THE BRICKPICKER LEGO SET REVIEW/BLOG ARTICLE CONTEST IS HERE!!!

Jeff and I are proud to announce this contest for all registered BrickPicker members. It will be based on LEGO set reviews, Evalution Corner and Blog articles. We will judge the winners on several aspects, such as overall quantity, content and quality. We will take into consideration the quantity of reviews and articles you submit and the content and quality of those reviews/articles/blogs. Just because you pump out more reviews than other members, if your content and quality are subpar or very average, we can elect someone else the winner.

The basic BrickPicker Set Review will be accepted at 1000 characters. No less. Unlike the earlier Set Review version, you will be required to submit content for each of the 10 basic categories below:

First Impression(WOW Factor) & Introduction

An introduction and first impression of the LEGO set. Does the LEGO set "WOW" you? Is it or will it be an "iconic" LEGO set? When you see this set, you say to yourself, "I just have to have one!?

Unique Parts/Minifigures

Does the LEGO set have rare or unique minifigures? Are there rare parts/colors in the set? Does the set have a large amount of minifigures or parts that make it more desirable?

Playability/Build Experience

Does the set have elements that make it an extremely "fun" set to play with or to build, thus affecting it's popularity and future viability as an investment?

Value for money(new)

Is the set a bargain? Does the set give you a "bang for your buck" when considering piece to price ratio or is the price of the set extremely high priced for the amount of pieces included? This rating also plays into LEGO collectors/investors who like to "part out" LEGO sets to make money...Could the set be used to "part out for a profit"?

Theme Popularity

Is the LEGO set from a popular LEGO theme that sells well in the primary retail LEGO market and will most likely translate to positive growth in the secondary LEGO market?

Exclusivity

Is the set an "exclusive" set and is marked accordingly so? Is the set limited in production in any way? Is the set from a Toy Fair or Comic Con or other LEGO trade show that has limited production runs?

Packaging

Does the set have unique packaging that makes it stand out from the typical LEGO set? Does the set have special markings on the box that differentiate it from other LEGO sets?

Growth Potential

What is the potential growth of this set in the secondary LEGO market? Will this set appreciate or depreciate after being retired(EOL)?

Display Attributes

Does this set when built display well? Is it a topic of conversation when built and displayed in a office or den? Does it make for an impressive or unique set when compared with other LEGO set

Final Analysis & Conclusion

Your overall final impression of the set, taking into consideration all the above factors. A final synopsis or conclusion about the LEGO set. The numerical rating is for the entire set, with a 10 being the ?perfect? LEGO set, a 5-6 being about average and a 1 being the bottom of the barrel.

Each category can range from a sentence to several paragraphs if necessary. The combined total for all the category content needs to be 1000 characters to be accepted. You will be asked to leave a numerical 1 to 10 rank for each category as well, with 4,5 and 6 being considered "average" LEGO set rankings. You do not have to own a set to review one, but it would help and this will be noted on each review. Here is a sample of a REVIEW I did for the 10227 UCS B-Wing Starfighter. It is a 5000 character review and I would consider it an above average review. You can do more or less, but proper grammar and spelling is also important.

We will take a snapshot of the current review totals and start from there. A BrickPicker member can look over their personal reviews in our new REVIEW LOG. You will have the ability to resubmit an older review and improve it, with it counting towards the contest. Jeff and I will approve or disapprove each resubmission. What is neat about the new review system is that Jeff and I will be able to award BONUS BRICKPOINTS for above average and special reviews. A basic 1000 character review will be awarded 10 Brickpoints, but we can give up to 500 Brickpoints or more for some in depth and special reviews.

The contest will start immediately and conclude at 11:59 PM(Eastern Time) on July 3rd, 2013. There will be three main prizes:

1ST PLACE: 10228 HAUNTED HOUSE or $200 LEGO GIFT CARD

2ND PLACE: 10232 PALACE CINEMA or $150 LEGO GIFT CARD

3RD PLACE: 9516 JABBA'S PALACE or $100 LEGO GIFT CARD

We will adjust all prizes to the winner's country and situation. Jeff and I understand that some members have to pay more for LEGO sets and we will adapt to each situation. We have the right to change the prizes to equivalent LEGO sets if these become retired or out of stock.

There will also be four $25 LEGO GIFT CARDS given out to those exceptional reviews in which I can convert to content for the EVALUATION CORNER. One person can win them all. Look at my reviews for an example of what I am looking for. You do not have to go through the normal review processor if it is easier to produce a large and quality review and analysis on a word processor like OPEN OFFICE(which I use). If you are doing a "special" review, you can contact me. I can guide you. What I don't want is something I have to rewrite. It needs to be quality content and properly written. I can tweak it and help with data and charts, but the overall written content needs to be very, very good.

Depending on the response, we can throw in some other prizes along the way. Maybe some "Honorable Mentions" or some other prize for some review or content that tickles my fancy. This is a serious competition and Jeff and I want the content of the LEGO set reviews to become a very important part of our site. Unlike the quality reviews on top sites like Brickset or Eurobricks, I want our reviews to focus on aspects of LEGO sets that will affect its "investment" potential and value. You can discuss anything you want, but you should have a serious investment correlation in your reviews when discussing many of the categories. The basic categories are set up like an essay, with an introduction, body & content and then a conclusion. Think of the reviews in proper English class terms and you will do well.

That's about it. Good luck with your reviews and any questions can be posted below. Winners will be announced on July 4th, 2013. Thanks.

Ed Mack

EDIT: JEFF AND I WILL ALSO ACCEPT EVALUATION CORNER/BLOG ARTICLES TOWARDS THE CONTEST AS WELL!!!

B - it takes me anywhere between 3-4 hours to do an 11-12k character review. That's the primary reason I chose to focus on the blog side of the contest - I can spend a little more time and be able to select what I want to write about.

Part of my problem with writing reviews is that I tend to dwell too much on grammar and structure, so subsequent editing takes an enormous amount of time.

It seems like our more prolific reviewers really have nailed down the format so they become very efficient with their time.

Takes me maybe 4-5 hours for a full review around 12k, maybe an hour or so less if it's for a set from a similar release wave as one I hve previously done.  About half the time is research and analysis.  Also depends on how many graphs or tables I decide to put in.  Plus I'm not a fast typer! 

Well, I have to say that I am a pretty fast typer...probably not as fast as some of the web developers out there, but decent speed. A 11k review takes around 2 hours for me. What I generally do is write mine in a Word Doc first, then copy and paste each section into the BrickPicker form. They have an auto-correct feature so it helps with grammar. As Quacs also mentioned, the good thing about blogs is that you aren't limited to one set, or one theme. You can write about basically anything you want.

Takes me maybe 4-5 hours for a full review around 12k, maybe an hour or so less if it's for a set from a similar release wave as one I hve previously done.  About half the time is research and analysis.  Also depends on how many graphs or tables I decide to put in.  Plus I'm not a fast typer! 

This is about my speed even on a really small set or one I rather enjoyed buidling. It's tricky trying to write anything up on something you don't particularly care for. Almost like you're struggling to fill it up with a bunch of BS. My typing skills were suckass before joining BrickPicker; now I'm going like a pro! That darn shift key still sticks though on this blasted keyboard. I think the longest part is doing the background and research, plus adding links and stuff like Grolim said.

 

I also spend a lot of time browsing the most useful tool for any author; a Thesaurus! To add, I sometimes have 'sat' on a completed review and let it wait til the next day in case some fresh ideas come in or think I could word something better and make the whole thing more interesting. In any case even though it looks like I gave up on reviews, rest assured I have not. Its just that everything takes time unfortunately and I have to decide on what gets a certain percentage of said time. I spend so much just checking the forums leaving very little left for my own projects which need more full attention that I really can't write up reviews at this time and maybe not for a while.

 

Whatever, I'm proud of the few reviews I have written and will stand by them. That's all I care about in the end honestly.

2 hours sounds about right to me as well.

2 hours sounds about right to me as well.

No offense to those who write all these wonderful reviews, but I'm not going to sit for 4-5 hours and write a review I'm not getting paid for. I feel like 2 hours is a good hard cap for me.

No offense to those who write all these wonderful reviews, but I'm not going to sit for 4-5 hours and write a review I'm not getting paid for. I feel like 2 hours is a good hard cap for me.

None taken. We just do it because we like to about the same as opening a set and building it. Then again, if BrickPoints will be the sites currency and seeing how you earn said points, in a way you do get 'paid'....sort of.  Besides, I don't think a lot of us just sit there for hours on end writing up a single review. I would take a break sometime after one.

Whoa... I didn't realize some of you take even longer than me. I agree with Quacs though; I often find myself doing rereads for grammar and switching up my adjectives for variety. I hate it when I have a lot of momentum and am writing like crazy, then I switch to a new topic within the review and get writer's block.

I also copy and paste from word because of the lack of spell check...  

 

Could we please get spell check on the forums, blog, reviews, and everything else!?!

I also copy and paste from word because of the lack of spell check...  

 

Could we please get spell check on the forums, blog, reviews, and everything else!?!

Hey Mr. Big Font Man...Spell checkers are built into browsers, not forums.  Get a decent browser. IE9 doesn't have a spell checker, you need a plugin.  Download Chrome and you won't have an issue.  

I think the newest version of Internet Explorer (10) has a spell checker but that 'upgrade' messed up everything right with my browser on my computer when I applied it. (Or rather when it decided to apply itself in a required update check.) Guess they still need to work out all them bugs.

I think the newest version of Internet Explorer (10) has a spell checker but that 'upgrade' messed up everything right with my browser on my computer when I applied it. (Or rather when it decided to apply itself in a required update check.) Guess they still need to work out all them bugs.

Mr. Big Font Man uses IE9, which doesn't.  I'm growing tired of the complaints and comments from uninformed individuals.  There are certain ways to address topics and questions with constructive criticism.  A person wouldn't go on Brickset or Eurobricks and behave this way.  They would get booted.  

Mr. Big Font Man uses IE9, which doesn't.  I'm growing tired of the complaints and comments from uninformed individuals.  There are certain ways to address topics and questions with constructive criticism.  A person wouldn't go on Brickset or Eurobricks and behave this way.  They would get booted.

That's true.

 

Blackjack, you are getting pretty bold and brazen lately. You may want to kick it down a notch.

That's true.

 

Blackjack, you are getting pretty bold and brazen lately. You may want to kick it down a notch.

I'd probably be losing my brain if I was using IE-anything, too.

 

 

 

Don't get me wrong, though. I hate Chrome, too. And Google. And Toys R Us. Yes that's relevant.

 

Firefox4Lyfe.

ios in the house! I have a spellchecker, it's called a Lifetime of Reading. I pair it with Good Memory, and Google is my backup.

P.s. Orc, nice use of the yellow card.

Here

Definitely intrigued by the "Mystery Article", glad Blackjack got to do a Bionicle article because I'm pretty sure he is the expert here. FCBarcelona101 is really going ham at this one O: Good luck to all of you!

Definitely intrigued by the "Mystery Article", glad Blackjack got to do a Bionicle article because I'm pretty sure he is the expert here. FCBarcelona101 is really going ham at this one O: Good luck to all of you!

You have a couple articles there yourself. I am looking forward the Top sets of 2013!

Part of my problem with writing reviews is that I tend to dwell too much on grammar and structure, so subsequent editing takes an enormous amount of time.

This is basically what I tend to do too. I have to re-read and check for grammar and spelling 3 to 4 times. I guess I'm so used to checking my grammar many times over for school so it's like a habit for me. My last blog article on LEGO CUUSOO took me 3 and a half hours. About a hour and a half was spent on grammar and structure. Pictures, videos, and links took extra time, but I think it makes the blog post look better.

I'm trying focus more of my time on completing merit badges for my Eagle Scout rank and starting my Eagle Scout project so I have not spent too much time writing blog articles or reviews. I will write some, but I have to prioritize. :)

You have a couple articles there yourself. I am looking forward the Top sets of 2013!

Haha, I have to tread in carefully on that one. I`m already bracing for some big arguments because it depends what you are looking for in "best"; if your talking % value, then Mr. Gold is the best, but then its not accessible to everyone, more like a lotto... and these issues go on for every set. And then I keep questioning whether I should look at the mainstream sets, under the radar, or both?

Haha, I have to tread in carefully on that one. I`m already bracing for some big arguments because it depends what you are looking for in "best"; if your talking % value, then Mr. Gold is the best, but then its not accessible to everyone, more like a lotto... and these issues go on for every set. And then I keep questioning whether I should look at the mainstream sets, under the radar, or both?

Each best set should have to meet several criteria, such as theme popularity, build experience, price per piece, investment potential, piece rarity, playability, and display quality. So you'll basically have to review every set. Take your time :)

Each best set should have to meet several criteria, such as theme popularity, build experience, price per piece, investment potential, piece rarity, playability, and display quality. So you'll basically have to review every set. Take your time

 

I'm beginning to wonder if I will have to just contract this out to Mike, FCBarcelona or Blackjack LOL. Speaking of reviewing every set, how do you guys tackle reviewing ones that you don't own (unless you are Ed and own everything ). I try to find as much as I can about the set, watch a video review or two, and "read" the instructions. Any other methods out there?

I'm beginning to wonder if I will have to just contract this out to Mike, FCBarcelona or Blackjack LOL. Speaking of reviewing every set, how do you guys tackle reviewing ones that you don't own (unless you are Ed and own everything ). I try to find as much as I can about the set, watch a video review or two, and "read" the instructions. Any other methods out there?

If you really think about it, the only section that becomes a little difficult is the playability and build experience. As you said, I mostly go over the instructions and see how does it look an so on.

If you really think about it, the only section that becomes a little difficult is the playability and build experience. As you said, I mostly go over the instructions and see how does it look an so on.

 

I guess you could build it in LDD and then swoosh your laptop to get a feel for it. LOL

This is basically what I tend to do too. I have to re-read and check for grammar and spelling 3 to 4 times. I guess I'm so used to checking my grammar many times over for school so it's like a habit for me. My last blog article on LEGO CUUSOO took me 3 and a half hours. About a hour and a half was spent on grammar and structure. Pictures, videos, and links took extra time, but I think it makes the blog post look better.

I'm trying focus more of my time on completing merit badges for my Eagle Scout rank and starting my Eagle Scout project so I have not spent too much time writing blog articles or reviews. I will write some, but I have to prioritize.

The recent blog articles and reviews I have received have excellent spelling and grammar and I greatly appreciate it.  I have been very, very impressed with the overall quality of the content coming in.  Really excellent stuff.