xenologer

As usual full of brick mods I'd never do myself. But nice concept. I especially like the Asto Fighter, its like rebuilding it to be what I'm imagining when I 'swooosh' the original one. Small fighters are always fun to swoosh.

Hmmmh Well, the only thing I liked about EF really was the Robots side of things. all the Humans with funny hair and all the same faces were kinda boring once I had 1 of each character. So by that I was already only buying about half the line. At least the theme gave us some new parts, which will hopefully show up elsewhere? I hope they dont destroy the Drone minifig molds tho... I liked them, but being so theme specific its kinda hard to see them surviving elsewhere, maybe as androids in MM? guess I'll have to break down and get the Dark Panther, 3 drones in one set, possibly my last...

I like the first version better, just add some wingtip flaps and it reminds me of this: http://www.geocities.jp/pibf1/swordfish2.1.jpg

It goes like this, you grab the 'Hand of God' steering knob on the top of the car, and push it around your table. *vroom vroom* :-P People build gearboxes and suspensions and whatnot despite having no gas engine purely for the love of machinery. Just use your imagination. Usually if there's no remote, the power function is not for driving around, but is something simple, like reeling in the winch on a crane model.

Cool Site One suggestion: when looking at a given category, at the bottom you have the nice Feature Comparison section: It would be useful to have the set numbers in this area link back up to the actual images(anchor tag?). Then for a given feature of interest you could easily see the visual without having to remember the set number and search for it. How are you making these pages? Consider using a database and some dynamic pages if you arent already?

Found this, just thought it was cool enough that you'd want to see it too. The MM Alien Strike 7693 rover's cockpit already looks fairly close... Might be tempted to build one.

Hmmh well some of the parts look nice to have those 8 space wheels, the door pieces, not too sure what I'd ever use that windshield for though doesnt look like it'd work on anything but a large-ish ship sucks that the control panels on the 'lab' are stickers, seems like a great spot for some printed computer panels... if they were then this would've been a must have... here's a thought on those stickers on the transparent bricks, I notice the bricks have no internal tubes how about trimming the stickers down and putting them on the Inside of the brick? still stickers... but maybe now useable without having to worry about them falling off and looking bad?

As usual, I didn't make the fighter contest deadline. However, the spirit of such things is about the sharing of new ideas and creative constructions. Therefore, while it is still unfinished, I'd like to present my prototype fighter design and some of the techniques used: Possible names: Vengeful Princess, Angel Blade, Blanc Neige Depending on your universe reference, could be a Heavy Fighter, Superiourity Fighter, or Medium Fighter. It is the biggest and most advanced(technique) space fighter I've ever attempted; so I'm leaning towards Heavy Fighter till it is surpassed. Weaponry on nose: light laser, particle beam(red) -(the 'nostrils' are braking thrusters, not gun ports) With plans for underwing cannon or missiles. Currently the main barrier to completion is the landing gear, and wingtip attitude thrusters (both missing). Landing gear has been quite difficult, mainly because I'm interested in retractable wheeled gear; simpler skid feet could have completed this ship quite a while ago... Brickshelf when moderated. I'm fairly sure that while using car mudguards as engine nozzles is well known, this is one of the most compact ways of housing them. And it uses only real legos and non-damaging techniques, so I hope this design shows up more often in the future: Construction Details: (fullsize in brickshelf) Engine Design a smooth 'pod' design should be useful for many space applications. upper and lower armour around exhaust nozzle SNOT detail of exhaust nozzle SNOT cockpit uses the giant wedges from Stealth Hunter

Ok... So does anyone know what webpage or link or email to call to help report broken moulds? I tried telling them through customer service, but all I got was a Form Letter telling me they don't give away bricks for free and told me to go buy em from PaB. ...Its like they didn't even read what I was saying... I wasnt asking for bricks I was trying to help them identify a bad mould on their factory floor. So I think, that perhaps the online customer service link I followed is a bit too automated. Anyone know how to really contact anyone? I want to help them out... if they'd let me. Thanks

You left off the MegaCore Magnetizer, which is basically the M-Tron's mobile base. (even has the large transparent dome window, which chracterizes bases of the time) Of whats pictured though, 6971 Inter galactic command base seems to most interesting. Mainly because it has some semblance of a building with a purpose; with what I can imagine is an Interior where crewmen might live. So many of the later bases are nothing but a rocket, a big window, and some computer things, with maybe a trap door gimmik or something. No sense of anything practical... I'll be happy when I see a base with bunk beds and a mess hall... and an airlock would be nice. Combine the features of the aquaraiders base, with the hospital sets... Good designs exist, just not all in one place.

Neat, I like your solution to balancing the lump on the roof with the 3 guns. The symmetry and compactness makes me think this guy would be packed with a few hundred of his brothers like sardines in the sides of a special carrier SHIP. Swarming attacks, like bees! The engines... I personally don't like using transtiles as engines, mainly because this prevents their use as lights on the same MOC for consistency, but I guess its not an issue here. Hmmh, my other suggestion is that the studs between each of the gun/thruster pods, look like good opportunities to add details (space permitting). If you like greebs, thats prime greeb real estate... I don't really tho; was thinking that covering over the rear ones with grille tiles might look interesting (engine heat radiator?). Or maybe 1*1 round plates between studs down each side. This might simultaneously be a good way to add more colors, the overall color uniformity makes it seem simpler than it is.

So, does that mean the recessed/countersunk holes from the outside of the mixer really are big enough to attach things? IE, can you put a 1*1 round brick into them and have it's stud click? Yeah, thats true, using it as an engine only works once (or twice if its a 2 engined ship) before it gets boring. If they had a less spiraled inside (and maybe a removable endpiece) I could almost see them used as MIR space station modules. Aside from that... mabye as a big cannon? Anyone making any Circus MOCs? I could see a minifig with a helmet and cape climbing into one of these...

Well I was thinking, that the technic holes that hold each mixer half together, *Might* be used as an external connection point as well. Depending on just how big the countersinking holes are, theres the possibility of using a triple pin, or a pin with axle converter, or maybe an axle with technic bushings...etc, to connect through the sides of the engine/mixer (failing all those options, there always the lightsabe rod and longrod) So there's possibly more options than the holes at each end. Maybe someone will be so kind to test this and let us know before we go and buy 3 or 4 of them... ...wait a sec, snefroe1 (you) have one!...

*stares intently at the new round 'mixer' parts* Looks like a self contained spacefighter engine module.

No point resizing pics if they don't change resolution. (ie, they get blurry because all the pixels get bigger, but you don't get any new details between them). If what you have is already straight out of the digi-cam then theres not much you can do. At my Lego Shop they wanted 35$USD. Sounds like the europe price got a break. It is indeed a nice set, however aside from the buckets I could probably build it already... So the real question is, how good are those buckets? I could possibly see them used for brick storage... I dunno, at the USD price its not so great, for 35$USD there are plenty of other nice offerings at the moment.

casual Hermione for being non-fleshtone and having an outfit thats not the boring hogwarts uniform. Whats the set she came in btw? I'll have to go and buy one now... The Ginny head with freckles reminds me of a old hard-to-find Paradisa head... another good one

This Piece In the last... year or so, every single one I've recieved seems to have the top and bottom halves of the mould misaligned. This creates a visible seamline, offsets the studs from the antistuds below, and most notably makes the handlebar portion wider and jagged instead of round; creating fit issues. My question is, have all of you also seen the same issue with this part? I suspect a damaged brick moulding machine, or even damage to the 'master' mould consider how widespread I've seen this. Already sent a report to customer service, reccomend you do as well; remember to read off the numbers on the bottom of the brick to help them isolate the bad machine(s). P.S. The 4L Lightsabe blade seems to consistently suffer the same problem... This guy doesnt seem to have numbers on it though, so I dunno how theyre going to fix that one...

Thanks ...Stickers, even for critical details like the Engine nozzles??? I mean as decorative markings, sure, but Engines??? I feel like its not really worth the 5$ Compare to the Aquaraider's 5$ set, now that was good... This one, well you get those white wing plates and a odd windshield. If they'd made more of an attempt to make the pilot more covered I'd be happier... Just imagine this piece around his feet instead of that angled plate. It'd increase the good-parts value, and make the nose look at least sorta enclosed, so he's not about to fall out.

Thanks From those pics, the alien mothership .. doesn't really look like its worth 50$USD.. Its just a bunch of giant slope bricks that snap together. There's no interiour, no special opening compartments, no magnetic arm gimmick, the only thing *close* to an action feature is that it breaks into smaller modules -but we can say that about all Lego's(so it doesnt count). Can that useless nerf gun and pump *really* be taking up so much of the $cost$? :-X I'll buy it when it goes on discount for ... 25$USD, With only 2 astronauts and a buncha useless 'jellies', a couple of the 7693 would be better use of the funds, same slopes, less nerf, more wheels.

We'll, I've just now had them be unable to help. Though this was no surprise to me, so ohwell. Basically I've recently purchased 3403 off ebay for the now rare pippin reed minifig head. ( after seeing the beauty paegant topics, who wouldnt want one? ) The set was New and Sealed, however that very head piece had a bad print -the hairline was a bit... missing paint in spots. After explaining the situation, they've told me that since its so old and no longer in production/inventory they can't help. This I was expecting, but I was at least half-hoping they'd be generous and substitute some Alternative female minifig head (not a common one that i have 5 of hopefully). ohwell The bad hairline is coverable by hats, or the ponytail hairpiece. And its not like the wavy hair looks *that* great with the other fem-hairpieces(which wont cover the flaw). So I guess I'm not furious, just mildly dissapointed by it and the fact that they didn't break my prediction of inaction... Lets give them a second chance and see what happens: I've replied that while I understand that part is kinda unavailable now, I'd be ok with some other female head as a substitute. even suggesting that the more recent maryjane head from spiderman has a similar design (wavy hairline) except in orange instead of brown.... UPDATE: Hah, yeah they failed. I got back a form letter pointing out Digital Designer and Pick a Brick, and the various bulk brick packs online. None of which related to my original point of the rarity of female minifig heads and why having a damaged one is such a problem... Sure, pointing someoen to PaB+LDD is a plausible way of brushing someone off for Normal bricks replacement; minifig parts however are quite lacking in that area. I'm feeling they just sent me the usual 'go buy your own bricks' form letter. Maybe it's just because I'm on the USA side, but customer service has never been quite as good as some of you have had.

Interesting little webpage. They still seem to report August release date, which is odd given the sets are on S@H Now. The character profiles had truly dissapointing hints at the backstory... Not even a token female like Alpha Team had... not even names, just their warlike rank/roles. When you've got a guy who's 'Gunner', any pretense of the story being a peaceful exploration kinda goes out the window...

Yes from the set decriptions, it sounds like the humans are collecting the green energy crystals on Mars; and the 'jellies' are fighting with them because, well its theirs... So it sounds to me like, yeah the humans are bad. They're invading a planet and stealing from the natives. Lets put it this way "mining !Tank!"?!?!? I'm not sure where TLG is going with these kinda themes lately; are they hoping kids will Notice the moral ambiguity of the characters and learn something? Or are they really just brushing it off as Humans=Good, EveryoneElse=Evil? P.S. I just realized, green energy crystals -Tiberium?

Thanks for the info xwingyoda the use of that new rubber piece looks pretty clever, I don't think I like the rear wheel that much tho...I wonder why they couldnt have just done the same for both and yup, that cockpit is very, air-less When I get this set I doubt it'll be left in its original form for very long before I MOC it..

Yeah, thats pretty much the only thing those technic panels are good for.