ThePlasticWerks

Eurobricks Vassals
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  1. ThePlasticWerks

    [WIP] Nissan Xterra

    Oh man! You should be building MY Xterra! I already have: I also happen to know that exact Xterra you're modeling from! Haven't met him in person but we frequent the same online social circles. He's been informed. And for Aleh: The Xterra is an SUV derived from the Nissan Navara pickup truck (called the Frontier here). Almost exactly the same except for a shorter wheelbase and obviously the body styling.
  2. ThePlasticWerks

    MOCk the Police!

    I was deeply considering Ninja police, but TLG themselves beat me to it...
  3. ThePlasticWerks

    MOCk the Police!

    I just missed the boat on this one...here's my unofficial Winter Village Police entry! Elf Cop sagely watches over the prisoners. It wouldn't be a police station if a crook wasn't pulling something with a chain! Stop the robber from stealing the police Christmas cards! Sled Cop and Dog Cop are 10-14. Who's a good dog? The only nuts roasting on an open fire should be this crook's! The Riot Suppression/Command Center Vehicle comes to the rescue! Everything you need for a cozy day of crimefighting.
  4. ThePlasticWerks

    [LDD] Datsun 720 King Cab

    The Datsun 720 is one of my latest vehicle obsessions and I've built a few real model kits of it recently (and casually tried to track down a real one). In a fevered midnight fury I put one together in LDD, utilizing some new-to-me SNOT techniques for the sides and interior, and some crazy angle work to make the distinctive top of the bed with some kind of tie-down detail. Most of my vehicle builds are off-road oriented and so far my Real Brick Builds relied on illegal connections to make articulating rear axles. This time, I've come up with a fully legal and actually pretty convincing, articulating rear axle with driveshaft and transfer case! I'm playing around with ideas for shocks and leaf springs but nothing useful yet. Front uses Mixel joint steering, as per my usual. You can also see a quick experiment with a snorkel here as well. Not sure if I like the larger tires or not. I ultimately inverted the front bumper to get the look I wanted. How does it compare? (Revell model kit) I'm falling in love with this thing, so expect to see a Real Brick Build soon!
  5. ThePlasticWerks

    Why does LEGO not make skyscrapers?

    1. Cost (to pack parts) and affordability (for end user). 2. Lack of dynamicism for target audience (children). The building itself might be cool, but imagine an eight-year-old building the same floor six times over, maybe varying the insides. To make a skyscraper set exciting, it should either be on fire (thus making it a Fire set) or come with a lot of interesting accessories, both of which adversely contribute to the first point. Conversely, to include those things and remain cost-effective the detail on the building would have to be immensely simplified, and thus become boring. 3. Lack of appeal for target audience. Kids want Lego so they can act out being a volcano farmer or arctic police scuba officer, not a salaryman (President Business roleplay aside). It's also not easy to play inside a Lego building anyway without taking the roof off, and most children aren't as interested in static display. 4. Practicality for target audience. A six-story building at standard City scale with, say, a modest 16x16 footprint would have a high center of gravity and, barring a very large base, could easily be knocked over (or off its base, etc.). It's one thing if you're pretending to be Godzilla, but it's not always fun when your baby brother knocks it off the play table and it shatters from the drop, or you whack your knuckles on it. It would be about twenty inches tall, and for best stability should probably sit on a true baseplate. That's a lot of real estate that's not easy to carry around..
  6. ThePlasticWerks

    2017 City Sets - Rumours and Discussion

    Loving the bold color choices. I'm always an offroad nut so the more the merrier (even if I'll end up modding them anyway) and it's exciting to see the rectangular fender already available in four colors. To me, the new 4x4 really smacks more of the Toyota FJ Cruiser than a Landy (but those new fenders will nicely accent a Defender MOC).
  7. ThePlasticWerks

    2017 City Sets - Rumours and Discussion

    These are somehow the most innovative yet least appealing City designs I've seen. Maybe it's just too much rehashing of previous designs - the bulldozer in the bank set, however, is absolutely ace, and I've always wanted to see the Lego City Undercover concept police SUV in real bricks. I also like the police truck in that set, though it's hard to say if it's meant to be an SUV or something larger. I'm quite excited about those rectangular fenders (prepare for an onslaught of updated Jeep Wrangler builds). The increased diversity in prisoner bodies is excellent, and I do think the new blue tactical jumpsuit that Chase is wearing looks nice. The transition back to four-wide greenhouses on a six-wide chassis does mean that the Speed Champions will fit better into a City display.
  8. ThePlasticWerks

    2017 Speed Champions Sets - Rumours and Discussion

    Wave One was European, Wave Two was American. I'm going to guess Wave Three might be Japanese-themed, so that would likely give us Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti, and Toyota/Lexus as the top contenders, and if we're lucky a bone might get thrown to Subaru, Mazda, and/or Mitsubishi. I'm thinking Acura NSX, Nissan Fairlady/Z, GT-R, and/or GT-R LM Nismo (Le Mans car), Toyota 86/FR-S and/or TS050 (Le Mans car), and Subaru Impreza for the main lineup. For the "support vehicle" set I'd love to see Lego tackle the new Nissan Titan Warrior concept, but it's very much an American pickup and they really put themselves out there with the Raptor, so maybe we could hope for a Toyota Hilux or, willing, a Land Cruiser. Or they'll go to left field and give us a Mitsubishi Fuso cabover. A Dekotora would be amazing and an acceptable support vehicle choice. Long shots/maybes: Toyota S-FR concept, Mazda Miata/MX-5, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Navara (support vehicle), classic Subaru Impreza (in proper World Rally Blue with the neon yellow highlights). I also wouldn't put it beyond Lego to dip into one of the many racing subcultures Japan has to offer for the head-to-head set...likely a pair of drift cars, but I'd love to see some racing vans or something suitably wacky. What would Wave 4 look like? Korean? Global supercars? Classics? I don't think China has enough cache in their homegrown manufacturers to really have any recognizable designs.
  9. ThePlasticWerks

    MOCk the Police!

    Well, I figured Paradisa is a girls theme, so I wanted to play up the Girl Power. Found these (relatively) oldies-but-goodies. I actually did these a long time ago (back when the first Arctic Police jokes were dropping) and forgot about them completely. Arctic Police...and bonus Arctic Fire!
  10. ThePlasticWerks

    MOCk the Police!

    How about...PARADISA POLICE! Welcome to Country Club Station! (based on 6418) All inmates are privileged with supervised outdoor time. Don't lose it! Here's Constable Cindy on our new harness unit! We take care to place our inmates in secure, monitored, and comfortable settings. Chief Candace runs the show! Vocational rehabilitation is available to all inmates. Constable Christy keeps us safe!
  11. ThePlasticWerks

    MOCk the Police!

    Every season, a new Lego City subtheme is announced, and every time somebody makes a joke about "(subtheme) Police!" So, I took that idea and rolled with it for a while. These are all mods of existing City sets, most contemporary but I've thrown in a few classics. I've also drawn on past City Police color schemes for some additional throwback goodness. There are definitely more themes out there I haven't touched on (Airport Police!). Feel free to contribute your own silly police builds :) Coast Police (Based on 7726) Who watches the watchmen? Patrol the seas and find the corrupt coast guard! Fire Police (based on 60002) Anarchy has consumed the City! Good thing the cross-trained Fire Police service can extinguish their firebombs AND arrest the hooligans! Cargo Police (based on 60020) Make critical shipments of standardized equipment to all of your City Police services! Special delivery! Shuttle Police (based on 6007) When the Space Police fail, who is Lego City's last line of defense? Lock up the criminal in the shuttle jail! Farm Police (based on 7636) There's trouble a'brewin' in the countryside! Help Constable Cornfield and Cow Cop sow justice! Bonus: Bonus: Deep Sea Police (based on 60090) Sharkbite and his underwater minions have stolen the Atlantean treasures! Octo-Cop and the Deep Sea Police to the rescue! Potty Patrol (based on 60073) Beat the Party Pooper at his own game! A clever trap by the Construction Police saves the day!
  12. ThePlasticWerks

    2015 City Sets - Rumours and Discussion

    Exclusive minifig from the Official Book Guide to Minifigures. I guess he should have worn a helmet... Does this increase the value of the original skateboarder Minifig? Did Lego actually kill off one of their characters?
  13. ThePlasticWerks

    [MOC/MOD/LDD] Bro Tractor!

    It's finally here, bros! Obviously some embellishment has happened due to parts availability/last minute ingenuity. Check out this sweet rig bro! Sweet bro-scheme. Chill bro-mods. Extra-large light bar, fully extended tow mirrors, and slick shades for maximum brovision! Steering, bro! Bed rails for increased bro-laxation, bro! BRO FLAPS BRO. BRO NUTS BRO. EURO SPEC BRO LIGHTS BRO. More steering brah! Drop bracket lift, brah! Drop hitch, bro! Versus the overland nemesis, bro! Bros will be bros, bro. A more sensible vehicle comparison, bro! #bro
  14. ThePlasticWerks

    [MOC/MOD/LDD] Bro Tractor!

    Coming as soon as my Bricklink order arrives...
  15. ThePlasticWerks

    [MOC/MOD/LDD] Bro Tractor!

    Quick update. Front has been redesigned to simulate a drop bracket lift (the bro-est of front end lifts). Berries have been retract-...uh, tucked...relocated to dangle inside the bumer.