BYOAC User Choice Awards TROPHY DESIGN CONTEST

[Le Chuck]

In support of the 2011 BYOAC User Choice Awards the awesome artist Melissa Jones over at Nice Carvings has volunteered to carve 5 matching trophies, one for the winner of each category.  First off, that is unbelievably generous and shows how dedicated Nice Carvings is to this community.  If you've seen their stuff you know its amazing and if you haven't then click this link and be prepared to be both floored and jealous.  Secondly, the trophy is going to be user designed.  In the spirit of community participation Nice Carvings has agreed to let me run this as a contest in conjunction with the BYOAC 2011 UCA Nominations. 

I've talked with Melissa and she gave me a few tips to pass along so we get feasible submissions:

1) Designs shouldn't be overly intricate (this has to translate to wood so bear that in mind) nor should they rely completely on color to tell features apart, ideally the design will work monochrome.

2) Designs can be high quality .png or .jpg but vector is better and 3D cad designs and wire-forms are better yet (.stl, .obj, etc all okay)   

3) Bonus points for whimsical/cartoonish designs and incorporating the BYOAC logo. 

The last day to submit art will be 17 MARCH 2012.  The artist will select the 5 that would make the best carvings and those will go up for a vote on 20 MARCH 2012.  The one with the most votes wins.  So fire up your photoshop, start raiding deviantart (don't pretend you don't) and let's make an awesome trophy to show this past year's best builders how much we appreciate their contribution to the hobby!

[DaveMMR]

That's pretty awesome of you Melissa! Thanks! 

Now I wish I made a cab in 2011. 

[Well Fed Games]

Yeah, that is pretty awesome. If I had any 3-D design sense I would give it a go!

[Donkey_Kong]

The drawing doesn't have to be 3D, we can actually work with as little as a pencil sketch and try to model/carve from that.

Big thank you to Le Chuck for the idea of an award process here at BYOAC. We all would have loved for the Mamey's to continue but people get busy with life eventually. Nice to see someone taking the initiative again.

Back to the design, if you can't draw and want to help..you still can. Let's just get some ideas floating around in here. If for nothing else to maybe help inspire those who can draw, design, or maybe even model.

[DaveMMR]

I was thinking a little wood classic Arcade Cabinet with the BYOAC logo in the "screen", perhaps on a little stand if feasible.

[Le Chuck]

I thought of something like this.  Needs a lot of work but kinda has similarities to another famous trophy... just sayin. 

[elkameleon]

I can model in solidworks, that can output to .step, .stl, .dxf, and pretty much any other format you can think of. I would be interested in giving this a shot, but unfortunately I don't have any ideas of my own.

[Le Chuck]

You can model mines    Now get crackin' 

[elkameleon]

You can model mines    Now get crackin' 

That's a rather ambitious design me thinks...

[Le Chuck]

Well how abouts instead of a TRON guy I replace him with a P1 icon with its arms raised. Maybe space invader bas relief all around the base?

[elkameleon]

Well how abouts instead of a TRON guy I replace him with a P1 icon with its arms raised. Maybe space invader bas relief all around the base?

That would be pretty sweet!

[Le Chuck]

Two more trophy ideas:

1) A mini Saint.  How freaking cool would that be?  Wee little conan guy.  Awesomesauce on toast!

2) A scale carving of Mission Control (because well, you know, it's gonna win)

[Nephasth]

I think an engraved/laser etched lock and key set would be sweet for the cab categories.

I like this style...

[Donkey_Kong]

Great ideas! I like the MC mini cab idea. I wonder if he has some kind of model of it already on file?

[Ond]

I think an engraved/laser etched lock and key set would be sweet for the cab categories.

I like this style...

Great idea! hey wait a minute, didn't I.........

[kahlid74]

I was thinking a little wood classic Arcade Cabinet with the BYOAC logo in the "screen", perhaps on a little stand if feasible.

I agree with this idea.  I think an arcade cabinet on wood would look great popping out in 3D.

Are we talking about a different trophy for each category?  If so I've got some crazy idea that it would be neat if the Hardware category was Robocop and we called it the "Robocop award for badass hardware".  Maybe it's just Wednesday too and I'm being crazy.

[Le Chuck]

I was thinking a little wood classic Arcade Cabinet with the BYOAC logo in the "screen", perhaps on a little stand if feasible.

I agree with this idea.  I think an arcade cabinet on wood would look great popping out in 3D.

Are we talking about a different trophy for each category?  If so I've got some crazy idea that it would be neat if the Hardware category was Robocop and we called it the "Robocop award for badass hardware".  Maybe it's just Wednesday too and I'm being crazy.

Negatron Ghost Leader, the pattern is full.   Only 1 design will be chosen and all the winners will receive the same trophy.  I like where you're going with this, let's here some more of your crazy wednesday ideas.

How about a fat middle aged guy pounding on a computer keyboard while his unused half finished cabinets gather dust in his garage 'man cave'?

Just send us some pics of you and we'll get it all done up 

[elkameleon]

How about a fat middle aged guy pounding on a computer keyboard while his unused half finished cabinets gather dust in his garage 'man cave'?

[elkameleon]

I was going to do that, but all I have here at work is MS paint, but I can see that didn't stop you, did it?

[Vigo]

I am a MS paint by day, photoshop by night guy as well. 

[Vigo]

Hmmm...not a bad idea. I will try that. 

[BobA]

I would like to see a large (maybe CD sized) BYOAC token on a wooden base.  Could paste the category on the wood or carve it into the CD.

[Ond]

I would like to see a large (maybe CD sized) BYOAC token on a wooden base.  Could paste the category on the wood or carve it into the CD.

Like this?  3D etched crystal shape set into wooden base, lit with blue LED (mounted in base below Crystal).  There could be various Space Invaders shapes (or other iconic shapes) for each category.



This seems faintly reminiscent of something.....nope can't put my finger on it 

[Nephasth]

Is there a category for best award design?

[BobA]

I would like to see a large (maybe CD sized) BYOAC token on a wooden base.  Could paste the category on the wood or carve it into the CD.

Like this?  3D etched crystal shape set into wooden base, lit with blue LED (mounted in base below Crystal).  There could be various Space Invaders shapes (or other iconic shapes) for each category.



This seems faintly reminiscent of something.....nope can't put my finger on it 

WOW great visualization.  Thanks

[Neostalker]

Wow that looks absolutely amazing! I like the idea of having the crystal LED lit.

[Le Chuck]

Great job Ond, shame that design doesn't really lend itself to being carved entirely by Melissa over at Nice Carvings.

It would need to be made global rather than category specific also.

Think we could get something along the same lines but a bit more feasible?   

[Vigo]

I remember they made a really sweet looking medallion piece, I think it was like a Pulitzer for the Green Hornet movie. It was the first thing that popped in my mind when Boba mentioned doing a large token.

[Le Chuck]

I remember they made a really sweet looking medallion piece, I think it was like a Pulitzer for the Green Hornet movie. It was the first thing that popped in my mind when Boba mentioned doing a large token.

Yeah their detail work is outstanding.  They did a CA state seal that is amazing.  I think Ond's basic design with the BYOAC wiki logo and some space invaders around the periphery or something could be really sharp. 

[TopJimmyCooks]

you're really looking for a plaque/sign thing rather than a monument, right?  Nice carvings would be running it on a CNC sign router dealie, so it should be relief carved, seems to me.  

[Le Chuck]

you're really looking for a plaque/sign thing rather than a monument, right?  Nice carvings would be running it on a CNC sign router dealie, so it should be relief carved, seems to me.  

Not so much, Melissa volunteered to carve the statues in the round.  These aren't going to be CNC'd copies but hand carved custom pieces of art on a limited run of 5.  That is why she asked for 3D renders.  She can take a 2D image and sculpt that but the 3D helps.  They initially recommended doing a 3D Cab on a platform with the BYOAC logo on the side or screen.  Monument is an apt word, as is statue.  Plaque or plate is really not exploring the depth of what Nice Carvings can produce.   

[Ond]

If someone gives me a sketch of what the relief carving should be I'll do another version of the design I did per BobA's suggestion but all in timber.  I think it should still be done in two parts i.e. the round plaque done in light colored timber, the base in dark.  If you want an idea of how effective this looks check out some of the detail on Pixelhugger's cabinet, he has combined light and dark timber to great effect.  

[Donkey_Kong]

Hey guys, sending Melissa a reminder link to the thread here. Would like for her to weigh in on everything. Thanks for the help!

I  don't think she would be apposed to using the cnc for at least part of the project, like for sure any text.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Thats really cool of them and a lot of work to take on, Kudos to Nice Carvings.

Agree w/Ond, different colors/species of wood can be combined to nice effect, as shown on mission control.  

[Le Chuck]

If someone gives me a sketch of what the relief carving should be I'll do another version of the design I did per BobA's suggestion but all in timber.  I think it should still be done in two parts i.e. the round plaque done in light colored timber, the base in dark.  If you want an idea of how effective this looks check out some of the detail on Pixelhugger's cabinet, he has combined light and dark timber to great effect.  

This is the logo on the wiki.  I think doing a center with this on one side maybe the 2007 token back on the other would be cool.  Then do an outer ring with space invader character in alternating raised and bas relief or something.  

[Ond]

If someone gives me a sketch of what the relief carving should be I'll do another version of the design I did per BobA's suggestion but all in timber.  I think it should still be done in two parts i.e. the round plaque done in light colored timber, the base in dark.  If you want an idea of how effective this looks check out some of the detail on Pixelhugger's cabinet, he has combined light and dark timber to great effect.  

This is the logo on the wiki.  I think doing a center with this on one side maybe the 2007 token back on the other would be cool.  Then do an outer ring with space invader character in alternating raised and bas relief or something.  

OK.    That all looks like a lot of work to do x 5 for someone carving it manually let alone CNCing it.  I'll do a version 'based' on that input after work today.  This time I'll produce renders that can be used for reference i.e. side, front, back and angled.  If anyone else has a variation on this they'd like to see now is the time to post it up.

[Ond]

Next (and last) version,

[Le Chuck]

 

Ond, I really appreciate the time you spent on that.  Well done man, that is fantastic.  Seriously awesome work as usual.  Sorry to pull you away from that other little project you've been working on.   

[BobA]

Great looking update Ond. 

[Ond]

No worries guys it was fun drawing it up.  That logo doesn't exist anywhere that I can see in usable (hires or vector) format so I ended up having to draw up a version of it from scratch.  I know it's based on the original Mame logo which Pixelhugger did which is available as a vector graphic, but in the end it was easier to just recreate those elements.  The metal nameplate on this version is meant to be brushed aluminium which seemed to fit the color combo of wood better.  I was going to do just the year on the back i.e. '2011' but I started nodding off  (it was late for me).  So, for those deciding, use it or don't use it, it was a collaborative effort (I just drove the mouse  ).

 

Ond