Subject:
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Re: Question to all the other train clubs
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains.org
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Date:
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Wed, 20 Aug 2003 19:47:23 GMT
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Viewed:
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1003 times
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In lugnet.trains.org, John Gerlach wrote:
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Our train club is stagnating. Hardly anyone shows up to our building
sessions, and productivity has dropped to almost nothing. We’ve lost
direction, we’ve lost enthusiasm, we’ve lost committment.
What can our club do to make things fun again?
I’m just about ready to walk away for a long hiatus... There was a time when
we were one of the premier LTCs in the country, but now a LOT of groups have
long passed what we’re doing. We’re basically becoming a second-tier club.
Suggestions, anyone? We need help!
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I’m not sure I can help you get the members enthused about working on the layout
again, but I might be able to offer some suggestions that could help the club
get back that close knit feeling. Recently I asked the question “What makes a
good meeting?” The idea was to put some FUN back into meetings. Rather than
just an update on upcoming shows and a few new MOCs to take a gander at. Here
are some of the ideas that our group came up with:
Informative Presentations - They could be on any topic: advanced building
techniques, layout design 101, LDraw, analyzing the design history and
methodology behind a particular MOC.
Seed Parts - The idea here would be to pick a random, seemingly useless part and
let everyone try to use it in a creation. Perhaps assigning a specific theme to
it, or perhaps not. Best practice would be to pick the part at least a month in
advance.
Restricted builds - Given a small subset of parts what can you build? A couple
variations on this are possible. 1) Alternate models from an offical LEGO set.
2) A member could come up with a varied and bizarre list of parts, wherein Club
members could have a month to come up with some model using only (but not
necessarily all) of the parts listed. 3) Timed build - using the basic principle
of the previous options, the parts could be brought to the meeting (participants
wouldn’t know what the set was going to be, or if a random bucket of parts,
would they know the contents, said orginizer of such event would be ineligible
to participate.)
Brainstorming and planning - Take a preliminary hack at designing a layout
for an upcoming show. (This option doesn’t work as well for GMLTC, but then
maybe the group could get together and brainstorm ideas for a new module. If the
module is new and exciting, then maybe members will be more likely to show up
for building sessions and help.)
Drafting - We have done these a number of times, and while a few have been a
bit long, they continue to be a favorite of some of the members.
Build assignments - Picking some theme for a project, each interested member
would build a creation within the restraints. Possible ideas - Contruction
Vehicle with under 200 parts, small hovercraft under 51 parts, castle themed
inn, must fit in a 16x16x16 box. The possibilities are only as limited as
your imagination.
Brick Gaming - Evil Stevie’s Pirate Game, BrikWarz, BrickQuest, etc. We played
ESPG at the last meeting and it was a blast. Even the people who didn’t played
ended up watching. Also we plan to play BrickQuest at the next meeting.
Hope some of those help.
Jason Spears | BrickCentral | MichLUG
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Question to all the other train clubs
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| Our train club is stagnating. Hardly anyone shows up to our building sessions, and productivity has dropped to almost nothing. We've lost direction, we've lost enthusiasm, we've lost committment. Help?! What can our club do to make things fun again? (...) (21 years ago, 14-Aug-03, to lugnet.trains.org, FTX)
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