[MOD][LDD] Tantive IV

[hga09]

LDD model of Tantive for using the minimal (DesignByMe) brick set:

LDD Model can be found here.

Here is a slightly modified version (based on some suggestions on this thread) that uses a few bricks that are only available in LDD Universe mode to match the scale of the engines better:

[Frolando22]

Most impressive Only thing is maybe you could make the engines bigger?

[prateek]

Looks very good, considering it's limited to the DBM palette! I think the engines should be bigger though

[XimenaPaulina]

Looks very good, considering it's limited to the DBM palette! I think the engines should be bigger though

That's what I first noticed too, the size of the engines should have been bigger, though I would assume it's because of the limited DbM palette? Still, pretty good job on this LDD MOC hga09.

[Fallenangel]

This is pretty good, considering the limitations of LDD. My main complaint is that it's too fat around the middle. And why does everyone make the docking rings stick out so much?

Only thing is maybe you could make the engines bigger?

I think the engines should be bigger though

That's what I first noticed too, the size of the engines should have been bigger, though I would assume it's because of the limited DbM palette?

Hmm...

Not so much bigger as longer, I think, though I'm not sure. Also, you may want to emphasize the displacement of the outermost engines a bit more - they should be attached slightly differently from the inner engines. At present, the engines look too uniform.

[doggt123]

Looks really good but the engines are too small. But thats probably due to LLD's limitations.

[CommanderFox]

Very nice hga09!

I really like the proportions of the ship, the engines are fine i think.

CF

[hga09]

This is pretty good, considering the limitations of LDD. My main complaint is that it's too fat around the middle. And why does everyone make the docking rings stick out so much?

Hmm...

Not so much bigger as longer, I think, though I'm not sure. Also, you may want to emphasize the displacement of the outermost engines a bit more - they should be attached slightly differently from the inner engines. At present, the engines look too uniform.

I think part of what makes it look somewhat fat in the middle is the default camera angle for LDD. Here is another view from the top to shows the proportions (length/width) better:

I do agree that the engines are a bit too "thin". There is no way to build a 3x3 engine in the DesignByMe mode. However, the wonderful world of the "Universe Mode" has some interesting possibilities:

[LegoDad42]

This 'Universe Mode' ship looks great! Love the proportions on it...as well as the design, just excellent.

What did it end up costing once ordered?

[Fallenangel]

I think part of what makes it look somewhat fat in the middle is the default camera angle for LDD. Here is another view from the top to shows the proportions (length/width) better:

I do agree that the engines are a bit too "thin". There is no way to build a 3x3 engine in the DesignByMe mode. However, the wonderful world of the "Universe Mode" has some interesting possibilities:

No, it’s definitely too fat, looking at the overhead and side views. You can tell from this picture that the “clamshell” structures on either side (sporting the laser cannons and escape pods) should be thinner than the head, and from this picture that they are considerably narrower. Admittedly it’s not as bad on your model as it was on, say, 7665 Republic Cruiser, but it’s still there. Making the slope behind the head consistent instead of combining a 33 slope with a 2x4 would also improve the look (but don’t use curved bricks: they will ruin the look of the ship!).

It’s not so much that the docking rings are too wide than that those engines really are too small. The length you’ve added in Universe mode looks considerably better, but it’s just got to be wider. (In this picture you can also see what I meant by the outermost engines – they really do kind of stick out from the inner engines and aren’t so much part of the engine “block” in the rear. Also, part of the engines should be blocky - I wouldn't use the 4x4 cones.

I’ve also noticed that the laser cannons on the “clamshell” structures are ridiculously oversized; in my opinion minifigure levers would be much closer to the actual size and would also allow the guns

to pivot (which is a plus).

The section with the fins tapering in toward the docking ring doesn’t look right; I know it’s LDD, but surely there must be some way to arrange them so that they angle in towards that section?

Kudos on including the main reactor which LEGO omitted on both 10019 and 10198. As a matter of fact, I have to praise the elongated look you've given the ship - it just looks so much better (and is much more accurate) than LEGO's contorted 10019. However, I would remove the grey corner bricks in front of the engine block – as you can see in the pictures I’ve linked to, it should really be quite flat there.

This is indeed a good rendition of one of my favorite ships from the Original Trilogy, and if you follow the suggestions I've given I think it could look even better.

[hga09]

This 'Universe Mode' ship looks great! Love the proportions on it...as well as the design, just excellent.

What did it end up costing once ordered?

Design by Me price is around $200.

However, most of the parts are very common Lego pieces. Many Lego fans may have 90% or more of the parts already in their stock.

The Design by Me version has 955 parts in 164 lots.

Just for fun, I entered the part list to Bricklink and found a store (sabobrick) that has 888 of the parts (148 lots) for $81.27. All are brand new parts, too...

[hga09]

No, it’s definitely too fat, looking at the overhead and side views. You can tell from this picture that the “clamshell” structures on either side (sporting the laser cannons and escape pods) should be thinner than the head, and from this picture that they are considerably narrower. Admittedly it’s not as bad on your model as it was on, say, 7665 Republic Cruiser, but it’s still there. Making the slope behind the head consistent instead of combining a 33 slope with a 2x4 would also improve the look (but don’t use curved bricks: they will ruin the look of the ship!).

I do agree with these observations, however, there are also structural integrity issues at this scale. I will look into changing the slope behind the head to be more more uniform.

It’s not so much that the docking rings are too wide than that those engines really are too small. The length you’ve added in Universe mode looks considerably better, but it’s just got to be wider. (In this picture you can also see what I meant by the outermost engines – they really do kind of stick out from the inner engines and aren’t so much part of the engine “block” in the rear. Also, part of the engines should be blocky - I wouldn't use the 4x4 cones.

This is also true. Initially, I had to make the root parts of the engines 2 wide since the only cylinder available in DesignbyMe mode was 2x2. Now that it is possible to get larger cylinders for the rest of the engines, it should be possible to make the root parts 3 wide. This, however, requires major surgery to the model, since there is a 1/2 stud shift going on in the back section to allow for 1-stud wide engine spacing. Here is the view from the rear with the new engines:

I’ve also noticed that the laser cannons on the “clamshell” structures are ridiculously oversized; in my opinion minifigure levers would be much closer to the actual size and would also allow the guns

to pivot (which is a plus).

Another good observation. Luckily, this is really easy to fix, and I think the version below looks much better.

The section with the fins tapering in toward the docking ring doesn’t look right; I know it’s LDD, but surely there must be some way to arrange them so that they angle in towards that section?

Actually the red middle section does taper toward the docking rings. The white fins on top and bottom are the ones that expand toward the back as they reach the docking rings. I did try to approximate this by the triangular folding fins on top and bottom. However, in this style of building, I cannot find a way to attach fins that are not parallel to the main axis of the body.

Kudos on including the main reactor which LEGO omitted on both 10019 and 10198. As a matter of fact, I have to praise the elongated look you've given the ship - it just looks so much better (and is much more accurate) than LEGO's contorted 10019. However, I would remove the grey corner bricks in front of the engine block – as you can see in the pictures I’ve linked to, it should really be quite flat there.

Another good suggestion. See the new version posted above, which I think, improves in this area. I could not create the red bar in the middle in front of the engine block. This should be possible when engine blocks are sized to 3-wide.

This is indeed a good rendition of one of my favorite ships from the Original Trilogy, and if you follow the suggestions I've given I think it could look even better.

Thanks. I do appreciate your detailed comments, they are very helpful in improving the model.

[starwarsfanatic]

Awesome! Much better than anything I could ever do with LDD, mainly because every version bar the first fails to display colours on my computer so I can't see what colour is what.

[Praiter Yed]

Nice Tantive IV there hga09 - particularly impressive that you chose to 'build' it using the limited Design By Me palette, but then to throw in a bonus 'Universal' version too...

Are you planning to build this in the brick?

Edited February 22, 2011 by Praiter Yed