An Impactful Customs Creator

[Astroking112]

I agree that SoV should not be the sole focus for custom design (and it feels like it has become that way in much of the community), but for some, that can very well be the "why" behind the unit.

For example, if I have fond childhood memories of Dünd and my local scene only allows classic and VC releases, then I could find inspiration in trying to create a new way to play him in a semi-competitive format. Now, the individual quality of such a design would obviously vary quite a bit, but it's still possible to make something great with a goal like that. Everyone finds inspiration in different ways, and for some, creating a "canon" unit is part of the end goal.

I think that the current overabundance of designing for SoV is leading to more pushback against the idea. It's true that designing solely for SoV isn't a great idea (I think that personal pride and satisfaction in the design is far more important), but there's nothing inherently wrong with taking that as the inspiration. Of course, that's assuming that it's truly inspiring to the creator and they aren't just looking for others' approval.

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by Astroking112

I agree that SoV should not be the sole focus for custom design (and it feels like it has become that way in much of the community), but for some, that can very well be the "why" behind the unit.

For example, if I have fond childhood memories of Dünd and my local scene only allows classic and VC releases, then I could find inspiration in trying to create a new way to play him in a semi-competitive format. Now, the individual quality of such a design would obviously vary quite a bit, but it's still possible to make something great with a goal like that. Everyone finds inspiration in different ways, and for some, creating a "canon" unit is part of the end goal.

I think that the current overabundance of designing for SoV is leading to more pushback against the idea. It's true that designing solely for SoV isn't a great idea (I think that personal pride and satisfaction in the design is far more important), but there's nothing inherently wrong with taking that as the inspiration. Of course, that's assuming that it's truly inspiring to the creator and they aren't just looking for others' approval.

Now, that feels different to me - you'd be designing a unit to help Dund for the purpose of helping Dund - that's the 'Why?', SoV is almost incidental. (It's also a 'Why' I can absolutely get behind, I've long toyed with the idea of a Doggin squad to bond with Large Hunters - Dund, Feral Troll and Master of the Hunt could all use the help, if only I could find a figure.) I just think that a lot of people seem to be more focused on appeasing SoV judges than achieving a design they're happy with, and that personal customs seem to have become less valued with 'accepted' custom communities out there. I think that valued personal customs are something we could do with more of - a unit doesn't need to be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed and numbered (sorry, been watching a lot of The Prisoner lately) to be worth note.

[Astroking112]

Originally Posted by Lazy Orang

Now, that feels different to me - you'd be designing a unit to help Dund for the purpose of helping Dund - that's the 'Why?', SoV is almost incidental. (It's also a 'Why' I can absolutely get behind, I've long toyed with the idea of a Doggin squad to bond with Large Hunters - Dund, Feral Troll and Master of the Hunt could all use the help, if only I could find a figure.) I just think that a lot of people seem to be more focused on appeasing SoV judges than achieving a design they're happy with, and that personal customs seem to have become less valued with 'accepted' custom communities out there. I think that valued personal customs are something we could do with more of - a unit doesn't need to be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed and numbered (sorry, been watching a lot of The Prisoner lately) to be worth note.

I guess that it would be fair to call it a "how" rather than a "why." If you look at it from that angle, then it's still an integral part of the design process (since in that example, the unit has to be acceptable to SoV to fulfill its purpose), but it isn't the inspiration.

Personal customs being valued less is definitely a shame. I have fun looking through everyone's random designs (and making my own for things that I'm a fan of), but that's naturally bound to happen when a subset of customs can become "official." The line between designers and fans has disappeared, and we're now seeing normal playtesting for potential "official" units in the same forum as customs that have no intention of ever entering the canon. They're two very different goals and mindsets, and I think that both are equally valid.

On an unrelated note, now I want that Doggin squad to exist, too.