Legos, anyone?

[M'Kyuun]

11 hours ago, Bolt said:

Deculture!!

I was unaware of this valk, having not seen the Macross Delta Movie. Brilliant job by the builder; so often, transforming models in LEGO suffer from the necessity of using various joints and connections which cause gaps and are difficult to cover, not to mention sculpting issues. This is very toyetic with exceptional shaping, judicious use of the various joints employed, and just overall engineering to impart the full range of functionality and articulation. In a word: impressive.

Regarding Kawamori's catalog of valk designs over the decades, the fighter mode skews more towards spaceship than modern fighter jet in its design. One may be inclined to say he was inspired a little by the X-Wing Fighter of Star Wars fame. 

[sh9000]

This Batcave is a maybe for me.  Still looking forward to the X-Mansion.

[M'Kyuun]

13 hours ago, sh9000 said:

This Batcave is a maybe for me.  Still looking forward to the X-Mansion.

It's a must for me. Love the overall bookish design and presentation. Thing's huge, so I'm not sure where I'm gonna put it, but I'll find a spot. This Batmobile looks to be an improved version of the '89 Batmobile GWP set that came with the most excellent UCS '89 Batmobile. Definitely looking forward to building this set.

[Chronocidal]

21 minutes ago, M'Kyuun said:

It's a must for me. Love the overall bookish design and presentation. Thing's huge, so I'm not sure where I'm gonna put it, but I'll find a spot. This Batmobile looks to be an improved version of the '89 Batmobile GWP set that came with the most excellent UCS '89 Batmobile. Definitely looking forward to building this set.

Yeah, that would have been a nice thing to get.  Unfortunately they have a nasty habit of completely flubbing those GWP exclusives.   

I'm not terribly upset about it personally, but they either need to get someone more competent at estimating demand and production quantities, or stop making those GWP sets exclusive in the first place.

[M'Kyuun]

34 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

Yeah, that would have been a nice thing to get.  Unfortunately they have a nasty habit of completely flubbing those GWP exclusives.   

I'm not terribly upset about it personally, but they either need to get someone more competent at estimating demand and production quantities, or stop making those GWP sets exclusive in the first place.

I feel ya. Although I managed to get the '89 Batmobile GWP, I missed out on the UCS Batpod, which I would have really liked to have had.  You couldn't be more right about the disparity between their projections and actual demand, as all too often we see them fall short of meeting said demand. I'm also with you about just getting rid of exclusives- just make everything available to everyone, even if it means a limited run. At least then everyone has a shot at getting the set on equal footing without dealing with absurdly overpriced offerings on the secondary market.

[sh9000]

1 hour ago, M'Kyuun said:

It's a must for me. Love the overall bookish design and presentation. Thing's huge, so I'm not sure where I'm gonna put it, but I'll find a spot. This Batmobile looks to be an improved version of the '89 Batmobile GWP set that came with the most excellent UCS '89 Batmobile. Definitely looking forward to building this set.

Yeah the Batmobile is one of the reasons I'm interested in the set.

[M'Kyuun]

Likewise, although I generally like everything about the new Batcave.  A new improved minifig scale '89 Batmobile is the proverbial icing, if you will. I think like many Batman fans, or at least fans of the '89 Batmobile, getting a minifig scaled set was a huge want since 2006 when LEGO first started producing Batman sets. It was my number one want from the theme, so that GWP was greatly anticipated. NGL, the UCS '89 Batmobile was also high on the want list, and it did not disappoint- it sits atop our dining room hutch with the GWP sitting next to it. For reference, here's the GWP set. Some notable improvements to the model in the Batcave Shadowbox set are a rounded windscreen with a studless roof, brick-built fins in the back with proper shaping and scalloping, better part usage for the large side intakes, and best of all, extendable machine guns instead of the crummy tacked-on stud shooters on the GWP set.

Here's the Batmobile from the Batcave Shadowbox set. Unfortunately, this is the only close-up unobstructed pic of it on LEGO's site. However, there's a video on the page

that shows some of the working features of the set. Can't wait to build it!

[danth]

I've got another MOC to share.

This was originally an entry in a Eurobricks contest. I had simple requirements (imposed by myself, not the contest): it must be a space ship, it must split into two spaceships, and each must transform. I rushed at the end to finish it, and it worked, but there were lots of things I didn't like about it. So I spent some months tweaking it, and now I like it a lot more.

Here it is: space ship mode!

Just the small front spaceship:

Just the large rear spaceship:

Small spaceship robot mode:

Large spaceship gerwalk & robot modes:

I tried to make this thing rock solid. Both bots are sturdy and poseable, and in space ship mode things generally click into place pretty well. There are just a few weak connections at the edges but nothing structurally unsound.

Anyway I really need to take some better pics. And do some fancy backgrounds. Anyone have any tips for that? I usually use GIMP to auto detect & remove backgrounds but I always find it a PITA with lots of manual touch up needed.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

That's a grat build - Benny would be proud!

[M'Kyuun]

5 hours ago, danth said:

I've got another MOC to share.

This was originally an entry in a Eurobricks contest. I had simple requirements (imposed by myself, not the contest): it must be a space ship, it must split into two spaceships, and each must transform. I rushed at the end to finish it, and it worked, but there were lots of things I didn't like about it. So I spent some months tweaking it, and now I like it a lot more.

Here it is: space ship mode!

Just the small front spaceship:

Just the large rear spaceship:

Small spaceship robot mode:

Large spaceship gerwalk & robot modes:

I tried to make this thing rock solid. Both bots are sturdy and poseable, and in space ship mode things generally click into place pretty well. There are just a few weak connections at the edges but nothing structurally unsound.

Anyway I really need to take some better pics. And do some fancy backgrounds. Anyone have any tips for that? I usually use GIMP to auto detect & remove backgrounds but I always find it a PITA with lots of manual touch up needed.

These are adorably awesome, Danth! Love the shape of the legs on the smaller one especially, but both are brilliantly executed. Admirably, neither individual ship, nor their combined mode, which is a neat trick in and of itself, gives away the fact that they transform. That's always a challenge, and you accomplished it well. Too, they're Classic Space, which always earns points right off the bat with me. Good stuff! Thanks for sharing!

[danth]

On 5/21/2023 at 11:22 AM, Valkyrie Hunter D said:

That's a grat build - Benny would be proud!

Thanks friend!

On 5/21/2023 at 5:07 PM, M'Kyuun said:

These are adorably awesome, Danth! Love the shape of the legs on the smaller one especially, but both are brilliantly executed. Admirably, neither individual ship, nor their combined mode, which is a neat trick in and of itself, gives away the fact that they transform. That's always a challenge, and you accomplished it well. Too, they're Classic Space, which always earns points right off the bat with me. Good stuff! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks a bunch! Always glad to hear when the transformation isn't too obvious.

[sh9000]

I'm definitely getting the Batmobile and Batwing.

Edited May 26, 2023 by sh9000

[M'Kyuun]

15 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

I'm definitely getting the Batmobile and Batwing.

Funny, I was just looking at these in the LEGO Shop. I'm so glad to see LEGO putting out a regular set of the '89 Batmobile for folks who couldn't get the GWP set that was released with the UCS '89 Batmobile, or who don't want or can't afford the upcoming $400 Batcave Shadowbox set. This Batmobile model is very similar to the one in the Shadowbox; the big intakes on the sides are accomplished differently, but otherwise, they look remarkably similar, down to the extendable machine gun feature. It's also nice to finally get the '89 Batwing in minifig scale. Very long time coming for both, as these are the Batman sets I've been waiting for since they first obtained the license in 2006. Both of these and the Shadowbox shall be welcome additions to my ever-growing LEGO Batman collection. I hope at some point they do B:TAS sets, as I'd love to have an official Batmobile set. I'd also love to have a Batman: Arkham Knight Batmobile set, either UCS (with all those awesome functions and features) or a simplified version at minifig scale. Sure, I could MOC it, and I've seen some great MOCs, but as a fan who loves building and collecting sets, I want that experience as well as the model(s).

Anyway, with every new revelation, 2023 looks to be one of the most exciting, if expensive and space-unfriendly years to date. So, so many great looking sets coming and we're not even halfway through! 

[sh9000]

Ordered 2 1989 Batmobiles.  Not sure if the preorder for the 1989 Batwing went live yet but I'll be sure to order 2 of them.  I'm glad that there's an official 1989 Batwing release.  The only other Batwing that came close was the one in the Batwing and Riddler Heist set.  

And I'd also be down for BTAS sets.

Edited May 27, 2023 by sh9000

[Chronocidal]

Ok, yeah, good to see them releasing separate versions, but have to agree with that video, the price for that Batmobile is obnoxiously high.  Price per part is way over what it should be, and it's small, meaning a majority of the parts making it are also very small (you can see the layers of tiny plates building up the shapes).  Those two really should have been in the same price range for that content.

I actually have to wonder if there's some electronic lighting gimmick hidden in there that's boosting the price that high.

Will say I definitely prefer the proportions of that Batwing to the giant one though, which is hilarious.  I think I'd swap out the little triangle ears on the front for some longer spikes with space between them, but I'll be happy to grab one or two of those.

Edited May 26, 2023 by Chronocidal

[danth]

I finally did something I've been meaning to do for a while: build the Galaxy Explorer ground base with the left over parts from the One Man Spaceship build. Here it is:

Interior shot:

More pics here.

Edited June 2, 2023 by danth

[danth]

Also I'm very excited about this set:

Two different colored canopies in one set. And none of them are "City" color canopies (trans clear/trans light blue/trans black). This almost looks like the kind of brand new Space sets I find randomly in toy stores...when I'm having a really good dream.

[vt102]

Not sure where the original post for this went. But some custom Lego bits made from a macrossworld member. Circa 2015?

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

Rumor has it that LEGO will be releasing a kit based on the Concorde as part of their Icons series this September.  This would be timely for me as I was just considering doing a MoC of it.

[mark-1s]

Thought you guys might find this amusing:

 

[M'Kyuun]

2 hours ago, mark-1s said:

Thought you guys might find this amusing:

 

Glad they caught him, although I doubt the penalty will be that severe and he'll be free to continue stealing.  They need to raid this guy's house, as there's probably enough stolen merch in there to warrant grand theft charges, but they probably won't.  Because it's toys he's stealing, it won't be taken as seriously. Alas, crime pays. This guy's worse than scalpers, who generally at least pay for the stuff they resell at exorbitant prices.  In instances like this, I think the Middle Eastern culture has the right idea so far as punitive measures.

[Scyla]

On 6/7/2023 at 5:03 AM, Valkyrie Hunter D said:

Rumor has it that LEGO will be releasing a kit based on the Concorde as part of their Icons series this September.  This would be timely for me as I was just considering doing a MoC of it.

If this is true I will buy it for sure. 

Not a bad choice for a licensed airliner given the boxy design of the nacelles. I wonder if the nose would be brick build or come with a specialized piece.

The probably would have to include the nosecone gimmick and maybe removable engines? Interior would be a stretch given a brick built fuselage.

The real question is what livery it could have: British Airways or Air France? 

The British and French prototypes are probably the easiest to reproduce without pad printing over multiple pieces or a plethora of stickers:

Edited June 8, 2023 by Scyla

[M'Kyuun]

A fellow AFOL and good friend of mine who builds very large MOCs mentioned to me a month or so ago that he was contemplating building an M-Tron layout and asked whether I would consider building a mecha for it. Unbeknownst to him, I accepted the challenge. Unbeknownst to me, in the intervening weeks, he changed his mind and began working on a Space Police 3 themed MOC instead. 😄 Anyway, I was already well along with my design which was based on an earlier, simpler MOC I'd built back in 2014-15 and have since thought of improving. My friend's request was the motivation I needed to actually put in the work. I finished it yesterday and overall, I'm fairly pleased with it.

The back wheels can castor 180 degrees, allowing it to circumscribe a fairly tight turn. However, although I mounted them on Technic friction pins, the friction imparted is nigh negligible making anything but very short reverse maneuvers impossible due to the wheels going in opposite directions. Not my initial preference, but design considerations drove the choice. 

Those familiar with the venerable and still awesome 6989 Mega (or Multi) Core Magnetizer (also known as Mobile Recovery Center) released in 1990 will remember the two cargo pods with their distinctively printed angular side panels which could be raised up to access the features within. For my rover, I decided to build my own, giving it a bit of a 21st century upgrade, as it were. 

As such, I envisioned it as an A.I. imbued drone with an array of handheld power tools, a generator with power cable, a toolbox with several handtools/extensions for power tools, and an extendable, multijointed neck which doubles as a standing platform for our intrepid astrofig to affect repairs at various heights. Too, as can be seen in the pic below, the resting spars can extend independently and are tipped with small wheels to allow the drone some mobility. When collapsed, they are compatible with the MCM's original pods.

Of course, as is my wont, this rover, like the majority of my MOCs, is "more than meets the eye'. 😜

I tried to stay true to the original red, light gray, and black color scheme for the most part; however, I did sprinkle some silver bits here and there throughout the build for a little additional flavor, as well as the few odd white bits, which occurred, too, in the original M-Tron sets. The only real deviation is a dark bley Technic liftarm with ball joint  which I used for the waist/crotch piece. Oh, and a few blue Technic friction half-pin, half-axle pieces.

The resulting mecha is fully articulated, including the thumb and two fingers per gripper. It can also carry the pod on its back (I neglected to take a pic, sorry). Take my word for it (the boosters on his heels are double jointed and can extend about a brick's height allowing for walking poses with the pod attached as well as just providing stabilization in general). Yet another photo op I missed.

So, full disclosure, in 1990, I was entering the military, and while I owned one of the smaller M-Tron sets, the theme on the whole didn't really grab me. I thought the MCM was cool, but I never pursued it, even after entering active duty when I had the funds to buy it. Dumb, dumb me. Thirty-some years hence, I finally scored a copy and it's such a magnificent model, definitely a standout when weighed against the whole of the Classic Space and post-CS eras. My friend, the one who originally engaged my interest in building a mecha for his then proposed M-Tron layout, is a huge M-tron fan, and I was intrigued to venture into this theme to which I had never really given much thought.  I love the utility, practicality, and playability of this theme, and the magnet gimmick just adds that extra bit of fun to the mix. My mecha build had its challenges along the way, but ultimately, I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. I hope it appeals to some of you out there, and moreso, I hope it inspires. Cheers and play well!

Edit: It's literally a dark and stormy night, so what better way to pass the time than to take a few more pics.

Edited June 9, 2023 by M'Kyuun

[danth]

20 hours ago, M'Kyuun said:

Amazing. I was expecting, because it's you, that the rover would transform somehow, but that mech looks way too good to have come from a transformation. The way the lower legs split is fantastic.

[M'Kyuun]

1 hour ago, danth said:

Amazing. I was expecting, because it's you, that the rover would transform somehow, but that mech looks way too good to have come from a transformation. The way the lower legs split is fantastic.

Danth, you're too kind, man. Much appreciated. I wish I had both better photography skills and any skill at all with photo editing for better presentation. I've seen some really awesome CS builds, including M-Tron, that looked like the OG box art, which really helps to sell it. Anyway, I'm glad you like it. I'm looking forward to showing it off at BrickCon in September. Cheers for the kind words!

I showed your CS transforming ships to my wife; she thought they were cool, too. 

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

On 6/8/2023 at 5:39 PM, M'Kyuun said:

A fellow AFOL and good friend of mine who builds very large MOCs mentioned to me a month or so ago that he was contemplating building an M-Tron layout and asked whether I would consider building a mecha for it. Unbeknownst to him, I accepted the challenge. Unbeknownst to me, in the intervening weeks, he changed his mind and began working on a Space Police 3 themed MOC instead. 😄 Anyway, I was already well along with my design which was based on an earlier, simpler MOC I'd built back in 2014-15 and have since thought of improving. My friend's request was the motivation I needed to actually put in the work. I finished it yesterday and overall, I'm fairly pleased with it.

The back wheels can castor 180 degrees, allowing it to circumscribe a fairly tight turn. However, although I mounted them on Technic friction pins, the friction imparted is nigh negligible making anything but very short reverse maneuvers impossible due to the wheels going in opposite directions. Not my initial preference, but design considerations drove the choice. 

Those familiar with the venerable and still awesome 6989 Mega (or Multi) Core Magnetizer (also known as Mobile Recovery Center) released in 1990 will remember the two cargo pods with their distinctively printed angular side panels which could be raised up to access the features within. For my rover, I decided to build my own, giving it a bit of a 21st century upgrade, as it were. 

As such, I envisioned it as an A.I. imbued drone with an array of handheld power tools, a generator with power cable, a toolbox with several handtools/extensions for power tools, and an extendable, multijointed neck which doubles as a standing platform for our intrepid astrofig to affect repairs at various heights. Too, as can be seen in the pic below, the resting spars can extend independently and are tipped with small wheels to allow the drone some mobility. When collapsed, they are compatible with the MCM's original pods.

Of course, as is my wont, this rover, like the majority of my MOCs, is "more than meets the eye'. 😜

I tried to stay true to the original red, light gray, and black color scheme for the most part; however, I did sprinkle some silver bits here and there throughout the build for a little additional flavor, as well as the few odd white bits, which occurred, too, in the original M-Tron sets. The only real deviation is a dark bley Technic liftarm with ball joint  which I used for the waist/crotch piece. Oh, and a few blue Technic friction half-pin, half-axle pieces.

The resulting mecha is fully articulated, including the thumb and two fingers per gripper. It can also carry the pod on its back (I neglected to take a pic, sorry). Take my word for it (the boosters on his heels are double jointed and can extend about a brick's height allowing for walking poses with the pod attached as well as just providing stabilization in general). Yet another photo op I missed.

So, full disclosure, in 1990, I was entering the military, and while I owned one of the smaller M-Tron sets, the theme on the whole didn't really grab me. I thought the MCM was cool, but I never pursued it, even after entering active duty when I had the funds to buy it. Dumb, dumb me. Thirty-some years hence, I finally scored a copy and it's such a magnificent model, definitely a standout when weighed against the whole of the Classic Space and post-CS eras. My friend, the one who originally engaged my interest in building a mecha for his then proposed M-Tron layout, is a huge M-tron fan, and I was intrigued to venture into this theme to which I had never really given much thought.  I love the utility, practicality, and playability of this theme, and the magnet gimmick just adds that extra bit of fun to the mix. My mecha build had its challenges along the way, but ultimately, I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. I hope it appeals to some of you out there, and moreso, I hope it inspires. Cheers and play well!

Edit: It's literally a dark and stormy night, so what better way to pass the time than to take a few more pics.

Well, my kids thought your mech is cool and "cute", and I trust their judgement-well done!

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

On 6/8/2023 at 3:44 AM, Scyla said:

If this is true I will buy it for sure. 

Not a bad choice for a licensed airliner given the boxy design of the nacelles. I wonder if the nose would be brick build or come with a specialized piece.

The probably would have to include the nosecone gimmick and maybe removable engines? Interior would be a stretch given a brick built fuselage.

The real question is what livery it could have: British Airways or Air France? 

The British and French prototypes are probably the easiest to reproduce without pad printing over multiple pieces or a plethora of stickers:

The dipping nose would have to be feature and strong landing gear too.  I would love for it to be the BOAC livery with the blue nose and fuselage stripe, but my gut says it's going to be a British Airways ship.

[M'Kyuun]

On 6/10/2023 at 6:06 PM, Valkyrie Hunter D said:

Well, my kids thought your mech is cool and "cute", and I trust their judgement-well done!

I appreciate their, and your, kind words. The kid-meter can be a tough gauge, especially these days when there are just so many cool things out there, so to be considered among them is an honor. Humble thanks.

[Scyla]

On 6/11/2023 at 3:30 AM, Valkyrie Hunter D said:

The dipping nose would have to be feature and strong landing gear too.  I would love for it to be the BOAC livery with the blue nose and fuselage stripe, but my gut says it's going to be a British Airways ship.

I don’t know since the jet was a French/British collaboration why offend one of the parties by releasing a specific livery. Especially if the prototype's one is easier to reproduce. 

[Scyla]

Lego showed of the retro Eldorado Fortress from the Pirates theme of the late 80s early 90s:

More images on the official Lego site: https://www.lego.com/product/eldorado-fortress-10320

This will go great with the Pirates of Barracuda Bay set (which I haven’t built yet).

Edited June 17, 2023 by Scyla

[Bolt]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtmLZ8yxhzZ/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
 

[sh9000]

Oh those are cool.

 

Disney Tribute Camera.

[Tking22]

Not quite LEGO but I bought a few third party building sets on sale for Prime Day, they look pretty neat for the price.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

Aside from the Concorde, another rumored ICONS set to be released later this year is the ornithopter from DUNE.

[Chronocidal]

Off the topic for this thread, but I think I'm more blown away by the fact that Microsoft is adding a Dune expansion to Flight simulator.   That's gonna be wild.