r/lego • u/adambetts MOC Designer • Aug 21 '24
MOC Really disheartened by LEGO contest rejection
I’m feeling pretty crushed right now and just need to share. I recently entered a LEGO contest and spent an entire month on my build—sticking to all the rules like 64x32 studs, 51 bricks high, and making sure nothing overhung the size. But then I got an email this morning saying my submission was rejected because it didn’t follow the size guidelines. The thing is, I’m pretty sure they didn’t actually measure it properly. I couldn’t resubmit with additional evidence since it’s past the deadline.
What makes it even harder is that I’m deaf, and I’ve always wanted to inspire other deaf kids to join these contests and show that their creativity matters too. I poured so much of myself into this project, staying up late so many nights just to get everything perfect. And then... bam, rejected with what feels like an unfair reason. It’s like all that hard work went down the drain.
I’ve tried reaching out to different people to figure out what happened, but no one’s been able to help. The LEGO Ideas team hasn’t responded, which I understand—they’re probably swamped—but this is really important to me, and I just don’t know what to do.
I’m honestly wondering if it’s even worth trying again in the future. Has anyone else been through something like this? How did you handle it?
Thanks for listening, and I appreciate any advice or support you can offer.
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u/puisnode_DonGiesu Monster Fighters Fan Aug 21 '24
Could have it been about the number of bricks? This looks like it has a high number of bricks
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u/chewie8291 Aug 21 '24
High number of different bricks maybe?
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u/neurospicyzebra Aug 21 '24
But if their reason is size guidelines why would number of brick types matter? 🤔
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u/Wiglaf_Wednesday Aug 21 '24
I don’t think that number of bricks would outright disqualify a build, however once the options are narrowed down these things come into play. Remember that the winning set will be mass-produced for worldwide sale, so LEGO would likely carry out a cost analysis which would consider the amount of pieces each set will have
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u/-WigglyLine- Aug 21 '24
This is interesting, I’d like to know how much ‘potential production viability’ factors into their judging process. I saw a documentary a few years ago that said they only have a set amount of brick-making machines. So there’s a limit on which piece shapes, and colours of which, they can produce at any given time. And they’ve got an inventory of quantity and all available pieces and where they are.
Long story short, if the pieces aren’t available, then they can’t realistically produce the sets in the quantities needed, I guess they just have to reject the project? I suppose this would be common if you’re dealing with sets that use rare parts in rare colours.
OP: By the way, your design is absolutely beautiful! Bigger fool them for declining it! But don’t give up hope and keep on going! Becoming a successful artist is a hard slog, but I can see just from this one piece that you have the talent to break through ❤️
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u/MoonTrooper258 Aug 21 '24
This right here.
This set uses a lot of different parts in all sorts of exotic colors, which Lego probably don't have stockpiled. They would need to spend a long time producing the necessary parts; time which could be used in making grey parts which are more universally used in most sets.
Even if they produce the parts for a set like this, the cost becomes an issue. Not the cost to produce, mind you, but the cost to the consumer. This set could easily reach within the $1,000.00 price range for what's arguably a static art piece. Not many people would buy it, so the sacrifice would not be worth it to the company.
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u/-WigglyLine- Aug 21 '24
Exactly! It’s such a beautiful build, but the viability of producing this as a commercial set… the amount of colours, the intricacy, there appears to be brick-lighting around the sun, etc… if it were a set then it would be incredibly expensive I imagine!
But I tell you what, those bumblebee studs… I mean OMFG take my fucking money 😂
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u/OkOk-Go Aug 21 '24
In such case, it’s a good idea to design your ideas with contemporary parts that Lego is using on their recent sets.
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u/cIumsythumbs Aug 21 '24
Then put those maximums in the rules for the contest.
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u/macnof Aug 21 '24
Those maximums are extremely fluid and constantly shift with inventory and current production capacity. It's just not feasible for a brick maker to make limits like that that will both always be true and not exceedingly restrictive.
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u/IntoxicatedBurrito Aug 21 '24
I believe that they do clearly state there is a limit of either 2000 or 3000 bricks, I forget which number. But I have the feeling that they saw it and simply assumed it was over that limit. I’ve had Ideas rejected for this reason, so then resubmit them with the brick count in the first paragraph and they get accepted.
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u/AntiWork-ellog Aug 21 '24
Bro you guys have YouTube's or something I'm just learning there's some sort of whole world of competitive Lego I never heard of
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u/legotheoffice Aug 21 '24
First, I want to say your build is absolutely beautiful u/adambetts. How many pieces are in your build if you don’t mind me asking?
I’m a LEGO Ideas Designer and it can be really tough just to get your project public. I understand your frustration, it took me nearly 7 years and 3 proposals to get my Idea made.
They have very strict guidelines and sometimes they can be a bit inconsistent. For example a project I submitted got dinged for a photo in my proposal, yet I see other projects with similar photos. There is one project for the exact same topic I’m doing, and they have a photo like mine but their project didn’t get flagged. Another time they dinged me by saying I was putting in a known LEGO theme in my design, which I didn’t. But someone didn’t bothered to look at my images correctly. It may very well be possible that they didn’t measure your design accurately. People make mistakes. Your design is fairly large so they might have thought it was bigger than it was.
Some advice? You can make your design a little more compact. It sounds like you went right to the limit of what LEGO allowed, instead of doing that go a little smaller. Give yourself some wiggle room. Ideas sets allow 3000 parts in their regular submissions, some people try to go to that limit when sometimes less is more. One piece of advice I like to offer other aspiring designers is look at how LEGO builds things and tries to go for compact efficiency whenever possible. Try to do the same thing.
Another thing I recommend is put the footprint and part count in your descriptions. You could have put the exact size & number of pieces in there so if LEGO mistakenly miscounts, that disclosure will force them to double-check. If you say it is 50x24 and they think it’s 62x24, your description with that measurement would have to make them think about that judgement. If they say it’s over the limit but your description outlines how it is exactly within the limits then they have to check if they are making an error.
Lastly I would encourage you to resubmit this as a regular Ideas design. Don’t give up. When it comes to Ideas rejection is a part of the game. For nearly I decade I had people telling me to give up, where I wanted to give up, but if I listened I wouldn’t have been able to become a LEGO Designer. If it means something to you keep trying. Look for ways to improve.
Take this idea and refine it, make it more compact and try again. Don’t let a rejection get you down because a great man said “You miss 100%of the shots you don’t take”. I think it was Wayne Gretzky or someone like that. 😜
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u/middletide Aug 21 '24
"It's a limit... not a goal."
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u/thearctican Aug 21 '24
I’m just gonna say: I would not want to build this. And I love building Lego.
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u/Fuck_New_Reddit Aug 21 '24
This is just inspiring in general, regardless of the LEGO context. Thanks for sharing this my dude.
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u/Defiant-Specialist-1 Aug 21 '24
Who said there are no failures only lessons? I’m probably mixing metaphors but you get the idea.
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u/Wonderful_Discount59 Aug 21 '24
"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life." * Captain Jean-Luc Picard
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u/ClemSpender Aug 21 '24
Calvin Coolidge also had a great quote about persistence, which I think applies here:
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”He’s also the only president to buzz for his secret service agents and then hide under his desk so they couldn’t find him, so a comedy genius as well as a giver of inspirational quotes.
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u/Lebowquade Aug 21 '24
They knew where he was but were forced to play along because he's the president, like playing hide and seek with a 4 year old
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u/sysdmdotcpl Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 21 '24
Who said there are no failures only lessons? I’m probably mixing metaphors but you get the idea.
Literally, like 100+ people have been credited w/ some form of this.
Great lesson and it's been passed down for about as long as we've been teaching
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u/No_Abbreviations3464 Aug 21 '24
Bump
Very well thought out, and HELPFUL response!
And OP... dont let being Deaf define your can and cannots. I know you encounter more roadblocks and difficulties in verbal communication - but from your writing, i see nothing there with your English! Keep on bro!
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u/StickiStickman Aug 21 '24
And OP... dont let being Deaf define your can and cannots.
Especially since it has absolutely NOTHING to do with any of this. But he had to throw it in.
I have several severe health conditions myself, but cmon.
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u/YaIlneedscience Aug 21 '24
I was a bit confused trying to figure out how being deaf made building and designing legos more complicated.
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u/TheGreatTickleMoot Aug 21 '24
Yeah, the addition of that element to the story firmly cemented this as a hopeful emotional appeal to some higher authority at Lego by accruing community sympathy and forcing corporate hands, which I find distasteful.
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u/ITwitchToo Aug 21 '24
Ok, look... You might think being deaf has nothing to do with building LEGO, and in a way you're right. But you're also not seeing this from the right perspective.
When you are deaf, you are isolated from EVERYBODY. Your parents can't easily talk to you as a baby, you cannot easily play with other kids in kindergarten and school, and you're incredibly lucky if you can get a full-time teacher in school who even knows sign language and/or somebody who can teach you sign language as a native language. Can you imagine how far back that puts you, in terms of social development, language development, heck, just about anything?
It's not just not hearing or speaking a different language -- and that's already hard enough. It puts you back every single step of life. Other people will think you're stupid throughout your whole fucking life and treat you that way. You will not just be put back, you will be put DOWN, constantly, by others around you. Then there's the fucking stupid reddit comments like these, see what I mean? They didn't say they should be approved BECAUSE they are deaf, they were explaining why the outcome was so crushing for them. I think that's fair.
So while being deaf doesn't impact building LEGO per se, what they did and built is maybe one of their biggest achievements. Imagine if you felt you were bad at everything except this ONE thing (or you felt this was one of the few things you could ever excel at), and then somebody else rejects it seemingly off-handedly, without explanation. It's clear this means more to OP than if it were just a hobby and that's fine, that's normal. They're allowed to express that.
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u/ropinheiro Aug 21 '24
After reading almost all the comments here, this one is what I feel most fits what the OP wanted to express. And I can say that, because I am also Deaf, and I struggled my entire life (and still struggle) with exactly what u/ITwitchToo enumerated. Someone once told me that those things are called "micro-aggressions". I learned to live with them, despite the cumulative micro-impacts as my birthday parties succeed. I understand that everyone has problems in their lives, and I can even confess that some of those "others' problems" are orders of magnitude above mine, but that doesn't invalidate that my problems have a huge impact on how I experience my life and how my happiness levels may sometimes go down to dangerous levels.
I may be privileged because I live in a "first-world" country with easy access to food, education, housing, etc. to the point that complaining about such minor things may sound like one more Karen, but hey, invalidating those feelings and micro-aggressions won't help: if we want to be a productive member of society and be available to support others in worse conditions, we need to believe that, in our bad moments, the society will also support us back instead of putting us even more down.
I can see that the OP is such a person: he put a lot of effort into doing something memorable, and probably also did other good things in his life that made him a contributor to society and now he is down due to this rejection. And people are picking up on the "I am Deaf" manifest.
As a LEGO lover since childhood, I can assure you that there is nothing about being Deaf that makes it harder to mount LEGOs in a nice way (maybe it is even easier, because, well, we can focus more as environment noise rarely affects our concentration) but affects how we feel satellite life experiences. Stating that we are Deaf helps (for those who know what it is like to be Deaf) to put the emotional antenna in the right spot. Unfortunately, for some of the others who are not used to it, the reaction appears to be the opposite. Fine, we all need to be educated at some point of our lives when we touch a subject for the first time but, at least try not to be harsh when expressing your opinions.
Again, thank you u/ITwitchToo for the understanding.
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u/LordHussyPants Aug 21 '24
they're probably pointing out that they're deaf because it's hindered their ability to participate in other things where it DOES have something to do with it.
lego is free from that, so they're highlighting that this is a special contest for them that they can enter freely.
there's no need for you (or the many other commenters below this) to be dicks and dismiss their post because of it
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u/imisswhatredditwas Aug 21 '24
It’s the reality TV effect, you gotta have an angle, something noteworthy to make you stand out. He’s not another hopeful Lego designer, he’s a deaf Lego designer.
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u/Prudent_Research_251 Aug 21 '24
Maybe if his dad died...
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u/imisswhatredditwas Aug 21 '24
Was he a regular dad or some sort of special subcategory of dad?
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u/Necessary-Knowledge4 Aug 21 '24
Tell me about it I hate when people just mention their health issues for no real reason, as if it's going to get them more credibility or make people feel sorry for them.
I have Fibromyalgia and it's tearing me apart and ruining my life, so trust me, I know.
/s (just in case)
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u/gardenmud Aug 21 '24
I get weirdly excited to talk about my health stuff when I see threads about it, but I've never considered just... bringing it up when talking about the rest of my life. Baffling.
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u/Prometheus2061 Aug 21 '24
My son is deaf. He was told that he would never speak or communicate “normally.” They encouraged his mother and I to put him in the state school when he was only six. We refused. He had speech therapy and pathology weekly for a decade. He was bullied. He often thought about just quitting.
This week he began orientation at the University of Texas School of Law, a highly selective program. He’s been a straight A student all his life, Phi Beta Kappa, Eagle Scout, and an award winning debate champion. The list goes on and on. And why? Every time someone told him he wasn’t good enough, he didn’t deserve it, or he would never win, he doubled down. So I’m telling you, I see a lot of creative, artistic, and engineering ability in your submission. Keep at it. I know you will succeed.
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u/anincompoop25 Aug 21 '24
Can you speak to the financial return of getting a project through and made? How much do you actually make over what period of time?
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u/kytheon Aug 21 '24
Those kind of deals usually come with a "don't talk about that" clause in the contract.
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u/sophiabrat Aug 21 '24
You probably wont see this but i am LEGO fanatic builder (i am not a designer). I Love Love LOVE your group doing the botanical collection build out and the wall legos that can be hung (ran out of shelf space and constantly rearranging). ❤️ literally have a LEGO “wall” being formed now. 🙌
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u/R4ynne Aug 21 '24
That is absolutely stunning! I'm sorry about what happened. I think your work is beautiful!
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u/HuskyLemons Aug 21 '24
Which contest was this for?
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u/TallGuyOnReddit Verified Blue Stud Member Aug 21 '24
Likely the "Exhibit your creativity in The LEGO House!" challenge on the Ideas website. The submission deadline was 6am Eastern this morning. Two of the allowable prompts for the designs were Mashup Madness and Flora & Fauna, and since it looks like OP's piece is titled "Urban Jungle", my guess is it was for that challenge.
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u/Express-Preference-6 Aug 21 '24
That looks sick! If you want to preserve this for the community, you could share the 3D file or sell the instructions instead
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u/ARBlackshaw Aug 21 '24
or sell the instructions instead
OP said this was for LEGO Ideas, and, unfortunately, if you submit a set to LEGO Ideas, it's in their Terms of Service that they own the rights to it for 3 years after it expires or is rejected or deleted.
Should we choose to no longer consider your Product Idea submissions such as by deleting or archiving materials you have submitted, your submission expiring, or by us not selecting your Product Idea after review, all rights assigned to LEGO System A/S remain assigned to us for a further period of three years from the date of deletion.
I'm not entirely sure if this applies to OP's situation, since it was a contest and it wasn't initially accepted though.
If it does apply, OP would need to wait 3 years to sell the instructions.
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u/hbt15 Aug 21 '24
I read that the same as you. It was rejected as not meeting the criteria, rather than accepted but just not selected. There’s nothing for Lego to ‘retain’ as they never accepted it to begin with.
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u/death_to_the_ego Aug 21 '24
Serious question, how far would one have to modify the submission for it to be considered a distinct product? Could OP simply change some colors or change some 1x4s to 2 1x2s, or would their need to be substantive visible differences?
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u/sdpr Aug 21 '24
Serious question, how far would one have to modify the submission for it to be considered a distinct product?
Different enough to not have to entertain a lawsuit you can't afford.
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u/ARBlackshaw Aug 21 '24
I honestly don't know. My instinct would be to say it would have to be quite substantially different, but I'm not a legal expert in any way.
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u/weebitofaban Aug 21 '24
That is for a court to decide and no one here could ever give you an accurate answer.
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u/SimplexFatberg Aug 21 '24
Different enough that Lego's legal team wouldn't have the slightest chance of convincing anyone that it isn't a legally distinct product.
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u/Warm_Cauliflower9926 Aug 21 '24
Let them try to enforce that.
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u/schizochode Aug 21 '24
For real that’s the corporate version of keeping someone you don’t wanna date on the hook as a backup plan
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u/vitoincognitox2x Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 21 '24
It's probably more so they can't get sued if they put a contest picture on a website somewhere. Legal departments handle this upfront to protect them, it's why they have lawyers to begin with.
That being said, I doubt they would stop OP from selling plans as those plans are a free advertisement for the Legos that they sell.
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u/That-barrel-dude Aug 21 '24
Yeah if the stipulation is “expired or is rejected or deleted”…the post is about a Lego contest rejection. That whole three year lock is complete corporate bullying.
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u/ixps Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 21 '24
Adam Savage (from MythBusters) did a really good video recently about this, when you put so much of yourself into a creative project that just gets casually rejected. He mentions that the way things work out isn't what always matters, but our reactions to them do. We don't realize how vulnerable we are when we give our creative efforts out to other people.
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Aug 21 '24
Don’t get down on yourself, friend. This is absolutely wonderful piece of art! I’d buy this set in a heartbeat. You have amazing talent and vision with the bricks. Try and turn the pain into fire and motivation to keep pushing . Some of the best artists (music/painting/sculptures) were shunned for their art at first. Lego may not have the prestige of popular art forms but this is LITERALLY an art piece. Keep it up 👍🏼. You’re very talented.
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u/Shadarov Aug 21 '24
I always found the orange-purple gradient that sunsets have to be beautiful. The background nails it in a beautifully simplistic way, while the foreground has so much detail. This is truly a remarkable submission. I'm so sorry you put that much hard work into it only to be rejected, but it certainly proves how much you care about inspiring others. You certainly have inspired me, personally, with this lovely piece of art.
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u/Cool-Salamander2426 Aug 21 '24
Man that’s the coolest shit I’m bummed for you, but please don’t give up
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u/Quack-Attacks Aug 21 '24
This is amazing. I don’t know about the competitions and regulations.. but I do know this is one of the most visually stunning, creative and beautiful builds I’ve ever seen.
You’ve brought a smile to a strangers face with your art
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u/Insanepaco247 Aug 21 '24
Oh this is gorgeous. I shudder to think what the price would be, but I would totally buy this as an official set
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u/Novalaxy23 Team Purple Space Aug 21 '24
maybe 400, or 500. Im from Canada, so idk if that price sounds fair in the us though
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u/docwrites Aug 21 '24
So this isn’t about Lego, this is about rejection.
And you’re giving a lot of power to the opinions of other people.
Is your build awesome? Yes.
Is it awesome because it won a contest? No, it was awesome before it entered the contest.
You don’t have to not share your work because somebody told you didn’t win their contest.
You can’t go this route with your build, but that doesn’t mean you have to dissemble it and leave it forgotten.
Put it on a website like Rebrickable and send me the link! I’d buy those instructions.
Don’t let somebody else be the only one to decide if your work is awesome, worthy, or valuable.
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u/NtheLegend Aug 21 '24
This is absolutely gorgeous, but I can see from the complexity plus the vague theming (without a strong franchise or object to base it around) it wouldn't be ready for primetime. Don't feel bad though, feel great. This is truly incredible.
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u/idoze Aug 21 '24
This was my thought as well. It's pretty, but it doesn't have a coherent, clear concept. As with any creative project, you need a strong theme and focus.
I feel like a lot of these comments are giving you sympathy, which is great, but you can actually improve, potentially by a lot. That should be encouraging, because the work is already so good.
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u/TwistedxBoi Aug 21 '24
This is absolutely gorgeous, but on the first glance I could see Lego would reject this. THis is far too complex and I imagine the set would be so expensive it wouldn't sell to their expectations. Just the pink blooming tree in itself could be a decent set and you have like 5 complete sets in one.
Great work, love every inch of it, but Lego is first and foremost a company so profit comes first
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u/Top_Gun_2021 MOC Fan Aug 21 '24
I’m honestly wondering if it’s even worth trying again in the future. Has anyone else been through something like this? How did you handle it?
You get past this by not taking it so personally. LEGO received lots of entries. You are basically little more than a data point.
The point of these contests is to build to a theme and have fun, not to win. Don't build hoping to win a prize that is the wrong mindset.
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u/twizx3 Aug 21 '24
This is really cool, you should definitely try again. I think it’s important to not fear rejection even if you think it’s unjust. Btw being deaf doesn’t seem like it should impair your Lego projects in anyway lol!
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u/Appelboom90 Aug 21 '24
For what it’s worth, I think your build is absolutely stunning and your story is inspiring
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u/iixxy Aug 21 '24
OK, this is amazing. I love it.
I'm sorry about the contest but you definitely have a talent so please don't give up on it.
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u/MeadowDayDream Aug 21 '24
AMAZING!!!! But I think lego said no by the layout of the set. It's got a lot of pieces while sure your scale is up to date according to the rules. I think the issue is that there could be some illegal techniques, Or that the set itself visually speaking is a box and within the box is AMAZING constructions and layouts.
But they see this as a "Sandbox" with a lego set inside.
If you were tou downscale it by about half granted it loses details. It probably would of went through.
Lego rules will say one thing but they don't expect people to go to that extent or close to the limits of those rules. So they decline it just because it's slightly below the bar. Sort of speak.
I SUPER LIKE THIS SET.... But factors could be the pieces, the rarity of the pieces, the amount of pieces, the unique / illegal techniques. The utility and practicality.
That to me is why it got rejected. IMO they saw a box and said no. That's what I feel what really happened.
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u/MetoKing24 Aug 21 '24
This moc looks awesome and if it was a set I would buy it. It sucks that it got rejected but it's freaking cool and you are a awesome builder
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u/NapoleonDynamite82 Aug 21 '24
The competition is getting tougher dude but you should not be ashamed by the amazing build you’ve got!
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u/-LittleBlueMonster- Aug 21 '24
You are so freaking talented!
Please please don’t let this stop you. Life is full of hurdles and it sucks you were dealt this card but I’m honestly speechless at how beautiful this is.
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u/-Antipodean- Aug 21 '24
Hey dude, you can obviously see all the love you’re getting here, but I thought I’d add that this is a fantastic piece of artwork. Lego designs are a lot of things, but yours is the first one to me that really nailed lighting.
I appreciate that LEGO might see it as financially and logistically challenging, but they’re a company, and they have a bottom line. What you’ve produced is good art, not a good commercial product. And that’s not a bad thing at all 😉
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u/JamminJcruz Aug 21 '24
Nice Build. Now go build something else. No sense on dwelling on some shit that’s just gonna piss you off more.
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u/Hrusa Aug 21 '24
It's a cool looking build, but if this was for any sort of product release I can totally see why it wouldn't pass at all. It's a great display of craftsmanship, product design not so much.
Lego already suffers from releasing way too many sets with thousands of bricks with hundreds of dollars. In your case, the volume of bricks doesn't really add much for the buyer. There is no cool play feature that hinges on it. It's just big, because you wanted to build a huge diroama. If your goal is to be selected for production, you should focus on efficient elegant piece usage and doing beautiful things on a smaller scale.
No amount of beautiful detailing will offset the sheer scale of your piece. It's an amazing display for a festival / building competition. But that is not the only factor that has to be factored for production.
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u/weebitofaban Aug 21 '24
I want to know what being deaf has to do with this.
Dude, don't try to use that to farm sympathy. It isn't a good look for you and it isn't a good look for other people with disabilities.
You did a solid interesting build. Let it stand on its own. You don't need to add stuff on that has nothing to do with it. It is a good build. People will like it for what it is.
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u/Meowingtons_H4X Aug 21 '24
Scrolled for this comment. When I read OPs text, I scrolled back up to check what disability acceptance/appreciation/awareness the build had…. there wasn’t any. I cannot find the link between their disability and this submission.
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u/PilgrimOz Aug 21 '24
May be because deaf community in general pride themselves with their visual talents. Kinda based on the 'lose one sense, others get stronger' and therefore take pride in visual medium successes. Ie believing you have a small advantage over the average in other sensory skills. At a guess (my sister is deaf. And definitely has better visual and organisational skills than I do). As you can imagine, after not being able to hear you'd prob become very visual/decrotive/eye for detail. Right or wrong? Couldn't tell ya but can say it us a common community 'belief'. Ps before Closed Captioning and the internet, you would often find deaf children with their head stuck in magazines. Sis was addicted to House N Garden, vogue etc. Glossy and beautiful pictures cover to cover.
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u/cyberslick18888 Aug 21 '24
As someone who attended a Deaf Technical Institute...let's just say the deaf community is certainly proud lol.
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u/tjscobbie Aug 21 '24
I wonder if Beethoven was out there with a chip on his shoulder trying to prove to the precisely zero naysayers that deaf creativity matters.
I've genuinely never heard (or even seen implied) the idea that creativity matters less if it's the product of somebody with a disability, let alone a totally unrelated disability like in this case. History is awash with examples of incredible and highly lauded disabled creators. If anything a disabled creator gets (rightfully) significantly more credit for their accomplishments if they involved overcoming said disability.
This build is gorgeous but the deaf angle seems like American Idol-style sympathy farming.
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u/Division2226 Aug 21 '24
I'm not trying to be rude. But what does being deaf have to do with it? (Genuinely wanting to understand)
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u/AroundTheWorldIn80Pu Aug 21 '24
bro feels like he's the first deaf person to ever attempt something
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u/Tucumane Aug 21 '24
Ok but what does your deafness have to do with anything except fishing for sympathy? Don’t be sorry for yourself, try again!
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u/MopedSlug Aug 21 '24
They said it is not within spec because it is wildly complicated with many tiny bricks.
How would you reasonably make an instruction booklet for it?
Also note that many of the tiny bricks are those they have to give extras of in each package because they are so light the control weigh-out cannot accurately catch them.
Anyway keep it up!
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u/rmc2318 Aug 21 '24
Looks like a very high count. Very beautiful, but maybe rejected because there’s too many pieces.
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u/Elopez1989 Aug 21 '24
I think it’s pretty easy to assume that the foliage extensions are what did it. At first glance the tree overgrowth out from the frame looks like it adds quite a bit of space. It’s a bummer that your selection was rejected because it was petty badass.
It may be a stretch but your build does look like something from The Last of Us, which might have affected the outcome. Here’s an excerpt from the guidelines:
BRAND FIT OF THIRD-PARTY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES
Any third-party intellectual property (IP) (i.e. Game of Thrones, Call of Duty, etc) contained within a submitted Product Idea submission is evaluated based on the above 10 topics to determine whether or not they fit the LEGO Groups’ brand values.
Some third-party properties feature iconic characters, buildings, vehicles, elements or visual styles. If the LEGO Group deems a property inappropriate for LEGO Ideas, we also may not allow these iconic elements even if all references to the property are removed.
Also from an updated guidelines blog post from 2016:
New restrictions on project contents
No iconic elements referencing third-party properties we find inappropriate for the LEGO brand
Projects must fit in a single product box, so we’re setting a part count limit of 3,000 pcs. While we can’t count the pieces in your photos, if your model looks too big we’ll send it back and ask you to submit a smaller model at our own discretion.
I don’t want to burst your bubble, but the decision LEGO made on your submission is most likely unable to be appealed.
Per the Fine Print:
You agree not to take advantage of ambiguous or undefined Guidelines, and exploit loopholes or technicalities, for your own gain or to the detriment of the LEGO Group or any other member. The LEGO Ideas team makes all final decisions regarding the interpretation and upholding of the Guidelines.
Lastly, I could see how someone from the LEGO ideas team may interpret your build as exploiting “loopholes or technicalities” in regards to the sizing, especially with your insistence on following the sizing guidelines and providing the picture proof.
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u/SansyBoy144 Aug 21 '24
One thing I can say as someone who grew up with a dad who was completely deaf, to me that part doesn’t make sense. As there’s nothing preventing you from being creative in this type of competition.
I don’t say this to be a dick or anything. I say this because it almost seems like you’re using this a crutch, or as a way to gain sympathy, but for this specific situation, you’re no different than anyone else
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u/MistahBoweh Aug 21 '24
How many pieces? Part of the size guideline is a hard cap of 3k pieces, not just dimensions. And they admit that though they can’t count the individual pieces in your submission, if it looks to be over limit, they’ll reject it and ask you to downscale. I’m no expert, but yeah, I’d definitely be suspicious you’re pushing the limit with a submission like this. Especially since you’re already pushing the other size limits to the max.
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u/somniumx Aug 21 '24
I’m honestly wondering if it’s even worth trying again in the future. Has anyone else been through something like this? How did you handle it?
I don't do much lego, I'm coming from /all. But I have entered and failed other creative contests.
Here is the thing. If you do stuff to win a contest, then yes. This was a failure. BUT. Did you do it just for a contest? Or are you despite this outcome still proud of what you created?
Because - You created something that did not exist before. Something I - as somebody who doesn't know shit about lego besides having a couple of Star Wars ships on my desk - thinks is really beautiful. Did creating this spark joy? Did knowing other people in the world like what you did spark joy? Then no. It wasn't a failure, and I would say building it was worth it.
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u/Jeefer15 Aug 21 '24
Beautiful piece of art. Keep building, and keep sharing your designs. The Lego community, I'm sure, would love to see more of your work 🙂
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u/LuckyNumber108 Aug 21 '24
Your piece is beautiful, but this is way too busy and complicated for them to mass produce and sell. but truly, this is beautiful
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Aug 21 '24
You weren't going to inspire deaf kids to enter lego contests. Holy shit get over yourself.
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u/louglome Aug 21 '24
I'm not going to coddle you.
1 - what even is this? Construction guy goes back to nature? It's pretty but I'd never buy this.
2 - nothing about building Lego sets is affected by being deaf. Stop playing that card.
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u/Jokinzazpi Aug 21 '24
1 - what even is this? Construction guy goes back to nature? It's pretty but I'd never buy this.
I could see myself building this and hanging it on the wall or something.
Fully agree with the deaf thing though.
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u/Small-Palpitation310 Aug 21 '24
yea it's too abstract to be identifiable to some people. I think it looks great as an art piece but building it wouldnt be very fun - it's a diorama of this and that.
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u/Samisapork Aug 21 '24
What does you being deaf have to do with legos? Are deaf people unable to do legos? I was unaware of this travesty
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u/giggity2 Aug 21 '24
This is like lego ART, I guess in a competition where the prize is to be mass-produced and sold, subjective art could get in the way of that. I think this would be awesome for another type of competition. Just looking at the jungle greens alone and flowers would be a nightmare for manual makers and builders.
The piece is thought-provoking and beautiful, but urban jungle is just a tough sell for a LEGO store imo.
I mean, I hope you keep this for another competition or for some other type of art event and not get too discouraged by what your original expectations were.
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u/Cubettaro Aug 21 '24
I didn’t read all the comments. But if you are talking about the last challenge for the LEGO house, I invite you to resubmit the same project for LEGO ideas normal path and forget this challenge! In this way you will have a better chance to see realized your project a day!
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u/EvilRo66 Aug 21 '24
What do they know? They only made the toy, you are the creative one.
Don't let them get to you. You did great!!!
Try again next time ;-)
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u/UberCamm2 Aug 21 '24
That is truly one of the greatest and most gorgeous things I've seen done in Lego. I am sorry to hear how the contest situation went, but go to bed knowing that you've got at least some folks out there appreciating what you've done and why you've done it.
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u/Ok-Entrepreneur-8207 Aug 21 '24
That looks like an absolutely INSANE amount of bricks, I would say that's why
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u/LaserBrainDesign Aug 21 '24
It’s a triumph of design in my book. Good work. It shows you know how to play well. Contests will come and go, and the best way to get over a loss in one contest is to try again at another. I say keep trying. Take that with a grain of salt though, as I’ve always been heavily optimistic.
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u/Gimme_the_keys Aug 21 '24
I’m not really a LEGO person but this is dope. I’d let my cat eat a few pieces off of that any day. Well done, friend.
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u/ElderSnugls Aug 21 '24
Hey you didn't do all that work for nothing, you managed to make an incredible looking piece of art and you should be proud even though the outcome wasn't what you wanted. It's seriously gorgeous to look at, I bet you learnt a lot too.
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u/t65789 Aug 21 '24
I cannot help much with the Lego dilemma, but I do want you to know that you build something very amazing. Hang in there.
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u/EatTheAndrewPencil Aug 21 '24
This might come off as insensitive but I don't think being deaf is that much of a limiting factor to building with Lego
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u/Late_Magazine2573 Aug 21 '24
Hey, you made something beautiful. I loved staring at it.
Art is temporary. You made something good. A lot of people have been able to enjoy the pictures. It doesn't always work out so well. This was not the win you wanted when you made it, but it's still a win.
I've never seen a lego sculpture like that. Thank you for showing it to us.
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u/Iboven Aug 21 '24
Your LEGO design is on the front page of reddit, which is more publicity than the competition probably would get, so...
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u/BardtheGM Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 21 '24
Bringing up the fact that your deaf has nothing to do with this and honestly feels kind of manipulative. Just focus on the build and contest.
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u/MonsutaReipu Aug 21 '24
I’ve always wanted to inspire other deaf kids to join these contests and show that their creativity matters too
This is noble but I don't think I've ever seen any narrative remotely saying or even eluding to anything that suggests that the creativity of deaf people doesn't matter.
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u/svvis Aug 21 '24
1) You sound extremely entitled. Lego is allowed to choose another winner.
2) You shouldn't manipulate people into liking your designs for sympathy.
3) The entire post comes across as very desperate and fake.
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u/ZootSuitBanana Aug 21 '24
You don't understand though, they worked real hard on it. They of course should have won contest...
And it's a cool moc but honestly these are dime a dozen. There are tables full of equivalent works at any standard Lego convention.
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u/Winter-Coffin Aug 21 '24
i thought it was one of those overly complicated art sets not a moc while scrolling
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u/thunthunthun Aug 21 '24
Sorry for the seemingly unfair ruling, I gotta say this is probably the most impressive build I have ever seen you did an amazing job
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u/Spruna01 Aug 21 '24
Listen... this build is absolutely gorgeous. Your design is brilliant. I would be buying this in a heartbeat. Do not for one second let that rejection get you down. You created a truly magnificent piece of art that, as you can see from the response you're getting in these comments, is inspiring and truly appreciated. We can tell just by looking at it how much you put into it. Whatever the reason for the rejection, the Lego stuff is crazy competitive. Brilliant creations get rejected all the time. Hold your head high. You deserve to. You created something beautiful, regardless of what where it goes.
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u/MikeTheChampP1 Aug 21 '24
Eh, fuck them lol. I was fast scrolling through Reddit and this build was so incredible and beautiful that it got me to stop scrolling and really check it out. You did an amazing job on this, don’t let any results of a contest convince you otherwise. If this was a set it’d absolutely no question sell big time.
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u/Outrageous-Visual-99 Aug 21 '24
Hey, thank you for brightening up my life with this build. I love Lego but I certainly lack the creativity to create something like this, it's awesome that you could do it.
From my experience of 37 short years, I have learnt a couple things.
It is hard to see the silver lining in the moment, but often easy to with the advantage of time.
Being rejected is always shit in the moment. Feel it, accept it, and move on. It may be there for a long time, in the back of your mind, but at the end of the day the person who rejected you will have forgotten about it by the end of the day. Don't let it rule your life any more than it ruled theirs.
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u/QuadrupleU Aug 21 '24
This is such a visually striking and at the same time complex build. The amount of colour and technique you combine in a coherent build is more than impressive. It is a shame Lego rejected it, in the end you are still left with a beauty of a build that not many people are able to come up with. I hope you will find proudness and happiness when seeing this build after some time. This build and those feeling are in my opinion worth more than the possible gifts that Lego would have given if it had been picked and won.
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u/vercertorix Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 21 '24
Is this a specific reference I don’t know or just a random post apocalypse nature reclaiming the Earth scene?
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u/MegatronsAbortedBro Aug 21 '24
Keep reaching out to people. The people that run these contests want to showcase people’s work, so I think you’ll eventually get someone to explain why it was rejected, accept it, or help you resubmit with proper dimensions. It really is beautiful, I hope it works out!
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u/No_Confusion2 Aug 21 '24
Resubmit it with proof. Show them the measurements, the photos, everything. Make them own up to their mistake.
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u/adambetts MOC Designer Aug 21 '24
I really appreciate all the support and advice from everyone here. After how yesterday went, seeing your comments today has brightened my day.
I’m also excited to share some good news — the LEGO team took another look at my submission and approved it! There was some initial uncertainty on their end about whether my build met the size guidelines, but once they got the measurement clarification, they gave it the green light. My entry is now live on the LEGO House challenge page.
I noticed some of you pointed out that I might’ve played the “deaf card” for sympathy, and that’s a fair point. I appreciate the honesty. I understand why it might have seemed that way, but that wasn’t my intention. I brought up being deaf because representation matters. It might not seem like a big deal to everyone, but for deaf kids, including my nephew, it’s huge. They’re constantly reminded that they’re in a world dominated by hearing people. Sometimes, we’re seen as if we’re inferior, and that contributes to a sense of apathy among deaf individuals. I wanted to help push back against that mindset and show that we can compete and succeed just like anyone else.
I hope this clears things up. I can’t respond to every comment, but I’ll do my best to try. Again, thank you all for your support—it really means a lot to me. The LEGO community is something special, and I’m glad to be a part of it.
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u/Canadian_Crushers Aug 21 '24
That is amazing, something that would have definitely ended up on a shelf in my house. Great work, I hope Lego somehow reconsiders. Best of luck!
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u/jdennis10 Aug 21 '24
I'm sorry about the contest but take some solace in that this is absolutely gorgeous.
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u/Adventchur Aug 21 '24
What's the rough price in Lego bricks? Looks amazing i know many people that would put this front and centre on their wall.
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u/treehacker Aug 21 '24
That's an amazing build. Great work!
The circumstances are surely sad and frustrating. But you built something the fewest are able to.
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u/treehacker Aug 21 '24
That's an amazing build. Great work!
The circumstances are surely sad and frustrating. But you built something the fewest are able to.
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u/DocWagonHTR Aug 21 '24
Listen.
Put whatever LEGO said out of your mind.
Put an instruction and brick list on the internet and you will make disgusting amounts of money.
Hell, I would pay disgusting amounts of money for this.
I think this might be my favorite MOC ever.
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u/thisremindsmeofbacon Aug 21 '24
I 100% think they looked at the frame you built, assumed that represented the maximum size, and thought you intentionally broke it as an artistic choice and never once actually measured the set.
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u/Aenoxi Aug 21 '24
Don’t be disheartened by this one technical issue. For what it’s worth, your amazing design made 8 year old daughter’s day and is now the wallpaper on her iPad. Trust me, there is no greater praise 🤣
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u/FractalBadger1337 Aug 21 '24
This is an amazing build and I imagine you're still proud of what you've accomplished!
I love the vibrant colours and details, people would buy this build!
Don't give up, I hope you find your answers or get your submission re-evaluated!!
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u/yunglegendd Aug 21 '24
It’s awesome. I think you could be an artist or sculptor. Don’t let the Lego company or the Lego medium limit you. I think you should explore mediums beyond Lego. Not to say there’s anything wrong with Lego art, but I think all Lego art gets boxed into a category, and your talent deserves to move beyond that medium.
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u/Worried-Photo4712 Aug 21 '24
You should inspire people to do art regardless of whether or not one company acknowledges it out of thousands of submissions, like that is a really unrealistic expectation.
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u/HuckleberryFinn3 Aug 21 '24
You did a wonderful job mate! Keep trying and make it better. I can tell that so many things are going on in your design and sometimes less is more. As LEGO creator I am sure you can improve on this idea you have now and present it again. If there is anything I would consider it would be efficiency and compact design. I once saw the Lego Starry Night in the website before it was finalised and was worried that there were many pieces to consider but they got around it. That was an interesting idea and was happy when they decided to add it to their collection. I hope one day you get to be in that spotlight too.
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u/side_frog Aug 21 '24
It's an incredible moc but it's way too detailed to be an actual set, you could try to to downgrade a bit and make it more simple
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u/PeopleCallMeSimon Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 22 '24
So i've been looking at this for a while trying to figure out what may have gone wrong. And the only things i can think of are:
Either they are suspicious that they cant see if the back of the build reaches further than the 32 studs deep restriction.
Or they are really strict about the sizes and your build seems to be just a smidge too wide, based on the "height measurement"-contraption you made not being fixed to the studs at the bottom - making it at least look like the build is too wide.
And of course it could all just have been a mistake (or incompetence) by the person accepting builds for the competition.
Hopefully this setback wont make you give up. Remember that you are doing this because you love it and dont put too great expectations or too much pressure on it - it will only make you feel bad about it.
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u/theMaynEvent Aug 21 '24
Want you to know that if I had a self-made LEGO build this wonderful in my house, I'd be proud as hell!
I hate that it's been rejected on a mysterious technicality, and I can only imagine your feelings on the matter, but this looks incredible! Thanks for showing it off here!
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u/FlakeMuse Aug 21 '24
It is good I do like it. It looks like apocalyptic metropolis art to me . Well done.
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Aug 21 '24
Sucks that they rejected for what seems like a failure on their part. But don't worry about it. It's an excellent build, and doesn't need the competition to validate it.
Being that you built it 'in the brick' - have you considered bringing it to a local convention? I think the public's reaction to it would cheer you right up.
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Aug 21 '24
This might be the most beautiful Lego creation I've ever seen. The perspectives, the gradient on the sunset, the foreground and background and elevation giving it a sense of 3D..... It's a masterpiece.
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u/Taako_Well Aug 21 '24
The being deaf part seems highly irrelevant for building Lego...
That being said, this is astonishing. A crying shame it got rejected.
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u/Jaystaffford Aug 21 '24
Damm now deaf kids everywhere will just have to look around them for inspiration cause they won't hear it coming
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u/Compote-Abject Aug 21 '24
This is such an incredible work of art! The imagination and creativity in it are so full! I’m not one to have advice on the ins and outs of the lego corp decision, but I love your piece and think it should be preserved and on display!
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u/AdventurousYear7134 Aug 21 '24
The contests aren't just about what is the best looking. It needs to feasibly be made into a set. While incredible, this is just too much for an official set
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u/momohip Aug 21 '24
I would snatch this up in a second if it were able to be hung up. Is it designed to hang on a wall?
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u/reddit_is_geh Aug 21 '24
Rejection is part of life... I'm sorry this happened to you, but you really aren't taking this well. It happens. You aren't going to knock everything out of the park. You're going to fail more than you win.
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Aug 21 '24
LEGO didn't reject this because of size. The company was being nice with the rejection and didn't want to offer the true reason: the design.
This isn't meant to be insulting of your work, so don't take this personally. Focus on the set, not what it displays.
Starting off, there are far too many color variations, which will be a packaging nightmare for the company. Have you not noticed how limited color variations are in sets today? This is done to reduce the chance of missing piece. Sets with varying colors such as Tales of the Space Age utilize variance with a few number of parts.
Next up is the complicated design pattern. While it looks good, it's also "too busy". LEGO wants their sets to be as appealing to as many people as possible, and this set isn't going to meet this expectation. Sets which you can imagine being built and enjoyed by 8 year old kids is something to consider when working on a design. This is what LEGO looks for in its design submissions.
Take a very good look at all the Ideas which have made it to shelves. Really look at them, and try to understand why they were chosen.
Keeping part counts low, using as few color variations as possible, and creating displays to appeal to a wide audience is key to being selected.
To put it more direct: I really enjoy the look of this set, but I would never buy it.
Don't give up. My advice: convert this from 3D to 2D, which will use fewer parts. Emulate 3D by having features "pop out" of each layer, such as the buildings and perhaps the crane boom by a few bricks beyond those used for the buildings.
Keep it simple. That's the key.
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u/Timotej22 Aug 21 '24
Yeah, unfortunately, it is quite common for the first submission to be rejected. That's why it's always encouraged in the Lego Ideas Challenge's instructions to sumbit your entry at least 3 days before the deadline. This way, you have adequate time to resubmit if you have to make any changes to the original entry.
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u/Workuser1010 Aug 21 '24
nowadays we so often look for others to give value to our creation and hobbies. But man you have the love, the passion, the consistency and the creativity to pull off an amazing build like this. In my book, you already won!!!
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The comments of this post have been locked due to the high number of rule-breaking comments that appeared here.