Brick Miner

wow, now thats the kinda story that makes me all :'-) this happened to me on so many levels when i was a kid... LEGO propelled my factination with history. - BM

ok, thats fine... i would just know it is fun for me. no biggie X-D no your right, i don't think they would either... actually when they re-released 6769, 6766, and 5755 as legends, they used real photos... i prefer the cartoony look of the 1996-1997 line, personally... and my MOCs are an extension of that theme. so that is why i use that "image" when presenting my MOCs. i actually think, if LEGO re-released a WW line, it would looking nothing like the old line... they probably wouldn't even use the staple minifigs like the sheriff, red-shirted cowboy, or three bandits from the original line. it would be completely new. but as i said, my MOCs are too fit the old line, with the exception of GHOST TOWN. and actually that is why i created all new figs and boxart for the GT sub... because it wasn't design to be part of the same WW theme. i wanted all new iconography as if the line could have come out any time, not just 1996-1997 ;-) - Brick Miner

you got the right idea with that second one... maybe just a tad too much PS noise, especially toward the horizon... and i do have one suggestion to fix that... make a new layer on top of the noise layer, and use this new layer for the dark-brown gradient. that way it gives the impression that, as the land gets farther from you, the details of the dirt get smaller, and less clear... just makes the horizon look more "natural" to the eye. and of course you'd have to "cut out" that new gradient layer around the fort image. and keep your bottom layer a solid ligher-brown color. i suppose this is worth mentioning... all of my suggestions are only give-or-take... you should do what you think looks good to you. im just trying to share some of the knowledge that has worked for me X-D -------------------------------------------------- also, i realize i haven't given you any feedback on the actually MOC... well, it's because im not real familiar with this type of architecture, and honestly it doesn't do much for me. however, i can justify sharing strictly artistic based comments... for example, i love the three height levels of each of the towers(?), and love their spatial relation to one another... this structure relation really reminds me of eldorado fortress 6276 or imperial trading post 6277. also, the color scheme is prefect... but as an official set, i think it would need a little more playability. i like that fort legoredo opens up... it seems like this set would benefit from something like that. though, of course, i don't have the set in front of me, and it's hard to judge something like that from a 2D images. -------------------------------------------------- also, you know what i would love from your MOCs, B... a piece count. i'd love to know how my piece counts compare to yours... as far as getting the most out of each brick. of course, it wouldn't be a competitive thing. i know for me, it's fun to gauge your piece counts with official sets... so, i imagine i would get the same pleasure from comparing pieces counts with other's MOC (who are building in a similar building style, of course... SYSTEM LEGO ;-) ). - BM

simplicity is a sign of perfection ;-) read on... personally (i see this is a common word in this thread ;-)) this has nothing to do with it. and it has nothing to do with tradition, or crap like that either.for me, it has to do with how your mind perceives life, and represents it in art. i would suggest reading my post here for a full view of my view on that... http://eurobricks.hosting.ipsyn.com/eurofo...wtopic=7927&hl= these are reason why i put "advanced" in quotes when referring to the CC... the word implies "better". saying this Michelangelo is "better" or more "advanced" than Mondrian is just ridiculous, after all, Mondrian came much later. simplicity and representation is why i felt in love with LEGO as a kid. the artform of LEGO represents a simplified interpretation of life... if i wanted Michelangelo super-reality and highly rendered miniatures, i would have gotten into scale-model-building :-X but that isn't my hobby, its not how i perceive life and art... LEGO is. there is a reason why i picked up on SYSTEM style LEGO as a kid, i was smart and knew what i liked ;-) - Brick Miner

oh, and i've got a goal for your digital growth, B ;-) get away from only using gradients, and apply some textures... just work in these couple of suggestions, and you be ready for the "new team member packet" on LEGO's graphic design team :-D ...then maybe you can get me a job ;-) - Brick Miner

hey really impressive editing job B !!! taking clear images (suitable for editing) of an MOC this size is really difficult, and i think you did a great job. i wish my camera was this good. the only big suggestion concerning the digital editing is the angle/crop at which the photo is presented. we seem too far away from the set. one thing LEGO box art was good at doing was making you feel like you were right down in the action of the minifigs. i do see a couple small nit-picks, like the shadowing of the saguaro. - Brick Miner

thanks for the review sne... it is nice to see a wildcard post/review once in a while. the best thing that came out of this theme is the pony *wub* this is definitely a parts-pack theme for me. though the sets are nice to look at because of all those rarer/unusual elements. its really too bad there isn't a market to support this type of theme anymore :'-) - BrickMiner

i like the line, and have all of them... but i agree there is little left to do with them. the only thing im missing is a jellyfish, one of the most facinating creatures of the sea.i will also miss the expansion of landscaping if the line is cancled. - Brick Miner

ya, the rear is always right to the edge... i always looks at the official WW sets as being 3 sided... the back is kinda the exception, and is almost like its sliced off. so your right, i was specifically referring to the fence (of the other three sides) in this case.------------------------------------------------ oh, ok... i was just confused because i read the description "less blocky". to me, the official fence (while being less customizable) is less blocky, because the only part of it that is as thick as brick is the bottom where it connects to the studs of the baseplate. where as the other technique actually includes bricks, and which means the vertical wood pieces are thicker, because they are a brick thick all the way up.thats all :-/ ------------------------------------------------ B, when you get this to a point you are happy with, are you going to add a digital background ??? - BrickMiner ------------------------------------------------ EDIT: i forgot to respond to this...i didn't know you where also trying to blend your MOCs with the official LEGO look, B. this comment leads me to believe so. it is interesting that the WW fans like this seamless blend (i know there are a few of us now, Ty ;-) ), while generally, castle and town fans like big extravagant, non-LEGO SYSTEM like buildings. interesting.

i think the official LEGO fence is by far less block than using any SNOT technique... but maybe im missing what you are suggesting SW4J *wacko* this piece would look great, 1x8x2 fence. -------------------------------------------------- also, this is something that doesn't get talked about, but is actually very important for me, in my MOCing... so it might be to you B; placement of the building on its plate. i usually try to have quite a bit of extra space around the actual structure. when something is built right to the edge, it gives me an uncomfortable feeling. i think this would be presented better with extra plate beyond the fence. - BrickMiner

i might be the only EBer who doesn't like the cement mixer... and in contrast, i love the hauler. 7998 and 7991 are the two sets that brought me back into city fandom. though, athos had a good checklist *y* - BM

your crazy hinckely ;-) you make this board that much more fun.- BM

sounds very similar to my FRONTIER OUTPOST #6742 MOC ive been working on ;-) except mine is more like a watch tower thingy...- Brick Miner

hey brickster... looks pretty good *y* i like the horse stable the best. you know, i've always wondered what would happen if a door was added to the second floor (going to the balcony, facing front) of a western building... i knew it would almost have to be symmetrical with the bottom floor. and because of that, i never tried the configuration, fearing that it might look too repetitive; to have the first and second floors identical. did this issue ever cross your mind when constructing a WW building ??? it doesn't look bad though. how do you feel about the symmetry you had here ??? actually, i put the second floor door on the side of the building to avoid this issue altogether :-D -------------------------------------------------- i do agree, i think the official 1x8x2 fences would work better... in brown would be prefect, but i know that piece is rather rare, and hard to come by in quantity. im not really a big fan of the studless look, but that may just be preference... why did you choose to go this route with the fence ??? just curious. - BM

i forgot to mention that this link didn't work for me, so i wasn't able to leave you any feedback... and good call on using my color chart ;-) :-P - BM -------------------------------------------------- EDIT: piranha, believe it or not we are seeing so much more WW interest than we say a year ago. before it was just me, Norro, and TheBrickster. if we only count you, KD, and ty, we've doubled... plus i have read replies from other members expressing western interest.we are growing ;-) just keep making those MOCs, and remember the cheese movie line... "built it, and they will come." - Brick Miner

i filled out the form... hopefully LEGOREDO can be one of the three places choosen !!!- Brick Miner

the minifig customization chart is all messed up, in my opinion. some of those colors are way off. id stick with the official LEGO chart (peeron). here is a chart i made... it matches the peeron colors values with the BrickLink names. http://eurobricks.hosting.ipsyn.com/eurofo...ndpost&p=150828 but hey, whatever works, right... i just know we are all about the "official" LEGO look ;-) - BM

ice planet for me too... and while she didn't have much compitition, i still think she is one of the better female minifigs. she might have a chance at winning the pageant !!! its going to be tough competition against the castle princess though. - BM

ya, i finally understood yours, once we had those few posts back-and-forth in the "4 or 6 wide" city poll ;-) before that, i didn't really get yours ??? i though you didn't understand something once, and one of the admins forced you to live with the shame :-D :-D :-D now i can see why yours is very valuable to you. -------------------------------------------------- mine comes from my first MOC... soon after i changed my avatar to match ;-) i feel like i have occupational confusion though, am i a wild west gun toting gambler or a gold rush prospecting miner (as in Brick Miner) ??? i don't know :-D - Brick Miner

:-D :-D :-D in my defense, i think im getting good enough (and have acquired enough extra WW specialty pieces) that i am ready to publish an MOC every 3 months... previously i was doing every 4 months. i like to keep a schedule, that way i offer something fresh, consistently, to the AFOL community. that way people don't forget about me ;-) but right now, i have around 5 MOCs that are all ready to be released, so there is no reason to keep them on a 4 month release schedule !!! and an every three months schedule will still give me time to produce my next batch of MOCs ;-) -------------------------------------------------- perfection takes time,... from now till early fall sounds like a good amount of time to produce an MOC piranha ;-) and i hear your waiting on pieces from BL, that can really slow building time down, and even bring it to a halt at times. - Brick Miner

ok, lets coordinate their vaction to the WW via PMs.sounds like fun *y* - BM

:-D visiting LEGOREDO might be fun *y* *y* *y* and they could take the LEGOREDO EXPRESS to get there !!! - Brick Miner

B, the two gunslingers look good. but i think for the doc holliday the arms should match the color of the torso jacket (dark gray). and the blue is a very strong color compared to the rest of the fig... Ty, maybe this is something you could address ??? or did you have a different color combination in mind for the legs/arms/hands/hat ??? also, i might try matching the barkeep arms with the color of his undershirt (white). and the torso would either be white, or dark blue, ala conductor charlie... http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?M=trn075 thanks for doing those B !!! - BrickMiner