Category Archives: lego minifigs

lego minifigs

TGOC Minifig Project Part 3

lego minifigs

The minifigs.me stuff arrived this morning. It consisted of two torsos for the main figures of Alan and Lord Elpus, an acoustic guitar to use as prop for a particular photo for the project. A variety of heads, one or two will be used for the project the others I ordered to build up my library of parts. The Jaws tile is a present for a friends child who likes Lego and the movie Jaws.

With the excitement of this order arriving I used the bits I already had in to make the initial version of Lord Elpus.

My Lord Elpus minifig will play up the Lord side of the name, but have a hard on his luck feel. Hence getting pieces that have scuff marks. The top hat at the moment doesn't have any of those markings on. Mainly because I ordered the top hat before thinking to look if I could get one that had the scuff marks on it. Then browsing the other day I came across one that did. So that is on its way. Which means that this Lord Elpus is pretty close to the final version.

The Alan figure is still a work in progress. But here is the early “sketch” of him as a minifig.

I've not found any suitable hair yet, and I can't decide if I will give him a hat instead. And if I do what type to go for. So the hunt is still on. I may decide to go with a different head too.

As I said this is still a work in progress and still has a way to go before I'll have something I'm happy with that I feel captures Alan.

 

 

TGOC Minifig Project Part 2

lego minifigs, new arrivals

Technically this is also a new arrivals post. But it ties in with the new minifig project also.

What we basically have here are parts to be used in one costume minifig of Lord Elpus (the top hat), while the other bits are to be used in a minifig caricature of a well known (well in the outdoors world) personality. It probably won't be a very flattering caricature. But I can handle the heat.

I've also heard that minifigs.me have also posted today my order with them from two weeks or so ago. A few of those parts ordered are for this project. So the order should be here in a day or two. I'm sure many of you will find that this news excites me a very sad thing indeed, and a sign that I need to get out more.

 

New Minifigs New Minifigs

lego minifigs, new arrivals

New figures. I got the unicorn costume one at the weekend. I do like this one a lot, like the hotdog costume one it's very whimsical. They are such fun figures you can't help but smile when you look at them. It's a side of Lego I like seeing.

The other figure I got today. It's a female oriental warrior. Another figure I like. It's nice to see a woman being portrayed in a strong way. When I got the genie figure I wasn't too happy with that and it's facial expression. It seemed a bit sexist. Not a great portrayal.

Looking forward to the pizza delivery guy arriving, and hopefully my minifigs.me order.

 

Whose Watching Rorschach?

lego minifigs

The custom Lego minifig of Rorschach from The Watchmen arrived today. The figure looks pretty awesome. There are some great custom figures available being made by very talented people.

Some parts also arrived for use in projects, like these walking sticks. I've added one to my custom hiker to give you an idea of one in use.
The Indiana Jones set came. The bits I wanted it for are really cool. Plus I now have an Indy figure for the collection.
Finally the Luke Skywalker and Emperor figures I have never had lightsabers. They didn't because they came with books. So I got some in to use with the figures. Sometimes it's the little details that make a model or scene. These and the walking sticks will make a big difference.
I'm still awaiting some parts to arrive from one of my usual places to get them. Usually they are quicker than this. Will have to contact them to see what's happened to them.

 

Lego Log Cabin

lego minifigs, new arrivals

I bought a second hand Lego log cabin set off eBay saving a bit of money. It arrived today, so naturally I had to put it together straight away. I was going to buy this set ages ago to get the hiker and backpack before deciding to make my own. But when I saw this on eBay at a very very good price I had to get it. But now it was because of one of the three designs the set could make. I dug out the plans for desired design and set about making the Lego log cabin.

Official Lego minifig hiker vs mine

I really do think I've done a far far better job of representing a hiker/backpacker than Lego. If it wasn't for the backpack on the Lego character you'd never guess it was meant to be a hiker. I think the hat, and the custom torso I sourced work so much better. Maybe Lego should get me in to design minifigs.

 

Just in this weekend

lego minifigs, new arrivals, tabletop

New Minifigs

Two new official minifigs from the local Tesco. The alien and a space soldier, both look pretty awesome. I think the only figure I've been disappointed with has been the genie so far.

New Tabletops

So yes I was that impressed Thursday night with the following game. It's a very reasonable price too. A great game for gamers and non gamers, Bouncy plays it with his kids, so great for families.
I played the odd game of Blood Bowl while I was studying down in Brighton. I know the miniature game has been reprinted and I think updated, and popular again. I'd love to get back into it, but I have enough miniature based games at the mo (can you ever have enough?), there is only so many a wallet can support unless you win the lottery. However they spun off a card game from the Blood Bowl IP. The reviews are fairly good, so I thought this was a “cheaper” way to get a Blood Bowl fix without the miniature game cost.

 

TGOC Minifig Project Part 1

lego minifigs

A Little Background

Every May for nigh on 30 years now there has been an organised event that involves walking from the west coast of Scotland to the east coast in a two week period. For the majority of those years the event has been know by its main sponsor The TGO Challenge or TGOC. The TGOC is limited to roughly three hundred participants. Those three hundred souls at the start are spread out unevenly along the west coast of Scotland where they have to sign out at one of the six (? There maybe more I can't rightly remember) sign in points. They then hike and camp their way across Scotland to the east coast and then make their way to the finish sign in point at Montrose and the celebratory meal with their fellow Challengers.

Before I joined the academic world as a lecturer I completed two crossings (2008 & 2009, my 2007 attempt I'll revisit another day in a repost of the dramatic events). However the hero of my 2007 attempt Lord Elpus this year is doing his twelfth crossing, whilst Alan will be completing his twentieth crossing. Think about that twenty crossings! It will for various reasons that are not mine to say their final crossings. They plan to move on to new scenery and more better guaranteed weather. Which also means if invited I will be able to join them on the new adventures (I'll need to sort out my passport) because they won't be tied to that teacher unfriendly window in May.

So in honour of this momentous occasion and to celebrate my two friends I thought I'd make a couple of custom minifigs of Alan and Lord Elpus. But I didn't want to stop there I wanted to make this a bit more special but I will reveal those plans in another post.

The posts for this project will be part memoir/reflection as well as documenting the building process. Mind you I have already been getting bits in over the months, and I think the next post in this series should be a look at what I have already got for this project.

 

Spelunking the depths of my sadness

lego minifigs, new arrivals

This post is really about levels of sadness and further evidence of needing a life. So let's start off that descent into the depths of sadness with a Pop! vinyl figure of V for Vendetta. Having started to become one of those “guys” (thanks to Bouncy the geek pusher). Ok, ok maybe my Lego minifig obsession had already pushed me down that path. But hey I'm not letting Bouncy off the guilt trip. These types of figures lie firmly at his feet for the blame. It was only a matter of time before I got this figure. I love the graphic novel, I love the movie, heck as you know I've used the V mask or more correctly Guy Fawkes mask for the face of my hacktivist.

I guess I'm lucky that Bouncy hasn't found out about the new Black Widow model for the Age of Ultron movie or found a Rorschach one from the Watchmen movie. He's just that sort of person, putting temptation in the way of the weak willed like me.
Let's sink a bit deeper into the pit of sadness.

New Lego, New Lego

So first up a minifig kilt! It's the Cameron tartan and has been ordered in for the next project. Which I really should write a post about.
It's Red Nose Day next Friday so I planned on marking it with a Lego minifig photo after seeing I could get a head with a red nose on it. I'm debating what the photo will depict. I'm sure the idea will shape itself intime. I got two “super computers” to use in Android:Netrunner photos for the Corp side. The rest of the stuff in the photo is also being used in the May project. It's a very ambitious project. It's not animation but it kind of reminds me in spirit of the minifig movie my friend George did of me back in 2008.
Finally I got this little computer desk. It's not official but something someone has put together and selling on eBay. It's ok and will meet my needs as a prop to use with the minifigs. I'd of liked it to be a little bit wider/deep.
So there you have it a further glimpse in to the dark dark world of nerdiness that is my life.

 

Toe to Toe

lego minifigs, netrunner, star realms, tabletop

New Stuff

Another day another data pack filling in the holes in the ice security to protect my servers from those cursed runners! Oh wait the Android:Netrunner world isn't real. What I meant to say is another one of the suggested data packs for those starting out in the game.

You will also notice that the photo has a picture of a minifig in it. The Where's My Pants guy from the Lego Movie arrived. Normally I wouldn't of bothered with this figure but my next project which I will start documenting this week with the initial post requires the lower half of this figure!

I joined the A Star Realms Fan Created Community page on Facebook today. This group has weekly online competitions/league play, and is covered regularly on the Megahaulin podcast. So I introduced myself and said I was up for playing online with folks.

Since that introduction and invite to play games four people have challenged me to games.

I get so much enjoyment playing this game. I don't care about winning or losing, I'm having a blast playing. Mind you winning is nice. I get this sort of enjoyment while playing DiceMasters, well any game really. As long as I'm having an enjoyable experience playing, that is the important thing for me.

I've introduced Freddy to the game and he has become as addicted to it as myself. I lost count how many games we played over the weekend. Being in America Freddy has an advantage over me. He is able to get the Gambit expansion, playmats, and storage box, which aren't available over here in the UK yet. So I'm very jealous of that. Having said that tomorrow the Gambit expansion becomes available within the app. So at least I will be able to play with that expansion, and get used to playing with it. The Gambit expansion in physical form comes with some cards that allow you to play solo games of Star Realms. I'm very interested in seeing how that works. I may do a video of for that once I get the expansion.

Freddy and I have had some very intense games. It is just that sort of game. Sometimes the cards fall for you. The trade row has cards you want to buy. Your hand draws cards that combo up, draw extra cards and force your opponent to discard cards. Your opponent is unable to do any real damage. Everything just goes smoothly. Then there are the games that are like two boxers standing toe to toe just trading blows. They are the really intense games. You take your best shot, they go down. You think they are down for the count. But they get back up and take their shot. They hit you with a belter. Your chin feels like glass, you fall to your knees. That was a hard knock you've just taken. Your head is swimming, but you dig deep, and somehow find the strength to struggle back on to two feet. How much more can this wary body take? Neither of you have much energy left for this fight. You've got to muster one more punch. Hoping you can summon enough from your flagging reserves to finish them off this time. You know you can't survive another punch like you somehow just got back up from.

Those are such great games. The game can go either way depending on how kind the cards are too you. Will you get lucky and draw the cards you need?

I love it. Who cares if you win? With that sort of excitement its kind of irrelevant, you are having a blast, you are on tender hooks with every card drawn.

I love playing Freddy, we have so much fun. But playing a wide variety of people helps to improve your own game. I'm looking forward to seeing what tactics Freddy picks up playing others. And I'm looking forward to seeing other styles of play, and seeing how I compare.

There are weaknesses to my game that I am trying to correct. But sometimes the cards just don't fall for you. When that happens just buckle up, and enjoy the ride.

 

Hotdog

lego minifigs
Instead of sweets when Mum goes shopping I've asked her to get me a minifig instead. Today the blind packet she purchased for me contained a figure I really wanted! I got the hotdog costum. I love it. On the left you have the actual figure, but I couldn't resist putting the hacktivist in it as a disguise (on right).

It really is a fun figure. You can't help smiling when seeing it.