Competition forum re-designation

[Maserface]

Yo!

 

I love seeing build and launch videos and threads, but I can't help but feel like they don't nesessarily belong in "pyrotechnics" or "rocketry" etc.

 

I'd like to suggest that the vestigial "competition" forums be redesigned to "showcase" forums, where users can show off their latest devices, processes, effects, what have you.

 

I would like to hear the communities thoughts on this suggestion.

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

I agree. I would like to see the competition thread actually be a competition of sorts.

[ddewees]

http://i.imgur.com/89HANHg.jpg

[marks265]

I also think that others "showcase" their wares in individual threads. When done as such it is not expected to gain any recognition as a competition might do. I kind of favor that more than an actual competition. Video clips can be less than desirable at times which means they don't always bring out the colors as they may have been in person, for one example. Also competitions get hairy because rules need to be in place and then divisions of shells or articles pyrotechnic would have to be finely divided and rules written accordingly. This would be a major PITA IMO.

 

So I guess my vote would be to support either:

 

1) Threads for an individual with their ongoing works.

2) See number 1

3) Ask posters to do what they're doing but only put more meat into their initial thread.

 

I believe a better approach would be to have a more thorough post for an individual project. This is where I am heading with my latest posts in my favorite shell redo thread. I want to put a little bit more detail into it and handle individual questions for missed items. Yes it is taking some time because it is at my leisure plus we are at the height of the building season so it is a slow process. But it also depicts what really goes into making a specific shell.

 

I guess it also kind of fits as this way of thinking meets APC participants' expectations in helping out the new and aspiring pyros.

[screentoppers]

Someone has to say it,

Most come here because its free .Once they see they arent getting what they need they go to other forums which are more directed at ones pyro needs instead of trolls interjecting their own humor into a thread. So after awhile they decide to spend the money and go to fireworking.com or passfire.com to learn from real pyro who are willing to teach them what it is they seek.Worry not, I came here for a reason and now Im gone not to return,now hold those tears!.

[stix]

Someone has to say it - good riddance!

[Mumbles]

Different forums serve different needs, niches, and groups of people. I for one like what we have going here.

 

Anyway, I've been giving this particular topic, the competitions that is, some thought over the past few months and years. I'm sure it's not a secret that their original purpose has yet to ever come to fruition. I'm certainly open to suggestions and comments. Over the years it sort of morphed from a real competition, to a showcase type of area. To be honest, any aspiration of real competition is long gone from those sections. Anything real would need to be started from scratch with ground rules, definitive start and end dates, and a panel of judges.

 

I'm uncertain on what to do with it though. It could be nice to just have a showcase type of section where finished and debugged devices are displayed. I love having good examples of effects or shell types to be able to reference people to. That might pair nicely to an APC youtube channel that was brought up some time ago.

[nater]

I think a showcase section would be nice. Make is clear it is not intended for building discussion, but showing the final product or any given project.

[Maserface]

I've got some sketches for how it could be laid out, but between building and work, haven't sat down and hammered it all out.

 

I agree mumbles, being able to say "this shell used x formula" would be nice. Eventually we could have a whole list of shells and effects to pull ideas from.

[pyrokid]

I like the idea of a showcase section. A few thoughts:

 

1) I like asking questions about nice shells, so perhaps, while new threads would require a video to accompany the post, subsequent posters would be free to discuss construction details.

 

2) Loose guidelines for submission of new threads could request that formula and construction details accompany the post.

[stix]

Different forums serve different needs, niches, and groups of people. I for one like what we have going here...

 

+1

[Maserface]

Got around to putting something together, just a simple comet showcase example. What do you think?

 

http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/topic/11227-3-glitter-comet-test/?do=findComment&comment=149732

[Mike]

Would be nice to see more posts like that. Edited October 12, 2015 by Mike

[marks265]

That is a really nice comet. But I think we need a few predetermined parameters to qualify a "show case". Not having the formula disclosed should disqualify a "show case" post. For example only, so don't freak out on me. In my way of thinking a "show case" post should allow the reader to build any device using what was posted with little or no interaction. There will and should always be a question I suppose. So I guess I'm hung up with if somebody has something really nice to share in this type of format a lot of detail should be disclosed. In my short days of technical writing the biggest hitch that I come across is called "Writing with assumption". A writer knows what was done in his/her head but the reader doesn't have an inkling. Heck I do this with my own notes. And yes a quality video as possible should be accompanied.

[Maserface]

I totally agree, my post was more of an example, and hopefully a base to build on. it just so happened that the only device that I have filmed AND build pics of was that one, and I cant remember the formula.

 

The parameters that come to mind are:

 

Detailed accuratly titled thread
Correct usage of jargon (e.g canister vs cylinder)

Correct language and grammar (mods can help the foreigners)

High res pics and video

Correct detals to create the effect (formula, pressing forces, etc)

 

Its also going to be important, going forward, to have a central host of the videos/pictures, perhaps an APC youtube channel. I dont want to deal with videos being removed/deleted at will.

 

 

As part of the "showcase" movement, I also suggest that we have different types of showcases, I.E. Shows, single effects, and tutorial type processes.

 

 

Just spitballing

[braddsn]

I think this is a great idea. I for one enjoy more than anything watching other's creations. To have a designated place to post details and videos of this stuff makes good sense, instead of cluttering the 'pyrotechnics' area. Hopefully im answering what you are asking..

[marks265]

I think we should have a poll as to who we should have for a Show Case think tank people and/or a list of volunteers to choose from. Everyone helping is great but the waters get muddied pretty quickly when too many get involved. I guess having people from the forum suggesting on one thread and then the owners of a Show Case thread can delve through it. On the other hand a few good people could go pretty far on their own and then it's work in progress. Creating a whole other section of the forum for this might be best, with the first couple of subsections being rules and suggestions. From there we could have the separate sections of fireworking to showcase.

 

My most recent and bestest thoughts

[starxplor]

As someone new to making fireworks(in fact, havent even completed one yet), I highly suggest either not allowing jargon/acronyms, or having a post in the previously mentioned rules section listing what can be used and their meaning. This way people like me who are not veterans of this hobby have a way to figure out what everyone is saying in their showcases.

[Mumbles]

I like a lot of these ideas so far. I love the idea of the dedicated youtube account. Not just to generate exposure, but also as a central hosting source, archive, and more widely accessible medium.

 

Do you guys have any input as to the best way to generate this type of content? We could do a submission based system, where in members submit their best work to some group of people. Alternatively, it could be operated as more of an invited type of thing. The general membership or a selected group could see a great gerb or rocket or shell, and then ask if a showcase thread could be made from it. I like the merits of both. There's also no reason that we can't use a little bit of both. From a preparation point of view, it may be more straight forward to have an idea going into building the device that it might become a showcase entry. That way appropriate details can be retained, pretty pictures can be staged if desired, and good quality video is obtained.

[marks265]

I guess at this point I would suggest that maybe the competition section should be repurposed into a device submission section. Unless of course an entire new section is preferred. But then maybe the Competition section should be locked out? When a person or team posts into this new section it would be already realized that the device posted could be selected for a showcase device. As another suggestion, possibly when the device gets so many "likes" (whatever that number maybe be) from the general membership a team of judges, maybe the ones we have/had now, will approach the original poster and ask for an article to be written about it. The judges or selected group would vet the article until proper (meeting all predetermined parameters for an article) via forum pm or personal e-mail if desired.

 

Additionally, if any of the devices that were freely submitted (as Mumbles has suggested) were worthy of an article, those devices could be used to generate a periodic article such as monthly or quarterly.

 

Other thoughts I had is that a person doing a showcase would be limited to only "X" number of articles a calendar year. Maybe we want to pick a device that is already posted to practice and do a test run on before we get too serious? At least we would get feed back while working out this project.

[ddewees]

I totally agree, my post was more of an example, and hopefully a base to build on. it just so happened that the only device that I have filmed AND build pics of was that one, and I cant remember the formula.

 

The parameters that come to mind are:

 

Detailed accuratly titled thread

Correct usage of jargon (e.g canister vs cylinder)

Correct language and grammar (mods can help the foreigners)

High res pics and video

Correct detals to create the effect (formula, pressing forces, etc)

 

Its also going to be important, going forward, to have a central host of the videos/pictures, perhaps an APC youtube channel. I dont want to deal with videos being removed/deleted at will.

 

 

As part of the "showcase" movement, I also suggest that we have different types of showcases, I.E. Shows, single effects, and tutorial type processes.

 

 

Just spitballing

 

Hmmm... I see you changed your excuse... which one should I believe? Both?

 

 

 

http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o588/SaltLakeAreaPyros/10-20-2015%2011-30-08%20AM_zpsk9p75ixu.png

 

https://fireworking.com/comment/81038#comment-81038

[Maserface]

Both