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Modular Custom Designs

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  • YellowcastleYellowcastle Member Posts: 4,401
    @Plauge - No worries.

    @graphite - As this thread is indeed the home for discussion on custom modulars, it seems perfectly reasonable to post pics of your own here. What we're really trying to avoid is "Look at my/this great MOC" threads as they're generally don't stimulate much worthwhile discussion and there are already plenty of places online for this sort of thing. We understand this is a grey area, though. For example, you could take the same hypothetical MOC discussion and tweak it so as to center the discussion on "Alternatives to Slope Roofs" or "Designs for Vinyl Siding", etc.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    ^ k cool. Just wanted to make sure.
  • PlaugePlauge Member Posts: 39
    Thanks for the feedback @samiam391, yes I plan to add that as well I just haven´t thought about how to solve it yet. Right know I´m working on the 1st. floor where I plan to also use as a dining area. I will put in a update if I get time for it (not easy with kid´s, wife and a new set arriving today ;) ).
  • PlaugePlauge Member Posts: 39
    Whit that said, I´m also working on how to add the roof and if I should make that a living space as well. (Tips is always appreciated).
  • emilewskiemilewski CT, USAMember Posts: 475
    ^ Do you design your custom modular(s) in LDD or play with actual bricks or a combination of both? I fully intend to start designing/building custom modulars but don't have the bricks to design free-hand.

    I love looking at pics of others' Modular MOCs but I am torn. I get great ideas ("I want to do that in mine!") but also don't want to stifle my own creativity and do something "original" which is harder after I see so many great ideas that others have.
  • PlaugePlauge Member Posts: 39
    Right know I use LDD, as I my collection of bricks are very limited (my good old Lego from the happy 80-90´s are long gone. I do try out some of the smaller stuff in real Lego.

    The one I´m working on now I plan to build after my next 4weeks of working abroad.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    Ive found that there are some of the "tricky" things that LDD just wont let you do. I recreated cafe corner in order to modify it and create a parts list to order. I was unable to get LDD to let me properly place the corner elements that use the turntables. Even by rotating the elements exactly to the correct angle it still had issues with the elements that are really close on the bottom of each of those sections.

    So sometimes depending on what you are doing playing around with actual pieces is necesssary to determine what is possible.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    Think I'm finished with my train station. Its on a 48x48 where the extra 16 sticks off the back of the line (if connected to other modulars) which lines up with where I have my tracks going behind my modulars. I might add some more detail stuff before I get to the point where I build it. Have my custom color cafe corner and movie theatre to buy parts for and build before I get to this one.

    image
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  • hleonffuhleonffu USAMember Posts: 242
    @graphite It is a very beautiful building. Emerald Night would fit right in. I like the internal details the best.
  • jadedancjadedanc USAMember Posts: 1,303
    @graphite That is so beautiful! You need to start selling your MOC patterns lol! I in line when you do :)
    KingSlayer33
  • kufkuf Member Posts: 66
    The train station looks really nice. I would be worried that roof would be a pain to take off and put back on, being so large though.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    Thanks. Will have to see about the roof when I get around to building it. The top rectangle piece comes out on its own to open a hole, so it ends up giving good places to grab the roof. I'm just not sure how stable it will be without some inside reinforcement. I'll probably just end up adding some 1x10 or 1x12 plates on the inside overhang of each layer of roof slopes. I designed that in originally on my church roof but that one is smaller and probably didn't even need it.
  • hleonffuhleonffu USAMember Posts: 242
    @graphite Take a look at the instructions for 4954 Model Town House for ideas. I own the set and it has a large roof as well. It was braced by 2x?? bricks instead of plates.

    I second buying the instructions as well. Curious, how many pieces?
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    ^ I will have to look at that one. It's the only creator house I don't have. I think the train station only came out to 19xx or 20xx pieces. Since it doesnt have multiple floors it wasn't as many as it could have been but since it is 48x48 the piece count was still high.
  • jonboy2000jonboy2000 Member Posts: 242
    : )
    dejavu
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    @hleonffu Yeah I see now how the town house does it. I think another of the creator houses does something like that as well. The key to that structure is the 1xX bricks they bridge the support blocks with at the top that lock the whole structure together. I wouldn't be able to do that on mine unless I made the top part not separate from the rest. The gap is an odd number of studs so I couldn't get the locking stability with just one 1xX brick. I'll have to look in to it more.

    As for selling or giving out the designs, I probably wouldn't consider that at least until I build it, so I can make any modifications needed after finding out how well it builds.
  • samiam391samiam391 A log cabin in PA, United StatesMember Posts: 4,351
    Is there any way to take decent pictures in LDD? I've been meaning to take some pictures of mine to upload on websites for feedback, but can't seem to get a decent one with the "picture option" in LDD.
  • Pitfall69Pitfall69 0 miles to Legoboy's houseMember Posts: 11,423
    I made a half Green Grocer. It looks real nice and I saved alot on parts.
  • Pitfall69Pitfall69 0 miles to Legoboy's houseMember Posts: 11,423
    I am not a great builder and I know from strolling down several big city streets Chicago, New York, Detroit that a row of buildings don't look all that much different. If you want to make your city street bigger and make it look like it belongs with the other Lego Modulars, just buy a few Pet Shops and just make the Pet Shops something else like a Pizza Place or some other shop and just tweak the design or colors of the living area above the shop. Take the brownstones and make mirror images of them and line them up. I feel that alot of MOC's to be too elaborate and don't fit together well with Legos Modular designs. I never liked Market Street and I sold my copy a few months ago. The colors and design don't go well. This is my opinion of course. I also feel the same way about the new Town Hall. I don't like the bell tower.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    Do a google search for pictures of Newbury St in Boston and you'll see some decent contrast in buildings. Brownstones mixed in with shops, a few newer more modern business designs, differences in details in stores right next to each other and pretty significant style differences on the first floors of some compared to the 2nd and up floors.
  • Gavin83Gavin83 Member Posts: 251
    Maybe it's because I live in London but I'm used to a bunch of highly contrasting buildings. It's not unusual to get a building a 200/300 hundred years old next to a new glass office building. No two buildings are the same.
  • andyscouseandyscouse Western MAMember Posts: 365
    Newbury St in Boston and you'll see some decent contrast in buildings. Brownstones mixed in with shops, a few newer more modern business designs, differences in details in stores right next to each other and pretty significant style differences on the first floors of some compared to the 2nd and up floors.
    I love Newbury St! When I worked in Boston, this was a great street to just walk up and down during lunch-hour ...

  • andyscouseandyscouse Western MAMember Posts: 365
    I also feel the same way about the new Town Hall. I don't like the bell tower.
    Well, each to his own. For the TH, my only complaint would be that it's too narrow! A TH ought to be a standalone, so that's why I plan on buying 2 of them (have 1 already) and MOCing one to be about 48-wide, with 8-wide each side.

  • Pitfall69Pitfall69 0 miles to Legoboy's houseMember Posts: 11,423
    Exactly, everyone likes different things.
  • Pitfall69Pitfall69 0 miles to Legoboy's houseMember Posts: 11,423
    This is what I was talking about. I know every city is different.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    ^ well not only every city, but every block as well. That picture is likely a block that was built by a single developer with the "shop" underneath style. So it's meant to be like a giant apartment building with a designer shop "walk" underneath. That one in particular is pretty boring but that type of block building is pretty common in a lot of areas.
  • fitzyfitzfitzyfitz ManchesterMember Posts: 94
    The widely contrasting achitectural styles in Nottingham Market Square reminds me of the modulars...I'm planning to take inspiration from some of these buildings for my own modular design.
  • SpaceCakeSpaceCake Member Posts: 291
    Hadn't seen this thread before. Some great designs in here, with a ton of inspiration for budding builders! Keep them coming guys, I could spend hours looking at these things, they're stunning.

    :)
  • IstokgIstokg MichiganMember Posts: 2,202
    edited May 2012
    @Pitfall69 I understand that rowhouses are meant to look alike, being New York, Chicago or London.

    But as for downtown structures... there's a broad mix of styles in all of the cities... such as downtown-to-midtown in Detroit... (my neck of the woods) no two are the same. (Also, Detroit doesn't have rowhouses).

    Cities such as Edinburough or Bath in the UK, or Paris or Leningrad however do have a lot of uniform architecture in the city centers.

  • ezzkazzezzkazz Member Posts: 7
    Hi all, heres my police station modular. I wanted to keep the traditional colours and some playability but all make it fit in with the modular series.
  • bricksanbricksan Member Posts: 566
    @ezzkazz Is that the one that is on Cuusoo?
  • ezzkazzezzkazz Member Posts: 7
    yes it is, it started off with no extra levels above the parking bay but the general opinion was to make it the same height as it didnt fit against the other modulars very well leaving a gaping hole between the two buildings, so I did that and added a searchlight on the roof. I think it looks ok now. Unfortunately I need the grey bricks for my next project so unless any other comments for improving it come along pretty soon then Im going to have to dismantle it sadly :(
  • StevenAshbyStevenAshby Member Posts: 155
    @ezzkazz i love your police station its one of my fave modular customs ive seen. The searchlight needs a batsign though :).
  • ezzkazzezzkazz Member Posts: 7
    edited May 2012
    haha I cant believe how many people have said that! I guess it would look cool
  • stagusstagus Member Posts: 256
    Here is my Chinese restuaraunt from the recent show.

    image
  • stagusstagus Member Posts: 256
    Sorry link didn't work....new to this photo lark. Try this:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/owens_family/7215281928/
  • CCCCCC UKMember Posts: 19,309
    ^ It looks like someone didn't pay their bill and is running away.
  • starfire2starfire2 Phoenix AZMember Posts: 1,329
    Or maybe the found out what was REALLY on the menu. Meow!
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    ^ Or just finished eating and is running home to use the bathroom.
  • stagusstagus Member Posts: 256
    It was part of a Superhero diorama....more pics will follow and all will become clear......maybe! ;)
  • starfire2starfire2 Phoenix AZMember Posts: 1,329
    Good job @ezzkazz and @stagus. I couldn't build anything like those.
  • veritas313veritas313 Member Posts: 80
    Could anyone tell me ways to upload a photo on brickset? I too have a modular Japanese/Chinese restaurant to post on here - actually built - but I wanted some feedback, as I used a flat roof and really wanted to know what other Bricksetters thought.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    ^ Brickset doesnt host images so you have to upload it to an image hosting site like photobucket, flickr or use your own hosting space if you have it and link the image.
  • BrickDancerBrickDancer Dunes of TatooineMember Posts: 3,639
    ^When I link a picture for a comment, it doesn't show the pic but instead just has the weblink. When I click on the 'Image' tab above next 'C' and 'URL', it gives me the image source bracket thing but I don't know how to use that. Do I have to do something tricky to make it show like everyone else?
  • stagusstagus Member Posts: 256
    ^^^ @starfire2 thank you. And I only started with MOC's for the show. If you follow the link now there are a some pics of the display. There are 4 MOC's in amongst the modulars. Hope you like.
  • graphitegraphite USMember Posts: 3,265
    edited May 2012
    ^^ The image "tag" that shows up when you use the button is the HTML coding for displaying an image. If you want to show a picture in a comment then make sure you have a URL/weblink that is directly to the image and not to some webpage that is displaying the image. Or to be more clear make sure the link you have ends in a image file format (*.gif *.jpg/jpeg *.bmp etc). Then just put that link in between the "'s in the tag that shows up when you use the image button.
  • stagusstagus Member Posts: 256
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/owens_family/7217641504/in/photostream

    the rest are uploaded now
  • VenunderVenunder Nottingham, UK.Member Posts: 2,547
    That is a good looking modular MOC / MOD made from a Fire Temple. I plan to do one of these myself in a "China Town" style street within my city, when I finally build it.
  • Pitfall69Pitfall69 0 miles to Legoboy's houseMember Posts: 11,423
    @Pitfall69 I understand that rowhouses are meant to look alike, being New York, Chicago or London.

    But as for downtown structures... there's a broad mix of styles in all of the cities... such as downtown-to-midtown in Detroit... (my neck of the woods) no two are the same. (Also, Detroit doesn't have rowhouses).

    I live in Canton, MI...lol
  • bricksanbricksan Member Posts: 566
    @stagus I remember at the show I loved it and for me was my favourite MOC there. (I was the one with the brick fanatics hoodie)
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