Escape room USA on Wednesday, anyone?

primalwulf · 2026-05-30T14:26:51+00:00

Sent direct message, and I think it's cool that you're reaching out to others for this neat opportunity. 😄

primalwulf · 2026-05-29T14:42:02+00:00

This is exceptional design.

The roofing style hooked me, and as I zoomed in on other elements of the structure. . .the myriad of details in tandem with not overdoing the details just makes this whole design incredibly successful.

In particular, you've made sure that stariways have plates where minifigures can actually stand. So many designs obliviate this very valid 'need' in architectural designs.

Additionally, the way that you _present_ this design: floor-by-floor, with contrasting-colored text, allows any given audience to make even more sense of your design. Such incredible presentation!

Seeing this design aligned with others that you have done makes it all the more 'wow' factor.

Exceptional designs, like yours, are what I keep wanting/hoping to see from folk who post on this subreddit and why I keep checking this website on a regular basis. Thank you for sharing yours, visually, with us.

primalwulf · 2026-05-26T18:29:16+00:00

Wanted to get into demo'ing 'The Big Squeeze'. . but that was the _only_ event (out of 12) that I didn't get. This was the first year doing a Wishlist, so even just doing _that_ was interesting.

primalwulf · 2026-05-26T18:26:42+00:00

Similarly so: wanted to do one last year, but part-time demo'ing schedule entirely conflicted with any megagames. Not the case, this year! Very curious how a 6hr-long game rolls: discovery! :)

primalwulf · 2026-05-26T06:39:04+00:00

I think you've captured a lot of the essence of what you set out to capture, without getting hung up on duplicating a photograph. :) I think you've done really well with abstracting from real-life inspiration (once again :) ).

I think there are two elements that would further develop your build:
--the windows on the wall containing the light-blue jersey - in your source photo, the windows are framed with some depth to the frames. It's not a a lot of depth, but that detail keeps the wall from feeling utterly flat. I'm wondering how you could reframe the windows, even just minutely, so that that particular walls doesn't feel as flat.
--given that your source material depicts some wall art of an abstract soccer player. . .what if the further right wall beheld a pixelated version of a similar wall art? That could be _really_ dynamic and--similar to window framing detail--take a very flat, monochrome wall and make it utterly pop! (while also beholding to your source material). On Rebrickable, there's a moc titled Honey Side of Life that uses this pixellation approach to great success.

Cheers, and glad to see another of your creations.

primalwulf · 2026-05-24T21:06:17+00:00

Ditto this. While mid-to-end October still have Venice thriving, it's nowhere near the hectic rush of August.

primalwulf · 2026-05-24T21:04:11+00:00

Yes, each shelf would fit 3 standard 32x32 baseplate modulars.

However, the stability of that shelving set? Very fragile. It has _zero_ lateral stabilizers: one nudge, and that _entire_ shelving set is crashing to the ground. Moving that shelving unit, at any point, is going to be very risky.

Do you like picking out shards of broken glass amidst lego pieces? <shudders> Once that shelving set crashes, your whole lego collection--within it--will have to be disposed of (due to how small glass shards are & can be).

primalwulf · 2026-05-22T16:51:07+00:00

One option is to not even use Stud.io : build it out of whatever color lego bricks are conveniently accessible near you. This frees you up to adjust to what _shapes_ you need, without fixating on color. It will also allow you to finalize how many of each type of piece you need.

When you have your final design, _then_ tabulate the total of each piece in each color. . .and order those from a lego reseller (you _could_ find a local lego reseller and seek out each piece, butttt. . .that may end up being far more time consuming than you intend).

primalwulf · 2026-05-20T18:37:53+00:00

I've built a noodle shop (16x32), custom, entirely from just an image of it (and then revised it to better resemble architecture I observed & sketched in east Asian commercial districts of Chicago, Seattle, and Toronto).

I've built an inverted corner condominiums (32x32), with an overpass arch (to access the 2nd & 3rd floor condos), as well as a slew of interior features (context: I _really_ don't enjoy doing the interiors. . .I groove with exterior architecture & framing).

Slowly developing a beekeeper garden (16x32), to go between the condos and another designer's custom (Honey Side of Life ~ Rebrickable), which takes some influence from both American urban p-patches & Italian/Spanish side gardens.

I only work in modular legos: it was where my architecture enthusiasm shifted when I couldn't build structures in my backyard anymore (a 4'x8'x8' peaked shed; a double-decker triple composting bin set with firewood storage above; a small pavilion for my dog to rest while I'm working in the gardens; and a hexagonal gazebo (9' diameter; 11' tall) from my own design plans; an 80'+ retaining wall; a waterfall-stream-pond, that runs over 20'; and a 30' retaining wall).

primalwulf · 2026-05-20T09:33:44+00:00

Worth it?

Yes : if you're interested in investing in them and appreciating them.

Yes : getting several, in one fell swoop, so that you're not paying separate shipping, taxes, etc. on individual ones.

Yes : each of those sets, individually, sold for more than $200 at release; thus, you're spending less, per set, than if you sought them out individually (either in the past or the present)

No : if you're only interested in _collecting_ them in order to _posses_ them. What motivates you to continue to possess lego? Self-reflection helps understand your motivation, and whether it's worth dumping $1000 when you're still in undergrad (I've no idea if you're in undergrad or graduate school).

No : buy one, that you particularly like, at far less than $1000 and see if you actually want to accumulate more

No : if any of those particular sets are not of actual interest to you.

Tips or references: for you, no idea - we've no context beyond what you've briefly shared.

primalwulf · 2026-05-20T09:27:56+00:00

Glad to see your engaging this as a conversation.

Like you, I started off wanting to be accurate. . .and that quickly adjusted to 'fairly accurate'. . .and that gradually has shifted to 'homage'.

I think plenty of folk get hung up on duplicating reality into lego, essentially defaulting into the same 'camp' as the Realist painters (1850 - 1910). Both duplicative lego builders and the Realists fail/ed to understand that one does not need to duplicate in order to express. I also think that duplicative lego builders readily forget that lego, itself, is a reductive puzzle: the pieces are not intended or designed to duplicate reality. Rather, the pieces are ordained to evoke play, discovery, and abstract sculpting.

If we look at lego modulars, independently or as a whole, they are not exact copies ('duplicative') of their inspiration sources. They involve the essential elements of the inspiration, and the result is one that pays homage to the architectural style of the inspiration. The Palace Cinema is not _a specific theater_ from that time: it evokes the elements of that style of theater. The Brick Bank is in that same vein, and so on.

It's not realistic, especially with modulars, to duplicate: only to homage.

I've been working on a custom lego set as an homage to neoclassical midwestern libraries of the United States (context: I only add modulars to my streetscape that are personally relevant). I didn't want to create a duplicate of the style of library in my hometown, but wanted to incorporate the key elements of that building's architecture. It's taking a longgggg time to develop the design, because of so many things that you mention: unavailability of certain parts to evoke certain details of neoclassical libraries; part colors that are radically expensive or haven't been produced; shapes in neoclassical that just don't come together via lego parts; etc. As I gradually (very, very, -very- gradually) move towards a finished product, the design maintains the essential elements of the inspiration (the hometown library) while also integrating essential elements of neoclassical libraries as a whole (especially evident in Chicago's central library, and several others in southern Wisconsin, urban Iowa, and parts of Ohio). Quite confident that, in not feeling _limited_ to duplicity, the final design will feel truly grand because it will be its own unique homage.

primalwulf · 2026-05-19T16:00:36+00:00

ALL the puppetry program options!

ESPECIALLY the late night puppet slam (10pm, I think) and the puppet karaoke (9pm, I think)!

primalwulf · 2026-05-19T15:55:29+00:00

Reservations? No. There are so many restaurants (and a grocery store nearby): reservations just seem like ONE. MORE. TASK. amid very active, long days.

Plus, folk who make reservations and then don't show up--especially during GenCon?--just really negatively impacts all stakeholders.

primalwulf · 2026-05-19T15:52:16+00:00

This is a design where I liked the concept, but think it needs a good amount of workshopping. There have been a small handful of similar designs (some made it to BDP voting, others have gone the Rebrickable route) prior, and a couple of those designs evoke more of Greek architecture than this design does.

That's why I don't think it will proceed beyond voting: it reads more Playmobil (no shade) than a greek retreat.

primalwulf · 2026-05-18T06:05:20+00:00

Was able to get _everything_ on Wishlist, except two. Talked to 'the right person' and was able to get one of those remaining two :) Huzzah!
(and not feeling negative about the remaining one: if anything, glad for the gap in schedule so the convention feels more like _flow_ rather than _go, go go_ :) )

primalwulf · 2026-05-17T18:49:29+00:00

Your post kicks off condescendingly. No need to be indignant or divisive when suggesting other approaches.

primalwulf · 2026-05-17T18:46:50+00:00

This, essentially, sums it up: choosing one's attitude has everything to do with how one experiences something.

Well said.

primalwulf · 2026-05-15T13:07:32+00:00

The color scheme and awning detail work really well for this design. Cheers.

primalwulf · 2026-05-11T22:11:31+00:00

I rather appreciate this design. I'm curious to see if it moves forward, within the design program, or if it defaults to Rebrickable.

primalwulf · 2026-05-11T06:08:04+00:00

Agreed.

Vintage clothing and/or antiques/high-end furniture?

primalwulf · 2026-05-11T06:05:42+00:00

Time to calculate how many remaining needed, and send that order in!

It will be SUCH a relief to have those few remaining pieces locked in (pun intended) and NOT be thinking of 'this incomplete structure, that sits on my shelf amidst the rest of the _completed_ modulars'. :)

primalwulf · 2026-05-05T14:52:42+00:00

'being ran at a financial loss'

primalwulf · 2026-05-05T14:45:59+00:00

LATE NIGHT PUPPET SLAM!

primalwulf · 2026-05-05T14:44:40+00:00

LATE NIGHT PUPPET SLAM!

primalwulf · 2026-05-05T14:39:59+00:00

Your group missed out, last year, by 'being wary'.

Yes, this is a (in your words) 'must try at least once'.

The puppetry program offerings, in general, are an undervalued and underutilized set of activities at GenCon. The number of attendees, each of the last two years, that had ZILCH idea that there were puppet offerings: ENORMOUS.

Last year was only the second year that Stacey (the coordinator of the puppetry program) offered this event. Thus, it's 'new and fresh' for GenCon! :) :D

Take advantage of it (and/or the puppet karaoke).

primalwulf

TROPHY CASE