189 replies to this topic

[Bonaparte]

That's amazing work Z! I can't keep my eyes of these pictures. All the details and especially the roof make this so very special.

[ZCerberus]

Captain Green Hair, on May 9 2009, 03:12 AM, said:

A most impressive work Z, the dark red roof and the dome are beautiful!
I can't help but wonder why the wooden stand is on the side and that there are (no more) windows there?

Well the idea was that the cathedral would be a sort of command center, like it was formally a cathedral but has been forced into service as fortress--

However, I am now rebuilding the "fortress" section where the tower used to be, so I may be switching the wooden command platform out for a few windows and a side entry.

[ZCerberus]

Bonaparte, on May 9 2009, 06:25 PM, said:

That's amazing work Z! I can't keep my eyes of these pictures. All the details and especially the roof make this so very special.

Thank you Boney, even though you are obviously an insatiable, rapid, French dictator, I will welcome you to my port any time!

[Dr. Steve]

I really like everything you have done...I really like the design of the openings in the wall for the cannons.

[ZCerberus]

So I am revamping the fortress section.

Progress is being made... slowly

a shot of the old fortress for reference:



And the new...

3/4



Front



Back



Details- You can again see my sig fig with a raven haired lady by his side...  the duo, fresh out of leaving the cathedral together are touring the new fortress... I wonder what they could have been doing in the cathedral?? Once again I must ask " is my sigfig's piratey past foreshadowing my future????"







No Flash





There is going to be a bigger gap between this section and the cathedral, and I am working on the fortress "towers" still, but I ran out of white arches.

No there isn't any yellow anymore, and the whole thing is just plain beefier, so I think it is an improvement...

And you can see the cathedral here for size comparison...

[Commodore Hornbricker]

I like the new version even better than the last.  All the details are really good.  It is a little too tall for my taste but the scale really looks excellent.  Can't wait to see the evolution continue.

[ZCerberus]

Commodore Hornbricker, on Jun 1 2009, 11:53 AM, said:

It is a little too tall for my taste but the scale really looks excellent.

I will agree with that!... I am not sure that it is that it is too tall so much as it is that it is too tall for its width... if the whole thing were a bit wider I think it would balance better- I can't realistically lower it more than 2 or three bricks though without requiring major changes...  

I thought about ways to make it wider-- but perhaps the solution really is to lower it a bit.  

Each level is removable, so I think I could cut out two bricks per level with some work- that might make me happpier with it...

Edited by ZCerberus, 01 June 2009 - 07:38 PM.

[Captain Blackmoor]

Awesome piece of work again Z! I really like the new version, very highly detailed! Nice architecture as well.
It has a very Spanish/Portugese look now, which I really like!
This looks more like a holy building instead of a fortress! The total project is such an amazing view with the immense cathedral near it...

I think some flags here and there would add the last bit of detail to it.  

[Ratshot]

The new fort looks 100times better than the original fort.
A few suggestions though...
Like the Cap'n Blackmoor stated, some flags would make it seem more realistic.
As far as the church goes, I would add a group of monks or priests or something like that.
Add some more civilians in general, gives it more of a realistic feeling.

Looks Good, cant wait for more updates

[ZCerberus]

Broadside, on Jun 1 2009, 04:45 PM, said:

Like the Cap'n Blackmoor stated, some flags would make it seem more realistic.

The fortress is not done, and there will definitely be a large flag up top...

there are actually some "banner" type flags hanging on the second level in the balconies but they are hard to see.  

Broadside, on Jun 1 2009, 04:45 PM, said:

As far as the church goes, I would add a group of monks or priests or something like that.
Add some more civilians in general, gives it more of a realistic feeling.

The idea is to add an entire town, we'll see how far I get.  I definitely need a priest though!

[Captain Blackmoor]

ZCerberus, on Jun 1 2009, 11:37 PM, said:

there are actually some "banner" type flags hanging on the second level in the balconies but they are hard to see.

Ah, I see them. Perhaps it's better to hang them somewhere else.

[ZCerberus]

Cap'n Blackmoor, on Jun 2 2009, 03:04 AM, said:

Ah, I see them. Perhaps it's better to hang them somewhere else.

Well they are there because they also hold the second and third levels together.  I think they work there as a fine detail... but I will certainly be adding additional flags to the MOC as well.  I also need to finish the "towers" and after much consideration I am going to lower the fort about six bricks.  Not a ton, but I think the overall affect will be better.

[Head Fleet Architect]

BLOODY HELL ITS SO AWESOME!!!! But one suggestion, instead of having the,oh crap i forgot there names,um the things the soldiers stand behind to fire
without being hurt. Anyway instead of the flat tops you should put a Slope 45 2 x 1 Triple on top maybe in a different color to make it stand out like gold.

[ZCerberus]

Head Fleet Architect, on Jun 10 2009, 12:18 PM, said:

Anyway instead of the flat tops you should put a Slope 45 2 x 1 Triple on top maybe in a different color to make it stand out like gold.

Gold is the only color I have a significant number of triples in... but I am not sure how it would look since I am already using light bley and tan as alternate colors.  I will see how looks- but I actually raised them another stud as well so I would need to shorten them up again before that... I am actually thinking of making them longer- six studs between canon ports and solid brick inbetween.


General update- I lowered the fort 4 studs and modified the front of the lowest section (major improvements).  I added a crane to get supplies up to the top of the fortress and a flag pole to raise the colors.  I now have some roofs on the rear "tower" sections.  Every day I am more and more convinced I need to tile the whole bloody thing.  I need to add a bell... likely on the ground level out in front of the fortess section.

I also made the base section that will connect the fortress with the cathedral.  This section is going to house a small supply house and be and elevated enterance to a court yard between the cathedral and fortress.

I also have created some modular seawalls and docks, so after I get the fortress done I can expand onto a village... pics later tonight.

Edited by ZCerberus, 12 June 2009 - 09:51 PM.

[ZCerberus]

As promised-- New Updated top level... No design on the flag, just wanted to see how the pole worked...





Improved the stability of the back gates-- and finished the towers... this is where the fort meets the port- so I think it needed some sort of gate.  Little cart full of cannon balls too... trying to work on some micro-builds to go along with all the architecture work I have going on... the devil is in the details after all.



And here is the modular sea wall and docks I mentioned... I have 10 sea wall sections built (covers 120 studs in length) and I could easily build another 10 when I expand on to a port...

[General Armendariz]

Looking good! A great port and the tower is magnificent.

[ZCerberus]

Fort Brighton has moved!  Only about half a mile down the road (why does the US still use miles?) but that should explain the slow progress.  In my new place we have a "hobby" room that is dominated with brick.  I am on vacation, but next week I should have a few picks of the fort in its new surroundings!

[Paul cantu]

I really like the sea wall sections. The stones and arches look great together. The new top is also really cool.

[Phred]

Is there going to be a dock for my constitution when this whole thing is done?

This is some great work Z.
I really like the flag pole and crane.
For the actual flag, I'd check out what B uses on the back of his ships.

[Lego_Warlord_8]

Wow, that dock looks amazing!  Great work.  The flag pole great too.    ~LW 8~

[frontbeast]

that is really really cool

[ZCerberus]

Z, where is the update!!!!!

Oh yeah... well I tried to upload some new picks to brickshelf, but brickshelf did not take them :(

I will try again tonight.

Until then I will simply tell you what's changed.

I built a store house in the courtyard between the fortress and the cathedral.  It is tan and rown.  I really like that color combo.  There is an opening in the courtyard where supplyes can be raised and lowered to reach the lower section of the fortress.  I hope it doesn't crowd the side of the cathedral too much.

The cathedral has received some attention.  The side that opens onto the courtyard had a rown "command platform" that has been removed in favor of a side enterence.  There are also two smaller stained glass windows there as well.  I reformulated the front to make it more ornate.  It now has three doors (two rectangular, one round), some pilars and arches and some more decorations.  It is still a work in progress, but it looks much more like the cathedrals I have seen out there in the real world.  I am not 100% sold on it because the additions to the front do not blend in as well as I would like yet.  We'll see what I can do with it after I have some pictures up.

Changes still to be made on the cathedral, reformulate the "towers" on top, look into changing the roof to bley and , and add some decoration to the part were the roof joins the structure.  

Pictures to come...

[Rick]

Wow, this is the first time I see this, it looks amazing (and huge). I'm looking forward to the new pics.    

[ZCerberus]

[Rick]

Very impressive. That's absolutely gorgeous what you've done to the entrance of the cathedral: I love all the little little details and the gold you put on there. The color scheme on everything also really works well: the brown and tan indeed go well together. Overall you've really kept it from looking as one giant white block.