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14 Mar 05:47

A LEGO Victory ISD worthy of the Empire

by Daniel

While the original Imperial Star Destroyer first seen in the opening scene of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is much more recognizable, there are other less famous versions of the triangle-shaped warship, like the Interdictor, equipped with 4 large gravity well generators, and the Victory class like this LEGO digital render by Mm0nu. This model included large missile batteries on both sides, as well as additional turbo laser cannons along the dorsal edge.

Victory I-class Star Destroyer

The post A LEGO Victory ISD worthy of the Empire appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

06 Mar 06:18

Yo ho ho and a LEGO bottle of rocket fuel

by Kyle Keller (TBB Managing Editor)
Markku.lempinen

The red-white pirate spacesuit looks more than a little like Optimus Prime - and I refuse to accept it's an accident šŸ¤“

Seeking their fortunes across the stars, this renegade band of LEGO rapscallions arenā€™t just smugglers. Theyā€™re full-on space pirates, at least according to builder Librarian-Bot. Inspired by the 1993 set 6268 Renegade Runner, this creation was inspired by the ā€œSpace Pirates ā€“ Back to the Caribbean Galaxyā€ competition happening over at Eurobricks. The shipā€™s sail has been transformed into a large beveled wing, still striped in black and white. A large rocket engine has been added to the schoonerā€™s aft section, and the large cannon mounted below the ship looks devastating!

Renegade Voidrunner

From this shot, you can appreciate those magnificent engines and the minifigures at the helm. The mech suits are wonderful, striped just like the pirate minifig shirts of the crew from the original Renegade Runner. But the customized pirate-y spacesuits on those figs are wonderful as well. Iā€™m looking forward to more entries to this interesting contest hitting the internet soon!

Renegade Voidrunner

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05 Feb 04:56

LEGO Soundwave Transformer drops some heavy beats

by Daniel
Markku.lempinen

Awesome work!

The moment I first saw this amazing transforming LEGO Soundwave by Student Scissors I had flashbacks to my childhood, playing with my own version of the action figure and the cassette tapes that transformed into a hawk and a panther. The builder has captured the dark blue and white Decepticon in perfect detail, with his shoulder-mounted cannon, cassette-playing chest, and even the aforementioned entourage of mini-bots. I particularly like the tilework used to replicate the play and stop buttons on the torso.

Lego G1 Soundwave

And to prove that the Transformer is worthy of that moniker, hereā€™s Soundwave in his microcassette deck mode. Looks like heā€™s ready to play the song of the Autobotsā€™ destruction.

Lego G1 Soundwave

The post LEGO Soundwave Transformer drops some heavy beats appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

26 Sep 06:54

I am altering your LEGO build. Pray I do not alter it further.

by Theo Spencer

Say what you like about Darth Vader, but he sure has an eye for the dramatic. Youā€™d expect nothing less from a guy who walks around in a cape. Remember when he stopped a laser boltĀ with his handĀ in The Empire Strikes Back? If you donā€™t, Nathan Smith is here to jog your memory with this superbly-framed scene. It makes you wonder how long Vader was waiting there. Was he waiting in that dramatic pose for hours before our heroes arrived? Maybe thatā€™s why he was so sassy when they finally did show up. The Dark Lord of the Sith doesnā€™t take kindly to tardiness, it seems.

It would be an honor

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21 Sep 04:08

Come and explore this epic LEGO Futuron moon base

by Theo Spencer

Classic LEGO space isnā€™t just limited to blue spaceships with yellow canopies, you know. It may be the longest-lived and most recognizable of the many Space sub-themes, but as LegoMathijs proves, a build can be just as awe-inspiring in the Futuron setting! Futuron was the first Space theme to get its own moniker. Itā€™s also where the iconic 6990 Monorail Transport System is from. So itā€™s perhaps no surprise to find these familiar monorail tracks in Terra Station Z too.

02_Terra_Station_Z

But thatā€™s not the only cool detail here ā€“ this place is jam-packed with them!

Letā€™s start by going around the back. We get a good view of the monorails, as well as a landing pad with a rather nifty little craft on it. The exposed Technic bricks give the base a really nice utilitarian feel.

01_Terra_Station_Z

Up top, we can get a closer look at some of the detailing on the baseā€™s exterior. This is all over the place and it gives an added sense of realism. Real spacecraft have pipes and wires going every which way, so itā€™s no surprise to find the same outside here!

04_Terra_Station_Z

The interior is no different beneath those glorious trans-blue quarter dome panels (also a feature of 6990 Monorail Transport System). This seems to be some sort of mining or research facility.

09_Terra_Station_Z

That minifigure with the binoculars must be the shift supervisor, as he seems to be keeping an eye on some of the mining happening outside. Those angular cockpits look the business, donā€™t they? The tiny spacecraft uses the same part and is very cool, but this crane rover is no slouch itself.

14_Terra_Station_Z

Thatā€™s only a selection of some of LegoMathijsā€™ epic base; be sure to check out his photostream for more cool details!

The post Come and explore this epic LEGO Futuron moon base appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

21 Aug 04:10

May 15th, 1988; a fabulous day for Formula One racing

by Lino
Markku.lempinen

Amazing šŸ˜®

1988 saw the introduction of Roger Rabbit, the US Stealth Bomber, Prozac, and the first-ever computer virus. LEGO builder Alex_bricks takes us on a journey to a very specific time and place in 1988; that is May 15th at the Monaco Grand Prix. McLaren cars dominated the circuit and the rivalry between teammates Alain Prost of France and Ayrton Senna of Brazil was legendary. Senna put on a spectacular performance in qualifying, beating out his teammate by 1.427 seconds, an unheard-of gap for pole position. In the race, despite a commanding gap to Prost, Senna crashed out of the lead with a momentary lapse in judgment, heading into a barrier eleven laps from the end and thus Prost took the lead. The colors and textures of this build are amazing; I can just about hear the roar of the engines. The yacht and crane are nice touches, painstakingly researched by Alex.

Nouvelle Chicane, 1988 Monaco Grand Prix

This photo takes us closer to the action with a nice shot of the McLaren MP4/4. That debris to the side accurately portrays rubber castoff from McLarenā€™s shredded tires. A magnificent detail, for sure.

Nouvelle Chicane, 1988 Monaco Grand Prix

The post May 15th, 1988; a fabulous day for Formula One racing appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

21 Jun 07:37

A LEGO Star Wars creation thatā€™s nicely Tieā€™D up

by Chris (TBB Managing Editor)

I still recall getting my first LEGO Star Wars sets in 1999, and I think back to how simple Darth Vaderā€™s TIE Advanced was in 7150 TIE Fighter & Y-wing with just 409 pieces between the two ships. So Iā€™m in awe when I see incredible versions like this TIE-D by Sy Lyphics, which packs a whopping 1,573 pieces into a minifigure-scale recreation of one of the more awesome TIE variants. The sculpting on the bubble fuselage is particularly adept, with those triangular grey roadsigns looking purpose-made for the job.

Tie Defender

This one isnā€™t just a looker on the outside, though. Sy has created a fully functional cockpit, an incredible achievement considering the difficulty of creating a brick-built sphere thatā€™s hollow.

Tie Defender

The post A LEGO Star Wars creation thatā€™s nicely Tieā€™D up appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

07 Jun 18:32

A platypus? A... LEGO platypus?

by Theo Spencer
Markku.lempinen

It's fantastic šŸ˜„

*gasp* PERRY the LEGO platypus?! Thatā€™s right, the intrepid Agent P and his erstwhile nemesis Dr. Doofenshmirtz are the subject of Tino Poutiainenā€˜s latest build. The devious doctorā€™s latest scheme is taking aim at the LEGO Character and Creature Building System (CCBS) line! This machine, dubbed the Systeminator, will reduce all your glorious Bionicle and Hero Factory pieces to mere studs. Poor Perry here is the first victim. Is this how Tino is planning to eliminate the competition in the 2023 Bio-Cup, for which this is built? Is that even legal? Iā€™m not sure the regulations accounted for this eventuality. Can we get a ruling on this? Like, quickly? Perryā€™s in danger!

Systeminator

The post A platypus? A... LEGO platypus? appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

24 May 09:53

Presenting Min-diana Jones and the vignettes of the lost ark

by Kyle Keller

He may only stand six LEGO plates tall, but the Indiana Jones in this series of ā€œ8-Bit Indyā€ vignettes by TBB alum Rod Gillies is still an archaeologist of action. And leading off the series is this fantastic bit of title lettering, showcasing the font associated with the franchise. I like the 3-D aspects here, helping the gradient letters pop out of the background even more. And donā€™t miss the tiny titular character sitting atop the 8-bit signage.

Microscale Indiana Jones

Now, I donā€™t have space to cover everything in this series, but I do want to hit some of my favorites. And the first one is the scene that started it all: Indy retrieving the Chachapoyan Idol. The approximation of that idol as the end of a gold bar poking out of an open stud is perfect in this scale. And getting the section of floor it sits on to stick up half a plate is a real challenge in this scale! I wonder how big the stone ball would be?

"This is where Forrestal cashed in..."

For this next scene, I canā€™t do any better than Rodā€™s own words here: ā€œSmall bricks. Why did it have to be small bricks?ā€ The statues in this scale are perfect, and I love the inclusion of the hieroglyphics sticker in the background. But that 4-piece Ark of the Covenant is absolutely brilliant! And I adore the little bit of texturing included in the dark tan floor.

"A secret chamber, called The Well of Souls..."

Finally, this fight at the airfield may just be my favorite scene of the series. The plane is a brilliant design, utilizing this trapezoidal flag to great effect. But the best part has got to be the immediate identification of Indyā€™s foe from just a stack of 4 pieces, mostly in tan. This whole series communicates so much with so little. Itā€™s truly a collection of micro-masterpieces!

Flying Wing Punch-Up

If youā€™d like to see the whole collection, please check out Rodā€™s gallery on Flickr. It does not disappoint!

The post Presenting Min-diana Jones and the vignettes of the lost ark appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

10 May 03:53

This LEGO Moldy Crow from Dark Forces tosses Star Wars canon into the trash compactor

by Kyle Keller

Folks, every story has a beginning. And the beginning of my love for the Star Wars universe began playing the Dark Forces video game on my Playstation as a kid. Decades before Rogue One became the new canon, I spent hours playing as Kyle Katarn as he tracked down the Death Star plans in his ship, the Moldy Crow. And thanks to builder Luca, that HWK-290 light freighter now exists in glorious LEGO form! From my numerous failed attempts, I know the sharp angles of the spaceship to be particularly difficult to capture in brick form. Add that to a lack of space-y parts in brown and dark tan tones, and the true talent in this build comes into focus. Its sharp angles are impossibly clean, and the colors perfectly match those in the gameā€™s cinematics. Even the background build, showing the Crow docked while Katarn uncovers more of the Dark Trooper project, feels like a Dark Forces screenshot. Take that, Jyn Erso!

The post This LEGO Moldy Crow from Dark Forces tosses Star Wars canon into the trash compactor appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

03 May 18:21

Bruticus Maximus is a bunch of brawling Transformers combined!

by Lino
Markku.lempinen

This is just awesome :o

A LEGO Transformer built by Alex Jones is no special thing. I mean, let me clarify; it certainly is special, mindblowing even, but heā€™s built dozens in his time and has by now mastered the art. But a combiner, by his own admission, is quite a difficult thing. Behold Bruticus Maximus, a massive transforming brawler comprised of five individual brawlers. They are the Combaticons: BlastOff, Brawl, Onslaught, Swindle, and Vortex which are somehow both the best and worst fraternity brother names ever. He tells us that weight and clutch power become a difficult obstacle when building a bipedal mech this large. But clearly, he has pulled it off with finesse.

Bruticus Maximus

Here is another image showcasing the individual Transformers in vehicle and robot mode. Alex seems to be a master at, not only Transformers but all things awesome and pop culture-ish. You owe it to yourself to check out our Alex Jones archives to see what I mean. And if Transformers is totally your jam, then tuck and fold into that archive as well.

Combaticons

The post Bruticus Maximus is a bunch of brawling Transformers combined! appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

27 Mar 07:59

Optimus Prime Combat Deck, ready to roll out

by Ralph

For me, as long-time fan of the Transformers and having built LEGO Transformers myself, LEGO releasing LEGO Transformers 10302 Optimus Prime was a pleasant surprise. It looks great as a robot, decent as a truck and the transformation sequence is fantastic. Its look is also largely faithful to the original Optimus Prime toy from the eighties. In my book, the one thing that could make it even better was for Optimus to have his trailer or Combat Deck. So, I built one myself.

LEGO set 10302 with a custom trailer

The outside has a distinctive pattern of blue and white stripes, as well as a prominent Autobot logo. I did not want to use stickers, so I brick-built them into the sides. The original toy trailer was quite large in comparison to the tractor. This is great, because it gave me enough space for all of this. Optimusā€™ blaster, when stored on the rear of the tractor, has a connection point for the trailer. Kudos to Joseph Kyde, the setā€™s designer, for this really neat detail.

LEGO set 10302 with a custom trailer

The trailerā€™s party piece is, of course, that it can fold open. The inside features control stations and an artillery/repair drone, which can be raised up on an arm. It has a cockpit, a grapple arm, a fold-out radar antenna and launchers for two missiles. The control stations and the cockpit are holdovers from the original Japanese toy design, that came with small action figures. I tried to stay very close to that design, including the coloured patterns on the inside and much of the functionality. The Combat Deck also houses Roller, which is a small six-wheeled vehicle. On the toy and on my model, pushing a small tab triggers a spring-loaded mechanism, that can launch it from the trailer, down the ramp. Ready to roll out!

The post Optimus Prime Combat Deck, ready to roll out appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

13 Feb 19:38

Everybody make some noise for Deception Soundwave

by Edwinder
Markku.lempinen

Amazing work and Soundwave is always awesome!

If thereā€™s ever a need for reliable communications for the Deceptions, you can rely on Soundwave. The only comms channel we need open now is to The LEGO Group from fans to convey that we will be needing more LEGO Transformers, and this build by Zach SweigartĀ reinforces just that message.

An accurate depiction of the Deception Soundwave that can transform into the radio-cassette player mode and hosting his endless spies launched from his cassette deck.

Fully possible with the deep blue tone and yellow highlights sucks us right back into the 8oā€™s the Generation 1 Communications Officer loyal to leader Megatron.

Decepticon Soundwave

A better sense of scale is experienced with the official LEGO 10302 Optimus PrimeĀ standing side by side.

Decepticon Soundwave

The post Everybody make some noise for Deception Soundwave appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

14 Dec 04:56

Gearing up for an imperial dogfight

by Theo Spencer

There are a lot of great LEGO TIE fighters out there. So many, in fact, that Matt (Classic Brix) decided to do something a bit different and build one at a slightly reduced scale. And boy, does it pay off! Itā€™s a super model with some of the parts choices giving it a very distinct style. The standout is the use of a gear wheel to give the window its signature octagonal frame. But take a closer look! This gear actually has studs with bars slotted into it, to allow the ball shape of the cockpit to be recreated. Itā€™s a frankly genius solution!

Midi-Scale TIE Fighter

The post Gearing up for an imperial dogfight appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

23 Sep 05:33

20220923

by Lar
Markku.lempinen

I should rewatch Farscape again. Farscape was awesome.

15 Sep 18:02

Return to Monkey Island Trailer

14 Sep 18:12

Factorio is coming to Nintendo Switchā„¢

by Twinsen

For the past one and a half years I've been working on a secret Factorio project. Today we are finally revealing it.
As announced during Nintendo Direct, Factorio is coming to Nintendo Switch! It's already in the final stages and the global release date is set for 28th October 2022.

Here is what to expect:

  • All of the game's content will be available. The gameplay is not simplified and there are no artificial limits.
  • There will be no mod support.
  • Multiplayer will be available, including playing cross-platform. Nintendo Switch Online is required for online play, but not required for LAN games.
  • Save files are compatible between all platforms. There will be no save transfer feature at launch, but you can transfer your saves using multiplayer.

Performance

One of the first questions you might ask is how does the game perform. We worked on many optimizations to make sure the game performs as well as possible. You should expect 30-60 FPS (both in TV mode and handheld mode). As for UPS, the average player should be able to go through all of the content and launch a rocket, while staying at 60 UPS. But don't expect to be able to build mega-bases without UPS starting to drop, sometimes significantly.

Can you really play Factorio with controllers?

Factorio was developed for 10 years with only keyboard and mouse in mind, so making sure the game is fully playable with controllers was no easy task. Playing with a controller is slightly slower, and will take some getting used to (just as it does when playing with keyboard and mouse for the first time). After becoming familiar with it, I find it very comfortable. I recommend everyone to play through the first levels of our tutorial campaign, as it's a great way to get acquainted with playing Factorio with a controller.

What about Steam Deck and PC controller support?

I actually started working on the port for Nintendo Switch before the Steam Deck was even announced, so first I will finish what I started. Currently the controller support is optimized for and built around the Nintendo Switch system, the Joy-Conā„¢ controllers, and their features. There's still more work to be done for generic controller support, such as dealing with the many controller types, handling mods, ability to switch between "keyboard and mouse" and "controller" modes, etc. Also I want to make it a priority to focus on the initial feedback coming from Nintendo Switch players, to make sure any bigger issues are ironed out quickly. So generic controller support is planned, just that like most things, it will take some time.

Please help with translations

The standard of quality for releasing on Nintendo Switch is high, so shipping with incomplete translations (like we usually do) is not an option. For this reason the game will only include complete and good quality translations. On around the 26th of September I will add the final localization for the release, so I ask our community translators to please make sure your language is 100% translated on Crowdin if you want it to be included in the release for Nintendo Switch. As many texts were added or changed, I will be looking at Crowdin issues the following days, to help translators. Translations for Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese are especially important. Big thanks to our community translators who help make the game more accessible.

The development journey

In next week's Friday Facts, I plan on going into more details about the long development journey, so stay tuned for that.

10 Aug 07:58

With shock and awe, behold the lead Decepticon scientist

by Michael

Shockwaveā€™s cold intellect and looming presence stand out in this LEGO figure by Shaddowtoa. Coming out of the Transformers toy line, Shockwave is the Decepticonā€™s leading scientific mind. This articulated figure captures his often repeated iconic look as established by the 1984 The Transformers animated series. This figure bears the classic purple and grey color scheme befitting Shockwave, with that dark pink chest. His singular yellow eye shines out from his angular head, analyzing everything in his gaze. The recessed black around the eye is cleverly achieved by way of SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques paired with brackets and slopes for the purple surrounding it. The articulation of the figure is well worth the sacrifice of the transforming elements. The figure has bend at the shoulders, elbows, ankles, knees, hips, head, and waistā€“not to mention the articulation in his wrist and fingers.

Shockwave

From the other side you can get a better viewā€“or too close a look!ā€“ of his cannon arm. The cabling comes together simply with some flex tubing and bar holders. Here we can also see the ankle tilt action in the left foot, something many Transformer collectors love to see in their figures (along with waist swivel). Another set of cool features are the hinges on the skirting around the waist. This allows more range in the legs for dynamic poses. This fearsome figure is a great example of Shockwaveā€™s excellence.

Shockwave

The post With shock and awe, behold the lead Decepticon scientist appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

10 Aug 07:38

This stunning U-Boat has roughly 15,000 LEGO pieces and removable hull panels

by Lino
Markku.lempinen

This is so very disturbingly detailed and complex build.

Sometimes something comes along that has us simply awestruck. That would be the case with this stunning LEGO 1/38 scale U-BOOT TYP VII C built by Ciamosław Ciamek. This model has roughly 15,000 pieces and is about 70 inches or 177 centimeters long. It also took staggering four-and-a-half years to build. In case you were wondering this is the same type of U-Boat from the Das Boot movie, which, in my opinion, is one of the tensest and most exhilarating movies ever made; a worthy watch if you havenā€™t seen it already. The hull panels can be removed on both the port and starboard sides. Hereā€™s a view with the port panels removed to view the interior spaces.

002

This photo highlights what the port side looks like with the hull intact but it also illustrates the model broken into six modules that accurately represent how the real vessel would be compartmentalized. The first module represents the forward torpedo room and crew compartment while the second houses the officersā€™ quarters, radio, and listening room. Next, we have the control room with the conning tower, then the petty officersā€™ quarters. Lastly, we have the diesel engines room and electric engines, and the aft torpedo room.

003

The model is of such a grand scale that it can be easy to lose sight of small details from afar. Thankfully this builder has also provided several closeup photographs, this particular one is amidships and the superstructure. Here we see some of the crew manning the guns and getting what is undoubtedly some much-needed air. I like that a seagull has decided to hitch a ride.

037

Iā€™ve been in the US Navy myself and while I have served on three surface ships, Iā€™ve never been on a submarine. As stunned as I am by this amazingly detailed creation, I have a burning question that perhaps some of you can answer. If someone farts in a sub would all hands be stuck smelling it for weeks? While youā€™re mulling that over check out some other fabulous creations by Ciamosław Ciamek in our archives.

The post This stunning U-Boat has roughly 15,000 LEGO pieces and removable hull panels appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

21 Jun 18:02

LEGO 90 Years of Play 40657: Forest Hideout ā€“ A Nostalgic Gift With Purchase [Review]

by Chris Doyle
Markku.lempinen

The forestmen hideout was the first set I wanted to build by myself, when I got it as a gift. I still remember my father's disappointed expression šŸ˜…

The hype for the new 90 Years of Play LEGO sets is rising! Weā€™ve already seen a fun tribute set in Classic 11021 and there are a couple of amazing sets on the horizon. But while we wait for those to hit the market, we can whet our appetites on an updated version of 1988ā€™s Forestmenā€™s Hideout.Ā LEGO 90 Years of Play 40567 Forest HideoutĀ is available now through 6/22 from the LEGO Shop Online with qualifying purchases of US $150 | CAN $150 | UK Ā£150.Ā  This 258 piece set reimagines the Castle System classic with updated parts and techniques. Come along and see if this set justifies the hefty price of admission, and see just how it looks next to itā€™s vintage inspiration!

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with a copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.


Unboxing the parts and instructions

This set comes in a smaller tab-sealed box with decidedly retro theming and colors. The 90 years of play logo in the lower right is one of the few immediate indicators that youā€™re not looking at an actual vintage set. The Forest Hideout is front and center, with a minimalist hillside in the background.

On the back, we get a view of the hideout playset in the closed position, a rear view of the interior, and a detail shot of the accessories and minifigures. A final image on the lower right shows the setā€™s dimensions: 19cm/7ā€³ wide by 21cm/8ā€³ tall.

Inside, there are four numbered parts bags and a center-stapled instruction book. There are no stickers in this set.


The parts

There arenā€™t any new molds in this set, but it does offer the Cylinder Quarter 2 x 2 x 5 with 1 x 1 Cutout in black for the first time.Ā  There are also a handful of other scarce parts to add to your collection, like the large 135 degree bended brick and 1Ɨ2 curved base brick.Ā 


The build

The build is pretty straightforward, with the majority of the hideout made from stacked brick and plate. The interior of the set is exposed thanks to a hinge along one edge.Ā  The rounded green tiles are a departure from the square base of the original set, and a hint as to the improved curves weā€™ll see elsewhere.

The ground level features a ladder up, a clip to hold a spear, yellow flowers and a toadstool. Like the original, leaves are built directly into the tree trunk for greater stability.

The second floor has the tree-fort with printed shields, and a barrel of loot. There are a few changes in brick selection from the classic, and the grey walls have been updated with a textured brick pattern.

Small tweaks aside, the real upgrade to the look of the set is in the foliage. Standard leaf elements in green and bright green are attached to black tree branches made from animal tails and handlebar elements. The top of the tree trunk is given a nice twisted appearance thanks to macaroni brick and bar-clip connectors.

The blue roof of the hideout is attached with clips and opens easily for another way to access the interior. (Although youā€™d probably just open up the tree along the hinge.)


The finished model

The completed model manages to feel both retro and updated at the same time. The treeā€™s organic shape and foliage work well, and the hideoutā€™s construction matches the designs of yore. Iā€™m still puzzled by why youā€™d give your secret hideout both a bright blue roof AND an easy-to-spot red flag, though. Iā€™m sure it made sense at the time.

The updated interior has added play realism with a ladder to get up into the fort itself.

Closed, the hideout takes on its more tower-like appearance. The improved leaves and branches really shine here, with the new mushroom adding a bit of color to match the flag.

Ā 


The minifigures

This set ditches the Forestmen angle to be a bit more inclusive. The two minifigures share the same green legs and new dual-sided torso, but weā€™re treated to both a masculine and feminine face print. The galā€™s face has been around for a while with over a hundred appearances, mostly in City-themed sets. The gentā€™s visage is a bit more rare with only two other appearances; 60298 Rocket Stunt Bike and 910001 Castle in the Forest. The green hunterā€™s hat is a slightly updated mold, with the only other appearance in the Botanical Collection 10309 Succulents set.


Neither figure has a second expression, making it somewhat sad that they didnā€™t give the girl a brown archerā€™s hat to match the vintage assortment.


Comparison to 6054 Forestmenā€™s Hideout

Weā€™ve talked a bit about how this set is an update to the classic 6054 Forestmenā€™s Hideout, but how does it actually compare? Well, at some point I acquired a nearly complete copy of it, so letā€™s take a side-by-side look!

The changes to the hideout are most apparent in the increased curves available from the elements introduced over the 30+ years since the setā€™s introduction. Itā€™s cool to note that the negative space by the spear-holder still looks very similar, even if the edges have been smoothed out. The extra trees are also different, with the larger fir replaced with the yellow flowers and toadstool. The hanging vines are also gone, replaced with the interior ladder.

The interior of the fort now has slightly more play area, and a few more studs to pose minifigures on. The flag has moved up onto the fort itself, too.

Closed, the most obvious change is in the blue roof. Itā€™s a tossup if the textured classic look is superior to the smooth tile of the reissue. There was going to have to be a change here, though, as the finger-hinge connection used in the original is no longer in production.

Looking closer, we can compare the Forester shields. The logo appears to be pretty much the same, although the detailing on the stagā€™s eye is different and thereā€™s now a black border around the green field. The new piece is also on reddish-brown plastic, compared to the ā€œold brownā€ of the original. I donā€™t know if the paint has faded on my vintage copy, but the new print looks to be a lot brighter, too.

The chest of loot also has a reddish-brown/old brown color change, and the golden loot is now, indeed, gold over the original yellow. The archery target is also vastly improved, using newer elements to make for an actual stand instead of a single folded hinge. And, yes, I know thatā€™s not the vintage target tile. But everyone loves pizza, right?

The minifigures from the classic set are a bit more varied, with two different torso prints and a second hunterā€™s hat in brown. (One plume here should be blue, but apparently I donā€™t own that part either.)Ā  I like the updated version of the red-collar shirt, though, and as much as I like the basic LEGO face, having more ā€œcharacterā€ feels like the right thing to do here.


Conclusion and recommendation

Soā€¦this set is sure to be a big hit with Castle fans. Itā€™s a great update to the classic 6054 Forestmenā€™s Hideout, different enough to stand on its own, but obviously very beholden to the source material. The real question is ā€œis it worth spending $150 US to get this 258 piece setā€?Ā  Honestly, that entry-point feels a bit high to me. If this is really a celebration of 90 years of play, LEGO could have made these a bit more accessible to the masses. Sure, a new recolored part and new torso help take the sting out a little, but itā€™s still a big ask to load up your cart with enough product to qualify. Butā€¦if youā€™re already spending at that levelā€¦youā€™re going to be happy to add this one to your collection.


LEGO 90 Years of Play 40567 Forest HideoutĀ is available now through 6/22 from the LEGO Shop Online with qualifying purchases of US $150 | CAN $150 | UK Ā£150. It may also be available via third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.


Check out our full gallery of images

The post LEGO 90 Years of Play 40657: Forest Hideout ā€“ A Nostalgic Gift With Purchase [Review] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

12 May 05:23

LEGO The Transformers 10302 Optimus Prime is more than meets the eye. [Review]

by Norm Harper
Markku.lempinen

This is needed.

In the early 1980s, an actor named Peter Cullen told his brother Larry that he was using their shared car to go to an audition for ā€œthe voice of a hero truck.ā€ Larry, a decorated Marine officer, gave Peter some advice on how to play an effective leader, ā€œBe strong enough to be gentle.ā€ Peter took Larryā€™s words to heart and earned the role of Optimus Prime, commander of the Autobots. The show Peter Cullen was auditioning for, The Transformers, was basically a commercial meant to sell repurposed toys from Japan to kids in America. It wasnā€™t supposed to create an icon. But, when Optimus Prime was killed on-screen in The Transformers: The Movie, the backlash was swift and immediate. Peter Cullenā€™s ā€œstrong but gentleā€ performance had turned Optimus Prime into something more than just an action figure in the eyes of the audience. The Transformers team quickly set to work on a series of episodes to revive Optimus Prime in Season 3 of the show, and Optimus would remain one of the few constants of the ever-evolving franchise from then on. Now, nearly forty years later, that original incarnation of Optimus Prime has been given new life once again as a fully transformable 1508-piece LEGO set. LEGO The Transformers 10302 Optimus Prime will be available June 1st, for US $169.99 | CAN $219.99 | UK Ā£149.99

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.


Unboxing the set and contents

Optimus Prime comes in the biggest ā€œthumb punchā€ style box Iā€™ve ever seen. The graphics follow the usual 18+ design; mostly black, with a stripe of greebling along the bottom. The LEGO and Transformers brand logos are present, but the main focal point is Optimus Prime in robot mode, wielding his Ion Blaster.

The back of the box demonstrates Optimus Primeā€™s transformation and shows off his various accessories: An info placard, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, an Energon Cube, a spare bumper tile, his Energon Axe and Ion Blaster weapons, and the jetpack he borrowed from Sideswipe in that one episode.

Inside the box are a perfect bound instruction booklet, a small set of stickers, an unnumbered bag of tires, and eleven numbered bags of parts (the numbers only go up to 10, there are two bag 5s).

The instructions include notes about the franchise and some thoughts from the set designer, Joseph Patrick Kyde (who actually used to work for Hasbro on The Transformers brand before joining LEGO). There are also some facts about Optimus Prime, and The Transformers in general sprinkled throughout the building process.

There are numerous parts of interest in this set. The new 1x2x1&1/3 click socket bricks show up in red, after debuting in light-bluish gray in the Horizon Zero Dawn Tallneck set.

Also, the Technic 2Ɨ2 joint brick makes a reappearance in red after a long out-of-production stint.

The newer Technic rotation joints show up here, partnered with a brand-new joint disk that features two Technic pins protruding from the reverse side. These are used to construct Optimusā€™s hips.

There are also a number of bricks in metallic silver, some for the first time, to emulate the chrome parts on the original Optimus toy.

The most notable of these is a new 2Ɨ2 slope, which tapers to a point on one end, perfectly recreating the shape of Optimus Primeā€™s faceplate. This piece was actually designed specifically for this set, even though it first debuted in bright light orange in the Botanicals Succulents set.


The build

Usually, with sets of this size, the first several bags are devoted to laying down a sturdy frame, often in colors unrepresentative of the final model. It can take some time before the look of the model youā€™re building comes into focus. Not with this set. By the time youā€™re done with Bag 1, youā€™ve very clearly built Optimus Primeā€™s trademark truck window chest, and the functionality of his shoulder transformation is even apparent.

This pattern will continue through the building process. While thereā€™s a lot of building to do overall, individual sections (like an upper leg for example) donā€™t take very long to build, which makes for lots of moments of gratification throughout the build process. Because of this, the build feels like it goes faster than it probably actually does.

This isnā€™t to say that it isnā€™t a complicated build or that there arenā€™t any clever techniques to be found. For instance, a set of stacked plates with free end bars peg into a pair of studs not on top bricks housed within the chest to help keep the shoulders in place during robot mode.

Primeā€™s lower legs make nice use of jumpers to offset a clip/bar system that keeps the legs locked together in truck mode.

And Primeā€™s feet make use of Technic slopes in dark blue to create a joint midfoot, so they can collapse in on themselves for truck mode.

The final steps of the main model involve creating Primeā€™s head, which is perfectly brought to life with plenty of dark blue pieces (including the bar holder with handle in that color for the first time). A printed tile represents Primeā€™s forehead crest, and his eyes are printed on the edge of a 1Ɨ2 plate.


The final model ā€“ robot mode

The resulting model is instantly recognizable as the Generation One (G1) iteration of Optimus Prime, although heā€™s not a dead ringer for any specific version of the character. See, back in the 1980s, what Optimus Prime (or, truly, almost any Transformer) looked like could vary wildly depending on whether you were playing with the toys, watching the TV show, or reading the Marvel comic. Heck, even some of the toy commercials featured animated designs of some characters that are unique to those 30 seconds of broadcast. All that said, this Optimus Prime splits the difference between the TV show animation model and the original toy pretty perfectly. Details like the arrows printed on 2Ɨ2 tiles at his wrists and most of the included accessories are straight from the show. Other details, like the gray stripes above his elbows and the visible wheels on his legs, are toy-specific. His shoulders feature Autobot symbols printed on 4Ɨ4 tiles with a row of studs on the edge. The exposed studs work to great effect here, reminding me of the rivets molded into the arms of the original toy.

Optimus is highly posable, as LEGO mechs go. His arms have a wide range of motion, due in large part to the needs of their transformation. His legs are less functional. While his hip joints can move forward, theyā€™re hampered from doing so in robot mode by the truck bumper at his waist. And his legs canā€™t bend at the knee, likely for stability reasons. But the combination of an outward swing at his hips and an ankle tilt still allows for enough dynamic posing in the legs that heā€™ll look great standing on your shelf.

The back of the robot mode looks quite a bit like the original toy, with hollow space in the torso to allow for things to fold away in vehicle mode. If thatā€™s not to your liking, this empty and undetailed space gets hidden nicely with the addition of the jetpack, which weā€™ll cover in a bit.

Optimus Primeā€™s G1 animation model kept the truck grill as his abdomen, like the original toy, but made it slope upward in robot mode. Modern Optimus toys often try to give the robot a slopped grill and the truck a flat grill by molding two different pieces and asking you to basically turn the toy inside out to hide or reveal the appropriate grill depending on which mode heā€™s in. This set simply puts the grill on a hinge that allows it to slope or hang flat. Itā€™s an elegant solution that Iā€™m surprised we havenā€™t seen on more Optimus toys. The truck headlights remain visible on panels that angle into the abdomen. His headlights werenā€™t visible in robot mode in either the cartoon or the original toy, so leaving them here is probably the most inaccurate thing this model does. But their inclusion isnā€™t too distracting, and the angle theyā€™re at keeps them from interrupting the flow of Primeā€™s familiar torso.

Interestingly, while the upper leg detail copies the design of the animation model almost perfectly, the box images and instructions both have it upside-down. The longer rectangle should extend down from the waist, while the smaller trio of trapezoids should be just above the knee. This is easily remedied by popping off the stickered 2Ɨ6 tile from each leg and reattaching them in the correct orientation, and Iā€™ll be doing that as soon as Iā€™m done with this review. But for now, letā€™s keep the set construction ā€œofficial.ā€

This is the largest Optimus Prime toy I own, and it might be the tallest G1 Optimus Prime figure on record. As you can see, he towers pretty easily over the first and second ā€œMasterpieceā€ molds.

But heā€™s still second tallest when it comes to LEGO 80s robots, as Voltron stands head and shoulders over him.


Transformation

Primeā€™s transformation is both simple and satisfying. If you ever played with the original Optimus Prime toy, you know the basics ā€“ swing the legs back, flip the head down, swing his shoulders back, and tuck the forearms into the torso. Boom. Itā€™s a truck. It can take a little bit of time to get everything aligned and tucked into truck mode just right, but it isnā€™t a terribly laborious process. And unfolding him back into robot mode is super easy. I can convert him from truck to robot mode in just a few seconds.

One of the big selling points of this model is that Prime can transform without needing any disassembly, unlike other building block attempts at the character. And while that is technically true, there is one piece that some collectors may find themselves wanting to parts-swap each time they transform Optimus. In the original cartoon, Optimus had a bright orange square in the middle of his waist. That square became gray detail on the front bumper in truck mode. To account for this magic color change, LEGO has included two 2Ɨ6 tiles stickered with the appropriate detail for each mode. Swapping them is an official step in the transformation but, if youā€™d prefer to ignore that step, Prime looks good sporting either tile in either mode.


Truck mode

Optimus Primeā€™s truck is an excellent representation of his original alternate mode. But it isnā€™t flawless. There are gaps in the main cab that exist to allow the arms clearance to shift in and out of position. Parts of his head are visible in the back of the cab. The headlight panels and windows donā€™t square up with the gray stripe to create an even plane. These sorts of imperfections are par for the course for Transformers fans, who are used to unsightly seems or visible hinges marring the look of a vehicle mode. Viewed through that lens, this is a remarkably effective alt. mode for a transforming LEGO creation. The original Optimus Prime toy towed a trailer (which tended to disappear when he turned into a robot on the TV show), and it is a touch disappointing that this Optimus is riding around without one. But his Ion Blaster does attach to the rear of the truck mode to create a trailer hitch, which opens the door for plenty of custom trailer builds.


The accessories

Speaking of Primeā€™s Ion Blaster, itā€™s time to take a look at all of this setā€™s accessories.

First on the agenda is probably the most important ā€“ The Autobot Matrix of Leadership. This powerful artifact is handed down from one Autobot commander to the next, and Prime carries it in a compartment in his chest, awaiting any potential deathbed bequeathing.

The Matrix is a simple, but interesting build. The main handle is a 1x6x3 rectangular bar in metallic silver, which gets sandwiched between a boat tile and some round tiles with pin holders to keep it in place. The colors arenā€™t entirely accurate. While the silver handle is correct, the body of the Matrix should be mostly gold or orange, with a blue center.

Next up is an Energon Cube, the Cybertronian way to transport energy. This is an obviously simple construct and, while it isnā€™t an inappropriate addition, it is the least specifically related to Optimus Prime. I wish there had been a consistency of color in this build ā€“ either all opaque pieces or all transparent. The mix doesnā€™t work for me. But mostly I wish there was an included minifigure of Autobot companion Spike Witwicky instead of this.

One of Optimusā€™s trademark weapons is one he only used once. In the second episode of the original cartoon, Optimus deploys an Energon Axe at the end of his arm to do melee battle with the evil Megatron. And then, I guess, he forgot he could do that and he never used it again. But that hasnā€™t stopped it from becoming a common accessory in Optimus Prime toys, including here. The axe easily plugs into an axle port buried in either of Primeā€™s wrists, after you remove the corresponding hand.

Next up is the aforementioned Ion Blaster. Primeā€™s most commonly used weapon is realized here in perfect detail. The butt of the gun attaches easily to two exposed studs on Optimusā€™s forearm. The gun handle lines up with Primeā€™s fist, and his fingers can sort of grip it, but the forearm connection is what really keeps the gun in place. Unfortunately, Optimusā€™s arm joints often arenā€™t sufficient to keep either the Energon Axe or the Ion Blaster hoisted up for very long, and both accessories tend to make his arms droop.

Optimus Primeā€™s jetpack is another accessory that got used once and then was kind of forgotten about. And, truth be told, it isnā€™t even really Optimusā€™s. He borrowed it from Sideswipe. And it wasnā€™t even supposed to be Sideswipeā€™s because he and his brother Sunstreaker had their tech specs swapped during production at some point andā€¦

ā€¦sorry, Iā€™m getting off-topic.

Regardless, Optimus Prime/Sideswipeā€™s jetpack is a great addition to the set that helps cover some of the unsightlier elements of the figureā€™s back, giving the model a more complete feel, no matter which angle you look at it from.

The final accessory is the placard, which features Primeā€™s name, function, and motto, along with his original tech spec stats. These placards are usually attached to some kind of stand for the final model to attach to, but in this case, itā€™s just a freestanding sign intended to be placed somewhere in the vicinity of Optimus Prime.


Conclusion and recommendation

I have to admit my biases here, although they might already be apparent. (I mean, come onā€¦did you read the intro paragraph? All that stuff about the audition. What was I going on about?) I obviously loved LEGO as a kid, but I loved The Transformers even more. As I outgrew other toy lines, The Transformers franchise remained a constant hobby in my life. Then, about fifteen years ago, I started customizing LEGO minifigures specifically because they scaled well with my Transformers figures and I wanted some human characters from the franchise in my toy displays. That activity became the gateway that pulled me over into full Adult Fan of LEGO-dom. So, this is truly a full-circle moment for me. In a very real way, I probably wouldnā€™t be writing for this site if not for Optimus Prime. And now Optimus Prime is officially a LEGO set. So, in my estimation, this is not just the greatest LEGO set ever, but also possibly the greatest toy ever created. The question is: will you like it?

Well, itā€™s not without its flaws. It leans towards the higher side of the price/piece ratio for collectorā€™s sets. Some of the pieces have a tendency to pop off if youā€™re not careful during transformation. In particular, thereā€™s a turntable in the torso that often wants to pull itself apart under the weight of the robot mode. And the arms canā€™t always support the larger accessories. In fact, the entire robot mode can be a little too floppy in general when you try and handle it. Itā€™s definitely not a figure for your kids to play with. But itā€™s a fantastic display piece that just might make you feel like a kid again.

For LEGO fans, this high-end, fully transformable mech is a worthy and relatively unique building experience with a decent selection of new parts and old parts in new colors. For Transformers fans, I donā€™t see how you can possibly live with yourself if you pass this up. Just remember to turn those tiles on the upper legs around.

LEGO The Transformers 10302 Optimus Prime will be available June 1st, for US $169.99 | CAN $219.99 | UK Ā£149.99. It may also be available from third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

02 May 09:47

When I Made Another Monkey Island

Markku.lempinen

"The game would be the game I wanted to make. I don't want the pressure of trying to make the game you want me to make."

Nine years ago I wrote a blog post titled "If I made another Monkey Island" and it feels like there are some things I need to say.

I can't remember the exact incident, but the day I wrote that I was feeling down about never being able to make another Monkey Island. I wrote it in a single afternoon, and it was not much more than a stream of thoughts. In the movie version, tears would have been pouring down my cheeks, but it wasn't the movie version so I was probably sipping coffee and eating a chocolate chip cookie.

My point is these were not commandments handed down and etched in stone on a giant tablet. They were just random thoughts about a (then very unlikely) new Monkey Island game.

None of these are promises or anything I owe anybody.

People talk a lot about Monkey Island 3a as if it was the game I would have made after Monkey Island 2 had I stayed at Lucasfilm.

Here's the deal.

The totality of that idea was "Guybrush chases the demon pirate LeChuck to hell and Stan is there." That's it. That's all it was.

Games, movies, and books don't come out fully formed. They start as a morsel of an idea and then all the hard work begins.

Roger Ebert had a great quote that I am constantly reminding myself of:

"The muse visits during the act of creation, not before."

Had I stayed at Lucasfilm I might have started with that idea, but by the time the game was done it would have been something completely different and better.

And that is exactly what Return to Monkey Island is.

When Dave and I first got together to talk about Return to Monkey Island we had a nearly blank slate. We talked over ideas we'd had over the years including one of mine where Guybrush wakes up 3000 years in the future on a snowball Earth.

We talked about my original "hell" idea but other Monkey Island games had already done much of that (by pure coincidence) and there was little point in rehashing it.

The one thing I wanted to do was start the new game right where LeChuck's Revenge ended, and that became the one unmovable stone.

I have made one pixel art game in my entire career and that was Thimbleweed Park. Monkey Island 1 and 2 weren't pixel art games. They were games using state-of-the-art tech and art. Monkey Island 1 was 16 color EGA and we jumped at the chance to upgrade it to 256 colors. Monkey Island 2 featured the magical wizardry of scanned art by Peter Chan and Steve Purcell and we lusted to keep pushing everything forward.

If I had stayed and done Monkey Island 3 it wouldn't have looked like Monkey Island 2. We would have kept pushing forward, and Day of the Tentacle is a good example of that.

I never liked the art in DotT. Technically and artistically it was fantastic, but I never liked the wacky Chuck Jones style. But that was Dave and Tim's game, not mine. They can do what they want and I completely supported that.

Curse of Monkey Island also took a leap forward. It introduced us to a fully voiced and taller, lankier Guybrush with painted backgrounds that were all the rage in the late 90s. It was very much a game of its time.

When Dave and I first started brainstorming Return to Monkey Island we talked about pixel art, but it didn't feel right. We didn't want to make a retro game. You can't read an article about Thimbleweed Park without it being called a "throwback game". I didn't want Return to Monkey Island to be just a throwback game, I wanted to keep moving Monkey Island forward because it's interesting, fun, and exciting. It's what the Monkey Island games have always done.

I wanted the art in Return to Monkey Island to be provocative, shocking, and not what everyone was expecting. Rex is an amazing creative force and we have a team of incredible artists, animators, sound designers, programmers, and testers all pouring their souls into this game and it's beautiful to see, play, and listen to.

The music Michael, Peter, and Clint are doing is equally amazing. It's not AdLib, Sound Blaster, or even Roland MT-32 music. Its stunning, interactive, and recorded live.

Return to Monkey Island may not be the art style you wanted or were expecting but it's the art style I wanted.

When I started this game my biggest fear was Disney wouldn't let me make the game I wanted to make but they have been wonderful to work with.

It's ironic that the people who don't want me to make the game I want to make are some of the hard core Monkey Island fans. And that is what makes me sad about all the comments.

Return to Monkey Island is an incredible rollercoaster. Get on and have some fun or stomp out of the amusement park because it's not exactly the rollercoaster you wanted.

I hope you'll jump on with the rest of us.

*Seventeen - The game would be the game I wanted to make. I don't want the pressure of trying to make the game you want me to make. I would vanish for long periods of time. I would not constantly keep you up-to-date or be feeding the hype-machine. I'd show stuff that excited me or amused me. If you let me do those things, you will love the game. That, I promise.

05 Apr 11:38

Return to Monkey Island confirmed by Ron Gilbert as real, slated for 2022 launch

by Sam Machkovech
That's the second-biggest surprise I've ever seen.

Enlarge / That's the second-biggest surprise I've ever seen. (credit: Terrible Toybox / Lucasfilm Games)

Return to Monkey Island, teased by Ron Gilbert on his official blog last week on April Fools' Day, has been confirmed as an actual video game that will release in 2022.

The game's announcement came as the very first April Fools' joke in Gilbert's 18 years of operating the blog Grumpy Gamer. Or at least it appeared to be an April Fools' gag. On Monday, Gilbert followed his post up by saying that he felt "bad" about the joke, adding, "Over the weekend, I whipped up the game so no one was disappointed."

Elsewhere, Gilbert saidĀ that the game has been in development for roughly two years by the team at Terrible Toybox, which also worked on the 2017 adventure game Thimbleweed Park. But Terrible Toybox has picked up a notable new partner this time around: Dave Grossman, who co-wrote and co-designed many legendary point-and-click games at LucasArts, including the first two Monkey Island titles.

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28 Mar 12:09

At 3,145 pieces, The Negotiator is a midi-scale LEGO Star Wars masterpiece

by Kyle Keller
Markku.lempinen

Impressive!

I just canā€™t get enough of this LEGO Venator-class Star Destroyer by FlyInSpace! The lines on this build are so clean, it looks like the edges were cut with a hobby knife. At 27 inches long, itā€™s hard to believe this model is actually a step down in scale from the LEGO Ultimate Collector Series.

The Negotiator - Main View

In fact, I think scale is this modelā€™s biggest point of success. FlyInSpace expertly communicates the Star Wars theme without minifigures, without a lightsaber or blaster, and without a printed canopy piece. While helmets and mosaics have become more common as the LEGO Star Wars theme has evolved, Iā€™m always happy to see a builder eschew the fig in favor of a more challenging scale.

The Negotiator - Rear Top View

With that covered, we should get into some of the excellent details on The Negotiator. One of my favorite bits is the heavy turbolaser array. Each turret is made up of two minifigure hands clipped to an upside-down roller skate. Itā€™s an absolutely ingenious design!

The Negotiator - Turrets

Next, donā€™t even get me started on these engines! That network of bars, clips and plates coming together is sheer beauty. It embodies all the mechanics involved in ion thrust propulsion. Similarly, this kind of detailing is present all over the ship in the gap where its wings meet. But it hits a definite crescendo at the aft of the star destroyer.

The Negotiator - Rear View II

Finally, I have got to commend FlyInSpace for his excellent use of the anti-stud, or underside of a brick/plate. At this scale, itā€™s an efficient means to add texture. And the technique is used everywhere: the back edges of the wings, the tower up to the bridge, and a light gray island in the middle of the shipā€™s nose. I know Iā€™m taking note for use in my own models.

The Negotiator - 3/4 Rear View

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08 Mar 08:08

Jazz up your Porsche

by Chris Burden
Markku.lempinen

Fantastic work šŸ¤“

The treasure trove of parts in the 10295 Porsche 911 set have made their way into the capable hands of yet another builder. This Transformer by Adrian Drake resurrects a generation one star of the series, Jazz. Originally a Martini Porsche 935 Turbo, this version still shares some of the same body designs as many of the iconic original toys sought after by collectors today. The Porscheā€™s front end makes up most of his torso while the doors swing out from the back like wings or down with the rest of the body to form the legs and feet. Making a functioning Transformer with LEGO is no easy feat but Adrian sure did well here.

Jazz 00

Scale was Adrianā€™s biggest strength in this model, by far. Crossing LEGO with Transformers seems like it should be easy but there is a major loss in detail for some designs depending on the size of the model. Something this big poses a challenge but makes for a better approximation between LEGO pieces and Transformersā€™ components. Since most of the exterior detailing was pretty much already there for him, he just had to engineer the interior Transformer-y bits. Breaking the build up into the different body sections definitely had to help. Iā€™m sure he has a toy Jazz of his own that he was comparing this to during the build process to make sure he got as many details as he could.

Jazz 03

As you can see, it is a functioning Transformer. Here, Jazz is Transformed to match the base model. Compare this with the first photo of the actual 10295 and you can see that Adrian had his thinking cap on for this model. Though he couldnā€™t fit the interior into the structure of the build, we can forgive him since the exterior is so smooth.

Jazz 04

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07 Mar 05:07

John Romero releases new Doom II map to ā€œsupport the Ukrainian peopleā€

by Sam Machkovech
Markku.lempinen

More Doom by Romero \o/

Screenshot from new level to old video game.

All screens in this article were captured from a GZDoom instance running "One Humanity," currently on sale for ā‚¬5 with all proceeds going to charity. (Yes, I opted for IDDQD. You'll have to wait for another day to see my Nightmare difficulty speedrun without cheats.) (credit: John Romero)

In a surprise treat for '90s first-person shooter fans, Doom series co-creator John Romero emerged this week with a brand-new map for the 1994 classic Doom II. While it's priced somewhat high for this kind of contentā€”5 euros for a single old-school mapā€”there's a good reason.

Romero makes clear in the release's template file that this WAD's sale is intended to "raise funds to support the Ukrainian people." It can be purchased at his personal shop site, where he says all proceeds will go toward two humanitarian organizations: the Ukrainian Red Cross and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund. (On the noncharity front, Romero's store also sells a bunch of Doom-era goodies.)

Romero makes clear early on that we're in <em>Doom II</em> territory, not <em>Doom 1</em>.

Romero makes clear early on that we're in Doom II territory, not Doom 1. (credit: John Romero)

One day after its Wednesday launch, the download was updated to add much of the same ReadMe information found in his 2019 Doom 1 map pack, Sigil, that explains to newcomers how to easily get the new map working in either Windows or MacOS. (As I found in my own casual testing, the same instructions do not work on Steam Deck, whose semi-closed Arch Linux implementation currently requires a dive into its command line.) To play Romero's new map, "One Humanity," you'll need an original retail Doom II installation (which comes as part of the newest Doom II version on Steam and GOG), on top of which you can apply a source port like GZDoom.

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18 Feb 19:07

Facebook misled investors on scope of misinformation problems, whistleblower says

by Tim De Chant
Facebook misled investors on scope of misinformation problems, whistleblower says

Enlarge (credit: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto)

Since filing whistleblower complaints against Facebook last year, Frances Haugen hasnā€™t been sitting still. A report today says the Facebook (now Meta) whistleblower has filed two new complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission that allege the company internally acknowledged it was struggling with misinformation even while telling investors it had a handle on the problem.

Meta made ā€œmaterial misrepresentations and omissions in statements to investorsā€ regarding its attempts to fight misinformation on its platforms, according to redacted complaints that a congressional staffer shared with The Washington Post and other news outlets.

ā€œSome investors simply will not want to invest in a company that fails to adequately address such misinformation and then engages in misstatements and omissions on the topic,ā€ one complaint says.

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16 Feb 06:13

This LEGO Calvin and Hobbes has all the right moves

by Flynn
Markku.lempinen

This is just beautiful šŸ˜®

Builder grubaluk is hitting all my nostalgia buttons with this wonderful Calvin and Hobbes model. The boy and his tiger are recreated perfectly and filled with life and personality. I am especially fond of the treatment of hair and fur here, from Calvinā€™s bangs to Hobbesā€™ ruffled chest fur and whiskers. But the fun doesnā€™t stop there. This model is motorized using a LEGO Powered Up hub, a few L motors and some clever programming in the Powered Up app. Be sure to check out the video after the break where the builder explains his process and shows how the magic is created.

Calvin and Hobbes remote controlled 1

The post This LEGO Calvin and Hobbes has all the right moves appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

07 Feb 19:17

Meta may be forced to shutter Facebook, Instagram in EU

by Tim De Chant
Markku.lempinen

Oh, what a shame it would be...

Meta may be forced to shutter Facebook, Instagram in EU

Enlarge

Meta says it may have to abandon the European Union.

The note was buried in the companyā€™s annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Meta said that if officials on both sides of the Atlantic canā€™t reach an agreement on data transfers and warehousing, the company may have to pull its Facebook and Instagram platforms from Europe.

ā€œIf a new transatlantic data transfer framework is not adoptedā€¦ we will likely be unable to offer a number of our most significant products and services, including Facebook and Instagram, in Europe,ā€ Meta said in its 10-K filing.

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27 Jan 07:42

This new kitchen gadget slices, dices, and is guaranteed to steal every scene heā€™s in.

by Norm Harper

In Episode 4 of The Book of Boba Fett, the former bounty hunter encounters trouble in the form of a kitchen droid who hilariously calls back to Revenge of the Sith antagonist General Grievous. Jonas Kramm was so enamored of the adorable droid that he put together a little vignette of General Cleavous in action. The droidā€™s head comes together brilliantly, thanks in part to some older minifigure body wear. And the details all around the room, from the control panels to the meat hanging from chains, give the scene the unmistakable design of a desert Star Wars locale.

General Cleavous

The post This new kitchen gadget slices, dices, and is guaranteed to steal every scene heā€™s in. appeared first on The Brothers Brick.