Brick Miner

:-D :-D :-D i think it's still in the default 2006 EB skin. however, if you are using another skin (pirates, history, or town) as your main skin, it's obviously not going to show.if it bothers you that much echo... try using one of those other skin until we get it updated. just a suggestion ;-) - BrickMiner

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there is an AR commercial up at lego.com http://aquaraiders.lego.com/en-US/Videos/Default.aspx personally, it seems a little disappointing, it only features three sets, 7773, 7774, and 7775. and the only creature spotlighted is the tiger shark. i would have loved to see the giant squid in CGI. even the angler would have been nice. the openning sequence is nice... where your eye is drawn to the skeleton and small wreckage, then the shark pops out from around the trench. however, all-in-all the "story" is very very weak. at least compared to others i've seen, like the WW commercial. what do you think ??? - BrickMiner

ya, i "uped" on his brickshelf folder... but i didn't see any other box art... unless that UCS grevious starfighter is an MOC.sadly, i don't get much into starwars so his MOCs don't do much for me :'-( but again, he obviously has great digital talent... i'd love to see it on a classic theme. - BrickMiner

hey buddy !!! your promotion was a wise move for the administration team,... you have a lot of forum moding potential :-D now we get to see it... see you around !!! - BrickMiner

if it is fake... that box art replication is outstanding 8-

you know, as an illustrator and art enthusiast, i've started to wonder if a connection can be realized between people's fine art interests and their LEGO MOCing interests. for example, my current work (in non-LEGO art) is greatly influenced by peit mondrian (one of the great mod art movement contributors). i love art that is simple, and refined... my interests are as far removed from "highly rendered" as possible. i care so much less about the work that the renaissance "masters" did, compared to the work of the "modern" movement. for me, visual appeal happens when all the fluff is taken out, and all you have left is a balance of composition, color and shapes. this notation can also be extended to my other interests in life... for example my favorite music, warehouse NYC techno, is simple and calculated. every minuet pitch change can be heard in every instrument, and that is what makes the music beautiful. and reduction of noise, and an emphasis in exploring sounds as they change. picasso is quoted for saying "art is the elimination of the unnessesary" and i find that to be true when speaking about my LEGO MOC interests. i care less for multi thousand piece "sculpted" MOCs... instead i explore simple, calculate MOCs where each piece means something, there are no "filler" bricks, and you can't use two 1x2 bricks in place of one 1x4 brick. -------------------------------------------------- now, for the sake of discussion and enlightenment... i extended this question to you, to see if anyone else can find this true about themselves... is there a connection between your fine art interests (or any other art form outside of LEGOs) and LEGO MOCing interests. im excited to hear and discuss - BrickMiner -------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT: im not suggesting any one style of MOCing (or art in general) is better than another... it's merely a matter of interest, and exploring the type of artistic stimulation your mind enjoys.

hmmm... i think i you have something there. check this out... Precious Princess Palace (one of the largest "parted out" set sellers on BL) has a bunch of AquaRaiders sets listed at less than retail.hmmm... it seems (at least in some cases) these BL sellers, who "part out" sets, have access to retail accounts that lets them buy at wholesale. interesting. unless, of course, it's a gimmick, and they make up there loss in jacked-up shipping fees past on to the buyer. --------------------------------------------------

hey this is a really nice islander MOC... thanks for pointing it out to me Phes ;-) good job enoa, and welcome to EB. you seem to have captured the essence of the islanders very well in your MOC. and great use of pieces. i love the decorated 10 degree slopes, and the balcony-like drum stage. at first i thought it was a spectators balcony because of the canopy over it :-D i thought the women and children were watching :skel1: the placement of the baseplates coupled with the pyramid design is fantastic *y* -------------------------------------------------- you can,... or you could just read his initial post :-P -------------------------------------------------- i don't care much for the inclusion of achu in islander MOCs... it kinda undermined the great kahuka. based on his roles in official LEGO sets, he seems to be intended as the ruler of the south pacific islanders, not a second or third. i like to keep true to LEGOs vision. however, if anyone in the pirate forum follows my western MOC they should already know that :-D -------------------------------------------------- it seems to be a common theme to undermined the islanders as a powerful force in the LEGO pirate world.you kinda have to put them in context though... it's not like the islander catamaran is going up against the caribbean clipper... and it's not like an army of imperial soldiers would line up their cannons against an army of islanders... it just wouldn't happen. islanders don't follow civilized battle guildlines of lineing up for war... they are on the "predator and prey" system :skel1: the islanders advantage is their environment. crocodiles, hidden traps, swinging vines, falling rope bridges. yes, on a plain open surface the soldiers would win a battle against the islanders (i mean, it's the only way imperial soldiers know how to do a land battle, anyway). instead, imagine them in a jungle or volcanic island, far from the environment they are comfortable with, and they would fall victim to the headhunters for sure. plus, it's not like the imperials would take an entire army after the islanders anyway... it's more likely that a few settlers, claiming uncharted territories, become overwhelmed by the surprise attack of the natives. you really have to put it in context. so enoa, are the islanders one of your favorite themes ??? can we expect to see some more ??? or is this a one-shot venture ??? personally, i want to see some more X-D - BrickMiner

ya, i saw that on MSN... it's strange. from some angles the shark looks bizarre, and incomparable to any creature seen before. but from other angles it just looks like an eel (for example the videos).i do like hearing about stories like these... gives us hope that maybe one day will will find AquaRaiders size creatures 8-

as for the stickers issue... i think it's because set 7774 and 7775 share the same sticker sheet... when you build 7774 some stickers are left over for 7775. and likewise, when you build 7775 you have some stickers leftover for 7774.at least that is what i can tell. -------------------------------------------------- and nice review by the way hinkely... and i have to add, this is definitely a set worth a high rating of 9 !!! - BrickMiner

ya, i've talked with sellers that get some of there parts from LEGOland PaB. but they only sell basic bricks and plates through those outlets... i doubt you could actually build an official set with just those elements... definitely not a SW set ;-) BaW put it well... i think the minifigs are the difference in copmike's example... that is where all the mark up comes... at least it seems. -------------------------------------------------- however, i am also curious where some BL sellers get their "special colored elements". i have purchased several items that are not offered by LEGO in certain colors. so, obviously not all pieces on BL are aquired from "parting out". does anyone know where these "special colors" come from ??? for example, the red and tan kepi, or the green bandana. - BrickMiner

ah, no minifigs... that could explain the profit margin he was looking for ;-) - BrickMiner

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for those you can't wait for other sources... there is one on BL for 40 USD http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?invXre...84587&invType=F - BrickMiner

that is pretty funny *sweet* - BrickMiner

all makes sense to me L'E !!! especially this... very perceptive... and i think its spot-on !!!maybe i was the only one who read your post the wrong way :'-( ... but it seemed like a summation of all the divers-like talk i had been reading. im just glad i gave this theme a chance, and i hope others do to ;-) it's fun going to the store and actually liking what i see down the LEGO aisle... it's like being a kid again. buying LEGOs off the internet just doesn't have the same nostalgia *wub* - BrickMiner

just predators and prey >:-) - BrickMiner

actually, there is quite a bit of green in the american deserts... its a living desert, not a lifeless sand dune ;-) i just took a winter vaction to AZ earlier this month. i did some mountain climming and visited some cowtowns while i was there. it's really amazing how dense the foliage is... for example, i had no idea there were saguaro forests 8-

nice undead army SW4J... so i assume your looking forward to the 07 castle line :-D i like this thread, i wanta see some armies !!! i'll start off by posting the one photo i have... :-D :-D :-D its my signature i'll have to update it (with full army) when i get a chance at some photos ;-) - BrickMiner

007 with a WW MOC *y* and it looks good, especially the interior. i can't imagine going west and having all my belongings in one wagon like the pioneers did... all the LEGO bricks just wouldn't fit :-D it's interesting that you chose a four sided cover for the wagon. it looks fine, but i get a feeling that the front and back flaps need to be secured by something. right now they look like they are floppin in the wind. - BrickMiner

though it doesn't look much like a western mine, i like it. LEGO used non-LEGO "props" in their box art, and i could definitely see something like this making a good addition to a LEGO scene or set up. my only concern with something this size, is that it might over-power the LEGO elements. where as smaller non-LEGO elements, such as boulders or foliage would make great additions. all-in-all great job for a 12 year old. - BrickMiner