What If and Never Were model subjects: What's the point?

[kitbasher]

Well said all.  Nothing further to add other than to say that Mr Lorenzo appears to have no soul.

[Dizzyfugu]

Well said all.  Nothing further to add other than to say that Mr Lorenzo appears to have no soul.

A Muggle.

[NARSES2]

I do that with my back stories. I research to find out how to twist things. I've learnt bits and pieces about national histories that I would otherwise not thought about exploring.

Absolutely 

The one thing "Whiffery" does as long as you accept it is broaden the mind and help you to accept others, sometimes different, points of view.

[kitbasher]

Well said all.  Nothing further to add other than to say that Mr Lorenzo appears to have no soul.

A Muggle.

🤣🤣🤣  good call, Dizzy

[comrade harps]

I do that with my back stories. I research to find out how to twist things. I've learnt bits and pieces about national histories that I would otherwise not thought about exploring.

Absolutely 

The one thing "Whiffery" does as long as you accept it is broaden the mind and help you to accept others, sometimes different, points of view.

True. You do have to try and appreciate the perspectives of the various sides when researching and whiffing history.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Lorenzo sounds like the kind of tedious tool who people actively avoid and fake medical issues to escape conversation with. 

As much as I love an occasional historically accurate "real world" build, I find that I do far more research when building a Whif, because any idiot can look up a few bits on the internet and build something the way it actually appeared.  It takes a bit more in-depth research to come up with a viable backstory for a Whif build.  Understanding the paths not taken is just a fun aspect of modeling and history for me. 

[jcf]

It's interesting how few of the responses were in line with his outlook. 

As pointed out in the thread some of the real projects had gone through
detail design to the point they were ready to start laying keels. Long lead
assemblies and components etc. on order. Others had their powerplants
fully designed and the systems were under construction.

Other projects weren't as advanced in the process but had gone as far as
hull design testing etc. Some only existed as concept drawings. However
many did exist in the form of models, so one could argue that the ship in
question wasn't actually a fantasy.


Of course this only refers to Real World projects and concepts, which appears
to be his main point of dissatisfaction. I doubt he cares about the models of
completely fictional vessels; Steampunk, Diesel Punk, alt. Victorian etc.

[Old Wombat]

Of course this only refers to Real World projects and concepts, which appears
to be his main point of dissatisfaction. I doubt he cares about the models of
completely fictional vessels; Steampunk, Diesel Punk, alt. Victorian etc.

In fact, I think, if they were sitting on the display immediately in front of him at a show, he probably wouldn't even see them, as his mind would block them out because they couldn't exist.

[zenrat]

What a dick.

[NARSES2]

What a dick.

Succinct as usual 

[Beermonster58]

I don't have much time for people like that, limited as they are by a very narrow mind and, lack of imagination. For myself, I find it very encouraging that manufacturers are now offering an increasing range of such models. I prefer such "out of the box" types. Modelcollect for example produce a range of very fine WWII type subjects in their "Fist of War series. Mikromir is another manufacturer that has recently been bold enough to branch out into this type of subject.

Clearly there is a market here and, companies are now tapping into it. Long may they continue. It's just a model after all and,surely in a hobby as diverse as ours, there is a place for these? Actually, now I come to think of it, do the nay sayers also criticise " never were" subjects like, for example, Constitution Class starships, Klingon Warbirds, Imperial Star Destroyers, TIE fighters, Imperial Stormtroopers etc, etc and so forth?

I'd argue that every Sci Fi/Fantasy subject falls into the "What if"/ " Never were" category and yet, there is a vast and widely accepted range of models that don't seem to attract the ire of deadbrains like the whiner who wrote the article noted in the original post.

[Old Wombat]

I would argue that "What If...?" is a sub-genre of the over-arching Science Fiction genre ... or vice-versa 

[Beermonster58]

I would argue that "What If...?" is a sub-genre of the over-arching Science Fiction genre ... or vice-versa 

Good point!

[kitbasher]

I would argue that "What If...?" is a sub-genre of the over-arching Science Fiction genre ... or vice-versa 

Vice-versa for me but I'm not arguing the point.

So, further food for thought: do those 'what if' naysayers who don't deride certain sci-fi kits/models (e.g. Star Wars/Trek) behave as such because the subjects originally appeared in other media, and are therefore to their thinking a form of real world subject not 'what if'?

And if any of those manifestations of forum members' imaginations were reproduced in a sci-fi movie/tv show (for example) would they cease to be 'what if' to said naysayers and become (to them) acceptably mainstream sci-fi?

[Geoff]

It's my toy aeroplane and I will do what I want.