Monday, November 18, 2013

Weekly Cuusoo

Cuuscomp Update

So far the roll out of Cuuscomp has been very smooth.  Feedback has been great and in my opinion is it serving its function of separating the cream from the dross.  You can see the results and judge for yourself.  At this point I am tweaking the system a bit and creating some better tools for evaluating the data and presenting it. 

Inevitable Discovery Reinforced

The theory of Inevitable Discovery has gotten some serious support in the last week with the results of the first ever Star Wars themed Cuusoo Staff picks on their facebook page.  

The five projects were (unofficial names here):
Of the five projects, only the walker is one that I would describe as akin to a current Lego product.  All the rest showcase a style, technique, or concept that Lego simply is not doing with the Star Wars license.  This is basically the clearest message we are ever going to get on this subject from Cuusoo.

If you are going to build the content the Lego already has the rights to, make sure to do something different with it if you want Lego to take notice.

New Project

Assault on Wayne Manor

 I am thrilled and proud to present "Assault on Wayne Manor." A collaborative project by DarthKy and myself.  The build is based on the modular footprint, but instead of stacking, the build unfolds for expanded play options.  I will save my breath hear though and let the project speak for itself.  Please check it out here.

Also, as is common of my projects, we are seeking feedback from the fans.  We want to propose that this project include new figures from the Batman continuum.  Please vote on which characters you want to see proposed with this set. 

Pick of the Week

The Spirit of Freedom
by JonHall18

I love dieselpunk...probably more than steampunk actually.  It shares many crossroads with the pulp adventure that I am also a fan of.

So it is without question that I love JonHall18's Spirit of Freedom.  When I saw it in The Lego Adventure Book I hoped it would find its way to Cuusoo and now it has.

Despite just having an affection for the style, this is, in itself a truly fantastic build.  This is clearly evident in the wings.  They start with a non-standard angle but continue out at quite a distance.  The technical aspects of handing that much weight in already difficult, but to append them to such a complexly angled "shoulder" is quite a feat.  I especially like that the "grill" on the bottom wings is implemented inverted to the top wings.

Using minifig torsos & arms for the piping, though clearly an "illegal" technique is brilliant.

Honorable Mentions


Tesla Troops Project 1: Cyborgs
by Garry_rocks

The opening picture for this project is a bit hard to process but if you check out the project directly it is full of great mecha microbuilds, perfect for MFZ.

The color combinations of  of greys, dull greens, and trans orange work quite well together.  There are also some clever part arrangements on display that I have never considered before, like clipping a droid torso into a ski!

I really suggest that Garry_rocks do something to thin out the main images.  Most people see projects as large thumbnails, and at those scales, and with the dull colors, it is hard for the common users of Cuusoo to see how impressive this project really is.




NASA S.E.V. (Space Excursion Vehicle)
by GRusso

GRusso is one of the earlier regulars on Cuusoo and they have been away for a while but they have returned with this excellent Space buggy.   The side door is fully compatible with the hatch of their Mars Base project.  I like that this project borders the realistic with futuristic.  Maybe a bit more on the sci-fi side but it is certainly an interesting genre to explore 

GRusso has re-rendered their many projects so make sure to take a look.  Their Hubble has been a long time favorite of mine.
 
  

Notables

BTTF - Griff's Hover BMW
by m.togami
Great figure work and some excellent custom hover boards.  It will be very interesting to see what Team BttF comes up with next as they are nearing the entire catalog of vehicles from the franchise.
Hot Rod Garage
by drdesignz
I am surprised by how few hot rods there are to be found in the Lego catalog.  Hopefully drdesignz can do something about this.

I sure there are organizations that could help this subject matter get up and running.  
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3 comments:

  1. MattNovember 18, 2013 at 3:42 PM

    There are a couple rods out there on CUUSOO. One of them, which is surprisingly under-supported is the rat fink model. Given the popularity of the Revell Rat Fink models, you'd think there'd be a niche market interested in a Lego version. http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/13787

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 19, 2013 at 10:51 AM

    Hey, GlenBricker, what exactly is an "illegal technique?"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownNovember 19, 2013 at 11:26 AM

      Lego does not condone certain practices with their parts. This does not prevent FOLs from using them of course, but it does mean that you will not see it implemented in an official Lego set or display.

      There is no official list to my knowledge but it is less an issue of aesthetics and propriety as it is about preserving the lifespan of the bricks and the playability of the builds.

      The most frequent illegal technique demonstrated by FOLs involves the arms of a minifig. Officially, a minifig torso, with arms, and hands is a "product" of Lego. Each time you pop the hands out of the wrists or pop an arm off the torso you are damaging the figure. You might not notice it the first time, but each time you do it you are cutting down the "lifespan" of the parts. The joints will become loose and eventually will not even hold.

      So, based on current Lego methods and technology, you will never see an official product where a severed hand is used or the arms are removed from the torso. This includes "dusters" and other jackets that FOLs use the shoulder sockets to attach to a figure.

      There are also some methods of creating curved walls by stressing the brick. If Lego is kept in the stressed formation for a long period of time, it will loose its grip strength.

      I hope that answers your question.

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