I've seen it said here and there that the quality of a MOC is subjective, what's really skilled to one person is crud to another, and it-doesn't-matter-if-you-think-my-MOC-isn't-good-because-it's all-subjective-anyway. This isn't as prevalent as "custom-is-evil-let's-all-build-glorified-toamods" or "10/10 KUTGW!", but I thought I'd address it anyway.

The quality of a MOC is not subjective. The standards by which a good MOC is measured are not variable, inasmuch as the style of the builder is not taken into account. Good MOCs should have smooth flow, a good color scheme, and hopefully a unique quality, maybe a novel parts use or a new concept.

However, there are many different styles of MOCing, from which one is perfectly entitled to choose his favorite. For instance, one might prefer Roa's rather jumbled yet fluid style to the more compact, streamlined humanoids of ToM or Seran. And then there's fusion, which could almost be considered a media quite apart from Bionicle or System. Having a favorite style(s?) is all very fine and dandy, but do try to remember that preferring a certain style (even the glorified toamod can have a style) does not mean it is better than others.

Take our most recent BBCC, for instance. I agree with DV that there were entries in each poll which should have won over the ones who did win, if voting were entirely based on the objective standards of a good MOC. But, due to confusion and/or ignorance about what constitutes a good MOC, a lot of inferior entries advanced. Many of them had their merits, but objectively, other, better entries should have triumphed. Now, I'm not dissing the people who built and voted for those MOCs. If one prefers cluttered and/or disproportionate MOCs or that's just how you build right now, that's fine. Everyone passes through that stage, myself included.

It is, in my opinion, like preferring fast food to fancy sit-in restaurants. They both feed you, but one is almost certainly better than the other, even with their different styles or themes or whatever. But again, people go through that stage, don't sweat it, lather, rinse, repeat. Just please don't try to make those sorts of MOCs out to be as good as the better ones, mkay?

And finally, a reminder that I don't hate poor MOCers, just have fun, etc. I personally care much more about the person/ality than the MOCing skills. Plenty of sub-par MOCers are nice people, and there are great MOCers across the spectrum who are total ####s. Beef jerky, but without the beefy. But it grows late, I have work tomorrow, et cetera, so I'll stop rambling for now.

Also, I want to see Wall•E. {|BD