Team J.A.F.

Okay, this does have to do with those subs I built but not what you think!

Today I tore apart the two subs.  Then, since I had most of the pieces to do so, I rebuilt the original sets.  I only owned a couple of Aquanaut sets back in the day, but in building these subs, I purchased most of the specialized bricks.  So I decided to build the originals, some for the first time.

I build all four of the Aqua Shark sub models.  This includes the subs from the models Shark Scout, Spy Shark, Deep Sea Predator, and Sharks Crystal Cave.  While Crystal Cave is the most complex, I rather like the sleek Sea Predator.  For the Aquanauts, I rebuilt the Underwater Scooter, Crystal Crawler, Sea Spirit 9, and (my fav) the Crystal Explorer Sub.  I own all of these.  But I also built the sub from the Neptune Discovery lab for the first time.  However, I wasn't impressed by the design; it was too flat.  But still good.  Then I rebuilt my Aqua Raiders (original) Aqua Dozer, and then (for the first time) the Crystal Scavenger.  Didn't quite have enough specialized pieces to complete the Reef Wrecker, but it looks kind lame anyway, so no worries.

This made for a total of 11 subs (and 2 mini subs that came with some of the larger ones).  I did run short on a few pieces here and there, so I had to improvise with what I had.  Also, I hate the stupid arms from the original theme, so I replaced all of them with hero factory limbs, which are sometimes a little too big but kinda fun.  Anyway, these models will probably stay intact for a few months before I scrap them for parts and start building for convention season.  Anyway, it was a fun way to spend the day.

System Based Creations Topic
Brickshelf (When Public)
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Comments would be appreciated, but not necessarily expected.  (Given how most people react to my work.)

Anyway, if you followed my blog last spring (before the site went offline) then you probably saw me posting a LOT of WIP picts for this.  If you were one of those few people who hadn't blocked my IM name yet, then you probably know all about this because I talked about it nonstop last spring / summer.  Suffice to say, I put a lot of work into it (and then tried to show it off to everybody I could find online.   )

Anyway, these are the Aquanaut sub (modified, which made it smaller than the original) and the AquaShark sub.  I'm thinking about scrapping them for parts, but I really needed to take decent pictures first... so that's done.  Anyway, if I ever want to rebuild them, I have them designed on LDD and MLCad...  

Anyway, thanks for stopping by!

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I could go on and on about its inspiration and the build and stuff, but I did enough of that in the topic, so check that out there.  But if you're afraid of posting in the SBC (System Based Creations) forum, you could always comment here too.  

The irony is that AFOLs never said anything much about my creations and then a bunch of random kids seem to really like them.  Or maybe Irony isn't the right word.  Too bad, I'm using it.

Okay, the actual story; the other day I was perusing the Lego Collectible Minifigure site, checking out the stuff on Series 6, and then I saw they had a new section on the site: The Showcase.  It's pretty cool, although it's nothing too revolutionary.  Basically, it allows you to upload MOC picts that use the collectible minifigs in them (and also has a neat list feature for you to show which figures you've collected).  They also have a few challenges, where you are supposed to use specific minifigs to build a certain scene.

Being a big fan of the CMs, I had already built a few MOCs that incorporate them.  And since I still have the pictures handy, I decided to upload a couple just for laughs.

I actually just checked up on it today (since initially it has to be approved and all before it becomes public... you know, the usual stuff for Lego.com)  I was quite surprised to see a bunch of comments on all my creations.  They're nothing super creative (heck, they would probably be classified as spam on BZP) but it was nice to get some recognition on Lego.com for my stuff.  I honestly thought they'd go unnoticed.

On the other hand, there's really not much good competition, so maybe mine just look good in comparison.  If you want to knock me off my high horse, then sign into your Lego account name and upload some of your own picts.  

Having attended 2 Lego conventions this summer, I have come up with a few ideas for future projects.  My big one this year was the AquaZone subs, which turned out okay, but I want to do something more.  (Also, something that would actually FIT IN with one of the themes, rather than being stuck in Other).  Since I'm planning to attend two-or-three conventions next year, I have to organize my thought early, so why not do it here.

1: Bionicle Mosaic

The project headed by CF and Nukaya has been a big hit the last two years.  (Also, I pretty much designed this year's Toa one )  Obviously, this needs to remain a big BZP collaborative project, but I had this other thought.  There are going to be more conventions next year, and it sounds like BZP will be represented at more than just BrickFair.  So maybe bring the same mosaic to TWO conventions, to show it off?  I dunno, this is an idea that would require even more planning than the original, but I'm at least throwing it out there.  (And at the very least, it would be cool to have a BZP group mosaic at BrickCon.  We had the idea this year, but lacked the means to carry it through.)

2: Warehouse 13 Scene

I've done WH13 small scenes for two conventions, and CF helped with the BrickFair display.  But it was meager, and easily looked over.  We need to make something BIGGER!  Fans of the show know that the warehouse is enormous, so we need to build one that is also big.  Maybe not as giant as the Hogwarts castles or the LotR displays, but big.  And organized too.  Like, instead of random shelves, we actually have a standard and make multiples of them.  And this could also be a colab. project!  Again, this will require some planning and design, but I'm throwing the idea out there; if you'd be interested in contributing, let me know so I can keep you in the loop!

3: Light Up MOC

At BrickCon there was this new theme called "Dark Side."  Instead of being entirely Star Wars related, it was instead a covered booth for light-up MOCs.  It was pretty cool, and I want to contribute next year.  I even have a few ideas.  BUT what I don't have are light-up Lego elements or the knowledge / equipment to wire up something custom.  When I have some free time from school and work, I plan to look into this more.

4: Miniland MOCs

BrickCon had this other new theme called "PythonScape" which turned out to be really awesome.  I wanted to contribute, but lo-and-behold they were using miniland scale MOCs.  The idea; you know how they have those people built at miniland areas in Legoland?  Yeah, that kind of complexity; about 1/20th scale, I believe.  I've mainly dealt in the realm of minifig characters, and I want to challenge myself to build something in miniland scale.  Specifically, maybe a couple of Monty Python scenes for next year (Secret Service Dentistry sketch comes to mind...)

5: BrickFair Laser Tag

If you weren't there, then you don't know how awesome it was.  If you go to BrickFair next year, we must surely do it again.  But it was hard work; maybe I'm just out of shape (okay, I am) but I got a workout there.  So maybe I should just make a Lego creation of it instead.     The basic idea; a black room with various obstacles and ramps and such, with minifigs running through it.  It would be a great was to use some translucent pieces.  Might also be cool as a light-up MOC... but I need to design and build it first.  And this I want to do.

6: Hero Factory Toa Mata

I don't know if I've set it enough (unless you've read like all five of my summer reviews) but I adore the new ball-joint building style that came with Hero Factory 2.0 and 3.0.  But all the colored armor has me thinking of something else; can the Toa Mata be recreated using these pieces?  When I have some free time, I intend to try.  Tahu, Gali, Kopaka, and Onua would be relatively easy to pull off.  Lewa will be hard, but I think the Green Lantern set coming out next year will have the armor in Mata Green, which would work.  Pohatu is even worst, since there's no brown armor anywhere.  I could recreate him in orange, but then what do I do with his mask, since the Kakama was never made in orange?  (I'd be using the original masks, BTW, not Phantoka / Mistika masks.)  This idea isn't super complex or anything (or probably even unique), but I want to try for nostalgic purposes

This also leads into...

7: Lots of Colorful Masked Creations

It's been a long time since I've tried to build a decent Bionicle humanoid.  (The recent ones I have made either rely heavily on new HF limb pieces or are designs I've already used before,)  I also completed my original 36 mask collection; that means I have all 6 of the original great masks in all 6 colors.  So... make an army of non-extraordinary but super-colorful creatures using all of the 36 mask!  (Well, minus 6 for the original Toa, so 30 creations overall.)  These could be Toa, Matoran, Rahi, ext.  It would be a challenge to produce that many (and make each slightly original) but it would make for a colorful display at a Bionicle table!

8: Mini Rahi

Some of you might have seen my Le-Koro MOC, which featured system build tiny versions of various Rahi, including Nui Rama, Nui Jaga, Kahu Bird, the upper portion of a Tarakava, and a Muaka head and claw.  It might be cool to make some more of these, or improve on them (Tarakava and Muaka, for example) and build little scenes around them.  It's an idea, and here's an addition to it; customized Bionicle trophies with a system-built Rahi on top?

I probably will come up with some more, and there's a high potential than some (or most) of these ideas won't come into fruition.  But hey, here they are, in a list for me to reference to.  Thoughts?

(God, I'm blogging long again.  I must really miss doing this)