MOC-ing the Haunted House

[Jern92]

So I decided to bite the bullet and used up a chunk of my savings to get the Haunted House from the Lego Shop now that it's October and they have the free Workshop and double VIP pints.

Now, most MOC's I found online were of people using 2 separate 16x32 baseplates so that the house swings open as usual. I initially wanted to make it a 32x32 set but then I realised this wouldn't work because there would either be no space for the main gates at the front, or the model wouldn't be able to swing open like it's supposed to.

Would it be better to use 3 16x32 plates (2 for the house, and one up front for the gates and lawn), or just use a normal 32x32 plate and simply place the house on top of it? Plus I was thinking that if I went for the first option, I could build directly onto the baseplates instead of onto the plates provided for the Haunted House, and keep the unused plates for other purposes. The second option would mean having to unattach it from the 32x32 plate every single time I wanted to tinker with it, but creating a smaller lawn would be much easier than a 32x48 lawn of the first option.

[rollermonkey]

Remember: modulars have floors that are easily separated. The Haunted House does not. Access is via the 'dollhouse' hinged design. If you go 32X32, the mod will be more extensive than just plunking it down on a 32X32 baseplate if you actually want to get inside. I like your idea of 3-16X32 plates. You can keep the current dollhouse design and add the front yard on another hinge...

OR...

Put the front yard and the front of the house on a 32X32 and the back of the house on a 16X32. You keep the dollhouse design, can incorporate the larger plate into the standard modular row, and set the house back from the 'street'.

[mattdev25]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to customize minifigures using paint because I'm getting tired of sacrificing my other torsos for customs

OOPS! Sorry! Wrong forum!

[Faefrost]

So I decided to bite the bullet and used up a chunk of my savings to get the Haunted House from the Lego Shop now that it's October and they have the free Workshop and double VIP pints.

Now, most MOC's I found online were of people using 2 separate 16x32 baseplates so that the house swings open as usual. I initially wanted to make it a 32x32 set but then I realised this wouldn't work because there would either be no space for the main gates at the front, or the model wouldn't be able to swing open like it's supposed to.

Would it be better to use 3 16x32 plates (2 for the house, and one up front for the gates and lawn), or just use a normal 32x32 plate and simply place the house on top of it? Plus I was thinking that if I went for the first option, I could build directly onto the baseplates instead of onto the plates provided for the Haunted House, and keep the unused plates for other purposes. The second option would mean having to unattach it from the 32x32 plate every single time I wanted to tinker with it, but creating a smaller lawn would be much easier than a 32x48 lawn of the first option.

Someone around here came up with a really nice solution to that last year. They basically tiled and plated over a 32x32 baseplate so the front had the normal modular sidewalk, and the HH was sitting on another foundation layer. This foundation only had a few studs securing the HH on one side. The other half of the house sat on tiles. Thus it could swing open without detaching it.

[Jern92]

Someone around here came up with a really nice solution to that last year. They basically tiled and plated over a 32x32 baseplate so the front had the normal modular sidewalk, and the HH was sitting on another foundation layer. This foundation only had a few studs securing the HH on one side. The other half of the house sat on tiles. Thus it could swing open without detaching it.

Were you referring to this?

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=94446

Remember: modulars have floors that are easily separated. The Haunted House does not. Access is via the 'dollhouse' hinged design. If you go 32X32, the mod will be more extensive than just plunking it down on a 32X32 baseplate if you actually want to get inside. I like your idea of 3-16X32 plates. You can keep the current dollhouse design and add the front yard on another hinge...

OR...

Put the front yard and the front of the house on a 32X32 and the back of the house on a 16X32. You keep the dollhouse design, can incorporate the larger plate into the standard modular row, and set the house back from the 'street'.

I was thinking of putting this down next to a 32x32 or 32x48 park (on the other side of which is my Parisian Restaurant), so yes, setting it back from the street could work. Don't want to put it right next to the modulars because it'll look out of place, so will definitely have something to separate it off. Wanted a graveyard at first, but the Parisian Restaurant might lose all its customers....

[Slegengr]

Put the front yard and the front of the house on a 32X32 and the back of the house on a 16X32. You keep the dollhouse design, can incorporate the larger plate into the standard modular row, and set the house back from the 'street'.

I agree with this. It makes sense to me that you could easily maintain the hinge functionality while adding a front yard.

I personally am building a combination of multiple Haunted Houses, and dealt with the same issue. I ended up incorporating hinges in various locations and making floors/roofs removable to make the interior accessible. I have plans to make a landscape around the house that hinges away for access. Both house and landscape will be on plates rather than baseplates to allow for precise dimensions.

[Jern92]

I personally am building a combination of multiple Haunted Houses, and dealt with the same issue. I ended up incorporating hinges in various locations and making floors/roofs removable to make the interior accessible. I have plans to make a landscape around the house that hinges away for access. Both house and landscape will be on plates rather than baseplates to allow for precise dimensions.

Any chance you could share some pictures? I wanted to make roofs removable, but not entirely sure how and what color bricks to do that with.

[Slegengr]

Any chance you could share some pictures? I wanted to make roofs removable, but not entirely sure how and what color bricks to do that with.

I plan to share pictures soon, but I am not finished yet. I am too close to finished to want to spoil the surprise with WIP pictures.

My basic removal method is using tiles on top of the slope bricks except in the corners, where I used a 2x2 black corner plate (to attach the roof and keep it from moving). I also added tiled support posts across the floor to support the span.The roof itself is comprised of large black plates with underplates for structure that do not extend to the outside stud-edge, which rests on the tiles. The flat portion of the roof becomes one plate taller, but it is worth it to me to have a removable roof.

Slegengr

I will try to attach images now (my first image post: hope it works).

Roof1 by Slegengr, on Flickr

Roof2 by Slegengr, on Flickr

Roof3 by Slegengr, on Flickr

Sorry for poor picture quality. These are quick pictures to get the point across.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Slegengr

[kvasir]

Here's a (semi) modular MOC I did with the Haunted House. The sidewalk is unpaved because I only used pieces available to the set. Architectural style as faithful to the original as possible. It's essentially a façade. The only thing "modular" about this building it has the same technic pin brick placement and the same sidewalk offset. It's only 16 wide. The floors are not modular, but the sidewalls can be removed easily for access.