Gabe

Great work DaMaximus, i always admire those who plan out thier builds in LDD beforehand - so orginised! I like the repeating arches on the exterior walls, they look very effective in white and tan, with the topping gold embellishments. The sliding centre section to gain access to the interiors is an interesting idea too. Some things which i would suggest for the future might be to make the main entrance a little bigger or more ornate - it looks a little plain as it is and it doesn't look as though it has a door even! Also, the view from the back makes the floors look a little thin (only one plate thick) - you can bulk them up by bracing them bewteen the pillars with those large arch pieces - i find the 1x12x3 arches really useful for this and they come in white too! I really like the life of your palace too btw - it's great to see the little scenes in the bathhouse and the kitchens etc. Good stuff!

Great idea to show us an aspect of life in Kaliphlin that we haven't seen much of. I like the sloping main roof and bleached out look of the buildings, it really gives a feel of the harsh midday sun. The interiors look great too, especially the rack of surgical implements...! I was wondering i've we'd see a bit of trepanning... You are right about the tree though, a bit more greenery might make the patients a bit more comfortable. (although the Drow patient prob likes the black tree just fine!)

Oh man, that is just awesome. It looks so wonderfully organic - the curving walls and staircases, the subtle off-centre placement of the upper part of the tower, the glowing round window and all the crazy overgrown foliage (the way it looks as if it's grown out of the wall in places is brilliantly done!)... so much more to admire every time i look. As everyone keeps saying, you really set the bar for the rest of us. Hell of a prelude... can't wait for the next chapter!

Ok, i've got my Berigora harbour free build up now. You can navigate to the topic by clicking the image.

This is the heart of the old quarter in Berigora, where the harbourmaster's house is situated, not to mention also the best taverns and pleasure houses! There is always a mix of ppl from different provinces and even guilds here, Berigora being a popular destination for both trade and recreation. Shown here, the Harbourmaster's square is an easily recognisable and central location for new visitors to the city to meet. The old dock is the oldest known landing point in Berigora. It is now a popular place for out-of-work sailors to find employment. He we see a ship's captain and his first mate meeting up with some prospective new crew members. Some of the older buildings could use a lick of paint in areas, but that just adds to their charm! Most rooftops in Berigora have thier own gardens, space being at a premium due to being built into steep foothills at the tail end of the Raketh. Poorer buildings cultivate subsistance gardens on thier rooftops, while a mark of richer houses is to have a garden just for show. The corner house is Madame Ryiah Amazi's famous "Red Star" tavern and inn. Rumour has it that she offers diversions other than accommadation and ale for a price, but this is probably just rough dockyard talk. Certainly the rumours don't originate from her extremely exclusive clientele! The walkway between the harbourmaster's house and the tavern was constructed before Eocher Meosphen's (the current harbourmaster) time, as a unobtrusive entry and exit for business guests. Gardr Kegbelter, the famous beer merchant from Hykerbia, is shown here, supervising the loading of barrels of Bezerker ale into his Berigora warehouse. Some of this beer will be bound for the better establishments of Berigora, others will be sold to distributors who deliver them on throughout Kaliphlin. Gardr also has a chest of gold with him on this trip - the price of several dozen barrels of the highly regarded Siccus serpent stout to take back to Mitgardia. Borakur Snarebaiter, a scout from the Clawbreaker area, has a clandestine meeting with a Raketh mountain assassin - thier network of spies and cutthroats is second to none in the region. Who knows what Borakur was after? Tracking a deserter perhaps, or seeking information on missing werewolf relics? Centaurs often come into town, selling delicacies that grow only in thier region, The Valley of the Centaurs. (imaginitive name, i know!) Delicious mushrooms? Fruit out of season? Rare herbs with healing powers? Ask your local centaur vendor - odds on that they can get it for you! Eocher Meosphen is the current harbourmaster in residence. Here we see him entertaining a business associate in his garden pavilion. Traditionally, the position of harbourmaster is held by a captain of independent means - Eocher Meosphen made his money in lumber and shipbuilding on the NW side of Peregrinus, and still finds time to manage his interests. At the time this picture was taken, we had some distinguished guests in Berigora! Lord deGothia from Avalonia takes a walking tour with Lord Sansael during a rare state visit, whilst the lovely Amelia Phantomhive supervises the testing of one of the new rowboats she has ordered. The view back to the square from The Rocks, a popular lookout point. Desert visitors seem to find the harbour vista especially refreshing. So won't you come and visit Berigora yourself one day? Whether you are on business, after pleasure or just wishing to explore somewhere new, you are sure to find whatever your heart desires! Thanks for looking peeps!

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: 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!

Perhaps you are right, but i think also a person's posting history has to be taken into account. If someone is constantly causing friction by mouthing off and making others feel uncomfortable, then i think the mods have a right to take the person aside and have a quiet word. I can't see anything wrong with a bit of discretion like that. Dude, you can totally have your opinion, but you could have couched it a heap better, you know. I have no idea what thread you are refering to (where you got "destroyed"), but giving abuse as a response to getting it isn't very helpful to anyone - 2 wrongs not making a right and all that. Srsly, why not let old resentments go? Anyway, that's seriously the last word i have to say about all this shennanigans. We seem to be getting derailed from Thoy's moc, which was the purpose of this thread in the first place.

I think the idea of leaving feedback on mocs in this forum is that a) you do it constructively and b) you do it politely. Tbh, i consider that Cpt. Beerbeard failed on both fronts with his comment - it was harsh, short and in effect dissmissed the work of an experienced builder as "boring". Did that really need to be said? I think a good way to approach leaving criticism on a moc is something called "The good news sandwich". First you find something to praise about the moc, then you outline it's shortcomings and ideally suggests avenues for improvement, then you finish by recapping the good points of what the builder has achieved. Yes, it's hard work, but evaluating the work of others in this way helps you to become a better critic of your own work as well - which can only contribute to making you a better builder. It's worth it, and what's more, it will make you more friends!

I know Thoy a little bit (I'm in his MocAthalon team this year) and i think i am correct in saying that this is a "test build" of sorts for something that he intends to take to America to exhibit - so it makes sense that this build concentrates on structural concerns and modularity, rather than a mass of detail. I also know that Thoy heavily uses repitition as a design motif in his work - some ppl will like that, others won't. For myself, i am impressed with things like the diagonally placed towers, the light, airy architechture and the undulating, complex course of the river. My opinion is that the brown areas could use some more detailed landscaping and the various minifigs seem isolated and lost in the huge diorama, but these are more cosmetic concerns and do not overly detract from my enjoyment of his creation.

Thanks Angeli! I didn't want to go overboard on the gold, just a few accents here and there. Thank you kindly! Cheers Wahil/Basiliscus! I don't think i'll get through all my builds for the MocA's, but i'll manage to get through 1 or 2 more builds i'm sure.

Ahhh, it's beautiful! Great model. Love the hood ornament too!

Thankyou very much, Saladus/Kayne! Please, dear guild-brother, never say summoned... you shall only ever be cordially invited to my home. Although yes, possibly it's not a good idea to talk overmuch about the strip-chess tournaments... whups, did i just say that aloud?? I meant *ahem* diplomatic talks of course... Thanks Jason! Btw i've figured a way to transfer the cheese slopes so you only need to work out the design once - i work in a jig the same size as the space to be filled, then tip the model forward and fit the space to the jig, then tip it back so the peices all drop exactly into thier appointed place. (The main thing to remember is that the mosaic parts have to be higher than the jig sides for it to align properly with the space in the moc) I find it's a convenient way to design and fit vertical mosaics, and also store mosaics for future use. Maybe everyone does this, idk, but i felt pretty chuffed with myself when i did it the first time! Cheers Rasputin/Robuko! I'm glad you mentioned the yellow stars over the door - they are the new Freinds cupcake holders, i'd been waiting for a chance to use them! It's interesting also that you mention Hollywood movies - my next build for the MocAthalon is the theme "Adventure", and is going to be a mash-up of a whole heap of adventure film references. I'm in the midst of building it now - the setting will be the Berigora harbour, so after i post for the MocA's, there'll be a change of minifig personnel and voila! Hopefully another Kaliphlin free build! Thanks Jarl Nibelung/Sirens-of Titans! Yes, the tan/blues/white/dark red combo is one i'm particularly fond of too. Although that doesn't mean i won't be experimenting with different colour schemes in my Kaliphlin builds. Thanks Gex, glad you like it! I ummed and ahhed a bit over the 1x6 plates too... i considered capping them in some way, but i didn't want the eaves to stick out too far and in the end i went for the rough simplicity of studs. I tend not to like the round brick ends showing because of the holes - i know i could cap them with a round plate, but this would still leave too much of a gap showing between the wall and the roof pitch - as it is it's borderline. I don't know that i shall ever build the entire house - maybe, but there are too many other things i want to build first! More likely i shall build an interior scene or two. Cheers Cptn! I don't plan on adding to it for the simple reason that it's been taken apart already for my next build... my moc's seem to have a ridiculously short life at the moment.. Thanks Rogueang, glad you like it! I should mention btw that the 6 pointed star mosaic in gold and white is one of the great Katie Walker's designs - i figured out how to fit it into that space, but i would never have arrived at that point by myself. Thanks fellas, glad you have enjoyed my build!

Beautiful stuff Gex, just wonderful use of forced perspective. That's a bold use of orange in the foreground, but it works out very well. The shape of the large window is lovely as well. I'm intruiged to see where this myth will go - can't wait until the next installment! ps. That's a lovely border to your image as well!

Congrats to the deserved winners, Rasputin Jones (robuko)and Abū Alī al-Ḥusayn ibn Abd Allāh ibn Sīnā (Christoph)! Beautiful builds and storys, fellas. And thankyou to Dextrus and everyone else who had a tale to tell - it has all been most entertaining and enlightening.

Agreed with what everyone else is saying - you guys are in a class of your own. I'm constantly blown away by the imagination and ingenuity in your builds, and this one's no exception. Brilliant stuff! ps. i'm struggling with time in the MocAthalon too... so you guys aren't alone! Best of luck for the last 10 days of speed building!

Great chapter! The story indeed seems to be gathering pace to the inevitable clash between good and evil... i am on tenterhooks! Everytime you post a build you blow my mind with something - this time it's that lovely first dio with the elf shrine in the forest, just beautiful. A scene that really is greater than the sum of it's parts. The shape of the shrine reminds me a little of Tiberium Blue's fortress, was that an inspiration for you? Your interiors are masterful as always, and may i join the chorus of praise for the great unrolled scroll on the table - brilliant!

Wow yes - some great ideas Si... i love the "guest lecturer" one. Maybe a good place to start is to come up with a "wish list" of topics and/or potential "lecturers"? Here is my wishlist to kick us off: 1. Microscale - You could take this one, right Si?? 2. Brick built creatures - so many ppl i would love to hear from, but i'd especially love to hear Stormbringer talk about how he constructs his dragons. Blake Baer is another who'd be awesome. 3. Planning Mosaics and patterns - who better but Katie Walker! :thumbup: 4. Incorperating the elements and principles of design in your build - something i reckon we could all use a refresher on from time to time. Lecturer... idk, someone with a art background? Shannon Ocean? Mike Doyle? Cole Blaq? 5. NPU, what it is and how to acheive it - heaps of ppl would be really interesting to hear from, but the name i'd put forward first is Siercon and Coral. Might be hard to get some of these great builders, but hey, i can dream, right? Wow, you are working quickly on the challenge if you are planning to post on Wednesday! I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Ah, that sucks dude, i hope you find somewhere else soon. I'm sure we'll have plenty of guild members to step up and post cracking entries in your absence, but we'll miss your great builds. Wow Gex, that's brilliant! I love that forced perspective, so believable. I'll have to remember that about the moons if i do something similar, great idea! ~~~~~~~ Btw, i've just posted another free-build: "The grand entrance", you can teleport to the topic (hopefully not in your PJ's!) by clicking the image: I'm working on another free-build as we speak - i'm trying to work as many Kaliphlin mocs into the MocAthalon as i can!

Hi all! I'm back with another free build to show you. This is the grand entrance to Lord Erudhalion Sansael's private residence in the port city of Berigora. The city is built on the sides of steep hills and cliffs that run down to the bay, so all the buildings are constructed very close to each other and are tall and often narrow. This is not the official palace where visiting lords and dignitaries are recieved, but a private house that has been in the Sansael family for many generations now. Here we can see Lord Sansael emerging to go about his offical duties, whilst a member of his household gaurd stands watch. The build is this small because it was also entered into the MocAthalon under the "Vinigetted" catagory, which has a 16x16 restriction. The main body of the residence would, of course, be much larger. Hope you enjoyed my small build - thanks for stopping by, peeps!

Haha no worries mate, i try to please! Thanks Taz, much appreciated. Strictly speaking, this wasn't actually my MocA entry, i just re-used the build to tell a different story. The actual entry you can see here, but the pics for that weren't quite as good, so i understand not scoring higher. Not that i'm complaining about a score of 27, mind you! Cheers Jason, glad you like it! Thanks Cristoph! Water can be tricky for sure, but there are so many different ways to render it in ABS that i'm sure you shall find a way to build something awesome yourself. Just be sure to make it a GoH build so we can see it here as well! Thanks rogueang! Yes, these are important questions certainly - our top sages and sorcerers are working hard to find a way to contain him once his third task is complete. Unfortunately, all the magicks that would do this seem to be of a very high level indeed, necessitating the use of a certain mythical artifact which we have only just learnt still exists... there is hope yet!

Nice build Cij Daoke, i like the covered bridge and the use of the big 8x8 grill peices for the bottom windows. (i assume that's what they are?) I have to agree through with Basiliscus about the water - it looks very high. Also, i'm not convinced that the blue is the best option for Nocturnus water - it seems a bit bright. I do like your household, they look a formidible bunch! Is that a cut-down lego axe that fellow on the right is holding? It looks great - almost like a 3rd party piece.

Wow, just beautiful! So many nice touches. The dragon throne is inspired. Great work!

Nice embassy Evil Stu! Good to see the Wither Woods being built in, i've been wondering what ppl would make of that area. I like the shrine and the wall - those little micro figs built into it look suitably creepy! The panelling technique on the house is interesting and you have achived some nice shaping there, although the corner of the roof looks a little odd - you might want to invest in some more of those double convex slope peices for roof corners. Anyway, great work!

Great work Angeli, i love your underwater scene - must be deep, deep water indeed to have all those flourescent plants and beasties around! The use of multiple repeating patterns is dazzling to the eye, but somehow meshes very well. Your dragon construction is also great and very reminicent of Siercon and Coral's work.

Nice work deGothia! I like the repeating arches with the banners and the fireplace. I'm guessing that this is at the start of the feast, before the food has been brought out and before ppl start getting too "merry" with the ale? It seems a little odd to me how everyone is sitting bolt upright, with just their heads turned in Quinn's direction - perhaps you could break up the pattern a bit with some people standing, some sitting facing her, some sitting facing the table etc? (Don't know if this is feasible, just a suggestion) Maybe also some servants scurrying around with flagons or plates of food would be nice also. I think you could have got away with bare studs if there had been less of an expanse of them, but as it is, it does look a little unfinished. I do understand your reservations with tiled floors, but you could go for a carpet pattern with cheese slopes - that's been done a few times already and looks a treat. Alternatively, you could go for a cobblestone look, with 2x2 round tiles and 1x1 round plates - just something else to break up the regularity of that area of bare plate. Anyway, it's a lovely moc with a lot of life, and i can't wait to hear the next installment of your story!