warning - I have melted bricks before by using the wrong sort of light and leaving it on too long inside a MOC. You are allowed to modify bricks in order to introduce lighting elements. The lights should be part of the MOC, rather than just taking photos with external lighting.
soccerkid6 wrote: First, for the Secret Hideout category, do we have to use official Castle factions for the outlaws in the hideout? Or can we create our own outlaw faction (using all official LEGO parts of course)?
8 - You can always mix and match official elements. Indeed, I would think that a group of outlaws would not have set uniforms, so there'd be mixing. Of course that raises the question of customs, but I'll put that as a subsequent answer below.
soccerkid6 wrote: Second, and this applies to all the categories except Miscellaneous and Castle, if we wanted to build a border around our build should that be within the 64x32/48x48 size limit?
9 - Consistent with previous CCC's, fancy-shmancy borders should still be within the size limits.
soccerkid6 wrote:reasonable overhang?
10 - I'm breaking this out as a separate answer, just because I know people will ask about this. "Reasonable overhang" refers to situations such as having a tree in your MOC, and some of the leaf pieces go over the boundary, or you have a fig holding a spear, and the spear extends beyond the boundary, or other situations like that.

Okay, some more anticipated questions:
Can I use non-LEGO or customized elements
11 - As with previous CCC's, this is a LEGO building contest, so you should largely focus on official purist elements (i.e. no customized elements or parts made by customs dealers). Except:
The two custom figs categories have no such restrictions, of course.
The custom faction category can use customized figs and their accessories.
The lighting category can use lighting elements from customs dealers or just non-lego wires and lights, as noted above. -edit- Or lights by other toy manufacturers, see 17 below.
String and paper/cloth sails generally allowed.
Custom animals generally allowed.
Customization of fig torsos, flags and shields generally allowed.
No restrictions on the misc category.
Mega Blox get you fed to the dragons.
In those customs categories, do I have to customize, or can I be purist?
12 - Sure, you're always welcome to be purist. There are a few builders out there who put together official elements in very creative ways to make great figs.
Can I put some building around my custom fig in those categories?
13 - As in previous contests, a little bit to give some context is okay (e.g. put the fig on a horse, or next to a piece of furniture, or in front of a wall), but the judging will be about the custom fig, not the room he's in. So keep it to a minimum.
-Edit- Just to highlight this again, since I see an entry on Flickr that sets the custom fig in a cool background surrounding. Judging will be based on the fig alone, not any surroundings. So no surroundings are required. If you do build a little surrounding for your fig, could one of your three photos please be of the fig against a blank background? That will make it easier to see the customization job. Thanks.
Can I post more or larger pictures of my entry elsewhere online? Can I post these in the forum?
14 - Of course, and you are encouraged to do so. The three-picture limit is only for the Flickr set/Brickshelf gallery/MOCpage/other that the judges go to to evaluate the MOC. Even if you post additional pictures in a different set, we will not look at those for judging (actually, I personally just avoid looking at the additional pictures altogether until after judging is done).

Alright, that's all for now. Happy building.

Bruce
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by Dog Ironbones »

Greetings,
Question 1: Do all categories have to be minifigure scale.
Question 2: Does Set 3739 Blacksmith Shop qualify for the alternate model category.
Thank you,
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by Purple Wolf »

Yeah it's finally here! (does a dance)

I really like the categories you chose so I guess I'd better start building.

Purple Wolf :)
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by AK_Brickster »

Two questions:

1) Can we give everyone who violates Blue's "SSWWWWEEEEEEEEETTTT!!!" warning and/or who asks a question that has already been answered/is covered by a rule the "animated poo" gif for the duration of the contest? I need some more gongs to oversee ;)

2) (ok, for serious now) With regard to the lighting category, you mentioned third party or homemade lighting, but what about clone-brand products? For example, Target has had some Lego-like off-brand light-up bricks in their clearance section for months, but I certainly don't want to A) be fed to the dragons or B) waste my money on something I'm not allowed to use.
There tends to be an acceptance of "third party" products but a severe disdain for "clone brands", so I wanted to make sure that this issue is fully clarified.

Much appreciated, and thanks for hosting such a great contest. I'm really looking forward to participating after several months of doing nothing but study :)

Thanks!
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by royalbrickcustoms »

Question regarding Custom Faction category:

Can we make a custom "good" faction fighting a custom "bad" faction in 1 entry?

Basically what I want to know, is if we can show two different custom factions in the same entry.

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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by Lolino »

One question. In 'A Child's Life' can the scene be dramatical?
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by Crazycrownieguy »

I have a question, in the building an alternate model for a set category, could we use the extra pieces from the set as well, or only the pieces listed in the back of the instructions?
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Re: Colossal Castle Contest: 11

Post by Bluesecrets »

1) Can we give everyone who violates Blue's "SSWWWWEEEEEEEEETTTT!!!" warning and/or who asks a question that has already been answered/is covered by a rule the "animated poo" gif for the duration of the contest? I need some more gongs to oversee ;)
This can be arranged! poo.gif is a handy thing.

But also Blue knows how to give out custom titles...AND she knows how to make you a permanent gong farmer.

Plus there are the other magical things that exist with powers. *whistles innocently*

Now on a serious note...people, running this contest is NOT EASY. It is an insane amount of work, and time put into this. Not to mention the big amount of money that is donated. Please be nice and follow some hints and warnings. Make the staff feel appreciated and not ignored.
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