Gideon

Since it's really a Kaliphlin project maybe "Kaliphlin Academy" or something like that would be better? I think the names for the levels proposed have been something like 1: "Apprentice", 2: "Bachelor", "Guildsman" or "Journeyman", 3: "Master", (4: "Doctor") So the first and third levels feel settled, but the name of the second and if we should have a fourth level is still something to decide. This would mean that after the first batch of builds, a member would be able to style himself/herself "Apprentice of the Kaliphlin Academy" or similar, and so on. It was said before that it was open for all members, but run by the University of Petraea (i.e. the Kaliphlin guild). I don't know if that is the final word however, and if it is a bit misleading if we were to use "Historica" in the titles...

Wonderful build! I especially love the interiors I agree with previous comments however that the ground is a bit "low-resolution" and could use some more detailing and/or color variation.

Having a final round of review sounds good! I also think we should include a military discipline, maybe have for example a fortification category (wall, tower, gatehouse, encampment, outpost etc) and a tactics category (build different kinds of troops/siege weapons). I don't think it's a problem if we add tons of sub-categories, as long as it is ok to "graduate" after a certain amount of credits I don't think it's really of any gain to force people to build exactly all sub-categories. Maybe it's enough to have a requirement on "at least X credits from technique-related topics, at least Y credits from content-related topics and a total of at least Z credits, each build can give you at most N credits.". Of course some of the sub-categories could be made mandatory. How many high-quality builds should we approximately need to complete the program? 15? 20? 30? If we say for example 20 builds is a good reference and max 3 credits per build, this would mean 60 credits (which of course could be from more than 20 builds if a build is built specifically with demonstrating one technique in mind). Maybe at least 20 credits for content, at least 20 credits for technique and 20 credits to distribute at will? Or maybe as previously discussed we should have an "apprentice" level quite easily obtainable, a "bachelor" level first requiring a relatively serious effort, and then have a quite high standard for the "master" title? If it turns out a lot of builders earns the "master" title fast, then a forth title could be introduced...but I think we can easily start out with three titles at the beginning. I also think we should be quite strict on the builds in the peer review (especially when multiple credits are claimed for one build), the purpose after all is to force builders to improve our skills and try new things

Nice interior and minifig use The photography is also well done. Maybe in a thread like this with a part of a story it would be an idea to lessen the confusion indicated above by linking to the previous part(s) and/or the mission description in this case.

Welcome to GoH! Have I missed any previous posts from you or is this a GoH sigfig you are presenting...? Nice little build, I like that you've built a small base underneath the plate A word of advice regarding photography: Avoid using direct flash (if you have one you can bounce of for example the ceiling it's ok), as you can see in these pictures it gives you both sharp shadows and reflections from the bricks. I would say go for natural light, preferrably outdoors in the shadow.

I definitely have that situation as well, especially when it comes to minifigures which I have yet to devise any consistent system to sort and store. Right now they are basically only organized in whatever box they ended up in after being used last. I recall the idea was that we (NM?) make a thread with the rules, subjects etc in the first post (and maybe a couple of additional posts for future improvement), which can be updated as the program progresses. Then the participants make ONE post which they then are responsible to update with entries for each build with a link to the build and information which subjects they are claiming credit for with that build. In that way, the system is administred by the participants and only when someone "applies for graduation" is there a need to actually double check that all credits have been earned, reducing the need of central administration to almost nothing. (No administrative burden at all created by drop-outs ) Edit: An entry in the thread could look something like this: Repairing the Walls of Petraea Credits claimed: Architecture, SNOT techniques: 1 credit (SNOTed battle damage) Landscape design, Desert Scene: 1 credit Minifig posing: 1 credit (Stoneworking) Total: 3 credits

I actually wish I had more tackle boxes, since it's hard to see what's in all the small drawers. Especially black pieces, or pieces in the back compartments of split drawers tend to be very hard to find I've thought about labelling them all, but since the sorting tends to fluctuate depending on how much of a certain piece is available or tied up in MOCs it would lead to a lot of extra work keeping that up to date... Having tackle boxes in the big Ikea drawers in the wardrobe on the other hand gives me instant access to most pieces in them (at least if the tackle box is in the upper layer of the drawer ) If NM agrees to it maybe we could start out with what we have to get going, but not be afraid of adding to or changing the subjects as the program is running?

Appearances are deceptive, it has never looked this good in my workspace before and already looks much worse

I snapped a couple of pictures of my brick workspace before letting it descend into chaos again (when I continue sorting, and even worse when starting to build again...). To be kind to my back I invested in an adjustable desk, so nowadays I actually do most of my building standing up. Next doomed build is as you can see the Walls of Petraea. Thinking of reusing some of the parts soon for some Sultan's Gate or Barqa build, maybe the latter as I feel I have some responsibility to flesh out that city I also came up with an idea for how to clean the build after all the dust it gathered during the exhibition a couple of weekends ago (Insane how much dust a couple of thousand visitors produce in such a short time!). Sounds very fitting with those Chima characters! I actually think the characters (especially some of the heads and the wings) are the best thing with the Chima line, I love how they've been used for Nocturnus tribes

Sultan's Gate it is then! (@NM: A name to add on an updated map sometime?) Isn't good lightning more likely during bad weather...? (sorry, couldn't resist the wordplay...I assume you ment lighting ) I finally got my building area tidied up yesterday for the first time since I moved there I think (easier now when a great number of my pieces are tied down in my castle). But that order is a very brief state as I already have started dismantling everything with tan in it to free up pieces for new Kaliphlin builds Definitely a lot of nice parts in that Chima temple, I havn't looked enough at those sets. Trying to cut back on set buying at the moment though, so I guess I'll have to keep an eye out for some of those parts on BL instead. I fully agree that we should make a decision about the University courses, I like the idea that the free builds now from the start of book II could be used to claim those credits. It would at least definitely push me to try new techniques, colors etc

The final house turned out lovely! The detailing on the walls and roof are great, and all the various directions the rock pieces are assembled makes me dizzy I don't know what you have behind there, but I guess a light hand might be needed when moving a build like this...?

Somewhat quiet in here, everyone busy building for Challenge 2.1 already? Or busy dismantling builds and sorting like I've been the past weekend? I came to think about our discussed collaborative build for the fortress-town guarding the eastern passage up onto the Great Escarpment. Did we ever decide on a name for that location? I seem to recall that we said it should be named [someone's] Gate. I also seem to recall that Lord Damaximus was the first to mention this location and therefore should be given the right to name it, but if he doesn't have a suggestion maybe simply "Sultan's Gate" (after the title of the ruler of old Kaligem) might be a good name?

I agree with Penkid11 that it is best if all MOCs are put with picture and link in the guild threads. I always start browsing GoH by reading my unread posts in the guild threads, and if I'm busy MOCs without links sometime takes me days to discover. It also helps a lot for someone new catching up if there are links and thumbnails in themain threads. When I read up on the first year and a half of GoH prior to joining, it was by reading the guild threads and then the MOCs which were linked from there were easy to find in the right order

Nice work on the ground there! I would however suggest that you use some kind of backdrop when taking your pictures, a simple white sheet would improve your photos a lot

Nice figs, I especially like the reddish brown arms on the CMF elf torso

Nice landscaping! I really like the minifig as well

Nice build, this series keeps improving! I really like the wooden house on the right side.

Great work with the environment, especially the packed snow and the tree caught my eyes A word of advice on the photography: try to iron the backdrop prior to shooting, or post-process the background a bit to get rid of those wrinkles.

Definitely one of the best "new snow" effects I've seen! I also love the tree design and the story, looking forward to more!

Thank you all for the encouragement! Hopefully this will also be displayed at Lego World in Copenhagen in February (fingers crossed that it gets accepted), so if anyone is going there you might have a second chance to seeing it Looking forward to your contribution! Any ideas for a module yet? Maybe a castle for the fall 2014 incarnation of this so I can get my light bluish gray parts back into circulation...?

Good decision! Looking forward to more trade with the PGTC and seeing more of its characters, especially your new sigfig

Welcome to Kaliphlin! And thanks for letting me know that my build inspired you! I think I will continue building in that style for a while, as soon as those tan pieces are back in their sorting The challenge in Nocturnus has me pondering what color palette to use however...

Great improvements! As previous commenters pointed out, it would be nice to have an overview shot of the whole scene. And when shooting outside, avoid getting direct sunlight into your pictures.

It looks twisted and evil, and just right for the setting. Good job! I am impressed by how well you've managed to photograph the black bricks, but reading how patient you were in getting it right I'm even more impressed

Thanks! Yes, it will probably have to be in Avalonia somewhere... But as my sigfig originally comes from Avalonia I will have to think of some plotline to make this into a Kaliphlin free-build in some way