How much information to share?

[Tango Fett]

Hi everybody,

I'd like to share/replicate with you this "debate" and know your opinions about this issue.

It came up in our local SW group (www.starfans.com.ar) a discussion about how much information people share in forums (mostly props and costuming in this case).

It all started because one user was complaining that he wasn't able to get any good info for some costume, so the debate started. Some saying that they do not provide information any more because they were dissapointed or had bad experiences after seeing their own parts recasted; others stating that they don't want to share in 5 minutes what it took years to learn; others not willing to share info with those with commercial intentions only; others willing to share all what they know with everybody, etc. etc. etc.

So I would like to know what you think about this, mostly because many of you are long time costumers/propers that may have discussed this before, or even came across this situations at some point.

Thanks for your insights,

Pablo

[berzerker]

I am of both minds. I have shared detailed WIPs on a few costumes but I've never been a for-profit builder before. These WIP and Show-Off threads were really just me saying, Hey, look at what I did. I'm awesome!" I was never looking for criticism, just validation of my work.

I have since started making Tusken Raiders with the intent to sell whole costumes and I'm staying mum on costs and processes. I only want to share the selling points but not the hows of the build.

On a silmilar vein, I have also given detailed feedback here and on other detachment forums being respectfully critical of builds where it was warranted. Sometimes there is no response and I wonder "why did I waste my time?"

Overall, I am less active on all forums but still have things to share so maybe just a phase right now.

[danrodjr]

I agree with berzerker n the mum thing when it comes to builds for sale, but I still like to throw a few pics out there to prove that no recasting has been done. Most of our boards can be pulled up without logging on, thats way we have to be careful about what we say and what we "give away" when it comes to information.

[madphisto]

Difficult topic.

Due to some comittments I'm unfortunately on both sides.
Generally I share my discoveries and knowledge, sometimes I have to keep them as other's of a different mind gave me information on 4yeo base. And I don't disappoint people who trust me.

I can understand those who keep their insights. I remember when I released my drawings of the original AT-ST helmet "range finder" on RPF and shortly after that several people popped up selling these. Same with my drawings of the original star wars coveralls. I never got credit for it except for some detachment leaders who asked if they could use it as resource.

On the other hand we have now more and more products being spot on and that's a good thing in my eyes.
See I'm member of the 501st and when I'm talking of standard I think in an ideal world we should have the same quality and possiblities to really look like the characters in Star Wars. However due to different views possiblities and resources we differ....sometimes with big discrepancies.

Collectors and Traders in most cases are of a different kind. In most cases they only show of the results but keep the information that lead to it for themselves. The motivations behind the behaviour of collectors are probably manifold and some have been mentioned already. The most obvious is to prevent other people to recover original parts not in hand before oneself has one or even more to make profit at a later occasion.
Those who sell parts have an interest to keep their secrets although most Traders also got their information and feedback from the community so that their secrets are often common knowledge at least for those reading the prop forums and studying the costumes.
Some are in the same situation as I am - they got information sometimes even from VIPs in the industry and can't share them even of they wanted to....

Another big part of this hobby is competition not only in marketing sales but just in your display. If someone achieved to model or recreate an almost 100% replica they enjoy it and some want to keep it a unic thing.

Sad thing.

I will keep my way trying to share what I can and sometimes you only need special information to verify another and so you can share just with a "free reference" .
I can't argue within the legion that costume quality has to meet somewhere in the middle and not on a minimum but keep information for myself.

So far I have worked with various people helping them improving their work if they were open to criticism.
Neither I have the talent of craftmanship to perform the various processes involved creating a working mould nor do I have the infra structure to produce. But I have a good eye for details and how things work and I can do 2D schemes currently learning 3D modelling to contribute. So far I have always worked in collaboration with experts to realize my costumes and that works quite well.

It is a give and take in an ideal world. There will always be those who can't think collective and those who just do it.

[redkraytdragon]

It certainly is a two-edged sword.
I can only echo everything stated above. All very good and legit reasons for sharing and not sharing information. I feel that in the interest of continuing to evolve the hobby to higher levels and standards, there has to be, to an extent, some vital information shared to verify found items, methods, etc, in order to get better quality costumes and parts (I'm including props and models in this comment as well )

When I started making armor, I came up with many ideas and thoughts about how to sculpt things faster and accurately at a low cost...some were my own and some were ideas that I read about from others who shared them. Eventually, I came to find my own way of doing things utilizing a combination of different ideas...but getting there was a long and difficult road (down which I'm still traveling).
For myself, I personally do not share certain things about my sculpting, molding methods, and techniques as they are a product of much trial and error and research (as well as screaming and throwing of things lol) because it is a source of income for me...not to mention that my methods are fairly unorthodox but they work for me.
When it comes to WIP's and builds I'm more than happy to share ideas and thoughts as it is something I can contribute to the community to make others builds easier and/or more effective...But as Andy stated, there are times that I've given help and/or info to someone and was pretty much blown off or ignored/unappreciated ...that's aggravating.

On the other side of the coin, I myself have benefited greatly from the advice and critiques from others on my sculpts (even when I know that's it not what I always want to hear, but I know they're right lol) to help me get them where they need to be. I admit that I don't have the best eye and have relied many times on others' eyes to correct my mistakes. I also think that many are more than willing to help knowing that it's a labor of love and I'm trying to make an accurate costume for the community (and myself of course lol)...it's both an evolution and community thing, I think.
Some can paint and have great eyes for accuracy whereas others might be able to mold and sculpt better but cant necessarily paint or assemble armor pieces very well...we all help each other out where we can, thereby benefiting ourselves and one another.
Naturally there will always be those who just take information and run and never contribute anything to the forums, but there's not really much that can be done about that. So like Dan stated, we just need to pick and choose what information we wish to share keeping in mind that anyone may be reading.

[danrodjr]

Amen to that RKD!!!