11/01/2023 Gundam Planet Comments

UPDATE [November 1 @ 2:30PM]:

Attention all pilots,

We have an update about our ACtober build contest! As you may have seen, Bandai just announced that they will be launching a line of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon model kits in 2024. Obviously this is amazing news for us and all fans of the game, but it does put us in an interesting position.

Due to this unexpected announcement, we now know that there will be a time in the not-so-distant future where even more Armored Core fans will be able to build the AC of their dreams and participate in the build-off than may be able to right now. Combined with the fact that Kotobukiya has continued to announce more and more reissues of kits from their own Armored Core lines, we’re re-evaluating the best time for this contest.

Not only are we considering better times to build, but we’re also considering even better prize packages. We only had three upcoming kits to pick from when planning this contest and choosing our prize packages, but between now and all these future releases, there will be a better selection of prizes for us to choose from than ever before. In the interest of giving every Armored Core fan the best possible contest experience, we’re going to INDEFINITELY EXTEND the contest and announce a new deadline with new prizes as soon as we find out the amazing things that Bandai and Kotobukiya (and maybe even more??) have in store.

Those of you who put in amazing work and rushed to meet the original November 6th deadline, don’t worry! We absolutely love what you did and will be reaching out to each of you to coordinate early participation rewards, and you’ll have the opportunity to maintain your original entries or make something even better when the new deadline is announced. We don’t want anyone to feel like their hard work was for nothing!

If you’re already working on something that you planned to submit by November 6th, you still have until the original deadline to submit it and be included in the early participation rewards. We’ll also be updating our original ACtober blog post to feature your builds on our website and show off the amazing work you did with the limited AC-related resources at your disposal!

There has never been a better time to be a fan of Gunpla or Armored Core, and we’ve always been thrilled to provide a way for you to show your love for both. We cannot wait to see what all of you are able to create as ACtober burns on!

The original post can be found in its entirety below; we will specify any changes once they are finalized.

September was all about playing Armored Core VI, and now October is all about bringing your in-game creations to the world of Plamo! Starting October 4th, we'll be hosting the ACtober build-off! Read this post for all the details.

The contest will be broken down into three categories as follows:

• Custom-> This is any custom build that has not been airbrushed. Entrant can use top coat, panel line, decals, Gundam Markers, or hand paint for small details that would otherwise require stickers.
• Painted Custom-> This is any custom build that has had its base color scheme altered completely through the use of hand painting, spray cans, or airbrushes (including the Gundam Marker airbrush).
• Diorama-> This is any painted custom build displayed in a fixed pose that includes elements other than the custom-built unit itself. This can include battle scenes, maintenance bay/hangar scenes, or other “moment in time” types of displays. (Due to the limited accessibility and availability of it, we will only judge creative use of the Collector's Edition Garage Hangar i.e. Extensive modification/repainting.)

Judging:
Entries will be submitted and sorted into categories by our staff. Each category will be judged according to its own qualities (for example, “painting” will not be judged in the unpainted category). Since this is an Armored Core contest, we will be giving points for likeness to units (this means anything from the Heavy Chopper to any MT's, or even the Ice Worm if you're brave enough) in-game. (Even if the mech doesn’t exist in one single AC game, you can take elements from different entries in the universe and combine them into one build.)

How to enter:
Email [email protected] with the subject line “ACtober Build-Off Entry”

Include your name, preferred social media handle, the name of the entry, anything you’d like us to know about the build, FOUR unfiltered images of the build, and at least one reference picture of the unit(s) from the game(s) it is based on.

Winners:
One winner will be chosen from each category by a dedicated judge from our staff (who will not be able to see the name of the entrant; judging will be done based on pictures alone). There will also be a social media bracket after the entry period has closed, with one grand “People’s Champion” chosen by votes on Instagram.

Winners will be announced on social media, so make sure you're following us to see if you've won and also see how your build stacks up in the People's Champion bracket!

Prizes:

• Diorama Category: TBD Pending new item announcements
• Painted Category: TBD Pending new item announcements
• Custom Category: TBD Pending new item announcements
• Fan Favorite / People’s Champion: TBD Pending new item announcements

In the event that entrants do not evenly balance into the categories (i.e. there are 40 painted and 2 custom), we will instead switch the prizes to a "1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall" structure, respectively.

We reserve the right to alter the terms of the contest if necessary due to any unforeseen circumstances. We appreciate your understanding!

Now that you know the parameters of the mission, it's time to get to work, 621.