Comments for Module Pages http://modulepages.com Two AFOL guys making our own brick modules for our favorite themes and having fun. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:20:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Blockman’s Tower Module by Nyght http://modulepages.com/2012/02/21/blockmans-tower-module/#comment-151 Nyght Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:20:48 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=293#comment-151 I bet we will both be royally pissed off when 20 years from now there is a similar looking set to the current Kingdoms castle and all sorts of concepts from Mindstorms or whatever the latest version of such tech is and we'll be all like "where the hell was a jester that could actually juggle and glowing torches that come on automatically when the room lights are off?" Guess we have to make due with what we have though, so I think you're doing great anyway and your design fits the space you're physically putting the thing. Honestly the ONLY reason I've got my setup isolated on such an unreachable shelf is because kids and pets would otherwise destroy it. This has been proven in the past. Otherwise I'd have a table out in a corner just like you. However if I did that I bet I wouldn't be making module stuff. I'd probably construct a several inch tall solid wall around the table first and then revisit it with new sections and an inner keep and misc support buildings. Oh yeah... I bet we will both be royally pissed off when 20 years from now there is a similar looking set to the current Kingdoms castle and all sorts of concepts from Mindstorms or whatever the latest version of such tech is and we’ll be all like “where the hell was a jester that could actually juggle and glowing torches that come on automatically when the room lights are off?” Guess we have to make due with what we have though, so I think you’re doing great anyway and your design fits the space you’re physically putting the thing. Honestly the ONLY reason I’ve got my setup isolated on such an unreachable shelf is because kids and pets would otherwise destroy it. This has been proven in the past. Otherwise I’d have a table out in a corner just like you. However if I did that I bet I wouldn’t be making module stuff. I’d probably construct a several inch tall solid wall around the table first and then revisit it with new sections and an inner keep and misc support buildings. Oh yeah…

]]> Comment on Blockman’s Tower Module by Blockman http://modulepages.com/2012/02/21/blockmans-tower-module/#comment-150 Blockman Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:32:41 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=293#comment-150 Thanks! Although I was able to use mostly the Medium Gray pieces, I still intend to sporadically insert lots of the Dark Gray bricks. One of the things that was lacking in this concept was the placement of several torches, and of course the bricks that would hold them. As for a backdrop, I've often wondered on how I would go about doing it. I could dedicate the wall to a permanent paint scheme. The bonus is that my work desk is in a corner, so the backdrop painting would cover two sides of the castle setup. I'll have to hold off on this decision for now! I do like your idea of having your castle modules as unidirectional displays. It truly saves space! I actually may end up doing the same thing. I just love the idea of having a fully armed and operational battle statio-...oh wait, that's another project I'm working on. What I was saying was that I love the idea of having a castle PLAYSET that I can get down to minifigure level and make all sorts of action noises, as I "interact" with all the features! I guess it stems from a childhood love of forts. However, since all sections ARE modular, I could easily create modular end pieces if I (and inevitably) when I take everything apart and make it all a front-face display. Thanks! Although I was able to use mostly the Medium Gray pieces, I still intend to sporadically insert lots of the Dark Gray bricks. One of the things that was lacking in this concept was the placement of several torches, and of course the bricks that would hold them.
As for a backdrop, I’ve often wondered on how I would go about doing it. I could dedicate the wall to a permanent paint scheme. The bonus is that my work desk is in a corner, so the backdrop painting would cover two sides of the castle setup. I’ll have to hold off on this decision for now!
I do like your idea of having your castle modules as unidirectional displays. It truly saves space! I actually may end up doing the same thing. I just love the idea of having a fully armed and operational battle statio-…oh wait, that’s another project I’m working on. What I was saying was that I love the idea of having a castle PLAYSET that I can get down to minifigure level and make all sorts of action noises, as I “interact” with all the features! I guess it stems from a childhood love of forts. However, since all sections ARE modular, I could easily create modular end pieces if I (and inevitably) when I take everything apart and make it all a front-face display.

]]> Comment on Blockman’s Tower Module by Nyght http://modulepages.com/2012/02/21/blockmans-tower-module/#comment-149 Nyght Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:13:20 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=293#comment-149 Glad you rose the challenge and got something put up, literally! This is the part where I find myself jealous of you because your castle parts perfectly match the Kingdom's theme and because you're not doing a forward facing display which means all your castle bits are neat on each side. If you were to see the back side of most of my modules you would find empty rooms, undecorated and unpopulated. My setup assumes a hand off display only approach as well so I don't get to have fun trap doors to play with either. That being said I think your tower is too sterile. I think it is the contrast or lack there of against the wall behind your display. Ever considered a painting a giant countryside and sky mural there for the castle to stand out against? That'd be cool! On the plus side your figures stand out really well. As for the use of the rooms did you know that traditionally the highest room/tower/part of a castle was usually a chapel or place of worship so that the local priest or whatever could be as close to their god as possible? Sure, we've got wizards but interesting food for thought - always feels like their is a lack of holy LEGO figures. Maybe LEGO doesn't want to offend anyone by making toy deities or trying to keep up with the potential variety of fantasy faiths and stuff either. Food for thought. I'd love a Crusades themed series of sets though! Glad you rose the challenge and got something put up, literally! This is the part where I find myself jealous of you because your castle parts perfectly match the Kingdom’s theme and because you’re not doing a forward facing display which means all your castle bits are neat on each side. If you were to see the back side of most of my modules you would find empty rooms, undecorated and unpopulated. My setup assumes a hand off display only approach as well so I don’t get to have fun trap doors to play with either.

That being said I think your tower is too sterile. I think it is the contrast or lack there of against the wall behind your display. Ever considered a painting a giant countryside and sky mural there for the castle to stand out against? That’d be cool! On the plus side your figures stand out really well.

As for the use of the rooms did you know that traditionally the highest room/tower/part of a castle was usually a chapel or place of worship so that the local priest or whatever could be as close to their god as possible? Sure, we’ve got wizards but interesting food for thought – always feels like their is a lack of holy LEGO figures. Maybe LEGO doesn’t want to offend anyone by making toy deities or trying to keep up with the potential variety of fantasy faiths and stuff either. Food for thought. I’d love a Crusades themed series of sets though!

]]> Comment on LEGO Castle Bar Module by Blockman http://modulepages.com/2012/02/17/lego-castle-bar-module/#comment-148 Blockman Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:20:39 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=287#comment-148 Nice! This is a must for any castle! I completely agree with your idea of pulling the eyes away from a central-focusing color, by adding the outer walls with the same color scheme. It really does help! Plus, gray and black truly do go well with yellow, so excellent call on those choices. I also like that you gave the bar's wall some in-set spaces to hold the keg and bin. A real space saver, but it's also aesthetically pleasing, and makes more sense. The LEGO website is currently offering minifigure bottles (clear) if you need some. Great job on the upgrade! Nice! This is a must for any castle! I completely agree with your idea of pulling the eyes away from a central-focusing color, by adding the outer walls with the same color scheme. It really does help! Plus, gray and black truly do go well with yellow, so excellent call on those choices.
I also like that you gave the bar’s wall some in-set spaces to hold the keg and bin. A real space saver, but it’s also aesthetically pleasing, and makes more sense. The LEGO website is currently offering minifigure bottles (clear) if you need some.
Great job on the upgrade!

]]> Comment on LEGO Castle Gear House Module by Blockman http://modulepages.com/2012/02/01/lego-castle-gear-house-module/#comment-147 Blockman Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:11:21 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=253#comment-147 Final UPDATE: I just need to finalize a couple of minor details and then add a few figures for scale, and then I will be finished with my Tower Module. I spent a lot of time on it yesterday, but to quote Ice Cube "It was a good day"! I will post it soon, if I can get the photo(s) to the proper size. Final UPDATE:

I just need to finalize a couple of minor details and then add a few figures for scale, and then I will be finished with my Tower Module. I spent a lot of time on it yesterday, but to quote Ice Cube “It was a good day”!
I will post it soon, if I can get the photo(s) to the proper size.

]]> Comment on LEGO Castle Gear House Module by Blockman http://modulepages.com/2012/02/01/lego-castle-gear-house-module/#comment-146 Blockman Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:27:34 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=253#comment-146 Another UPDATE: I spent the better part of my afternoon going back and forth to my work desk. I've been working on the upper-most module(s) of my Tower. I took apart the red-roofed towers of my two Kingdom's sets, plus several additional red roof blocks from my bins, and was able to construct an Observation Deck. I included a Throne, which sits on a rotating swivel AND a trapdoor. This way the King can sit up high and watch over the land in every direction. The trapdoor is in the floor to save space once on the Observation Deck. Also, instead of using a set of stairs, I just used 2 ladder pieces and a 1x2 piece with a rung. I will include photos when all is finally assembled. Wish me luck! Another UPDATE:

I spent the better part of my afternoon going back and forth to my work desk. I’ve been working on the upper-most module(s) of my Tower. I took apart the red-roofed towers of my two Kingdom’s sets, plus several additional red roof blocks from my bins, and was able to construct an Observation Deck. I included a Throne, which sits on a rotating swivel AND a trapdoor. This way the King can sit up high and watch over the land in every direction. The trapdoor is in the floor to save space once on the Observation Deck. Also, instead of using a set of stairs, I just used 2 ladder pieces and a 1×2 piece with a rung.
I will include photos when all is finally assembled.
Wish me luck!

]]> Comment on LEGO Castle Gear House Module by Blockman http://modulepages.com/2012/02/01/lego-castle-gear-house-module/#comment-145 Blockman Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:41:51 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=253#comment-145 UPDATE: It's been a busy week full of interruptions, so I've had to let the Tower Module sit and collect a bit of dust. I shall pick back up this week, assuming that there will be fewer distractions. Against my own OCD's better judgement, I shall use "colorful" bricks in place of absent gray bricks...that is, until I can re-order the gray pieces that I need! That's all for now. UPDATE:

It’s been a busy week full of interruptions, so I’ve had to let the Tower Module sit and collect a bit of dust. I shall pick back up this week, assuming that there will be fewer distractions.
Against my own OCD’s better judgement, I shall use “colorful” bricks in place of absent gray bricks…that is, until I can re-order the gray pieces that I need!
That’s all for now.

]]> Comment on Blue Castle Module – Epic Failure by Nyght http://modulepages.com/2012/02/09/blue-castle-module-epic-failure/#comment-144 Nyght Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:18:50 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=279#comment-144 For the record I spent a couple days fixing up the Blue Module so that I could tolerate it enough to let it sit on my display shelf again and am pretty happy with what I ended up with. I stripped it down to the first two floors so it would retain the butcher shop and the painter platform, raised the platform as I thought it needed and then built a castle top like roof that I actually like the look over that matches the rest of my little kingdom, the main feature being that it looks like the painter has been around it doing some additional decorating work. To round it out the rest of the way I built two special blue connector modules, one for each side which give it a more balanced look and let the blue spread into my castle in a better horizontal matter instead of the one solid blue vertical mass. The right side connector module looks very traditional without any quirks and the left side is the same except that it lines up with the butcher shop and using brown pieces I've constructed a holding pen for a horse and chicken to imply that the butcher's meat is VERY fresh. I considered using a cow instead of a horse but the cow I have is brown and wouldn't have shown up well and horse meat amuses me more since it's rather controversial in the US at the present time. I nearly put in a sharkman from the Atlantis theme to imply the fish was fresh as well but opted against it because I thought if anyone is ever here in person they may not see it the way I do. I think I can let it sit for a good while now without feeling the need to fuss with it. The blacksmith will show up elsewhere later and for now I've made a tiny tennis display on my desk so I don't have to abandon that amusement just yet. For the record I spent a couple days fixing up the Blue Module so that I could tolerate it enough to let it sit on my display shelf again and am pretty happy with what I ended up with. I stripped it down to the first two floors so it would retain the butcher shop and the painter platform, raised the platform as I thought it needed and then built a castle top like roof that I actually like the look over that matches the rest of my little kingdom, the main feature being that it looks like the painter has been around it doing some additional decorating work. To round it out the rest of the way I built two special blue connector modules, one for each side which give it a more balanced look and let the blue spread into my castle in a better horizontal matter instead of the one solid blue vertical mass. The right side connector module looks very traditional without any quirks and the left side is the same except that it lines up with the butcher shop and using brown pieces I’ve constructed a holding pen for a horse and chicken to imply that the butcher’s meat is VERY fresh. I considered using a cow instead of a horse but the cow I have is brown and wouldn’t have shown up well and horse meat amuses me more since it’s rather controversial in the US at the present time. I nearly put in a sharkman from the Atlantis theme to imply the fish was fresh as well but opted against it because I thought if anyone is ever here in person they may not see it the way I do. I think I can let it sit for a good while now without feeling the need to fuss with it. The blacksmith will show up elsewhere later and for now I’ve made a tiny tennis display on my desk so I don’t have to abandon that amusement just yet.

]]> Comment on Blue Castle Module – Epic Failure by Blockman http://modulepages.com/2012/02/09/blue-castle-module-epic-failure/#comment-143 Blockman Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:28:22 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=279#comment-143 First and foremost, even though you deem the Blue Castle Module as a failure, I think you hit its various attributes out of the design park! As rooftop tennis court is so whacky, that it just had to be built sometime in your career! I totally understand that it is out of place, and certainly out of sight from where you display your castle. Too bad that you cannot build a second tier of wrap-around shelving, so that your castle modules can be visually closer and enjoyed. I LOVE your painter's placement/activity. In looking at your set up, I'd like to take a shot at doing something similar. I'd set my painter up on scaffolding (surrounded by a few assistants), painting a mural on a large wall, using the tiny 1x1 flat tiles like you used. Blacksmith figures are cool and totally deserve lots of spotlight in a castle theme. I haven't quite figured out how I want to place my little metal workers, but I'll probably end up putting them on the ground level next to the stables...Hey! I need to build stables in my castle, next! In regards to the Butcher Shop, what do you think about having a split-room module, where there are two differently themed rooms, side by side. You could have the Butcher Shop (with meats displayed) on one side, and a dark and bloody torture chamber/dungeon on the other side of the wall! "Today's special is 'Chuck' steaks"! (or maybe just Gungan cutlets!) Anyway, don't look at the Blue Castle Module as an "Epic Failure", but as one helluva way to create and express a bunch of awesome ideas that will be refined in future modules. Now go eat a hearty meal and get to building....does Gungan meat have a lot of bones?! First and foremost, even though you deem the Blue Castle Module as a failure, I think you hit its various attributes out of the design park! As rooftop tennis court is so whacky, that it just had to be built sometime in your career! I totally understand that it is out of place, and certainly out of sight from where you display your castle. Too bad that you cannot build a second tier of wrap-around shelving, so that your castle modules can be visually closer and enjoyed.
I LOVE your painter’s placement/activity. In looking at your set up, I’d like to take a shot at doing something similar. I’d set my painter up on scaffolding (surrounded by a few assistants), painting a mural on a large wall, using the tiny 1×1 flat tiles like you used.
Blacksmith figures are cool and totally deserve lots of spotlight in a castle theme. I haven’t quite figured out how I want to place my little metal workers, but I’ll probably end up putting them on the ground level next to the stables…Hey! I need to build stables in my castle, next!
In regards to the Butcher Shop, what do you think about having a split-room module, where there are two differently themed rooms, side by side. You could have the Butcher Shop (with meats displayed) on one side, and a dark and bloody torture chamber/dungeon on the other side of the wall! “Today’s special is ‘Chuck’ steaks”!
(or maybe just Gungan cutlets!)
Anyway, don’t look at the Blue Castle Module as an “Epic Failure”, but as one helluva way to create and express a bunch of awesome ideas that will be refined in future modules.
Now go eat a hearty meal and get to building….does Gungan meat have a lot of bones?!

]]> Comment on Misc pictures for kicks. by Blockman http://modulepages.com/2012/02/08/misc-pictures-for-kicks/#comment-142 Blockman Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:42:54 +0000 http://modulepages.com/?p=271#comment-142 I'll bet Gungans, deep fried in oil, taste like chicken! Heck, most deep fried things taste good. If Jar Jar has become the new Batman, then Gotham City AND the entire franchise are doomed! I’ll bet Gungans, deep fried in oil, taste like chicken! Heck, most deep fried things taste good. If Jar Jar has become the new Batman, then Gotham City AND the entire franchise are doomed!

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