Aanchir

Eurobricks Ladies
  • Content Count

    11834
  • Joined

  • Last visited

About Aanchir

  • Rank
    Color Encyclopedia
  • Birthday 03/29/1991

Spam Prevention

  • What is favorite LEGO theme? (we need this info to prevent spam)
    LEGO Elves
  • Which LEGO set did you recently purchase or build?
    Dragon Master Jay

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Female
  • Location
    Virginia, USA

Extra

  • Country
    Canada
  • Special Tags 1
    https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/style_images/tags/LDD_builder_yellow.gif
  • Special Tags 2
    https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/public/style_images/flags/bioniclefan.gif
  • Special Tags 3
    https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/public/style_images/flags/ebee.gif
  • Special Tags 4
    https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/public/style_images/tags/jay.png
  • Special Tags 5
    http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/sprxtrerme/tags/herotag.png

Recent Profile Visitors

18578 profile views
  1. Aanchir

    2024 Space sets

    Oh, that explains the "Ph" then! Seems like a nifty concept for a tie-in set, especially since it's more imaginative/playful/whimsical than a literal portrayal of some scene from his life/career might be. But of course, how interesting/desirable it is as a set (especially to folks who aren't already Pharell Williams fans) remains to be seen, and will depend on factors like what sort of parts/techniques it uses, how appealing it looks on display, whether it is playable when removed from the frame, etc.
  2. Aanchir

    2024 Space sets

    The inexplicable misspelling of "phriends" (not a space pun or anything else that would provide reasoning for that spelling) makes this sound kinda phony to me. But I guess I could be wrong about that. Certainly I'm a fan of rainbow colors so if that part of the rumor is true it certainly wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me. But other parts of this description are phrased too confusingly for me to even visualize. For example, are the assorted minifig head pieces visible as part of the frame, or stored in a compartment of some sort? Does "frame" indicate that the set is designed for wall-mounting, or is it more of a display stand type situation? is the trail supporting the spaceship, or the other way around? If this is true, the most useful conclusion we can draw from it is not to expect this to be a "throwback" type set as anticipated.
  3. Truth be told, I suspect that if LEGO does another big "throwback" castle (regardless of faction), it won't be a remake of one or two specific sets, but rather an original design like the Lion Knights' Castle and Medieval Town Square were. After all, an "exact/near-exact scale" remake of an older LEGO Castle set would inevitably struggle to look as grand and imposing as LKC, even with refined building techniques — hence why that approach is a better fit for smaller GWP models or small side-builds in a larger model that aren't meant to be so grand or imposing in the first place. And an "upscaled" remake like the 2022 Galaxy Explorer doesn't work nearly as well with modern or historic themes as sci-fi themes, in my opinion. But I agree that a black castle would stand out from LKC in a really nice way, especially if it employed different building techniques and other visual motifs as well.
  4. Aanchir

    Blacktron 2 Cosmic Gemini

    Love this! I like that you stayed true to the orb-shaped modular cockpits of the original sets while still employing more modern shaping. To me, modularity like that is as integral to Blacktron as prison pods are to Space Police. The pilot's seat becoming a planetary rover when you lower the boarding ramp is another delightfully retro Space set feature that you've polished up to perfection. Honestly, while I appreciate how official Space throwback sets in recent years have stayed true to the sharp angularity of their classic counterparts (not an easy feat while still aiming for a "futuristic" look by modern standards), in contrast to the curves typical of more KFOL-oriented Space playsets, this sort of heavier re-imagining is a delight, and honestly very close to the sort of look I envisioned for a Blacktron reboot baack when Space Police 3 was still current/recent. And make no mistake, the smooth curves you've achieved here go well above and beyond the quality and complexity of most kid-targeted playsets! The minifig crew is also brilliantly evocative of that era — I love that you included a captain and two lower-ranking human and alien crew members (although with the visor obscuring the latter's skin color, I mistook them for an android/humanoid robot at first glance). If I have one gripe, it's that the paucity of exposed studs makes the "LEGO-ness" less apparent at a glance, and also arguably cuts down a little on the playability of what's otherwise a brilliantly playable model. Like, if the black and white striped "wing" area on either side had studded plates on top in place of some of those smooth tiles, you could more easily stage a fight between two minifigures on the wing, or set a robot on one of the wings to work on maintenance/repairs. Occasional exposed studs can also be a useful reference point for the model's scale, which I feel would make this ship all the more impressive at a glance. Also, while I can see you included an ingenious dome-shaped storage space for the elaborate utility pack (itself an extremely clever re-imagining to the jetpack/mono-tripper from the original Blacktron 2 sets), there's something I can't quite tell — are there any storage compartments for stolen gadgets/drives of stolen data? Because I feel like that sort of thing is pretty important to Blacktron's espionage missions. I do see that behind the utility pack there is one of the printed tiles like the Blacktron 2 sets often hid inside these sorts of compartments, but I'm not sure if it is part of a removable data drive, or a control panel attached to the ship itself (since the sets used those printed tiles for both purposes). On a final note, I'd love to see a photo that shows how the landing gear folds up when the vehicle is in flight! Outstanding work overall! You clearly have a great appreciation for the features that made Blacktron what it was, as well as the creativity to recreate those iconic features in incredible new ways!
  5. Fair point… it honestly surprises me a bit that they aren't one stud wider like doors with similar connections such as 87601 and 93096. I suppose one reason for this choice was that this way they work either with the 1x4x3 half-arches (like in King Boo's Haunted Mansion) or with the 1x5x4 half-arches (like in Peach's Castle), whereas if the radius were increased, they'd only really fit with the latter. That said, even with these proportions, they should work just fine with any cart or carriage with wheels six studs wide or narrower. The one from the Medieval Blacksmith would be too wide, certainly, but traditional medieval cart/carriage builds are usually at least two studs narrower than that one, like those from the Lion Knights' Castle or Medieval Town Square. Overall, I'm very excited for these doors! They're the first half-arch doors in a long time with really versatile hinges (certainly way easier to use in MOCs than 24054, which only really fit with one specific 4+ door frame mold), and certainly they will be great for modern revamps of many older Castle models as well.
  6. Aanchir

    Medieval Town Square MOD

    Honestly the changes you made to the studded roofs don't make a whole lot of sense to me. You left the grille tiles and rock plates from the original set that are clearly meant to evoke a thatch roof, but then added criss-crossing rectangular tiles like the ones on the Old Fishing Store, which suggest it's been patched up using wooden boards. Conversely, the contrasting tiles on the door of the weaver's workshop seem to match the shape of the nearby tiles almost TOO neatly, as if two perfectly rectangular slices were cleanly cut out of the painted wooden door, and then replaced with unpainted boards of exactly the same size. Also, I agree with @sporadic about the gaps in the wattle & daub walls not making much sense for buildings that are still in active use. If your aim is just to make the walls look aged/weathered, it'd make more sense if you added some mismatched colors to suggest parts of the wall that have been patched up, but haven't yet been painted over. And on the farmhouse, you have also seemingly sheared a structurally important Reddish Brown wall post in the front left corner in half, shifting the lower half to the right (against the door frame). I think this may have just been a careless mistake, though, since if you flip that 1x3x2 chunk of wall in the bottom left around, the timbers will line up vertically just as they should. That's not to say all of your changes are bad. The additional colors and textures you added to the grey stone walls work pretty well, especially with the little bits of olive green you added to suggest patches of moss/lichen! The added leaves on the old tree don't look half bad, either! Even so, I think something to keep in mind in the future is to think about exactly what sort of materials different colors, textures, and patterns in the original set represent, and how those different materials might age differently. For example, the awning in the back of the carpenter's workshop is presumably fabric-based, so it wouldn't be likely to grow patches of moss or lichen in real life — instead, it might tear, which you can represent either by leaving gaps or by patching it up with not-quite-matching fabrics (which I believe is what the Earth Blue tiles on this awning are meant to represent in the original set). Alternatively, it might fade from repeated exposure to sunlight and rainwater, which you could potentially represent using lighter shades of blue. Likewise, a thatch roof is more likely to be patched with fresh thatch (which might vary in color from the older thatch) than with a smoother and more solid material like wood or slate. And while moss loves to grow on roofs, keep in mind that the thicker it gets, the more it will vary in texture from the roofing material is underneath. Consider how the Medieval Blacksmith set uses studded wedge plates for some of its thicker patches of moss, contrasting with the smooth tiles used for the rest of its shingles. On a final note, regardless of whether you agree with the criticisms voiced above, I think it's a little surprising that despite all the detail you added to the buildings themselves, the grass AROUND the buildings still looks as uniform in color and texture as it was in the original set. I feel like this is an area where you could add further details, like adding taller grass or weeds to the ground in places that water drips down from the roofs (and/or places where the grass is harder to keep trimmed, like against the sides of buildings), and patches of bare soil in places that get a disproportionate amount of foot traffic, like outside the front door of the weaver's workshop and farmhouse (and/or places that don't get a lot of sunlight, like under the awning behind the carpenter's workshop).
  7. Aanchir

    [MOC] Majisto and the party of dragons

    Oh, I absolutely love your rendition of the classic green dragon, even if it's just the head and claws! the triple leaf plates do a lovely job echoing the original's "frills"! The rafters, stained glass windows, and furniture are also beautifully constructed. While the grey walls deviate from the original Dragon Masters/Dragon Knights sets, I realize that if the walls here were black, the overbearing darkness would detract from the scene and cause a lot of details like the fireplace and wall cornices to melt into the shadows. Beautiful scene overall!
  8. I mean, one of those three colors is long retired. And none of them are a great match for goats with a brownish coat. Beyond that, it wouldn't hurt to see even the two current goat colors in more sets, even if there's no particular urgency for it.
  9. Those comparison photos are great! The Blacksmith is definitely larger than the other sets, and was clearly designed as a stand-alone build rather than one that would accompany these later sets. It's not so large that it couldn't believably exist in the same universe, but in ideal circumstances I probably wouldn't display them side by side in a layout (especially since the Blacksmith strikes me as the sort of building that might be a little more remote rather than near the center of town (in reality, of course, my display space is kinda limited so my medieval stuff will probably be displayed close together on a shelf, despite how I'd prefer it if I had the space for a larger layout). The Medieval Town Square also scales very nicely to the Medieval Market Village, despite the difference in their level of detail! Awesome to see the difference that 15 years makes! When I finally get the town square (holding off mainly 'cuz my birthday's coming up and IDK if anyone in my family might be planning on getting it for me as a gift), I will most likely be displaying both it and the castle folded closed for the aforementioned space reasons. But I will have plenty of time to figure out what works best.
  10. Aanchir

    2024 Space sets

    I feel like that ring may be a hand-hold to assist the green-suited astronaut in getting up from bed and into his wheelchair!
  11. Aanchir

    2024 Space sets

    Probably part of the same build section as the sleeping compartment. The outer wall for that section is 16 studs wide, but the sleeping compartment itself just takes up the eight studs in the center, leaving a roughly 2x4 space for additional furnishings on either side In the close-up image of the sleeping compartment you can see a little bit past the right wall of the sleeping compartment that I think is meant to be a shower, so the kitchen might likewise be in the space past the left wall (which is unfortunately not visible in any of the pics so far). Truth be told, "kitchen" is probably not the most accurate descriptor if it really is only equipped with two beverage dispensers, though perhaps there could be other details there not mentioned in the set description like a mini-fridge or microwave oven. If not, the space is just big enough that it may be possible to mod in a feature like that using a 2x2x2 mailbox or 2x3x2 cupboard piece. EDIT: I was just Googling to see if any other sites had listings for this set yet, and the Target (US) listing includes a lifestyle video that shows a brief glimpse (around 3 seconds in) of what does indeed appear to be a black 2x3x2 cupboard with a Tr. Light Blue door to represent a mini-fridge or oven of some sort. Unfortunately the angle does not show the drink dispensers, but there is a white mug sitting on top of the cupboard piece, so I assume the drink dispensers are a little further to the left. I imagine LEGO's own listing for the set might go up on Monday, since online retailers started posting pics of the Friends rover just shortly before LEGO revealed it on their own website. EDIT 2: I just noticed the description also mentions a food-delivery drone? But I can't see this in any of the photos or videos revealed so far, so I have no idea what that looks like or where it's tucked away.
  12. Aanchir

    2024 Space sets

    There are lots more pics up here! The green astronaut has a hoverbike parked outside (same engines as the polybag one but built different in the back to accommodate his wheelchair). No green droid, but there is a sleeping compartment and, according to the set description, a kitchen with water and juice dispensers. Seems like a nice add-on to the main base overall.
  13. Ooh, smart suggestion! I would love that sort of thing.
  14. I definitely appreciated this survey. In the past I've often been frustrated at the lack of adult LEGO-branded apparel (and/or with the generic look of some of the adult LEGO-branded apparel that has been produced in the past) and this was a good opportunity to voice some of those opinions. The Bionicle and building instruction T-shirts were my favorite of the clothing examples shown — the Bionicle one for being colorful and nostalgic, and the building instructions one for being colorful, fun, and playful. By contrast, shirts and hoodies with just logos or other "minimalist" patterns can often feel like they're trying a little too hard to seem sophisticated/grown-up, especially when they are only offered in understated colors like black, white, charcoal, and navy (not that I won't wear shirts in these colors, but they need fun or colorful patterns to balance with that more neutral backdrop). One thing I mentioned with regard to some of the "upscaled LEGO part/figure" suggestions was that I especially like when that sort of stuff is practical rather than just decorative, like the upscaled mugs (which are reasonably sized for human use, stackable, and both microwave— and dishwasher-safe). The coasters, lamps, and vase stood out as some good example products which might also have a similar sort of practicality, though the vase is not specifically a product I'd be interested in. The travel mugs are very fun and colorful, although I mentioned that I'm more likely to use a water bottle or thermos than a travel mug due to having less risk of spills. I also mentioned that for the customizable backpacks or cosmetics/toiletries bags, I prefer the example using actual LEGO tiles over those using pins or velcro patches (and that maybe including a transparent plastic sleeve for a LEGO plate on the front instead of having the studs sewn on would make that even better, since it would help keep tiles from coming loose while traveling). The plushies are a very fun possibility, even aside from the cheeky choice of a LEGO goat for the example product! I know that LEGO has had lots of minifig plushies before, but the possibility of a range of cute LEGO animal plushies definitely excites me! Coffee table books are also great, though my interest might vary depending on the subject and how much new info (like behind-the-scenes insights from LEGO designers) is included. One specific example that I mentioned would be a LEGO Ninjago art book with lots of concept art and illustrations (including trading card art, posters/key visuals, and box art backgrounds from over the years). In general I'm glad that LEGO sent out this survey to get community feedback, as opposed to just basing their licensed merch decisions assumptions about what sort of products adults might enjoy. Of course, I realize this survey isn't necessarily going to mean the stuff I want ends up being made — for all I know, a most of the other adults who respond to this might have very different perspectives and preferences than I do! But regardless, it's good to know that AFOLs in general are actually being considered in these sorts of product design decisions.
  15. Aanchir

    Future Castle Sets?

    Hey now, I think that's a little harsh. I definitely agree with you when it comes to enjoying play features in sets! But at the same time, I get that as an adult a lot of us don't get a whole lot of time to actually play with those features (especially those of us who also have other hobbies and/or spend a lot of our dedicated LEGO time trying to build new stuff, as opposed to playing with the stuff we've built previously). In that respect, I understand why other AFOLs might prefer if their money goes towards a more impressive shelf presence than towards hidden or interactive features they won't have as many opportunities to appreciate. I don't agree with it, but I understand it.