Lego DesignByMe

[wwwmwww]

All,

I'm a big twisty puzzle fan and just saw this video on YouTube.

I must confess I'm not as big a fan of twisty puzzles made out of legos BUT Macross models made out of legos is a totally different story. Anyone remember my thread about the Lego König Monster?

So has anyone thought of making Lego Macross models and posting them here?

http://designbyme.lego.com/en-US/default.aspx

I did some clicking around over there and I assume you can open up your model for others to purchase but I must confess I didn't immediately see how. My hunt years ago for the Lego König Monster design ended up leading no where but I'd still pay and arm and a leg for one if someone could reverse engineer it from the pics I have.

But this thread isn't just for the Lego König Monster. It's more of a request for you lego builders/macross fans to start making some of your creations available to us fans which may not be as good on the lego design front. If this site is ran anything like Shapeways I would hope that it would let you add a mark up for yourself and allow you to make some hard cold cash off of some of your great creations.

And please please please... someone recreate this Lego König Monster.

Thanks,

Carl

[M'Kyuun]

Carl, great topic. I use LEGO Digital Designer, but unfortunately, I neither have the time nor talent to rebuild this thing virtually. However, in the hopes I can stir up some interest, here's some LDD info:

The program itself is a free download from LEGO.com, and there are inumerable topics in this forum to help you improve graphics presentation, unlock Universe, etc, plus tips and tricks: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showforum=128

There's a mod to the preferences in the program to unlock the Universe pallet, which offers much more versatility to your projects.

User beware; the program is fun, and with the Universe pallet unlocked, moreso b/c you can build without any parts limits, and there's no mess to pick up. The pallet is not all inclusive, but is still impressive. On the other hand, the program's not without its quirks and drawbacks. I'm working on a transforming design right now, and the rotation tool, allowing hinges to be cycled through various degrees of motion, is finicky, and sometimes just doesn't work, depending on how much structure attaches to the hinge, close contact with another part of the model, etc. Simply put, it's buggy, and frustrating as hell.

To the point, then, recreating Gla-Gla's Monster, still a masterpiece after all these years, while not impossible, would be difficult to accomplish. There aren't many pictures of the model for reference, and some areas would require educated guesses as to how they were constructed.

However, I'd love to see someone more talented than myself try. So far, I've only succeeded in building a transforming forklift in LDD. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=432191

I've scoured the internet looking for Macross designs done in LEGO. A quick search for "Macross" will net you some nice models on Brickshelf.com. Outside of this, however, I've not had much success. Jack McKeen built some nice transformable SD Macross designs and was featured in AnimeFringe magazine years ago. BaronSat sells some Macross related models as well.

I hope I imparted some useful info. I've pined for the LEGO Macross license that will never be for years. If there are LEGO fans out there who build Macross models, hopefully they'll find this topic and post some creations. Perhaps one of them will be able to back engineer the Monster and make the LDD file available to everyone. Good luck and Play well!

[Chronocidal]

These usually get put in the Fan Works section, and I know I've done my share of builds over the years.

Just found this particular site on a random search, not in english, but the pics speak for themselves.

http://macrossrobote...ules-t2501.html

This made my jaw drop.

There are more shots of it on the site I linked, and yes, it transforms.

I'll see if I can dig up my old VF-1 pics. I started out with a massiv 1/18 scale one, but that wound up being a bit... well... HEAVY. It wouldn't hold up under its own weight (not to mention I ran out of parts ). I eventually rebuilt it to about 1/32 scale, with much better results.

Edit: Bleh, I just went and made a new MOC page for it. Been meaning to for a few months now, bout time I posted the pictures there. http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/261224

Edited April 2, 2011 by Chronocidal

[Fly4victory]

That Macross looks great and the 1/32 VF-1 is huge.

I made a Lego monster a long time ago. If was fun to build but the mass of the Legos really made me hate the thing.

MLCad is a great program and really helped to build digitally then in the real world.

I don't have the program loaded on this computer but here is a screen capture of a YF-19 I designed. I'd have to dig to find photos of the finished model since I sold it last year.

[M'Kyuun]

I have the beginnings of all three Mac+ Valks in various stages of build, but I stopped working on them. I probably got farthest on my VF-11. I can't bring myself to tear them apart, always thinking I'll get back to them. All 3 of my models can fit a minifig in the cockpit.

I'm retiring from the military this year, and I'm hoping I'll find more time for building once I'm free of the Air Force. Even now, I'm deployed, and looking forward to going home in early May. Can't wait to pick up a few Star Wars sets, and work on my current LDD project with real bricks.

Chronocidal, I've seen your gargantuan VF-1 before and remember your saying that the existing hinges are too weak to bear the weight and /or strain of flexing, rotating, etc. Most people don't think about it, but a sizeable model of durable ABS is both substantial and weighty. But my hat's off to you, sir, as that is a fine VF-1. Even if you finished it in fighter mode and left it non-transformable, it'd be an amazing and highly recognizable model.

[wwwmwww]

Edit: Bleh, I just went and made a new MOC page for it. Been meaning to for a few months now, bout time I posted the pictures there. http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/261224

I can't get that link to open. Not sure why. Could you post a pic or two here?

Thanks,

Carl

[protostar8]

At one point, I had designed a VF-1, Alpha fighter, Beta fighter, SDF-1, and I think something else too. But I couldn't find the dang pieces from one seller and I wasn't gonna pay like $20 a pop to get the bricks I needed. BTW, all of them transformed and were "chibi" scale.

[Fly4victory]

At one point, I had designed a VF-1, Alpha fighter, Beta fighter, SDF-1, and I think something else too. But I couldn't find the dang pieces from one seller and I wasn't gonna pay like $20 a pop to get the bricks I needed. BTW, all of them transformed and were "chibi" scale.

That's why I do everything in MLCad and stopped with the YF-19 as the last real world build. It should be lego castbyme so you can get the colors you need without paying through the nose on Bricklink or doing without if never made.

[VenomMacbeth]

I've made all kinds of Macross stuff in lego:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=VenomMacbeth

I changed the names around for some of em, as while they resembled actual mechs from Macross, I couldn't make them close enough to warrant having the same names. The last one I ever made, not featured there, was a (poor) attempt at a transforming VF-25. If I can find pics of it, I'll post them.

[protostar8]

That's why I do everything in MLCad and stopped with the YF-19 as the last real world build. It should be lego castbyme so you can get the colors you need without paying through the nose on Bricklink or doing without if never made.

What is "lego castbyme"? I can't find anything on that via google. I would be very interested in cheap parts that I could order all in one place.

[Fly4victory]

What is "lego castbyme"? I can't find anything on that via google. I would be very interested in cheap parts that I could order all in one place.

Sorry, That was a joke on my part. I wish we could have lego's cast in the colors we want.

Edited April 18, 2011 by Fly4victory

[Jasonc]

I'd love to get a Konig Monster Lego set. It looks like a massive amount of work to get that done. Does anyone know the guy? I'd order one. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten my hands wet on designing in Lego, but maybe it'd be fun to try at least.

[M'Kyuun]

The creator of the LEGO Monster was an unknown Japanese builder who went by the name Gla-Gla. He posted pics of his creations on a LEGO fansite called Brickshelf for a number of years around the 2002-2004 timeframe. One day, he just closed his account and removed all his pics. Fortunately, fans of the model saved the pics and have made them available. Soren Roberts, an excellent builder himself, believes Gla-Gla was the Hory Froating Head himself. I don't think so personally, but who knows. Gla-Gla never posted anything beyond pics of his various models, several of which were Macross related and transformable. He made a few non-Macross transformable mecha as well, and an awesome Ingram from Patlabor. His transformable mecha were also notable due to their "perfect" transformations. The identity of the builder remains a mystery.

BTW, my avatar is a pic of Gla-Gla's VF-17. It transformed as well.

Edited April 19, 2011 by M'Kyuun

[Jasonc]

The creator of the LEGO Monster was an unknown Japanese builder who went by the name Gla-Gla. He posted pics of his creations on a LEGO fansite called Brickshelf for a number of years around the 2002-2004 timeframe. One day, he just closed his account and removed all his pics. Fortunately, fans of the model saved the pics and have made them available. Soren Roberts, an excellent builder himself, believes Gla-Gla was the Hory Froating Head himself. I don't think so personally, but who knows. Gla-Gla never posted anything beyond pics of his various models, several of which were Macross related and transformable. He made a few non-Macross transformable mecha as well, and an awesome Ingram from Patlabor. His transformable mecha were also notable due to their "perfect" transformations. The identity of the builder remains a mystery.

BTW, my avatar is a pic of Gla-Gla's VF-17. It transformed as well.

Wow, that's pretty strange and mysterious. Well, if you or anyone has those pics, please post them up here. I started on attempting to replicate the beast, and got as far as a foot, but had to leave to take care of other things. Getting it to transform would be awesome.

[big F]

Wow, that's pretty strange and mysterious. Well, if you or anyone has those pics, please post them up here. I started on attempting to replicate the beast, and got as far as a foot, but had to leave to take care of other things. Getting it to transform would be awesome.

Cool throw those pics up chap!!

Wouldn't mind betting its the Hory Head himself, any one know if the name Gla Gla has any significance in Japanese ?

If I was him I'd keep a tab on all fan forums with Macross on just out of narcissistic curiosity.

[Jasonc]

Cool throw those pics up chap!!

Wouldn't mind betting its the Hory Head himself, any one know if the name Gla Gla has any significance in Japanese ?

If I was him I'd keep a tab on all fan forums with Macross on just out of narcissistic curiosity.

I downloaded that DesignByMe program, and unlocked all the parts, and started, so it's a file, no pics of an actual build. I'm probably going to need to take out my Yamato 1/100 to get an idea of certain mechanics. Unfortunately, this will probably end up being one of those projects for me that falls by the wayside, as I'm in the middle of working on two other projects at the moment.

[M'Kyuun]

I don't have the pics on my wife's laptop; however, this guy has them on his Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=lego+konig+monster&m=text

I think he has the full set of pics as they appeared on Brickshelf. Hopefully, these will both awe and inspire. The guy was a damned good builder.

[Renato]

There's a Japanese builder in Tokyo called "Gimlet" who does stuff like this:

[protostar8]

Sorry, That was a joke on my part. I wish we could have lego's cast in the colors we want.

Gotcha. I haven't checked in ages, so I didn't know if some new streamlined site had come along. If anyone would be interested in pricing the creations, I can dig around a little in the next week or two and see if I can find those lego designs I made. I don't have them on my comp right now, but I have them on a backup disk somewhere...

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I'd love to see the lego monster in youtube vid with the whole thing being transformed in front of the camera.

Konig Monster and the variable glaug are my fave designs.

It would be cool if a side story was done where a variable glaug was the hero mech. Remember when hikaru faced off in a duel against the elite glaug-pilot in sdfm? they need something like that but this time it's a modified variable glaug vs a vf-25 or something. Bandai can milk the fan for more money. The zentradi guy who died in mac f gets his revenge when a friend of his mech-jacks a messiah in a plan to steal secrets to leak to rogue zentradi. Since yamato hasn't done variable glaug yet, critics can't accuse bandai of stealing design from existing yamato toys already on the market.

Edited May 2, 2011 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Renato]

More of Gimlet's stuff, fresh from yesterday's "Super Festival":

http://ga.sbcr.jp/mreport/017095/

[idontknow]

I was browsing some sites on modeling and come across this, it was posted on mecha9.com I have no idea if anyone has ever posted this, im a newbie here.

But if you go about 1/3 of the way into the video, it has Kawamori building a transformable VF-25 Lego.

It then goes onto showing how he turned it into his design for the 25.

Quite interesting.

or

Edited May 6, 2011 by idontknow

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I remember seeing that a while ago.

Pretty cool. Kawamori should post the instructions for the fans. Or the people who steal home video sex tapes from celebrities should break into his home and find the plans and post them to the internet I reckon. lol

I think I remember there was also non-transforming lego mechas that were released with hikaru-looking pilots done too.

Would be cool if lego could get macross license or something like that and make lego valkyries.

Lego should try to clone macross valks if they can't get the license. They could easily have destroids that are similar to the destroid in macross and not get into too much trouble. Anyone seen that chinese clone of macross? Something like that would be good for lego.

Start out with clones of the things from movies

(

or the

?)and then work there way to more-complex transforming stuff. (do a bandai and copy yamato toys using them as the base). lol Edited May 7, 2011 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Renato]

I remember seeing that a while ago.

Pretty cool. Kawamori should post the instructions for the fans. Or the people who steal home video sex tapes from celebrities should break into his home and find the plans and post them to the internet I reckon. lol

I think I remember there was also non-transforming lego mechas that were released with hikaru-looking pilots done too.

Would be cool if lego could get macross license or something like that and make lego valkyries.

Lego should try to clone macross valks if they can't get the license. They could easily have destroids that are similar to the destroid in macross and not get into too much trouble. Anyone seen that chinese clone of macross? Something like that would be good for lego.

Start out with clones of the things from movies

(

or the

?)and then work there way to more-complex transforming stuff. (do a bandai and copy yamato toys using them as the base). lol

Already been done. They were called Van-Force and yes, Kawamori was behind them.

http://furuoka.blog56.fc2.com/blog-entry-226.html

I think rather than being a proper Lego kit, though, they were repackaged Lego sets with Kawamori's face and alternate instructions.

Edit -- English article:

http://www.brothers-brick.com/2006/09/26/new-van-force-design-from-shoji-kawamori/

Edited May 8, 2011 by Renato

[M'Kyuun]

Already been done. They were called Van-Force and yes, Kawamori was behind them.

http://furuoka.blog56.fc2.com/blog-entry-226.html

I think rather than being a proper Lego kit, though, they were repackaged Lego sets with Kawamori's face and alternate instructions.

Edit -- English article:

http://www.brothers-brick.com/2006/09/26/new-van-force-design-from-shoji-kawamori/

"Van Force" was a Japanese exclusive alternate model using existing Exo-Force LEGO sets to supply parts. While his models transformed and were interesting, they were more sci-fi and lacked the sleekness and "realness" of his Macross designs. And, they were pretty flimsy. I had hopes that LEGO would approach SK to create a transforming theme along the lines of Macross (without being Macross, for licensing and availability reasons). Given the popularity spike for transforming toys, I'd have thought LEGO would eventually jump on the bandwagon and create a theme of their own, but, alas, it has not happened. Maybe LEGO feels that toys of that nature would be too complex for the age group they want to target, or the designers haven't found a way to make a visually appealing and functional transforming robot. However, it is certainly possible: Alex Schranz, aka Orion Pax, makes some awesome stuff. Definitely worth a look on Flickr.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

"Van Force" was a Japanese exclusive alternate model using existing Exo-Force LEGO sets to supply parts. While his models transformed and were interesting, they were more sci-fi and lacked the sleekness and "realness" of his Macross designs. And, they were pretty flimsy. I had hopes that LEGO would approach SK to create a transforming theme along the lines of Macross (without being Macross, for licensing and availability reasons). Given the popularity spike for transforming toys, I'd have thought LEGO would eventually jump on the bandwagon and create a theme of their own, but, alas, it has not happened. Maybe LEGO feels that toys of that nature would be too complex for the age group they want to target, or the designers haven't found a way to make a visually appealing and functional transforming robot. However, it is certainly possible: Alex Schranz, aka Orion Pax, makes some awesome stuff. Definitely worth a look on Flickr.

Lego need to make a cartoon first. Then kids will see the transforming robots, and want to buy them. The chinese have astro plan so they can say they copied astro plan and not macross. lol.

[M'Kyuun]

Lego need to make a cartoon first. Then kids will see the transforming robots, and want to buy them. The chinese have astro plan so they can say they copied astro plan and not macross. lol.

The LEGO Group are no strangers to animation, and they certainly have some talented folks working for them. Although I was never a fan of Bionicle, the theme was highly successful both in terms of the toys and the various animated shows and movies. My continuing hope is that one of the designers will create a well-done, perhaps Macross inspired, transforming robot that gets the nod from the CEO, and those of us who've been waiting will finally get what we've been wishing for. In my case, I've been hoping for a transforming mech theme since the 80s. However, I don't want Built to Rule or Kreo; I want a perfectly transforming robot theme where the bots turn into believable vehicles, with good poseability and aesthetics. I would love to see TLG create a series of ratcheting ball & socket joints in various sizes, as well as inverted versions of a number of existing pieces.

Currently, I'm working on a Vf-4 inspired mech...it will be perfect transformation, with retractable landing gear, and as much poseability as I can squeeze into it at its size. It will also accommodate a minifigure. I'm making slow progress, but eventually I'll complete it.

Update: http://www.flickr.com/photos/95379588@N08/with/8690923878/

Edited September 3, 2013 by M'Kyuun