[SoNE Ep. VI] Mon Calamari - The blue depth

[MstrOfPppts]

Our dark trooper diver reported from another scum infested planet - Mon Calamari. He had to go deep under water to make contact with some sympathisers of the Empire.

Dark trooper: Commander I have reached the contact and we have some good news.

MstrOfPppts: Finaly, and what is the news?

Dagoh: As I have explained to your trooper, Boba is here.

MstrOfPppts: Is there a safe way to get to him?

Dagoh: No, the part of the city he landed in is full of Rebel troops.

MstrOfPppts: So what is the good news?

Dagoh: Boba is leaving soon and we are certain his next stop is Bothawui.

MstrOfPppts: Good, we have our troops there.

[Aland1916]

It's nice to see another underwater entry! Great as usual

[MKJoshA]

Very nice underwater scene! I like the weapons you've created for the Mon Calamari.

[Pointblank]

Very nice mstrofppts!

[BEAVeR]

It really doesn't matter, MstrOfPppts, if you don't post the maximum amount of entries. Because they are just so good. And this certainly is not an exception, quite on the contrary.

The rockwork is of course perfect, with just the right transition between the cliff face and the ground, with just the right texture of the ocean floor and just the right implementation of the cave. Maybe a ledge or some pieces that are angled could have given it an even more natural look, but it already is near perfection. The best thing, however, is how smoothly you managed to incorporate the architectural elements in this convincingly natural setting. The gateway fits in nicely, and the platform doesn't look like it is slapped on as well. I love the way how your architectural take on Mon Calamari is very reminiscent of impressions of Atlantis, with the marble and the arches. Then it would have been nice if the platform would have been a bit more coherent with this. It doesn't have to be white, but some round shapes here and there, some echoed hollow studs would have unified the architectural bit a bit more. The downwards pillars are a very nice touch though (although I think I would have preferred round shafts to the blocky ones). It's good that you did effort to make it look Sci Fi, with those technical looking decoration on the door. I think you could have made a better compromise between the sea-aesthetic and the technology however. This looks a bit out of place (especially the colors look... off), and some more organic, rounded shapes could have looked equally Sci Fi and closer related to the Mon Calamari (and the designs of their ships).

These points are overshadowed, however, by the incredibly convincing atmosphere of being underwater you put up. You didn't achieve it by the obvious blue tints, not even in the lighting, but by actually taking into account how water differs from the world we normally live in. The way you captured all of the floating is impressive, with the superb posing of the minifigs in perfect weightlessness, and the vegetation that could never exist out of the water (and that is very nicely incorporated into the base!). It's great to see people think like this to make everything extra convincing, without falling into cliches. And if all of that makes for such a beautiful build as yours, one can only marvel at such brilliance.