Announcing The 2011 Podracer Challenge Building Contest

[elijah]

can the pod be like neva keys the had the pod in front of the engine's

[meeotch]

no. rule one states only official licensed lines. Pirates of the Caribbean is the only line that hasn't been released yet, hence it being in the future. there is no such LEGO Hobbit or LEGO Flintstones line.

There's Cars, unless you're counting the Duplo in the "all ready released" category.

[elijah]

the pod has to be behind the engine's not behind

[onions]

Does the pilot NEED to be in the pod? I ask because I was thinking of seeing if I could come up with a Toy Story RC-themed Pod, and ideally the pilot would be controlling it with a remote.

RC was able to move about on his own. he would be the pilot.

Hnh. I guess that's true. I still have a mental picture of Buzz standing by with a remote. Would it be kosher to include that?

podracer and podracer pilot only

[onions]

updating the rules to clarify a point that we've discussed for a good part of the day:

You enter this contest by submitting a picture to this thread. It does not matter if it's not your picture, a WIP, a joke, an example, source material, a picture of jesus christ, your dog, an x-ray scan. A reply with a picture is your entry. This is going to be a rule going forth for all future contests that involve photo submissions. Any posts after this will follow this new clarified rule. Any posts previous to this will be given a pass.

This was not explicitly stated in the rules, rather implied, but is stated so now.

[badgerboy]

Sorry for being a pain, but I think this stands clarification or jurisdiction...
There are some products that could be said to be a licensed product but haven't actually got their own theme. A very good example of this would be Maersk (Sealand). There is also a long history of TLC making models for corporations like Shell that couldn't be said to have had their own 'line' but were licensed none the less.

It probably wouldn't draw many votes if I just just built a blocky yellow Podracer and added a Shell flag on the back or a Nesquik Bunny in the cockpit, but I wouldn't want to be disqualified either.

Where do you stand on what could be considered as 'loop-holes' with regard to licensed product? Do promotional sets qualify or is it strictly themes that have spawned more than one set at a time in a true retail product line sense?

[WillyWampa]

Sorry for being a pain, but I think this stands clarification or jurisdiction...
There are some products that could be said to be a licensed product but haven't actually got their own theme. A very good example of this would be Maersk (Sealand). There is also a long history of TLC making models for corporations like Shell that couldn't be said to have had their own 'line' but were licensed none the less.

It probably wouldn't draw many votes if I just just built a blocky yellow Podracer and added a Shell flag on the back or a Nesquik Bunny in the cockpit, but I wouldn't want to be disqualified either.

Where do you stand on what could be considered as 'loop-holes' with regard to licensed product? Do promotional sets qualify or is it strictly themes that have spawned more than one set at a time in a true retail product line sense?

Excellent question! A Maersk blue podracer would look great. This will also open the field up to many more interesting and inovative designs. When you suggested this the first thing that popped into my mind was a Vestas podracer with 2 massive wind turbine "engines" out front.

[Evil Jack]

I am glad someone asked that question. I was curious about licensed sets that didnt have a theme. I can now start building my pod racer without worrying about disqualification.

[Master_M39]

So this is where I would post my entry, correct? Just making sure so I don't accidentally get myself disqualified.

[cplego7]

So let me get this right, the pod racer is required to be a themed pod racer?

[Joedward]

So let me get this right, the pod racer is required to be a themed pod racer?

Really?

- Your task is to build any non-Star Wars, licensed themed podracer.

[Master_M39]

Also, can weapons be showing or do they have to be concealed?

[Stardusty]

Do engines need to have same design, because I have one great idea (just my opinion), but since I don't
have enough same bricks I have an idea to build each engine different and better in some aspect.

So, can I make different engines?

[cplego7]

So let me get this right, the pod racer is required to be a themed pod racer?

Really?

- Your task is to build any non-Star Wars, licensed themed podracer.

Well, I understand the part were the pod racer cannot be from basically any Star Wars movie or game, but can you just build a custom pod racer of your own design that follows the rules? Or is it required to have a theme like batman, racers, or like the ^ shell theme? I'm just a little puzzled because it doesn't say clearly weather you need to have a theme or just that themes are allowed.

[dWhisper]

It has to be a licensed theme, so that means one of the licensed themes, and cannot be Star Wars. Basically, Toy Story, Indiana Jones, Batman, Spiderman or Avatar for older set lovers, etc. Your pod has to conform to one of the the licensed themes, and can only be part of one theme (so, Toy Story or Indiana Jones, not both).

Edit: We're discussing what the scope of licensed means, so we'll update that. Ignore what I wrote earlier.

There are no restrictions to what your engines ar or have to look like for guns or design, so long as they correspond to the other rules. It has to fit the theme (in other words, you don't need blaster cannons on Woody's Roundup Racer) and there can only be two of them. That being said, a podracer with two different engines wouldn't look right, but not really forbidden.

[meeotch]

I had a response posted, but dW beat me to it, so I'm just going to leave this part:

[quote=staff]- Your task is to build any non-Star Wars, licensed themed podracer. Take any of LEGO's official licensed lines past, present and future and build a themed podracer. Imagine what a Buzz Lightyear Star Command Podracer would look like. Or a Batpodracer. How about a Winnie the Pooh Honey Potracer? You get the idea yet? The only exception to the licensed theme rule is, of course, Power Miners. Power Miners podracers will be accepted. No Star Wars podracers; you will be turned away at the gate.

[meeotch]

I guess editing this forum is disallowed (great idea, btw!), so sorry for the double-post, but I didn't see if Photoshoppery was allowed or disallowed this go around, and I seem to recall there being rules on that in previous contests, so I thought I'd ask about that.

[Stardusty]

I know that I am boring when it comes to questions, but can we also photoshop fire (?) coming
out of the thrusters?
And can we add custom background (not only white or blue or staff like that)?

[dWhisper]

What sort of photoshoppery? I'd say a blanket no, overall, unless you're talking about normal photo-touch-up stuff like lightening and cropping. But if you have to add flares, edit out supports, etc, to make your build look right, I'd go with no.

[Solo]

Editing has been disabled in here to prevent people from attempting to break the "no changing your entries" rule because it's been an issue in the past. Also, photoshopery has been addressed here:

- The only image editing allowed is the removal of backgrounds and adding energy binders to the twin engines. Your photos cannot be altered in any other way. No composite views, no added text, no additional graphics or enhancements.

I thought Maersk and Shell were both included in the scope of this, but Nick is technically correct (the best kind of correct) in that they aren't really themes. I think we should provide a comprehensive list of acceptable licenses given this grey area. Or in Maersk's case, super sexy light blue and grey area.