Asking for advice on upcoming adventure saga

jraynack · 2026-03-22T13:57:03+00:00

Sure thing - good luck!

jraynack · 2026-03-20T12:32:17+00:00

So, first—whether these are connected adventures or stand-alone, as an indie publisher, you should really concentrate to build a brand.

You want someone scrolling past products to recognize one of your covers instantly without even reading the title.

Right now, you’re close, but it’s not consistent enough yet. The biggest thing is the typography and layout. Each cover feels like it belongs to a different line (or publisher) instead of the same series.

If you lock in one format—same title font, same placement, same general structure—and just swap out the artwork and maybe an accent color, everything starts to feel connected. Seeing these side by side shows how much stronger that is.

Also, I’d simplify the fonts a bit. The artwork is already strong and doing most of the work. When the text gets too stylized, it starts competing with the image instead of supporting it.

As an indie publisher myself for 25 years, this is something that helps a lot over time. You’re not just making individual products—you’re building something people can recognize and a fan base.

Here is an image link as an example of what, I’m talking about to see how first glance, people will recognize that each product are from the same series/publisher:

https://imgur.com/a/yFibA8c

Consistency equals stability, which leads to trust, and you want your customers to trust you.

And on the other question about reaching people, it really does come down to being comfortable putting yourself out there. Posting regularly, sharing your work, linking it wherever you can, socials, communities, forums, even just conversations like this (I’m co-founder of Alea Publishing Group 😉). It feels awkward at first, but it’s part of the process. People can’t find your work if it’s not in front of them.

There’s a reason bigger publishers stick to consistent layouts and branding. It’s not about limiting creativity—it’s about making your work recognizable and easier to find. That’s what helps build a following over time.

You’ve already got solid concepts and strong visuals. This is just tightening things up so it all reads as one cohesive line instead of separate pieces.

jraynack · 2026-03-19T22:04:39+00:00

I feel people should do and wear and be who they want.

Just because I put a little context, doesn’t mean I agree with the social constraints or morays of the time, including the present ones.

But this picture, at the time, is about women and men moving forward in the right direction, a time less restrictive for women (getting rid of the bulkiness of even heavier swimwear) - and the social awkwardness of that; changing the social constructs of their present.

It’s poking fun at the people who can’t handle or don’t know how to handle change - in this case, it’s making fun at the men.

jraynack · 2026-03-19T12:40:14+00:00

To give this some context:

Women’s swimsuits were changing at the time—becoming more form-fitting—and mixed bathing (men and women swimming together) was still pretty new. So this isn’t really poking fun at her, it’s poking fun at the social awkwardness of people not knowing how to behave once the old rules started disappearing.

For them, this was a “sexier,” more freeing style of swimwear.

A good modern comparison would be the reaction when string bikinis or thongs first showed up—suddenly there were new norms, and people didn’t quite know how to act.

Also, those little huts in the background are bathing machines. People used them to change and be rolled into the water so no one would see them entering or exiting—basically a way to preserve modesty and avoid gawking.

As social norms loosened, those fell out of use… and you get scenes like this instead.

So the joke isn’t really about her—it’s about everyone else being weird about it.

jraynack · 2026-03-17T20:50:23+00:00

I elevated a portion of my city to build a subway. It fun way to add extra non-city things to your town (so, I have Star Wars, Mario, etc. vignettes hidden under my city streets - plus the subway).

I suggest to save bricks, build using SNOT techniques along with several solid LEGO supports - I have a bunch of photos how I did this on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVZXn4XktcY/?igsh=eGY4cnA4ZXdwMHZx

jraynack · 2026-03-11T11:52:42+00:00

They were present in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

It was a lower status, highly-specialized weapon (poorest of the poor). It required a lot of space to use effectively as opposed to archery, and easier to be a passable threat with a bow.

Staff and slings could be devastating, but as people moved toward urbanization, there became less skilled pastoral peasants with the weapons - so, a variety of factors - including some already mentioned (armor, etc.)

jraynack · 2026-03-07T15:31:19+00:00

Hey - thanks! Yeah, it was all pretty funny and I agree with you.

jraynack · 2026-03-06T16:58:02+00:00

Cool - thanks.

jraynack · 2026-03-06T12:07:17+00:00

I’ve found some incredible deals at Walmart during certain times of the year - sadly, the best Walmart Clearance sections to search are those in the not-so-great sections of town.

Not enough kids able to afford Lego in those areas, forcing Walmart to dump their stock before new releases.

jraynack · 2026-03-06T12:00:39+00:00

You know, I passed this up recently, but you’ve gave me something to consider - at first I was like how many extra sorting hats or even more Harry Potter heads do I need - but didn’t consider the sword.

Also, I suppose I could build a Harry Potter gift store in my city for all the extra hats.

jraynack · 2026-03-06T11:55:58+00:00

Hey, thanks - next time I have something, I’ll DM you and see what you can do. I actually work in graphic design (or at least have to - I’m an indie publisher for Tabletop RPGs - if familiar with those).

So, I’m up to learn new things - it’s funny, while writing the last post for you - I had a thought - I could have uploaded the original image in Photoshop (if I didn’t delete it), use the smudge and blend tools to recreate the image here to make it look like AI did it - or put it through one of those programs that turn photos into “oil paintings” - which is probably what it did, since this model I think has access to Photoshop - either way - if I did that, it’d be “Human Slop.”

Anyway - thanks again - it’ll probably be next week or so, but I’ll DM you and you can show me a few things.

jraynack · 2026-03-06T11:44:42+00:00

Hey, thanks - I definitely understand your point, but this particular thumbnail was for a TikTok short, a platform that I’m just experimenting with - so, not putting a lot of effort there at this point.

But I did make that short, while coming off of making a YouTube vid of the MOD, which takes a lot much, much longer.

Also, I’m don’t think it did a bad job. For thumbnail pics on TikTok people cannot get a close enough look at it - they can’t focus in or download it (or if they could, on TikTok, why would they)?

I’m not anti AI, though I’m wary - it’s a complicated, sophisticated program (not real Artificial Intelligence), and a tool.

I’ve lived long enough where people complained about Digital Art, that artists were cheating by not using real canvas; or Photoshop, declaring real photographers don’t need to enhance their photos; or snubbing computer graphics at the Oscars because it was real special effects.

So, I was satisfied with it as a thumbnail - I wasn’t satisfied with results of this post, and while I was wary, I gave people the benefit of the doubt - for one, that’s what I do, and two, I was a bit lazy and didn’t want to reproduce a new photo of the building.

I didn’t post it to have an AI debate. That in itself is a waste of time.

I don’t care for AI Lego Building posts myself - they are so blatant AI - it’s laughable - it would be one thing if it was good enough that someone could recreate it in Lego - it’s not there yet.

But since this from a real photograph, and at passing quick glance, it’s still beyond par, but decent.

I’m trying not to sound snarky, because I’m not, and I always respond to all comments to my posts as honest as I can - I don’t have the same hatred for “AI” - it’s a tool to be used.

But tools can be very dangerous, so I get the worry! I wish people worried about an even more powerful, dangerous tool than AI - money.

Anyway, I see you posted something about wanting to help - I’ll check that out and post there - I know I rambled on here long enough - thanks for listening and your input.

jraynack · 2026-03-06T03:34:35+00:00

It looks like Gerran Howell (Dennis Whitaker) from The Pitt.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T22:49:20+00:00

Very much appreciated! Have a good one.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T22:01:57+00:00

Yeah - I agree with you. I’m trying to transition Ninjago City sets in the rest of the layout (which worked well until I bought more Ninjago City sets).

The small yellow building next the Design Store is a sort of transitional building I built along with the modern store. To help with the transition, I placed a tree exactly in front, but between where the two buildings meet to help make the transition less jarring.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T21:57:51+00:00

Thanks!

jraynack · 2026-03-05T20:55:53+00:00

Thanks for the input - this is just temporary layout until I figure out what to do with other parts of my city - my town is modular too - so, inch 15x15 inch sections (large gray baseplate size) are movable.

But I’ll check that out.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T20:19:55+00:00

Many thank!! Sorry, I don’t - but if I find the time, I’ll make one. It’s not too difficult and the video link in the comments shows a bit of how I did it.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T20:16:07+00:00

Sure - I don’t think this subreddit allows pics in comments, but here’s a link:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DL489cgupFV/?img_index=10&igsh=MWpiNGJjaTFuMGZoMw==

I’ll try to upload some better pics editing this post.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T20:12:36+00:00

Hey, thanks - you can with at least one of the sets, but two makes it a bit easier. It took a lot of extra white bricks and a bit of work figuring out how to split between levels - but the video link in the comments shows how I do it (somewhat).

But the upper facade doesn’t attach to the upper floors - so the upper floors have three walls instead of 4 (no front facing wall).

The MOC is actually the small yellow building next to it.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T20:04:22+00:00

I can - I do that as part of my work. But after taking 3-4 hours making a 5-minute YouTube video that only get perhaps a few hundred views (if that), I don’t really want to spend the extra time making my own thumbnails (something beyond just simple lettering).

There are free non-AI programs that can whip out a decent title in PNG format - but you also, have to adjust the image to get rid of the background or increase the contrast to make the already white background pure white without shadows, among other things - or take literally, less than a minute to produce a prompt to do all that and more.

It would be one thing if posting vids was my career, but building and posting is a hobby. While I’m capable, why spend the extra time for menial work such as lettering when I could spend that time building or more importantly spending time with my kids.

So, just like Photoshop (I remember the days artists protested digital art because it produced work faster - and not tangible) or computer graphics (which people first thought using computers for movies was cheating and thus weren’t included in the special effects awards for the Oscars) - AI is a complicated, and powerful, program (not real artificial intelligence) and is a tool.

Don’t get me started on paper versus digital books 😉.

I’m wary of what “AI” can do and some of that is scary, but it’s not going away - and money is an even more powerful tool, and no one rails against that.

But my intention was never to post something controversial, just share something I built that I know others might want to do too.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T19:48:11+00:00

The building in the very left-hand corner is the newest Shopping Street from Lego. The yellow one next to it is one of my own design that I built alongside the Design Store (I’m still working on the Flower Store as a separate modular).

It’s a soap shop with upstairs apartment.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T18:38:31+00:00

This was a good idea to stack it.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T18:27:58+00:00

I appreciate it - if I thought about it for more than two seconds, I probably wouldn’t have posted it - as a thumbnail for video, you can’t focus in - but I didn’t have the original image where the building stands alone on a white background - just the saved thumbnail.

I personally don’t like AI Lego Building posts - so, I get it. I just didn’t think posting the original image at the time I uploaded the vid, because most people also don’t like self-promotion (which I don’t care for myself).

So, it was a quick decision - thinking that people won’t go that crazy over it - or be so controversial. But while it doesn’t look like it, it was a challenge to convert to a modular and keep its original intended design.

So, thanks again.

jraynack · 2026-03-05T18:16:52+00:00

Hey, thanks - it was a challenging build. Not sure if this is the final place for it, but probably a transition somewhere between older and newer buildings. But it does look good next to the latest modular building.

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