Official Pepakura Scaling Thread - More Harm Then Good?

[Xtreme TACTICS 101]

Hey everyone,



I realize I had just posted a topic a few days ago, however I believe this is one of the most revolutionary posts I will have made here on the 405th since day one…



Many of you are familiar with my crusade to annihilate all scaling question threads. Although the crusade is far from finished (and never will be finished), I figure I can always get a few steps in the right direction.



Today’s topic/rant is about the current Official Pepakura Scaling Thread.



A few months ago, it had come to my attention that a lot of members were having trouble scaling their armour, so I decided to write a quick tutorial on scaling. As many of you know, I edited that tutorial many times to include more and more information on scaling, and the different methods to scale with. After freely offering my help, I wrote an FAQ to even further help the members out there who were having trouble scaling their armour. Now I have began to help mass amounts of members from different dedicated costuming forums with scaling their armour. However, my patients have grown thin with not the members, but the original armour scaling sticky.



Approximately 4 months ago, it had came to my attention that many new members were referring to Post #7 of the Official Pepakura Scaling Thread. Despite the clear warning at the top of the guide, those members still used the guide to scale their armour. After seeing how terribly wrong their scaling went, they either posted a new question thread, or posted a question in the very thread that had lead them to such a poorly scaled armour part. This is understandable for a new member to do, however it still doesn’t justify why on earth that guide is still there to mis-guide our new members.



The pepakura files that the guide is based off of are no longer available to the public anywhere. They are also outdated. Therefore, any use of the guide with any pepakura files made by another member other then JediFraz would be pure armour-suicide.



-------------------------



The pros and cons of the guide in post #7 of the Official Pepakura Scaling Thread:



PROS:



- Works well with JediFraz’s original Pepakura files



CONS:



-Jedifraz’s original Pepakura files are no longer available to the public ANYWHERE

-Therefore rendering the guide useless to all members

-Outdated Pepakura files

-Confuses new members

-Therefore leading to mis-scaled armour parts, stress, and for those less-patient members, quitting

-Causes me to help even more members then I should have to help if the guide was no longer there



-------------------------



Now, onto the Official Pepakura Scaling Thread itself.



Although there is a fair wealth of information buried in the 31 pages of questions and answers, no member in their right mind will sift through that to get an answer. I admit I would even post a new topic or ask the question in that thread considering the amount of questions and posts in there. Its purely suicidal.



-------------------------



The pros and cons of the Official Pepakura Scaling Thread:



PROS:



-Wealth of information

-Good place to post scaling questions



CONS:



-Too much information to sift through

-Too many questions, and too few answers

-Much of the information in the thread is now outdated and useless

-Nobody in their right mind would sift through more then 5 pages of the 31 page thread for their answer



-------------------------



Finally, onto my proposal.



Simply un-sticky the thread and let it sink to the bottom of the barrel. Members will no longer have to sift through the thread for an answer that they will probably never find anyway. It’s a time saver, a bandwidth saver, and overall and stress saver for me any a lot of other members.



I know it is hard for me to express my stress with that particular sticky over the internet, but I think everybody would benefit if we simply stickied a scaling tutorial that actually guided people through scaling, and really answered everybody’s questions. Believe me, while writing this thread I was very tempted to step on a lot of peoples toes about this topic. I have waited very patiently for this to come to fruition, but despite me contacting a few moderators and Adam, nothing has happened yet.



I am sure this would be for the greater good of the 405th, and I know there is a better thread/tutorial we can sticky that will actually help people out there.



Vote what you think at the top of the page, or voice your opinion by leaving a comment. Hopefully the proper decision will be made by the Administration and moderation staff of the 405th.

 

[Liq]

I tried using it last year when I built my suit, and the entire thread is all but useless. I ended up using Abrant3 proportionate scaling method thread, and had very good success. I would love to see a new updated sticky thread on scaling. I get multiple PMs every week on my Youtube channel on how to scale the armor, and it would be nice to at least point people to a newer thread.

 

[Xtreme TACTICS 101]

I tried using it last year when I built my suit, and the entire thread is all but useless. I ended up using Abrant3 proportionate scaling method thread, and had very good success. I would love to see a new updated sticky thread on scaling. I get multiple PMs every week on my Youtube channel on how to scale the armor, and it would be nice to at least point people to a newer thread.

Well, it seems during the forums down time, the post was deleted...



Obviously I agree.



However, although Abrant3's method is 99.9% of the time spot on, I wouldn't recommend it to be stickied. The method is only meant for the traditional Mark 6 Armour, not the hundreds of other costumes out there. Therefore, noobs will once again be confused, and it will turn into another Official Pepakura Scaling thread...



I also feel your pain about the PM's (obviously)...

 

[Trando434]

Its about time someone started one of these, i cant seem to get my armor scaled correctly.

 

[SchizophrenicMC]

I can't remember where I found my method, but it's that one where you scale each part to a mathematicized dimension. Like, you figure your height, divide by the height of a straight-on shot of the armor for scale, and multiply scale by each piece's height in the picture.



It works amazingly, regardless of who modeled it, assuming you do your math right. Honestly, I don't see any reason for any other methods to be posted, unless they surpass this in terms of accuracy and actual work.



I agree, the Official Scaling thread should be laid to rest. Just put a locked sticky with a universal method up, and let people look at that. Member-specific methods are just too... Specific.

 

[Xtreme TACTICS 101]

Glad to see so many supporters.

I can't remember where I found my method, but it's that one where you scale each part to a mathematicized dimension. Like, you figure your height, divide by the height of a straight-on shot of the armor for scale, and multiply scale by each piece's height in the picture.



It works amazingly, regardless of who modeled it, assuming you do your math right. Honestly, I don't see any reason for any other methods to be posted, unless they surpass this in terms of accuracy and actual work.



I agree, the Official Scaling thread should be laid to rest. Just put a locked sticky with a universal method up, and let people look at that. Member-specific methods are just too... Specific.

The method you mentioned is the method I devised. Glad it works so well for you!

 

[Shadowshail]

Thanks for making this thread Xtreme. I honestly read the Official Scaling Thread topic when i started on this forums and started making my armor but a lot of people sent me to your thread about scaling.



I used your methods to scale my armor and only had one question after making the chest way too large way too many times. I just looked at the Official Scaling Thread again and did not really see that it would help as many people as it may have used to once upon a time, especially since more and more (AMAZING!) modelers have been making armor for the greater good of the internet. The modelers make them to different sizes (even though it may be a decimal or so off) but it still changes the outcome of scaling in the long run.



So yes i agree with you in the request to change the Official Scaling Thread to a more updated one that givse multiple methods and guides to help out new (and old) members alike so there is less people having to ask for help.



~Lorenzo

Shadowshail

 

[mc halo3]

Well said xtreme i sincerely think it should be removed as it is a nuiscance and waste of space. Hope our petition follows through.

 

[SchizophrenicMC]

Glad to see so many supporters.







The method you mentioned is the method I devised. Glad it works so well for you!

See, I thought it was you, but I didn't wanna jump to any conclusions, especially when my brain is so thoroughly overloaded with school-year's end stuff.



I really do think we need a new system... Sometimes, change is a good thing...

 

[Trando434]

You know I think there just needs to be a locked sticky with all the armor models, their creators, and how to scale each one. It would clear up a lot of confusion and would be much more helpful.



Ex.

Armor Part: MkVI helmet

Creator: Trando434

How to scale: Size up by x2 then divide by height*

*use this with all of Trando434's models



Btw how do you scale RoboGenesis armor?



Edit. In fact just give me all of the armor scaling for all the models used by the 405th and I'll put them into a thread to replace the one used now! I just need permission from the mods

 

[Xtreme TACTICS 101]

You know I think there just needs to be a locked sticky with all the armor models, their creators, and how to scale each one. It would clear up a lot of confusion and would be much more helpful.



Ex.

Armor Part: MkVI helmet

Creator: Trando434

How to scale: Size up by x2 then divide by height*

*use this with all of Trando434's models



Btw how do you scale RoboGenesis armor?



Edit. In fact just give me all of the armor scaling for all the models used by the 405th and I'll put them into a thread to replace the one used now! I just need permission from the mods

Largest problem with your idea is that people get too confused, and MANY modelers will not allow their models to be posted in certain threads/wiki's.



Also, I have written a VERY helpful tutorial on scaling.



How to Scale Your Armour-Tutorial



I even wrote an FAQ to answer questions about the tutorial.



Armour Scaling-FAQ



Member specific scaling methods are a no-no in a sticky. Confusion is FAR to rampant for that.



Also, you can't get permission from the mods for everybody's models. You need to track down every modeler to get their permission to post the model. You are looking at least 50 modelers, many of which are no longer active.