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Subject: 
The Art of Greebling and Effects of Over-Greeblage
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Date: 
Wed, 6 Aug 2003 10:19:03 GMT
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Hi guys!

I've been doing some contemplation recently and thought I'd share it with you
all. I am currently working on another large model and am approaching the point
of general greeble application but after reviewing the design of my Peregrine
Cargo Freightliner (www.ozbricks.com/battlespace/peregrine.htm), I have come up
with some newer concepts.

The greebles on the Peregrine were fairly immense. I have been trying to expand
my capabilities with studless design and I simply didn't have the parts to tile
over the fairly large surfaces under the cabin or the rear structure. So I
greebled. I turned the large devoid areas into 1 brick deep recesses and packed
in as much greeblage as possible. And it turned out quite well. But being one to
always expand on my abilities and style through each new design, I began making
very close scrutiny of the greeblings used and came up with the following
points.

1. 99% of greebles should not extend out any further than the recess that they
are in.
In most cases, what greebles are is the inner workings of a space craft. They
are usually hidden behind panels and armour plating but for some reason, always
tend to end up exposed (and so they should cause they look so cool!). When
creating the greebs, try to imagine that a big panel will be going over the lot
of them, thus they must all remain at most flush with the top of the recess.

2. 1% of greebles must extend from their recess.
Despite what I just said above, some parts do extend past their recess - parts
such as special vents (not too much past), small doo-dads like rods,
communications/light masts, etc. The greeblage covering panels would have had
holes where these greebs extended through to the exterior of the vessel (inside
the recess doesn't count as exterior). I would go so far as to say that these
greebs are almost essential for ships that don't do too much atmospheric flight
- they provide points of interest and slight variations in what would otherwise
be too pure lines.

3. Greebles need a function and purpose.
Whilst greebling the Peregrine, continuously ran into the trap of excessive
greebling - packing too much into a small recess. All greeblings need to be
imaginarily connected to something else - be it another greeb or something
deeper inside the recess (inside the model). Standard square bricks are your
enemy - use as little of them as possible unless trying to establish the shape
of a large internal part such as a reactor.

4. Greeble colours.
Greebles should all be the same colour. Pick a shade of grey or black and stick
with it. Although dark grey can be used minmally with grey or black (and vice
versa), it needs to be done just right to achieve a harmonial balance. Darker
colours can be used for high stress areas (such as engines)  but general greebs
will all be the same colour. Other than reactors, sensors or extra special parts
like light masts, there should be no use of trans-coloured pieces. And even in
these exceptions the use should be minimal - only on the ends of sensors and
light masts and only a single colour.

5. Greebles are small.
Also a most case scenario is the fact that greebles are small. Only the smalles
parts of your collection should be expended on them.

6. Hoses are greebles.
Hoses, Technic flex tubes and pneumatic tubing all make for beautiful greebles.
The one thing that must be remembered, however is that tubes must carry a
substance from one spot to another, therefore BOTH ends must lead somewhere.

7. Over-Greeblage.
There is such a thing as overgreeblage, but this is not a matter of too much
greebles. Over-greeblage occurs when the mass of greebles are not installed in
harmony with eachother, creating more of a cluttered, strange look than a random
technical feel. This often happens when the greebles are NOT DENSE ENOUGH.
THat's right, greebles need to be dense and fill up every square millimetre in
their recess. They are the guts of the ship and if we were to slice you open,
I'm sure that your entrails would be very densely packed together!


So that's my little essay. Additions, clarifications or exclamations of protest
to my ideas are accepted and encouraged so we can hopefully all expand our
abilities.

Keep on building! .SPACE!!!

Zac Soden
---------
www.ozbricks.com/battlespace/



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: The Art of Greebling and Effects of Over-Greeblage
 
Excellent guidelines, Zac! I think this post definitely needs to be put in the Crash Course. This has given me immeasurable understanding on how to attend to my greebling. Thanks again Zac! ~The Matt Captain, The Unknown Division™ (21 years ago, 6-Aug-03, to lugnet.space)
  Re: The Art of Greebling and Effects of Over-Greeblage
 
Hi, since i like greebling, i'll give my opinions ... (...) I agree with you, however the 99% boundary can be lowered a bit ;-) and yes greebles have to be in a recess but they may extend out of the hull... think of a section of 4x8 studs of (...) (21 years ago, 8-Aug-03, to lugnet.space)

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