[ENTRY] 6260/6257 Pirates - Shipwreck Island/ Castaway's Raft Remake

[_R_R_]

So I wasn't going to participate in this contest because quite frankly I'm not a very good builder but after giving it some thought I decided what the heck and will give it a shot, this is my re-imagined Shipwreck Island set which I tried to make it fit in with the rest of the remade Pirates sets to the best of my abilities, gents I present the final version of my remake of sets 6260 Shipwreck Island and 6257 Castaway's Raft:

Castaways of Shipwreck Island!

The idea for this remade set combines Shipwreck Island and Castaway's Raft in order to have a bigger set that tells a more cohesive story and offers more play ability for all ages at an affordable price between 20€ to 30€.

 

Here's the tale of this set!

Quartermaster Riggings and Port set out to find Starboard in a makeshift raft after their mate fails to return from a treasure hunt. Their voyage leads them to Shipwreck Island where Starboard and a new companion survive on fish and coconuts, guarding the treasure they found safely hidden in a big rock covered by moss. 

But dangers lurk beneath the surface as a huge shark attacks the raft, Riggings and Port must fend off the hungry animal while Starboard and his companion ready the canon to make sure the beast can't stop them from returning safely to Barracuda Bay with their newly acquired treasure!

The beast is defeated and the two moustachioed brothers reunite and the four pirates set course for Barracuda Bay with their treasure as the sun sets on this adventure!

 

The idea!

For this contest I was originally planning on remaking set 6257 Castaway's Raft on it's own, I tried my best to make it look like something modern TLG would put together but also tried to remain faithful to the original design and size while adding some extra details and accessories such as a barrel, lamp and bucket as well as a makeshift steering rudder with an oar. After I finished the raft I realized it wasn't a very appealing set on it's own so seeing as TLG has taken some liberties with their two remade Pirates sets by expanding them by adding parts from other classic sets I decided to remake Shipwreck Island as well, combining my two favorite classic sets into one.

The result is something that I think fits in with the modern Pirates sets without going overboard with the piece count and minute details, coming in at a little over 300 pieces this set is designed with a lower price in mind so it's not the most impressive thing in the world but it gives more Lego collectors the opportunity to own a modern Pirates set that isn't over 200€, now here are some comparisons with the original sets.

 

Parting words!

This smaller set probably doesn't stand a chance against all the gorgeous and big builds that are starting to show up but I definitely think this set idea could be appealing to a larger portion of people who do not want spend a lot of money on Pirates and it's something I hope TLG also takes note of, I would love for smaller Pirates sets to make comeback.

Thank you to everyone who shared their suggestions and helped me with this one, I hope you all enjoy the final version, good luck to all and cheers!  

 

 

Old version:

Spoiler

 

So I wasn't going to participate in this contest because quite frankly I'm not a very good builder but after giving it some thought I decided what the heck and will give it a shot, this is my re-imagined Shipwreck Island set which I tried to make it fit in with the rest of the remade Pirates sets to the best of my abilities.

My idea for this remade set combines Shipwreck Island and Castaway's Raft in order to have a bigger set that tells a more cohesive story and offers more play ability for all ages at an affordable price between 20€ to 30€.

Quartermaster Riggings and Port set out to find Starboard in a makeshift raft after their mate fails to return from a treasure hunt. Their voyage leads them to Shipwreck Island where Starboard survives on fish and coconuts keeping the treasure he found safely hidden in a big rock covered by moss. But dangers lurk beneath the surface as a huge shark attacks the raft, Riggings and Port must fend off the hungry animal while Starboard readies the canon to make sure the beast can't stop them from returning safely to Barracuda Bay with their newly acquired treasure!

 

For this contest I was originally planning on remaking set 6257 Castaway's Raft on it's own, I tried my best to make it look like something modern TLG would put together but also tried to remain faithful to the original design and size while adding some extra details and accessories such as a barrel, lamp and bucket as well as a makeshift steering rudder with an oar. After I finished the raft I realized it wasn't a very appealing set on it's own so seeing as TLG has taken some liberties with their two remade Pirates sets by expanding them by adding parts from other classic sets I decided to remake Shipwreck Island as well, combining my two favorite classic sets into one.

The result is something that I think fits in with the modern Pirates sets without going overboard with the piece count and minute details, coming in at a little under 300 pieces this set is designed with a lower price in mind so it's not the most impressive thing in the world but it gives more Lego collectors the opportunity to own a modern Pirates set that isn't over 200€, here are some comparisons with the original sets.

Now there are things I'm not happy with and that's where you guys come in! First of all I'm not sure if the raft colors are the most appropriate, the original raft is almost completely black and I wanted to break up the colors by striking a balance between brown and dark brown while breaking it up with some dark sand, as far as the build I'm not very satisfied with the wooden structure on the island, the sails on the raft are also flap pieces but ideally I think cloth sails would really bring the whole thing together unfortunately it's not something I can do with Stud.io, speaking of which the program is also missing the shark printing and monkey model so I had to poorly Photoshop those in.

I'm open to all of your suggestions, I probably won't win but I definitely think this set idea could be appealing to a larger portion of people and it's something I want to try to build in the future with real bricks, cheers!  

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by _R_R_

[Eggyslav]

Well done! I especially like the fact you also built the originals for the side-by-side comparison. As for the sets in question, They are very well done, and a nice improvement over the originals. I like the colours on the raft, and replacing the flag with dried foliage/thached roof on the Island is a nice touch. Also, the mast on the raft is a much needed improvement over the original, and I don't really mind the sails, they only make the remake more faithful to the original. :) Overall, a nice pairing of two sets.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Eggyslav

[thewatchman]

Aww man I knew someone was gonna do castaways raft. 
 And that was always gonna win me over because it’s one of the first lego sets I got as a child, and your reimagining doesn’t fail at all!

 The decision to move away from the all black colour scheme is frankly the right move because it makes more detail pop. The multiple earth tones of colour make the raft look more “ramshackle” which is perfect, without going far away from modern lego styling.

The hanging lantern and fish bucket are perfect details added too.

pros:

Brilliant restyling and inclusion of non original assets that make this feel like a true remake.

Great colour update choices,

Cons:

I love the lantern, but why not have the holding clip slid into the back of the technic pin so it sits more flush at the back of the mast?

This is a garbage complaint, but no flag on the musket! One of my favourite parts of the original.

Now, onto the island.

 I considered trying to modernise this same set, but I realised something early on in the design phase, it’s hard to improve perfection, but that doesn’t mean you havnt done a fantastic job doing so. 
 

Modernising the “jetty” section to a more rounded and modern look was the right decision and the chest hiding spot with the vines on the back looks very modern lego styling. This feels very barracuda bay in all the very best ways.

Pros:

 This update feels like an extension to t barracuda bay, and the colour choices really modernise it.

The addition of the fire is cool as hell

Cons:

 No inclusion of the tub! Unforgivable!

I don’t know if it’s fair to consider this a con, but modern lego pirate redesign has us using those ugly ugly palm tree designs that I’m currently struggling with including in a build for this contest.

Fantastic work, would buy both of these tomorrow if commercially available.

[Marooned Marin]

A fine entry and great start for this this contest.

Don't doubt your MOCing skills, if you managed to build this in a day (or two) imagine what can you do until August.

Just to give you some time-frame, my ship-MOCs can take from 3 to 6 solid months of work (from 200 to 400hours).

Now do another one

[F1stzz]

I'm not a jury, but I gotta say this Castaway's Raft remake is as close to the original design as it gets while bringing in a new colour palette & new parts just where it's needed to improve on the OG build (the mast is a clear example here)  This is exactly how I imagined my own take on modernizing 6257 looking like, except I'd put some 1x1 round bricks in combination with 1x1 round plates & "tree stamp/wood log grain" patterned round tiles on top of the 1x4 log profile brick to enhance the detailing + probably put a cape cloth with holes & tattered edges from 2015 Soldiers Outpost in place of the regular white flags, but that's pretty much it, lol  It really doesn't get any better than this in terms of faithfully recreating the original Castaway's Raft with a modern touch without completely reimagining the model, if we would've got this as a GWP nowadays the community would've been blown away 100%, so cheers for this one, m8  

Edited June 28, 2023 by F1stzz

[_R_R_]

15 hours ago, Eggyslav said:

Well done! I especially like the fact you also built the originals for the side-by-side comparison. As for the sets in question, They are very well done, and a nice improvement over the originals. I like the colours on the raft, and replacing the flag with dried foliage/thached roof on the Island is a nice touch. Also, the mast on the raft is a much needed improvement over the original, and I don't really mind the sails, they only make the remake more faithful to the original. :) Overall, a nice pairing of two sets.

Thank you for the positive feedback!  I thought about adding a flag on the wooden structure of the island but ultimately the dried palm leaf made more sense to me and yes the brick built sails have a charm to them but I would love to see what the raft would look like with cloth sails.

56 minutes ago, Marooned Marin said:

A fine entry and great start for this this contest.

Don't doubt your MOCing skills, if you managed to build this in a day (or two) imagine what can you do until August.

Just to give you some time-frame, my ship-MOCs can take from 3 to 6 solid months of work (from 200 to 400hours).

Now do another one

Thanks for the encouragement haha! Wow that's a long time but it does pay off matey, I could never build the ships you do! I'm not sure I will build more these were my favorite classic sets and combining them felt only natural, if TLG announced something like this I would fall over and be over the moon, way more than I am with Eldorado. I also want to see other people's takes on classic sets but hey who knows I wasn't even going to participate so never say never.

49 minutes ago, F1stzz said:

I'm not a jury, but I gotta say this Castaway's Raft remake is as close to the original design as it gets while bringing in a new colour palette & new parts just where it's needed to improve on the OG build (the mast is a clear example here)  This is exactly how I imagined my own take on modernizing 6257 looking like, except I'd put some 1x1 round bricks in combination with 1x1 round plates & "tree stamp/wood log grain" patterned round tiles on top of the 1x4 log profile brick to enhance the detailing + probably put a cape cloth with holes & tattered edges from 2015 Soldiers Outpost in place of the regular white flags, but that's pretty much it, lol  It really doesn't get any better than this in terms of faithfully recreating the original Castaway's Raft with a modern touch without completely reimagining the model, if we would've got this as a GWP nowadays the community would've been blown away 100%, so cheers for this one, m8  

Appreciate the positive feedback and definitely like what you have suggested, as far as the cape cloth it's only something I can try IRL unfortunately I think it would make for a nice replacement of the dried palm leaf, maybe in the future hey! 

[_R_R_]

8 hours ago, thewatchman said:

Aww man I knew someone was gonna do castaways raft. 
 And that was always gonna win me over because it’s one of the first lego sets I got as a child, and your reimagining doesn’t fail at all!

 The decision to move away from the all black colour scheme is frankly the right move because it makes more detail pop. The multiple earth tones of colour make the raft look more “ramshackle” which is perfect, without going far away from modern lego styling.

The hanging lantern and fish bucket are perfect details added too.

pros:

Brilliant restyling and inclusion of non original assets that make this feel like a true remake.

Great colour update choices,

Cons:

I love the lantern, but why not have the holding clip slid into the back of the technic pin so it sits more flush at the back of the mast?

This is a garbage complaint, but no flag on the musket! One of my favourite parts of the original.

Now, onto the island.

 I considered trying to modernise this same set, but I realised something early on in the design phase, it’s hard to improve perfection, but that doesn’t mean you havnt done a fantastic job doing so. 
 

Modernising the “jetty” section to a more rounded and modern look was the right decision and the chest hiding spot with the vines on the back looks very modern lego styling. This feels very barracuda bay in all the very best ways.

Pros:

 This update feels like an extension to t barracuda bay, and the colour choices really modernise it.

The addition of the fire is cool as hell

Cons:

 No inclusion of the tub! Unforgivable!

I don’t know if it’s fair to consider this a con, but modern lego pirate redesign has us using those ugly ugly palm tree designs that I’m currently struggling with including in a build for this contest.

Fantastic work, would buy both of these tomorrow if commercially available.

Wow there is a lot to unpack here my friend, first of all I really appreciate the feedback and your pros and cons. As far as the palm tree design I wanted to keep this in line with PoBB hence the palm tree design being ripped straight from it, I was actually going to use the Eldorado palm tree design but it looked so bland and uninspiring that I opted not to in the end. The flag on the rifle always seemed a bit silly to me, originally I had port holding a stick with the flag on it but I ended up just having it on the mast instead. The tub is replaced by the raft as this is a combination of two smaller sets into one, besides I think Starboard would have left on it a long time ago before Riggings and Port find him haha!

Now here's what I changed according to your feedback, I changed the lantern position like you suggest and restored the flintlock holding hook like in the original. I have also added some sand on the island which I noticed was missing in the original pictures and raised the wooden structure to match the original height more closely, I think it looks better this way! Aside from that I only fixed some coloring issues, the raft colors remain the same.

Here's the improved set.

The raft with the improvements you suggested.

Now a comparison with the original raft.

Here's the island with added rounded plates for sand detail and a higher wooden structure.

And a comparison with the original.

I hope you all like it!

 

 

[thewatchman]

Hey, don’t change it on my accord!

 Seriously though I absolutely love this entry; probably my favourite so far.

Do you prefer the lantern moved or like it in it’s original position?

 That said you’ll never convince me about the flag on the rifle, kind of conjures up the image in my mind of a rifle so damaged, that it’s only possible purpose is to fly the Jolly Roger.

[_R_R_]

13 minutes ago, thewatchman said:

Hey, don’t change it on my accord!

 Seriously though I absolutely love this entry; probably my favourite so far.

Do you prefer the lantern moved or like it in it’s original position?

 That said you’ll never convince me about the flag on the rifle, kind of conjures up the image in my mind of a rifle so damaged, that it’s only possible purpose is to fly the Jolly Roger.

Thank you I'm really glad you like it that much and yes I do prefer it like this which is why I changed it, this way the lantern can hang properly and I can keep the design even more faithful by having that spot for the flintlock to hang on. 

Hmmm maybe I could try integrating the flintlock in the mast? or just give the one on the minifigure the flag, maybe others can chime in and let me know!

[durazno33]

A lot has already been said about this great remake. I'll only add a couple small points here.  

1) The fire is a nice addition, however, the logs floating off the sand looks a bit odd. Maybe use 48723 with the round brick cylinders sticking off it?

2) The island could use a bit more rough sand. So like adding a couple rocks or 1x1 round light tan plates or a 2x2 round plate could add a bit more texture next to the fire.

[MstrOfPppts]

Great reworks of some of the most iconic Pirates sets! I don't understand why combining them into one creation when they could easily be each an entry for themselves.

Building digitally does have it's disadvantages, since the raft could really use the Silent Marry torn sail piece. I must say that the updated color scheme of the raft is spot on!

My biggest complaint about the island is the sandy shore. Wasn't a big fan of the huge round slopes in the Barracuda Bay set and they fit even less here, for the size of the island is much smaller. Also maybe missing some green in the middle. And as mentioned the fireplace needs some more work. But the small roof is built nicely, the updated color scheme is also good and it really feels like a plausible set!

[_R_R_]

3 hours ago, durazno33 said:

A lot has already been said about this great remake. I'll only add a couple small points here.  

1) The fire is a nice addition, however, the logs floating off the sand looks a bit odd. Maybe use 48723 with the round brick cylinders sticking off it?

2) The island could use a bit more rough sand. So like adding a couple rocks or 1x1 round light tan plates or a 2x2 round plate could add a bit more texture next to the fire.

Thanks for the feedback I will definitely be changing the logs and adding more sand and green detail, not too much tho because I don't think it's something TLG would do for smaller sets.

3 hours ago, MstrOfPppts said:

Great reworks of some of the most iconic Pirates sets! I don't understand why combining them into one creation when they could easily be each an entry for themselves.

Building digitally does have it's disadvantages, since the raft could really use the Silent Marry torn sail piece. I must say that the updated color scheme of the raft is spot on!

My biggest complaint about the island is the sandy shore. Wasn't a big fan of the huge round slopes in the Barracuda Bay set and they fit even less here, for the size of the island is much smaller. Also maybe missing some green in the middle. And as mentioned the fireplace needs some more work. But the small roof is built nicely, the updated color scheme is also good and it really feels like a plausible set!

Happy you like it! The Silent Mary sails are exactly what I had in mind for the raft I just feel like the raft would real benefit from cloth sails even if the flap pieces are more faithful. As far as the island size I wanted it to be small since the original set also works with a very small space but will definitely be improving it according to all the feeback I get, I'm glad you pointed out the green in the middle I think it will make it really pop!

 

Also it's been suggested these would work best as separate entries, is there a mod that can help me out with that? do I create new threads or should I just stay with the original idea of combining the two sets?

[thewatchman]

49 minutes ago, _R_R_ said:

Thanks for the feedback I will definitely be changing the logs and adding more sand and green detail, not too much tho because I don't think it's something TLG would do for smaller sets.

Happy you like it! The Silent Mary sails are exactly what I had in mind for the raft I just feel like the raft would real benefit from cloth sails even if the flap pieces are more faithful. As far as the island size I wanted it to be small since the original set also works with a very small space but will definitely be improving it according to all the feeback I get, I'm glad you pointed out the green in the middle I think it will make it really pop!

 

Also it's been suggested these would work best as separate entries, is there a mod that can help me out with that? do I create new threads or should I just stay with the original idea of combining the two sets?

The idea of combining two sets is very on brand for current lego design. 

[MstrOfPppts]

12 hours ago, _R_R_ said:

Also it's been suggested these would work best as separate entries, is there a mod that can help me out with that? do I create new threads or should I just stay with the original idea of combining the two sets?

I think that editing your own topics as well as their titles should be in your powers. Edit this one for one entry and create another one for the other. As mentioned in another topic, I'd suggest to edit the first post with any updates and keep the previous versions in a spoiler tag (one image of each version would be enough for comparison). This way you make life easier for everyone for the voting phase.

Also I did not mean that the island should be bigger, just that the size is too small for the use of the huge rounded slopes, or otherwise, those pieces are too big and too high. Would try using some plates and wedges.

[iragm]

Leave these together for sure.  Top tier work, this is my favorite entry in this contest so far.  Others have mentioned the floating logs on the fire, fix that for sure.  The slope on the beach doesn't bother me, if you used plates instead, people would call this a rip-off of Ray the Castaway.  But, if you wanted to switch to plates: medium azure water, dark tan for wet sand, and light tan for the beach would look great.

 

I like the fish stick, it's a great touch and feels like something you'd find in a official set.

 

The island is a bit too round (when viewed top down), I'd like it more if it was elongated like a sand bar or more oddly shaped like the original.  This is a very minor complaint, it's OK as is.

 

I like the palm leaf over the gun as others have mentioned.  I think there is enough green here already, the colors are quire well balanced.  Do you need to remove the small foliage to access the treasure?  If so, perhaps put a 1x1 technic brick into the rocks and attach the leaf to a flick missile (part 61184), this would allow you to rotate it freely, and would hold it more securely in place.

 

Frogs don't live in salt water.  (I have this same complaint about Barracuda Bay...)

 

You may have noticed that all my suggestions relate to the island:  that's because the raft is flawless.  I usually don't like brick built sails, but in this case, they look fine.  Truly amazing work, I love the colors and updated design.

[Aanchir]

Oh, beautiful work! You did a very nice job staying true to the layout/composition of the original sets and increasing their size only slightly, while also making details like the rocky crevice used to hide the treasure and the wooden structures built from various shipwreck parts and flotsam more believable. The ladder and campfire are great additions.

If I have one nitpick, it's that the island's coastline currently feels slightly too smooth and evenly curved. One way to improve this could be to add rocks made from 33- and 45-degree grey slope bricks to break up the outline and surface of the beach in strategic locations, as Barracuda Bay's foundation did. You could also potentially replace these larger 6x6 and 10x10 curves with smaller rounded parts (like the 3x3 curved quarter-circle slopes used in the new Eldorado Fortress and the 2x3 left and right curved wedges introduced in the Speed Champions theme) to help give the coastline a "lumpier" shape (if that makes any sense). Another fun trick you can sometimes use is replacing 2x3 slopes or curved slopes with 1x2 "double cheese" slopes and then adding rocks to fill the resulting gaps — that way, the inclined portion of the beach isn't all just one uniform-width strip of sand.

While obviously my opinion has no bearing on the contest rules, I do love the idea of combining these two models into one scene! It definitely lends the resulting model some additional variety and storytelling potential as the wind and waves reunite these shipwrecked pirates. And using the Broadside brothers from Barracuda Bay gives it some extra emotional "oomph" — I can only imagine their tearful reunion as they realize they both survived the shipwreck that stranded them at sea!

Best of luck in the contest!

[_R_R_]

15 hours ago, MstrOfPppts said:

I think that editing your own topics as well as their titles should be in your powers. Edit this one for one entry and create another one for the other. As mentioned in another topic, I'd suggest to edit the first post with any updates and keep the previous versions in a spoiler tag (one image of each version would be enough for comparison). This way you make life easier for everyone for the voting phase.

Also I did not mean that the island should be bigger, just that the size is too small for the use of the huge rounded slopes, or otherwise, those pieces are too big and too high. Would try using some plates and wedges.

The reason I used the slopes was to match the PoBB aesthetic and because it would look too similar to Ray the Castaway if I used plates, I will consider increasing the size of the island but I think it's already a good size since the original was really small as well.

4 hours ago, iragm said:

Leave these together for sure.  Top tier work, this is my favorite entry in this contest so far.  Others have mentioned the floating logs on the fire, fix that for sure.  The slope on the beach doesn't bother me, if you used plates instead, people would call this a rip-off of Ray the Castaway.  But, if you wanted to switch to plates: medium azure water, dark tan for wet sand, and light tan for the beach would look great.

 

I like the fish stick, it's a great touch and feels like something you'd find in a official set.

 

The island is a bit too round (when viewed top down), I'd like it more if it was elongated like a sand bar or more oddly shaped like the original.  This is a very minor complaint, it's OK as is.

 

I like the palm leaf over the gun as others have mentioned.  I think there is enough green here already, the colors are quire well balanced.  Do you need to remove the small foliage to access the treasure?  If so, perhaps put a 1x1 technic brick into the rocks and attach the leaf to a flick missile (part 61184), this would allow you to rotate it freely, and would hold it more securely in place.

 

Frogs don't live in salt water.  (I have this same complaint about Barracuda Bay...)

 

You may have noticed that all my suggestions relate to the island:  that's because the raft is flawless.  I usually don't like brick built sails, but in this case, they look fine.  Truly amazing work, I love the colors and updated design.

Thanks for the feedback! I think I will leave them together too just makes more sense to me and would be a good idea for TLG if they want to make more Pirates sets, combining the smaller classic sets into a medium sized set feels perfect for me and fire will definitely be fixed.

I tried to make it a bit like the original plate shape, but the thing with the slopes is it's kind of difficult to make smooth curves without making the island way bigger than it should be or without ugly gaps, but I'm still trying to figure that one out.

you don't need to remove the foliage you can just rotate it but I like that idea I think I will use it!

I know but both PoBB and Eldorado have frogs so I kinda want to continue the odd tradition. 

Thank you, I'm very glad people like the raft so much!

4 hours ago, Aanchir said:

Oh, beautiful work! You did a very nice job staying true to the layout/composition of the original sets and increasing their size only slightly, while also making details like the rocky crevice used to hide the treasure and the wooden structures built from various shipwreck parts and flotsam more believable. The ladder and campfire are great additions.

If I have one nitpick, it's that the island's coastline currently feels slightly too smooth and evenly curved. One way to improve this could be to add rocks made from 33- and 45-degree grey slope bricks to break up the outline and surface of the beach in strategic locations, as Barracuda Bay's foundation did. You could also potentially replace these larger 6x6 and 10x10 curves with smaller rounded parts (like the 3x3 curved quarter-circle slopes used in the new Eldorado Fortress and the 2x3 left and right curved wedges introduced in the Speed Champions theme) to help give the coastline a "lumpier" shape (if that makes any sense). Another fun trick you can sometimes use is replacing 2x3 slopes or curved slopes with 1x2 "double cheese" slopes and then adding rocks to fill the resulting gaps — that way, the inclined portion of the beach isn't all just one uniform-width strip of sand.

While obviously my opinion has no bearing on the contest rules, I do love the idea of combining these two models into one scene! It definitely lends the resulting model some additional variety and storytelling potential as the wind and waves reunite these shipwrecked pirates. And using the Broadside brothers from Barracuda Bay gives it some extra emotional "oomph" — I can only imagine their tearful reunion as they realize they both survived the shipwreck that stranded them at sea!

Best of luck in the contest!

Thank you matey!

I will definitely consider that, just need to find a way to make the curves not ugly looking I also don't want to increase the piece count too much but we shall see.

I'm glad you think so! I personally think it would be a genius move for TLG if they want to keep remaking classic Pirates sets, combining the smaller sets into one or even expanding the bigger sets with parts of others, there's a lot of potential in that and I'm also happy you liked the expanded story of this set.

Cheers! 

[Seaber]

I really like these two updated sets! 

 

Firstly the raft looks great and I really like the new placement of the lamp and newer angled flag piece creating a more ragged sail.

The only improvements I think you could make are maybe adding a few woodgrain tiles to the plates down the middle of the raft, although you would lose some studs to pose minifigure this was, I think it would add to the ramshackle look of the craft. Also, you could consider the round 2x2 plate with tree trunk pattern on some or all of the ends of the trunks, rather than the 2x2 round jumpers. Lastly, you could try putting some dark tan or dark brown parts in the logs to break up the colour a bit, especially in the middle section where the three 2x2 round bricks looks a bit too smooth compared to the rest of the raft. You could also try using the 2x2 round brick with Technic hole for a change of texture. 

 

Onto the Island! 

Again I think this is a really nice update. The round slopes used look in keeping with POBB and so I think are wholly appropriate. I think the fire as some have mentioned before is the think that would bring the most improvement. 

As much as the 1x1 brick with four studs in trans orange is a nice idea, I think it makes the fire look too hot as I don't think the fire would be all that big. Try replacing with black or reddish brown and replace the 1x1 round Bricks with various reddish brown animal horns, sausages or the Harry Potter wand piece, all of which can be angled towards the base so the fire doesn't hover over the sand like it does now. 

 

Overall great job with just a couple of minor nit picks! 

[Yoggington]

There is plenty of feedback for you here already, so instead of overwhelming you with options, I just wanted to address this specific part:

15 hours ago, _R_R_ said:

I tried to make it a bit like the original plate shape, but the thing with the slopes is it's kind of difficult to make smooth curves without making the island way bigger than it should be or without ugly gaps, but I'm still trying to figure that one out.

I think there are two things going on here that cause the 'uncanny valley' effect, firstly the island is too round, and secondly the sea-line is too symmetrical.

I would approach point 1 by adding some rocks to the sandbank. Assumedly this should go under the rocks that already exist on the island and build up to become the existing rock structure. This will allow you have a concave 'curve' in the shape without looking like sand with a sharp corner.

To address point 2, I would vary the wedge plates on the corners. Some differing sizes will stop that. You might even mess with a straight edge to really break the monotony.

Something like this:

Overall, great work in a small package.

[Dreamweb]

Oh yes, those are very nostalgic to me. The original raft was my first Pirate set, and some time later I also got the island (for birthday if I'm not mistaken).

It was a good idea to merge those sets together as they complement each other nicely.

The raft is a great update with clever use of new colours which were unavailable back then. The trapezoidal flags/sails are a good choice, as they are the thing that makes a difference at first glance compared to the old set. The oar as a rudder is a nice addition. I like the big shark as it looks much more menacing compared to the traditional one. The flag on the mast makes much more sense, considering in the original set it was weirdly placed on the musket. The barrel and the bucket are both important additions and significant improvements - those guys have to eat and drink something!

The island is cleverly updated and the plants actually look better in your version, even though the old palm tree trunk was more versatile. But the best update is the fact that you made the island raised, in contrast to the old set where is was just a print and therefore looked quite unsafe - a larger wave could flood these guys! Also the original island was too small, and you made the right choice to make it bigger. And tan looks much better as sand in this situation.

What I would improve here is that I would merge those two sets even more. What I mean by this is, I would add more water around the island, or preferably on one side of it, for the raft to sail in & for the shark to swim in. Right now the raft and the island are two separate pieces. A bit more water would actually turn this into one set. Also, I would add a back wall to the treasure chest hideout. I know the original set did not have one, so this is definitely a place for improvement; after all, it would not be much of a hideout if it could be easily accessed and seen from the back.

Apart from those minor issues, I really like what you have done to those two absolute classics. It has the style of newer sets (2009, 2015) but pays tribute to the first wave. Well done!

[Horation]

Without telling me, I'd have thought this is a real set.

Theme (story)

There's a lot going on, which is good for play, and despite there being few parts, we have an island with room for a few pirates, a raft, a shark, a cannon, a cosy-looking shack, a palm tree and more! The single fish makes it clear this isn't a large, well-supplied outpost. There is no sleeping quarters, but then you'd have to make the island bigger. Overall, A+ with ease.

Build

Work on that island, it seems like it's shape was made in an island factory. There are nice suggestions already in the comments. The sail looks lovely, and better than cloth in my opinion (the flag parts do a much better job, in my honest opinion). The colour choice is much nicer than the original, without looking like a mush of colours. But please consider replacing some of those round 1x2 bricks in brown with "wooden" 1x2 bricks (you know what I mean). The fireplace is the best I've seen to date, but it does look like it's levitating, maybe tiles can fill that gap? Alternatively make that whole fireplace with tiles. It truly looks good : classic colours but with modern charm and you are using the full inventory to your advantage.

Edited July 1, 2023 by Horation
Forgot a part of my comment

[_R_R_]

On 6/30/2023 at 7:08 AM, Seaber said:

I really like these two updated sets! 

 

Firstly the raft looks great and I really like the new placement of the lamp and newer angled flag piece creating a more ragged sail.

The only improvements I think you could make are maybe adding a few woodgrain tiles to the plates down the middle of the raft, although you would lose some studs to pose minifigure this was, I think it would add to the ramshackle look of the craft. Also, you could consider the round 2x2 plate with tree trunk pattern on some or all of the ends of the trunks, rather than the 2x2 round jumpers. Lastly, you could try putting some dark tan or dark brown parts in the logs to break up the colour a bit, especially in the middle section where the three 2x2 round bricks looks a bit too smooth compared to the rest of the raft. You could also try using the 2x2 round brick with Technic hole for a change of texture. 

 

Onto the Island! 

Again I think this is a really nice update. The round slopes used look in keeping with POBB and so I think are wholly appropriate. I think the fire as some have mentioned before is the think that would bring the most improvement. 

As much as the 1x1 brick with four studs in trans orange is a nice idea, I think it makes the fire look too hot as I don't think the fire would be all that big. Try replacing with black or reddish brown and replace the 1x1 round Bricks with various reddish brown animal horns, sausages or the Harry Potter wand piece, all of which can be angled towards the base so the fire doesn't hover over the sand like it does now. 

 

Overall great job with just a couple of minor nit picks! 

 

2 hours ago, Dreamweb said:

Oh yes, those are very nostalgic to me. The original raft was my first Pirate set, and some time later I also got the island (for birthday if I'm not mistaken).

It was a good idea to merge those sets together as they complement each other nicely.

The raft is a great update with clever use of new colours which were unavailable back then. The trapezoidal flags/sails are a good choice, as they are the thing that makes a difference at first glance compared to the old set. The oar as a rudder is a nice addition. I like the big shark as it looks much more menacing compared to the traditional one. The flag on the mast makes much more sense, considering in the original set it was weirdly placed on the musket. The barrel and the bucket are both important additions and significant improvements - those guys have to eat and drink something!

The island is cleverly updated and the plants actually look better in your version, even though the old palm tree trunk was more versatile. But the best update is the fact that you made the island raised, in contrast to the old set where is was just a print and therefore looked quite unsafe - a larger wave could flood these guys! Also the original island was too small, and you made the right choice to make it bigger. And tan looks much better as sand in this situation.

What I would improve here is that I would merge those two sets even more. What I mean by this is, I would add more water around the island, or preferably on one side of it, for the raft to sail in & for the shark to swim in. Right now the raft and the island are two separate pieces. A bit more water would actually turn this into one set. Also, I would add a back wall to the treasure chest hideout. I know the original set did not have one, so this is definitely a place for improvement; after all, it would not be much of a hideout if it could be easily accessed and seen from the back.

Apart from those minor issues, I really like what you have done to those two absolute classics. It has the style of newer sets (2009, 2015) but pays tribute to the first wave. Well done!

 

2 hours ago, Horation said:

Without telling me, I'd have thought this is a real set.

Theme (story)

There's a lot going on, which is good for play, and despite there being few parts, we have an island with room for a few pirates, a raft, a shark, a cannon, a cosy-looking shack, a palm tree and more! The single fish makes it clear this isn't a large, well-supplied outpost. There is no sleeping quarters, but then you'd have to make the island bigger. Overall, A+ with ease.

Build

Work on that island, it seems like it's shape was made in an island factory. There are nice suggestions already in the comments. The sail looks lovely, and better than cloth in my opinion (the flag parts do a much better job, in my honest opinion). The colour choice is much nicer than the original, without looking like a mush of colours. But please consider replacing some of those round 1x2 bricks in brown with "wooden" 1x2 bricks (you know what I mean). The fireplace is the best I've seen to date, but it does look like it's levitating, maybe tiles can fill that gap? Alternatively make that whole fireplace with tiles. It truly looks good : classic colours but with modern charm and you are using the full inventory to your advantage.

Appreciate all the feedback and suggestions from you mateys! 

I will be updating the set in the following week to hopefully correct all the mistakes you guys mentioned, I don't want to go too overboard because I still want it to feel like an official set and not a MOC.

On 6/30/2023 at 4:08 PM, Yoggington said:

There is plenty of feedback for you here already, so instead of overwhelming you with options, I just wanted to address this specific part:

I think there are two things going on here that cause the 'uncanny valley' effect, firstly the island is too round, and secondly the sea-line is too symmetrical.

I would approach point 1 by adding some rocks to the sandbank. Assumedly this should go under the rocks that already exist on the island and build up to become the existing rock structure. This will allow you have a concave 'curve' in the shape without looking like sand with a sharp corner.

To address point 2, I would vary the wedge plates on the corners. Some differing sizes will stop that. You might even mess with a straight edge to really break the monotony.

Something like this:

Overall, great work in a small package.

Thank you for the idea to improve the shape of the island, I really like it! 

[_R_R_]

Ok so I'm still working on the shape of the island, trying to get it close to the shape of the original base plate printing without going too big, thoughts?

[iragm]

That fire looks so good now!

The shape is better now; a lot more interesting than it was.  If you're experimenting with different designs, why not try a plate-built design with dark tan on the bottom (for wet sand)?  I know it's very "Ray the Castaway", but the rest of your build is different, and two plates of height would fit the scale of the island quite nicely, and allow much greater detail.

[Horation]

This is much better, maybe try to make the second level have a small rampart (with those one by one round bricks).