GD UK 2010 Aftermath

[nels0nmac]

It was definitely quieter this year over the previous years. I guess the recession kept some away due to the cost, expecially those from overseas. The Large Scale catagory was even smaller than the LOTR with the number of entries, not that I'm going to complain to hard as it meant that I picked up the Bronze demon in that catagory with my Souldrinker Librarian. Had Chris ( Giganticdark) or Adrian (Vincenti) been there then all I would have had would be a second round cert. + badge.

There does seem to have been an odd selection of those that got through to the second round. In Large scale there was a particularly nice orc bust which I was sure would place but i'm not even sure it made it past first cut. I've seen that over on the PlatoonBritannica site that there are big grumblings over the judging. It would be nice to know what the judges are looking for when they make their decisions - with my entries the lowest rated (7.7 - 8.2 depending on the pic) on here got a bronze demon and the highest rated ( my terminator chaplain- a 9.0) didn't make first cut ?!?

@BPI - I don't think anyone got crushed at the FW stall but there were some very irate customers- myself included. This year they tried to mitigate the usual crowds by allowing people to order in advance and then pickup/pay on the day. Good in theory. In reality it was very nearly a complete farce, there was no queing system and only one till at the end of the reservation area which I think was also supposed to be used for everyone else to be able to buy stuff. The till did not register every product - thus causing more grief and I think I heard right that the lady operating the till had not done so before. So big scrum - people handing over their reservation slips at the front then having to fight through the scrum to get to the till to be able to pay for the stuff. Even worse delays if someone wanted to add more stuff to their order as everyone had to wait whilst the bits were found.
Why oh why they couldn't operate a queing system akin to Starbucks/Argos is beyond me. It would be so much smoother. Hand over order form - pay and get receipt slip - move over to seperate collection area - collect stuff- done. Easy . No scrum, no irate customers, no hassled workers, everyone is happy.

 

[BPI]

Interesting to read the feedback, thanks guys

Congrats on the Bronze NelsonMac :good:

Was there a CMON meetup for drinks this year or just a more casual bumping into each other?

Sounds as though Platoon Britannica & the Sheffield Irregulars were well represented and of course there are all sorts of crossovers with CMON.

Well done everybody arty: :beerwave:

Cheers, B.

 

[mxrcr23r]

Sorry to have missed GDUK. I realy wanted to get there but just couldnt put the cash together. Gratz to everyone who placed . cant wait to see the pics start to post here. the GW pics are pretty weak.

 

[War Griffon]

@Nels0nmac, Cris Clayton was there! However his entry into 40K Regiment only made finalist but he did take gold in WHFB Monster for his troll, Ben (last years sword winner) only took a finalist pin!!!

Matt Parkes took Gold and the Slayer Sword for his Diorama with the giant which apparantly he has been working on for a few years.

Overall as DR has said the cabinets were a lot sparcer than previous years even the 40K & WHFB Singles had empty shelves.

As for the judging...random was an understatment and the way the figures were being handled by the people taking them from entrants or taking them in and out of cabinets was nothing short of disgusting to say the least.
The winners in some categories (Duel & Large Scale) were on the screens before 10am!
no indication was given as to the 3 winners in each class and by 3:20 they were clearing people out of the Pavilion Hall because they wanted to close yet closing time was supposed to be 4pm!

The whole thing was an utter shambles and it seems GW has forgotten about the hobby and just wanted to make lats of money.

 

[lean bean]

Had a great day some nice work this year but the layout was terrible,got my self a finalist pin in 40k monster I'm well chuffed will post pics soon as I get out of work.

 

[Elly3438]

Wow, is GD UK usually in this sort of disarray? I was seriously thinking of traveling next year to come, but now I am second guessing making the trip...

 

[NiallCampbell]

I was looking forward to some nice pics but so far the Golden Demon site hasn't uploaded the winners bar the Sword winner but it's a poor pic anyway... plus my work PC won't let me access GW ;(

Anyway I'm sorry to hear some of your entries were overlooked You would have thought they would have enough judges and time to allow every piece to at least be considered.

I was maybe going to attend next year...not so sure now!

 

[cheelfy]

Matthieu Fontaine's point of view about this GD, quite fair I think: http://www.akaranseth.com/blog/10-years-back.htm

 

[SkelettetS]

well reading this ease my pain not to be able to go to UKGD this year (either)... have been busy with another miniature this weekend

 

[black dagger]

The word "overlooked" seams to be coming up alot. Am i mad in thinking that in a competition, any competition judges look at all entrys in order to make a decision? does this not sound reasonable? Am i right in saying that to not look at all entrys is unfair? How can you decide on a clear winner when you have not looked at all entrys? There were a few seriously world class minis that didnt make fist cut in 40k single mostly the ones on the lower shelfs. alot of time money and effort was wasted by many people.

 

[ColtheReaver]

The 'overlooked' argument is running rife at the minute and a lot of people (me included) are feeling hard done by and rightly so. I had to ask the marshalls three times to put my mini on its base and have it turned so that people could see the mini and not just the back of its base. Im not gonna gripe about not getting a pin but I would have at least liked to have had my mini looked at instead of being plonked on the low shelf and disregarded and im sure that the feeling will be echoed by a lot of guys who put the effort in.

 

[Wyrmypops]

Wonder if it'd be worth any of the names the judges may know writing to them in HQ to address the issues. Either that, or start painting the back of cloaks with "turn me around you bugger", or arrows to do that by the power of suggestion.

 

[skraaal]

To be perfectly honest, if there is a real way to do it, maybe it would be worth considering holding a community based annual painting competition. Held by painters and judged by painters.

That way we'd have our own non commercialized event (not run first and foremost with commercial gain in mind, or promotion of ones own company / products in mind) where people could gain the vote of the community and the best painters out there, rather than the small handful of GW judges.

I'm not trying to slight the judges ability to judge entrants here, but rather trying to suggest something that would better achieve a fairer system, in a competition where there is no preference to a certain style of painting for example.

I realize that the Golden Demon has been around for years and I still enjoy it and viewing the entrants, but thats not to say that it has to remain the most prestigeous miniature painting event in the UK / rest of the world when it comes to fantasy miniatures.

P.S - Please don't yell at me, the above was only a suggestion! d(^_^)b

 

[black dagger]

(colthereaver) dude exactly the same thing happend to my entry, not once did any one look at it. just put on a low shelf and forgotten.

 

[BPI]

Wow. I'm becoming progressively more upset & angry here. So far I've read about miniatures being handled with callous disregard, dirty thieving scum, inept organisation, queing for over an hour to watch a few minute long video, queing for over an hour to meet an author & have a book signed only to be handed a pre-signed copy by a staffer, competition entries not being displayed properly, winners being picked by 10 (before all entries are in?), contempt for non-EM style paintjobs, people who did manage to buy FW product finding it incomplete, preview miniatures that don't bother to credit the sculptor and the list goes on.

I thought GW held me in contempt because I'm not a teenager with rich parents but it seems they hate everybody, just dirty money-grubbing scum.

I'd post on Frothers so that I don't have to moderate my language but they'd just mock me for expecting anything different :rotfl:

Congratulations everybody for making the best of it & showing that the majority of hobbyists are decent folk despite what the EE thinks us.

B.

 

[ColtheReaver]

I just hope the same thing doesnt happen next year. I had a near 400 mile round trip to get to GD (not as far as out international freinds have to travel but a hike none the less) and it has left a sour taste in my mouth which has made me wonder is going to be worth doing it all again next year. Driving all of those miles just isnt worth it just so I can 'make up the numbers' in a cabinet. If I want to do that I will just go to my local store.

 

[Trovarion]

wake up people...it's Games Workshop. Golden Demons have been like that since I remember. It is well known, that they are always up for suprises - from bad judging to utter ingorance. If you go and attend a Demon...you have to take that into account - or not go at all, if you can't live with it...

it's the sad truth.

 

[ColtheReaver]

wake up people...it's Games Workshop. Golden Demons have been like that since I remember. It is well known, that they are always up for suprises - from bad judging to utter ingorance. If you go and attend a Demon...you have to take that into account - or not go at all, if you can't live with it...

it's the sad truth.

So you would be ok with one of your entries being left hanging off its base and the opposite way around...we all know how GW operate at GD but at the very least you would expect your minis to be handled with a bit of due care and attention. And as for bad judging, most other years I would normally say this was just sour grapes at not getting placed and im as guilty of that crime as anyone but this years display was shocking and I know I'm not alone in saying that.

The sad truth is that Golden Demon is becoming less and less like a competiton. I will be going next year with another batch of entries knowing full well what goes on but that doesnt mean to say I'm just going to suck it up and accept it. I dont know about anybody else but when I compete its so I can be measured against the best and if I'm found wanting then so be it...just take it on the chin and try harder next time but to be disregarded from the start is going to ruffle anyones feathers and will undoubtedly put people off entering again.

 

[breadhead]

Just to address the whole winners being picked early thing. Just because miniatures have photos up on display early in the day does not mean they have won a daemon already.
They start testing the camera equipment early so pick miniatures already entered that they think will photograph well. Whether these go on to place or not is a completely different matter.

Aside from that carry on :beerwave:

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

A lot of bad press here, I am put off going before I have even attending one. It does sound awful having entries carelessly handled - can you not insist on putting it in the cabinet youself, a staff member could tell you where to put it and then it becomes the responsibility of the owner to look after it. It would be very simple to organise. Maybe people need to be more vocal at the event as well, kick up a fuss and be a little more demanding with their expectations. It might be the British way to grin and bear it but waiting so long when you need not is not on. Shout about it! GW need to look long at hard at the way they do business, they obviously have passion for the worlds and models they create, but poor, greedy business practices seem to be making people hate them. If they had any sense they would have a business ethos that continually improved the standards and quality of the hobby AND made them the money. Customer service is paramount and we are wise to their see through business ploys of sucking money out of us. I dont like sales people at the best of times so when I go in for paint I dont want to be hassled about glue or brushes. If I wanted glue or brushes I would have them on the counter ready to be paid for. Poor mentality really - GW is training its staff in totally the wrong way and just alienating people.

dfb