Really 2k votes? But why? CM2011

[Munty]

Ok I just finally decided what to do with my vote for the CoolerMaster competition and I'mn amazed at how the votes have rocketed snce I last looked. Bod's lightcycle is up at almost 500 votes and Asphiax is currently looking at about 440.

Bearing in mind this is the 'scratchbuilt' section though I don't understand how there are other mods in there with more votes when they just look so meh... Or rather, just not so OMFG as the former entries...

As examples both of our boys are currently trailing the gingerbread house which I find quite surprising (but the gingerbread house IS at least unique like our entries so that's not so bad!)

Furtehr to that though there are only 2 more entries trumping our boys which are a clever 'blooming' tower mod which opens up (not sure why but it looks quite neat) which is on nearly 1800 votes! Now it's unique I'll give it that but seriously? It doesn't take long to cut up a nice looking case and hinge it in two places, what else has this project got to warrant so much love?

The one which prompted me to post is L3p's cool desk though which is already on 2200 votes! It looks very cool and he's done a great job but in reality it's the easier kind of modding (lots of space and a big square box) compared to the real scratchbuilds where everything must be executed with precision.

Obviously I don't (and probably never will!) have an entry so I'm free to comment with no personal bias, just a little site pride holding me back from a completely objective opinion! That said, all of the entries are pretty col but I don't get how people can rate the simpler builds like a desk and a tower over a friggin lightcycle and a Federation Starship! Seriously?:neutral:

Good luck to our boys anyway (and to a lesser extent everyone else) As it stands we're looking at 3rd place positions right now but at least that'd be enough to keep you modding :D

[Fuganater]

I agree that the desk is pretty sweet looking. Also the "Desk Art" desk mod is basically the same as L3p's desk. The design looks the same to me.

Some things are just more apealing than others. This might be the year of the desk builds. Who knows. I know that if I had the workspace to build a desk like that I would be all over it.

Mod wise? These are scratch builds bar none. Not tradition in any sense but maybe thats why they are doing so well. I think the Nano Tower is AMAZING looking and it has inspired my server scratch build. But the "TRON cycle" is still my favorite. I think geeks are changing what they like. I also think that the HL2 mod "Charge" is an awesome idea. My friend went crazy about it and he is an extreme HL2 fan. It is probably my 2nd favorite "tradition" mod.

If you've noticed, there are alot of desk builds this past year. I am also thinking of building a desk but decided I can't do it here due to unreliable wood. But if I had access to the tools to do it out of alu or steel, it would be a done deal.

[Munty]

Ditto, I want a new desk too and I must say the L3p way of doing it was something I'd already been pondering (though not really in the same way. I'm thinking about actually making the components in use form parts of the desk, hard to explain :D) But yes it is great and I had seen the other one and thought the same as you but how many votes has that got?!

I think it's a shame that it's so broad a category this year as like you say the desk build IS a scratchbuild and it is also undeniably a computer so it fits the category but it's not really comparable to charge and the Nano-tower and such. Maybe there should be a third tutorial next year to differentiate between those which remain pretty hardware (like heavily modded or scratchbuilt 'cases') and those which are themed or shaped like the lightcycle, Eurisko, etc and so on.

If they start going down that road though I guess you'd have people saying similar thigns every year like 'I would've won if me and him were in different categories' lol

Good luck to our boys anyway, they deserve first but so long as we place somewhere then at least they'll be recognising REAL skill ;)

[Blibbax]

I don't think most people vote by the difficulty of the mod, but rather by how much they'd like to own it, or something like that.

I voted for a TBCS candidate, though, and I wish good luck to all of them :)

[crenn]

Competitions like this is more a case of who you know ;P

[Munty]

Competitions like this is more a case of who you know ;P

I have to say Io think that's right for the desk guy. It's good, but it's not THAT good! He must have the whole country voting for him somehow lol

Blibbax, I agree, it's not about how complex it is to make but it should be about which is best and generally the best ones tend to have taken more work anyway :p Of course you're right though it's down to each individual person's tastes but I still find it hard to believe that over 2,000 people prefer the desk to all the other great entries there. Especially when you consider there are a few great projects there with way fewer votes than they deserve...

[dr.walrus]

I'm not a fan of 'themed' stuff. Doesn't make any sense to me at all. But to fit them attractively into a piece of furniture? I dig that, a lot

[SXRguyinMA]

the desk is winning cuz he's got UV cathodes :whistler: lol

[NightrainSrt4]

The CM contest has always appeared to be a popularity contest in my eyes. IIRC a couple years ago there were bone stock cases with more votes than people that actually modded. Ehh.

[Kayin]

Last I checked, I think I had 11 votes. Then again, tornadoes put an end to modding for a while, so it was unfinished.

[RogueOpportunist]

Like anything in life it's all in how you market yourself, a large portion of the votes for competitions like that don't come from people already on CM's website, they come from people being directed to go there and vote, that's largely the reason they put on these competitions in the first place, it's low-cost high volume targetted marketing.

If you have a mod listed in the CM competition and leave it at that you aren't going to get much attention, if you list it and then promote your contest entry with every forum post you make or person you speak with you will get tons of votes... Contests like these have little to do with who is "best"... It's just a matter of who is better at marketing and what design has more appeal to the person walking in off the street.

If you wanted to enter a competition like this just to win here's 5 easy steps that would almost guarantee it...

1) Take any old computer and paint it black.

2) Spend some money on liquid cooling, LED fans and UV cathodes.

3) Use paper mache to make the front of the case look like a naked woman with the perfect body and the inside look like a strip joint, complete with Barbie doll rippers poll dancing on your liquid cooling.

4) Promote your entry on every single forum you can.

5) Win... 'Cause boobs, tubes and blinking lights is about all it would take. :D

[Munty]

3) Use paper mache to make the front of the case look like a naked woman with the perfect body and the inside look like a strip joint, complete with Barbie doll rippers poll dancing on your liquid cooling.


Hmm... Pole dancing Barbies eh... Well that's an idea for next years competition ;) I agree though, it does seem to be more about advertising than actual achievements which is a real shame for the entrants who seem to be missing out on the attention they deserve.

[Snowman]

Last I checked, I think I had 11 votes. Then again, tornadoes put an end to modding for a while, so it was unfinished.

I can't fathom why you only have 11 votes personally I think it should be one of the top contenders.

[Munty]

Exactly the point, it shouldn't be about spamming your project everywhere to get votes from people who really don't car but I guess it just is. Shame to think the best mod may not win but I guess we can each come to our own conclusions and sites like this are more than enough to ensure that there is credit where it's due :)

[x88x]

Exactly the point, it shouldn't be about spamming your political candidate everywhere to get votes from people who really don't car but I guess it just is.

Sorry; I couldn't resist. :P ;)

[SXRguyinMA]

theres guys all over FB spamming everyone with "vote for me" and a link to their mod. some people got rather pissed and intentionally didn't vote for them lol

[AmEv]

Well, your sigquote goes rather well with your statement.



I think there's a blatant difference in advertisement between "I'm here, use my product!" and "I'm watching you to make sure you buy it, or else......"