Alrighty, so for the past several days - even spanning to weeks the same issues have played out in a broken record like fashion. I have watched good portions of this take place and have been patient, waiting for it to burn out but for some inane reason we always end up returning back to the same points. Be it varied takes of Devil’s Advocates carrying vague points that function as moving targets or relying on semantics games solely during this all, this whole thing has become a muddled down fest of nonsense.
We shall start with referring back to @SubParFauxPas 's post the address of Greg’s quotes, in which the point of a Metru build was established, and as they said, cut and dry here. Focusing on the following statement they made afterwards is incredibly important as it too is what I was to refer to. A “Definition” of a Metru build or the “design” of one, that has been sitting in contention for some asinine reason is largely an issue equal to such that has been memed numerous times, and fairly so: “is this a man”?.
As iBunny went onto explain after the Greg quotes; we already have this “definition” as Norik and Iruni both deviated from the literal sets from which it was named in this case both the armor designs and arrangements were unique to them, however this as the cut and dry quote would indicate are Metru builds without any form of question to be had. Referring to what @Sharnak also mentions in relation to Pohatu and Onua are also important as this is a distinction related directly to the Metru build controversy and was summed up nicely in the first paragraph.
Moving from that; the color combinations discussion. As indicated between numerous members in canon(Toa of Fire being prime candidates) there is not a set metallic color allotted to any element and realistically no real reason to play a game of there having to be gold or silver only for the special metallic armor gifted to the Hagah. The most I’ve seen this point used for is some shoddily constructed strawman’s that accomplish very little in the grand scheme.
The point nestled in here on the distinctions of custom builds is also problematic. Try as they may I’m afraid no Cherry Poptart will end up being an actual Cherry. Equally here no custom build will be a metru torso per say, I believe the desire for them personally is short sighted as custom =/= better. The claim that it stifles creativity also is ironic in of itself as the means to be creative is to be able to take what is already and transform it as well, not rely solely on build techniques that may be comfortable to someone.
In the end, whether the contest allows it or not is fruits of another garden to have, for now it stands to point out it was previously indicated via TTV in a general overview for said contest that the art section would convert it back to an actual Metru torso regardless not class some brand new build technique as a Metru build. This contest is for giving named characters depictions not for canonizing build techniques.
The whole deliberation on the art contest baffles me. The purpose of it in the end is to be able to depict the Hagah as a whole as a cohesive team with representative depictions for all members within it. Which is fair since the art depictions of canon are already variable they are simply meant to capture a interpretation of the figure. So I’m not quite sure what all the kerfuffle is about.
Addressing the fact lastly that these are canon contests of which are for already defined character depictions. This is a contest to showcase talent and interpretation but yammering on about how it stifles creativity shows little thoughtfulness overall. If you are after a free for all of all sorts of design then I’m afraid Tuyet, Lariska, Orde, Zaria, Chiara, Nidhiki, Varian, GSB, and Marendar are your mix. The expectation to disregard what has been defined for the claimed “no opportunity for creativity” is quite mindless. As @SubParFauxPas indicated in the encapsulation of a wide variety of creative designs all of which are indeed Metru builds utilizing the root torso in question and most of its initial functions. And if people do not “care enough to enter” due to restrictions that is their call to make but expecting to alter precedent and rules and defined writing for the sheer sake of entries is not really a reasonable claim outside of personal opinion which is remedy by participation acknowledging said conditions or voting according to your own.
This would bring my main overview to a close. I will say attempting to define a rigid ratio of what is a build and isn’t is ironic in combination with the desire for custom torso builds which would contradict a set precedent of there being a “correct” way to such. Simply put, this whole portion makes little sense to play semantics endlessly when what it is, has been relatively clearly defined already by Greg, and the sets themselves.
What people get creative about and try to do on their own is up to them, there is creativity to be found within restrictions as seen in iBunny’s examples, and there have been fantastic 3D printed masks and spear heads already and I hope to see more amazing work in the future and possibly, just maybe, a tad less pointless arguments.