Building musings

[ludzik]

One thing that came to me today is that a certain level of realism has been always part of my builds. What do I mean by that? Well that the stairs had to fit a minifigure, bed had to be the right size and so on.

With the castle I am taking it now to the next level: the number of beds has account for the number of inhabitants. Taking it even further I am trying to come up with the right number of guards/soldiers that are necessary to defend the castle.and cover all the jobs.

Anyone else thinks like that?

[Bishons]

Yes, I think like that. I always try to make my paths the right width and so on. When you said how you think about how many soldiers/guards on the wall, I don't have a choice ( I only have one ). Making things realistic is my priority, but sometimes you can't like the MOC I'm making at the the moment. The lake has to be higher than the valley, but it broke up the greenness in the MOC.

Cheers

[Elephant Knight]

The older I get, the more my MOCs are "realistic". For example, over the last couple of years I have built a blacktron spaceship, and I had to make sure each of the 41 crew members had a bed, had necessary seating in the lunge area, and of course, they all had to had a specific position on board the ship. but that last bit had been predetermined for years...

EKnight

[Frank_Lloyd_Knight]

... For example, over the last couple of years I have built a blacktron spaceship, and I had to make sure each of the 41 crew members had a bed, ...
EKnight

I think common practice on submarines is to "hot-bunk," as in there would only be enough bunks for the crew shift that's actually on sleeping time. I'd expect spacecraft might operate similarly, so potentially you'd only need between 14-22 bunks.

[ludzik]

... For example, over the last couple of years I have built a blacktron spaceship, and I had to make sure each of the 41 crew members had a bed, ...
EKnight

I think common practice on submarines is to "hot-bunk," as in there would only be enough bunks for the crew shift that's actually on sleeping time. I'd expect spacecraft might operate similarly, so potentially you'd only need between 14-22 bunks.

I'm kinda going in that direction with my castle (maybe) figuring 50% more troops then bunks. The thing there though is that in peace time sentries and scouts account for a small percentage (probably less then a third of the force)

[Crazylegoman]

I do like to make any castle creations so that a MF could get to all parts of it. So towers have to have stairs or at least ladders, rooms have to have doorways between them, even if you can't see it from the outside, and all doors have to actually lead somewhere.

One of the things I've come to realize about stairs is that the right height for each step to be in MF scale is 2 plates. 1 brick high would be so much easier build-wise, but they would have to take huge steps as they walked on the stairs. 1 plate high is too small.

David

[ludzik]

I am there with you: every tower, every building has to be reachable and while most of my stairs are 2 plates high, one brick high would still be realistic in a castle: i toured many a castle and some of those stairs where a Megablocks to climb cause of this weird offset height.
So my castle takes up most of 64x80 studs area. I am looking at making some sleeping areas in the cellars but before I go there if I do bunk beds in couple areas i can have 36 sleeping positions. I also have 2 stables: lords stable for 2 horses and the soldiers stable for at least 8 horses.

So I'm good when I look at just the garrison troops as there are 27 if them. Where I get into trouble is with the lord's personal guard as there are 34 more of them. That leaves me with 25 too few positions.

Now what about guest quarters? Looks like I will have to do more levels to some of the buildings.

[minoboys]

I always try to include realism in my castle mocs. When I build them, I make sure that there is always a way to get water in the case of a siege. I also make sure that all the walls and towers on my castles are accessible by ladders or stairs. Sometimes I even go the extra mile and make sure that there is enough beds, a large area to store grain and somewhere to keep animals. As for stables, I don't actually have any horses.

[Bruce N H]

Hey all,

I'm kind of the opposite. When I build (which isn't as often as I'd like by any means), I am building completely for the camera. So if it's an exterior scene I don't care if there is any interior whatsoever. On the flip side my interior scenes are built like a TV studio - three walls and often no ceiling so I can angle the camera and the lighting to get the best shot.

Bruce

[Tycho McKorley]

One thing that came to me today is that a certain level of realism has been always part of my builds. What do I mean by that? Well that the stairs had to fit a minifigure, bed had to be the right size and so on.

Traditionally, this how I have thought and tried to build. One thing I've realized is that often times that makes my creations harder to photograph and harder for other people to get in to and appreciate, so I've started to be more pragmatic. If what I want to build calls for the realism, I do it, but if it does not, I omit it. I still give my mini figures doors and stairs, however, because I worry about them not being able to get around when they come alive at night.

[Elephant Knight]

I still give my mini figures doors and stairs, however, because I worry about them not being able to get around when they come alive at night.

Always important to remember that.

EKnight

[JBM]

One thing that came to me today is that a certain level of realism has been always part of my builds. What do I mean by that? Well that the stairs had to fit a minifigure, bed had to be the right size and so on.

Traditionally, this how I have thought and tried to build. One thing I've realized is that often times that makes my creations harder to photograph and harder for other people to get in to and appreciate, so I've started to be more pragmatic. If what I want to build calls for the realism, I do it, but if it does not, I omit it. I still give my mini figures doors and stairs, however, because I worry about them not being able to get around when they come alive at night.

haha!!

[Purple Wolf]

I have slightly tried to be this serious in my build as my most reason castle I tried. I got close but kinda got lazy and let's just say it doesn't have enough beds.

PW

[JBM]

I have slightly tried to be this serious in my build as my most reason castle I tried. I got close but kinda got lazy and let's just say it doesn't have enough beds.

PW

just have people share beds!

[jtooker]

Hmm... maybe I should be put interiors into my builds...