Desert Hideout

[WesternOutlaw]

I've been wanting to build an Egyptian Desert Hideout for some time now, and finally spent yesterday afternoon/night putting one together. The creation was inspired by a new Playmobil Egypt set (Grave Robbers) with elements from Indiana Jones in Cairo (Cairo Swordsman). I'm still working on it slightly, but here's a preliminary "Sneak Peek" image:

I'll share some more photos today, including the interior and hidden treasure trove.

Comments welcome.

[Khorne]

Cool! Instantly recognisable, the Playmobil hideout was actually the first thought I had when seeing this . Can't wait to see the finished version and some interior shots.

Here's a full pic of the Playmo set for the people who don't know it:

Maybe you can add a well, too? That might be interesting to see .

[Erdbeereis]

That looks excellent Brickster!

I simply love the tan supports on the edges, they are so detailed. Your interior looks very promising and I am looking forward to seeing pictures of it.

[Millacol88]

It looks quite good. as Erdbeereis said, a shot of the interior would be nice. I think the roof would look better if it was done in SNOT like the rest of the building. Also, I think it would be better if the window frames were tan or brown, not white.

Edited February 1, 2009 by millacol88

[WhiteFang]

For a minute, I thought that was a real Indiana Jones LEGO set. It looks real nice and attractive with the brown bricks that surrounded its layout. Looking forward to see more of the interior photos, especially the break away wall.

[Sandy]

Wow, a very innovative MOC, I must say! All the Egyptian MOCs here just revolve around pharaohs and tomb raiders, this is really something else.

I don't even see this as a work-in-progress, but if you're going to add to this, I can't wait to see the finished result. Nice job!

I think the roof would look better if it was done in SNOT like the rest of the building.

You mean the roof should be tiled, right? Because there is no SNOT-technique used in that MOC. SNOT=studs not on top, remember?

[Skinny Boy]

Really great hideout Brickster! Looking forward to the interior, love the checker tiled floor!

[WesternOutlaw]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Here's some additional pictures of the entire creation:

Starting with the front. Originally, I had a completely different design for the window awning with slopes in blue, yellow, red, and white. It was a bit too colorful and I didn't like the design:

EDIT: slightly revised the awning:

Here's the left side with the white window frames. This is the only color I have, but honestly, I didn't have any issue with using the white frames:

The right side with break-away wall. That's a water basin you see on the left. I did replace the brown tiles with tan (which I was running low on):

Here's the two Cairo Swordsmen. The faces come from figs included with Scorpion Palace (an excellent parts set):

I'm still fiddling around with the interior, but this is what I have so far. I want to hang the tapestry piece. The roof is held in place by the brown wall to the left and the ledge to the right:

Another shot of the interior:

Another, adding some of the accessories:

My favorite part, the break-away wall:

And the treasure trove:

Lastly, another image with pyramids as the background:

What I'm not real happy with is the lack of detail in the interior, and the fact that it looks very opulent for a desert hideout (perhaps this is okay).

I didn't have an issue with the roof, but I could probably create a simple SNOT design (as opposed to tiles). I may try just to see how it looks.

[Millacol88]

Wow, a very innovative MOC, I must say! All the Egyptian MOCs here just revolve around pharaohs and tomb raiders, this is really something else.

I don't even see this as a work-in-progress, but if you're going to add to this, I can't wait to see the finished result. Nice job!

You mean the roof should be tiled, right? Because there is no SNOT-technique used in that MOC. SNOT=studs not on top, remember?

Sure there is. If you look at the MOC, the only things with studs are the base and the roof. The interior is done in SNOT too.

[Norro]

Looking nice! I love the simple hut feel, and how much more is progressively revealed...

God Bless,

Nathan

[WesternOutlaw]

Here it is with the new roof. Unfortunately, with the SNOT design, the photos pick up a strong glare:

[I Scream Clone]

A very nice MOC Brickster! I love the SNOT, the water basin, the breakaway wall, wall features and the characters look great. Well done.

[Khorne]

The roof looks much better when tiled IMO ! As I've said before, nice MOC . Maybe you can use the Luke Skywalker black torso or a torso of any other Sith, so the torso wouldn't look so plain?

Btw, here are some pictures that might interest you:

1.

2.

[Klaus-Dieter]

That's an absolutely amazing MOC, TheBrickster!

I really the architecture, the simple but very nice interior and all the details (like e. g. the water basin and the box with the apples) you added to it. The hidden treasure with the break-away-wall is an awesome idea and a great design!

The minifigs you added to it fit perfectly.

Only one question: Which time should your MOC represent? Egypt time, Arabian knights' time or adventure's time?

I really hope that - after we hopefully will be getting a new Western theme in some years - we'll get some historical (not adventure-themed!) Roman and Egypt sets designed modeled on the awesome Playmobil sets (please excuse my enthusiasm on Playmobil in this case since I must say that - although I don't buy Playmobil - they do a brilliant job with their Roman and Egypt sets since they are awesome design and historically very near to correctness), too! That would be so !

Very well done!

Klaus-Dieter

Edited February 1, 2009 by Klaus-Dieter

[Asuka]

A very nice work in a great color scheme with a really distinct atmosphere.

The awning looks beautiful and the breakaway wall´s smart. I guess I like

that studded roof version a bit more because of its a little more 'simple'

looking charm.

[WesternOutlaw]

Only one question: Which time should your MOC represent? Egypt time, Arabian knights' time or adventure's time?

Egypt in the mid to late 30s, around the time that Indiana Jones was pictured in Raiders of the Lost Ark - since the Cairo Swordsman is one of the two bandits.

I guess I like that studded roof version a bit more because of its a little more 'simple'

looking charm.

I tend to agree with you Asuka. I went ahead and left the SNOT, but it's a bit too shiny for my liking.

[MagPiesRUs]

This is lovely TheBrickster!

I love the shape of the house, very boxy yet smooth, it gives it a lovely mud brick look to it. The awning looks great, the green and brown is a nice contrast to the tan. I quite like the white window frames myself, I feel it gives the hut more character and it really makes the windows stand out. To keep the white a consistent colour scheme though, I might suggest replacing the tan tiles on the top with white ones, or add some sort of white stripe.

The interior looks great, I really love the checkered floor. Like the awning, it really contrasts the exterior well. Good use of the Scorpion Palace rug too.

Really, this is great, thanks for sharing. It should look good in your Desert Adventure display.

[Sandy]

Sure there is. If you look at the MOC, the only things with studs are the base and the roof. The interior is done in SNOT too.

Either I've understood something terribly wrong, or then you've got the terms mixed up.

SNOT (Studs Not On Top) technique is when the studded side of the bricks isn't on the top, but for example sideways or downwards. There's a great explanation on this in the EB Glossary . Many people make water with the SNOT technique in pirate MOCs, for example.

Tiles (those smooth plates) aren't considered SNOT, since they don't have any studs in them to begin with. And this MOC uses tiles, on the edges and on the floors.

Can anyone back me up with this, since I'm starting to doubt myself.

[Brickthing]

Either I've understood something terribly wrong, or then you've got the terms mixed up.

SNOT (Studs Not On Top) technique is when the studded side of the bricks isn't on the top, but for example sideways or downwards. There's a great explanation on this in the EB Glossary . Many people make water with the SNOT technique in pirate MOCs, for example.

Tiles (those smooth plates) aren't considered SNOT, since they don't have any studs in them to begin with. And this MOC uses tiles, on the edges and on the floors.

Can anyone back me up with this, since I'm starting to doubt myself.

The first example of SNOT in the glossary is tiling. I think tiling is simply a basic form of SNOT or stud less building, and having bricks sideways or upside-down is more advanced or "proper" SNOT. I think what your thinking SNOT as is a more creative form of building, not just tile-laying.

That's a very nice hideout, TheBrickster! I like the colour scheme and all the little Egyptian details added in. the only thing that bugs me is that the floor is a bit too nice, clean and smooth for a bandit's hideout.

[Svelte]

I agree with you, Sandy! Don't doubt yourself! Tiling is not SNOT, although there is a lot of confusion about this. Many people seem to think SNOT is just a synonym for 'smooth' but it is a technique, not an aesthetic appearance. As you say, SNOT means the studs are not on top. They can face any which way, but not sit horizontally parallel to the plane of building as they normally would. The headlight brick is a classic SNOT piece; a tile is just a smooth plate .

That first example in the glossary is confusing, but it's the arrangement of the white 'window' plates perpendicular to the normal arrangement of studs which makes it SNOT.

I expect we're seeing a linguistic shift though with this term - as more and more people use SNOT when they mean smooth, that may become the accepted usage.

Anyway, back on topic, I too prefer the studded version as it does lend charm to the building. SNOT can be overrated.

[Captain Blackmoor]

I love this!

Thanks to the tan bricks you immediately get the feeling of being in the desert. I like the improvements to the roof and the interior is amazingly detailed.

I also like the hidden treasure place behind the wall.

Amazing job on this!

[WesternOutlaw]

The only thing that bugs me is that the floor is a bit too nice, clean and smooth for a bandit's hideout.

Yes - I somewhat agree with you. It needs a bit of a dirty worn look hard to capture with nice clean tiles.

I too prefer the studded version as it does lend charm to the building. SNOT can be overrated.

The problem is that the SNOT design creates a watery/wet look, also captured by the camera. Seems most like the SNOT design, but I tend to agree with you.

Thanks to the tan bricks you immediately get the feeling of being in the desert. I like the improvements to the roof and the interior is amazingly detailed.

I also like the hidden treasure place behind the wall.

Amazing job on this!

Thanks Capt'n. The interior could use some more bling/detail though, but I appreciate you saying that. I do like the treasure trove which is my favorite part of the MOC and adds some mystery and adventure to the creation.

[Patriot720]

That looks great! The hidden treasure in the wall really adds to this creation. I personally like the SNOT roof, or maybe that's just because I am a SNOT fanatic