News
You may have noticed that I am not posting on Mondays as often any more. I am working on a new few new tools to help promote Cuusoo projects. They are in early beta but I am very excited about them. I don't want to go into details at this point because the principles behind them could change pretty radically in over the next few days/weeks.I will strive to continue to post my three core articles (2 here and 1 on brickset) each week if not on Monday. Thank you for your patience.
Kickstarter
Code Monkey Save World
This kickstarter markets Coulton's music and celebrity but with a brilliant twist worthy of a kickstarter. Comics writer Greg Pak ("Planet Hulk," "Batman/Superman," "Magneto Testament") and artist Takeshi Miyazawa ("Runaways") have joined with Coulton to make a graphic novel based on the Coulton's works.
The concept is quite clever: Take a great writer and artist and leverage the works of an online celebrity for instant kickstarter success.
$15 gets you a digital copy of the novel and all the songs that inspired the book, plus a new song inspired by the book.
Threadless
Circuitree by Tigrrr
According to the artist this is design "combines man-made with natural, showing both sides of human nature (fundamental needs and evolutionary aspirations)." Plus, it glows in the dark!
Cuusoo
Pick of the Week
Smurf's Villageby C3brix
Support Level: 61
This is a really nice build but more than the build, I love the concept.
Smurfs have an interesting angle when in comes to Lego in that minifig smurfs would be approximately life size. This gives a lot of interesting play options that don't quite translate as well with the standard figure.
Take a mideval pull cart and put it next to a Minifig and it is a scaled down pull cart, put it next to a smurf and suddenly that same pull cart is a tiny little construct made of "twigs" instead of "boards." I built a Lego aquarium recently with a castle, ship-wreck and a deep sea diver and a few critters like fish, snails, and an urchin. Most people perceive the set as an ocean scene with a diver, ship-wreck, and castle (?) as scaled down with enormous fish rather than everything being life sized. To be sure I need to do some more work on the fish to clarify their scale. Back to the point though, since people "know" that Smurfs are diminutive, you can play with perception of scale a lot if you have a few of them integrated into a MOC.
As for the actual project content, I would suggest to C3brix that they get rid of the large base and wilderness and focus on the buildings alone. The scenery looks good for a MOC but I think the focus should be on one or two well built cottages.
On top of all that, Smurfs have a viable brand fit with Lego. They are a family friendly IP, an international cartoon from the 80's that is also enjoying a return in the movies with a recent box office success (monetarily if not critically) and two movies coming out shortly. On top of all that, the movies have extremely large casts of internet wielding celebs that could be leveraged for support.
Update: It has come to my attention that the Construct Toy license for Smurfs is currently being used. This greatly reduces the chances for this project via Cuusoo.
Honorable Mentions
The Adventure Time Projectby Jazlecraz
Support Level: 1876
This is what I said about the Adventure Time IP late last week and it still applies:
The Adventure Time IP is a tricky one to pin down as far as Lego Brand-fit. The imagination of the material goes hand in hand with Lego certainly, but the maturity of the themes is something that is very grey. I would compare it to Star Trek the Original Series. Sometimes the themes are very mature, sometimes they are mature but disguised, and sometimes characters get killed. Virtually anyone would say that Star Trek The Original Series is appropriate for kids but imagine if it did not have all the history and cultural impact behind it.
Now I really enjoy Adventure Time. It is a fresh series with amazing visuals that undermine the otherwise simple style. Many episodes would be fine for any audience but Brand fit has to stand the most intense content that Adventure Time has to offer. Now, I have seen all of season one and a random smattering of the rest of the series so, for those who are less familiar with Adventure Time, I provide these two examples of some of the more extreme episodes:
- Dungeon, is one of the more violent episodes with some creates that provide some amazing, but disturbing imagery.
- All the Little People is one of the trippier episodes.
I find both episodes excellent but I don't know how many more years I will wait before letting my kids watch them.
As far as this project's content goes, though all very "pretty" the full scale tree house, as presented does not appear to be structurally sound and the minifigs are a non-starter since Lego will not produced new parts for Cuusoo sets.
The small version is affordable and much more robust with no new parts. I was toying with the idea of doing something very similar in fact. I really like Jazlecraz technique of putting the doors and windows on tiles and creatively attaching them. This is a good flat surface for the print, and would make for some highly prized printed elements for micro builds.
This was almost my pick of the week. The quality is certainly there, so what happened? For one thing, this project does not need my support at all, 2000 in the first week! Geeze! There were also a few details that I penalized the project on when deciding on my pick for the week. For instance, there was already a full scale AT Tree House project on Cuusoo with excess of 1k. Remember, Lego makes the final design so it does not matter which project gets to 10k for an IP to get produced. Jazlecraz is free to post a new project with the same goal, and this is no doubt the better of the two, but I am also free to not reward it with top honors. Also, I find it hard to give the pick to projects that introduce new molds so there is another pick of the week point against it. The final reason was the greyness of the IP. I would rather give the weekly pick to an IP that is well within Lego Brand fit than one that is on the boarder. So for the nitpicks out there who wonder how "Smurf Village" got the higher billing, that is why. I will certainly be supporting this project though and wish it the best on its journey to 10k.
Update: When I originally posted this article it did not occur to me that Jazlecraz was using a 4 x 4 round brick with technic holes and technic studs to attach the printed tiles. In response I questioned why they had chosen to float tiles for the presentation. I stand corrected. Very clever part use!
XP-13 Tesla
by Jwg258
Support Level: 31
Jwg258 has a lot of projects on Cuusoo with a variety of high quality space craft and high playability vignettes. I really appreciate how Jwg258 always uses interesting geometries and interesting color choices in his ships.
I.M.C.T.B. Module 4: Medusa and the Petrified Colossus
by Therealindy
Support Level: 7
Therealindy has been splitting off their project series into independent projects. This one is probably my favorite of their Cuusoo creations to date. The Colossus is well done with good technique on the head and arms and nicely paired colors. I like how the torso is done with plates to give the effect of musculature as well. The pairing with the Medusa really sells the project.
I.M.C.T.B. Module 5: Boudicca's Alignments at Stonehenge
by Therealindy
Support Level: 6
This is one of the best "Stonehenges" I have seen. The project has a smaller version which I prefer for displayability and cost purposes. Regardless of the scale though, this build takes great advantage of off-angle building to get some creative geometries.
Notables
The Ultimate Zoo — Collectable Animal Series
by Schwallex
Support Level: 59
These designs are fun and certainly worthy of support. Word of warning though, this is not a "zoo" as the title indicates, this is just a collection of animal builds, very interesting animal builds to be sure.
Schwallex does a great job explaining the philosophy of the design's concept.
L.M.I.R. - Roman Temple
by Bigboy99899
Support Level: 58
An impressive build with some great details and some attractive internals. However, even if accurate, this build has a lot of dead volume and bland brick.
L.M.I.R. - Roman House
by Bigboy99899
Support Level: 45
This shares the same positives and negative of the Roman Temple, but more extreme. The internals are gorgeous and I really recommend you take a look. Even more than the Temple though, this build has a LOT of bland walls and roofing.
Coffee machines at SortBucks
by Irisyuni
Support Level: 16
Clever and well designed but I doubt this project will be able to muster the 10k.
Week of Cuusoo
The Adventure Time Projectby Jazlecraz
Support Level: 1876
See review above.
The Nether - Minecraft
by Gueltron
Support Level: 106
This is one of the best minecraft "clone" sets I have seen. I still just can't get behind it though. I am in full support of minecraft projects that really bring something new to the table, but I just can't get much enthusiasm mustered for the projects that take the official Lego model and apply a different biome to it.
Smurf's Village
by C3brix
Support Level: 61
See review above
Hi GlenBricker,
ReplyDeleteI want to say first off that I am a fan of your work and I read your blog regularly. But I do want to clarify a few things about my Adventure Time Project. I agree that the show content can be a bit strange, but I believe that there is nothing in there more extreme than say Lord of the Rings or even Star Wars, although I do get your point that those franchises have become a part of culture and so can be treated differently. As for the structural integrity of the builds... Yes there may be some issues with the large model (although that build is a bit of a pipe dream anyway), however the micro build is completely sound. There are no floating bricks (the doors and windows are attached to bricks with side studs) and I have designed the side branch using a cantilever system so that support would not be a problem. The only weak part is the branch supporting the boat which I am still looking at the design for. The Finn and Jake minifigs use custom parts, but these will be revised if the project looks like hitting 10k, the additional minifig characters all use standard Lego parts.
I want to say thanks for promoting my idea, but I would prefer it if the unfounded structural comments about the micro build were removed.
- jazlecraz
Hi Jazlecraz,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting. I hope it is clear that I am just saying the IP is in a Grey Area. I think it has a firm shot at getting approved. This should be clear by the fact I was considering a project myself. Even before you had the landslide though I put those thoughts to rest. Unless I am actively designing I consider it bad form to poach a well managed project. Your design in excellent and your support is unquestioned.
The two episode synopsis I posted were literally so people could read two extreme cases and come to their own opinions. If I was talking about the potential of Indiana Jones, I would point out melting faces and If I was talking about the potential of Star Wars I would point out Anakin killing kids. For Batman I would point out the Dark Knight Returns...or any of the old stuff where Batman WAS a killer (he once used a noose and a helicopter to kill a man. On Firefly I pointed out how Mal kicked a bound man into a turbine and Inara in introduced on the job.
I know my kids are two young for Adventure Time but I am probably going to let them watch it before they turn 11...I have not gotten there yet so I have not idea right now though...then again I let my kids experience media that I know many parents would not even consider.
Let me also point out that there is nothing wrong with your design. Given that you could have submitted a sketch or even an actual picture and a description I don't see anything really wrong with your presentation. In fact, I should have made it more clear in my review that I appreciate that you have a "pie in the sky" version and a conservative version. This gives the supporters something to dream about and something realistic to hope for.
That being said, lets address what I refereed to as the floating tile. I will gladly retract my statement, and even put a little ad up for your project (or your awesome T-Rex if you prefer) if you can send me the LDD file showing how the window and door tiles are attached to the three rounded "bushes" that come off the tree. I also have a strong idea of how you put the window tile on the cabin element near the base but I would still like to see it.
Use the "contact me" link and we will exchange emails so you can send me the file. If you don't want to send me the whole file, that's cool, just send me the side branches and the cabin.
Cheers!
Thank you for promoting my models. I read your blog regularly for the latest cuusoo intel and to get your opinion of the various projects. Its nice to see my models on the site from time to time. As odd little stand-alone individual sets that don't fit in with any existing intellectual property, they need all the help they can get. Keep your eyes open for an odd little spaceship in white and pink.
ReplyDelete-JWG258