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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Mar 25, 2018 16:48:46 GMT -9
Past the "just toying around" phase, but still a long way to go... I've been slowly piecing the templates together that I need for modular houses. I whipped up a sketchup layout of a house that would involve a reasonable subset of pieces to begin with. I've actually laid out several buildings, but I'm *focusing* on this one: As I finish the templates, I am coloring in the pieces red. That gives me a good visual indicator for how far I am away from finishing the build. This weekend, I spent most of my time shuttling my kids around and cleaning up from the New England snowstorms (so... many... downed trees...) but I was able to get a couple new templates designed. Here's a picture of the interior/exterior 6" truss pieces: I've got a bunch of 6" walls and corner posts assembled, too, which means I can at least start assembling the top floor of the main building. So many things to finish that I haven't even started a "todo" list. Once I run out of obvious pieces to make, THEN I'll make my todo list...
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Apr 1, 2018 11:54:59 GMT -9
I actually woke up at 5am this morning, from a dream where I had measured some of my trusses incorrectly. I stayed in bed, awake, thinking through what I had done the night before and it was perfectly clear - I had indeed screwed up the measurements. They work fine on their own, but don't integrate properly with the other roof angles.
I figured it was time to start a spreadsheet to keep track of all the pieces I need to work on, and where I am in the process. It was then that I had an awful sinking feeling. Even the pieces pictured above won't work right in some of the cases I need to handle... They've got to be redone as well. Sigh.
Another week gone by, and nothing to show for it.
Sorry. I'm whining. I'm going to turn the computer off for a while, and wait for the feeling of frustration and disgust to pass, then I'll try again.
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Post by marzman on Apr 1, 2018 13:11:18 GMT -9
The images look awesome, I'll encourage you to keep on it, they amazing.
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Post by okumarts on Apr 1, 2018 13:15:27 GMT -9
It's difficult to create buildings.
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Post by lightning on Apr 1, 2018 21:27:01 GMT -9
On another forum (pure paper modellers) I read a thread about someone being upset that they had spend around $100 for a paper model that had obvious bugs in it. Edges not matching up etc. Apparently the creator did not test build. I had to laugh at that. I test build not once but many times and I also wake up in the middle of the night thinking about stuff I work on. So welcome to the club mproteau (Paper Realms) ! But in the end I enjoy the satisfaction when a nice model is completed. And your new set looks great and I like the modular connection system. That is the TLX derivate again? It sure looks great esp. for larger buildings. I have to ask. Is that available for use for everybody? I would be interested to use it if it is. Chris
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Post by Vermin King on Apr 2, 2018 4:46:04 GMT -9
Yes, thank you for test-building. It is a stunning concept and artwork
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on May 9, 2018 16:32:58 GMT -9
So, minor setbacks won't keep me down. It doesn't feel like I've really made any progress, but I have! I have! I've put together some foundational stuff, and now I will be building UP. I have a lot of templates (cutfiles) made, and I'm converting them to templates (images) for texturing. Gawsh I hope the second house set goes faster than the first!
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on May 28, 2018 15:09:51 GMT -9
I've been so distracted, I forget to post around here. I have a hard time remembering all my social outlets! I'm finishing up the last of the roof variants that I will include. I'm up to 57 separate PDFs for this set, totaling 88 pages... Just a few more pages to go! Once the PDFs are all done, I need to make a final pass building all of the new bits to make sure the cutfiles are correct and that I am happy enough with the assembly process. After that, I will go through all of the new files and ensure I have cutting guides for all the new pieces, because I know some times it's not obvious where to be cutting and scoring all these bits! I hope having simple cutting guides available make things easier for folks. V2.0 of the instructions need to be put together, too. There are several new bits that weren't available in the dungeon or temple sets, and I want to make sure there are step-by-step pictures of actual assembly so people know where to apply glue and what order to fold things up. After all that's done, I should have enough bits to finally take promo pictures. That's kind of the last step in the whole process, where I get to see it come together myself. So, that's what's up - my final checklist before bringing this to the storefront!
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on May 28, 2018 16:58:25 GMT -9
PDFs are done! Tomorrow morning I start printing and cutting... I will try to bring in a ton of pieces to the office so I can get the all edged while I wait for code to compile and what not. I printed off a pack of isometric grid paper pages, so I can lay out a couple buildings while I'm not able to actually work electronically. I hope to settle on a handful that will be good enough to become promo pictures!
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Post by lightning on May 29, 2018 5:56:06 GMT -9
First: your building and build looks great! And second: Now I understand the assembly system better. It looks great. The only thing I don't like so much are the flaps you see on the floor when nothing is on them. But I guess that is the system requirement. How do you keep the upper floor straight/flat? Is it mounted on foam core or does it have supports or is it just flat cardboard? With your pics I am always more interested in the "behind the scenes" or underside view
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on May 29, 2018 6:38:05 GMT -9
The tiles (floors) are mounted on foamcore, and can connect together using foamcore "plugs". It's VERY sturdy. Multi-level builds can always suffer from bumping on the table, but there are "end caps" that can plug into the exterior sides of the tiles that can help hold things in place. They are totally optional though. I usually play without them.
The tabs on the tiles anchor the posts in place... If you omit the tabs altogether, it's not like the system can't work. I've been known to make a quick "board" out of tiles just resting together, and just slip walls and posts wherever they're needed without fitting them onto the anchor tabs. It just won't be as bump-proof. Because it's all just paper, you can get creative on your own. I experimented with gluing push-pins into the posts. I bet simple straight pins could be super-glued to the inside corner of the posts, and that might hold them on well. Then you could forgo the tabs on the tiles altogether. I'm not sure I'd want a bunch of needles sticking out of my pieces though... lol
Some folks love magnets, and they make any build look super sexy. It just adds materials, cost and time to the build. But, imagine the posts clicking into place and no tabs on the tile face? All of the tile textures come with and without the spots to glue the tabs on, so ambitious people can try out anything they think of that might make them happier.
The tile textures wrap around the foamcore, and the underside is unfinished. Again - it's all just paper, so you can experiment with ideas like applying a texture underneath the tile. Having the little tabs on both sides of the tile would suck, but if you opted to use pins or something, or nothing at all, then you could probably get away with double-sided tiles.
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Post by lightning on May 29, 2018 7:45:20 GMT -9
I think foamcore would also be my choice. It's the easiest route. I can imagine how they are connected. Sounds very sturdy.
Magnets also sound cool. Not sure where to get them here in Austria. And I always try to have one pure paper solution. But this is getting off topic... (chasing off the system designer in me :-) )
Looking forward for your progress.
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Jun 4, 2018 16:27:41 GMT -9
Hoo-wee. I'm chipping away at the most tedious stuff I need to get done. I'm more than half done with the "cutting guides". 14 more PDFs to make... I bet almost no one uses them. lol. I got one of the three new sections of instructions done enough. I bet almost no one reads the instructions either. lol. It's ok.
I have settled on roughly three more pages I want to create to round out this set.
I have maybe five or six pages left to cut and assemble before snapping a big promo pic. It's not going to be quite as easy as snapping a picture, but I'll worry about that when the time comes.
The end. Is. Near.
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Jun 13, 2018 8:04:08 GMT -9
When there are a LOT of loose ends, I often feel overwhelmed to the point of paralysis. I keep telling myself "just do one little bit" to keep things going forward, and while it's not always easy, I try to remind myself that struggling with these sorts of things doesn't make a lousy person. I'm the kind of person who can really dwell on existential questions when I get bogged down in the doldrums of doing a project like this. I appreciate the folks that have shown their support - it means a great deal to me. This can be a very lonely process. Well, I finally no longer feel that paralysis tugging at me with this project. It really feels like I'm nearing the end. I've been chipping away at all the remaining tasks, while also making a building that I hope shows off the product well for some promo pictures.
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Post by okumarts on Jun 13, 2018 8:30:38 GMT -9
This is a really amazingly well-considered house set. I love the way it is modular but can create some very specific architecture.
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Post by Vermin King on Jun 13, 2018 8:45:30 GMT -9
I totally understand the paralysis thing. I'm sure I have a dozen projects that stalled, that shouldn't be that hard to complete. I have five partially built models that I would like to go back to and finish, but haven't. I probably have ten or so models I have printed, but never built.
I think you feel like this is more of a struggle, because the end goal is so big. A modular system for buildings with interiors is quite an accomplishment. Everything you have shown looks fantastic.
Keep your chin up, you can do it
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Post by lightning on Jun 13, 2018 23:33:19 GMT -9
I call the paralasys thing simply work overload :-) But you have overcome it quite nicely. The build looks clean and crisp and really fun. Awesome architecture and it seems endless possibilities!!!
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Jun 14, 2018 16:55:52 GMT -9
And there are always setbacks. Tonight, I was trying to plow through taking pictures for instructions, and discovered that the *one* piece I apparently didn't already test was the *one* piece I screwed something up on. Hah. So, instead of getting shorter, my todo list got longer again.
But that's OK. "just do one little bit"
I got a lot of photos taken prior to this snafu. Tomorrow morning, I'll try to remedy the problem and take the last of the photos I need. I've got a lot of family responsibilities over the next week, so I'm mentally prepared for not finishing things up for maybe a week and a half anyway.
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Post by emergencyoverride on Jun 15, 2018 4:52:19 GMT -9
That is turning out to be quite the building set. It looks very versatile and the textures are superb! Just keep eating that elephant one bite at a time!!
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Post by BlackCat13 on Jun 20, 2018 13:33:27 GMT -9
Keep plugging away at it. It looks like the results will be totally worth the effort.
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Jun 23, 2018 13:30:09 GMT -9
Pretty close to done... just reviewing some bits. Going a couple months between releases means I forget what the process it! lol
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Post by lightning on Jun 24, 2018 11:00:09 GMT -9
Where is the pause button for the animation! ;-)
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Jun 24, 2018 16:26:32 GMT -9
Since I still had some weekend left, I started converting some of the other textures I had to this modular format. I'm hoping to move a little quicker now that the templates are ironed out. I much prefer focusing on the textures!
I'm also starting to put together some props to go *in* the houses.
Those two things should keep me busy while I pour through my notes and see what else I want to get started... The list is pretty long...
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Post by factoria tabletop on Jun 24, 2018 17:48:52 GMT -9
this is awesome! i really like this project, thanks for sharing!
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Aug 5, 2018 17:41:50 GMT -9
The next building set is for Tudor-style houses... I've been tinkering with the textures for a while now, and I'm happy with how things have taken shape. Today was a good day for getting things done, too - 56 pages of PDFs built for the Tudor building set so far... It starts to scratch the surface. After a little math, I think that puts me at a little over half done! I've started work on the stairs and trusses, but I really need to think about what style of floor tiles I will make with this building! Here was a quick shot of the interior of one of the walls.
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Post by emergencyoverride on Aug 6, 2018 4:47:11 GMT -9
I love the grain in the wood. Super nice textures!!
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Aug 11, 2018 4:48:05 GMT -9
44 PDFs are done. 14 to go. It's basically down to designing a floor tile, and making up the 3" walls. Time consuming bits, but it's something I can focus on! It's supposed to be raining all weekend, so that sure sounds like nature saying "build paper thiiiinnngs.... buiiild paper thiiiiinnnnngssss...."
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Post by emergencyoverride on Aug 11, 2018 5:54:28 GMT -9
Cant wait to grab this one.
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Sept 17, 2018 5:53:36 GMT -9
I'm terrible about staying on top of all of the social media outlets... I'm in the home stretch on this one - a couple of oopsies that I discovered while doing some big build-outs. But, I'm really committed to getting this wrapped up this week! Hardest part is remembering how to package things up for publishing. :-P
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