rodiziorobs

While the robot is great (that's some real NPU on the toolboxes!), I really like the floor pattern: simple but clean. Let's see what the competition looks like...

So...DP from this build will go to MANTIS, right? Nice use of the old Aquazone arms here. The angular design of the sub makes it look beefy, I like it

It was a surprise to see the pop in color after the fantastic B&W shot. Great vignette with wonderful details in every corner.

And thirded, although I can't say I have had the same influence on AG as Pombe has (can anyone? )

Location: C02 Hunston Tags: n/a "Wake up, Virginia," a voice called, from the other side of a dream. "You must wake up." One by one, conscious thoughts came drifting into focus, the drowsy fog lifting and chasing sleep from his eyes. He heard a different voice mumbling, a voice that was familiar and yet that he had not heard for what seemed like ages. After a few moments, he realized the mumbles were his own, and managed to twist them into a single word: "Wut?" Followed by a more distinct "Who?" The first voice, clearer now, gave the reply: "Ha ha, why it is you, Virginia! You are finally coming to. Good." He understood the words spoken, but had no idea what they were supposed to mean. He opened his eyes, but the misty sunlight made him close them again. As his brain struggled to decode the sudden flood of information from his long-dormant senses, he sat up from where he had been lying, pushing off the sort of gauzy blanket that had covered him. Eyes still closed, he turned to where the voice had come from. "But I'm not...I'm not...my name is not Virginia," he stuttered. "My name is...my name is..." As he cast his mind around for this once-known fact, he opened his eyes and looked up at the being who had woken him. If he hadn't been so disoriented he might have been startled at the sight of the four-armed man before him. Instead, he simply kept staring, and said, "Scorpio. My name is Scorpio." "Scorpio, not Virginia? A pity, I liked Virginia better. Although the others suggested even more unusual names, I suppose it makes sense that your real name be the most unusual of all." Scorpio was thoroughly confused, and wasn't altogether sure he wasn't still dreaming. The four-armed man continued. "My name is Farrs Farrkas. I was once a chieftain of my people, and I have been looking over you since your arrival." "My arrival...? How long have I been here? And where is here? Scorpio inquired. "You are simply here. Where all Things are. Although we have rarely seen anything such as you here. You have been here for several months by our reckoning. "Several months...?" Scorpio's mind was going wild, searching for anything to connect to, when he was interrupted by Farrs: "Your companion arrived at the same time, but she has not shown any inclination to awakening yet." Companion? Scorpio looked over to the other side of his cot. There, also lying prone, was his sister. His sister, Arsenica, whom he had not seen in years. What has happening? Then he noticed the scar on her face and it all came rushing back: his captivity in Octan, the transfer through the Gate system. The swirling green vortex was the last thing he remembered seeing, usually the Gates weren't green, were they? What had happened? The woman who had captured him had been his sister all along? How had he not recognized her? He turned back to Farrs. "Where did you say I was?" "Where all Things are. We have never given it a name because it is where we have always been. Except that...after you arrived, my people were broken. Conflict, which had never been known before. They all left in an exodus and are no longer Here." "Your people all left you? Why? Where did they go?" "Come sit with me in the bowery. Eat. Drink. I will tell you." "We have been observing your activities--your people's, I mean--and many of my people saw your arrival as an omen. They saw their own doom as your people transversed the realm you had overrun to arrive in ours. They said they were leaving Here to establish a New Here. I suppose they are now Someplace Else." As he spoke, Farrs gestured to the sky, where Scorpio could see faintly in the clouds several small spheres with invisible lines connecting them. It took him a moment before he recognized what it was he was looking at. He recognized Torresta, and saw that he was probably on a world correspondingly close to that. Or something. Scorpio looked at the heavens, then back to the motionless form of his sister, and then back to Farrs. "So, what do we do?" "I was going to ask you the same question, Virginia." "I told you, my name is not Virginia, please don't call me that. It's Scorpio, okay?" "Sorry. That is what my people elected to call you when they were still here. I will try and remember. Scorpio." "Thanks." Scorpio felt an unexplained trust for Farrs. Surely the fact that he had been watching over him for so long was part of it, yet it felt deeper than that. "Aha, do you see? This is why I wanted you to awaken." Scorpio looked and saw his sister's face contorted in pain, then relax again. "She does this sometimes. You did it too, even to the point of screaming, but then were still and color returned to you. And now you are awake." Perplexed, Scorpio looked at his hands and began screaming. "What happened to me? I used to be...normal! Now I'm...I'm..." He looked and noticed that Farrs was also a lighter pale color, almost white or sand yellow. His sister, however, was still a healthy bright yellow. What was going on...? **************** If you remember much of Scorpio's story (and even if you don't), this entry probably raises a lot of questions (like: 'wait, isn't Scorpio dead?' short answer: yes) while hopefully not being too undiscernible. I had planned for this story to come later, but with AG1 potentially wrapping up in the foreseeable future, I figured I had better start on it if I wanted to get anywhere with it. More answers will come later, but for now know that everything that will happen relies on story threads that were either laid down by me myself or piggybacking off of hints made by @LucasLaughing or @woofmcmoose in entries of theirs from way back. *JUDGES: the building seen is an official set (Starlight Inn) with very few modifications, and should not be judged. The landscape and tree and such is all original work, and although the crystal part at the base of the tree resembles the Elves Crystal Cave, it differs significantly enough that I consider it my own. The tree: AG week 67 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr The Bowery, Bizarro Scorpio, and Farrs Farkas AG week 67 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr

What sort of wizardry makes the Darth Vader helmet fit over the Majisto beard?!? I knew with Halloween over and done that this thread would turn up sooner or later! Best of luck to everyone!

Instantly recognizable and amazingly built. The challenge to restrict the variety of parts available doesn't seem to have been an obstacle for you at all.

Thanks everyone for running the Space Olympics! It was definitely the most fun challenge AG has had so far.

I like a lot (most) of the proposed ideas, but I don't like the idea of credits being strictly personal; I think they should be transferable, but only at a high transaction cost. For example, if I have 500 credits and want to transfer 200 to another player, it will cost me an additional (let's say) 200 credits, leaving me with only 100. This allows a corporation to invest (if its players want to) in pooling resources, but it won't be a given that they will do so like it is now. The ability to buy equipment unexpectedly makes the team strategies more interesting and engaging, as long as it isn't too easy for corps to do. I think if you knew exactly what the other corps could buy (based on their wealthiest member) that a lot of the corporate interaction would be too predictable. (Of course, some of this would depend on the new prices/reward schedule.) I don't feel like this addresses the issue. I understand the desire (and need) to make things easier for the judges, but a form will turn builders away, especially those of us who are primarily mobile users. I would rather be able to post my own builds, and like that I can do so currently using only Flickr (which is already a chore sometimes on mobile) and the forum itself. I don't want to have to deal with yet another roadblock to being able to post, whether it be another app to wrangle or a fellow team member to burden. If the current system were kept, it would mean the judges would need to get ruthless with honoring tags, similar to how voting contests usually go on EB ("wrong format? Sorry, your vote/tags don't count"). Obviously no one wants to overburden the judges--you guys do enough already--but I don't think a separate form for each entry is the solution here, and will probably create as many or more issues than it solves. Also, @EpsilonEta, your solution does not consider those who build with story in mind. A lot of people like the strategy, some just like to build, but some of us like a little of both but really come back for the storytelling aspect. Not everything is just build-and-tag. Thanks for everything you guys (judges, admins, mods) do to keep this game going while keeping it exciting and fresh, I look forward to the final solutions and seeing what is in store. Thanks for taking time to hear feedback.

Spent a couple days sick in bed this week and watched The Sorceror's Apprentice (cheesy and silly with bad Nic Cage hair), Zootopia (not bad with some great moments), Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (such bad stupid fun), and Kung Fu Panda 3 (enjoyably watchable)

That plane is something else. I loooove the shape and the design on the wings, although I do wonder about the Kawashita paint job...

Thank you judges! I love your the simplicity of your explanation Professor! you're wrong, of course... Honestly, I just saw an opportunity for a story that I could piggyback off of, that went roughly where I was headed anyway Edit: does the first quote I made reference Boxerlego's post for anyone else? Odd, since I was quoting the judges...

Looks like Octan has done well converting old Explorien tech. High fives to you for making some of the most awkward (but cool) pieces from that era look seamless. I wondered what Sal would do when the bounty order went out...

I don't think I qualify to comment but I will anyway I like the story and the characters--it made more sense after rereading last week's. However, I feel like I want to see more of the build, and it looks like there is more that we're not seeing, particularly in that third shot. When I don't have time or pieces to build a long hallway, I try and position the pics so that you can't see the edge of what I've built. Sometimes I'm not as good at this as I would like, but I think it helps sell the illusion of a large space when you can't see the borders. I want to see what happens next...

Actually, it's larvae. I love the modular design of the booster to the Quadstar, and the bay looks impressive. I've mentioned it before, but I just love reading your writing, as well. The characters are solid and the story is good, and most importantly it is told very well.

I came to comment on the cockpit design, too The more I look, I also really like the color blocking, with the green only visible on the top stripe until you see the front and greebled underside.

My store surprisingly had the sand green (1x1s and 2x1 plates). They had had them last time I went (June) but were sold out so I was surprised to see them back. The clerk said they would probably have them in stock for awhile, since the Pick a Model has been delayed, but he didn't know for sure. Sadly, I wasn't able to pick any up, but I plan to go back soon.

I love the details in the build, and of course the story is intriguing. I'm curious to see what will come from John Joohn being (back?) in the plot.

I think it may have to do with preventing precise reverse-engineering of the minidolls. Last year they began a legal process against competitor brands (Mega, etc.) that were too closely following the 'dolls distinct design. Since then, they have had some success, but only in the EU. I would suppose that with the ongoing battle against IP theft, LEGO isn't willing to just hand the world a digital roadmap of what is essentially their second-biggest trademark.

I have had this also happen, except that rather than leaving the unposted text hanging, I deleted it before leaving the page. When I came back (the next day) I had to delete my already-deleted text before posting my new comment. It seems like a nice feature, I was just surprised since it was the first time I had encountered it. I have also had slow save times, either from the initial posting or on subsequent edits, but each time it seems to have saved with no problem; it's like it just forgets to tell me.

Location: G02 (Freegate) Tags: none Previously... An unknown ship orbits silently through Freegate's atmosphere, turning as it passes... A screen comes alive suddenly, and in response a voice speaks. Explain to me your failure, Seliman. It was not failure. It was-- Gibson is dead, and you don't believe you failed?! Gibson was expendable, and Mercer still escaped as planned! Besides, Gib was weak. If he hadn't known the breakout was already arranged he would have squealed weeks ago. But the prisoner that killed him has an unknown grudge against Mercer and will soon be free from MANTIS' custody. Don't worry, we were able to detain her long enough that she won't catch up to him. As for the rest of SPIDER she doesn't even know we exist. Do you know that? Do you know anything about her? ... That's what I thought. My own intelligence on the issue has been disappointing and I hadn't expected that you could add to it. We don't even know who she is? No. Nor what she knows, nor who she is connected to. We have reports she has been connected to both Octan and Kawashita and there are even rumors about a gang of Pirates or the Gods of Andromeda themselves. There are too many threads to know which are actually true at this point, or if they are all altogether false. ...I'll find out. I doubt it. I will! You will not! I worry she may be a very real threat, dangerous enough I dare not act unknowingly. I will not risk revealing SPIDER's involvement in this just for you to try and a shot at redemption. ... Now, go. Keep an eye on General Teague for me. This mishap may cause him to look deeper into recent events and I don't want him getting suspicious. Give me a final chance. I will discover her identity and-- No. I will handle this. Go now. ********** A few minutes later, the same voice calls up another screen, and speaks a few pre-arranged words... I would like the race results from this morning. "Grand Arnaut in first." Who came in third? "Ugly Duckling." That's too bad. I had 500 credits riding on Galindo. *>click<* Go secure? *>click<* "Speak." Leonne, we may have hit a snag. Mercer is fine, Gib is taking a long nap. An unknown actor, possibly connected, Sel is acting wolf. Yes, I have every confidence she'll get it. **************** Fully-lit shot in the spoiler, C&C welcome!

Thank you for putting the dilemma at hand so succinctly. I feel that if we are going to put a ban on discussions of products that violate TLG-held IP's, that demands a moral imperative to help protect all IPs, or else there is a double-standard as to why some discussion is allowed while another is not. If we can't discuss some custom Avengers 'figs we saw for sale on eBay, should it be okay to talk about a listing for some unlicensed GoT customs?* *Please note that such customs would perfectly ok if created for one's personal use with no distribution beyond a picture of the work; such things would fall under fair use, etc. and should still be allowed to be posted on EB. I am not trying to cause trouble here on the forums; I am merely seeking assurance that this rule will be applied consistently.

Crew member #3: I told you you'd be sorry if you did them in before the final.. Jargons: Shut up or you're next! (sirens in the distance, approaching)

I don't see how offering a place for healthy civil discussion goes against the interests of any community. The discussions in question were in the Community section of this forum, where people talk about pretty much anything, from cars to music to traffic circles--infinitely less relevant to what unites the EB community than a discussion about knockoff brands. It saddens me that this kind of topical discussion is no longer allowed, and I'll admit I don't fully understand why; the main thread was civil and respectful to all members as far as I saw, and many--myself included--had made thoughtful posts contributing to the discussion (although I was in favor of removing the links to online shops). I don't mean this as a personal attack, but don't see how your comparison to spousal abuse is at all appropriate or even relevant to the matter at hand. It sounds like the same attitude would just as soon dismiss the Minifig Customization Workshop forum altogether, ban any mention of 3rd party producers like Brickarms, and censor kitbashers or anyone else who isn't an absolute Lego purist, and even ban third-party sales of bricks. We all share a love of the hobby in its many forms (MOCing, collecting, etc.), so we naturally unite around the brand that does it best. However, just because someone chooses to inform their hobby with non-Lego sources does not make them an abusive parasite.

Like others, I really like the orrery, but I think the library is my favorite part. The whole thing is wonderful, though