Erik Leppen
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Everything posted by Erik Leppen
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Lots of good replies here. It's still very much a "feeling" subject where everyone feels a bit different. 'd like to add a remark here. Many things I use I have copied (in one way or another) from sets. Do I credit the original set designers for that? No, I don't. Why? I don't really know, but probably because those people are payed to do designs and spread them. So I consider techniques in sets to be "open source" and free to use without credit. Implementations in MOCs however, I feel are someone's creative input into the community, which I think deserves some credit. Set designers have had their credits from the company (in the form of $$$). Exactly what I'm thinking. If I get inspiration from X, it's not my concern where X gets his inspiration - I got it from X, so I thank X for bringing it to my attention. -
I liked the B of 8853. Not sure what's bad about it, given the parts in the set. Anyhow. In the "bad B model" category, it's hard to beat this:
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I probably wouldn't have asked if it wasn't for a competition. I think that changes the "rules" a bit. 'Cause, what if I might win? In this case I figured it would be better if D3K knew before I would come up with the entry. He might have been not amused to find his idea in a competition entry. Even if it's only a small part, but he (or she?) might have found it to be an essential part of his MOC. Paid instructions is not an area I really care about. But competitions, where honour and reputation can be earned, is something I find important. So I tend to tread a bit more softly there :)
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23 entries is really not bad. It's less than I expected when the compo was announced, but it's more than it looked like a week ago. Many great entries only came about quite recently. I'm going to think about a vote when I have time. I'm glad the multi-vote system is used again. I like how I can award multiple entries a vote. For me, the contest is a winner anyway, because otherwise I wouldn't have built this MOC :) I feel honored having been assigned the pro category. Not sure it's deserved, but I'll carry the tag with pride :)
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[TC7] Enforcers - Van Helising
Erik Leppen replied to D3K's topic in LEGO Technic, Mindstorms, Model Team and Scale Modeling
That steering :o Wonderful piece of engineering right there. -
Thanks all for all the nice words! Yes, one of the things I wanted was for normal mode to look as normal as possible. Only the front grille is a small hint that it has something to hide ;) And yes, I really like this scale (and those wheels). It's not as big as the scale of the 62x20 wheels, but (just :P) big enough to fit functionality inside. But indeed, tucking away the battery box wasn't possible. Everything just fits. For example, getting the hinge points for the guns exactly such that they could freely move and fitted in the box when flat, was a challenge. I'm glad it worked out in the end.
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Great review. Thanks for the pictures and the explanations. I do wonder why the two #3 axles are yellow though. Any thoughts on that?
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Thanks to all so far for the replies! Yeah it sure is. There's a lot of really neat stuff by many people. It sure does. This was one of the first (of many) problems I encountered for this MOC. Solving it was required before even going further. Also, the ground clearance is now just short of a stud. Also, the axles are a half-stud offset vertically. Haha, so true... Looking at it this way, it's not really a front-line scout, it's more kind of an artillery force. Thanks. Yes, I used MLCAD heavily for this, almost in tandem with the actual construction, because both work best for different problems. I couldn't have done this without the CAD software, I think. So yeah, I have 99% of the whole model in MLCAD (only the latest changes haven't been digitized). It's about 2500 parts.
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The battle mode version looks great especially. Exactly like those fast scout jeeps. Also, doing the full transformation in 10 seconds is also quite a feat :)
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When I saw the jet, I was really thinking "I wonder what this will transform into". I did not expect the mecha. Great transformation, great looking jet, cool mecha. Good stuff. Awesome entry, right within the spirit of the compo.
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What I like so much about this competition is that everyone gets to build something they haven't ever built before. So there's much more originality and thinking-outside-the-box. We're seeing things that noone would have ever considered building otherwise. Also, because "going crazy" is basically the premise of the whole compo, we're seeing things so weird (but cool), that people would otherwise maybe even be ashamed of having thought of. (Also, there's much less of an advantage for people who are experts at building certain things.)
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[TC7] Enforcers - Van Helising
Erik Leppen replied to D3K's topic in LEGO Technic, Mindstorms, Model Team and Scale Modeling
I really like this one. For now, a serious contender for my vote. What I like so much is that the van really looks van-like and the helicopter also really looks helicopter-y. Reminds of 9396. Also, it really does a lot of things, technically. Wheel units rotate, stuff slides out in all kinds of places, without it really affecting the looks of the original van. My minor gripe is the windscreen. Would rather have seen a transparent one, rather than it being covered by black beams. It looks to be the same in both vehicles, so the black beams don't seem to be needed for anything. But I understand if you want to hide whatever's behind it. An unexpected feature was how the main rotor seems to self-stabilize when driven. Nice! -
Wow, this is a nice one. To be honest I think it looks even more bad-ass in normal mode. It really looks agressive and something you don't want to encounter. A huge and heavy monster (similar to those huge mining trucks) I like that! What I also really like is how both the truck and the airplane looks really convincing. Yes, the plane is a bit bulbous, but far less than the truck. I'm not convinced though by the idea that one vehicle transforms into two vehicles. It feels like "bending the rules" for me, even though it's very original and well executed. I can't judge fully without the transformation video though, so I'm curious to that.
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13. Valuable Transport (Enforcers) Short summary of the functions Steering on axles 1, 2 and 4 (steering angle reduced for axles 2 and 4) using a special linkage for realistic movement Double tyres on axle 3 The doors of the cabin can open. Power Functions Medium motor drives 3-function gearbox Gearbox function 1: Transformation: the two side panels fold open and the seats rotate 180 degrees Gearbox function 2: Rotation of the turrets Gearbox function 3: Raising and lowering the guns Spring-loaded shooting mechanism with 12 bullets Based off a real truck One or more images The rest of the images as links to not stretch the topic too far: http://www.erikleppe.../enforcer_2.jpg http://www.erikleppe.../enforcer_3.jpg http://www.erikleppe.../enforcer_4.jpg http://www.erikleppe.../enforcer_5.jpg http://www.erikleppe.../enforcer_6.jpg http://www.erikleppe.../enforcer_7.jpg http://www.erikleppe.../enforcer_8.jpg Video (mandatory) Link to the discussion topic http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=113385
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For the past two months I've been building my entry for the Enforces vs. Bandits competition, and it has finally arrived! Enforcers - Valuable Transport My source of inspiration is an actual valuable transport truck that I once saw driving over the Dutch highways: which led me to think: how cool would it be to hide some sort of advanced weaponry in there and have it fold open? First I thought about folding open the container, but in the end it's the entire truck that folds open. Also, the weapons I envisioned were different from what they have become, but the main idea is still there. So, the specs: Manual functions First of all, three of the four axles have steering. The third axle is idle, but has double tyres. I used the same steering linkage as D3K did in his Midi-scale pneumatic crane truck (with his permission), but I reinforced it, sacrificing some ground clearance. Another feature is that the doors of the cabin can open. Electric functions The truck houses the normal battery box driving an M motor. This drives a gearbox that operates three functions: transformation rotating the turrets raising/lowering the guns Transformation Getting the transformation to work was the biggest challenge. The entire sides of the truck are panels that are hinged at the bottom. Via a worm gear system they are deployed outwards. Also, the seats will rotate so that they face the weaponry, so that the driver can operate them. Because of the weight of the side panels, transforming back into transport mode takes well over a minute... Armament In battle mode, the truck shows two turrets carrying two guns, having three bullets each (making the total ammo 12). Via the gearbox the turrets can rotate together, and the guns can be raised. A spring-loaded mechanism is used to shoot. No specialized parts have been used, except the standard dark-gray 9.5L springs from set 8880. Shooting is done manually by rotating the knob wheels. The bullets are white 1x5 beams. Here's a computer image of all the functions. And, of course, the video.
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Wow, this extra week comes in very handy for me, really! I have zero experience on how to shoot videos, and I have next week off :D Actually my model is 99% done, so I can use the extra week for taking the photos and video. I might even open the topic soon, and add the video later.
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The transformation is lovely, well done! Also I really like the color scheme. Those two colors are not used together often, but I find for this car it works very well.
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It's the only set that has dark gray engine cylinders. It also has black and dark gray 5x7 beams with quarter ellipse. These parts are super handy but unfortunately super rare. I only have eight, of which four are from this set. It also has the rare trans dark-red 3x7 bent beams that you can find in the Nitro Menace 8649 as well. Not sure why they went for those though. It also has a few connectors in tan and white, such as the 2x2 split connector or the 3x0.5 beam with pin. It also has the 2x6.5 suspension arms in white. The mirror parts I have not yet found any other use of, but which might be nice to have studs at an angle. The many blue 1x2 bricks with axlehole from this set are also the only ones in my collection. Not sure why those 1x8 bricks are in the set though. The set contains the inline axle joiners in blue and dark gray, I believe both are not very often occurring in other sets. And aren't the wheels unique to this set as well? I do agree that the model is not very nice to look at, and while the main model is OK-ish, the alternative model is wholly uninspiring. Somehow of the main model I think the proportions are off, it looks "toyish" with the very tall windscreen and the low bonnet/hood. It's also very open, but this set is from before the new panels were invented. Also the towing arm is fixed, so from a technical standpoint it's not very intriguing, even though it has an engine, steering and suspension (I always liked the rear suspension though)
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I like it. There's many details, and I like how everything opens. I particularly like the diagonal tiling on the wooden floor. There's not much room to move around though. By the way, smart part use of the 8t gears there :) There's two little things I don't like 100% though. 1. There's quite a lot of tan. I think it would be better if the "base" (the front edge that hides the construction of the diagonal floor) could have ben another color designiating thatit doesn't really belong to the kitchen, but denotes the boundary of the MOC. E.g. dark tan or (dark) gray. 2. The light-blue checkerboard pattern is also on the outside of the walls...
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That's what happens if Lego makes bigger loader buckets :) Anyhow, I think it looks pretty magnificent. White works really well for this, and I like the general shapes and proportions. Also, good photography. I'm not fond of the huge "9150" sticker on the back though. I do have to ask though... What does it do that 8043 doesn't? (Except be huge)
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Is there any specific reason my questions from post #176 have not yet been answered?
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Sort them. That's my method. I hate unsorted parts bins, as I can't find anything in them, and also have no oversight about what's actually in it. So I start sorting. Depending on the need, maybe roughly, or I just go all out and sort them into my main part system. Then, when it's sorted, I can do 1. with ease :) I do 4. if I build in an unusual color - I then first get a lot of that color, because I normally don't sort by color so picking a lot from a color gives an idea about how much I have and which parts are rare in that color in my collection. The only "unsorted box" I use is when I buy a new set and build it.
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So who likes the new Bricklink skin?
Erik Leppen replied to bonox's topic in General LEGO Discussion
Are the desigers of this new skin reading along over here? I'd like explicit mention of the fact that a set has no inventory yet. When I look for a set in catalog that has no inventory, I spent some time looking around before I realized it just wasn't there. For the rest, it's the same old, with some new designs. No real changes really. I do like the new logo. Much better font, more abstractized. The flat colors for the parrots are a good idea. I also like the green band with all the tabs. -
I wish the new pneumatic cylinders would have been a more neutral color, e.g. gray. The yellow clashes with everything. And unlike pins, these are not small parts. ;) Same goes for the blue tubing, however this is usually hidden deeper in a model. Then they could have used e.g. orange for the small pump, because that's also usually somewhere very deep inside a model.
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Then why is it called "color vomit"? That's not a very neutral term in the first place.