UCA 2016 ?

[Titchgamer]

 Sorry no idea what a UCA is but ime assuming its some kind of annual forum award?

Just to put a little input in though (and i may be way off base here)
But the forum I help moderate does annual forum awards each year.
Ive run it the last 6 years or so, admittedly its a royal PITA to run but its very popular and its quite fun.

It has categories similar to Lockes suggestions as well as fun ones like biggest grump, gear tart etc and the member base vote who they feel is deserving and pm me the results.
I then collate the results and announce winners.

[yotsuya]

I nominate you Biggest Gear Tart.

[Titchgamer]

I nominate you Biggest Gear Tart.

I only have one 1 machine and one being built so I think theres others better suited to that award

[Le Chuck]

I nominate you Biggest Gear Tart.

You were supposed to PM him, kantchya read!

[acvieluf]

As someone who hasn't been around for years, i would offer this: It's nice to be recognized for work, especially for first timers.  Not being nominated would be a clear message of, "Your project didn't really look all that great with 80 different kinds of controls, and your hand cut ink-jet graphics." So i can see the value from a perspective of some who aren't on their 2nd/3rd/whatever project. 

However... My project will be done this year, and although i really look forward to tagging the project post *finished*, and listen to feedback, good or bad...in reality, i'm not really thinking, "oooh, i hope i win a UCA! oh boyohboyohboyohboy!"

That being said, if the UCA's don't move forward in the same way they have in years past, thats understandable, since as others have said, this hobby has slowed down.  If that's the case, might i suggest a simple end of year thread with a picture of each completed project?  That way, there is some documentation of the end of year, as well as some comments posted casually about some being good or boring, etc?

Just my 2c, take it as you will.

[dgame]

  2012-2016 

[Locke141]

Just make sure I get a UCA when I finish my cab 6 years from now.

You have something very cool there. You should get back on it. 

[leapinlew]

UCA = Fried Chicken?

 

Yeah, that's been in my pocket for 5 years. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,118109

[Le Chuck]

If we create a user generated system then it shouldn't matter if any of the original posters are interested in doing it next year, somebody in this community would hopefully copy and paste the thread and change the dates to keep things rolling.  It's not necessarily THE way it's just A way.

And that's the way I built the thing, with the help of a great crew of others who were willing at the time.  There are threads that already go into why I/we lost interest, but that doesn't change a thing.  If somebody wants to run the UCA they can copy and paste from old threads (I recommend 2013) that's cool.  Or change everything.  Or whatever.  If you're standing on the sidelines awaiting permission to do something it isn't coming, or it just did.  Better to ask forgiveness than permission.  If no one wants to open the nominations/announcement thread then it's dead.  If no one nominates in that thread then it's dead.  If it's dead I'm good with that.  It had a good run, and nothing last forever.  Hell, even the Mona Lisa is falling apart.  If it lives again, that's good.  It has always belonged to the community. 

UCA = Fried Chicken.

FTFY

[Generic Eric]

Howzabouta lurker award?

[Malenko]

When everything is special, nothing is.

[Nephasth]

Howzabouta lurker award?

You just blew your chances.

[DrakeTungsten]

Is it that time already? For our semi-regular reminder of who on this board is truly special? Show the noobs how it's done!

[yotsuya]

Howzabouta lurker award?

You just blew your chances.

As long as that's all he blew....

[Nephasth]

Not to fret. There is a super-special kind of specialness which can only be earned, and will always be recognized by the right kind of people. For the wrong kind of people, concerns that mere claims of specialness are perceived as equal to your genuine specialness among the pro-snowflake crowd are easily addressed in one of two ways. Either institute a hall of fame to recognize the truly special, or add a footnote to the annual award stating that the competition was especially weak this year. Either way, nobody will lose sight of who is truly special.

There is a "hall of fame" thread already... And everyone is in it.

[yotsuya]

Not to fret. There is a super-special kind of specialness which can only be earned, and will always be recognized by the right kind of people. For the wrong kind of people, concerns that mere claims of specialness are perceived as equal to your genuine specialness among the pro-snowflake crowd are easily addressed in one of two ways. Either institute a hall of fame to recognize the truly special, or add a footnote to the annual award stating that the competition was especially weak this year. Either way, nobody will lose sight of who is truly special.

There is a "hall of fame" thread already... And everyone is in it.

That was a pretty long-winded way to avoid using the term "circle jerk".

[DrakeTungsten]

Not to fret. There is a super-special kind of specialness which can only be earned, and will always be recognized by the right kind of people. For the wrong kind of people, concerns that mere claims of specialness are perceived as equal to your genuine specialness among the pro-snowflake crowd are easily addressed in one of two ways. Either institute a hall of fame to recognize the truly special, or add a footnote to the annual award stating that the competition was especially weak this year. Either way, nobody will lose sight of who is truly special.

There is a "hall of fame" thread already... And everyone is in it.

That is problematic. I suppose a second, "for real this time" hall of fame would fall prey to the same forces. Or, just maybe, the constant stern mockery of "everybody gets a gold star" has borne fruit, and the snowflakes have learned the error of their ways and will respect only true greatness.

[DrakeTungsten]

Not to fret. There is a super-special kind of specialness which can only be earned, and will always be recognized by the right kind of people. For the wrong kind of people, concerns that mere claims of specialness are perceived as equal to your genuine specialness among the pro-snowflake crowd are easily addressed in one of two ways. Either institute a hall of fame to recognize the truly special, or add a footnote to the annual award stating that the competition was especially weak this year. Either way, nobody will lose sight of who is truly special.

There is a "hall of fame" thread already... And everyone is in it.

That was a pretty long-winded way to avoid using the term "circle jerk".

Whereas the brevity with which you indicate you've missed the point is impressive.

You greatly over-estimate your importance to me if you think I choose my words based on your emotional triggers.

[yotsuya]

I have no triggers, bro. I just recall all the ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow--- posts you've made from time to time.

[pbj]

[DrakeTungsten]

I have no triggers, bro.

For your own good, I ask that you re-examine this conclusion. I talked about circle-jerks in one thread nearly a year ago, and here you are still smarting from it as evidenced by your bizarre insistence that "circle jerk" is a summary of a post for which it certainly is not. If I want to comment on circle-jerk behavior, rest assured I will not hesitate to use that phrase*, and then you can enjoy another months-long tizzy over it. This was a nice thread about recognizing the specialness which is not recognized often enough, and you needed to drag a year-old beef into it. Let it go. Finally, let it go. The last word is yours...

*Unless you provide a doctor's note advising that such phrase should not be uttered where you might be exposed to it. Look out for your health, bro.

[yotsuya]

I'm just being a smart ass. What's  your  deal?

The other circle jerkers and I find you amusing, Poindexter. Don't ever change.

[Nephasth]

I think someone got a Thesaurus for Xmas...

[Le Chuck]

Remember when Joey used a thesaurus on every word?

[thomas_surles]

[pbj]

Outside of gay porn, do circle jerks ever actually go down?  Asking for a friend.

[yotsuya]

Outside of gay porn, do circle jerks ever actually go down?  Asking for a friend.

I heard they did them at them fancy boarding schools back East, like the kind Holden Caulfield got kicked out of in Catcher In The Rye.

[thomas_surles]

Outside of gay porn, do circle jerks ever actually go down?  Asking for a friend.

Well you can't just do it alone like some weirdo.

[yotsuya]

Outside of gay porn, do circle jerks ever actually go down?  Asking for a friend.

Conversely, come to ZapCon V and hang out in DeL's room after hours, big boy...

[Nephasth]

And bring your friend!

[Malenko]

It's more of a circle dutch rudder, cause that's not gay.

[opt2not]

I'm all for the UCA's. it's a legitimate chance to rip into the nominated projects since it's truely about judging them. I'm looking forward to laying into this year's crapfest.

[markc74]

I'm easy either way. Was kind of fun to see all the completed cabs in one place and read the (very animated ) arguments about what categories should be used.

We could always have a poll? Yay or nay.

[Nephasth]

Nay. UCAs are a lame horse. Put a bullet in it and move on.

[Malenko]

Commodore of the fleet and killer of the UCAs, what a glorious legacy he left behind.

[wp34]

I'm all for the UCA's. it's a legitimate chance to rip into the nominated projects since it's truely about judging them. I'm looking forward to laying into this year's crapfest.

This is actually a great point.  If you love to give feedback the UCA's are a the perfect place to do it.  I've never understood how the "Gold Star" controversy relates to the UCA's. 

[Malenko]

This is actually a great point.  If you love to give feedback the UCA's are a the perfect place to do it.  I've never understood how the "Gold Star" controversy relates to the UCA's.

Painting with broad strokes here but, it wasn't ran very well last year. A prime example a machine won for a category it didn't even qualify for, Ultimate Donkey Kong winning dedicated when it was a purpose built Multi (arcade SD).

The gold star comment is probably because of the people trying to nominate themselves. My favorite post in recent memory is still the guy who posted his build in the Hall of Fame thread and it was ---smurfing--- terrible.

[yotsuya]

I'm all for the UCA's. it's a legitimate chance to rip into the nominated projects since it's truely about judging them. I'm looking forward to laying into this year's crapfest.

This is actually a great point.  If you love to give feedback the UCA's are a the perfect place to do it.  I've never understood how the "Gold Star" controversy relates to the UCA's.

When I got involved with the UCAs (I was asked), it was with the intent to recognize outstanding craftmanship, innovation and design. I made sure, as a board member, that rules were followed to make sure that the competition stayed fair and true to the spirit of which I felt an award like that should mean.

I decided I didn't want to be involved anymore when it was clear that others felt that more cabs should be recognized because it was the "nice thing" to do, to be more inclusive of all builds, even those which were good (but not great) so people could feel better about themselves. Now, I don't have a problem with that per se, but if the goal is to recognize outstanding quality, why lower the standard?

There are plenty of good movies that don't get an Oscar nomination. That should have no bearing or effect on how those films are enjoyed. Likewise, there are lots of good cabs and builds that aren't exemplary - why pretend that they are?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you really love what someone has done, tell them in their build thread. No need to wait.

[thomas_surles]

What about a simple top 3 best of the best. No catagories.

[Vigo]

... outstanding craftmanship, innovation and design.

At the end of the day, that should be all that matters.

What about a simple top 3 best of the best. No catagories.

Beat me to it. Was thinking the same thing.    If it is truly an award of excellence, why even have categories? Quality speaks for itself no matter the type of build.