Bricknave

I'm on the Overbuild (US) server as Bricknave! I often battle dragons when I feel like getting more bricks. I'm a Rank 3 Engineer, so I can use my constructive powers to defeat the dragons piece by piece.

Congratulations to the winners, and job well done to everyone who entered! This contest was well played!

Hello! Here's my review of set 7326 "Rise of the Sphinx" from the new Pharaohs Quest theme! Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- main photo by Bricknave, on Flickr Deep in the Egyptian desert, famous adventurer Jake Raines searches for the Golden Sword, the fifth of the six treasures sought after Amset-Ra's minions. Using a bundle of dynamite, Jake Raines daringly raids the treasure from the temple. However, he wasn't expecting mummy warriors to bring the sphinx to life through an enchantment. Jake Raines has achieved a lot of daring feats before, from defeating caravan bandits to rescuing the British Ambassador's camel from quicksand, but is a living sphinx statue more than he can handle? Name: Rise of the Sphinx Set Number: 7326 Year of release: 2011 Price: $49.99 Piece Count: 527 Minifigs: 3 (Jake Raines, two mummy warriors) Theme: Pharaoh's Quest Flickr Let us continue our tour of the sphinx, shall we? The box: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- box front by Bricknave, on Flickr Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- box back by Bricknave, on Flickr The box of "Rise of the Sphinx". It shows the play features and mentions the list of collectible treasures. The Instructions and Stickers: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- instructions and stickers by Bricknave, on Flickr The instructions to build the car and Minifigs is separate from the instructions to build the whole sphinx. Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- instructions ad by Bricknave, on Flickr An ad for the whole Pharaohs Quest line. This isn't too uncommon for instruction booklets. Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- instructions glyphs by Bricknave, on Flickr One interesting thing about the instructions is that it mentions a special LEGO Glyphs language. Can you decode the message? The Minifigures: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- minifigs with accessories by Bricknave, on Flickr Here, you see Jake Raines sporting a detailed bomber jacket, but without the aviator's helmet. The other minifigures are ordinary mummy warriors. Nope, no flying mummies, just average mummies. Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- minifigs back by Bricknave, on Flickr The back of the bomber jacket has an interesting logo. You 'd think the logo would be weather related, because of the whole weather-themed name gimmick with Pharaohs Quest and Adventurers (Johnny Thunder, Jake Raines, Harry Cane, Mac McCloud etc.) The mummies each have dual-faces, so you can have a choice of what your mummies look like. New, New-ish, recolored or interesting pieces: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- special bricks by Bricknave, on Flickr The jeep cabin in dark red makes it really stand out from the Adventurers sets, and adds a little hot-rod spice to the variety of explorer vehicles. There are also two fezzes included with the set, so if you missed out on Venice Canal Chase you can get this set for the fezzes. The models: Since there are technically three parts of the set, I have decided to break it down into three separate sections. --The car: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- car by Bricknave, on Flickr The car is fun both to build and to play with. The design balances symmetry with asymmetry. However, there is a horizontal gap at the back of the car, but I don't mind it. --The temple / bottom half of the sphinx: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- inside the temple by Bricknave, on Flickr Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- completed temple by Bricknave, on Flickr The bottom half of the sphinx is a simple and engaging build. --The top half of the sphinx: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- anubis head by Bricknave, on Flickr This is the section you have to pay the most attention to when building this set. The build is engaging until you reach the legs, which is quite repetitive. You can plan ahead and just build all four legs at once without having to skim through the pages. I would rather the hind legs of the sphinx be different from the front legs, like a real jackal. The play feature: There are two play features. One play feature is the same concept as what you'll find in 7327 Scorpion Pyramid -- a plastic bundle of dynamite is "used" to blow up a wall in order to get to the treasure. I wish there was a way to obtain the treasure whilst keeping the ancient structure pristine, because the ancient builders who spent all that time to create it probably didn't want it to be blown up. Oh well, it's all in the name of adventure and archeology, right? Jake Raines patiently waits for the dynamite to detonate, while a mummy warrior approaches Jake with ill intent. The ensuing chaos from the dynamite destroys the mummy in an amusing fashion! "Oh" said Jake Raines, "If only I captured that on film and sent it to Egypt's Funniest Adventure Videos!" An axle at the back of the temple is pushed, causing the sword holder to jet out. This function is comparable to "Secret of the Sphinx" from the Adventurers theme. The other play feature is that the sphinx can stand up and "attack" minifigures. Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- anubis attack by Bricknave, on Flickr When a giant Anubis sphinx begins to munch on you're car while you're driving it, you begin to wonder whether you drank too much Rubis d'Egypt or not. Overall set: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- completed model by Bricknave, on Flickr The build was engaging (except for the legs), and the overall set is fun to play with, especially if you're a little kid getting their first dose of Adventure-themed LEGO fun! Conclusion: Eurobricks Rise of the Sphinx review -- defeated mummies by Bricknave, on Flickr Wielding the Golden Sword he recently acquired, Jake Raines kicks the mummies' papyrus-wrapped cartouche-ies. Adventurers Anubis and Pharaoh's Quest Anubis by Bricknave, on Flickr A comparison with Oasis Ambush from the Adventurers theme. Both are similar in that they use 2x2x3 slopes near the legs. The overall build is very engaging, except for the legs. This set also contains a lot of good MOCing pieces, such as the dark red jeep cabin and the 2x2 jumper plate. As far as entertainment goes, the Anubis sphinx monster is good to pose for photo fun, while kids can have a blast with the dynamite function. On the 1-to-5 rating system, I rate this set a 4.6 On the 1-to-10 rating system, I rate this a 9 The Pharaoh's Quest theme is Adventurers incarnate, I definitely hope kids enjoy it like how we enjoyed the Adventurers theme when it came out. ~Bricknave

Hello, here are my votes: Brickcitydepot (Train Depot): 1 Brickzone (Holiday Inn): 1 Cecilie (Santa's Post Office): 1 Dix (Tram Station): 1 Kost u grlu (Train Station): 1 Remember, it isn't about who wins or who loses, it is about having holiday fun! Leg Godt (Play Well), and Happy Holidays!

Excellent entry! I really like the classroom and the hat stand, along with the detail under the windows! I've never seen a swings set MOC until now. Excellent use of the chains, I never thought of that before. Maybe the children from my Orphanage entry can go to school here.

Thank you all for the compliments. I understand what many of you are saying about the exterior. I initially wanted the exterior to be happier, which was why I placed the wreath there, but it ended up looking gloomy even still. I was also trying for a scene with a light-up brick shining through the stained glass window. However, like many of you have pointed out, the fact that the orphanage is gloomy even though children are having a wonderful holiday shows that holiday spirit can exist anywhere. Thanks for pointing that out! I never really thought of the people in the pictures to be the parents of the children. I had a rough concept of them being the parents of the maids and founders of the orphanage, but I think what you mentioned suits them better. Happy holidays, everyone!

Hello and Happy Holidays! This is my entry for the "Expand the Winter Village" contest. On the edge of the winter village sits the Orphanage, where unfortunate children are housed. However, the usual gloomy mood of the Orphanage's residents has changed, because Santa has brought toys to all the Children! The caretakers are relieved -- it has been a long time since the children have been happy! Santa gets a snack while the children begin opening their presents! Hmmm, there isn't much food in the kitchen, is there? Makes you wonder how the poor orphans are able to survive with so little food. The bedroom is awfully cramped, isn't it? The orphans now have a toy train to play with and share! Here is a link to the full picture set on my Flickr Photostream. Thanks for viewing, and Happy Holidays!

The AFOLs who built Moonbase have their own website to promote the world they created: http://moonbase.lu/ They are planning on expanding Moonbase, so they are giving fans the opportunity to submit story ideas and LDD models.

Thanks for the compliments! To answer your question, I built these just for fun.

Here's my haunted avatar: Aaaahhhhh! I'm undergoing a horrible transformation because I stole the Pumpkin-Orange Gem of Samhain from the Shrine of All Hallows Eve! ~Bricknave

I've concocted several Halloween vignettes for this Halloween season, each with their own creepy and/or surreal character. Here is a group snapshot of all the vignettes together: My Halloween Vignette Collection by Bricknave, on Flickr Now, for a tour of the individual vignettes! Alabama Bones (Main View) by Bricknave, on Flickr Alabama Bones was no Indiana Jones. He searched for Egyptian artifacts, but ended up being buried under an obelisk as a consequence of his greed. His spirit has returned to his body, and now he seeks to destroy other treasure hunters! The Severed Pirate by Bricknave, on Flickr Long ago, a salty swashbuckler known as The Severed Pirate roamed the seas. His story of plundering and pillaging was never told, because it was too terrifying. The Pumpkin Patch Kid by Bricknave, on Flickr The son of the great Pumpkin King, The Pumpkin Patch Kid is sorrowed by the tradition of mutilating pumpkins every Halloween season. He wishes to return the favor for those who like making Jack-o-Lanterns out of his kin. The Stalker (Left Side View) by Bricknave, on Flickr Every Halloween, The Stalker lurks in a small neighborhood. He's more than a Peeping Tom, that's for sure. The Cloak by Bricknave, on Flickr The Cloak is a phantom who haunts the abandoned opera house. Some say he is a descendant of the infamous Phantom of the Opera himself! The Black Apron by Bricknave, on Flickr The Black Apron is a mysterious figure who dwells in unused kitchens on Halloween nights. He has the ability to make food items out of the most unusual -- and most disturbing -- ingredients. ICU (Main View) by Bricknave, on Flickr ICU is a mysterious medic who lives in an abandoned hospital. He doesn't like to cure people, but he does like to do the exact opposite. The Twisted Wizard (Main View) by Bricknave, on Flickr The Twisted Wizard was once an innocent Mage, but one of his spells was certainly strange! It twisted his limbs, and merged his split personality with the back of his head, giving him everlasting dread. Dr. Wulfenstein (Main View) by Bricknave, on Flickr Dr. Wulfenstein is a furry and lonely genius, who is attempting to create a wolf-woman bride for himself. He is a famous scientific figure in the Werewolf world. Root God Worshiper by Bricknave, on Flickr The Root God Worshiper is interested in more than just gardening. He prays to a long forgotten Root God, and takes part in chaotic rituals, such as the creation of Poison Sumac-Root Beer. The Pale Samurai by Bricknave, on Flickr The Pale Samurai was a super deadly warrior in ancient Japan. He channeled evil Chi throughout his body, enabling him to perform terrifying stunts and sword-play tricks. Grandfather Time: Angel of Death by Bricknave, on Flickr Grandfather Time is an angel of death. All he must do to kill someone is to wait silently. Well, that wraps the tour up. Happy Halloween, and play well! ~Bricknave

Congratulations to the winners, and everyone who participated! Looking at all of the wonderful designs sure was a pleasant experience! Leg Godt - Play Well.

1 point to gotoAndLego's Modular Bridge & Watchtower 1 point to vynsane's Phoenix Corp. Fireball 1 point to shimon's Lab Good luck to all of those who entered.

1 Point to: Captain Blockbeard's Golden Gander SteamPunk Airship --Aside from the wondrous airship and landscape below, the dog eating the skeleton's arm is amusing. 1 Point to: Penguinz's Lego Mall --I was in for a shock when I looked at the highly detailed interior of the mall! This model would make a great LEGO City set, because it would go well with the family house and pizzeria. 1 Point to: Catanas's Post Train --This would also make a good LEGO City set, specifically as a limited-edition special offer! I like the detail inside the wagons, along with the mail lorry and even the small train station. Good luck to everyone who participated! Leg Godt - Play Well

I like action themes because of the stories and of course the sets themselves. Even though action themes aren't constant and accumulative such as the primary City theme, the upside of getting action theme sets is that they wouldn't continue to flourish in the future unless they are 'reincarnated'. An Atlantis Minifig from this year would be a relic several years in the future, so it would either spice up a future MOC because of its rarity or become a new LEGO fan's purchase from an unofficial seller. Sets from action themes also have a role playing value in them. Sure, you can move a common city pedestrian Minifig around and make him 'talk', but he wouldn't have as much personality as the characters from action themes. With action themes: kids would create worlds made out of bricks in which to place those imaginary characters, and would interact with other kids using those imaginary characters if they are building together; thus social relationships would be formed. With the story setting, the imagination of young builders would have a better grip because they are familiar with the characters.

Hello, here is my LDD-Only Entry for the Sci-Fi theme. The LXF file In the year 2013, Human survivors of a massive war between their kind and a race of aliens known as The Conquerors roam the floating remains of their destroyed homeworld. However, many wonders have been unearthed from the destruction caused by the aliens when they invaded in 2012, some of those wonders are the answers to many infamous mysteries. A group of brave adventurers; Archeologist Steven West, Cyborg Navigator Eric McGulligan, Map-Maker Vincent Arduous and Veteran Fighter-Pilot Patricia Flennsdale are searching for an ancient Mayan structure known as the Temple of Omega. A legendary relic within the temple holds the secret to Humanity's survival. Unfortunately, a small battalion of Conquerors lead by an evil commander have tracked the foursome down, and plan to stop them from unlocking the secret of the relic. Meanwhile, a Car-Copter unit and an enemy fighter-craft dogfight above the battle below, with the enemy having the upper hand. Will the adventurers defeat the invaders, dodge the hidden traps, and save the remaining portion of Humanity? (You can find more images of this MOC here)

Question 1: I would say "no", if I'm not allowed to say both "yes" and "no". I view those kind of sets as both amazing masterpieces to build, and magnificent 'parts packs'. Question 2: The only series that made me wish to collect all the sets was Orient Expedition. The storyline about Johnny Thunder and his allies trying to recover a lost treasure meant for Marco Polo compelled me to reenact the adventure through the sets, then build new adventures with them. Nowadays, I'll only buy a set that appeals to me in both looks and parts, so my answer is "whole". Question 3: Machu Picchu; It would be both incredibly detailed and make a good parts pack, because 1x1s in different shades of gray would be scattered everywhere. Another possibility is Buckingham Palace. Question 4: I'd like to see either a big Minifig-scale LEGO Store (how ironic, a LEGO store made out of LEGO) or a huge Minifig-scale replica of a common LEGO Community Event like Brickfair. Yeah, just imagine that! The MOCs would be Micro-scale, tiny 'spare LEGO bricks' would be printed on 2x4 flat plates, and there would be Minifigs based on high-ranking members of the LEGO Community everywhere! Question 5: I think LEGO should make more playthemes that interest kids in educational subjects, such as the Orient Expedition theme with the educational subject of History. Infact, the Orient Expedition sub-site on LEGO.com even had pages about Geography and History! Something children like + something Educational = something good for children in two ways! I think there is always a place for an 'adventure' theme based on History, no matter if there are classic characters or movie characters. Another thing I wish for is an entire playtheme with new sets based on old classic themes; such as Adventurers (Johnny Thunder for the win), Aquazone and some of the Space subthemes. The models would blend old looks with newer building techniques, and the Minifigs would be slightly revamped (not too much change please). I would really, REALLY appreciate a revisit to Adventurers. Indiana Jones IS cool, but he is nothing compared to Johnny Thunder in my eyes. I also see Ice Planet as being a possibility for a new non-Star Wars space theme when Space Police 3 ends. The world would be the ice moon of Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. There would be submersibles meant for exploring a previously undiscovered ocean beneath the ice, and drilling machines meant for exposing it. The bases would be modular, so builders could mix and match rooms to create a custom station quicker, whether it would be a laboratory or a place for explorers to rest. As for extraterrestrials, there should either be both a "good" species and an "evil" species, or an extraterrestrial species with both sides of moral ideology. What I didn't like about SP3 was that ALL of the villains were non-Human. I also think the Robin Hood-like subtheme from the Castle theme needs to be revisited, along with more Fantasy races introduced (Elves etc.) Another thing that would be nice is an 'Adventure' theme that is completely unique. Not underwater, or underground. Maybe an adventure in a cyber-world, or something crazy like that. I also really like the concept of World Racers, and maybe some more Minifigures in racing vehicle with loads of gadgets in the future. Kinda like the Drome Racers online flash-based game, except in a futuristic race-world that is new. When Star Wars eventually ends, I hope that maybe James Cameron's Avatar would take its place as a movie theme. A sequel of Avatar is in the making, after all, and another movie will follow after that. However, this idea is suggestive, because not everyone likes James Cameron's Avatar.

Congratulations to the winners of the Eurobricks Prince of Persia building contest! All of the the MOCs in the contest were wonderfully done, and the competition was clean! Well played. And remember, to everyone who entered; It's not all about winning, it's about having fun and making a few new friends along the way.

Here are my votes: 1 Point to I Scream Clone's Sands of Time 1 Point to Inconspicuous' Skull Palace Escape 1 Point to Oky Wan Kenobi's Nizam's Warship Good luck, but remember, it isn't all about winning. It's about having fun.

1 Point to Dunjohn's Cameltraz --It is a funny take on a 2010 Power Miners set, plus it has the same functions. 1 Point to Fatyankee's Single-Drum Roller --I like the use of the 6L Bars as posts to hold up the tent. 1 Point to Fugazi's Persian Grocer --Its design is wonderfully brilliant. Good luck, and play well!

1 Point to Tereglith's Abu's Fantastic Puppet Spectacular! --It is such a creative and unique idea. 1 Point to lisgr's Bottled Genie Inc. --Jinn are a classic middle eastern myth, and to see them being sold by an industry is amusing. 1 Point to pedro's Dhurban Indoor Bazaar --The roof looks good. Good luck, and play well!

I didn't enter this in any contests. Thanks for the compliment, though.

Thanks for the compliment!

Scorpion Sweeper Hello! Here is my entry; a Persian-ified version of 8961: Crystal Sweeper. The scorpions in Persia have overpopulated, and are ravaging local villages! Fortunately, a massive horse-powered vehicle known as the Scorpion Sweeper is here to save the day! The Scorpion Sweeper has a big auto-rotating wheel with nooks that can whack scorpions into a bin located at the back of the vehicle! Also, workers can use the whips to make the horses go faster and use the escape-horse in case of an emergency! After a long day of sweeping-up nasty scorpions, workers can take a break at the command cabin! However, a nearby Hassansin warrior has constructed a snake-launching catapult and is waiting to ambush nearby travelers for fun! (Here is a link to see the images on my Flickr page)

Congratulations, Exotrator! Your wonderful entry won!