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NWBrickCon 2007 Castle: Official Planning Thread

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:11 am
by Thomas
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NWBrickCon is about 2 months away! If you’re planning on attending please e-mail me and if you could let me know if you're interested or not in participating in a combined layout. Also please let me know what you’re planning on bringing so we can get a general idea of how much area we’re going to need, I need to confirm this but I believe we have 5' x 35' of display space about the same we had last year.

As discussed in another thread Tedward has some excellent ideas that I think would be great.
Tedward wrote: I know everybody loves the big battles but
I was wondering if we could do something different (or in addition to).

I was wondering if we could do a grand tournament. Participants bring a
pavilion with knight, horse, armour, squire and whatever else they can
fit on a 16X16 green baseplate. Banners and flags in custom liveries.
armourers working on equipment, food vendors strolling through.

I was also thinking about our discussion around animating the scenes we
had @ Brick Fest. If someone could build a jousting arena with
motorized magnets under a smooth plate somehow we could take turns
running our knights against each other. Smaller fighting "rings" could
be set up for dismounted combat and animated as well. We could
surround the field(s) with galleries and/or simple bleachers filled
with cheering crowds (animated crowds might also be possible there.)

Basically I am thinking a LEGO version of "A Knight's Tale".

Almost anyone can build one small tent and a knight so small
collections could be included. We could also have caravans of knights
and retainers, merchants, spectators etc all travelling the roads to
attend.
I would love the focus to be on the Grand Tournament and then it'd be nice to have a city surrounding it. If anyone is willing to step up to the challenge of animating the jousting, crowds, or combat rings please let everyone know here so everyone can focus their energy on what is needed so we can all bring together an incredible scene.

Of course as always Castles, Fortresses, Cathedrals, Villages, Houses, entire displays or small vignettes all are welcome.

Also let me know what you're interested in doing or seeing while at NWBrickCon. For instance we could have a Castle roundtable, show and tell, building tricks and tips, some type of a presentation, possibly even a Brickquest or Brikwars game. If you'd like to see or do something in particular please let me know.

Looking forward to seeing you at NWBrickCon 2007!

Thomas Rafert

NWBC 2007 Team, Castle Coordinator, NWBrickCon™ 2007

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:28 pm
by JoshWedin
I have just found out that I will definitely be able to come (haven't registered yet, but I'll get to it). I won't have much new to bring, but I will be bringing Garda Tur, my tower from Brickfest. I like the idea of a Grand Tourney. I should be able to supply various knights and their entourages...

Josh

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:43 am
by Thomas
I've got a list going of who has said they can participate...
Darkie, J1A3L5, Dunechaser, Tedward, jovian, Merlin of Lego, JoshWedin

and who may be able to participate...
Remyth, wunztwice, The Blue Knight, BreadMan, Lord Felix

I hope I've got my lists correct and if not or there needs to be any changes please let me know.

I'm hoping our main focus can be on the Grand Tournament and then have a surrounding town and wilderness beyond. 8) I should be able to get a couple of tents and supporting scenes done for the tournament. All my houses will be available for the town. I'm planning on bringing some of my landscaping, but not all, for the wilderness area. I've been corresponding with a few via email about building tents for the tournament or houses for the town sorry I haven't wrote to all of you but I plan to get a email list soon to get all this hammered out.

I'd love to be able to have a motorized jousting scene but I hate to say there is no way I have the time although I'm hoping to have a static arena done in time. If anyone is interested in taking on a motorized joust please let me know. :D

Please continue to post here, send me pm's or email me.

Thomas Rafert
p.s. Kristin has been sick :( so my focus has been on her. Thank goodness she is feeling better now. :D

NWBC 2007 Team, Castle Coordinator, NWBrickCon™ 2007

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 3:38 pm
by plums_deify
Are we going to be using Brendan's software again? Is it in Base8?

How are we planning the town aspect of it?

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:02 pm
by BreadMan
You can bump me up to the for-sure coming list, I registered on friday.

I don't think we'll be using the planning software this time around, at least not to the extent we used it last year and at brickfest. What I'd like to do instead is have everyone who wants to contribute bring a bunch of Base8 compatible stuff and see if we can come up with something when we get there. It would be a good way to test the modularity of the standard.

Tom give me a call sometime (I called you a couple days ago and left a message, not sure if you got it) and we can talk about this tournament thing. I have a few ideas on how we might be able to make it happen. Sorry to hear about Kristin, glad she is doing better!

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:43 am
by The Blue Knight
I will be there as well, with the entire fam in tow, well, minus the dogs.

I have started a new job so my building time like Josh's is extremely limiting. Tom, I'll email you about what I'm intending to bring. I like the tournament idea a lot, a great chance for us to show off individual knights, retinues and so on.

It's great to see the gang all here!

It's just about 5 weeks away and I'll need every second to get ready.

Richard

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:40 pm
by Dunechaser
The Blue Knight wrote:It's just about 5 weeks away and I'll need every second to get ready.
Yeah, me too. Yeesh.

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:25 pm
by JCool
So I may be able to make it to NWBrickCon this year (still working out the details), and being a big castle fan I just had to see what CC was cooking up this time around.... and I've gotta say that I really like the idea! So much so that I've built a tent already (pictures pending) and am looking to build some other small things to go with it.

Unfortunately I'm on the East Coast so I won't be able to bring too much, but i'll try to finish up a few cool things to display.

A few questions though (and this came up as I was building the tent):
-How much detail is too much detail for the tent? (i'm already trying to squeeze in a bath, armor, weapons, trunks for storage, etc.)
-Will we have any space just outside of the 16x16 square for a horse or guy, or should that be worked into the 16x16 footprint?

-Joe-

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:24 am
by Thomas
JCool wrote:So I may be able to make it to NWBrickCon this year (still working out the details), and being a big castle fan I just had to see what CC was cooking up this time around.... and I've gotta say that I really like the idea! So much so that I've built a tent already (pictures pending) and am looking to build some other small things to go with it.
Great to hear! I hope you can make it!
JCool wrote:Unfortunately I'm on the East Coast so I won't be able to bring too much, but i'll try to finish up a few cool things to display.
Understandable! Be sure to pad your creations well and if possible carry them on instead of checking them in.
JCool wrote:A few questions though (and this came up as I was building the tent):
-How much detail is too much detail for the tent? (i'm already trying to squeeze in a bath, armor, weapons, trunks for storage, etc.)
-Will we have any space just outside of the 16x16 square for a horse or guy, or should that be worked into the 16x16 footprint?
I suppose too much detail would be if it looks crowded but don't think you have to stay within a 16x16 baseplate if you've got enough details for a 16x32 I say go for it.

We've got enough room to spend this out a bit and to see all the details in eveyones creations I think we're going to want to.

Thomas Rafert

NWBC 2007 Team, Castle Coordinator, NWBrickCon™ 2007

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:49 pm
by Dunechaser
I haven't had time to build much recently, but for the joust area I'll plan on at least bringing my 383/6083 Knight's Joust (from 1979).

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:38 pm
by JCool
What else do we need for the Tournament area? I've got some time and can build a few things if needed (stands for the people, sword fighting arena, tavern keg area -- hey what's a good swordfight without drinks?!). Let me know how I can contribute.

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:05 am
by Thomas
Dunechaser - That'd be great addition. We are working on a little bit larger jousting area but there is no reason we can't have multiple jousts going on.

JCool - Any of those you mentioned would be great. Some other ideas blacksmiths, a feast, some vendors, carts.

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:26 am
by The Blue Knight
Time is getting short. I'm working much more than I thought, and I find myself in need of a little inspiration for a tent or pavillion. What's cookin' out there in regards to tents?

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:27 am
by JCool
Time is definitely getting short for building... i have a business trip early next week that will eat up the last remaining days before the event. I'll be there with my tournament tent and also a separate castle moc (big corner tower, still finishing the stairs), but won't have anything else to add for the tournament area. I'm still trying to figure out how to transport all this stuff out there... yikes~!

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:10 am
by J1A3L5
Hi Tom,
Just want to double-confirm my size is 176 x 96. (56" x 35") The long edge is the one that faces the crowd best.

See you all there!

-John.