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Post by Aestelon on Mar 20, 2009 16:57:23 GMT -9
I finally bought the Hybrid sets yesterday, and they're brilliant. But I got to wondering how easy it could be to convert the basic Stalker model into its obvious analogue, the ever-classic four-armed DNA-pilferering gribbly? Not actually that hard, as it turns out, if you combine some of the Stalker parts with bits from the free accessory set. I took the legs and body from the basic Stalkers, then swapped the normal carapace for the Slasher/Buzzer variant with the extra slits. Normally these would be used for overhead claws or wings, but in this case I used them to add extra arms. I copypasta'd double the normal number of arms onto the same page, and when I printed them out, I cut half of them as intended (with the notch at the front, so as to slide into the back slits of the carapace) but the other half with the notch at the back, so I could slide them in where the wings or slasher talons would normally go. For the record, the building they're on is made from the free Watchtower model from Finger and Toe. It's actually occurred to me I might be able to make it easier by using the normal Stalker carapace as well, and just cutting the slits for one extra pair of arms, instead of having to assemble them all separately. I think I'll try remaking the sheet.
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Post by Floyd on Mar 20, 2009 20:08:40 GMT -9
That looks like a pretty nice proxy for our Genetic thief-o-morph friends. I'll have to try that mod myself.
Thanks for sharing.
Incidentaly, how do you like the Fingers and Toes models? I've been considering a purchase for use with Mutants and Deathrays.
~F
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 20, 2009 20:38:27 GMT -9
Thanks. I've actually just done a redo, as I suggested, using the original Stalker carapaces with the built-in arms, and just adding slits to them and putting the slits in the extra arms to the back instead of the front. I'll have a test-build of those tomorrow to see how much easier it is. My guess is "somewhat" . And as for the Finger and Toe models, love 'em. Building-wise, I only have the free Watchtower so far, but it's a brilliant little modular piece that even on its own can be turned into a pretty sprawling "Underhive" type set-up, or some sort of industrial setting. I daresay I'll be getting more in the future - the Junkyard looks like a particularly appealing buy. However, I do have a few of their vehicles. There's the military-version Bumblebee shuttle (I was actually working on designing a very similar vehicle myself until I found that for $4), and the three mini-vehicles, Shiva (hovertank with railgun), Hexentodt (fast one-man aerial scout craft) and Coyote (armoured buggy). They're all very simple builds, and very versatile. The shuttle can be built closed for simplicity, or you can model it open with a detailed interior, and fit stuff inside it. You can easily fit at least eight standard figures inside, or a cargo pod (which comes with the shuttle), or one of the previously-mentioned vehicles (which cost $2 each). Absolute bargain. ;D
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Post by magpiestear on Mar 21, 2009 12:07:11 GMT -9
Glenns been busy recently as well, check out his bunker and his remote flier thingys! He's redone his website with a blog which lists all his future releases which include a firebase and a hospital, as well as some fantasy stuff!
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Post by Slick on Mar 21, 2009 12:46:46 GMT -9
Great to see how this looks finished. It seems that great minds think alike and I have several poses of the image below finished and have been sitting on my hard drive for months as I try to figure out what colors I want to make my Hybrid army. Sadly I have never printed out one and gave it a test build. Nate
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 21, 2009 15:11:50 GMT -9
Very nice. I'd love to see you how well that works. I considered trying that myself, but figured using the carapaces with existing arm slots would be less effort (read: I was too lazy ). I've nearly finished building the Version 2.0 Genethieves, using the existing Stalker arms with slots cut in for the extras, and it seems to work reasonably well. I may have to lengthen the slots I added in the carapace just a little, to set the arms a little further back, but on the whole it's pretty cool. I just need to edge and glue in the inner left arms and I'll see about snapping some pics.
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 21, 2009 17:04:30 GMT -9
This is with the modded Stalker arms, like I said. Needs a couple of tweaks to be spot on, I think, but they seem pretty serviceable. "Geez, the guide said to stay in the freakin' car! Do you guys never listen?" By the way, I also just downloaded Glenn's "Sci-Blocks" modular kit, and it looks like it's got a lot of potential. Simple block shapes, ramps, barricades and bridge pieces, as well as extra accessories and objective pieces. Lots of customisability for five bucks. www.fingerandtoe.com/sciblocks.html
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Post by Slick on Mar 21, 2009 17:49:13 GMT -9
Looking sweet!
I was even more lazy then you hence the photoshoped arms. I love the hybrids but hate to put them together its tons of cutting.
I need to get coloring on the Demolisher I designed so that they are in Jim's hybrid colors.
Nate
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 21, 2009 18:25:59 GMT -9
No, I think mine was lazier, since it didn't involve having to colour anything. I just reassembled the bits I needed onto a single sheet and added a couple of extra slits.
I'm thinking of modding some more of the Hybrid guys into variations on the "Grandma Wendy" aliums. The Slitherer, for instance, is most of the way to one of their "devourer" species, and I should be able to create a "fighter" species by slightly upscaling the Slasher body and adding legs from a Stalker. Obviously the weapons can be varied using the same method as I did for the first genethief.
Oh, and I started putting together some of the Sci-Block bits, and they're a doddle, and very sturdy. I've just done a couple of the block platforms so far (a 4" square and a 2" square), but I'm thinking I might build up a bunker in the morning, using the ramp and some hoardings from the Watchtower set.
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Post by Slick on Mar 21, 2009 18:34:50 GMT -9
The nice thing about doing them in separate pieces is the ability to have the front arms reach behind the back arms. It really gives loads of depth to the models. I cant wait to see what the sci-fi blocks yield they look interestingly simple.
Nate
Edit: As far as avatars go aside from fl0ydski jumping in this thread looks like a meeting of hybrid broods ;D
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Post by magpiestear on Mar 22, 2009 0:48:35 GMT -9
Edit: As far as avatars go aside from fl0ydski jumping in this thread looks like a meeting of hybrid broods ;D[/quote]
That's cause hybrids rock!!!
The mods you guys have done are awesome!
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 22, 2009 18:23:17 GMT -9
Glad you like 'em. I haven't done a full build yet, but I've knocked out a paper test print, just to check scale, and looks like if you print out Slasher bodies and Stalker legs at about 150%, you can get a pretty decently scaled Tyrant Warrior equivalent compared to the Genethieves. I'm wondering if modded Stalkers would also work out printed at about 80% for a swarm of scuttlers. And here's some more Sci-Blocks teaser pics: A team of Terra Force marines hold off a clutch of Genethieves, protected in their armoured emplacement. The only parts not from the set are the hoarding round the sides, which is from the free Watchtower model. Higher-angle view to get a better idea of the layout. The emplacement broken up to show its component parts. Actually, the 4x1 strip doesn't come with the set; that's one I kitbashed myself, by reducing a 2x4 platform by half, cutting and pasting to double the length, and retexturing by sampling the original image. This was mostly because I wanted some shallower blocks so that models didn't have to jump a full inch to change levels. The ramp is handy, but not always practical, so I wanted to make some steps. Another mini-building, probably some sort of power node thing. Again, the undetermined pylon thing does come with the set. I do like the bridge spans. The little vehicle is the Shiva hovertank, also from Glenn - it's one of the mini-vehicles designed to be carried in the Bumblebee. And here's a setup combining most of the Sci-Block bits I've made so far with the Watchtower model. The buggy at the back is a Coyote.
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Post by kane on Mar 22, 2009 20:31:49 GMT -9
Thats a very cool conversion. Was just looking at the Sci-Fi Blocks. Looks like they work quite well!
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 23, 2009 2:13:23 GMT -9
They really do, I thoroughly recommend them.
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Post by Floyd on Mar 23, 2009 5:47:58 GMT -9
You've got me sold on the basic Block set and free watchtower... and for some reason your buggy photo looks better than the one on FnT's Website. I think I'll pick those up on my next buy week...
~Floyd
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Post by squirmydad on Mar 23, 2009 11:25:15 GMT -9
Those Sci-fi blocks do look really good. JIM
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Post by abaddonwormwood on Mar 23, 2009 12:34:08 GMT -9
Can I ask what makes them better than the PCON range put out by WWG? I am not pimping here just wondering.
They do look smart.
Lord Abaddon of Wormwood
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Post by kane on Mar 23, 2009 12:51:59 GMT -9
I think it would be a great combination with PCON. They seem to be thematically compatible.
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 23, 2009 13:54:17 GMT -9
Can I ask what makes them better than the PCON range put out by WWG? I am not pimping here just wondering. They do look smart. Lord Abaddon of Wormwood From what I've seen, I don't know as I'd compare PCON with the Sci-Blocks, as much as I would with, say Slagtown: Eden. PCON has a ton of extra accessories, and is pretty much designed to be a full set of terrain in itself. Sci-Blocks I'd probably best describes as like textured LEGO. It doesn't have a ton of detail stuff (basically some barrels, pipes, barricades, a variable-function pylon and a control box thing), but what it does give you is the tools to build up a lot of mass quickly and effectively, which you can then combine with the flavour detail pieces from other sets. On the whole, I don't know if the F&T stuff is better than WWG's - I've never bought any WWG stuff to compare it. But I do really like what F&T sets I have so far, and it's a fair bit cheaper; their most expensive set so far is only ten dollars, and most are less than five. I do agree with Kane, though - I think the two would mesh together pretty well.
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Post by Floyd on Mar 23, 2009 17:07:32 GMT -9
I love WWG's Platform Command. Though it does take a ton of time to build properly. I know I've got quite a bit of it constructed. The one thing that particularly bothers me about PCON is that (IMO) the over saturated colors deter from the figures. It is almost too much eye candy(if that were possible). But really I love the sets. Matt does such awesome work and very quickly. This particular set from Fingers and Toes is the first one that has really peaked my interest. I think he's found a nice blend of modularity, easy build and shapes. And I like the bridg, it just feels right. I would like a different texture set, or a little more variety with the models, but hey that's what modding is for right? And with the free watch tower its practically a full set. And it looks like you can throw this together in about 2 evenings work.
Besides, I am a fiend for variety. Same with my gaming systems.
~F
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 24, 2009 5:43:34 GMT -9
Yeah, it's really easy and quick to build with. Almost everything in it is simple box folds, so you can knock plenty of blocks out in no time.
And I agree, I think the simplicity of it's great. It looks solid, sturdy and utilitarian. And it looks like anyone could have built it, which means you can just whack it up and have some generic fortifications, or add some army-specific details to personalise it. Then you can dismantle it at the end of the game and make something new from the same pieces for the next one.
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Post by abaddonwormwood on Mar 25, 2009 20:03:15 GMT -9
Thanks for the replies. Just to make it clear I shouldn't have used the wording "which is better" but why F&T over WWG. I personally like both but do feel that the second set of PCON is over coloured whilst the third set is a better balance.
Lord Abaddon of Wormwood
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Post by Aestelon on Mar 30, 2009 14:54:37 GMT -9
As an extension of this project, I've started work on a slightly heavier mod, this time combining elements of the Stalker and Buzzer models to create a Hybrid "Springer", with leaping poses and tasty scythe-like claws. I was going to submit it to the Hoard, but I'm probably not going to have time to finish it tomorrow. The black-and-white version's nearly finished, I just need to finish grafting on the scythe claws to the Stalker arms and making more short-clawed arms for the middle sets (which can be used as a second pair of legs to enable it to run faster).
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