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Hey All,
I've uploaded anthother Transformers MOC - Trixie, Autobot scout. Goofy
name, I know, but what else do you call a girl-bot with three wheels?
This one was tough to work out. I knew I wanted a smaller robot form this
time around, but that limited me to tiny vehicle modes like bikes and
go-karts and such. Luckily, I found my inspiration at 'Cils Page of
Transformers Junk (http://www.nervsys.net/~tabris/TF/), specifically with
Rushlight (http://www.nervsys.net/~tabris/TF/Rushlight-concept01.jpg), and
the bikebot challenge was on. While I knew I couldn't make a minifig-scale
trike look that cool, I loved the transformation and worked from there.
Anyway, Trixie was the result:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=35750 (after moderation)
Until then, a few pics:
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Trixie/trix01.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Trixie/trix10.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Trixie/trix11.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Trixie/trix14.jpg
PLMKWYT, and, of course, criticism is welcome.
-jeremiah-
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"Jeremiah VanderMark" <Doggybot_37@yahoo.NOSPAM.com> wrote in
news:HB56An.EE3@lugnet.com:
> Hey All,
>
> I've uploaded anthother Transformers MOC - Trixie, Autobot
> scout. Goofy
> name, I know, but what else do you call a girl-bot with three
> wheels?
>
> This one was tough to work out. I knew I wanted a smaller robot
> form this
> time around, but that limited me to tiny vehicle modes like bikes
> and go-karts and such. Luckily, I found my inspiration at 'Cils
> Page of Transformers Junk (http://www.nervsys.net/~tabris/TF/),
> specifically with Rushlight
> (http://www.nervsys.net/~tabris/TF/Rushlight-concept01.jpg), and
> the bikebot challenge was on. While I knew I couldn't make a
> minifig-scale trike look that cool, I loved the transformation and
> worked from there.
>
> Anyway, Trixie was the result:
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=35750 (after
> moderation)
>
> Until then, a few pics:
> http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Trixie/trix01.jpg
> http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Trixie/trix10.jpg
> http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Trixie/trix11.jpg
> http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Trixie/trix14.jpg
>
> PLMKWYT, and, of course, criticism is welcome.
>
> -jeremiah-
She's cute ;)
I think I like Trixie better than Rushlight. Rushlight looks a little
too sleek for a Transformer, but Trixie retains the features of her
vehicle mode. If she were in the cartoon, she'd probably be a scout
or a human liaison, like Bumblebee.
The way the arms extend in robot mode is a clever little touch.
Actual Transformers almost always use such methods in their
transformation, but it's tough to build something similar using just
LEGO. Not to mention at this scale! I also like how you saw fit to
include storage for the weapon in vehicle mode, as well as the extra
"action feature" in robot mode (the goggles Trixie uses to enhance
her sight during targeting). Keep it up!
--
Victor J. Zuylen
More than meets the eye
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In lugnet.build.mecha, Jeremiah VanderMark writes:
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=35750 (after moderation)
Dang! You have got skill to make these. I can't make transforming stuff, I
can't mentally visualize that stuff, so I am always impress to see
transformers, especially ones that look good in both forms!
t
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In lugnet.build.mecha, Victor J. Zuylen writes:
> > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=35750
>
> She's cute ;)
>
> I think I like Trixie better than Rushlight. Rushlight looks a little
> too sleek for a Transformer, but Trixie retains the features of her
> vehicle mode. If she were in the cartoon, she'd probably be a scout
> or a human liaison, like Bumblebee.
The feature retention is nice now, but believe me I originally struggled
to hide most of it. I finally realized at this scale I'd have to make her
look pretty industral, and she came together nicely. As for her role, yeah,
she'd make a great scout - fast vehicle mode, jetpack, enhanced-vision
goggles, and all.
> The way the arms extend in robot mode is a clever little touch.
> Actual Transformers almost always use such methods in their
> transformation, but it's tough to build something similar using just
> LEGO. Not to mention at this scale! I also like how you saw fit to
> include storage for the weapon in vehicle mode, as well as the extra
> "action feature" in robot mode (the goggles Trixie uses to enhance
> her sight during targeting). Keep it up!
I've been rather inspired (oddly enough) by the Armada toys. They've all
got nifty little gimmicks like that. Heck, Hotshot's helmet and visor are
what made me build Bitstream in the first place. The variety of minifig
headgear makes for some great robot heads - I especially love the stud on
the back of Trixie's Exploriens helmet, which is at just the right angle to
mount handlebars and a headllight on. It also gives her a nice pair of horns :)
Thanks for your input, and I'm glad you like her.
-jeremiah-
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Jeremiah,
That's outstanding! I especially like the little trick you did with the
stickshift element. I'm going to have to use that sometime.
Bruce
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In lugnet.build.mecha, Tony Knaak writes:
> In lugnet.build.mecha, Jeremiah VanderMark writes:
> > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=35750 (after moderation)
>
> Dang! You have got skill to make these. I can't make transforming stuff, I
> can't mentally visualize that stuff, so I am always impress to see
> transformers, especially ones that look good in both forms!
>
> t
Hey, thanks!
I guess it helps to be able to visualize it, but the vast majority of
designing a transformer (for me, at least) is done on paper and in mock-ups
and such. I can think about it all I want, but nothing's going to happen
unless I sit in a pile of bricks :)
Thanks again.
-jeremiah-
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In lugnet.build.mecha, Bruce Hietbrink writes:
> Jeremiah,
>
> That's outstanding! I especially like the little trick you did with the
> stickshift element. I'm going to have to use that sometime.
>
> Bruce
Thanks, Bruce.
I can't take credit for the antenna/stickshift joint thing - it's been
around in various mecha for a while now. I wish I could remember who started
it, because it's one useful little deal. A word of warning, though, if you
plan on using it - for some reason, presumably the increased turning stress,
the base parts seem to crack and fail far more often than normal. I wouldn't
go doing it a lot if you value the part too much. Oh yeah, also be sure to
keep track of all the sticks you take out. I've lost far too many lately :)
-jeremiah-
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> "...the vast majority of designing a transformer (for me, at least) is done >on paper and in mock-ups and such."
You got any sketches for your work scanned? Those can be a real assest for
someone trying to jump into the tranforming genre.
t
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In lugnet.build.mecha, Tony Knaak writes:
> > "...the vast majority of designing a transformer (for me, at least) is done >on paper and in mock-ups and such."
>
> You got any sketches for your work scanned? Those can be a real assest for
> someone trying to jump into the tranforming genre.
>
> t
I do now - well, not scanned as much as poorly photographed, but hopefully
they're clear enough.
I guess I'll just break down my process using Bitstream as an example.
1. First, I had to decide what kind of car I was going to use. I thought
about sports cars, F1 racers, and, strangely, a truck based on Armada
Optimus Prime:
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits01.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits02.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits03.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits04.jpg
2. Once I chose the sports car base, I tried to break it into transformable
parts. In the first sketch, you can see the car "boxed out" - divided into
rough shapes so I could easily move them around. I started to follow one
design, and sketched out how it might look in robot mode.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits05.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits06.jpg
3. I began to brickify the individual parts, and tried to fit them together
on paper (from here on out, the designwork becomes harder and more abstract
without building mock-ups to make sure your ideas work; this is usually a
problem for me, since I do most of this during classes).
The last sketch was going to be my final design; Bits' hood was supposed
to stay attached to the back of his head. Luckily, it proved too difficult
and I went back to the original, car-nose-intact robot.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits07.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits08.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits09.jpg
4. Fairly sure of the design, I drew a more finished sketch of Bits,
bulletting all of the cool items on him (among other things). Of course,
this *wasn't* the final design, so I went back and redid the drawing to match.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits10.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits11.jpg
Wow, that was rather longer than I'd expected. I hope this helps you out,
and I'd love to see some other builders work with transformers too, not to
mention see how they do it.
I also found a few sketches of Trixie, if you want to see those:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=35975
-jeremiah-
gotta get me a scanner...
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Jeremiah-
Hi. When I saw Bitstream I was amazed! (Wasn't posting yet.) As Bruce said,
your Transformers are outstanding! I had seen some sculptural and robot-mode
renditions before but creations like yours are rare.
Well I was perusing .Mecha and I thought I should add my comments and
questions, most of which have been answered. ;-P
When I opened the first Trixie pic I know I said to myself "That's a
Transformer?!" Then second pic: "WOW." I too think the stickshift/antenna
joint technique is nifty. I had seen that used before but did not think of
it as "legitimate" LEGO construction. But I think it stands to reason, along
with a slew of stuff I've seen over the past year, as bona fide
construction. I also think that the helmet is perfect in this situation. As
I said, I didn't "see" a helmet in the vehicle mode.
Other thing I wanted to post about was sketching. I just read through and
looked at the drawings of Bitstream. Thanks a lot for posting those, as well
as your comments. I have a better idea now of how to approach the design
process. As my prof in 3-D Design has said, like you stated, "you can draw
all you want but you won't *really* have an idea until you work with the
material." (Oh and the resolution quality is fine.) I want to study those
scans again. From viewing them, I do want to know if you find using grid
paper beneficial? I can see how it might help with proportions. Another
question that comes to mind is do you know of any joint/ligament combos that
will not work? Just wondering.
You definitely read a sense of Bitstream's character from this
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits10.jpg
(well of course the other too). The color sketch of Trixie is cool.
Alright, I look forward to the next creation. Keep up the great work!
I did attempt a Bionicle-based Rattrap over the summer for my friend's 21st
birthday but it's still in the works (had some problems with the head).
Maybe I'll work on it. In the meantime, I definitely want to attempt some
TFs like yours.
ciao&salaam
-Andrew Saada
PS>Thanks for that website link.
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In lugnet.build.mecha, Andrew Saada writes:
> Jeremiah-
>
> Hi. When I saw Bitstream I was amazed! (Wasn't posting yet.) As Bruce said,
> your Transformers are outstanding! I had seen some sculptural and robot-mode
> renditions before but creations like yours are rare.
> Well I was perusing .Mecha and I thought I should add my comments and
> questions, most of which have been answered. ;-P
> When I opened the first Trixie pic I know I said to myself "That's a
> Transformer?!" Then second pic: "WOW." I too think the stickshift/antenna
> joint technique is nifty. I had seen that used before but did not think of
> it as "legitimate" LEGO construction. But I think it stands to reason, along
> with a slew of stuff I've seen over the past year, as bona fide
> construction. I also think that the helmet is perfect in this situation. As
> I said, I didn't "see" a helmet in the vehicle mode.
Thanks. I agree that some techniques can seem 'questionable' at first, for
one reason or another. Over time, though, I've found that experimenting with
the ideas and keeping a lookout for how others use them in their designs can
really open up possibilities you wouldn't have thought of otherwise. At
first, I didn't think I'd be able to make a transformer so small, but the
antenna-arms helped a lot.
> Other thing I wanted to post about was sketching. I just read through and
> looked at the drawings of Bitstream. Thanks a lot for posting those, as well
> as your comments. I have a better idea now of how to approach the design
> process. As my prof in 3-D Design has said, like you stated, "you can draw
> all you want but you won't *really* have an idea until you work with the
> material." (Oh and the resolution quality is fine.) I want to study those
> scans again. From viewing them, I do want to know if you find using grid
> paper beneficial? I can see how it might help with proportions. Another
> question that comes to mind is do you know of any joint/ligament combos that
> will not work? Just wondering.
Well, I was schooled in drafting originally, so I'm kinda wired for grid
paper. Later on, in art school, I thought I could work just on
paper/computer like I could in drafting, which is probably why I got kicked
out :). Like your prof says, the material makes all the difference.
As for joints that don't work, I can't really think of any. Every joint
has a good use somewhere; it's just a matter of knowing the pros and cons of
each technique and figuring out how to incorporate them.
> You definitely read a sense of Bitstream's character from this
> http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BrokenEarth/Bitstream/Sketches/bits10.jpg
> (well of course the other too). The color sketch of Trixie is cool.
> Alright, I look forward to the next creation. Keep up the great work!
> I did attempt a Bionicle-based Rattrap over the summer for my friend's 21st
> birthday but it's still in the works (had some problems with the head).
> Maybe I'll work on it. In the meantime, I definitely want to attempt some
> TFs like yours.
>
> ciao&salaam
> -Andrew Saada
>
> PS>Thanks for that website link.
Thanks a lot for your comments!
-jeremiah-
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