Due to COVID-19 a lot is different this year. However, we didn’t want the community to miss this years OcTRAINber due to that. So, we decided that for the fourth year in a row, OcTRAINber will go on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This years theme will be “Dioramas, Dioramas Everywhere”<\/em>. Like the previous installments of OcTRAINber, the idea of this building challenge is to actually challenge builders. To get us out of our comfort zones. We Trainheads build a lot of trains, but we tend to put less emphasis on the stuff that goes next to a train, the stuff that really makes or breaks a picture. And, we must admit, most of us at BMR do exactly the same. In fact, almost all of my pictures are just trains with a white background… So, we decided that building train themed dioramas should be the ideal theme for this years OcTRAINber. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After last years OcTRAINber (The Technic Challenge) we did a little evaluation to find out what things we could improve upon. Two really stood out: The re-introduction of a Digital Builds category, and an extended timeframe to plan and build. And since you, the community, make OcTRAINber, we decided to go with both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yes, that means OcTRAINber officially starts today!<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The idea is simple, from today onwards you as a community have one month of pre-building in which you can already do your planning, post your WIP stories or just start hyping yourself up. Everything is allowed to do already as if it would be last years OcTRAINber, with one small difference: The Entries page will only go live on October 1st. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Just so you have some guidelines on what to build, we have made a set of rules that should be enough to get you building. The first two rules are a bit different from previous years, where we had some really though rules about what qualified as an Entry. This gives builders more flexibility, hopefully you will also be able to apply this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We will keep the idea of what a “diorama” is on purpose as vague as possible. Just go all-out with your creativity. <\/li>
Every diorama must have some form<\/em> of track, and some form<\/em> of a train. It’s an Bulding Challenge hosted by Brick Model Railroader after all. Just go all-out with your creativity here as well.<\/li>
Entries must be original models. No stealing. This also means no MODs (thus also no sets), only MOCs. <\/li>
Third party parts are allowed, clone bricks aren’t. We know this can be a thin line, just walk it wisely.<\/li>
We are making no rules for the scale you choose to model in. We are welcoming models of 6, 7, and 8 studs, and anything in between or beyond! However, we appreciate detail and accuracy. Reasonably sized models are usually better for that, but we don\u2019t knock anything or anyone with serious skill.<\/li>
NEW BUILDS ONLY. We are willing to accept anything unpublished or anything that was not published before August 1st 2020 as new. We want to inspire and promote a challenging build, entering an old model doesn\u2019t quite work in that regard.<\/li>
Entries MUST be made on our Flickr group in the appropriate thread. This is the ONLY place we will be looking for entries, nowhere else. Sending photos to us on social media or showing us in person do not count as entries! These threads will open on October 1st. <\/li>
We will be accepting entries from Midnight on October 1st to Midnight on November 1st (meaning October 31st, at 23:59 PDT). There is possibility of a grace period to ensure those that need that one final Bricklink order have a fair chance. NOTE: If this is the case, please let us know at least one week (ie. 7 days) before October 31st, so that everybody has a fair chance to use this extension. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Categories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This year there will be three categories you can enter in, depending on the size of your diorama: Small, Large and Huge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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