Kaliphlin Guild: Homepage, Sign-up and Discussion

[NiceMarmot]

Is anyone planning to go underwater for Challenge 3? It seems like a bit of a gift to Kaliphlin, but it`s hard to get it right. My best idea now is themed on flying fish.

Well, I'm definitely going to do something water-themed. Not sure what, and maybe not underwater. I don't have a lot of blue unfortunately. Have two or three Atlantis sets however. I haven't come up with a real story or big idea for challenge 3 yet, although I haven't really devoted much time to it either. I was hoping to do a bunch of small vignettes leading up to a bigger, final MOC, but considering my inability to get the myth mini-challenge done even close to on-time, I'm not sure I'll be able to produce that many scenes before the end of April. Especially since we've got some vacation coming up in April. And I do have to work too. This darn job thing keeps getting in the way of building LEGO!

[Basiliscus]

<snip>

Is anyone planning to go underwater for Challenge 3? It seems like a bit of a gift to Kaliphlin, but it`s hard to get it right. My best idea now is themed on flying fish.

Well, I'm definitely going to do something water-themed. Not sure what, and maybe not underwater. I don't have a lot of blue unfortunately. Have two or three Atlantis sets however. I haven't come up with a real story or big idea for challenge 3 yet, although I haven't really devoted much time to it either. I was hoping to do a bunch of small vignettes leading up to a bigger, final MOC, but considering my inability to get the myth mini-challenge done even close to on-time, I'm not sure I'll be able to produce that many scenes before the end of April. Especially since we've got some vacation coming up in April. And I do have to work too. This darn job thing keeps getting in the way of building LEGO!

Interesting discussion! For once, I know exactly what I want to build. The challenge is water themed, so where better to hide the crystal than behind a waterfall? That's the plan anyway. Just ordered some stuff from Bricklink and am about 1/8 way through my entry. I really want to make sure I enter something this time!

As well as that I am hoping to create a couple of all-LEGO scenes showing Bahru and Wahil discussing the crystal, and some background work Bahru does.

Anyway that's a heads up!

[Si-MOCs]

DaMaximus great start on challenge 3! I hope to see more :)

Dugal Sorry to hear what happened. Hopefully you'll get it sorted out and be back in no time! We'll be here in the mean time :)

Master Cartographer Gex What a great story and build. I love the the forced perspective and the window.

Tower Master Erudhalion Your wonders never cease. And you love to make a grand entrance with your MOCs :D

The integrated arch is absolutely fantastic. And great use of gold accents.

That's a great wish list of people of possible lecturers ... perhaps we should start reaching out.

Though I'm not sure if I'm qualified as Micro guy... I've only built THREE micros in my life. And they were within the last month... there's a few others over in Mitgardia that might have a better handle than I!

Let's let DC set everything up. and we'll just sit back and enjoy

Mikel that spider!

You said LEGO had made brick built spiders... but never any with such ... actual accurate creepiness - I feel arachnophobia kicking in. AHH! quick look away!

Amelia! welcome back m'dear! and you HAVE BEEN BUSY!

That's a great looking curved building! And I love the tree canopy letting just that light streaking though... I'm not sure why you'd want photography tips, it looks like you have it covered*

They never have 1x2 tan bricks at my store(s) :(

*more on photography later.

DaMaximus Nice freebuild! I don't know why... and but there's something about that door way... and how the light is *JUST* hitting it right that it feels SOOO ominous....

The over all structure is nice. It's repetitive - but in a good way. Like how a real building could be constructed. I like how you topped the ramparts with gold /w jump plates. My only thought is maybe a splash more colour. or something to break up the white or tan areas.

Like a line of (dark) tan plates breaking up the white (where the flag is on the first section, for instance). It's just the over all building is a bit too light/bright - some darker contrasts I think might be pleasing to the eye.

And I love the interiors.... so much fun activities going down at Mpya Stedo!

--

OH WOW! Nice wall!

heh. I guess you already read my mind about adding a row of tan

... so do all your Mpya Stedo builds (eventually) connect together? I think you can give Zcerbrus a run for his money if you keep this up

Master Cartographer Gex , my friend, I hear you about your work problems and this whole finishing deadline... Keep in mind a JOUST and the guild's reputation is at stake!

What I would suggest is start with the LAST scene first.... build that, and then start building the smaller scenes leading up to it. So if you don't finish the smaller ones you still have the main moc done....

If you need some ideas I'm sure we can think of something for you ;)

Tower Lord Wahil that's a great idea!

I would suggest trying to do some funky lighting if your waterfall is trans... how cool would it be to have light from behind the falls?

--

So I was giving this a bit of thought - as part of Challenge three, I (anyone else?) will be offering my Photoshop skills (as limited as they are) to help anyone crop out pictures of their MOCS. It's not much but it might give us a few more points So if you can get your mocs done early, I will be happy to try to crop out the main picture of your MOC and make it all fancy and snazzy!

[Maxim I]

Those Avalonians are really a savage kind of people

[Christoph]

Dear guild fellows,

In case you do feel a little sick, I can recommend the service of Abū ʿUbayd ʿAbd al‐Wāḥid ibn Muḥammad al‐Jūzjānī, a former pupil of mine, who now runs a small hospital in the desert. Of course, there will be a considerable discount for guild fellows.

See the topic for more pictures... and some facts about the poor state of health of the other guilds...

Abū Alī

Edited March 24, 2012 by Christoph

[Mike S]

Even though I know I have another month for challenge 3, I'm worried that I might not get it done in time. The following pics are some of the projects I've been working on:

1. Lion's Bluff Castle (Top Floor)

2. The Search for the crystal

[Angeli]

What was in those eggshels, I wonder...

...and where is its mother :)

[I Scream Clone]

Presenting the free build scores and running tallies for Guilds of Historica.

Kaliphlin is closing the gap! Lets get some more Nocturnus and Mitgardia builds going

[Mike S]

What was in those eggshels, I wonder...

...and where is its mother :)

They do look like eerily glowing eggshells don't they? Makes me think of something from the upcoming Prometheus movie but it wasn't really my intent. Hopefully when I'm finished it will look more like I envision it. Here is a LDD Micro of my plan: (I am thinking of a way to portray my idea without using so many bricks that this would take)

[DarthNick]

I, Arom Alled, would at last like to dedicate the services of myself and my cousin Nira, to the greatest Guild of all, Kaliphin:

"Arom and Nira Alled, cousins, act as guardians of the Westersands, keeping watch just outside of the Wither Woods.

Arom will often traverse the Woods in search of enemy scouts, though he has never actually been seen doing so.

Nira scours the Westersands, in search of Lost Treasure, as it is rumoured there is a city of immeasurable wealth buried in the sands.

In battle, the duo is unstopabble, with Nira a master of close combat and Arom a master with bow and arrow.

Together, they hope to keep Kaliphin safe from the enemy, and perhaps bring riches to it as well."

Edited March 27, 2012 by DarthNick

[NiceMarmot]

I, Arom Alled, would at last like to dedicate the services of myself and my cousin Nira, to the greatest Guild of all, Kaliphin:

"Arom and Nira Alled, cousins, act as guardians of the Westersands, keeping watch just outside of the Wither Woods.

Arom will often traverse the Woods in search of enemy scouts, though he has never actually been seen doing so.

Nira scours the Westersands, in search of Lost Treasure, as it is rumoured there is a city of immeasurable buried in the sands.

In battle, the duo is unstopabble, with Nira a master of close combat and Arom a master with bow and arrow.

Together, they hope to keep Kaliphin safe from the enemy, and perhaps bring riches to it as well."

Great to meet you at last! Tales of your brave deeds have reached us here on the south coast. We are glad to have you protecting the northwestern frontiers. Welcome to the Guild!

- Gex Marmota

[Christoph]

So, these Avalonians have a better score than us...

Hello Arom Alled, nice to have you with us. It's good to know reinforcements are on to way to challenge the tree-huggers for the first place!

Mikel Kalores, these are promising projects. I particularly like the majestic look of the castle, the color scheme is exclusive. I am not sure about the red flags though. I like the left side better (but with windows).

Your second project, search for the crystal, looks very ambitious. The egg shells are a very clever and frightening idea.

If you build the round stone wall too high it will be hard to take decent photos. May be you can think about building only half the circle (this would also not be as brick consuming as the full circle).

Many of us have already stated that they will have problems completing challenge 3 in time. I am also counting the weekends till the deadline... and it doesn't look too good.

Well, maybe Kaliphlin doesn't have to be first place. After all, we know how to spend a good time and there are more important things in our culture...

[Maxim I]

Goodday to you, great Arom Alled!

My traders are happy that they are now protected in the region of the Wither Woods!

I guess that the mysterious city you are talking about is from the era of Kaligem? Maybe it is the legendary city itself?

anyway, my archeologist Geschi Edeh Nis is discovering some important information, so maybe you guys can work together

Edit: note to my fellow Guild-members:

maybe we can start with small MOC's too, just like Avalonia... They are building 5x a patrol in the woods (sometimes with a different technic) and they get the best points for it (haha beside Albion, what are really nice MOC's ofcourse).

No seriously: congratulations to Avalonia for the points they earned!

Edited March 27, 2012 by DaMaximus

[robuko]

Mikel, another beautiful micro, and a very intriguing build - I agree with Cristoph, you might want to think hard about what you are going to photograph within before you build up much higher. Nice eggs, I am also thinking about eggs for my build. Yours look far more menacing than I am planning!

Arom and Nira Alled, well met and welcome. May Fortune guide your searches. If you are looking for Lost Vegga,... it's not There

Well done to all on the free builds, we have had some crackers and deservedly scored well. DC and ZCerberus especially have done exceptional free builds in both size and technique, so I cannot begrudge our Avalonian friends their higher score.

I have a storyline now for the crystal quest, but I don't know if I have the bricks or the time to make it happen. The intention is Deathly Hallows meets Sinbad, as directed by Miyazaki, and I would love to add a little bit of Muppets inspiration. It will probably look like a splodge of bricks though. The scale is probably beyond my ability, though it would be a footnote compared so some of the WIPs going round!

[Mike S]

Arom and Nira Alled, welcome!

Christoph and robuko, I had been thinking about building a half circle as you suggested (sort of a cutaway view, I suppose). As for the egg shells, I really had not thought of them being egg shells until Angeli mentioned it. I had planned to use them for the gaurdian (which had nothing to do with eggs) and had just set them there as part of the project. But as I have got comments on them perhaps I will consider changing over to the egg idea... or maybe not.

Also the "flags" on the windows are actually shutters. Itried brown but I didn't think they looked well with the brick but I can try black.

[NiceMarmot]

The scale is probably beyond my ability

Judging from your work so far in Historica, I'd say that nothing is beyond your ability, Robuko! Go for it.

BTW fellow guild-members, heard some interesting news today. Since I was in the area, I stopped by the LEGO store today to get a few PAB cups and continue my futile search for Roman solider collectible minfig. As I was paying, the clerk told me that they're running special on PAB cups on April 10 and 11. For those two days, VIP members get a large PAB cup for the price of a small one! That's a 47% savings! Not sure, but I think it might be US & Canada only. I'm sure this information is posted elsewhere on EB, but I didn't know it. Might be a great way to load up on Kaliphlin style parts for challenge 3!

[robuko]

Interesting discussion! For once, I know exactly what I want to build. The challenge is water themed, so where better to hide the crystal than behind a waterfall? That's the plan anyway. Just ordered some stuff from Bricklink and am about 1/8 way through my entry. I really want to make sure I enter something this time!

As well as that I am hoping to create a couple of all-LEGO scenes showing Bahru and Wahil discussing the crystal, and some background work Bahru does.

I am all anticipation about both the falls and the background scenes!

*more on photography later.

...

So I was giving this a bit of thought - as part of Challenge three, I (anyone else?) will be offering my Photoshop skills (as limited as they are) to help anyone crop out pictures of their MOCS. It's not much but it might give us a few more points So if you can get your mocs done early, I will be happy to try to crop out the main picture of your MOC and make it all fancy and snazzy!

Oooh, yes please! Although, I can guarantee I won't be early, still not started! My photography apparently sucks, I can never tell what's in focus until I get it on the big screen, and I have no idea about lighting.

NM, thanks for your kind words of encouragement. I have just placed my first BL order. My PAB envy just went up another notch!

I would love any guild advice on how to build either airships or fish (ideally both, for the crashed piscithopter), to a size of around 30 studs? I want to show it wrecked and also, seperately, whole. I am wondering whether to go with a lowell sphere style cigarillo (good for inflated, colour and design freedom, hopeless for crashed) or a steampunky frame (good for crashed, how to deal with the tatters of covering though? and hard to build). The nose is a particularly tough part to get right.

[Si-MOCs]

Dear Kaliphlin.

Congratulations again on a JOB WELL DONE for such a small and dedicated guild, it is awesome to see how well we are doing. Where we are small in number, we make up for in some of the best builds in all the guilds!

Keep up the good work everyone!

What do we have here? A new friend? Arom Alled! Welcome welcome!

Sit down and have some mead. Tell me about your adventures in the west. I have heard wondrous tales a city under the sand.... please share more with us!

Abū Alī Really cool. I'm loving the technique you used on the roof. hehe I like the story... poor drow ;)

Mikel - a full month doesn't sound like much... but I have faith in you, and the rest of Kaliphlin that you will once again make me proud of your awesome builds. Some nice ideas to start off, just need to flush out some and get building! I'm very interested in seeing what the green parts are for!

But it looks like you have a good plan - Digging the micro!

Damaximus Yes some builds is always good... but I want to make sure everyone has time to work on Challenge three... But maybe something small in the mean time? in case people have some builders block?

Rasputin I can't wait to see what you have cooking, I love your stories / builds :)

Just make sure you give me enough time to Photoshop!

Hmmm... FIsh may be easier... I'd take a snot core (travis bricks) or the 2x4 snot brick and build snot shame out of it....

as for airship... what type? a reference picture might make it easier...

As for size, 30 studs long, I would suggest a technic frame- it'll make it much stronger.

Gex Good call! I was going to load up :D

I have my route planned. 10th - West LEGO store, 11th - East one ;)

[NiceMarmot]

I've worked out the story and design idea for my challenge 3 build. It focuses on the various phases of water. I was hoping to make a bunch of vignettes showing our heroes' adventures, but I think I will only have time for the final scene. But I have outlined the full story and all the vignettes. If I ever get the time, I hope to make a big story out of it, like Sirens-of-Titan's Return of the Mage series.

I finally placed two BrickLink orders for build, so I should have all the parts I need by the end of next week. Unfortunately I'm travelling for half of April, so build time will be very limited. I don't think the build will be very big or very innovative; I just won't have the time.

[NiceMarmot]

Robuko, it occurs to me that a technic skeleton frame with plates covering it might be good for your piscithopter. I'm not much of a technic guy, but I put together a quick proof of concept:

This style has the advantage that for the crashed pics, you can take a few of the big outer plates off and substitute some smaller plates to give the skin a broken up, jagged look. You could also substitute smaller liftarms in the broken-up area, or even the liftarms with a bend in them to make it look like the skeleton has been bent and twisted. This is half of the airship body; you'd just repeat this and attach to that same technic axle in the middle. The ends are probably going to be difficult however; maybe one of those new Star Wars planet halves would work (or any sort of big dome? If you wanted the plates to be studs-out, you could probably use technic bricks instead of lift-arms and make it work somehow.

I probably should have put 1x plates between the big plates and the liftarms, so the studs on the big plates don't push the technic axle pins out of the liftarms a bit; you shouldn't be able to see blue there.

Gex

[Derfel Cadarn]

Now that the first batch of free builds have been scored, we hope to score the rest more regularly. Do probably every 2 months we will score all the new free builds. There's plenty of time for the other guilds to catch up to Avalonia. Remember that Avalonia were very quick to start creating their land, while other guilds were concentrating on flushing different aspects of their land. One of the reasons Avalonia built a lot is due to an idea I had that each person could pick an area, name it, then build it. This was so our map would have lots of towns each built by a different person. If you have your own area and an idea of how you want it to look, then you are more spurned on to build it. If your town needs a bakery, build it. Or a blacksmith or a Inn etc. it's a good way to get a lot of free builds built and it also helps build up your land.

So don't feel you need to rush out free builds, you guys are catching up as it is, and they have all been excellent builds.

I think Kaliphlin is probably the most stable and close knit group, and you have all contributed in creating a great look and feel to your land!

So well done. Plus, Si is doing a great job

Don't forget, you can also build a moc based in another land if you fancy something different. As long as it has a reason behind it as to why your there. For example, you could build a scene set in Avalonia with some Kaliphlins trading or on a mission to find or talk to something/someone. Or maybe you fancy building a scene in snowy Mitgardia. You don't have to do this, just reminding you that you can build a story scene in another land if you fancy the odd change of scenery. Just make sure to have Kaliphlins in it and a story/reason as to why they are there. These will all count as free builds for your guild.

Keep up your great work.......just as long as you dont overtake Avalonia

[Gabe]

Woohoo guess what... the Mocathalon is over, which means i can get back to working on my challenge build, hooray! Although i have no idea what i am going to do for it and i really only have 2 weeks building time before i jet off on a family visit, so yeah.. But i'll give it a shot... for Kaliphlin!

So many awesome things being posted that i haven't commented on yet, sorry peeps. I'll get round to it over the next couple of days i promise. I'm loving looking at all the WIP's and free builds tho, some amazing ideas going on. Mikel, i love the LDD microscale of your build, it just looks so... right! I can't wait to see the finished build. I love Erynlasgalen's WIP too, the effect of the light filtering down through the leaves is really nice.

Also:

snip...The intention is Deathly Hallows meets Sinbad, as directed by Miyazaki, and I would love to add a little bit of Muppets inspiration. ... snip

Wow... now that i DEFINITELY want to see! Don't see yourself short Robuko, you can totes do this!

Also, welcome to Kaliphlin Arom and Nira! I look forward to seeing some Wither Woods builds, we haven't seen much of that area yet.

ps. I am in the process of uploading and writing up another free build btw, but i just wanted to pop by first to say hi all!

Edited March 31, 2012 by gabe

[Scubacarrot]

I thought it was about time I showed some WIP pics, to see what people think, would love some feedback!

Sorry the photo's are so small, they were taken on a phone, and they did not turn out very well.

[soccerkid6]

Even from my Mitgardian perspective that looks great! I can tell there is going to be a lot of amazing entries to this challenge

Edited March 31, 2012 by soccerkid6

[mephistopheles]

Normally I am not a fan of the arabic (= kaliphilin) style, but this looks really great so far!

Congrats from Avalonia! Can't wait for you to finish it!