Assembling Bricksburg

[Xon67]

@Angeli. Thank you for your comments!

I like a lot of things about the LEGO Movie, including the massive amount of design work that went into it.  That's part of what got me started on this project.

I like building with physical bricks as much as the next person.  However, for this effort, I had a goal to build a very large number of models from the movie.  I knew that it would be very difficult to do in physical bricks in a reasonable amount of time.  Since I started this topic a year and a half ago, I've been able to post approximately 80 models using LDD. I don't think I would have been able to complete anywhere near that many in the same amount of time if I had built them physically.

At the same time, I get satisfaction from knowing that people are building with physical bricks based off of my posts here.

Keep checking back--more Octan interiors are coming!

[Xon67]

"We love playing this song over and over again!"

[Deathy]

Great work! @Xon67 

I was wondering though about the skyscrapers of Bricksburg shown in the background as the skyline. Could you do the models for those? or cant you. I was just curious because I really like the skyline of Bricksburg, and I have been trying to get a look at them skyscrapers for quite some time now.

 

\/ This here with the skyline is what I'm looking for.

 

[Xon67]

@Deathy

Thanks for posting!

I believe an article or behind the scenes video said that the skyscrapers in the skyline are a 3D matte painting.  They are different than the buildings we see in other shots.  We never get any close up views of them, so it would be difficult for me to recreate them with any reasonable accuracy.  Otherwise, I would have tried already.  I usually stick to recreating items that have relatively decent references.  I don't have any good references of the skyline to build from.

[Deathy]

Thanks! @Xon67 

You will have to link me the video on the behind the scenes. I had a feeling it was a matte painting, so yeah please link me the video.

 

Thanks again!

[Xon67]

@Deathy

I don't recall specifically where I heard that comment.  I do know that it was just that one short comment and that there was no additional information provided on the buildings.  If I happen to run across it again, I'll be sure to post something here for you.

[Xon67]

Okay, @miahbrick33--Here's my take on the "Where are my Pants?" set.  This is an all new build from scratch.  

Coming next:  More of the Octan sound stage, including 80s something technology and the news conference stage.

[ColletArrow]

I love the use of bins as set lights! How are they held in place? Are they just 'floating', or actually secured? I would love to see some of these gorgeous details separately!

[Xon67]

@ColletArrow  Yup, they're floating.  Here are some closeups for you:

[Xon67]

Benny's 80s-something technology.

[NDLG80]

So I finally took a few photos of my custom Lord Business Evil Lair to share with you guys...
I had a bunch of these mini scenes done and sitting on my shelves for a while and also wasn't happy with the official Lord Business set as is, so put them all together with a few extras in LDD to make a much cooler larger version.....and also added some custom decals for extra fun....
All I want to do now is add some relics, foil up Wyldstyle to make Robo-Wyldstyle and build a full sized TAKOS (if it fits through the center doors that is)
Glad to see @Xon67 create full sized versions of a bunch of these mini scenes in LDD....

Lord Business' Evil Lair CUSTOM-1 by Nath D, on Flickr
Lord Business' Evil Lair CUSTOM by Nath D, on Flickr

[Xon67]

@NDLG80 That's great!  It's like all of the Octan tower in one build.  The whole gang's there--even the smiley-face computer screen.

Thanks for sharing!

Edited March 20, 2017 by Xon67

[NDLG80]

Thanks heaps @Xon67
So much to fit into one scene, but much happier than the original Lord Business Evil Lair at least...

Also when you have a spare moment, are you able to post a rear angle and possibly intersected or complete internal view of your Mrs Scratchen Posts Apartment showing as much part details as possible as I'm looking into building a couple of Emmets neighbours apartments in the near future??

Maybe even showing the internals of the roof, larger bay windows on left hand side and anything else you think may assist me recreating in LDD??

Thanks heaps as always!!

 

[Xon67]

@NDLG80 Here is a better render showing both sides of the building.  As far as the internals go, there isn't any additional support inside.  Everything you see on the outside is all that's in this build.

[NDLG80]

Thanks heaps @Xon67, the rear view, especially with being able to see the lines of where parts are joined....
Will have a play around in LDD to correct my first attempts, as I wasn't sure if the floor plates for the 2nd level covered the whole inside or if they are just placed around the walls of the building.... and if they have a layer of tiles (minimal studs) like normal modulars so each floor can be removed??
Again thanks for your awesome work on these Bricksburg LDD creations. Really hope to show you some real world builds sometime :-)

[STeNCH]

On ‎3‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 3:46 PM, Xon67 said:

Getting around to an update to Emmet's Mech. Added a few details to the controls and finished the treads and details on the feet.

Okay, BlackStar--back at ya!

.lxf file: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Xon67/Movie/movie_emmetsmech_2016-03-14.lxf

Hey Xon67, I've started building this thing.  First off, I think it's awesome you went to this much trouble to figure out what you did!  I have a stock pile of bricks I've bought thru bricklink but it always amazes me, no matter how many I buy, there are always more you need.  So now I'm going to start throwing questions at you...

I assume that if it isn't shown in your design that you don't know and it's up to the builder to figure it out.  For example, the full design of the legs and how they connect to the feet?  Or how they connect to the crotch?

Thanks!!

[BlackStar]

1 hour ago, STeNCH said:

Hey Xon67, I've started building this thing.  First off, I think it's awesome you went to this much trouble to figure out what you did!  I have a stock pile of bricks I've bought thru bricklink but it always amazes me, no matter how many I buy, there are always more you need.  So now I'm going to start throwing questions at you...

I assume that if it isn't shown in your design that you don't know and it's up to the builder to figure it out.  For example, the full design of the legs and how they connect to the feet?  Or how they connect to the crotch?

Thanks!!

That's a coincidence :P

I sent Xon a message regarding this model a few days ago, we should really finalize this :)

Nice job on all the builds in the previous year Xon! So, regarding the mech, I have a slight issue with LDD. I recently got a new computer, and the triangles are horribly messed up for some parts. So I installed Stud.io from BrickLink, and I must say, I am loving this new program a lot! Xon are you still using LDD? Stud.io features networked building, so we could work together on this project simultaneously!

So, to answer your question, the intention I had with the main body structure I did so far was to make it buildable, since they use parts in all directions, I had to put some reinforcements here and there. I think Xon was planning the same thing after we finished the entire build accurately enough to the movie.

Edited March 25, 2017 by BlackStar
more explanation of what the plan is

[STeNCH]

13 hours ago, BlackStar said:

That's a coincidence :P

I sent Xon a message regarding this model a few days ago, we should really finalize this :)

Nice job on all the builds in the previous year Xon! So, regarding the mech, I have a slight issue with LDD. I recently got a new computer, and the triangles are horribly messed up for some parts. So I installed Stud.io from BrickLink, and I must say, I am loving this new program a lot! Xon are you still using LDD? Stud.io features networked building, so we could work together on this project simultaneously!

So, to answer your question, the intention I had with the main body structure I did so far was to make it buildable, since they use parts in all directions, I had to put some reinforcements here and there. I think Xon was planning the same thing after we finished the entire build accurately enough to the movie.

I'm embarrassed, I didn't mention you BlackStar...  thanks for all your hard work on this!!

[STeNCH]

So here is what I've got so far.  The gray drums will be used in lieu of the yellow ones in the body since they don't make the yellow ones.  I made a revision to the bottom of the tower as shown to stabilize those parts.  I will also be exchanging the 2 holed technic bricks with 2 axle bricks to stabilize the entire tower.  I also replaced the turntables they sit on with 4x4 black plates and 4x4 dark bluish gray round plates so they didn't move.  I am also using 2 black technic pin connector frames, as shown, under the waist gear assembly pinned to 2 black 1x4 technic bricks which both lock onto the black plates underneath it.  It seems very secure.  I had to use these front and back rather than side to side to keep it centered.  Lastly, I had to use different yellow digger buckets on the feet because I couldn't find any of the other style for sale in the US, so I modified the assembly.  Not sure if this will negatively affect anything.  A few parts are real expensive.  The pin/axle block on the waist gear assembly was 10 bucks and I'm still not sure what it's for.  The technic panel ferrings for the bucket hand are 10 bucks a piece and I need 4 of them.  More parts coming, more building coming.  Thanks again guys!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/132017164@N02/with/16883474956/

 

[Xon67]

@NDLG80. I don't recall how I built this one specifically, but I know that in general the buildings in the movie have all of the internal structure removed to reduce geometry and rendering times.  I know that the giant Green Grocer is completely hollow in the inside without any floor plates.  My builds tend to have most if not all of the inside detail removed as well.

The beautiful thing about LEGO is that you can build it any way you want.  There are layers of tiles at floor level on this building that would allow you to put in a floor with flat tiles under it to take it apart "modular style" if you choose.

However you build it, it would be great to see pictures!

@BlackStar @STeNCH. It would be great to finish the mech!  I know it will require some changes to the feet from the way I built it (maybe some thin beams just inside the treads to hold axels through the wheels?)  While BlackStar likes to build for real life, I tend to build based on what I see in the movie.

We have a large part of the mech complete, but we still have to figure out the arms and legs to put it all together.  Any help is welcome!   I've made a few additions. Here's my latest file:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Xon67/Movie/movie_emmetsmech_2017-03-26.lxf

[BlackStar]

@STeNCH @Xon67

Stench, don't worry, I've been away for about a year, so don't worry =)

Attached screenshot clearly shows the problem :P But I'm still running an old Nvidia driver from last yet so I'll see what happens if I update that.

Unfortunately, stud.io doesn't let me export to LXF or LFXML, so I'll have to fix this. I'll have to revisit all my old screengrabs / movies, so give me a few days to get up to speed.

Xon67, what do you say we first get it into a finished state and then see where all the problems are? Would still love to submit this to Ideas as a co-production to see how much attention it will get.

 

Edit:

 

Unfortunately, I upgraded to the latest Nvidia driver, problem is still the same. I know it's because I set brick outlines on, so I might have to live with this ;) Importing it into stud.io was a disaster, likely because everything is very far apart =)

Edited March 26, 2017 by BlackStar

[Jim]

9 hours ago, BlackStar said:

Would still love to submit this to Ideas as a co-production to see how much attention it will get.

I would be very happy to do some promotion

[Xon67]

@BlackStar @STeNCH @Jim

Looks like we have ourselves a team.  Of course, we have to finish it first...

Even if we were fortunate enough to get the votes for LEGO Ideas, it would be interesting to see if the review board would approve a build this big.  Regardless, it would be worth a try!

[Jim]

What is the approximate part count on this behemoth? And are you using parts in non-existent colors?
(sorry if this has been mentioned before)

[STeNCH]

10 hours ago, Xon67 said:

@BlackStar @STeNCH @Jim

Looks like we have ourselves a team.  Of course, we have to finish it first...

Even if we were fortunate enough to get the votes for LEGO Ideas, it would be interesting to see if the review board would approve a build this big.  Regardless, it would be worth a try!

But didn't they already design and build one for the movie?  While watching the extras on the dvd, they said everything was actually built.

6 hours ago, Jim said:

What is the approximate part count on this behemoth? And are you using parts in non-existent colors?
(sorry if this has been mentioned before)

I think he had mentioned in one of his posts that it was roughly 4000.  The only parts that I know of so far are the yellow cement drums in the body and the bar/cylinder in the feet and the digger hand, the cylinders do not come in light bluish gray that's why I just used black.