SoNE Episode V - the Emperor does not share your optimism

[Pointblank]

Pointblank Character Intro

WIP

Background:

It's been 2 weeks, and progress on the shield generator has been non-existent. Knowing that Emperor will be in the Endor system in a month, Admiral Piett eagerly checks on the update from the imperial officer overseeing the operation, and attempts to quicken the construction.

Admiral Piett: Report, Commander

Commander: Everything is progressing as planned sir.

Admiral Piett: (Seeing that the officer is being untruthful and very optimistic) - The Emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation , commander.

Commander: The Emperor's coming here? But he asks the impossible. Vegetation is very thick, and we just barely cleared enough space for the parts container. Some troopers have also reported being attacked by local indigenous population, and I don't think we should remove them without prejudice.

Admiral Piett: I will be sending a special operator to aid you in this. He doesn't share your sentiments and will be harsh in dealing with the local population. He will singe-handedly put your progress back into schedule.

PointBlank: Sir, yes Sir ! Clear stuff, Build stuff, and if something gets in the way, kill it.. Got it!

The Construction Site

Upon landing on the half finished base, Pointblank jumped onto the assigned AT-FC Mech, equipped with 2 saw blades and a laser cutter and began slicing the first tree he sees. Hearing a rustling amongst the trees nearby, he quickly disregarded it and quietly relished at the charred surroundings he is causing.. secretly wishing that there were screams instead of smoke and soot.

The AT-FC (All Terrain Fast Constructor)

The AT-FC is the smallest and fastest of all mechs aboard the starship - Intolerance, but the most suitable for this mission of quick clearance and dispensable local fauna. The sawblades could be switched out for robotic arms or light laser weapons, but the need to clear terrain in the quickest speed outweighs any combat loadout.

"Well, at least if any furry creatures are in my way, I could make mince meat out of them easily " Pointblank thought.

The Ewoks overlook

The indigenous population stands nearby around a campfire, fairly oblivious to the danger that is rapidly closing in. After all, they WERE the masters of their planet.

Stormtroopers at work (On Hover-Lift )

Once Pointblank cleared the forward area in front of the shield generator, stormtroopers began to load more supplies near the base, using a hover lift craft.

Pointblank knows that after succeeding on this first mission and showing no remorse or hesitation, he is destined for greater things and looks forward to his next mission, serving on the special division of the Imperial Security Forces. Back to the Intolerance

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Alternate Views

(Overall Scene)

(Hover-Lift)

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My first time MOC'ing for a SoNE (and sharing with anyone or anywhere really). Has only Moced for my own pleasure at my own time.

Appreciate any comments and criticisms. :)

Edited September 2, 2014 by Pointblank

[VK-318]

I like that walker! Although it's hard to see how those blades can get at a tree trunk to cut it. Or maybe the walker is for shredding Ewoks; that would explain why the special operative is driving it. I do wonder if that tree is bleeding; I'm not sure what those dark red plates are for.

Other than those nitpicks, it's a really good build. That big yellow ... thing somehow just feels right to me. Overall, I think it's a great build.

[Pointblank]

I like that walker! Although it's hard to see how those blades can get at a tree trunk to cut it. Or maybe the walker is for shredding Ewoks; that would explain why the special operative is driving it. I do wonder if that tree is bleeding; I'm not sure what those dark red plates are for.

Other than those nitpicks, it's a really good build. That big yellow ... thing somehow just feels right to me. Overall, I think it's a great build.

Haha, thanks.

The red signifies the burnt ash after a tree is being cut, and the yellow is a container to store parts. I initially had bigger plans for this, including a landing craft hovering a container into position, and also some at-sts with a half constructed bunker, but as a former suggested, keep your first time small :) , and so I did.

[markus1984]

Stunning!

Also again an really great story and the MOC is suberp!

Love the mecha you make, many details and all in one is a good looking scene .

The ewok treehouse with the keep out shild is so sweet .

markus

[Disco86]

Cool build, especially like that mecha suit and the vegetiation. It is a neat detail that you have added this ewok treehouse.

The Empire strikes back !

[Pointblank]

Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions. Hopefully its the first of many! I have many ideas, time is the onky limiting factor. The rebels do not stand a chance against the dark side of the force.

[MstrOfPppts]

Nice walker and tree, though I'm not too convinced about the yellow container. It screams out a bit much. The log bricks create a nice frame but it looks a bit unfinished. My sugestion would be to continue building over the brown frame and use plates (if you have enough) to get some different heights on the ground ...

Oh, and Ewoks don't speak english ;)

[Pointblank]

Nice walker and tree, though I'm not too convinced about the yellow container. It screams out a bit much. The log bricks create a nice frame but it looks a bit unfinished. My sugestion would be to continue building over the brown frame and use plates (if you have enough) to get some different heights on the ground ...

Oh, and Ewoks don't speak english ;)

OK, good suggestions, I will modify this when I'm back. I'm just concerned that any colour other than yellow, it won't look like a container. Let me see how I can improve on this based on suggestions.

[Nom Carver]

I like that tree and the shredder walker, they look great!

[Lord Tyrus]

I disagree with what others have said, the yellow does look appropriate. As for the 'Keep Out' sign and Ewoks not being able to speak English, why would they write it? It's a message FOR the Ewoks from the Empire!

[MKJoshA]

I for one LOVE the yellow container. It's perfect!

[Pointblank]

Thanks for your comments. I have ordered several things from bricklink. I will attempt to make it slightly bigger (maybe 40x40 from 32x32), as it was too tiny to squeeze in everything, plus add a new border, an unfinished half-constructed base, some fire elements and layers to ground of the MOC.I will keep the yellow container but break it slightly up with a bit more grey and black, and with the new size, it shouldn't be overly glaring.

Will also attempt to do a better backstory for consistency of character as well, perhaps a few freebuilds to add to that depth. Again, once Im back from the holiday.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Pointblank

[TheUtilityBelt]

The walker is my faorite! I will have to sign up soon. I just need more stormtroopers. (PM me)

[Pointblank]

Updated with 8 new studs, an additional vehicle, a facade of the base, a more concrete backstory and lead-on . . .

[Nom Carver]

I like this new sig fig a lot better, it looks more like a stormtrooper than a pilot.

[VK-318]

Yes, and the new helmet definitely has character. I'd say the walker should be named AT-FD, though - All Terrain Fast Destructor.

[Pointblank]

I like this new sig fig a lot better, it looks more like a stormtrooper than a pilot.

Yes, hehe :) .... when I first started, I didn't comprehend the rules thoroughly. Got it and fixed it, although it's far from complete on backstory and "what's behind the helmet"

Yes, and the new helmet definitely has character. I'd say the walker should be named AT-FD, though - All Terrain Fast Destructor.

I have another mid-sized mech which I have right now that fits this purpose, although it will probably go into freebuild. I am not satisfied with the hangar bay which it now sits in. Probably will be used in backstory or in future episodes. I don't have much time which is my Achilles heel at the moment.

Thank you both for your kind comments. There were parts of this revised build which I am not too happy about, but in view of lack of time and deadline :)

[BEAVeR]

Very, very nice! You introduced yourself quite neatly with such a nice build and story!

I have to admit it's all a bit sadistic, but i'm happy to overlook that with such a good build. The vehicles are both very good. The AT-FC (I agree, the name is rather ironic) could have been just another walker, but you succeed in giving it a distinct enough appearance. The fans/blades really help, and things like the tubes and the powerful equipment at the back help to connect to the special function of the vehicle, thus giving it identity. I like that mudguard for example, and the walker feels great as a whole, without any part getting less attention. It's a bit hard to distinguish against all the greyness going on though. It would be a very bold move, but it could work: you could make it all red (or yellow or orange). That would give even more personality to it, and would kind of make sense (again, laying the ironical link with fire-fighting equipment ). I don't think any one would forget it then. Because now, while being great, maybe it's still a bit too close to more generic AT-RT's. The hoover lift, on the contrary, is quite unique and succeeded. It has a great combination of sloped and curved elements, and appears to be the only Imperial vessel with railings. The use of that Bionicle/HF piece as liftarm is pure genious, and easily gives it a lot of detail. On the other hand, it really looks like it could be the common workhorse of the Empire. I also like the way it's tilting forward a bit, as that really gives us a sense of work being done! The yellow elements in the arm easily make the connection with the container, so that everything seems to make perfectly sense. And I really don't mind the container being yellow. I do mind that it's a bit plane. Instead of using those flat panels, maybe a wall with SNOTted tiles (so that it resembels a real container more, or would be something entirely new) would create more relief, and so more color variation through shadow. Then it would be a bit less intrusive, and since it draws attention by its color, would deserve a closer look as well. Because having a rather simple construction in the spotlight, often discourages people to take a closer look, and we don't want that to happen to this fine build!

You've done a pretty good job on the environment too! I really like the way how the build goes from the bunker and rocks to the bare dark tan soil, to the low vegetation, to the real forest. Each section can go with some little improvements though. The bunker and rocks look very nice, but I don't really get what those brown log bricks are doing there. They make the rock suddenly end, which doesn't feel quite natural. And the way the rock ends at such a nice clean edge suffers from the same problem. The foliage in the back is really nice by the way: low but detailed. Good color variation and setting things at angles was a good idea. On to the bare soil. The use of color is good, but it is too flat. It would be nice to make it more irregular, making the ground look a bit torn apart from all the machinery. There could be some embedded tiles as well. A more irregular transition into the still green area would be welcome as well, as now the lines of the big plates come through, which reminds us this is Lego we're dealing with, and we kind of want to forget that. Plates in different configurations would be good here (make sure to put the green on top of the tan!), or even some rather bleak pieces of foliage, form the sort you used in the back of the build, to really give the trampled look. The vegetationa bit further is quite nice, and all those cactus pieces make it look quite rough. I also like the way they tend to cluster and connect to the other stem pieces. It would be nice to see some leftovers from the shredder though, so that the path isn't clean all of a sudden, but bares the traces of it passing through. Like with that piece of trunk on the ground. The idea of fire was good, but still it doesn't come over quite convincingly. I think more pointy pieces would be better, replacing those round plates with trans cheese slopes for example. It would also allow for a more 'cohesive' form of fire, because now it consists of a series of distinct columns, and I don't think I've ever seen such fire. And instead of using greys to indicate fire damage, I think black would be a far better choice. Still, the ideas are very good. Lastly, the Ewok hideout. It was quite nice to include this, as it kind of comments on the scene. I don't see the Ewoks using that kind of ladder though, but rather a rope ladder or a plain rope. And the tree itself has great foliage, with nice color variations and some odd parts (that's good!), but it looks to geometrical. The branches are too nicely distributed, and really form these levels, which doesn't really work for such a tree.

This is a very nice scene, and I love all the different things that are going on: it is well staged. I enjoyed your writing too, and I'd love to see this journey continue (no matter how violently ) with great builds and great stories!

[Pointblank]

Thank you Beaver for your kind and very detailed comments.

It will be taken with utmost constructiveness and I will look into implementing them in the next moc for sure.

Much appreciated! :)