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Subject: 
Re: Mechs! (was:Re: Feedback thoughts?)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.build.mecha
Date: 
Wed, 18 Dec 2002 23:22:00 GMT
Viewed: 
606 times
  
In lugnet.build.mecha, Eric Sophie writes:
Pedro, I actually make a point of making non-violent Mecha, Biomechanoids
that explore and collect information from the far reaches of the Universe.
I belive in a time when we learn to master this technology, mankind will
have out grown it's need for primitive disputes.

I had noted that earlier - like I said, I may not be a fan of mecha but I
won't avoid them! :-)

The whole Mecha as a War Machine takes it's roots from Anime and the classic
FASA Tech. The whole idea revolves around the notion that with the aid of
machines, the human form can be amplified. Terms like Mobile Suit, Powered
Armour, Man-Machine, Amplified Frame. These all refer to the ability of the
human form to become more powerful thru the use of Machines.

I see. I cannot grasp *why* anyone ever thought the human form was suited
for combat, but I get what the idea is.

In one of the Gundam series, a Single Mobile Suit represented an entire
nation and the disputes are settled in a one on one Robotic Combat. Where an
entire nation would goto war, only two would face off to determine the victor.

Two questions arise, then:
a) What is the point of "nations", if every combat is "mano a mano"?
b) That could not have come from anywhere but Japan - doesn't it strike you
that this concept is remarkably similar to Samurai war code, where a dispute
could be resolved by duel? Ultimately, this practice fell in disuse after
the advent of rifles - isn't it somewhat odd this "return to the past"?

In other Anime like "Platabor" the Mecha take on all sorts of roles as
Powered Frames, from underwater repair, to Mechanized Police Cars. They are
refered to as "Labors."

These examples show that the human form is limited and that thru the use of
technology, a Mechanical advantage overcomes the limits of our Bodies.

This is where I get really confused: why use the human form *at all*?
Couldn't the human mind come up with a better suited design for a multi-task
robot? One that would not be android-like?
:-S

Then there is the plain ol idea of making a race of Mechanical men to do for
us machines.

That raises the biggest of all questions: if we have machines to do it all
for us... what the heck are we doing here???
:-O
Really disturbing!

So, with Lego, making the joints comes first. Figuring out how to make the
body move and giving it a personallity by making the model flexable. Make a
head to give the Bot the humanoid appearance. I'll elaborate more in a
separte post that I will conjure.

Actually, that is where I see the art of mecha altogether: the sculpting!
For me, a mecha is a wonderful *display* of all the possibilities of LEGO,
namely those of joints.
In this particular issue it helps a lot that mechas are human-like... that
really allows for expression, like you say. And that in turn helps to "read"
the joints, to really understand how they work together. Sequences of
ankle-knee-hip are showcases for articulations in LEGO, which I then
immagine in Technic for totally different purposes - and that's what's great
about it! :-)

So Eric, I will be glad to take your offer: please introduce me to the
Mystery of Mecha. I'd love to learn what makes so many people happy, if
nothing else for the sake of it.


Pedro

BTW, Pedro, don't you live in So Cal? Will you goto BW2003? I'd like to meet
you. Pass by the Pavillion and see the Mecha Display.

:-)
Huh...
I live in Portugal, that's *9 timezones away* from Southern California! But
I'd love to meet up one day, that's for sure!
Next year I may be attending LEGO World in Zwolle, NL - it'll be my first
large meeting, and I'm really lookin' forward to meeting AFOLs from all
over. It'd be cool if we could meet there! :-D
(Just think... tons of LEGO to play with... people actually paying to see us
having fun building... ahhhhh!...Heaven!)


Pedro
(who'll travel the States with his first year of pay, in 2006 or so :-)



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Mechs! (was:Re: Feedback thoughts?)
 
(...) Pedro, I actually make a point of making non-violent Mecha, Biomechanoids that explore and collect information from the far reaches of the Universe. I belive in a time when we learn to master this technology, mankind will have out grown it's (...) (22 years ago, 18-Dec-02, to lugnet.build.mecha)

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