requests and general comments for nothing

[JT Fox]

Originally Posted by nothing

no. and probably wont be. im considering discontinuing the whole line. tired of the e-mails saying the blew their money because they dont have the skills to build them. or the other various e-mails telling me they are crap.

Thay's sad, there're sad.

I've got some of your stuff and they are tough builds, I've started and thown away a few.

But as you say the problem is with my building skills not you model.

From your pictures your designs make into fine models.

I say keep up the good work.

Cheers JTF

[airdave]

I've got your 1851 Colt model...haven't built it yet
but I must say, compared to uhu's Blaster, it looks a hell of a lot simpler!

Mainly because it has some detailed instructions.

At first glance the instruction diagrams look very detailed and complete.
Are they? (If not, you could go through and clean them up.)

I would say that the parts need better tabs.
They are very hard to see, might not even print very well.
Have you also thought about outlining your parts?
(I don't like this, but many people do)

I think this kit should be labeled as an advanced kit
and you should put that right up front.
Make sure it is on the cover page and store listings.

Your parts pages could be a little better organized...it looks like you could reduce the number of pages.

I have only seen a couple of your kits, but if they are all like this, then I don't understand the problem.
Maybe you could try to make some of the changes I suggested with this and other kits?
Sometimes its all in how things are presented.

Rather than pull the kits, if they aren't selling very well, then try grouping some kits into sets. (Put more than one kit together, for the same price)

Just some ideas to stop you from giving up completely.

[doctormax]

I be sad not to see some more kits from the line trent. i know JTF i have a partly built Cutty sark and since we came into good weather here the last few weeks it has been left untouched but by a mouse that has attacked it along with a few other things. creeps me out been in the flat now the last few weeks thinking of how many mice i ended up killing after seeing a mouse at my card models.

[elliott]

In today's world so many people expect instant everything. I think what many are expecting is a "shake-the-box" kit. They become frustrated when seeing that it will actually require some work. Seems to be a sign of the times. Dave has the right idea, I think, when he suggests labeling your gun kits as Advanced (or For the Experienced Modeler).

Don't give up on the line. Set it aside for awhile and concentrate on something you enjoy. Have fun with your children this summer. Come back to it when you want to. This shouldn't be a job.

[cgutzmer]

WHAT? You got emails like that? I have heard nothing of the sort. Look on my shops main page - your colt is number 10 on the top 10 best sellers of all time. Some of your others are just barely off the list. You cant argue with what sells. Regardless of what some people say that are trying to build beyond their abilities.
Chris

[paulhbell]

While doing a bit of anti-piracy work, I've seem some comments over at PO. But that was a while ago and those guys are dicks anyway.

Please don't give up with the guns, I was hopeing you would have a go at making a FN P90 from stargate sg-1.

[airdave]

Originally Posted by cgutzmer

WHAT? You got emails like that? I have heard nothing of the sort. Look on my shops main page - your colt is number 10 on the top 10 best sellers of all time. Some of your others are just barely off the list. You cant argue with what sells. Regardless of what some people say that are trying to build beyond their abilities.
Chris

Listen to Elliott, its not about whether the kit sells...its about the reaction from the buyer when they open the kit or try to build it.

I think what Trent is saying, is that he may be getting messages from disgruntled buyers who aren't happy with what they received.
And a lot of that unhappiness comes from inexperience and ignorance.

Chris, you have already touched on the idea of adding "ratings" to the kits.
But some kits might require a few more details about not only the experience level, but also the need for "thinking outside the box" skills.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to ask designers to add a little bit of extra info when they supply a kit. Info about difficult areas of construction, or steps in the assembly that might require certain skill sets.
Obviously this can only come from the designer (if they have actually built the kit themselves) or a Beta builder.

I haven't tried to build one of Trent's kits, but I have the Colt, and it doesn't look that bad too me. As I stated, I would like to see tabs on the kit (personal preference) which could be removed if desired during cutting.
I think the kit should be labeled as an Intermediate or Advanced kit, with some extra info regarding any tricky areas.
I'd also like to see better page organization, just because the initial presentation can influence the attitude of the buyer towards the kit.

[cgutzmer]

Lou Dausse sent me a pic of your tommy gun hung up on his wall. I bet no one breaks into his place!

[doctormax]

that is what i plan to do when i finish the ak47 oh trent this is on youtube you may love this the building of HMS Daring the newest destroyer in Britain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LRWsBbgv74

[APA-168]

nothing, those people who whine about not being able to build your kits, well they can f*** off. You are doing a great thing, not only designing but sharing your work with the world. Not many people have the talent or the guts to do that. You keep at it, judging by the number of "bestsellers" you've put out, even if you get ten e-mails a day like that, those people are still in the minority.

If I can't build something, I figure my skills are just not up to the job, and it's my fault not the designer's. Anyone who says differently, especially to the face of said designer, is just looking for an excuse to be a dickhead.