Ruined Church bad review: inadequate instructions?

[Dave]

I just got a very bad review of the Ruined Church. The customer found the instructions to be completely inadequate. Did you find that to be the case?

[josedominguez]

Surprised he could work a keyboard to complain if he can't understand the instructions, also, you provide a ton of additional help on your site.

Some people just like to complain.

THe model is complicated and not for everyone, I'd say it's his problem Dave. No problems with it at all this end. I built it over a year ago and was fairly new to the whole thing.... it was the centrepiece for our Mordheim game.

[Vermin King]

I haven't built that one, but I know how good your instructions are. Just looking at the model, I can see that it is a more complicated build, but not overly so.

I haven't seen the review, but I imagine that this is a guy that would be best off with a single-layer model that can only be built one way.

And Jeeminy Christmas, at $2.95 with all the extras, how can he complain?

It just sucks that he did it, but your models evidently aren't for everyone, just those that want an excellent model for an excellent price.

[oldschooldm]

Let me start by saying I'm a huge fan, buy lots of your stuff, and can't wait for your church-with-interior project to get resurrected, but you asked for honest feedback about your instructions.

I have not built this model, but I've built more than a few of your other ones. In those cases, I found the instructions unusually terse, as compared to other suppliers [FDG and WWG.] There is definitely the feeling that the model builder has at least some experience with the required techniques and lingua-franca of the craft.

When I was just starting out, it was all very confusing, and I really appreciated step-by-step instructions provided by others, including photographs/illustrations.

Even over DGM's "printed on the same sheet at the pieces" method.

As an example - I built your free Hovel with no problems, but when I next graduated to the Coach House I was initially confused by the valley folds connecting the tall wall to the lower roof. A photo/illustration would have helped.

Honestly, the free guide you are giving out now was the most helpful and amazing thing I've read - it helped with lots of problems.

In short, you're instructions aren't perfect for first time builders - perhaps inserting a pointer to your free guide would help. Or a few images of the trickier parts of a build (valley folds, tab-gluing order, etc.)

Hope you read this in the spirit of support intended...

[afet]

I agree with Oldschooldm, that your instructions would benefit from step by step instructions with pictures.

Taking your medieval walls as an example, there is a lot of text and white images of the pieces to indicate where to score, but there is little no help by way of images to help the new modeler visualize how to actually assemble the pieces. The patrol boat, as another example, has no images at all, just a wall of instructional text. The Coach house doesn't even have instructional text, just a picture of the finished model.

I love your models, Dave, and as an experience modeler, I haven't had any issues assembling your pieces. But I can see how they would be intimidating to the beginner.

[afet]

I haven't built the ruined church, but a positive review written by someone who has, might counteract the negative impact of the scathing review.

[Dave]

Thanks, gang. Honest feedback is vital, and I think the bad review was an honest one. The project might have been above his skill level but I think a detailed set of instructions might have made it completely do-able for him.

[Vermin King]

Detailed instructions make ANYTHING do-able.

My most complex model was a car with 18 pieces for each wheel. Excellent instructions made that possible.

Frankly, I'm not that good at building models, but I haven't had any trouble with any of your models. With the perspective I'm gaining here, I am thinking of the friend of mine that we have building sessions with. He would probably be frustrated building anything more complicated than the outpost or garden shed. So, I guess better instructions would be very helpful for the segment of folks who are new to card modeling.

[Parduz]

Well, i bought your simplest models by purpose, 'cause i'm so bad at building stuffs, so i don't know how that instructions are (the ones i have are a bit "concise", but i guessed 'cause the simple models).

My very tiny contribution about the "first time builders" (i'm like this from about 20 years ) is that some pieces could have been designed in a less "error-prone" manner (like i said for that "roof part" in another thread), so the paper itself "helps" the builder going "straight"... but this is more OT than not, so i quit

[hackbarth]

Reading the instructions for the inventor house, I think the problem may be that he isn't aware of the basics of the hobby. Such as waht does it means to score, edge, how do you glue pieces together, etc.

The obvious solution is to make VERY EXPLICIT in your instruction a link to your free Paper Modelling Guide, saying READ THIS FIRST.

[kiladecus]

Well, there is always the fact that many people here may not speak English well.

I have been building paper models for a couple years, and I haven't had any problems with your models. I have built over 100 models and quite a bit of yours.

What I might suggest, if I understand correctly, is you have created a "How-To" document. Why can't you simply add that to each of your model kits? If it is a PDF, why not just slip it in there?

Finger and Toe and Fat Dragon Games both have a lengthy section of text in their packs that say, "What you need is... and here are some common folds..." Once you establish these "folds" you can say, "Do an accordian fold..." and have that document list it as an "Accordian fold."

Just my 2 cents worth... which generally is worth that much.

[Dave]

Yeah, my buddy Jerry Jensen put together a free Paper Modeling Guide that covers the basics of the hobby, and my style of models in particular, and it's included with some of my models. It just wasn't included with the Ruined Church. It is now, of course.

I'm going to look for other ways to draw attention to it. Like, for instance:

[theauldgrump]

I just put one together a few weeks ago for a Fallout tabletop game. Seemed pretty straightforward to me, but I also don't remember looking at the instructions. I guess that I have put too many models together to find it confusing.

My only advice to the complainer might be to start with some of the free models, not one that has a dozen or more pieces. Just be glad that he didn't start with the Inventor's House. (Now there is a model that I would like to see the insides of! )

The Auld Grump

[dragnoz]

I suck at making instructions and my models tend to be... complicated..., the ones of yours i have has been exemplary and is setting a standard for all of us..