blueandwhite

Series 4 is absolutely perfect. For me series 3 was something of a disappointment so it's nice to see LEGO back on track here. The biggest upside here is that there are no real duds to be found in series 4. I could open any of these figures and be perfectly content. This was something that really bothered me with the earlier series' (particularly series 3). I was about ready to give up on these collector's figures and LEGO goes and does something like this. I guess I'm back in again.

Great work. As others have said, it does look quite a bit like one of Derfel Cardarn's MOCs and that's nothing to sneeze at! Generally speaking this MOC is lovely. Everything from the vegetation to the large cottage work well together. MOC's like this one are very hard to critique as they are extremely well done. I really look forward to seeing you mature as a builder and develop your own unique style. Your early work is already top-notch so I think it's safe to say that we can expect great things in the future.

Stunning! There are no other words to describe this. Honestly, I think this is your best work yet, and that's already an impressively high standard. The shape and feel of this building is simply perfect. While I would have loved an interior to match with the exterior, the detailing is so impressive that it's easy to overlook. Beyond the lack of an interior, I don't think that a MOC like this could ever warrant any real criticism.

What terrible news. Honestly, Dan's work remains one of the most important contributions ever made to the AFOL community. To hear of his passing at such an early age is incredibly sad. It's a shame when somebody has worked so hard to make his or her world a better place only to leave it so early. I think it's fair to say that Dan's passing is felt by all AFOLs, whether we're bricklink regulars or not. For me Bricklink made this hobby come alive. R.I.P. Dan. May your work and your memory continue on for many years

There's something to be said about great photography. The very best MOCs only appear great when properly staged and photographed. Needless to say, you've really breathed life (or perhaps death) into this MOC with your shots. The light streaming through the window is absolutely haunting. It really sets the mood. Just one quick question; how did you manage the lighting in the third photograph?

Ignoring any needless or unfriendly debate, I personally feel that there is a great deal of flexibility when it comes to minifig scale simply because the figures themselves are uniquely proportioned. For me, anything from 50:1 to 35:1 does a reasonably good job representing human proportions; the smaller 1:50 models treating the figure as being as tall as the average human while the larger 1:35 models would be more in line with a human being's width. 60:1 models are too small, however when building larger structures building in 1:50 let alone 1:35 scale may simply not be feasible. It makes perfect sense to build a skyscraper or large train station at a slightly smaller scale. Castles and other structures are frequently built at smaller scales simply because building at true minifig scale is cost (and space) prohibitive. Many large buildings can stand to be 1:80 without being overly detrimental to a display. Moreover, models of different sizes can certainly co-exist within a single layout. It's not the end of the world to have a set of six, seven and eight-wide trains running around a town layout that features 5, 6, 7, and 8 wide cars and trucks. I personally try to stick to a scale of 1:40 (approx 3 studs per metre), but I'm not going to hold it against anybody for choosing to build in a different scale. Heck, with some models I'll throw scale to the wind for detailing. It's just not that important.

It seems a tad early for 2011 summer rumours to pop up. Usually these things hit around late November or mid December. As this is a rumour for a single set, perhaps this will be a S@H exclusive like the MMV. If so, maybe we'll see a winter release along with Diagon Ally. Either way, this set sounds wonderful. The possibility of painted animals sounds quite exciting. With luck this set will also feature some new peasant torsos as one can never have enough variety when it comes to townsfolk. Anyhow, 2011 is looking to be another great year for LEGO fans. It's good to know that we Castle fans still have something to get excited about!

In fairness to Fonzy, most real-life castles did not have tons of windows and arches in the walls. Those features were usually improvements added well after the end of the middle ages. Also, Fonzy mentioned in his original post that Affleck Castle is a real castle in Scotland. I think he actually did a pretty good job capturing the castle's appearance with his MOC.

Nice work there! I'm going to disagree with what others have said; I think the walls are fine. I appreciate that some folks have a serious aversion to large grey walls but I find that there are times where such walls can be very imposing. I don't think that mottling the surface of your castle is really necessary. Many folks attempt to mottle a MOC and if done incorrectly it ends up making it look less attractive. I would suggest adding a bit more detail to the interior. You might consider tiling the floors and adding some more furniture to the interior. Otherwise this is a pretty good looking castle.

That's a shame. There's nothing better than stability. We noble gases may not make friends easily, but we tend to keep ourselves together pretty well. It's a lonely life, but at least I don't overreact when big problems come along. I know that you don't quite fit in with the rest of us 18s, but you should really consider a career as a noble gas. Just try to keep yourself together.

Occupation: Chemist (female). Accessory: test tube and clip board. Head: safety goggles, hair tied back, serious expression. Torso: lab coat legs: either white legs or a black skirt pattern.

Nice work. Not many modular MOCs fit so well with LEGO's modular buildings. You've really captured the spirit of those sets in this MOC with detailing that is very similar to what you might find on the Green Grocer or Corner Cafe. Keep up the good work.

Your career choice sounds far too exciting for me. I have chosen a far safer profession filling fluorescent light bulbs with inert gas. I also dabble in high-speed photography and have a pretty safe (and boring) night life lighting up neon signs. I've heard you dabble in photography as well though, so at least we have that much in common. Beyond that, your lifestyle seems far too exciting for me. I must apologize if I come across as being a tad rude as I don't really bond well with others.

Honestly, this set needs the S@H treatment. We've had four Hogwarts Express sets and none of them have really come close to doing the actual engine a lot of justice. With the introduction of the new train wheels in the Emerald Night this would have been a perfect time to introduce a proper Hogwarts Express. I would have preferred a proper Hogwarts Express to either the new Diagon Ally or the Hogwarts Castle sets. This set could have been something truly special.

Everybody has somebody in their extended family they don't like. Give poor soot a break. The guy's so down on his luck that he can't even hold himself together. I mean the when ever that guy shows up things seem to go up in smoke.

I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't know your family had bonding issues. Speaking of which, how are your cousins Bucky B. and Bucky T. doing? They seem like a pretty cool guys. I've heard that Bucky B. has quite a conductive personality compared to other folks in your family.

I imagine that this response should suffice. Mind you, I do hope that most members of the forum will forgive you for being so imprecise in your response. Perhaps you should conduct a poll to determine if you have the continued approval of the forum.

83.8 - My life expectancy. It's a decidedly optimistic value considering the number of lethal free-roaming isotopes floating about these forums. Then again, it's nowhere near as impressive as 192.22

Tower Bridge certainly is a nice looking set but I really wish LEGO had included the end towers. Somehow it looks incomplete without them. I appreciate that this would have driven the cost up even more, but given the iconic nature of the bridge you would hope that they would include the anchor towers as well. I'm still sitting on the fence for this set.

Derfel, you must be tired of hearing this by now but; "amazing work"! You really have a way of putting together some of the most lively castle and pirate scenes here on Eurobricks. The detail in this creation is incredible (yet again). Your building style is really unique with the extensive use of round plates to create texture in your buildings. The lush greens are always nice though I wouldn't mind seeing a few more rolling hills to go along with the extensive vegetation. The manner home itself is also a treat. I appreciate the lengths you go to ensure that your structures aren't always lined up along the studs. This really is an amazing structure that blends well with the land itself. Good stuff. I always like seeing what you'll come up with next.

This is one of the nicer digital models I've seen and the physical version is even better. I absolutely love the SNOT work in your MOC. The SNOT really gives the MOC a texture that you don't quite get from the digital design. I hope to see more of your designs in the future. Keep it up.

If this is targeted at AFOLs and made available internationally it certainly is a step above Brickmaster. This is certainly true for those of us who aren't Americans. Hopefully it's a true global publication. The bigger question is what will happen to Brickjournal? This magazine could provide some serious competition. I'm very interested to see just how this will play out.

I really like the colour choices you've used here. The lime green and red stripes blend together nicely. I also like the general size and shape of the tent. It may not match the Playmobil original but it works quite well. The only issue I have is with the photoshoped background which looks a bit distracting. I would love to see the MOC with a plain white background instead. Still, it is but a minor quibble. Nice Work.

What's a Smurf?

I'll throw out a vote to Etzel for his amazing Skater/Spartan entry (1 point)... a vote for lisqr for a very unique Robot/Explorer entry (1 point)... and a point for Darkblane for his cool Robot/Explorer time portal (1 point) Good luck to everybody who entered.